An ugly win is a win, enjoy, move on.

[Palatine]

As the saying goes, a one point win on the road is a blow out. Props to Giffey tonight. Glue guy plus.

 

[huskyharry]

Gif was solid throughout. Thankfully, in the second half Boat also woke up and brought the team to life & then Bazz finished the deal.

 

[August_West]

DD is on a milk carton . And were screwed if he's not found.

 

[ctchamps]

Thought Gif played poor defense first half and outstanding defense the second half. And his offensive rebounds came at critical times. Overall great game by him.

 

[UCONNfan1]

Most of the team seemed to be playing uninspired and lackadaisical. They had some fire at times, but it's almost March. You'd expect a little more consistency from the "star" players at this point...

 

[BoatShow]

DD is on a milk carton . And were screwed if he's not found.

Seriously. It's amazing we are were are considering we have gotten nothing from Omar and weeks at a time of nothing from DD. Praise Lasan and Giff.

 

[Palatine]

Awesome effort by the frosh Samuels. Great D, didn't try to do too much, attacked when it was there. Making a case for Calhoun's minutes.

 

[alexd]

never expected to see a lineup of Napier-Boat-Samuel-Giff-Olander make one of our biggest runs of the season.

 

[ctchamps]

never expected to see a lineup of Napier-Boat-Samuel-Giff-Olander make one of our biggest runs of the season.

That was the line up that worked this evening. Who would have thunk that?

 

[Poe]

After winning the first game by 43 points they probably thought this would be an easy game. Took until the middle of the second half to realize some actual effort would be required to win this game.

 

[Milo65]

We need DD every night, not once in a while...I still would like to see Calhoun snap out of it. Gif and Kromah have been key. In the end, I'll take a W on the road, ugly or not...It's a W.

 

[uconnfan68]

We need DD every night, not once in a while...I still would like to see Calhoun snap out of it. Gif and Kromah have been key. In the end, I'll take a W on the road, ugly or not...It's a W.

And it was fugly.

 

[UConnfan8]

Looks like were still trying to hide from the Daniels issue. Let me give you an example tonight. Daniels gets taken out about 5 minutes into the 2nd half, when it looks like all is lost. We put Terrance Samuels in...a freshman who has barely any experience, and his energy leads us to an 18-0 run and we look like a completely different team. With about 6 mins left in the game, Daniels comes back in, and the laziness and general uninterested play comes back and USF goes on a run of their own to make the game VERY close with 2 mins to go. People need to realize that Daniel's affects this team more than you think. When he plays like absolute garbage (which has been about 6 games in a row now) the team generally doesn't play very well either. Do you remember when many people touted Daniels as a surprise POY in the AAC this summer? Where has his game gone? I hope he realizes that his poor play (no offense, lazy defense, lazy play in general) affects the team greatly, and that something needs to be done if we want to make any run in either tournament. I for one...obviously...had extremely higher hopes for DD this season.

 

[3rdbass]

Looks like were still trying to hide from the Daniels issue. Let me give you an example tonight. Daniels gets taken out about 5 minutes into the 2nd half, when it looks like all is lost. We put Terrance Samuels in...a freshman who has barely any experience, and his energy leads us to an 18-0 run and we look like a completely different team. With about 6 mins left in the game, Daniels comes back in, and the laziness and general uninterested play comes back and USF goes on a run of their own to make the game VERY close with 2 mins to go. People need to realize that Daniel's affects this team more than you think. When he plays like absolute garbage (which has been about 6 games in a row now) the team generally doesn't play very well either. Do you remember when many people touted Daniels as a surprise POY in the AAC this summer? Where has his game gone? I hope he realizes that his poor play (no offense, lazy defense, lazy play in general) affects the team greatly, and that something needs to be done if we want to make any run in either tournament. I for one...obviously...had extremely higher hopes for DD this season.

Yes DD had been a major disappointment this year with his inconsistent play. He is the key for us going far in the tourney.

 

[babysheep]

That was the line up that worked this evening. Who would have thunk that?

Evidently, KO thunk it. How much credit as a coach does he get for that?

 

[Gurleyman]

Looks like were still trying to hide from the Daniels issue. Let me give you an example tonight. Daniels gets taken out about 5 minutes into the 2nd half, when it looks like all is lost. We put Terrance Samuels in...a freshman who has barely any experience, and his energy leads us to an 18-0 run and we look like a completely different team. With about 6 mins left in the game, Daniels comes back in, and the laziness and general uninterested play comes back and USF goes on a run of their own to make the game VERY close with 2 mins to go. People need to realize that Daniel's affects this team more than you think. When he plays like absolute garbage (which has been about 6 games in a row now) the team generally doesn't play very well either. Do you remember when many people touted Daniels as a surprise POY in the AAC this summer? Where has his game gone? I hope he realizes that his poor play (no offense, lazy defense, lazy play in general) affects the team greatly, and that something needs to be done if we want to make any run in either tournament. I for one...obviously...had extremely higher hopes for DD this season.

They came back because Nolan didn't defend well on a drive and gave Rudd an and one, a guy who averaged 2.5 ppg hit two 18 foot jumpers and another guy hit the second 3 of his career. On offense, Boat missed a couple shots that he made during the 18-0 run and Bazz missed a running bank shot that I expected to go in.

Now, the fact that we went on an 18-0 run without him out there - that's certainly true. He wasn't part of our best 5 tonight. And when he's not part of our best five, our talent level declines a bit.

 

[David 76]

I think you have to give Ollie credit for finding the line-up that worked, for sitting Daniels, for not letting TO (or anyone) feel like he is worthless and still having him ready for his minutes.
And I agree that when DD doesn't have his head in the game, he should be on the bench.At those times we are better off w/o him. Potential and talent can't count anymore. It is almost March.
Even Shabazz should sit a little when he disappears in the first half. He needs the rest and Samuel needs/deserves the minutes.
If your head is not in the game, your butt shouldn't be either.

 

[CAHUSKY]

Even Shabazz should sit a little when he disappears in the first half. He needs the rest and Samuel needs/deserves the minutes.
If your head is not in the game, your butt shouldn't be either.

Shabazz "disappears" because the opposition deploys roughly 4 players to stop him. That's possible when DD goes in to hiding, when you don't have a post player you can count on and everyone else is missing shots.

 

[BugsyCT]

I'll take ugly wins the rest of the way so long as they are wins.

 

[patrick]

Looks like were still trying to hide from the Daniels issue. Let me give you an example tonight. Daniels gets taken out about 5 minutes into the 2nd half, when it looks like all is lost. We put Terrance Samuels in...a freshman who has barely any experience, and his energy leads us to an 18-0 run and we look like a completely different team. With about 6 mins left in the game, Daniels comes back in, and the laziness and general uninterested play comes back and USF goes on a run of their own to make the game VERY close with 2 mins to go. People need to realize that Daniel's affects this team more than you think. When he plays like absolute garbage (which has been about 6 games in a row now) the team generally doesn't play very well either. Do you remember when many people touted Daniels as a surprise POY in the AAC this summer? Where has his game gone? I hope he realizes that his poor play (no offense, lazy defense, lazy play in general) affects the team greatly, and that something needs to be done if we want to make any run in either tournament. I for one...obviously...had extremely higher hopes for DD this season.

You suck because your right!

 

[freescooter]

Daniels reminds me of Stanley Robinson. Once in a while he can look like an NBA lottery pick. Then for reasons that nobody can explain he simply fades to black. Sometimes it feels like we're playing with 4 guys.

this was an ugly win, but fortunately it was a win. A loss to South Florida would have put this team way back. This team is what it is. A pretty good team that will be a mid-level seed come tourney time. A Sweet 16 trip will be a huge accomplishment.

 

[djct1999]

this was an ugly win, but fortunately it was a win. A loss to South Florida would have put this team way back. This team is what it is. A pretty good team that will be a mid-level seed come tourney time. A Sweet 16 trip will be a huge accomplishment.

never underestimate the threat of it being Shabazz's last game. if he comes focused and wanting to play, this team has proven it can beat anybody.

 

[seels58]

never expected to see a lineup of Napier-Boat-Samuel-Giff-Olander make one of our biggest runs of the season.

never expected to see a lineup of Napier-Boat-Samuel-Giff-Olander playing a zone make one of our biggest runs of the season.

 

[Marat]

never expected to see a lineup of Napier-Boat-Samuel-Giff-Olander playing a zone make one of our biggest runs of the season.

It was a good coaching decision by Ollie to play zone defense, to protect Olander and force some out side shooting by a not so great shooting USF team. I think we will need to have some of this come March. Calhoun was stubborn to his man defense and never played zone, but this team will need some of this going forward.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Olander has earned some more time, glad he is getting it. Maybe it is too easy to forget the role he had on a NC team, and that despite his off court blunders, he rarely makes them on the court. He's a much bigger offensive threat than Nolan or Brimah, and is a very good passer (compared to Nolan and Brimah, who may never have made a pass). Olander can play the foul line distribution role, that otherwise goes to Giffey (which wastes Giff, who should be on the wing ready to receive that pass). As a result, playing Olander tends to free up Giffey's offense. I don't think he's worse on D than Nolan, but doesn't have Brimah's presence as a shotblocker.

Glad to see Samuel getting minutes too. Boat and Bazz are both better when they aren't on the court with each other. They don't really compliment each other very well. Samuel adds a different element and more size.