Our three point shooting

[DRBackup]

What “we” focus on makes absolutely no difference to how the team will play. We could be focused on the 2026 season and it won’t affect a thing except our own minds.

How DARE you!!!?!

 

[ibleedhuskyblue]

Then how did Creighton and Tennessee combined shoot almost 50% on threes?

I don't know if the ball thing is real or not, but to be fair they both played with the same ball. I think it was a couple sites had uncharacteristically poor shooting, and a couple didn't. But it seems for the most part both teams playing with the same ball have the same issue, although i haven't exactly done exhaustive research on it.

Good news is that everyone we play will use the same ball as us, and IF (BIG IF) there's an issue, then that fact that it's being publicized will force them to be extra cautious in the F4.

Or, maybe we're all wrong, and we are cold as a team. It does seem statistically unusual that our whole team is lousy from 3 all at the same time. Alex mentioned on his podcast with Jared Kotler that the balls "had too much air", and were "grippy".
Minute 19

 

[FfldCntyFan]

The overarching point should be that regardless of whether there is or is not something different about the balls that the players who mentioned it used, quite a few players did believe it (ir they would not have said anything). If while shooting threes, a player thinks there's something different about the ball, that alone could have a very negative impact on his results.

 

[HiNEtEnc]

InflateGate

 

[Scottobot]

Purdue shot 3-15 (20%) from 3 yesterday. I wonder if their forum is also having a panic attack

 

[huskyfan224]

Purdue is MUCH stronger than Illinois

They really aren’t, but as I said Purdue is better. Edey is the difference maker, obviously. Both games they played Purdue won and both games were very close. One was at Purdue without Terrance Shannon.

Edey is going to be a force and if he gets away with all the stuff he gets away with, it’ll be a really tough game. I would take all of our other players over theirs. Castle and Diarra should handle Smith, if that’s the case it’ll be really tough for Purdue.

None of this matters yet. Gotta take care of Bama

 

[NickDanger]

They really aren’t, but as I said Purdue is better. Edey is the difference maker, obviously. Both games they played Purdue won and both games were very close. One was at Purdue without Terrance Shannon.

Edey is going to be a force and if he gets away with all the stuff he gets away with, it’ll be a really tough game. I would take all of our other players over theirs. Castle and Diarra should handle Smith, if that’s the case it’ll be really tough for Purdue.

None of this matters yet. Gotta take care of Bama

Illinois lost over twice as many games as Purdue did. There is a reason they were three seed, and Purdue is a one.
UConn versus Purdue will NOT be a blowout.

 

[superjohn]

Illinois lost over twice as many games as Purdue did. There is a reason they were three seed, and Purdue is a one.
UConn versus Purdue will NOT be a blowout.

We can absolutely blow out Purdue. We've yet to come even close to playing our best game.

 

[tzznandrew]

We can absolutely blow out Purdue. We've yet to come even close to playing our best game.

If we go back to shooting 3s at a 38% clip (our BE average) neither of the remaining games will be within 20.

 

[auror]

Illinios is as good as Purdue. At least close. Marquette too.

Purdue swept Illinois. They were up by 15 at halftime at home and then after an early deficit just clearly were the better team on the road.

 

[CardiacAndre7]

We can absolutely blow out Purdue. We've yet to come even close to playing our best game.

Besides hitting 3s, the last 2 games have been really close to A games i’d say.

 

[SubbaBub]

We suck, we're doomed.

 

[UCfor3]

Are you guys serious with this overinflated balls thing? Overinflated balls causing bad shooting? LOL.

Someone said that Alex said it in an interview earlier in this thread. Several players on the team also said the ball was "tacky" as well. The announcers said before either the Northwestern game or the San Diego St game that several UConn players said the new ball was tacky. Before the game against Illinois you could see two UConn players before the game bounce the ball testing it out right before tip. Think it was Tristen and Cam. My point is these are the players saying these things, not just the people on this board and internet wingnuts. A new ball and our players making these comments are coinciding with our shooting slump. It may or may not be having a real or at least mental effect on our shooting. It may be nothing. It's at least fair to ask or discuss though.

 

[UCfor3]

Also, why would an overinflated ball tend to miss Long? Are they inflating them with helium?

Supposedly makes ball lighter.

 

[nomar]

OK, you lost me at "what happened vs Creighton"

We're taking what they give us, because we can. And with AZ gone, we don't have to worry about a home court advantage for anyone

I think the consensus is that the only way we can lose is if someone gets red hot from 3 and we go ice cold (i.e., what happened vs Creighton). I don't think that's likely. I've never been more confident in a team in my life. If we shoot a decent percentage, there's not even a chance of an upset. Our 3-point shooting isn't keeping me up at night but I'd sure like it to be better than 3/17 or whatever.

 

[superjohn]

Besides hitting 3s, the last 2 games have been really close to A games i’d say.

I'll give you SDSU, that was close to our best but the other three tournament games weren't close to our best and they were all massive blowouts. 3/17 on threes against Illinois and Tristen and Castle had 7 points combined on 1/12 fg's.

Our defense and cutting were as good as it gets but that's always there with this team. It just shows how incredible this team is that we bricked everything from outside and two of our best players gave us nothing scoring wise and we did that to a top 10 team. Our best is doing all those things we do coupled with draining our outside shots.

 

[CardiacAndre7]

I'll give you SDSU, that was close to our best but the other three tournament games weren't close to our best and they were all massive blowouts. 3/17 on threes against Illinois and Tristen and Castle had 7 points combined on 1/12 fg's.

Our defense and cutting were as good as it gets but that's always there with this team. It just shows how incredible this team is that we bricked everything from outside and two of our best players gave us nothing scoring wise and we did that to a top 10 team. Our best is doing all those things we do coupled with draining our outside shots.

Shannon Jr guarding Newton took him out of his game a bit, but others stepped up. I think if we are waiting for everyone to come together and have an incredibly efficient night we’re hoping for too much.

Samson and Diarra also contributed more than they usually do, so it may have evened out a bit. The first half certainly wasn’t near an A game, but the 2nd half was pretty much A+++.

 

[Drumguy]

Someone said that Alex said it in an interview earlier in this thread. Several players on the team also said the ball was "tacky" as well. The announcers said before either the Northwestern game or the San Diego St game that several UConn players said the new ball was tacky. Before the game against Illinois you could see two UConn players before the game bounce the ball testing it out right before tip. Think it was Tristen and Cam. My point is these are the players saying these things, not just the people on this board and internet wingnuts. A new ball and our players making these comments are coinciding with our shooting slump. It may or may not be having a real or at least mental effect on our shooting. It may be nothing. It's at least fair to ask or discuss though.

I thought it was unusual to see that - I thought Castle was one. Not sure I've seen that before!

 

[jibsey]

If you flip a coin 20 times it can go 60/40 % but if you do it 100 times it will be much closer to 50/50 %. We just went 6/39 our last 2 games and I don’t think we’re only making 6 out of the next 39. We are due for a hot streak. Or at least a normal streak.

 

[Castlevania]

overinflated balls? you mean this guy.....??

 

[Mike Honcho]

We can absolutely blow out Purdue. We've yet to come even close to playing our best game.

Felt like the home games against Xavier and Marquette this season were pretty close but I agree.

 

[ibleedhuskyblue]

If you flip a coin 20 times it can go 60/40 % but if you do it 100 times it will be much closer to 50/50 %. We just went 6/39 our last 2 games and I don’t think we’re only making 6 out of the next 39. We are due for a hot streak. Or at least a normal streak.

I'd be fine with a slightly below average streak. That would provide the cushion we need for me to stop being so nervous during these games. Although I think we'll be fine either way, but I prefer to stop being nervous in the first half if possible

 

[ibleedhuskyblue]

Felt like the home games against Xavier and Marquette this season were pretty close but I agree.

Yeah, I gotta agree. Those were pretty darn close, especially marquette

 

[VA Blue Dog]

Inflate gate. No they're perfect.

 

[jibsey]

I'd be fine with a slightly below average streak. That would provide the cushion we need for me to stop being so nervous during these games. Although I think we'll be fine either way, but I prefer to stop being nervous in the first half if possible

You and me in the same nervous boat EVERY game. A beer mellows that out once we get a lead.