Saturday, February 11, 2012

VU vs. UK: Postgame Thoughts

We have nothing to be ashamed of.  Played a helluva second half, fought hard, played as a team.  As much as anything, the difference in the game came down to blocks: UK 12, VU 4.  It really could've gone either way, we just didn't get shots to fall down the stretch when we needed them.  Hats off to Kentucky, they are a great team.  Anthony Davis is very, very impressive.  

More thoughts in due course, but after watching that game I'm coming back around to the hope that we can make a deep run in the tournament, especially if Festus's health continues to improve.

The floor is open, VSL Nation.

12 comments:

Vandy-Montana said...

Deep run? No. Maybe win 1 game in NCAA. We had less talented teams beating better teams (FLA).

I hate to say it, but I'd rather have the Shan Foster led team.

Seamus O'Toole said...

I think the negativity is misplaced. Your bearish prediction may prove to be accurate, but my point in saying there is reason to be hopeful is to highlight what I think is becoming increasingly obvious: We are a different team -- and a dangerous team -- when Festus Ezeli is healthy.

M said...

Completely agree with Seamus. We battled tonight against the most talented team in the country. Our guys stepped up, took the beating in the first half personally and turned what could have been a laugher into an exciting game that could have gon either way. There is absolutely no shame in losing to Kentucky and in fact, I think we should be encouraged that we could have won this game. I don't like that we couldn't get a Bucket over the last 3:19 but our guys put it all out on the floor tonight. I'm actually encouraged, call me crazy but I think this loss is going to propel our guys to believe in the,selves and really achieve in March. Personally, I don't give a shit what our seed is, if we play like we played tonight we can beat anyone (even Kentucky) and I've also got to give some props to CKS, the 2nd half zone was effective and energized the team. I'm tire of everyone being down on this team. We've had some bad losses but we haven't been 100% and I don't know about you guys but I think it's better for us to be a bit under-seeded this year. This was a good night for Vandy hoops and I'm bullish on our chances in March. go Dores!

DoreDevil said...

A s for you guys that keep saying that these losses are nothing to be ashamed of, that we {fill in the blank} were playing the #1 team in the country, at the #7 team in the country, on the road against the #4 team in the country, against the #11 team in the country, on the road against a team that was 15-0, I love ya but I believe you are missing the point. Sure, this team can play with anyone. But they can't beat a top 15 team and they cannot win an OT or one-possession game. If that doesn't change come tournament time, it doesn't matter if he can play with anybody.

I already knew we could "play with" Kentucky and take no solace whatsoever from seeing that confirmed. I do despair over another display of upperclassmen melting down. I also despair over good guys like them repeatedly getting the major shaft from crooked SEC refs.

M said...

I really don't think we melted down here at all. I certainly think we have in the past but Kentucky is ridiculously good on both sides of the ball. You may be right and these guys may just not have what it takes but I saw us show some balls tonight. This wasn't the "typical" Vandy meltdown. Maybe I'm wrong but I liked the way we got better instead of worse. As for the last 4min, a couple tough bad breaks and lucky shots (the kicked ball that went for an assist with 1 sec on shot clock) combined with the fact that they had 5 NBA players in the game doesn't discourage me as much as it does you. Look, I may be wrong, but this wasn't a performance to be ashamed of. I think it's pretty clear Kentucky is the BEST team in the nation and we could have won this game. Nobody ever said we were going to be the best team in the country, only that we could, on a good night, beat anyone in the country and I think we proved that tonight. Just my opinion

DoreDevil said...

I agree completely; not a performance to be ashamed of. But what I am saying is that that's really not the issue. Our problem usually (with the possible exceptions of Ind State and Cleveland State) is not shameful losses. It is heartbreaking losses, losses that shouldn't happen, and, indeed, losses period. I guess what I am saying is that we knew we have good guys and good players that could compete with UK's great players. We were hoping to find out something new - that we could win a game like this - and it didn't happen. As for the future, you are right that this game indicates that we can play with a great team, but out issue in the tournament is less that and more the fact that we have forgotten how to win the kinds of close games it takes to go deep in the NCAAs. In other words, for me confidence that we can go deep in the NCAAs would not come from playing Kentucky close. It would come more from beating someone - anyone - in a one-possession or OT game. Why? Again, we know we can do the former. As to the latter, the games against OSU and Marquette or the only two of that type we have won in the last two years.

M said...

Look, I graduated in 2002 I was there when Dan Laghi was dominating games and we were losing by 100 to any good team we played. Since I live in NYC I was also at the NCAA games in jersey where the refs singlehandedly took our elite 8 berth away on the Jeff Green travesty. I know quite a but about gut punch losses. I just think this team feels different right now. I could be COMPLETELY wrong but the last few years we coasted through the regular season with no adversity and then faded in the SEC tourney and the NCAAs. I think this season has a different feel. We've battled injuries all year and have suffered some seriously inexcusable losses in the pre-conference season (not the norm). This team will actually be under the radar going into the tournament and what I saw tonight was a hungry team hat lost to a superior opponent. Taylor finally has learned how to sack up, Lance, can board and score, Tinsley didn't really turn it over, Fes is giving his best on 1.5 knees and JJ doesn't have to shoulder the whole load. I'm just saying this is the kind of team that can peak at the right time instead of what we've done the past few years which is peak early and fade late. You make a lot of good and valid points but I hope i' right and I believe that I am. We'll see.

Anything but Gatorade said...

I thought Vandy played a really good game last night. Really good. If the Dores play like that for the rest of the season, they honestly don't lose another game, except maybe when they visit Rupp in a week or so. That kind of effort and determination, combined with CKS's best bench game all season, is going to beat just about any other team in the country. Things are not at all bleak in Nashville, if you ask me. I think that game might actually mark a turning point in the season. It's not too late to make a strong run in the league and hopefully play well in the SECT. Great effort, too bad someone had to lose.

ekinggill said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
ekinggill said...

We had a great time at the VU-UK game...hated to lose, but great game. I've joined the VSLNation, but I think the VSLNation concerns about too many UK fans at the game are misplaced. I gave my VU-LSU tickets to a mixed couple (LSU man and VU woman)...and I think that's OK even though I let in an LSU fan. I have a friend who's a UK graduate and he has VU season tickets and pulls for VU at 95% of the games (except when UK is in town)...and I'm OK with that (since he's buying season tickets that were still available after NCC members made their first priority purchases). I have another big college basketball fan friend with absolutely no connection to VU and he has VU season tickets and he always pulls for VU, but he sells his VU-UK tickets to the highest bidders online (whoever that may be)...and I'm OK with that. I agree that VSLNation and NCC members should be "protecing our house" by putting VU fans in our seats (and sacrificing $200 per ticket in the process), but when NCC members don't buy all 12,000 or so season tickets then I don't think we should expect that support of everyone else. I want to be welcoming to the non-VU graduates who still want to support VU 95% of the time. I want 100% support from NCC members, and I'm happy with 95% support from the rest of the Nashville community. I think DiNardo was wrong when he told people that if they couldn't cheer for VU over UT (equivalent to UK in basketball) then we didn't want their support at all, period. Of course, diehard NCC members should get first priority and should "protect our house", but we shouldn't be unwelcoming to visitors or others that might only support VU 95% of the time. LSU has a reputation for treating opposing fans horribly. I don't want us to have that reputation. I took my son to an A&M game last fall, and as some OSU fans were approaching the tailgating area we noted how the Aggie tailgaters were bringing them beers and sandwiches. I'm sure those OSU fans left thinking "A&M is a great place". When opposing fans leave Vanderbilt (hopefully after they've experienced a loss!), I want them to tell their friends "That was a great time!" rather than "Damn, I hate Vanderbilt". I agree with the VSLNation concern when opposing fans totally take over (like UT in football a few years ago and UK in basketball sometimes), but yesterday I estimate that only 25% of the crowd was UK fans and that doesn't bother me at all. I want Vanderbilt fans to be ambassadors for this great university. I guess there's a fine line between being welcoming ambassadors (which I want us to be) versus being appeasing doormats (which I agree with VSLNation that we don't want to be). Yes, let's not be appeasing doormats ... but we can still be welcoming ambassadors. Regardless, we all know that WINNING would make this issue a total non-issue regardless of the sport. Damn, I wish we had beaten UK yesterday. I hate the one-and-done rule in college basketball. Go Dores! And Gig'Em Aggies!

AspenVU said...

JT needs to shoot more - Fes should go up and dunk or kick it out and never dribble. VU needs to win these next few to stay off the bubble. These are all "last" games for most of this crew and time to define their legacy; + or - .

DoreDevil said...

I hope you are right, M.

But I have concerns even about making the tournament. 4 losses could do us in and are certainly possible with a tough schedule to finish the season.

Our players are good guys and by rights should not have a sad ending to this once promising season.