Butler Post Game Thread

[Waquoit]

These team has spurts where it plays tremendous basketball. They started Butler like a house on fire and there was nothing Butler could do about it. They have had stretches like that all year. But instead of holding or expanding the lead, they slip back to the level of their opponents.

I'm not sure that's a good example. They got the big lead by shooting an unsustainable 11-14 to start (assuming I counted correctly). One can't expect the team to expand the lead from there.

 

[superjohn]

I think most of the BY felt the 22-23 NC team was a near-perfect assemblage of pieces. Until the 23-24 team came along.

If we had Spencer in 23 and then Joey C in 24, I'm pretty sure we'd all consider that a significant downgrade.

So, with that happening this year at 2G, backup Gs, and backup Fs, don't you think that the "everything will be fine" outlook has a rose-tinted color to it?

Did you expect UConn to have the best college basketball team of all-time this season?

Wait, our backup forwards are worse this year than last? It's the same guys with another player added into the mix.

 

[storrsroars]

Wait, our backup forwards are worse this year than last? It's the same guys with another player added into the mix.

Are you happy with their progress or did you expect more from them at this point?

I expected them to be significantly improved from last year, yet while both have shown flashes of being good, they've shown more flashes of being lost, or not involved as much as the system calls for.

The point of my comments is not that I was expecting the best team of all time. It's that the sum of the current parts as playing, and being played, to me, doesn't look like a FF team. I hope it gets better, especially from the sophs, all three of whom I expected to really play better on both ends. I do like Samson's progress, Reed just got here and already seems to get DH better than the sophs, Hass has exceeded all expectations, AK is AK, and Liam is phenomenal. There's simply a significant fall off when the starters leave, except at the 5.

 

[Waquoit]

I expected them to be significantly improved from last year, yet while both have shown flashes of being good, they've shown more flashes of being lost, or not involved as much as the system calls for.

They are significantly improved from last year. Especially Ross. After the last two years, you still don't believe in the learning curve?

 

[storrsroars]

They are significantly improved from last year. Especially Ross. After the last two years, you still don't believe in the learning curve?

I believe In the learning curve. But I'm not seeing an AP class.

Good time to remind folks that when Ajax was being dumped on here, I always believed in him. Not feeling the same this year.

 

[RuffRuff]

I believe In the learning curve. But I'm not seeing an AP class.

Good time to remind folks that when Ajax was being dumped on here, I always believed in him. Not feeling the same this year.

I do see what you’re saying. Many of the things a kid like Solo is missing out on (rebounding, passing, defense) is based on effort and awareness, less about skill. No one is expecting him to be Michael Jordan, just do the basic things adequately. I know I’m not asking a lot - give me 3-4 boards/game and 3-4 assists as a starter. Make some stops. 1.9 and 1.2 are numbers you can get by barely trying. This UConn team is 4th in the country in assists per game at 20. How is one of our starting guards averaging 1 a game, especially as a non primary scorer?

There was never a question of effort with Ajax, it was more about harnessing.

 

[Huskyforlife]

I’m personally uninterested in fluffing the stats here by including our games against the sisters of the poor, so sorry if that bothers you.

In our last 5 games, Solo has shot 37% from the field, and 34% from 3. He obviously needs to be better moving forward if he’s not gonna improve as a playmaker or defender. His role on the team is efficient scoring, we’ve won despite him not playing up to his standard.

Personally, I think it’d be dumb to suggest he’s not talented. His development might take more time than we anticipated based on off season hype, but he’ll get to a point where he’s consistently getting buckets every game.

 

[Icehawk]

what do you drink?

The Kool-Aid, you should join us.

Did you guys see AK’s D? Strong game by him. Good win IMO all things considered.

 

[navery12]

I’m personally uninterested in fluffing the stats here by including our games against the sisters of the poor, so sorry if that bothers you.

In our last 5 games, Solo has shot 37% from the field, and 34% from 3. He obviously needs to be better moving forward if he’s not gonna improve as a playmaker or defender. His role on the team is efficient scoring, we’ve won despite him not playing up to his standard.

Personally, I think it’d be dumb to suggest he’s not talented. His development might take more time than we anticipated based on off season hype, but he’ll get to a point where he’s consistently getting buckets every game.

That's fine, but you don't get to just pick and choose which big games count. If you ignore the cupcakes like you suggest his season numbers go from 12.5 points to 12.1 points and 41% from 3 to 38% from 3. It's just not factual to suggest he's been padding his stats against the cupcakes

 

[storrsroars]

I do see what you’re saying. Many of the things a kid like Solo is missing out on (rebounding, passing, defense) is based on effort and awareness, less about skill. No one is expecting him to be Michael Jordan, just do the basic things adequately. I know I’m not asking a lot - give me 3-4 boards/game and 3-4 assists as a starter. Make some stops. 1.9 and 1.2 are numbers you can get by barely trying. This UConn team is 4th in the country in assists per game at 20. How is one of our starting guards averaging 1 a game, especially as a non primary scorer?

There was never a question of effort with Ajax, it was more about harnessing.

I usually consider myself pretty good with getting my ideas across, but you just did it much more eloquently and precisely than I've managed on this point thus far. I don't know how anyone argues with this. Hopefully it gets better. Quickly

 

[navery12]

I do see what you’re saying. Many of the things a kid like Solo is missing out on (rebounding, passing, defense) is based on effort and awareness, less about skill. No one is expecting him to be Michael Jordan, just do the basic things adequately. I know I’m not asking a lot - give me 3-4 boards/game and 3-4 assists as a starter. Make some stops. 1.9 and 1.2 are numbers you can get by barely trying. This UConn team is 4th in the country in assists per game at 20. How is one of our starting guards averaging 1 a game, especially as a non primary scorer?

There was never a question of effort with Ajax, it was more about harnessing.

Because what he's being asked to do is be a spot up shooter and attack the basket, neither of which lead to assists. When he's on the court it's usually with Diarra, McNeeley, Karaban, all who are being asked to be the playmakers

 

[RuffRuff]

Because what he's being asked to do is be a spot up shooter and attack the basket, neither of which lead to assists. When he's on the court it's usually with Diarra, McNeeley, Karaban, all who are being asked to be the playmakers

Who knew when we recruited Solo, who was pegged as being an mega athletic kid, that we would turn him into a spot up 3 point shooter. I get it that he’s in essence playing the Hawk position, but his archetype coming into this season didn’t feel at all that profile.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

Who knew when we recruited Solo, who was pegged as being an mega athletic kid, that we would turn him into a spot up 3 point shooter. I get it that he’s in essence playing the Hawk position, but his archetype coming into this season didn’t feel at all that profile.

I love that he turned into the three point gut he's become but I want him to slash to the net at least at a level that he was capable of last year.

 

[AntG168]

I’m personally uninterested in fluffing the stats here by including our games against the sisters of the poor, so sorry if that bothers you.

In our last 5 games, Solo has shot 37% from the field, and 34% from 3. He obviously needs to be better moving forward if he’s not gonna improve as a playmaker or defender. His role on the team is efficient scoring, we’ve won despite him not playing up to his standard.

Personally, I think it’d be dumb to suggest he’s not talented. His development might take more time than we anticipated based on off season hype, but he’ll get to a point where he’s consistently getting buckets every game.

He’s streaky. But man is he clutch. He come through in the clutch multiple times this season

 

[Huskyforlife]

That's fine, but you don't get to just pick and choose which big games count. If you ignore the cupcakes like you suggest his season numbers go from 12.5 points to 12.1 points and 41% from 3 to 38% from 3. It's just not factual to suggest he's been padding his stats against the cupcakes

The broader point I was making was his production is sinking recently, and he's marginally improving at best in the other areas. We're winning despite this, which is great considering I think we need his scoring to keep up for us to reach our ceiling. I'm nowhere close to calling someone else up in his spot, but ignoring his recent slump, when it coincidently lines up with the hardest part of our schedule, seems foolish with 18 tough games to go.

 

[navery12]

The broader point I was making was his production is sinking recently, and he's marginally improving at best in the other areas. We're winning despite this, which is great considering I think we need his scoring to keep up for us to reach our ceiling. I'm nowhere close to calling someone else up in his spot, but ignoring his recent slump, when it coincidently lines up with the hardest part of our schedule, seems foolish with 18 tough games to go.

But is it really a slump? It was literally 2 games ago that he had his best game of the season and scored 22 points

 

[AntG168]

But is it really a slump? It was literally 2 games ago that he had his best game of the season and scored 22 points

And made HUGE shots in the Xavier game