PonyDoh wrote:So did we actively sit on the lead? Play stall ball?
Four corner stall for the last 12-13 minutes. Yes indeed, on a night when we were shooting 61% from the floor and better than 50% from the arc, with no one in foul trouble and a 24 point lead on one of the conferences best teams, someone decided that the best strategy was to stop shooting until the shot clock was under 5. UAB went to a half court jump trap, and forced a string of turnovers. 24 point lead slowly dribbled away.
In one regard its a shame you missed it, because in the first half we actually did something new, offensively. Instead of using the post to set on-ball screens at the top of the key, we gave the ball to the high post, and let him look for the guards going to the basket on backdoor cuts. Worked beautifully for awhile, thats how we got so many good looks and layups. Didnt see any of that in the 2nd half.
And I want to say I disagree with the people complaining about no foul on the final play. The refs let a great deal of physical play go uncalled inside the paint, all night. Williams was bumped on the drive, but it was nothing heavier than Paul Millsap was bumped when he drove 6 seconds before, at the other end. They both got bumped, both missed their layups, and no foul either way. The refs were consistent. It may not have been the "right" call, because there was contact, but it was consistent with how the refs called the entire game.