Tonight's Silver Lining: Vance Jackson

[Dove]

Dagger Vance has been stuck in the sheath.

Vance comin'

 

[navery12]

He should start vs. UCF in Vital's place. Vital has shown that he has the ability hit shots against teams in this conference, but I trust Vance a lot more with those minutes (especially due to what he provides driving to the hoop and on the glass).

Agreed, all valid points about actual reasons he should start. But I'd say even just because there's no chance Vital starts or gets major minutes next year. Vance might start and we'll definitely need him confident and hitting shots regardless next year.

This is a lost season, every decision (within reason) should be made looking into next season.

 

[willie99]

The true silver linings:
1. After this performance, Jalen Adams will be back next year.
2. UConn, if they can make a miraculous run through the American tournament, can become the 1st 16th seed to win an NCAA tournament game

haha, I guess I have to like your optimism

and you know UK wouldn't to play us in the tourney, Squid would have nightmares about 11 & 14 (we beat them in 06 too), even as a 1 vs 16

would we have to win the play in game? that would give us some tournament experience

 

[Kitaman]

I don't understand the posters on this site bashing Jackson and Vital (not in this thread, in general). They are FRESHMEN. They are supposed to be role players learning the college game getting at most about 10 minutes a game. Instead they are playing big minutes and doing the best they can. There is a lot to be frustrated about this year but bashing the freshmen who are doing the best they can with what they have to contribute is messed up. Vital is getting minutes because we have no other guards to handle the ball. Ollie doesn't have a lot choices here. Thanks to the OP for giving Jackson the shout out here. Bashing the kids achieves nothing.

Agree all freshman get a hall pass the first year especially non 5* recruits. Bash their effort and perhaps decision making (i.e. turnovers) if you wish, but not performance, especially under these circumstances.

 

[Mike Honcho]

I thought he played great. However, when he helped bring it to a single digit deficit with 3-4 minutes left, he made two boneheaded freshman mistakes back to back. #1, he gave a guy a wide open three with absolutely zero defense (put a hand up!), which the dude promptly buried. And #2, his 35-foot heave the next possession. Blame it on fatigue?

 

[80shusky]

I thought he played great. However, when he helped bring it to a single digit deficit with 3-4 minutes left, he made two boneheaded freshman mistakes back to back. #1, he gave a guy a wide open three with absolutely zero defense (put a hand up!), which the dude promptly buried. And #2, his 35-foot heave the next possession. Blame it on fatigue?

He's a freshman getting more minutes than he should. Freshmen make mistakes. As role players they don't seem like a big deal. As players getting more minutes than they should they become magnified.

 

[dennismenace]

I'm not too keen on Purvis and Vital together.

Think we need to ball handlers on the floor. There are only two on the team. Jalen and Vital. So bring on Vance
for more minutes in lieu of Purvis who does not have any kind of half court game unless he is hitting as a spot up
3 pt shooter. Otherwise he fails to finish or just turns it over. Too frustrating to watch.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Think we need to ball handlers on the floor. There are only two on the team. Jalen and Vital. So bring on Vance
for more minutes in lieu of Purvis who does not have any kind of half court game unless he is hitting as a spot up
3 pt shooter. Otherwise he fails to finish or just turns it over. Too frustrating to watch.

Purvis handles the ball fine, and essentially played point when Adams was out. He does a lot more on offense than Vital, and is our best perimeter defender and a very good rebounder. We don't have enough depth for anyone to sit, but if Vance can play 20+ minutes instead of 5, maybe Rodney and Adams can get 5 minute breaks, and Vital can lose about 10 minutes.

 

[Mr. Wonderful]

Purvis handles the ball fine, and essentially played point when Adams was out. He does a lot more on offense than Vital, and is our best perimeter defender and a very good rebounder. We don't have enough depth for anyone to sit, but if Vance can play 20+ minutes instead of 5, maybe Rodney and Adams can get 5 minute breaks, and Vital can lose about 10 minutes.

I disagree 100% with this, and I wonder if you know which player is Purvis.

 

[HuskyHawk]

I disagree 100% with this, and I wonder if you know which player is Purvis.

I know. I'm not talking about him getting stripped on drives to the basket. I'm talking about him bringing the ball up court, which has done very well all season. I get that people are down on Rodney, but aside from his shooting woes, he's a darned good player. Unfortunately, he's supposed to be our shooter. That he's a good defender and rebounder isn't even debatable. Adams on the other hand got torched all day yesterday.

 

[Dogdeacon]

I thought he played great. However, when he helped bring it to a single digit deficit with 3-4 minutes left, he made two boneheaded freshman mistakes back to back. #1, he gave a guy a wide open three with absolutely zero defense (put a hand up!), which the dude promptly buried. And #2, his 35-foot heave the next possession. Blame it on fatigue?

That wasn't fatigue - it was a heat check shot. Problem with it was that it came on a relatively vital possession (we weren't going to win but getting back to under 5pts would have been something to build on/take away). The heave was indicative of A.) a bad team, collective tendency to force the issue B) being a freshman & not letting game come to you C) too few minutes so over-aggressive to seize the moment (helped with a lot of his other scores, so forgivable)

 

[gtcam]

I disagree 100% with this, and I wonder if you know which player is Purvis.

I disagree 100% with your reply and wonder if you watch the game at all?
HuskyHawk is on the $ with his assessment

 

[mauconnfan]

I thought he played great. However, when he helped bring it to a single digit deficit with 3-4 minutes left, he made two boneheaded freshman mistakes back to back. #1, he gave a guy a wide open three with absolutely zero defense (put a hand up!), which the dude promptly buried. And #2, his 35-foot heave the next possession. Blame it on fatigue?

I had no issue with the 27 footer, he just made 3-4 in a row and was feeling it - Huskies didn't have a lot of time to cover the deficit why not I say? Other options to get Purvis open for a 3, or Jalen? Glad he took it showed some balls.

But you're right on D, maybe he was exhausted but please get a hand in his face.

 

[joober jones]

Jackson had one move to the hoop in the 2nd half that was really one of those "Where the hell has that been?" moments.

 

[HuskyHawk]

I had no issue with the 27 footer, he just made 3-4 in a row and was feeling it - Huskies didn't have a lot of time to cover the deficit why not I say? Other options to get Purvis open for a 3, or Jalen? Glad he took it showed some balls.

But you're right on D, maybe he was exhausted but please get a hand in his face.

I didn't mind the shot, but he had room and time to step up first.

Here's my hunch on Vance: his defensive play is lacking, and Ollie has essentially kept him off the court except when fouls or exhaustion require him to play. As a result, he never has much chance to get into any offensive rhythm and his shooting has been poor. Last night, down big, Ollie traded defense for offense and Vance got some extended time and woke up offensively.

So the question going forward is what we need more, offense or defense? I think they need to play him more despite his defensive deficiencies. If he's scoring he opens up the lane for the bigs (all of whom but AB can actually score) and frees up Adams and RP. He gives us a smidgen of what Larrier would bring.

 

[ctchamps]

I didn't mind the shot, but he had room and time to step up first.

Here's my hunch on Vance: his defensive play is lacking, and Ollie has essentially kept him off the court except when fouls or exhaustion require him to play. As a result, he never has much chance to get into any offensive rhythm and his shooting has been poor. Last night, down big, Ollie traded defense for offense and Vance got some extended time and woke up offensively.

So the question going forward is what we need more, offense or defense? I think they need to play him more despite his defensive deficiencies. If he's scoring he opens up the lane for the bigs (all of whom but AB can actually score) and frees up Adams and RP. He gives us a smidgen of what Larrier would bring.

Same dilemma with Brimah and Enoch. Except that Brimah can be so effective on defense that you trade offense every time even though you know you are going 4 against 5 on the offensive end in the half court game.

Some of the people seeing things at odds with you, @gtcam, @mauconnfan, @upstater, @August_West and a few others have made a point to mention KO lacks the quick hook JC had, but neglect to make the observation JC stressed DEFENSE more than anything. KO is in complete accordance with that philosophy. Vance and Kentan on the baseline with Brimah are far inferior than when Rodney is playing there with Kentan in spite of a good three inch height disadvantage. So there has been a lot of Vital, Adams, Purvis, Brimah and Kentan which is by far and away the best defensive line up. Problem is Brimah gets too many silly fouls, none of the guards can make open shots consistently and Kentan can be easily neutralized.

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

yes, Durham had some moments too

I wish Durham could get extended minutes. The kid is really really good.

 

[upstater]

Agreed that Durham needs to be out there a lot. Perhaps at Brimah's expense.

My overall biggest concern with the team: Steven Enoch and defense and moving his feet and foul trouble.

That is my biggest concern. The rest will come. Eventually. Next year. But if the Enoch riddle can't be solved, then... well, even more patience.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Same dilemma with Brimah and Enoch. Except that Brimah can be so effective on defense that you trade offense every time even though you know you are going 4 against 5 on the offensive end in the half court game.

Some of the people seeing things at odds with you, @gtcam, @mauconnfan, @upstater, @August_West and a few others have made a point to mention KO lacks the quick hook JC had, but neglect to make the observation JC stressed DEFENSE more than anything. KO is in complete accordance with that philosophy. Vance and Kentan on the baseline with Brimah are far inferior than when Rodney is playing there with Kentan in spite of a good three inch height disadvantage. So there has been a lot of Vital, Adams, Purvis, Brimah and Kentan which is by far and away the best defensive line up. Problem is Brimah gets too many silly fouls, none of the guards can make open shots consistently and Kentan can be easily neutralized.

I agree completely with what you said about how KO has approached the lineup. The really striking difference for me is that UConn teams always generated offense off of that defense. This team doesn't. If you're going to play a lineup that is super easy to defend, you have to turn that defense into points, and we just don't. Is that a depth problem? Personnel? I'm not sure, but if we're forced to play a fair amount of 2-3 to stay fresh and avoid fouls, and walk the ball up 95% of the time, then it seems an adjustment to the philosophy is in order. If he wants to press and create steals, by all means use the lineup you mentioned, but don't play 2-3 with that lineup. Vance's length alone make him relatively more useful in that defense and we need that shooting in the half court.

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

I think it's physical with him, not Ollie's choice.

 

[jibsey]

Jackson had one move to the hoop in the 2nd half that was really one of those "Where the hell has that been?" moments.

Yup, saw that and would like to see him take it in off the dribble more because it's preferable and higher percentage than the shots we have been getting. We were down 15 and I think he said what the hell and he just played. Kid has upside.