Areas for improvement | The Boneyard
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Areas for improvement

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TeasenDonut

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-Hawkins cannot keep starting every game this cold. Hurley and team have gotten him great looks to start most games so far this season and he always misses his first 2/3 open shots. This is huge for our offense getting off to better starts. Thankfully nobody has taken advantage of it so far as our defense is suffocating. Speaking of defense, Hawk has been phenomenal.

-Alleyne. Let’s have this kids back here. He’s an amazing defender and we will need him to play big minutes against the best teams on our schedule. He needs to take a deep breathe and slow down when he gets the ball. The first thing he does is put it on the floor and start juking himself out. I’m sure the coaching staff will help him out and get him where he needs to be.
 
Would like to see Alleyne have some success over the next few games prior to BE schedule.. Tough transition for him being a starter/playin' a lot of minutes at previous school and now being a role player.. Think he's still trying to fit in and find his groove.

Tighten up the handle on Newton/Diarra to minimize TOs

Tough to criticize a Top 10 team.. Just Yardin'
 
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Fouls and shot selection can always be better.

Hawks biggest problem appears to be mental toughness or focus or whatever you call it when a player carries around past plays in his head good or bad.

I think if he learns to relax and trust his talent he can jump to a whole other level.

The whistle last night and the costly TO early in his first season are examples. Of course, when he gets hot look out .

Sanogo is still a reluctant passer. It's fine he is looking to add 3pt shooting and driving the lane to his gamefilm. That's been done now so help the team by learning to pass out of the double when you are 10 ft from the basket.

Jackson needs his shooting stroke to come around, not that he needs it much. Just enough to draw a defender.

Newton/Alleyne/Diarra/Cali, just find some consistency. Whomever does it sooner will find more minutes. They are all doing pretty well. None have been embarrassing.

Clingan, just more of everything. Teams are still looking at him like a opportunity with Sanogo on the bench. They are quickly finding out that is a mistake.

I don't know what to say about Karaban, his game is very mature. He does everything you need. Maybe knock down a few more outside shots because he will be left open as the season goes on.

I really like Hurleys rotation and how hebis managing the minutes especially at guard. Keep Jackson coming of the bench. It solves a lot of problems and throws off the other team. In fact, our entire "bench" has been causing other teams problems. They basically blew out the team that beat UNC on their own.

For the first time since mayve 2004, every player on the court is a scoring threat. Its the opposite of 2011 and 2014. Hurley just needs to find a couple guys to hit the must have baskets. The guy to stop the opponents run or push the lead out by a possession when things get tight.
 
There should be a rule that Alleyne has to make a two before he shoots a three. Could be a lay up, or an elbow jumper but.... he has to see something go through the net before he starts firing away from deep.
 
Alleyne has been playing so sped up on D, in a great way. But I think it's spilling over into his offense. His feet are very rarely set and balanced when he shoots. Plus he's carrying+double dribbling like 3x a game but thankfully the refs don't seem to call it because it's usually completely unforced herky jerky weird dribbing lol.
 
I think the team should slow things down when they have a solid lead. Milk the click, they are a good passing team. I've seen an open guy pull up for a 3 jumper with no one there to rebound.

Slow it down and use the clock to your advantage, we've got good shooters and rebounder. Note to Hurley
 
Some things for every player

Newton - consistency, think he has a tendency to play to the level of his competition right now. Would like to see him stay more consistent in his play

Hawkins - look for more shots besides threes. Everybody knows he can shoot but when his shot isn’t falling get those easy ones still.

Jackson - calm down a smidge defensively to avoid foul trouble and stay aggressive on the offensive end. Be a threat to score, eventually the shots will start falling.

AK - idk man. Just keep working. There’s not much to say here besides stay in the gym and weight room.

Sanogo - passing obviously. Learn from DC and how quickly he gets it out. He missed a few great looks against ISU. He’s improved though because he’s at least trying to look for guys now.

Joey C - defense. Pretty much it

Diarra - playing more under control. He’s been pretty hit or miss offensively but the defensive effort is there

Alleyne - needs to get going offensively. Also needs to be aware of making the right plays. Just because he’s in a funk doesn’t mean to force shots to shake out of it. Still make the right play.

DC - just keep working on his game. Not much to say here that only the off-season can help him with. Maybe start trying out his 3s in game?

We’ve pretty much had a slow start every game. But I think once Andre gets back in the starting lineup things should be smooth sailing.
 
We need the all black unis similar to the women and put them up for sale so I can buy a pair of the shorts…

Also, not panicking when trapped or pressured as mentioned above and keeping turnovers to a minimum.
 
Not worried just yet about Diarra/Newton turnovers. Diarra's TO vs Iowa State was his first since Delaware State. I don't think he's found his niche with Hawkins and Jackson back.

Newton had 8. That would be cause for more concern if it weren't such a clear outlier in the early going. His A/TO is nearly 2, so I'd look for both of those stats to return to his norm on Thursday.

Team FT% is very good, but 3-point shooting has got to be more consistent. It's interesting that UConn's poorest nights at the line have so been their two best 3-point shooting performances (BU and Oregon).
 
Tired of beating teams by 15-20. It's nerve wracking. I think that needs to be 25-30. That whole thing where the other team is sometimes tied or ahead, yeah, stop doing that.

They haven't played their best or worst game yet. The guys will get better, Johnson will return, and undoubtedly they will have struggles at times. Just happy to enjoy the ride.
 
B1GEast said:
I think the team should slow things down when they have a solid lead. Milk the click, they are a good passing team. I've seen an open guy pull up for a 3 jumper with no one there to rebound.

Slow it down and use the clock to your advantage, we've got good shooters and rebounder. Note to Hurley
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It seems to me that far too often this is a recipe for disaster. Much prefer us to keep our foot on the pedal.
 
B1GEast said:
I think the team should slow things down when they have a solid lead. Milk the click, they are a good passing team. I've seen an open guy pull up for a 3 jumper with no one there to rebound.

Slow it down and use the clock to your advantage, we've got good shooters and rebounder. Note to Hurley
Expand ...
Yeah...no. I agree with @CL82. This team has to continue to step on the throats of our opponents and choke the life out of them, which is what we have been doing. You don't win games by milking the clock. You win games by scoring more points than your opponent.
 
B1GEast said:
I think the team should slow things down when they have a solid lead. Milk the click, they are a good passing team. I've seen an open guy pull up for a 3 jumper with no one there to rebound.

Slow it down and use the clock to your advantage, we've got good shooters and rebounder. Note to Hurley
Expand ...
It was 53-48 with over nine minutes to go. They ended the game on an 18-5 run, but it wasn't particularly pretty basketball.
 
aburks41 said:
Yeah...no. I agree with @CL82. This team has to continue to step on the throats of our opponents and choke the life out of them, which is what we have been doing. You don't win games by milking the clock. You win games by scoring more points than your opponent.
Expand ...

Yeah, I'm prolly wrong here, but I made a contribution to the thread. User generated content.
 
1) Hawkins can’t have games like he had against Iowa State.

2) Turnovers. Stop dribbling into the corner of the mid court line. Also, the sidearm passes need to go away forever. The best result I’ve seen from one of those is accidentally hitting a defender in the foot before the ball decapitates someone in the first row.

3) Would like to see the guards drive a bit more often. Hawkins, Newton, Alleyne and Diarra are all shooting under 40% from the field - get a lil closer.
 
auror said:
Alleyne has been playing so sped up on D, in a great way. But I think it's spilling over into his offense. His feet are very rarely set and balanced when he shoots. Plus he's carrying+double dribbling like 3x a game but thankfully the refs don't seem to call it because it's usually completely unforced herky jerky weird dribbing lol.
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It seems like everyone is carrying the ball these days. It's very noticeable with Diarra.
 
TeasenDonut said:
-Alleyne. Let’s have this kids back here. He’s an amazing defender and we will need him to play big minutes against the best teams on our schedule. He needs to take a deep breathe and slow down when he gets the ball. The first thing he does is put it on the floor and start juking himself out. I’m sure the coaching staff will help him out and get him where he needs to be.
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Spot on. He needs to move and try to come off a screen for a shot or drive to the basket if its there. If its not look for an open man or pass it back and reset. Thats all he needs to do. Dont get the ball and start dribbling around like a mad man and just chuck it up. His defense is really good and makes this team better every second hes on the court but he cant continue to hurt us with poor shots and turnovers. Hes talented with a lot to offer but he needs to realize hes part of a team and he has a role to play and not the #1 option.
 
I am totally fine letting Hawkins have the brightest green light in UConn history, but I’d like to see him develop an ability to drive to the hoop or at least some more mid range activity. He clearly has the highest pro ceiling on the team.

Sanogo - don’t be a black hole when being fed in the post. Kick it back a little more often. For him to have a chance as an NBA player he needs to develop his passing game so he can be that poor man’s Draymond.

Allyene - Take an Ativan before every game. When he gets the ball he speeds up like the tasmanian devil out there.

Newton - Look to create off the dribble a little more and not settle for long 3’s.

Karaban - hit the gym

Clingan - also hit the gym and keep working on foul shooting and lateral agility

Jackson - Defend and rebound with max effort, never shoot a jumper unless absolutely necessary.

Joey C - more minutes, he’s doing everything right as a veteran bench scorer/sniper

Diarra - tighten up the dribbling
 
aburks41 said:
Yeah...no. I agree with @CL82. This team has to continue to step on the throats of our opponents and choke the life out of them, which is what we have been doing. You don't win games by milking the clock. You win games by scoring more points than your opponent.
Expand ...

Throat stepping, throat punching whatever feels right at the moment.
 
UconnPT2007 said:
I am totally fine letting Hawkins have the brightest green light in UConn history, but I’d like to see him develop an ability to drive to the hoop or at least some more mid range activity. He clearly has the highest pro ceiling on the team
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I think hawks problem is maturity. When he misses he gets down on himself and gets frustrated. He’ll learn.
 

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