After becoming the first team I've ever seen to make 16 straight free throws down the stretch AND fritter away a 9-point lead in the middle of it, Tulane dominated Temple in OT yesterday and avoided falling even farther into the depths of the AAC.
Rebounding, as always, is an issue for this team, but Tulane went 12-6 in the AAC with a rebounding margin of minus-7.6 a year ago, not much different from the current minus-9.3, so this team can win despite the disparity. it cannot win without having Jaylen Forbes return to being Jaylen Forbes offensively because the only way to make up for the rebounding discrepancy is tremendous offense. Hunter did the right thing pulling Forbes (lower-back issues among others) less than 80 seconds into the second half yesterday, and hopefully the week off before Sunday's game will give him some time to get healthier.
I stand by my earlier statement that Tulane must get into the top four of the final standings to get a double bye in the AAC tournament and have any chance of making a run in Fort Worth. Right now the Wave is closer to the bottom four, but it is not totally impossible even if it is a long shot. If Forbes starts hitting shots and Percy Daniels, the most physical player on the roster, earns more minutes with productive play, the Wave can reverse its slide. The top three spots are out of reach with FAU, Charlotte and USF standing at 8-1, but the fourth spot is attainable if Tulane wins at Memphis this Sunday and avenges road losses to SMU, UAB and North Texas at home. If everything broke right, a 10-8 record might be good enough for a tie for fourth place, and then it would come down to the tiebreakers.
Through 10 games, Tulane has won one convincingly, lost three in which it really did not have a shot to win the way it played (at North Texas, UAB and SMU, even though the score ended up being close in the last one), won three it easily could have lost and lost three it easily could have won, so the 4-6 record is pretty accurate.
Here is a potential scenario. I am not predicting any of these results will happen, but it's an example of what could happen in a league where 33 of the 64 games have been decided by 5 points or less or in OT and almost anyone can beat almost anyone anywhere.
At Memphis W
SMU W
at East Carolina W
UAB W
North Texas W
at FAU L
at USF L
Wichita State W
In that scenario, Tulane almost certainly would not get a bye because it would be 0-4 against the likely top three finishers in the league, which is how they break ties when head-to-head is even, going in order from 1-2-3 and on down. But if you substitute a win at either FAU or USF with a loss to ECU (totally possible in this weird league), a potential tiebreaker might be favorable.
I do not expect Tulane to climb into the top 4, but I do expect this team to play better down the stretch if Forbes recovers. It has good leaders, has continued to play hard and is due some breaks after getting very few through the first 10 games. Winning four games in four days in the tournament would be virtually impossible, so this team has to get on a roll and get some major help.
Here are the quotes from last night:
RON HUNTER
"With all these games on television, they definitely got their money's worth today. I told the guys in the locker room just a few minutes ago I thought we had to win a game like that. We had to exorcize some demons a little bit. We had been missing a ton of free throws at the end of games. I talked about that yesterday, and today we did the little things. We made the free throws (hitting their last 24). It was a good win for us. We needed that win, just for our mental health. We're a banged up, tired bunch. This week off is going do wonders for us."
On taking Forbes out 1:18 into the second half and not bringing him back:
"Physically and mentally he's got some things going on. He tried early. I was going to give him two minutes in the first half to see and I just didn't think that he was there with us today, so Asher Woods (who replaced Forbes after being using sparingly this year) was huge. That was some big minutes. I'm really proud of the way Asher stepped up and played with the free throws, defense (he has a steal and run-out lay-up) and everything. We won the game today because of what he did off the bench, so that was huge."
On needing the week off:
"Yeah. I can't even tell you, mentally, physically, everything. I told the guys for 48 hours just don't come in the gym, don't do anything, just enjoy college for 48 hours. Go to a parade or festival, do something to get away. We've been going since July 24 (for the World University Games) It's been a grind. We need a little time."
On Holloway:
"It opens it up for Kev and for some of the other guys. He's kind of a back-to-the-basket player in that regard, and when you take that out it just makes us a little different. He got off to a slow start a little bit, just like all the offense did. We just couldn't get going, but then in the second half we got going and put some points on the board. Especially with Forbes not playing, we needed him (Holloway) to step up."
On if mental and physical issue he mentioned with Forbes could linger:
"No, no. Some time off will be good. He just needs a little time."
On what he said in huddle before OT:
"I'll be honest with you. After like three or four swear words, my thought was we can't lose this game. I wouldn't know what to say these kids in the locker room when they are busting their butt, we're hurt, we're banged up, we're doing whatever. We have not had any breaks. Even that last shot (Temple took near the end of regulation). Every carom seems to carry the wrong way. It never caroms the way we need it to, but we made our breaks today. We made our free throws. We can celebrate this, but we need a little time off."
On rebounding issues late:
"That's what I just said about the ball caroming to the right. We loaded up (to the left) because the rebound should have come this way, but it caromed off to the right in front of their bench. The same thing as with Florida Atlantic. We looked at the flight of the ball, and if it comes to the middle, game over, we've got it. Those are the type of things that have happened to us this year, but as I said, it's not how you start, it's how you finish. This story has not been fully written yet. I can guarantee you, it has not been fully written."
On free throw success:
"It's a mental thing. The worst thing you can do sometimes is hey, go make a hundred free throws because they are not like in a game. The heart rate's not going. We talked about some things, but nothing really different outside of hey, we know what we have to get done. We actually even got a steal and made a lay-up, so I'm just taking the little things right now. I'm just happy we won and proud of these guys because 89 percent of the teams in the country would have folded going into overtime given what happened today. I guarantee you that would have happened. These guys, we've been through so much together, that they just kept fighting and we ended up winning the game. That's what I mean by exorcizing some demons."
SION JAMES
On responding to gut punch of losing nine-point lead in last three minutes essentially:
"We just did what we needed to do and stayed the course, something that we've talked about all year. We've had a rough stretch to say the least. The thing we talked about as a team is staying the course. We felt offensively we played a little too slow down the stretch. Defensively we just gave them too many opportunities, but I'm proud of these guys because we stayed the course like we always talk about."
On dunk for 3-point lead in OT:
"The same thing I tell these guys--we've got to win the game, we've got to figure out a way. It could have been a dunk. It could have been a 3 or a free throw. It could have been anything, but I'm glad it was a dunk because it got the crowd going a little bit."
On series of difficult shots Temple hit:
"It's a few things. As long as the clock's still ticking, we have no choice but to get over it. That's the first thing. Second, it happens. You know they are not going to continue to hit those shots, but for some reason they did. It happens. The game goes on. We're a veteran team. We played like it today."
COLLIN HOLLOWAY
On feeling better after missing a game with sprained ankle and playing at less than 100 percent against SMU:
"I was gassed at the beginning of the game. I got a second wind going. It felt good to be out there with my guys."
On significance of win:
"It was huge. Massive. To play a hard game like that, Temple's record I don't think shows who they really are. They came out and gave us their best punch, and I'm glad we took it and continued to play hard."
TEMPLE COACH ADAM FISHER
On difference:
"The difference is some of the physicality. They are a really physical team. Early on they were dominating the paint. They did a great job in the paint. We tried to limit their 3s, but it's pick your poison. They are going to find a way if it's scoring at the rim or is it going to be 3s. They do it all. It's a really good team."
On what Tulane's struggles say about this league:
"It's brutal. This league's brutal. Anywhere you go, especially on the road, there was a good atmosphere here, a good environment. This is a really good team that especially offensively can just pick you apart."
Rebounding, as always, is an issue for this team, but Tulane went 12-6 in the AAC with a rebounding margin of minus-7.6 a year ago, not much different from the current minus-9.3, so this team can win despite the disparity. it cannot win without having Jaylen Forbes return to being Jaylen Forbes offensively because the only way to make up for the rebounding discrepancy is tremendous offense. Hunter did the right thing pulling Forbes (lower-back issues among others) less than 80 seconds into the second half yesterday, and hopefully the week off before Sunday's game will give him some time to get healthier.
I stand by my earlier statement that Tulane must get into the top four of the final standings to get a double bye in the AAC tournament and have any chance of making a run in Fort Worth. Right now the Wave is closer to the bottom four, but it is not totally impossible even if it is a long shot. If Forbes starts hitting shots and Percy Daniels, the most physical player on the roster, earns more minutes with productive play, the Wave can reverse its slide. The top three spots are out of reach with FAU, Charlotte and USF standing at 8-1, but the fourth spot is attainable if Tulane wins at Memphis this Sunday and avenges road losses to SMU, UAB and North Texas at home. If everything broke right, a 10-8 record might be good enough for a tie for fourth place, and then it would come down to the tiebreakers.
Through 10 games, Tulane has won one convincingly, lost three in which it really did not have a shot to win the way it played (at North Texas, UAB and SMU, even though the score ended up being close in the last one), won three it easily could have lost and lost three it easily could have won, so the 4-6 record is pretty accurate.
Here is a potential scenario. I am not predicting any of these results will happen, but it's an example of what could happen in a league where 33 of the 64 games have been decided by 5 points or less or in OT and almost anyone can beat almost anyone anywhere.
At Memphis W
SMU W
at East Carolina W
UAB W
North Texas W
at FAU L
at USF L
Wichita State W
In that scenario, Tulane almost certainly would not get a bye because it would be 0-4 against the likely top three finishers in the league, which is how they break ties when head-to-head is even, going in order from 1-2-3 and on down. But if you substitute a win at either FAU or USF with a loss to ECU (totally possible in this weird league), a potential tiebreaker might be favorable.
I do not expect Tulane to climb into the top 4, but I do expect this team to play better down the stretch if Forbes recovers. It has good leaders, has continued to play hard and is due some breaks after getting very few through the first 10 games. Winning four games in four days in the tournament would be virtually impossible, so this team has to get on a roll and get some major help.
Here are the quotes from last night:
RON HUNTER
"With all these games on television, they definitely got their money's worth today. I told the guys in the locker room just a few minutes ago I thought we had to win a game like that. We had to exorcize some demons a little bit. We had been missing a ton of free throws at the end of games. I talked about that yesterday, and today we did the little things. We made the free throws (hitting their last 24). It was a good win for us. We needed that win, just for our mental health. We're a banged up, tired bunch. This week off is going do wonders for us."
On taking Forbes out 1:18 into the second half and not bringing him back:
"Physically and mentally he's got some things going on. He tried early. I was going to give him two minutes in the first half to see and I just didn't think that he was there with us today, so Asher Woods (who replaced Forbes after being using sparingly this year) was huge. That was some big minutes. I'm really proud of the way Asher stepped up and played with the free throws, defense (he has a steal and run-out lay-up) and everything. We won the game today because of what he did off the bench, so that was huge."
On needing the week off:
"Yeah. I can't even tell you, mentally, physically, everything. I told the guys for 48 hours just don't come in the gym, don't do anything, just enjoy college for 48 hours. Go to a parade or festival, do something to get away. We've been going since July 24 (for the World University Games) It's been a grind. We need a little time."
On Holloway:
"It opens it up for Kev and for some of the other guys. He's kind of a back-to-the-basket player in that regard, and when you take that out it just makes us a little different. He got off to a slow start a little bit, just like all the offense did. We just couldn't get going, but then in the second half we got going and put some points on the board. Especially with Forbes not playing, we needed him (Holloway) to step up."
On if mental and physical issue he mentioned with Forbes could linger:
"No, no. Some time off will be good. He just needs a little time."
On what he said in huddle before OT:
"I'll be honest with you. After like three or four swear words, my thought was we can't lose this game. I wouldn't know what to say these kids in the locker room when they are busting their butt, we're hurt, we're banged up, we're doing whatever. We have not had any breaks. Even that last shot (Temple took near the end of regulation). Every carom seems to carry the wrong way. It never caroms the way we need it to, but we made our breaks today. We made our free throws. We can celebrate this, but we need a little time off."
On rebounding issues late:
"That's what I just said about the ball caroming to the right. We loaded up (to the left) because the rebound should have come this way, but it caromed off to the right in front of their bench. The same thing as with Florida Atlantic. We looked at the flight of the ball, and if it comes to the middle, game over, we've got it. Those are the type of things that have happened to us this year, but as I said, it's not how you start, it's how you finish. This story has not been fully written yet. I can guarantee you, it has not been fully written."
On free throw success:
"It's a mental thing. The worst thing you can do sometimes is hey, go make a hundred free throws because they are not like in a game. The heart rate's not going. We talked about some things, but nothing really different outside of hey, we know what we have to get done. We actually even got a steal and made a lay-up, so I'm just taking the little things right now. I'm just happy we won and proud of these guys because 89 percent of the teams in the country would have folded going into overtime given what happened today. I guarantee you that would have happened. These guys, we've been through so much together, that they just kept fighting and we ended up winning the game. That's what I mean by exorcizing some demons."
SION JAMES
On responding to gut punch of losing nine-point lead in last three minutes essentially:
"We just did what we needed to do and stayed the course, something that we've talked about all year. We've had a rough stretch to say the least. The thing we talked about as a team is staying the course. We felt offensively we played a little too slow down the stretch. Defensively we just gave them too many opportunities, but I'm proud of these guys because we stayed the course like we always talk about."
On dunk for 3-point lead in OT:
"The same thing I tell these guys--we've got to win the game, we've got to figure out a way. It could have been a dunk. It could have been a 3 or a free throw. It could have been anything, but I'm glad it was a dunk because it got the crowd going a little bit."
On series of difficult shots Temple hit:
"It's a few things. As long as the clock's still ticking, we have no choice but to get over it. That's the first thing. Second, it happens. You know they are not going to continue to hit those shots, but for some reason they did. It happens. The game goes on. We're a veteran team. We played like it today."
COLLIN HOLLOWAY
On feeling better after missing a game with sprained ankle and playing at less than 100 percent against SMU:
"I was gassed at the beginning of the game. I got a second wind going. It felt good to be out there with my guys."
On significance of win:
"It was huge. Massive. To play a hard game like that, Temple's record I don't think shows who they really are. They came out and gave us their best punch, and I'm glad we took it and continued to play hard."
TEMPLE COACH ADAM FISHER
On difference:
"The difference is some of the physicality. They are a really physical team. Early on they were dominating the paint. They did a great job in the paint. We tried to limit their 3s, but it's pick your poison. They are going to find a way if it's scoring at the rim or is it going to be 3s. They do it all. It's a really good team."
On what Tulane's struggles say about this league:
"It's brutal. This league's brutal. Anywhere you go, especially on the road, there was a good atmosphere here, a good environment. This is a really good team that especially offensively can just pick you apart."
