I think this year's team is going to surprise all of us.....positively.

your lips to god's ears man...

Expectations are pretty low. If they make the tourney that will be a pleasant surprise.

(10-04-2015 09:16 PM)tiger1016 Wrote:  Expectations are pretty low. If they make the tourney that will be a pleasant surprise.

Agree. Making the tourney will be a major unexpected achievement without Nichols. I think the odds were actually pretty good to make it with him.

Love to hear it. Talk dirty to me, Baby.

I hope so.

Opinions vary, I know, but I believe at some point it's going to click for Pastner-whether it's here or somewhere else.

I hope it's here, and I hope it's this year.

I'm waiting to hear TigersCane's analysis before I form my opinion.

There is reason for optimism (core group of seniors, highly rated incoming class, good talent) and choose to remain positive until actual events confirm or disprove it.

(10-05-2015 08:50 AM)Tiger1983 Wrote:  There is reason for optimism (core group of seniors, highly rated incoming class, good talent) and choose to remain positive until actual events confirm or disprove it.

Hope you're right. I don't like not looking forward to BB.

I am honestly thinking that losing Austin will be a positive on the defensive end of the floor and offensively it will depend on how his replacements play.

Austin was not the most efficient scorer, Shaq was just as efficient, difference is Austin took a ton more shots.

Austin took 11.25 shots a game at 50% and scored 13.3 points a game
14 Jackson took 10.2 shots a game at 44.3% and scored 14.1 points a game
13 Jackson took 9 Shots a game at 51.9% and scored 13.6 points a game
12 Barton took 12.9 shots a game at 50.9% and scored 18 points a game
11 Barton took 11.14 shots a game at 42.8% and scored 12.23 points a game
10 Elliot Williams took 11.41 shots a game at 45.9% and scored 17.9 points a game

The only leading scorer that Austin was more efficient than at scoring the ball was a Freshmen Will Barton in the Pastner era. Austin was the probably the 4th or 5th best rebounder on last years team along with being an unwilling passer.

(10-05-2015 09:36 AM)macgar32 Wrote:  I am honestly thinking that losing Austin will be a positive on the defensive end of the floor and offensively it will depend on how his replacements play.

Austin was not the most efficient scorer, Shaq was just as efficient, difference is Austin took a ton more shots.

Yes,
But it'll be interesting to see whether the others can replace Austin's gift for blocking shots. The other team may end up shooting a higher percentage without his long arms in/around/over the paint.

Especially the second half of last year, Austin took a ton of bad shots (and rarely, if ever, sat because of it).

If the rumors of team chemistry are true, his absence may make for a better team atmosphere.

(10-05-2015 09:43 AM)holyterror Wrote:  

(10-05-2015 09:36 AM)macgar32 Wrote:  I am honestly thinking that losing Austin will be a positive on the defensive end of the floor and offensively it will depend on how his replacements play.

Austin was not the most efficient scorer, Shaq was just as efficient, difference is Austin took a ton more shots.

Yes,
But it'll be interesting to see whether the others can replace Austin's gift for blocking shots. The other team may end up shooting a higher percentage without his long arms in/around/over the paint.

Especially the second half of last year, Austin took a ton of bad shots (and rarely, if ever, sat because of it).

If the rumors of team chemistry are true, his absence may make for a better team atmosphere.

Yes he will not be there to block shots but his slow feet also will not be there to attempt to guard a high pick and roll causing the defense to break down. Austin was a good help defender but a very poor on ball defender.

(10-05-2015 09:46 AM)macgar32 Wrote:  

(10-05-2015 09:43 AM)holyterror Wrote:  

(10-05-2015 09:36 AM)macgar32 Wrote:  I am honestly thinking that losing Austin will be a positive on the defensive end of the floor and offensively it will depend on how his replacements play.

Austin was not the most efficient scorer, Shaq was just as efficient, difference is Austin took a ton more shots.

Yes,
But it'll be interesting to see whether the others can replace Austin's gift for blocking shots. The other team may end up shooting a higher percentage without his long arms in/around/over the paint.

Especially the second half of last year, Austin took a ton of bad shots (and rarely, if ever, sat because of it).

If the rumors of team chemistry are true, his absence may make for a better team atmosphere.

Yes he will not be there to block shots but his slow feet also will not be there to attempt to guard a high pick and roll causing the defense to break down. Austin was a good help defender but a very poor on ball defender.

Yeah, this I why I've never really gotten the "Austin is an nba player" stuff. In the nba, you are who you can guard (unless you're steph curry).
If Austin has to guard anybody with driving ability he's in trouble.

(10-05-2015 09:36 AM)macgar32 Wrote:  I am honestly thinking that losing Austin will be a positive on the defensive end of the floor and offensively it will depend on how his replacements play.

Austin was not the most efficient scorer, Shaq was just as efficient, difference is Austin took a ton more shots.

Usage % has a huge factor on efficiency. I think if Shaq had Austin's usage, his efficiency numbers would take a hit.

I don't see any scenario where losing our leader scorer and shot blocker is a positive. Still, there is certainly enough talent on this squad where the NCAA tourney is still a reasonable and laudable goal.

(10-04-2015 07:00 PM)bengltgrs Wrote:  I think this year's team is going to surprise all of us.....positively.

You may be right, but isn't that more a reflection of where everyone's expectations are? And I'll have to agree with Sundance and Tanya -- losing Austin ain't a positive, and I miss looking forward to bball.

(10-05-2015 01:45 PM)MTigerBlue Wrote:  

(10-04-2015 07:00 PM)bengltgrs Wrote:  I think this year's team is going to surprise all of us.....positively.

You may be right, but isn't that more a reflection of where everyone's expectations are? And I'll have to agree with Sundance and Tanya -- losing Austin ain't a positive, and I miss looking forward to bball.

I will say this. I don't think losing Austin is good, but sometimes there is a 'team greater than the sum of their parts' thing that can happen when a realyl good player moves on.

I'm still looking forward to hoops, and who knows they could surprise. The 2015-16 season hasn't started yet...

"I don't think losing Austin is good"

On the surface I would think the same thing; however, considering when he left there had to have been something wrong with him. You just don't walk out on people like that. He obviously wasn't a team player and had little consideration for others. Someone like that you want as far away from you as they can get. Virginia is a good place for him. The team will better without him.

This team has the chance to be real good with four senior starters and a hot shot freshmen. It depends on how all the parts come together.

(10-05-2015 02:21 PM)Smith Wrote:  "I don't think losing Austin is good"

On the surface I would think the same thing; however, considering when he left there had to have been something wrong with him. You just don't walk out on people like that. He obviously wasn't a team player and had little consideration for others. Someone like that you want as far away from you as they can get. Virginia is a good place for him. The team will better without him.

This team has the chance to be real good with four senior starters and a hot shot freshmen. It depends on how all the parts come together.

I am not making that assumption about a blue chip player choosing to transfer a program that has struggled. I would wager that both him and the coach are pretty solid guys who just couldn't get on the same page.

Players transfer and it happens. Certainly the timing was suspect, but there is enough else going on at the program that I don't think that it is fair to either AN or CJP to assume ill of either.

(10-05-2015 02:21 PM)Smith Wrote:  This team should be real good with four senior starters and a hot shot freshmen - two of the five players are McDonald's All-Americans and two others started in the SEC. It depends on coaching.

Fixed

(10-05-2015 01:33 PM)Sundanceuiuc Wrote:  

(10-05-2015 09:36 AM)macgar32 Wrote:  I am honestly thinking that losing Austin will be a positive on the defensive end of the floor and offensively it will depend on how his replacements play.

Austin was not the most efficient scorer, Shaq was just as efficient, difference is Austin took a ton more shots.

Usage % has a huge factor on efficiency. I think if Shaq had Austin's usage, his efficiency numbers would take a hit.

I don't see any scenario where losing our leader scorer and shot blocker is a positive. Still, there is certainly enough talent on this squad where the NCAA tourney is still a reasonable and laudable goal.

I agree, the more shots you take the more likely some of them will be tougher shots...Towards the end Austin was just taking too many TOUGH shots along with not getting to the FT line I feel it hurt the team.