Arizona Post Game Thread

[TouchdownHusky]

Go look up the lottery on November 19 last year and tell me nothing changed.

It’s November 19.

He’s more likely to lose his starting spot than he is to go in the lottery in a insanely top heavy draft class.

Remember when Liam McNeeley and Boogie Fland were lottery picks in November

Fland still has a shot to be drafted somewhere above 33rd.

 

[Gurleyman]

This thread is way too kind to Karaban tonight. For a decorated senior….at home…against the #4 team in the country? He had 1 pt in the first half. That’s inexcusable.

He’s a complimentary player? What or who did he compliment tonight? He’s been in this intricate offense for 4 years and he can’t get shots in half court sets? Okay. So let’s just hope everyone else gets better and he chips in when he can.

Watched him off the ball for some possessions - and there were times he didn’t cut with any purpose at all. Just this lazy movement where he didn’t want the ball - or didn’t think he’d get open so didn’t bother trying. And there were times the screens he got were pretty bad. Reibe has some work to do there. It was shooting slump AK from last year - and I hated when he played like that because if you cut hard and look like you want to be a threat, it opens up other things. Even if you are a decoy, you have to treat being a decoy as the most important job on the floor and do it with the same intensity as you do when you think a shot is coming your way. Because then you make the defense think about you. There’s a big contrast with Solo - he cuts hard (granted he’s smaller and quicker), but he always moves with a purpose. AK seems better as a flare option playing off misdirection off of someone else’s cut, which is where Mullins and Solo both being out there can maybe help.

 

[Mr. French]

Which is exactly why he shouldn’t have been taking a rushed, contested 3 pointer. You answered your own question.

I didn't ask a question.

He's struggling from 3, it wasn't the BEST look he could get ... which I said. But I want my best shooter to want to take a big shot in a big moment.

 

[superjohn]

Just about every mock has him late lottery to low 20s. Frosh guards sometimes need time to assimilate. He’s not in that group of freshmen that can walk in the door and be amazing in instantly, but the kid is super talented. 247 has him ranked ahead of Peat. He’s multiple spots ahead of Mullins. Let me guess, Mullins is better? AZ had the second best class just behind Duke. These teams usually get better as the season ages.

The last thing I do is listen to the white noise of boneyarders who think they’re smarter than national scouts who do it for a living.

Show me all the mock drafts that have Burries as a lottery pick? You've called me out several times for saying I think Mullins is a lottery pick when he's projected as a lottery pick on most of the mock drafts.

ESPN mock draft has Mullins going 13th, Brayden Burries going 45th.

Tankathon only does a first round, they have Mullins going 11th and they don't have Brayden Burries getting drafted.

SB nation also only does a first round, they have Mullins going 11th and they don't have Brayden Burries getting drafted.

Bleacher Report has Mullins going 13th and Brayden Burries going 23rd.

I think it's safe to say they all know more than you do but keep doing your thing.

 

[KingAG]

And what is ESPN using to evaluate Mullins? The BC tape?

BRs last mock has Burries at 23, after his first 4 lousy games. Point here is he’s talented and his stock is at a low point. And AZ is a very good team already that should only improve with three highly rated and talented freshmen.

Omg. I don’t put in credence into the mock drafts on November 19th. You’ve somehow adapted my argument lol. I’ve been telling you there irrelevant this early. I’m just having fun appealing to your authority on how good a player is. No one of your experts has him as a lottery pick.

 

[KingAG]

Show me all the mock drafts that have Burries as a lottery pick? You've called me out several times for saying I think Mullins is a lottery pick when he's projected as a lottery pick on most of the mock drafts.

ESPN mock draft has Mullins going 13th, Brayden Burries going 45th.

Tankathon only does a first round, they have Mullins going 11th and they don't have Brayden Burries getting drafted.

SB nation also only does a first round, they have Mullins going 11th and they don't have Brayden Burries getting drafted.

Bleacher Report has Mullins going 13th and Brayden Burries going 23rd.

I think it's safe to say they all know more than you do but keep doing your thing.

This isn’t going the way he thought he would lmfao

 

[uconngb]

This a refreshingly measured response. I loved the early positivity in this thread then just hit a dumpster fire of Solo bashing that I can’t abide. Solo’s the man. We ought not lose faith. That was a shot that, if it goes in, no one here even sniffs the idea of it being a bad selection.

Just because it goes in doesn’t make it a good shot. That was an AWFUL shot from a guy who had been ice cold at a pivotal moment in the game I’m guessing you never played basketball.

 

[FearThePups]

He has a tendency to just pound the ball and not pass it. There were times where he literally ran all over the court dribbling for 20 seconds. He needs to stop playing as if he’s at Dayton and realize that his job is to make assists not pound the ball.
Posters here have a recency bias where because he played well in the last five minutes they talk about him having a good game but he actually had a bad game except for the last five minutes.

So, you weren’t the only one to see this too?

 

[alphasigko]

Peat beat us silly...we had no answer.

Missed 9 FTs... Make 5 of those they win.

Also shot 40% from the floor... Shoot 45%, they win.

Actually not bad given that Reed was out.

But really a sad loss.

 

[TouchdownHusky]

When is Mullins going to play? Need a guy who hits 3s consistently.

See Clingan and Castle in fall '23, McNeeley in fall '24 and Reed and Mullins '25. Use to be players were chomping at the bit to get on the court.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

It's an opportunity - we missed the opportunity to beat a top 4 team on our home floor. We don't get many of those chances. Do you think the committee just waves off a game? Do you think they waved off the games McNeeley missed last year?

Also realize we'll likely be battling an Arizona for seeding - they beat us on our floor, it's an advantage. These games matter.

I really don't get why some are so worried about what seed we'll land in the dance.

Don't get me wrong, if we get a one seed I won't be upset, but i don't believe we need to be a one seed to win the tournament.

We've won twice as many titles when we weren't the one seed as we have when we were. We wount be counted out if we are a seed line or two lower than ideal.

 

[formerlurker]

9-18 vs 19-25

 

[3rdbass]

Some positives yes….but some big concerns:

1. Demery completely disappeared tonight
2. Solo….what on earth were you thinking
3. Did Ross play tonight?
4. Not one to complain about the refs normally but they let Peat take 4 steps at least 3 times in the 2nd half, plus he completely discarded Stewart on an and 1 in the first half
5. Foul shooting…..really?

Demary was great in the first half and kept us close. Stupid fouls took him out of his game in the 2nd half.

 

[Kowalski]

Yeah we do. Oh the hyperbole and hand picking. You are one righteous dude and seem to think you're smarter than the masses.

AZ has two lottery picks on their team - those type of kids usually just get better, especially with a great coach, as the season matures. They have Dwayne Aristolde on the bench.

We didn't hear a thing about Reed's ankle until 30 minutes before pregame. It's Wednesday after a Saturday injury. In his presser, he said they didn't realize how hurt he was until Monday. None of it makes sense.

So what’s your theory then? That Hurley held Reed out even though he knew he was good enough to play and also without any good reason to think he might aggravate the injury and prolong his recovery?

None of us know how the injury’s affecting Reed. I trust that the coaches consulted with medical people on the decision to hold Reed out and that they had good reasons to do so.

 

[uconngb]

Demary was great in the first half and kept us close. Stupid fouls took him out of his game in the 2nd half.

Exactly

 

[FightOnCT]

It’s one of those games like Florida where I still can’t get over it because the loss was very avoidable. Just shoot our free throws, get some boards.

Just simple things like that and we win. Missing two starters wasn’t why we lost here.

 

[RuffRuff]

This isn’t going the way he thought he would lmfao

My original point is that AZ is a great team, to LongJohns dismay. That they will only get better because they’re young, and kids like Burries haven’t clicked yet.

Burries was high on all early mocks because of his HS ranking in this class. These things move around by the week based on how a kid is playing, others are playing. Mullins hasn’t moved off his HS ranking because he hasn’t played. But you two eagle eyed scouts, true bird dogs, are saying a kid ranked higher than Mullins is worse than Mullins based on 4 games he played and zero games Mullins has played, Now that is hysterical.

 

[TouchdownHusky]

Peat beat us silly.

You'd think after 2 NCs, we'd have freshman that could counter a Dybansta and a Peat.

 

[MuchoDogYears]

This is interesting. I'm pretty sure everyone ragged on him for 3 years for doing nothing but working on his 3 ball. Now he isn't working on it enough.

NEWSFLASH: These players work on multiple areas of their game every day of the year.

Everyone was of the same opinion after Solo’s sophomore year that he needed to focus on completing plays driving to the basket and also taking mid range short range shots.
Obviously he did that. And in doing it appears he must have cut back on working on his three point shot.

That’s my opinion. Do you have an answer as to why through five regular season games and two exhibition games his three point shooting has been horrendous for the first time since he’s been at UConn? His shot was too pure the last two years for him to have a cold shooting spell for seven games straight without their being a reason behind it.

 

[Class of 09]

Being there tonight I have to say Gampel really sucks sometimes. Bunch of old heads who just want to sit down the whole game. You could tell Hurley was getting pissed at how quiet the crowd was at points he had to keep telling everyone to get up. Need more student section center court. There was a point where the UofA fans were louder.

 

[Gurleyman]

So, you weren’t the only one to see this too?

I think on the worst of those possessions, he was on the floor with Ross, Stewart and Koroma and we basically had no offense to run. None of those guys are coming off screens and doing anything. We were mostly just biding time until the break.

Thought Smith was great the whole second half with a couple blips. Missed a couple shots, which is fine, but after we went up 2 and the place was rocking, he was blown by too easily - which led to a Peat basket (the one where Reibe stayed vertical on the first try, but then Peat just caught the rebound and finished on his second jump).

 

[KingAG]

My original point is that AZ is a great team, to LongJohns dismay. That they will only get better because they’re young, and kids like Burries haven’t clicked yet.

Burries was high on all early mocks because of his HS ranking in this class. These things move around by the week based on how a kid is playing, others are playing. Mullins hasn’t moved off his HS ranking because he hasn’t played. But you two eagle eyed scouts, true bird dogs, are saying a kid ranked higher than Mullins is worse than Mullins based on 4 games he played and zero games Mullins has played, Now that is hysterical.

All I said is he won’t be a lottery pick and you proceeded to call me a nobody lmao. You then appealed to people who agree with me. Lol

 

[RuffRuff]

All I said is he won’t be a lottery pick and you proceeded to call me a nobody lmao. You then appealed to people who agree with me. Lol

lol - you’re not a nobody. You’re special and people love you.

 

[Class of 09]

something was off with AK end of the first half. Maybe he was just gassed but He looked totally defeated and his body language was bad. I think Koa bullying him got to him.

 

[CTBasketball]

Another positive: Stewart seemed to find his jumper.