Always finding a way to lose

[superjohn]

Hurley said at the beginning of the year his expectation in season 2 is game results with a win or an excruciating loss. We def have our share of those. We are still climbing and I believe UConn will get there. I think next year and the year after are gonna be fun

He also said the expectation for season 2 was winning the conference.

 

[AntG168]

We probably aren't making the NIT, so what happens when we don't?

It’s a failure imo. I don’t see why we can’t make the NIT. Literally all you need to do is finish above .500. The NIT would jump at the chance to include UConn in their tourney. We’ve played REALLY well the last 2 games. NIT is most certainly attainable

 

[HooperScooper]

It’s a failure imo. I don’t see why we can’t make the NIT. Literally all you need to do is finish above .500. The NIT would jump at the chance to include UConn in their tourney. We’ve played REALLY well the last 2 games. NIT is most certainly attainable

I think you're underestimating what it takes to get into the NIT since they changed the criteria. Every conference regular season winner who doesn't make the NCAA Tournament gets in now. That leaves less open spots than the way they used to do it. Plus I don't think they care about including marquee programs just because you're over .500 like they used to. I think UConn will probably need to win 19 games to get into the NIT.

 

[Scoe]

No.
The final score was Villanova 71 UConn 65

Thank you.

 

[Edward Sargent]

I think you're underestimating what it takes to get into the NIT since they changed the criteria. Every conference regular season winner who doesn't make the NCAA Tournament gets in now. That leaves less open spots than the way they used to do it. Plus I don't think they care about including marquee programs just because you're over .500 like they used to. I think UConn will probably need to win 19 games to get into the NIT.

Money talks though and UConn fans do travel well

 

[CardiacAndre7]

Jay Wright after the game:
“You can just see the growth in UConn from playing them last year to this year. ... [Hurley] is just in a process of building his own culture. They’re going to be really good."

But yeah some of you know better than him. So I’ll take your word for it.

Yeah sure there’s growth, but like, not that much. Besides Brendan Adams in spurts, who has gotten better? We have a very good recruiting class and we’re not much better off than last year. Hurley and Jay Wright I guess can say all they want about a culture change and he needs his own players and this and that, but results tend to have to matter at some point. When was the last time we won a road game? When was the last time we won a close game against even an adequate opponent? It’s a year and a half win, what’s the signature win? Syracuse? Fine, win against a rival who wasn’t even good. I personally haven’t seen much growth, maybe that’s the pessimist in me, but losing game after game against good and mediocre teams doesn’t invoke a warm and cozy feeling in me. One thing I like is this team hates losing, they’ve gotten to be very good and creative at it, but they truly are heartbroken at the end of these games.

 

[joober jones]

This team is like the Kwik-E-Mart. We never close.

 

[joober jones]

Finding a way to lose is called #Gilberting

Not really today. Gilbert's playmaking was pretty solid; the 5:4 assist to turnover ratio doesn't tell the true story.

 

[joober jones]

What did Bouknight do in this game to offer this suggestion?

This way our expectations will already be deflated before they can swell.

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

That wasn't the final score, Chief.

True dat, though I'm not Chief.

I'm glad I accounted for making mistakes elsewhere, and I'll correct my error now.

Thank you for bringing this to my attention. This is how we get better as a fan base, working together.

Alternate:
I know that.
I was checking to see if you were paying attention.

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

We probably aren't making the NIT, so what happens when we don't?

Lots of crabby self-certain posters let us know how they feel?
Sun comes up the next day.

 

[uconnfan68]

It’s the BE. Letting the players play. It’s one of the things I’ve missed. Hate the constant stoppage of play and the softness of the AAC reffing.

Seriously? 16-3 foul shot advantage. You ok with that every night too?

 

[uconnbill]

Yup, said the same thing when I was watching the game. They just don't know how to close out games. Some really dumb mistakes and lack of running any offense the last few minutes. Gilbert's pass into the lane from 10 feet above the top off the key? Just a really bad decision. Lots of them from everyone in the last 5 minutes. Very frustrating.

I hate blaming the older players all the time but they are the ones who are supposed to lead you in close games. And they've never been on a winning team so I don't think they know how to win. Maybe it's just inferior talent. I don't know. But I do know they could have beaten Nova today with just a couple better decisions.

]


You have to put the blame on those who have been there before in not making good decisions down the stretch.

 

[8893]

It's the Jimmies and Joes. That will be remedied with time.

We called them "jimmies" too; friends called them "shots" or "sprinkles."

 

[CL82]

Seriously. No more good effort threads. I’m past the point of being able okay with these whiffs.

Meh. This team is what it is. For what it’s worth I don’t think it’s so much finding a way to lose, but not knowing how to win. I don’t see much changing before the end of the year. Freshman should make a little bit of a jump, but in the end our seniors are going to be called upon to make plays at the end of the game catch up, and their decision making is what it is.

You can make yourself miserable over each one of these losses, or take a look at all the potential in the guys were coming back. I think I’m going to do the latter.

 

[BlueandOG]

Everyone relax. They are a decent team heading in the right direction. We are going to make the NIT this season and the NCAA next year.

 

[superjohn]

We called them "jimmies" too; friends called them "shots" or "sprinkles."

We called the chocolate ones jimmies and the other ones rainbow sprinkles.

 

[Jbirdp5]

Yesterday’s loss was not all that bad to me. We played a good game against a very good opponent on the road. The Cincinnati south Florida and st joes games are the problem. I can live with not finding a way to win against Villanova. Getting destroyed by south Florida is a whole different story. If we had played competitively in those games I don’t think people would have as big along of a problem with the way yesterday went

 

[Hey Adrien!]

@superjohn I’m viewing your take with a positive spin. Yes, we’re finding ways to lose games we can win. Last two years, it was more of simply losing because we were the worse team.

Our standards are up and that’s a sign that things are moving up too. Can’t forget that.

 

[TRest]

We called them "jimmies" too; friends called them "shots" or "sprinkles."

I don't believe you are treating this issue with the proper respect.

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

This team is like the Kwik-E-Mart. We never close.

Who doesn't like to hear, "Thank you, come again."?

 

[joober jones]

Who doesn't like to hear, "Thank you, come again."?

We need to recruit a walk on from India to say that at the end of each home game.

 

[superjohn]

Holy cr@p, we could play a hundred of these type of games and we'll lose every time. Don't think I've ever seen a group like this in all my years of watching sports.

 

[TRest]

Holy cr@p, we could play a hundred of these type of games and we'll lose every time. Don't think I've ever seen a group like this in all my years of watching sports.

I hate the cliche about not knowing how to win but man, these guys really know how to lose.

 

[UCfor3]

Holy cr@p, we could play a hundred of these type of games and we'll lose every time. Don't think I've ever seen a group like this in all my years of watching sports.

It's uncanny. I was gonna say some stuff about our guards at the end of games but why pile on. It's all pretty much been said at this point. The walk on situation at the end bordered on the bizarre. I thought up until that point, Hurley coached a great game despite the refs turning the game into a Kubrick movie set to opera music.