50/50 Loose Balls

[Hurleyman216]

It seems like the last 4-5 games we’re losing 80% of the 50/50 balls. It’s not for lack of hustle, I think a lot of it is just bad luck, but man is it infuriating to watch.

 

[aburks41]

It's not only that we lose them, it's that they always always ALWAYS end up giving up a 3 right after. It's just absurd

 

[Chin Diesel]

Lunging instead of diving.

Loose ball is about desperation and desire.

 

[uconngb]

Lunging instead of diving.

Loose ball is about desperation and desire.

First guy on the floor almost always gets it. Last night was perfect example. We had 3 guys bend over to reach and Xavier jumped on the ground to get one. Just poor effort on our part.

 

[ArizonaHsky]

First guy on the floor almost always gets it. Last night was perfect example. We had 3 guys bend over to reach and Xavier jumped on the ground to get one. Just poor effort on our part.

Is this on the players are do the coaches have to go over this in practice. It happens to often.

 

[Glastonhusky]

It's not only that we lose them, it's that they always always ALWAYS end up giving up a 3 right after. It's just absurd

I've noticed the same thing; I was starting to think it was just me. Another thing I've noticed is that on bouncing loose balls, our guys always try to dribble it out of a pack of players and most of the time just lose it again. How about picking it up, holding it for a second and looking for a teammate. Frustrating.

 

[Ts5034]

It seems like the last 4-5 games we’re losing 80% of the 50/50 balls. It’s not for lack of hustle, I think a lot of it is just bad luck, but man is it infuriating to watch.

It feels like this has been the case for the entire season…not just the last 4-5 games. We’ve had our share of bad luck in recent years, and that is why I think a lot of frustration is building.

 

[ucp990411]

There was a play vs Villanova near the baseline when Whaley was casually picking up a loose ball and a Villanova player went around him and dove for the loose ball. Believe me, opposing coaches notice these things when preparing for us. That we are easily outhustled for loose balls. This is embarrasing, we used to be the team that would hustle more than the other guys. What the heck happened to that mentality?

 

[Tenspro2002]

I don't think it's about hustle or desire, I think it's about anticipation and basketball instincts.

Some guys have a 6th sense for where the ball is going and where to position themselves for a rebound or an awkward tip. Some have a sense for when to secure a loose ball instead of trying to dribble it.

Ours, for whatever reason, don't. Jackson is especially bad at it.

 

[TheChamps990411]

First guy on the floor almost always gets it. Last night was perfect example. We had 3 guys bend over to reach and Xavier jumped on the ground to get one. Just poor effort on our part.

Ive been saying this for a while now. Its been like this most of the season.

 

[gtcam]

While you would love to say it's pure luck, UConn just appears to not want it as bad as the other team. On the few occasions that a UConn player dives and goes after it, securing the ball seems to be an issue.

 

[JustbrewitMan]

Yep, it’s clear from the 50/50 balls that Hurley has coached the team down to be lazy, dispassionate, soft, and afraid to fight for a loose ball.

JFC the takes in the yard are at an all time low lately.

 

[coachn]

Is this on the players are do the coaches have to go over this in practice. It happens to often.

Hold a loose ball drill in practice. Two players line up on low block opposite each other.
Players must dive on floor to posess.the ball. Player who gets ball competes to score the ball at same basket no fouls called toughness prevails.
Penalty for the loser. Just have to run it thru once for team to get the message.
Remember how Martin diving charged up the team.
Players won't like it but it's a penalty they will remember.

 

[jdb50]

Because this is not a one game problem but a pattern it needs to get fixed. The amount of mishandles, always reaching and inability to hold onto the ball when there is a scramble is giving opponents extra possessions and we lose confidence. It is losing basketball.

 

[ucp990411]

Hold a loose ball drill in practice. Two players line up on low block opposite each other.
Players must dive on floor to posess.the ball. Player who gets ball competes to score the ball at same basket no fouls called toughness prevails.
Penalty for the loser. Just have to run it thru once for team to get the message.
Remember how Martin diving charged up the team.
Players won't like it but it's a penalty they will remember.

I used this drill. Loved it. The players loved it also.

 

[Chin Diesel]

Yep, it’s clear from the 50/50 balls that Hurley has coached the team down to be lazy, dispassionate, soft, and afraid to fight for a loose ball.

JFC the takes in the yard are at an all time low lately.

No but he certainly doesn't prioritize those effort plays with regards to playing time.

Which isn't the end of the world.

A coach can't bench players every time they don’t make the best play with the best outcome. But they do have pet peeves and players learn which actions trigger a coach. Clearly losing loose balls isn't something that gets under Hurley's skin enough to affect changes from tue players.

 

[AdamaNation]

It's not only that we lose them, it's that they always always ALWAYS end up giving up a 3 right after. It's just absurd

The ultimate sign of luck is buzzer beaters and shots that hit every part of the rim after bouncing off the heal 20 feet in the air. Only to toilet bowl in. You can’t stop it. You have to deal with it and stay tough. Creighton had 2 or 3. Xavier had 1 or 2.

 

[JustbrewitMan]

No but he certainly doesn't prioritize those effort plays with regards to playing time.

Which isn't the end of the world.

A coach can't bench players every time they don’t make the best play with the best outcome. But they do have pet peeves and players learn which actions trigger a coach. Clearly losing loose balls isn't something that gets under Hurley's skin enough to affect changes from tue players.

It’s probably because from a pure statistical analysis, 50-50 balls have a huge amount of randomness and variance to them.

People love to fawn over getting the 50-50 balls as some strong valid marker of a team’s true grit and hustle, but I think the bottom line is that it plays a somewhat less than expected part in who ultimately gets them. Haven’t looked for an actual study on this but I would be curious to see if somebody has tried to study it.

It’s very rare to see one of the two teams being overtly lazy and nonchalant about going after a 50-50 ball.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Martin has a bad wrist. Not surprised he doesn’t like diving right now. Same with Sanogo and his injury earlier. Polley is awkward, don’t think I’ve seen him dive in 5 years. Gaff dives for loose balls so do Cole and Whaley. Jackson probably thinks he can pick it up clean and get out on a break. Sometimes he can.

 

[uconngb]

It’s probably because from a pure statistical analysis, 50-50 balls have a huge amount of randomness and variance to them.

People love to fawn over getting the 50-50 balls as some strong valid marker of a team’s true grit and hustle, but I think the bottom line is that it plays a somewhat less than expected part in who ultimately gets them. Haven’t looked for an actual study on this but I would be curious to see if somebody has tried to study it.

It’s very rare to see one of the two teams being overtly lazy and nonchalant about going after a 50-50 ball.

And yet our team is overly lazy and nonchalant when going after loose balls. Enough so that multiple people have recognized happening multiple times over the course of the season.

 

[BarkingDog]

Loose balls is a problem

 

[Get a Job]

And yet our team is overly lazy and nonchalant when going after loose balls. Enough so that multiple people have recognized happening multiple times over the course of the season.

I have a suspicion that the magnitude of a fanbase's criticism in this area is more strongly correlated to a team's win percentage than to the actual propensity of the team to get at loose balls.

 

[ArizonaHsky]

I have a suspicion that the magnitude of a fanbase's criticism in this area is more strongly correlated to a team's win percentage than to the actual propensity of the team to get at loose balls.

Do you watch the games? They don't get many loose balls, and it is a problem, win or lose.

 

[Get a Job]

Do you watch the games? They don't get many loose balls, and it is a problem, win or lose.

Says you, a fan of a team that isn't winning as much as you'd like.

 

[uconngb]

Says you, a fan of a team that isn't winning as much as you'd like.

Win or lose it’s a problem. It speaks to effort.