Are we tiring teams out due to superior conditioning?

[Mike Honcho]

It's a pretty simple observation but our offense is designed with a ton of false movement, cuts, off-ball screens, and passing. It requires a ton of energy and concentration to guard our guys on the defensive end. There are very few chances to collect yourself and get a breather, especially given that we use most of the shot clock. Compare that to Illinois' offense, which went iso most of the game, with very little movement on the perimeter (I was a bit shocked to witness how basic their offense was).

While we outclassed Stetson and Northwestern in the first half, both the SDSU and Illinois games were relatively close until we put them away in the second half. Same with the BET Championship game against Marquette.

So my question is, how much of our success can be attributed to winning the endurance battle and taking advantage of the other team's tired legs? Or is this effect muted, given the longer TV timeouts in the NCAAs? While we still go 8-deep, we don't have a full second unit that we can sub in like we had with Clingan and company last year.

In a few interviews I've watched, Tristen and Donovan have talked about how Danny runs them ragged in practice so that games don't feel strenuous in comparison. They also talked about how they're not allowed to show signs of fatigue, like putting their hands on their knees. All this said, it feels like it would be hard to outclass other high D1 opponents on conditioning alone.

 

[Kembafan]

Yes

 

[Horatio]

Exactly. Superior conditioning and quality depth. Plus playing with 3 ball handlers / players that can play PG. It overwhelms teams.

 

[blkknight1]

I think this is something that most on the outside don't really talk about. Teams have to deal with uconn running this offense with constant motion for 20-25 seconds then play against tough defense when they have the ball. It definitely shows up when you see guys shots coming up short or not being able to get black while uconn is still executing. It's no surprise they pull away in the second half of these games.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

Our conditioning is better than nearly everyone and yes, this plays a large role in our success but I believe the combination of physical fatigue that we impose and mental fatigue is what causes damage.

 

[dogpause]

In the NCCAT that doesn't really matter quite as much due to all the long TV timeouts, but I've never seen us play with signs of our own fatigue. Our long offensive posessions can wear down opponents. How often do we go on a 2nd half spurt? Seems like almost every game.

 

[Kitaman]

A lot of it is conditioning yes, but getting your ass stomped is demoralizing and will also cause players to tire or 'quit' in different ways.

Just saying there is some mental tiring as well as physical. Futile situations will do that.

 

[my2cents]

100% yes.
It never gets mentioned but is evident during the games. How many times do we get baskets by beating the other team down the floor? Plenty.

 

[UCfor3]

At times yes, but the 30-0 run was right after halftime when Illinois was rested up. You can mentally break a team as well.

 

[jibsey]

The energy required to play and keep defense at our level is high.

 

[Chin Diesel]

Short answer is yes.

Slightly longer answer is it is easier to regulate breathing and conserve energy when you know where you are going amd more difficult when you are constantly reacting to movement.

 

[jibsey]

We have to keep the conditioning up this week while keeping them all healthy which is prime importance.

 

[caw]

Short answer is yes.

Slightly longer answer is it is easier to regulate breathing and conserve energy when you know where you are going amd more difficult when you are constantly reacting to movement.

I agree and same with mental concentration, which is why a lot of teams have breakdowns where even Clingan ends up unguarded under the hoop.

Bama likes to run and are probably in great shape physically but there is running up and down the court and then playing defense for 25-30 seconds at a time where everyone is moving.

I've only seen Creighton do a decent job of keeping focus every possession all game long and that is mostly due to having Kalkbrenner in the back in his one man zone.

 

[willie99]

I don't think it's conditioning. I think it's more depth and more options, which makes it look like conditioning

Throw in incredible game planning on both sides of the ball and baddaf#$@!bing

We're too good

 

[HuskyFich]

4 ball handlers. Efficiency. Physicality.

There’s no break with this team. A revolving door of pain. Soul takers.

I’d argue conditioning makes a bigger difference here if we actually played with pace, but we don’t outside of fast break sprints on occasion.

 

[OceanDoggie]

Exactly. Superior conditioning and quality depth. Plus playing with 3 ball handlers / players that can play PG. It overwhelms teams.

The Formula!

 

[Rocktheworld]

I think it’s mostly the amount of looks that come from the offense, and the offense changes with our various fluid lineups; which include BE 6MOY and a stylistically completely different big (on both ends of the court) in SJ.

Also our offense, with multiple ball handlers, involves so much movement and reaction, that that in itself will fatigue the other team

I also genuinely wonder if there’s a mystique about this team that psychologically affects the opponent

 

[Kenny11]

we wear teams down mentally. All of these games have so many breaks that you have to be very out of shape to get tired as a guard or a wing…for big guys it’s a different story and a couple of minutes of going all out can definitely cause fatigue.

 

[husky429]

Agree with all of this, our conditioning is a step up from years past.

It's more important that the way we play puts pressure on teams conditioning defensively IMO.

When you have a bunch of shooters and textbook execution in transition, the opponent has to cover more of the floor on every single possession. Or when you have guys as physical as Castle, Hass, and DC beating you up all game. Or when your screens are well-executed and you have to help and recover.

Good offense taxes the opponents conditioning much more than the iso-heavy stuff we sat under KO and early in the Hurley years.

 

[TogaDog]

Along with the conditioning, Why aren't we talking about the half time adj coach is making? Like moving AK to cover Domask? He was killing us in the first half. (15 points)Shut down in the second half. (2 pts)

 

[auror]

The Wrench ran everywhere.

 

[Poe]

I have a hard time believing this team is head and shoulders above all other teams in conditioning. It just comes down to more complete players that do multiple things well, a complicated offense, constant movement (player and ball), unselfishness, very good size, defensive pride, overall calmness, trust in each other, attention to detail, time management, in game adjustments and very little drop off (and possibly more intensity) with the 3 players coming off the bench.

I think it is more mental fatigue when facing all of the above and getting tight and disjointed in the second half against a team that really seems to be on another level.

 

[Chin Diesel]

I agree and same with mental concentration, which is why a lot of teams have breakdowns where even Clingan ends up unguarded under the hoop.

Bama likes to run and are probably in great shape physically but there is running up and down the court and then playing defense for 25-30 seconds at a time where everyone is moving.

I've only seen Creighton do a decent job of keeping focus every possession all game long and that is mostly due to having Kalkbrenner in the back in his one man zone.

I was listening to some match up analysis yesterday and they were saying how Bama like to get off a shot within 6 seconds or work the shot clock down. But when they do that, it's a lot of Sears dribbling, one player setting a pick and three standing on the 3 point line for a dribble drive and dish.

Last weekend an announcer again noted how much movement UConn has off the ball. UConn's offense isn't predicated on picking for the dribbler. It's predicated on away from the ball motion and screening and then passing to the open man. That's one reason why UConn's assist rate is very high. Players away from the ball are freed up and get the ball passed to them for the shot. All this means defenses are needing to guard all five for the whole possession.

 

[gtcam]

I feel most every team has strenuous conditioning drills and such in practice.
It's great to be in top physical shape but that is only half the battle.
It's getting over the mental fatigue and how you are prepared to go 100% at all times and intelligently.. That is something everybody has within them but not everyone taps into it and works with it. UConn has selected players who get down to business and don't waste energy over worrying about personal stats etc. Everything is team and to be the best you can be - play smarter not harder.
These young men understand it and the outcome is evident. Not everyone can play in this system and even someone like Stephon Castle - a 5* is humble and plays within himself and the system.
It's the system not the player. Egos and loose cannons not welcomed.

 

[Chin Diesel]

4 ball handlers. Efficiency. Physicality.

There’s no break with this team. A revolving door of pain. Soul takers.

I’d argue conditioning makes a bigger difference here if we actually played with pace, but we don’t outside of fast break sprints on occasion.

UConn's pace is constant halfcourt motion rather than straight downhill fast breaking. More like running the shuttle drill for 20 seconds at the NFL combine than a 40-yard dash.

 

[MexicoHusky]

I'm not so sure if we physically wear out the other team, but i think the complex offense mentally wears on the opposing team. It's difficult to guard for 40 minutes.

 

[WhereistheDove?]

I think it’s very possible that’s a factor. I think the bigger issue is the mental side of things on defense. As many others have mentioned, defending UConn is a wildly different animal than say defending Alabama, where you kind of know what’s going to happen every play. They’re going to run a pick and roll, run an off-ball shooter off a pin down, etc.

Having to be hyper focused on trying to decipher what UConn is running, where the 2-3 options are off every play, and adjust is just difficult and keeping that up for 40 minutes is nearly impossible. And as a weakside defender, you can get too focused on helping because we cut so well that you will get killed if you lose focus for a second.

 

[Chin Diesel]

Here's another way to think of it.

Almost everyone one of us has done suicides on the basketball court. Uconn's offense is the first two legs of the suicide- baseline to foul line and baseline to half court and not doing the longer legs of the suicide. It's quick acceleration, stop, change direction and accelerate again.

 

[ctbro1999]

I'm not so sure if we physically wear out the other team, but i think the complex offense mentally wears on the opposing team. It's difficult to guard for 40 minutes.

Also must be very demoralizing for a team to be playing a great defensive possession for 25 seconds, then 1 slip up by someone and we drain an open 3/alley-oop/backdoor layup....those are backbreakers. Then go on offense and you think you run a good set for an easy shot...and then Cling Kong sends the ball back 3 rows deep.

 

[bendm]

Is clingan gonna break 30 mins if we get to the finals against Purdue? Edey just played 38 and 39 mins in 2 days. What’s Clingan season high in minutes?