I was driving this afternoon and whoever it was filling in for Finebaum was talking about the upcoming UNC-UK game. Then he got to talking about styles and was of the opinion that Roy Williams want to run more than any team not using a gimmick offense. His co host pressed him and he threw out Mike and Arkansas as an example of a gimmick offense.
It has never seemed that way to me as I still believe Mike wants the old Nolan plan of run and execute. And I know Roy likes to get up and down the floor. I would too with the athletes he always has. Still it seemed strange to hear that from a national talk show guy.
I don’t think Mike’s style is a gimmick and he sincerely is all but married to this style, or at least it seems this way. There are some, me included, who wonder if changes to the game in officiating and endless timeouts have lessened the impact that it had during Nolan’s run. I may not be accurate, but it seems that in the 94 and 95 teams there were times that Nolan could switch to a slower style and adapt to a slower pace. I know Corliss’s low post presence made that easier for them, but I cannot remember Mike’s team really switching that much to a slower style.
Coach Anderson has dialed it back this year. We have not been pressing much. We don’t have the depth to play 94 feet all game. We seldom pressed against Tech. We have a very good starting five when Gafford, Joe, Mason, Harris and Chaney start, but our bench is just not very good. I think he will play more half court and zone this year because we will be forced to. Desi Sills is a good player coming off the bench. If we get the young guy from Dallas to start contributing and add a couple of studs to our team next year, we may take off.
I don’t remember a steal and a layup from the Tech game. Not one. That is hard to imagine…no easy baskets…no runs on the scoreboard. We aren’t really playing that style of ball because we can’t.
Nolan’s team avg 90+ a game in 94. Didn’t slow down much at all.
[/quote]Did not say Nolan relied on it, just saying they could, as I also stated, Corliss was likely a reason for some of this. My memory tells me that as the tournament wound down, the Hogs got a little more patterned and patient.