An ugly win is a win.

[Palatine]

Last year we lose this game by 1,000 points. Just kidding.

Ugly wins look better the further away you get from them. They are just a number in the win column. We will all have forgotten this game in a couple of weeks. At least, we can hope we will forget it. But anyone looking for lessons in last night's game won't find any.

As J. K. Simmons said at the end of Burn After Reading.... (bad language).

 

[Hurleyman216]

I’d rather have a game like that against Manhattan than against P5 opponents like Florida State. We’re due for a good performance against a good team. Can’t wait for Nova

 

[BlueDogs]

Unfortunately, that was a regression game and lost opportunity to get better at something. Ugly, ugly basketball.

 

[Huskybass]

After the Drexel game, the record will be 9-3. This team is on track to win at least 20-22 games. That is a significant improvement from a 14 win season and 2 straight losing seasons. Only the unrealistic are disappointed at this point.

3 real nice recruits coming in, possibly more. Sure we all want to be elite again. That is going to take a little time. This is simply a year to change to culture of the program and make progress. Next season will be the return to being ranked consistently and having a legit shot at a run in the tourney.

Hard to not be excited with a roster next season that will have Gilbert, Gaffney, Bouknight, Sid, Polley, Akok, Carlton as a junior, and Vital as a senior on it. If we land Kofi, that is a hell of a lot of talent and a tremendous upgrade in a very short amount of time.

Danny Hurley isnt a miracle worker, but he is an excellent basketball coach. We will get there, its just going to take a little time.

 

[Doctor Hoop]

After the Drexel game, the record will be 9-3. This team is on track to win at least 20-22 games. That is a significant improvement from a 14 win season and 2 straight losing seasons. Only the unrealistic are disappointed at this point.

You've got Villanova chalked up in the win column already. Excellent! Hope you're right.

 

[pj]

You've got Villanova chalked up in the win column already. Excellent! Hope you're right.

Villanova comes after Drexel, a win over Nova would make us 10-3. Doesn't seem likely now, but we can hope.

 

[tzznandrew]

Villanova comes after Drexel, a win over Nova would make us 10-3. Doesn't seem likely now, but we can hope.

9-4 going into the AAC would be better than we thought going into the season, especially since there have not been close calls against the bad teams.

This team making the NCAAs is a reach, but one they might be able to pull off and earn a 10-12 seed. That would be a huge success, given only Adams has been on a team that didn't have a losing record here.

 

[CL82]

After the Drexel game, the record will be 9-3.

Doomed.

 

[husky429]

After the Drexel game, the record will be 9-3. This team is on track to win at least 20-22 games. That is a significant improvement from a 14 win season and 2 straight losing seasons. Only the unrealistic are disappointed at this point.

3 real nice recruits coming in, possibly more. Sure we all want to be elite again. That is going to take a little time. This is simply a year to change to culture of the program and make progress. Next season will be the return to being ranked consistently and having a legit shot at a run in the tourney.

Hard to not be excited with a roster next season that will have Gilbert, Gaffney, Bouknight, Sid, Polley, Akok, Carlton as a junior, and Vital as a senior on it. If we land Kofi, that is a hell of a lot of talent and a tremendous upgrade in a very short amount of time.

Danny Hurley isnt a miracle worker, but he is an excellent basketball coach. We will get there, its just going to take a little time.

Tournament next year will be tough. Jalen gone. Relying in freshman a lot.

Gaffney will need time. Bouknight is more game-ready, but probably wont perform really well until the end of the season.

Akok definitely needs time. He will be inconsistent.

Kofi could be a difference maker against most lower level teams, simply because hes huge.

Precious (please!) will perform.

 

[Huskybass]

Tournament next year will be tough. Jalen gone. Relying in freshman a lot.

Gaffney will need time. Bouknight is more game-ready, but probably wont perform really well until the end of the season.

Akok definitely needs time. He will be inconsistent.

Kofi could be a difference maker against most lower level teams, simply because hes huge.

Precious (please!) will perform.

UConn will comfortably make the tournament next season. Give Hurley that much talent and it isnt even a question.

 

[Jimdish255]

Unfortunately, that was a regression game and lost opportunity to get better at something. Ugly, ugly basketball.

When a team comes out with a stinker like that it's an opportunity for players and coaches to reflect on everything that played in to it. Hurley has clearly been playing the long game in his approach to the season. We should either start to see the payoff at this point or maybe it would be time to put more focus on what kind of preparation maximizes your performance for the next opponent. If you know track there's something called tapering. It seems we've been focused on toughening up our players and haven't shifted gears from that approach much. The demands of being a student, and the travel schedule dictate we take those things into consideration. Most of the guys that play big minutes looked a little worn out last night. The fact that they shot so poorly is another red flag for me. And the sloppy turnovers. It needs to be considered that Jalen wasn't the only guy out of sorts.

Hurley may turn out to be a great Coach but this is a new situation for him too.

 

[CTBasketball]

This game reminds me of when Calhoun and the #2 team in the country almost lost to Buffalo on the road in 2008/2009. People on here wanted to hang somebody.

Teams have bad games.

 

[tzznandrew]

This game reminds me of when Calhoun and the #2 team in the country almost lost to Buffalo on the road in 2008/2009. People on here wanted to hang somebody.

Teams have bad games.

The 'Yard has never been known for it's reasonable expectations or it's ability to fairly assess this team. It's always: "They are the worst!" or "I can't see how they can lose another game!"

Because we haven't seen a team develop in a while, people forget that it isn't linear: good teams have bad games.

Because we have been blessed with Kemba and Shabazz in the recent past, people think every talented player can and should be them. They are the exceptions.

Can Jalen be better? Yes. How much better? Not Kemba and Bazz better.

 

[zls44]

This game reminds me of when Calhoun and the #2 team in the country almost lost to Buffalo on the road in 2008/2009. People on here wanted to hang somebody.

Teams have bad games.

And things change. For example, that same Buffalo program is now clearly the best one in the state of New York.

 

[Palatine]

UConn will comfortably make the tournament next season. Give Hurley that much talent and it isnt even a question.

You sound like Edsall. But for Hurley, he is all in for this year and he has higher expectations.

 

[Huskybass]

You sound like Edsall. But for Hurley, he is all in for this year and he has higher expectations.

Perhaps you should consider the context. I was responding to someone who said it would be a challenge to make the tournament next season. I disagree. In fact, I think we have a decent chance of msking the tournament this season, and next season shouldnt be a problem at all with the influx of talent.

 

[Yardigan]

UConn will comfortably make the tournament next season. Give Hurley that much talent and it isnt even a question.

I think there's a good chance this year...

 

[buddy]

UConn is on track for a fourth place finish in the AAC this year. They will likely be invited to the NIT. Unfortunately, it is highly unlikely that UConn will finish ahead of Houston Cinci, SMU. UConn and Temple will be battling for fourth place. It will take a miraculous AAC tourney to get UConn to the NCAA's this year. That is reality. C'mon, they actually had to fight Manhattan to win a game against a terrible team.

 

[Robertelamin]

Is SMU any good? You may be living in the past.

 

[Stainmaster]

UConn is on track for a fourth place finish in the AAC this year. They will likely be invited to the NIT. Unfortunately, it is highly unlikely that UConn will finish ahead of Houston Cinci, SMU. UConn and Temple will be battling for fourth place. It will take a miraculous AAC tourney to get UConn to the NCAA's this year. That is reality. C'mon, they actually had to fight Manhattan to win a game against a terrible team.

There have been plenty of seasons in which UConn has played cupcakes way too close and gone on to make the tourney. One has little to do with the other.

 

[Robertelamin]

I looked at their schedule. They lost to Southern Miss, Lipscomb, TCU and Bradley. Beat Wright St by 1...You have no idea what you are talking about.

 

[BFieldHusky]

Gotta love the boneyard sometimes...

 

[HooperScooper]

UConn is on track for a fourth place finish in the AAC this year. They will likely be invited to the NIT. Unfortunately, it is highly unlikely that UConn will finish ahead of Houston Cinci, SMU. UConn and Temple will be battling for fourth place. It will take a miraculous AAC tourney to get UConn to the NCAA's this year. That is reality. C'mon, they actually had to fight Manhattan to win a game against a terrible team.

SMU? Have you seen them this year? They are way down from the last few seasons. They're 7-4 (schedule with results) with losses to Southern Miss., Lipscomb, Bradley and TCU. They've beaten bad teams but did beat Georgetown yesterday for their best win of the season. Stranger things have happened but I don't think they'll make the NCAA Tournament.

 

[Robertelamin]

I’ve always assumed @buddy was a troll but he might just be a miserable person. He is in no way a fan of any of the programs here.

 

[Chief00]

Perhaps you should consider the context. I was responding to someone who said it would be a challenge to make the tournament next season. I disagree. In fact, I think we have a decent chance of msking the tournament this season, and next season shouldnt be a problem at all with the influx of talent.

Quite frankly, this is a tough call. I think we will have more talent next year but less experienced. On the other hand can’t say that experience has directly translated into tangible positive metrics.