You can’t gameplan for us now

[Kemba Time]

Imagine you are the assistant coach for one of our upcoming opponents who just drew the scout for UConn. You’ve got one of those big comfy couches in your office, you scroll through Door Dash because you know this is gonna be a long one and you start to go through how to game plan for UConn.

You can’t give ‘em Newton. He’s an All-American and just might be the best non-big in the country right now.

You can’t give ‘em Spencer. He just might be the best shooter in the conference and has never lost a driveway game in his life.

You can’t give ‘em Castle. He’s gonna be shaking hands with Adam Silver in a few months.

You can’t give ‘em Karaban. He’s got the basketball IQ of Albert Einstein and he’ll beat you from 25 feet or back door you into the ground.

You can’t give ‘em Clingan. He’s going to have Adam Silver reaching up to shake his hand in a few months.

You can’t give ‘em Samson. There was a time you thought you could, but by now you know he’ll dunk on your whole roster from the second he steps on the floor.

But there’s that freshman getting a lot of early minutes. The one who looks a little rushed, a little hesitant, like maybe the game is a little fast for him right now. You think maybe we’ll give ‘em him when he’s on the court, maybe that’s our chance.

Then you pop in the North Carolina game and there’s Solomon Ball, attacking the rim, raining down 3 after 3 and playing with the confidence of your 5th-year guys — at The Garden against a top-10 team in one of the most anticipated non-conference games of the season, in his 9th college game.

What do you do? What do you possibly tell your head coach? Do you even bother showing up?

 

[Hunt for 7]

Imagine you are the assistant coach for one of our upcoming opponents who just drew the scout for UConn. You’ve got one of those big comfy couches in your office, you scroll through Door Dash because you know this is gonna be a long one and you start to go through how to game plan for UConn.

You can’t give ‘em Newton. He’s an All-American and just might be the best non-big in the country right now.

You can’t give ‘em Spencer. He might be the best shooter in the conference and has never lost a driveway game in his life.

You can’t give ‘em Castle. He’s gonna be shaking hands with Adam Silver in a few months.

You can’t give ‘em Karaban. He’s got the basketball IQ of Albert Einstein and he’ll beat you from 25 feet or back door you into the ground.

You can’t give ‘em Clingan. He’s going to have Adam Silver reaching up to shake his hand in a few months.

You can’t give ‘em Samson. There was a time you thought you could, but he’s shown he’ll dunk on your whole roster from the second he steps on the floor.

But there’s that freshman. The one who looks a little rushed, a little hesitant, like maybe the game is a little fast for him right now. Maybe we’ll give ‘em him when he’s on the court …

Then you pop in the North Carolina game and there’s Solomon Ball, attacking the rim, raining down 3s and playing with the confidence of your 5th-year guys at The Garden against a top-10 team in one of the most anticipated non-conference games of the season, in his 9th college game.

What do you do? What do you possibly tell your head coach? Do you even bother showing up?

And the secret ingredient they all pass the ball at a high level. Even SJ is not a liability when he is up top as the screen setter. They pass the ball better than any other team I have seen. Have heard the Ivy League has some good schools but not have watched them. But they kind of remind me of those great Princeton Pete Carril teams just way more athletic.

 

[Kitaman]

Diarra is recognized at the table. He's ballin!

 

[brihman]

Great post - one of the silver linings of going up against Kansas early is that we get the best blueprint on how to beat us in December. We almost figured it out in game.

Same applies to the Big East - seeing what Pitino and company will throw at us is great preparation for the big

 

[caw]

Great post - one of the silver linings of going up against Kansas early is that we get the best blueprint on how to beat us in December. We almost figured it out in game.

Same applies to the Big East - seeing what Pitino and company will throw at us is great preparation for the big

Yeah Kansas actually has a pretty good team to beat UConn (without a healthy Castle and a hobbled Cam). Have a five who can shoot but is strong and tall enough to bother Clingan. Then have 1-4 that can switch everything. Then get away with a few fouls on key possessions (I'm talking that Diarra OOBs). Then have the 45% three point shooter miss by a finger or so for the win because he's hobbled.

Ohh and play at home in one of the best home courts in the nation.

I am kind of kidding obviously, but they do have a pretty good matchup, they are a top 5 team for a reason.

 

[willie99]

You have to be tall, quick, athletic, play man to man and switch

 

[REB1094]

I think the best matchup for us is strong athletic wings that can switch off ball and get in passing lanes, and a center that can pull Clingan away from the hoop. Some of our individual defenders aren’t great

BE play will show us weaknesses that we can’t see now. Then we need to adjust in time to pick up momentum in February. Kansas gave Samson the Andre treatment, I’m sure we’ll see more of that

Our offense always has a plan A, B, and C, then we have Tristen Newton to make something happen if they don’t work. It’s really hard to stop

 

[Conndog]

Clingan is the one key player who as yet hasn’t shown fully his ability. I feel he is still bothered by his foot issue and isn’t as fast as last year. He isn’t jumping right and isn’t dunking like last year. And he is really getting mauled under the basket. If (I’m hoping when) he improves his free throws, then teams will have to pay a penalty for hacking him. Maybe the opposing bigs will foul out of games defending against him. So far this season, he is spending a lot of time away from basket setting screens, which helps with pick & rolls- but I’d like to see him setting up more near basket. I think his goals this year should be: improve free throws, improve footwork moves around basket, and learn how to carve out space when near basket so he can receive ball easier. Then dunk it!

 

[KemBuckets21]

You have to be tall, quick, athletic, play man to man and switch

...and disciplined in your switch rules so you don't get mismatches. I guess if you're athletic enough that issue could be mitigated.

 

[HuskyHawk]

I think the best matchup for us is strong athletic wings that can switch off ball and get in passing lanes, and a center that can pull Clingan away from the hoop. Some of our individual defenders aren’t great

BE play will show us weaknesses that we can’t see now. Then we need to adjust in time to pick up momentum in February. Kansas gave Samson the Andre treatment, I’m sure we’ll see more of that

Our offense always has a plan A, B, and C, then we have Tristen Newton to make something happen if they don’t work. It’s really hard to stop

The thing is, Samson can shoot. I fully expect that Danny is saving that for the Big East. Holding it back for when we need it. It's going to be a whole new dimension when he starts taking and making 3s.

 

[aburks41]

I don't know how you guard this team but someone will figure it out eventually and put out the blueprint on how to beat us. Kansas basically already did that, however half our team was crippled and we didn't have Castle.

However, getting figured out is what happens to every single team, even the elite ones. What separates us is that we have the best coaching staff in the country who will adjust to it. I also think we might just be so good that even if a team has the blueprint, there's probably only a couple that actually have the horses necessary to beat us. It will take a Creighton vs Colorado State-esque shooting night to take us down once we're fully healthy.

 

[REB1094]

The thing is, Samson can shoot. I fully expect that Danny is saving that for the Big East. Holding it back for when we need it. It's going to be a whole new dimension when he starts taking and making 3s.

Definitely. I was begging for him to take one against Kansas just to keep them honest, but fully understand that not being the shot we wanted in that situation

 

[hardcorehusky]

Expect a lot of bumping and holding in Big East games. That will slow down cutters and ball movement. That said, UConn has a lot of answers and as long as injuries don't derail this team, there is another level for this squad to reach and that is scary good!!

 

[Travelman6]

What do you do? What do you possibly tell your head coach? Do you even bother showing up?

You quit and say "good luck" on your way out.

 

[uconnfan68]

...and disciplined in your switch rules so you don't get mismatches. I guess if you're athletic enough that issue could be mitigated.

And shoot better than you did all season.