Game thoughts... ECU

[RichZ]

I love having the opportunity to rewatch it at a more leisurely pace before writing up my take on the game. Thanks, tcf/gampelcrazies!

1. I was impressed by Barkley in the first half, and Hughes in the 2nd half. Hughes seemed to be everywhere on the boards and scoring in the 2nd half. They both seem better than ECU level recruits. Don't recall anything about Barkley vis-à-vis recruiting, but have a friend who gave private music lessons to quite a few South Kent students, and I remember him telling me that everyone there said Hughes was way under rated. He wondered why we weren't on him, but I believe Hughes had already committed to ECU before Xfering to South Kent. Then I never really heard or read anything about how he actually did at South Kent, and kind of forgot about him until last night.
2. Jalen's pass to Purvis off the steal at about 11:34 was a thing of beauty. If he doesn't throw a perfect, low bounce pass right then, it will require a longer, football style pass that Purvis isn't likely to handle cleanly on the move, and the culmination of that break becomes a contested shot instead of a throwdown ahead of the defense. Purvis NEVER dunks unless he is alone or at least a couple steps ahead of the defense.
3. Prettiest sequence in the last few games -- 10:15 mark, UConn in a 1-3-1 that quickly shifted to a 1-2-2 when the ball went to Barkley in the corner. Brimah plays excellent position defense to cut off the baseline and contest the shot. Barkley has to adjust in mid air, and takes the ball behind his head to avoid Brimah's likely block. But that allows Vital to block it from behind and he then gets control of the ball on the move, headed down court. Adams shoots up the sideline and Vital hits him in stride, then Jalen adjusts in air and ends up taking a shot that looked like it came out of an Earl Monroe highlight film. I swear he suckered Wilkins into the foul on purpose. Great shot by Jalen, but the break was the fruit of Vital's D and Dime.
4. On the very next possession, Adams hit Rodney, who had leaked on the shot attempt, and Rodney hit Brimah on the run. I was sure Amida was going to get called for traveling. In real time, last night, I was sure he had gotten away with a travel. Even today, in real time it looked like a travel, but in slow mo, it didn't. He stutter stepped it, but not with his pivot foot. He converted the layin and drew the foul. 3 point play and a 12 point lead. Big moment in the flow of the first half.
5. A couple horrible foul calls late in the half helped fuel the ECU run. One on Amida at about 2:22, and then with seconds left in the half, there was a foul call on Vital when he had a clean strip at the hoop. The announcers were all concerned that it was on Adams (who could well have been called for holding White on the play) but the call was on Vital, who definitely didn't commit a foul.
6. Did anyone else notice that when Adams missed the half court shot as the first half expired, he nonchalantly tapped the carom in from the foul line as he headed off the court?
7. 9:40 in the 2nd half. Vital drives the lane for a very, very pretty lay up. I was really impressed with his game today. Seemed like he spelled every starter at one point or another, and played very well. His steal on the ECU inboumds play at about 7:20 was a heady, gutsy play. And his late free throws helped seal the deal.
8. Note to Lappas. 3 fouls with 9 minutes to go is not really foul trouble.
9. How many of us yelled "NOOOO!!!!YES!!!" When Rodney launched a three from 4 feet behind the line with half a shot clock left in the middle of an ECU comeback run at about 5:40?
10. 2 minutes to go, Purvis ran a 1 on 3 break and took it to the hole. Why? At what point did he think, "I got this?" BBIQ101 says that unless you have an uncontested dunk in front of you, to pull it out and wait for reinforcements. Odds are, you're going to get fouled if you do, and your FTs have been going in the hole. And if not, why not take another 15 to 20 off the clock? Other than a mishandle against pressure that caused a turnover, it was the only endgame miscue by the Huskies. Vital did have a traveling violation, but it was a pretty awful call, and if memory serves, it didn't end up costing us.

 

[nomar]

I always enjoy these, Rich

 

[huskyharry]

Good analysis! I was encouraged that Rodney shot more mid-range shots

 

[UConnStats]

Good analysis! I was encouraged that Rodney shot more mid-range shots

Mid range shots are the least efficient shots in basketball, so usually I'd hate it. But since Purvis is shooting 27.8% from 3 on 6.6 attempts/game, I'm just glad he's doing anything else.