Black Bear (Lobster? Black fly?) ThoughtZ™

[RichZ]

1. Third time I've seen Akok get beaten by a shorter player on the opening tip off. Is it no longer illegal to take the tip on the way up? I know it was when I played center, but they've changed some rules since they went from peach baskets to nylon nets, and that's how he's lost the tip every time -- by the opponent going up quick and taking it a few inches above the ref's fingertips.
2. Alterique silencing the critics 11 points on 4 of 5 shooting, along with 2 steals, and assist and a board in the first half.
3. Akok still telegraphs his passes from the perimeter.
4. We got shots blocked way too often. I know they have some size, but they are seriously shy on athleticism.
5. Lead or not, I wasn't a happy camper at half time. 32% shooting?
6. If we weren't turning them over (12 to 3 advantage at the half, 28 to 8 for the game), we'd be losing this thing. To MAINE!
7. Bouk not looking like superman in 1st half. 2 of 6 with 1 board and a steal.
8. Vital not shooting worth a tinker's damn in the first half, but still leading us in rebounding (3) and has 4 of our paltry 6 assists in less than 7 minutes of PT.
9. 2nd half started as more of the same, except Vital found the scoring column the first couple possessions.
10. Adams demoralizing flush on the breakaway off the steal with about 14:40 left in the game was definitely the turning point.
11. The team energy off that play lasted about 6 game minutes, as the lead ballooned out to 20, then the game turned to a kind of back and forth affair again around the 8 minute mark.
12. The last 5 minutes didn't mean much, but it was another very entertaining episode of the Bouknight show, starting with a "how'd'e do dat?" Bouk-play at the 5 minute mark!
13. More Bouk magic at 3:30. How do you flush your own missed 11 foot floater? Could he teach that to Carlton?
14. Then Bouk takes a knee to the nads on the break, gets tripped on the next possession, comes up holding his groin and still makes the FTs.
15. Really nice to win by a big margin, but our rebounding looks like it's regressing instead of improving. Bouk and Akok were our leading rebounders, with 5 apiece, but Maine out-boarded us 34 to 28.
16. And what the hail happened to our shot blocking? Getting killed (9 to 2!) in the block column by MAINE is a GD embarrassment.
17. Vital's shot still seems to be AWOL, but he didn't force the issue and keep chucking. Then again, other than his five dimes, the rest of his stat line wasn't very impressive, either. 4 steals would be encouraging, but the 4 TOs (half the team's total!) make those steals a wash.
18. Nothing impressive about Whalley's stat line, but it kind of belies the mostly good D he played in his limited minutes.
19. I see no similarity at all between this season's version Brendan Adams and the BADams we watched last year. From tentative to assertive. From shaky with the ball to sure handed with the ball. From kind of skinny and soft looking to solid and powerful. I used to dread seeing him check into the game. Now I get a sense of calm well being when he's at the scorer's table.

 

[imno1]

1. Third time I've seen Akok get beaten by a shorter player on the opening tip off. Is it no longer illegal to take the tip on the way up? I know it was when I played center, but they've changed some rules since they went from peach baskets to nylon nets, and that's how he's lost the tip every time -- by the opponent going up quick and taking it a few inches above the ref's fingertips.
2. Alterique silencing the critics 11 points on 4 of 5 shooting, along with 2 steals, and assist and a board in the first half.
3. Akok still telegraphs his passes from the perimeter.
4. We got shots blocked way too often. I know they have some size, but they are seriously shy on athleticism.
5. Lead or not, I wasn't a happy camper at half time. 32% shooting?
6. If we weren't turning them over (12 to 3 advantage at the half, 28 to 8 for the game), we'd be losing this thing. To MAINE!
7. Bouk not looking like superman in 1st half. 2 of 6 with 1 board and a steal.
8. Vital not shooting worth a tinker's damn in the first half, but still leading us in rebounding (3) and has 4 of our paltry 6 assists in less than 7 minutes of PT.
9. 2nd half started as more of the same, except Vital found the scoring column the first couple possessions.
10. Adams demoralizing flush on the breakaway off the steal with about 14:40 left in the game was definitely the turning point.
11. The team energy off that play lasted about 6 game minutes, as the lead ballooned out to 20, then the game turned to a kind of back and forth affair again around the 8 minute mark.
12. The last 5 minutes didn't mean much, but it was another very entertaining episode of the Bouknight show, starting with a "how'd'e do dat?" Bouk-play at the 5 minute mark!
13. More Bouk magic at 3:30. How do you flush your own missed 11 foot floater? Could he teach that to Carlton?
14. Then Bouk takes a knee to the nads on the break, gets tripped on the next possession, comes up holding his groin and still makes the FTs.
15. Really nice to win by a big margin, but our rebounding looks like it's regressing instead of improving. Bouk and Akok were our leading rebounders, with 5 apiece, but Maine out-boarded us 34 to 28.
16. And what the hail happened to our shot blocking? Getting killed (9 to 2!) in the block column by MAINE is a GD embarrassment.
17. Vital's shot still seems to be AWOL, but he didn't force the issue and keep chucking. Then again, other than his five dimes, the rest of his stat line wasn't very impressive, either. 4 steals would be encouraging, but the 4 TOs (half the team's total!) make those steals a wash.
18. Nothing impressive about Whalley's stat line, but it kind of belies the mostly good D he played in his limited minutes.
19. I see no similarity at all between this season's version Brendan Adams and the BADams we watched last year. From tentative to assertive. From shaky with the ball to sure handed with the ball. From kind of skinny and soft looking to solid and powerful. I used to dread seeing him check into the game. Now I get a sense of calm well being when he's at the scorer's table.

I thought Vital played pretty well other that his shot was off. I believe his T.O.s are overstated because one or two were off steals he made but couldn't control

 

[jibsey]

As UCONN fans, I think we have enough to be excited about with this roster this season. The new players and Adams have done that. And Vital hasn't arrived yet.

 

[phillionaire]

It’s hard to pull down a lot of rebounds when 30 of their possessions end in turnovers

 

[RichZ]

It’s hard to pull down a lot of rebounds when 30 of their possessions end in turnovers

Good point, Tex!
I'd be shocked if anyone in the room got the reference in my "Good point, Tex" reply. But I don't care. I have been appending "Tex" to every usage of "Good point" for 57 years, and I ain't gonna stop now. But you're right. So, Good Point!





Tex.