Whaley and Jackson were 3 for 15 or 20% FG. Polley and Gaffney were a combine 4 for 7 or 57%. We need to change the starting lineup, good coaches can really exploit our lack of offense in the first half. I thought Gaffney would have had a big night.
Polley should be starting and playing a lot more minutes. Even though he is terrible defensively, we need his offense. Jackson or Whaley need to sit moreGaffney has the lowest FG% on the team for the season. Are you saying he should start because of his shooting?
Not sure if Gaff is the answer but agree that you can’t have two guys on the court for extended stretches who are not consistent, legitimate threats in the half court (other than cleaning up the garbage on the glass). McDermott sags a second defender to clog the paint and rolls the dice with AJ, Whaley, or both on the perimeter. It’s just smart strategy.Whaley and Jackson were 3 for 15 or 20% FG. Polley and Gaffney were a combine 4 for 7 or 57%. We need to change the starting lineup, good coaches can really exploit our lack of offense in the first half. I thought Gaffney would have had a big night.
Everything that could have gone wrong in a game went wrong, by players and coaches, and they lost by 2 on the road to a team that acted like they needed it more than UConn (so it was being said but I don't buy it).
I know we love to have stats to back things up. There has got to be a way to quantify the creepily growing number of players (often average guys) having career games against us.It's definitely a thingwhy are we so slow to stymie the hot hand on the other team?. How often does the hot hand shift from one player to another in the same game? Frustrating. First it was Kaluma in the first half with his best game, then Kalkbrenner sandwiching Hawkins in the section half with HIS best game of the year.
End of game? We simply don’t run enough plays for him the entire game. Every game.dont know why we werent running plays for Polley at the end of the game
The one where he runs through two screens to the top of the arc? Yeah they knew that one too. I always think polley is gonna drop his shots. Tonight wasn’t gonna happen. The universe set the tempo early. Besides this is the best time to get losing out if the way. Haven’t we learned anything about post season play? Very few teams end the season with a 13-15 games win streak.dont know why we werent running plays for Polley at the end of the game
Whaley is a non participant until he knocks down 15. He is in their for his defense. He scores. Bad night. Jackson on the other hand, commit's the most bonehead turnovers I have ever seen.whaley and jackson are offensive non-participants. when playing alongside sanogo they are actively detrimental.
their attempts at offense are often laughable (whaley flailing and falling to the ground in an exaggerated fashion after catching the ball in the paint, or any time jackson attempts to shoot).
they are clearly mis-cast in roles that don’t fit. whaley is a backup center, not a power forward. at this stage in his career jackson is a point forward that needs to play in a transition game.
instead, we are playing them alongside a traditional post player. so they inevitably lead to a clogged up paint, and when they do get the ball on the perimeter that are no threat and look to hand it back off immediately.
in my opinion it would have been better to surround sanogo with shooters and hope the defense improved throughout the year. and let jackson & whaley play in a 2nd unit focused on getting up and down the court.
/rant
It's all about match-upsGaffney has the lowest FG% on the team for the season. Are you saying he should start because of his shooting?
I totally agree. You need guys with at least shooting potential in there with Adama. That will help both the shooter and the Big in the post. Too often we put Polley in when Adama is out and then he’s closely guarded. Put him in when their defense is doubling Adama disown low.whaley and jackson are offensive non-participants. when playing alongside sanogo they are actively detrimental.
their attempts at offense are often laughable (whaley flailing and falling to the ground in an exaggerated fashion after catching the ball in the paint, or any time jackson attempts to shoot).
they are clearly mis-cast in roles that don’t fit. whaley is a backup center, not a power forward. at this stage in his career jackson is a point forward that needs to play in a transition game.
instead, we are playing them alongside a traditional post player. so they inevitably lead to a clogged up paint, and when they do get the ball on the perimeter that are no threat and look to hand it back off immediately.
in my opinion it would have been better to surround sanogo with shooters and hope the defense improved throughout the year. and let jackson & whaley play in a 2nd unit focused on getting up and down the court.
/rant
It’s a matchups thing. Creighton took Polley away last game too. If you can stay with him off ball Polley is unable to make you pay off the dribble. Creighton gave him very little space for 80 min. Hurley started to play off that over extension using it to get shots for others late. Two for RJ one for AJ. RJ hits one,End of game? We simply don’t run enough plays for him the entire game. Every game.
I think Danny must recognize that not everything that makes you successful at Wagner and the URI level makes you successful at UConn’s level. What the competition does and what you need to do is different.Hey Guys, I know that Hurley has decent offensive plays in his book, usually for after time-outs. But I have come to the conclusion that DH is primarily a defensive coach. He almost never gets the ball back to the guy who is hot. Never. Polley has to really work hard (which he is not equipped to do) to get it on the few occasions per season when he gets hot.
When does Hurley become most animated? Right - after the Huskies have scored off a few helter-skelter, defensive pressure sequences. It's who DH is, how he played for his dad & later at Seton Hall, & how he see's himself & his teams: scrappy, D-first, high energy. Just like his legendary dad & the blue-collar NJ city he grew up in.
But we have all seen too many offensive deficiencies at the end of UConn plays, & games to make us feel that Danny Hurley can lead the right players, to the ball, at the right time, at the right place on the court to win it all - yet. Hurley's gotta make some changes in his approach.
More egregiously, Hurley hasn't recruited one versatile, great, natural outside shooter up to Storrs in his four years there yet. And that makes it so hard for his team at the end of close, 'off' away games like tonight at Creighton, who does recruit great shooters (Villanova, Davidson, Houston, UCLA & Illinois are others). Shooters are what the Huskies sorely need, & have for many years now.
Two things we all noticed at the end of that fantastic old school, BE Villanova game last week were: 1) how calm coach Wright was, even when they were missing their shots & UConn was soaring, & 2) how calm Villanova's great players were with each other as the game progressed. And they kept hitting those outside shots on the road, so calmly.
Why? Because unlike with Hurley and his scant outside shooting team (don't let the stats fool you), Villanova's coach & players had complete confidence in their ability to stay in the game, & with each other. I don't see that with Hurley & this team.
Because Coach Wright always brings in smart, great scorers & shooters. Every year. He is tempermentally more even than Hurley as well. And that provides the confidence they've needed to win two NC's in the last six years. Villanova's swagger begins with recruiting versatile, great shooting players, usually 6'3" - 6'7"who can play all the positions. Notice how often they post up their guards? Look how much former Wildcat Jalen Brunson does it for the Dallas Mav's despite being under-sized.
Danny Hurley must recognize that the name of the game is NOT Isiah Whaley flailing away on full-court, helping defensive pressure. It's Rashad Anderson putting shot after shot into the hole from deep when it counts. Shooting is the name of the game.
Hurley can start by working on Andre' Jackson's terrible "guided" outside shooting form in the off-season. Because?...same old questions apply now with Hurley: Why did '0-6 from 3' AJ have to take that last shot at the top of the key at the end of tonight's game - a complete miss of the rim, right? And...Why didn't Hurley call a play for Cole, Martin or Polley - with options, his only shooters tonight? Answers: Because Hurley needs to change his approach to recruiting, player development & in-game coaching - AND, to fully embrace offense the way a Ricky Pitino does.
Coaches like Wright, McDermott, Izzo & Pitino make Danny Hurley look like a CYO coach by comparison in a tight game.
- Father Demo -
We have to get out of the box quicker. Been like that all season. Hurley won’t do it though.Whaley and Jackson were 3 for 15 or 20% FG. Polley and Gaffney were a combine 4 for 7 or 57%. We need to change the starting lineup, good coaches can really exploit our lack of offense in the first half. I thought Gaffney would have had a big night.