Bigger problem, offense or defense.

[Palatine]

I have to go with defense. We had a run of four straight 40 point halves put up on us. One by MSU, two by Arkansas, and one by Columbia. Finally we held Columbia to 24.

We start virtually every game like we're running in mud. The ball pressure is soft, three point shooters are open, back doors are open. When the ball pressure is high, opposing ball handlers are beating our defenders off the dribble. Our communication on defense is poor. Last night we left a guy alone under the basket on an out of bounds play. No one noticed. We are awkward on switches, sometimes both defensive players follow the same man. And if we're totally honest, we miss Brimah. No one on this team protects the rim as well as he did.

Yes, offense is a problem especially hitting open shots and our lack of assists is troubling. But what really hurts the offense is having to keep up with our opponents when they are shredding the defense.

So if I'm Ollie, practice time is spent on defense. Getting back to basics. One-on-one defending. Defending switches and screens. Getting back in transition. Bring down the 43% that opponents are shooting to a more Husky like 39%. That will cure many ills.

 

[8893]

Defense is certainly the most disappointing imo, as I subscribe to the Calhoun school of thought that defense is effort, and there is no excuse for not playing good defense.

 

[StingLykOllie]

So if I'm Ollie, practice time is spent on defense. Getting back to basics. One-on-one defending. Defending switches and screens. Getting back in transition. Bring down the 43% that opponents are shooting to a more Husky like 39%. That will cure many ills.

The offense looks so disjointed that it would appear we are only practicing defense, which makes it all that much scarier that our defense is as bad as it is.

 

[Edward Sargent]

I have to go with defense. We had a run of four straight 40 point halves put up on us. One by MSU, two by Arkansas, and one by Columbia. Finally we held Columbia to 24.

We start virtually every game like we're running in mud. The ball pressure is soft, three point shooters are open, back doors are open. When the ball pressure is high, opposing ball handlers are beating our defenders off the dribble. Our communication on defense is poor. Last night we left a guy alone under the basket on an out of bounds play. No one noticed. We are awkward on switches, sometimes both defensive players follow the same man. And if we're totally honest, we miss Brimah. No one on this team protects the rim as well as he did.

Yes, offense is a problem especially hitting open shots and our lack of assists is troubling. But what really hurts the offense is having to keep up with our opponents when they are shredding the defense.

So if I'm Ollie, practice time is spent on defense. Getting back to basics. One-on-one defending. Defending switches and screens. Getting back in transition. Bring down the 43% that opponents are shooting to a more Husky like 39%. That will cure many ills.

I agree with you. I would like to see them open with strong defense and let that get us to some offensive rhythm.

 

[Jerry1714]

Per Kenpom defense is 59th, Offense is 120th

 

[Travelman6]

Defense makes the offense go, so defense is the larger problem. Giving up the points that they did in the first half to Columbia is just scary. I mean, I know they "held" MSU to 28 first half points but part of that was MSU just was not hitting their shots.

 

[8893]

It's really effort at both ends that is the problem imo. I mean, the major talking point for the announcers the past two games has been the apparent lack of hustle, effort and desire with which most of our players play for most of the game, and the contrast with the opposing teams in that regard.

That makes me ill and upset.

 

[Guapo]

The most mind boggling thing about this team, to me, is our complete inability to close out on threes and play solid perimeter defense.

My question is:

Is this a schematic issue with the X's and O's coaching or an effort issue on behalf of the players?

 

[HuskiesAllDay]

The most mind boggling thing about this team, to me, is our complete inability to close out on threes and play solid perimeter defense.

My question is:

Is this a schematic issue with the X's and O's coaching or an effort issue on behalf of the players?

If it was the first year, that would indicate its the players. Since its year 4 of this....well i think we know what is the issue.

 

[Austin316]

Transition O and D ... both no bueno

 

[Sphinx]

When a team cannot consistently make open shots from any distance, you needn't look further for it problems. All kinds of other shortcomings will be noted and blamed, but it's problem will be that it can't shoot. One false perception will be that its defense is giving up too many open shots. Actually these shots will just be the normal open shots that a good-shooting team normally gets and normally makes. What seems like a porous defense is actually just an invidious comparison to the team's own woeful inability to shoot. As a syndrome, it is comparable to an inability to make free throws. It results in games lost where every reason is cited except the inability to make free throws.

 

[hoopsknowitall]

Defense. That play where Columbia lobbed a pass up the court for a dunk while the entire team slept was pretty embarrassing. Calhoun would have pulled the entire team off the court.

It’s all about effort and it’s not there at times....

 

[Kenny11]

They are trying to do some decent things out of the pick and roll and the spacing from the wings was better last night on those plays. I even saw a pick and pop with Adams and Larrier that worked. I'll go with defense for now.

 

[UconnAlum04]

Playing basketball for the full 40 minutes seems to be the biggest problem.

 

[Storrs South]

They are trying to do some decent things out of the pick and roll and the spacing from the wings was better last night on those plays. I even saw a pick and pop with Adams and Larrier that worked. I'll go with defense for now.

They've run that probably once a game and it's been pretty effective since Adams is so good at getting to the hoop he draws the extra defender and Larrier has been good in those catch and shoot scenarios. The problem is we haven't seen a lot of anything else that's nearly as effective, but they do have other plays that work (they just don't run them or execute them with enough frequency).

 

[Waquoit]

Yes

 

[UConnStats]

Offense easily. We have needed multiple shooters for a while now.

Poor shooting = Poor Spacing = Easy transition buckets for the opponent

It’s no surprise that Ollie’s best days as a coach were with offenses that could really shoot. Probably a bit more pertinent than his marital status, contrary so some peoples’ beliefs.

 

[pj]

Offense is a problem with talent and inexperience/lack of chemistry, defense is a problem with effort and toughness on the part of the coaches. KO needs to become more like JC and keep substituting until players give 100% effort and play solid defense. Although offense is more likely the side that will keep this from being a great team, defense is the side that will keep this team watchable for fans and prevent a disaster. Defense is also the most readily fixable.

I'd actually say that more than offense and defense, the problem is culture. There's a lack of knowledge of what to do and accountability for not doing it. There needs to be more of a culture of discipline and devotion to excellence.

 

[starpka]

Obviously, as mentioned by a lot of you, there is lack of effort and confusion that persists on the D. But I do agree more with the folks that see it as a case of bad offense leading to a bad defensive effort. Taking contested threes that quickly become one and dones as well as a ton of turnovers on isolation plays put a lot of pressure on the transition D.

 

[HadleysHope]

Defense is certainly the most disappointing imo, as I subscribe to the Calhoun school of thought that defense is effort, and there is no excuse for not playing good defense.

Calhoun teams were prepared

 

[8893]

Defense

 

[Palatine]

Add in another 40 point half versus Monmouth.

They got ahead by 9 and jacked up a bunch of quick empty threes. No TO by Ollie just let 'em do it.

 

[HooperScooper]

I'll go with both. Can I do that?

I'm starting to think it's the defense. You absolutely can't allow teams to shoot over 50% overall and almost 50% from three and expect to win many games.

 

[CTrefugee]

Calhoun teams were prepared

Calhoun would have benched anyone not giving 40 minutes of hustle.

 

[upstater]

Both are a problem, and while both can approve, there are elements that seem uncoachable.

I see big problems with our bigs defending other bigs. They are not going to become brawny overnight. Sure, we can improve on the perimeter but...

On offense, during that 7 or 8 minute drought in the first half, UConn was not taking bad shots. They took open shots. Shots they should have made. They did not make them. You can't say they are going to improve when they do the right thing on offense, get open shots, and miss!

Granted, in the second half, Larrier and Polley had a stretch in which they took bad shots, but... for the first half, they seemed much more purposeful.

As bad as they chicken wing call on a Monmouth big was, these refs were delusional on the Vital block (where he was driven into the guy by a moving pick), the Diarra foul on Seaborn with his body turned for the and 1, and the Polley block that was clean. Not to mention Jalen Adams' clean steal!!! I swear, those calls drove me crazy. and Monmouth got jobbed at the end, though there was only one second left on the shot clock, and who knows if he would have gotten it off.