Butler Post Game Thread | Page 3 | The Boneyard

Butler Post Game Thread

As others have said, road wins are gold. I think that’ll be especially true in a Big East year like this one. Maybe not the ceiling in terms of tourney teams, but lots of top-100 types that will be hell to beat in their homes (like today). League floor has definitely gone up with Holtmann in Chicago and Cooley (Thomas Sorber) in DC.

Thought Karaban showed some excellent leadership stepping up and making those triples. However, I really think this is becoming Liam’s team, at least on the offensive end. He’s obviously a great shooter. He can put the ball on the floor. He can pass. And, he’s got balls of steel. We are blessed to have him for this one season.

Diarra, as well, continues to be clutch. Can you tell he’s played in a dozen NCAAT games? That’s our triumvirate.

Lastly, anyone have a pic or screenshot of Mullins behind the bench??? Can’t believe I missed that, especially after spending a lot of the first half talking to my parents about our recruiting class for next season.
 
Learning to take a punch and respond, winning. This team is good, has many options, and gets tough when it matters most

I'm never going to understand the foul and free throw disparity from November through February. Until we were inside the final minute, when they had to foul just to get us into a 1 and 1 situation, it was 20-9 in fouls and 28-12 in free throws.

Come March, with a national TV audience and everybody paying attention, that foul and free throw disparity disappears. I don't think it's because we suddenly play differently. I think the refs have double standards. Maybe it's because of Hurley, IDK

I get excited if the calls are 50/50

Great win Huskies
 
.-.
I think most every big east game is going to be a battle like that.

But was most disappointed to see us build up a big lead in the 2nd half only to give it away. They made 10 more FT's than we did and committed 7 less fouls according to the officials. A W is better than a L, but it certainly wasn't a thing of beauty...
Going to be a matter of having a substitution formula when we can go for the throat. Ross, Mahaney, Stewart all together wasn't it today.
 
The rotation is shrinking, not expanding. I wouldn't hold your breath for a sudden increase in Nowell's minutes. It's gonna be an 8-9 man rotation and I don't see where those minutes are coming from.

The bench is fine and has been a strength all year. One bad game for a few of the guys doesn't change that
Agreed, and my question is Ahmad going to get A LEGITIMATE LOOK? Seems like he could help, but hasn't had the opportunity that the 7-9 guys have.
 
.-.
Solid win over a tough team. I think the last game before the break is always one of the hardest, especially on the road.
Another road victory is nice bc they don't come easy. Perhaps @Depaul will be our easiest but @Villanova then @Georgetown will not be easy. Gotta take 1 game at a time and once it's over, move on like Liam does after his last shot.
 
Not really, sloppyer than usual this game, but seem to know how to win in the end
And how is that really different than what I said?
 
Agreed. Peacock gets such a bad rap on here. It's a pretty good app.
I'm actually curious. I have no idea. Besides a clean stream with no buffering, what makes a good app and a bad app? And what do people on here say about peacock?
 
Some huge baskets for Maheney. Glad he's hanging in there
Definitely. He plays better when he is looking for his own shot and making a play on his own. He is, IMO, one of our best shot makers. The talent and potential is there. Defense has gotten better too. I am a fan of this guy, and he will pay dividends before all is said and done.
 
Last edited:
One thing worth noting especially in these close games is that we are a terrific free throw shooting team. That could play a big factor this season. Every starter walks up to the stripe confident and with great form. We should try and get there more often.
 
Want a hot take?

This teams maximum potential will be obtained with Mahaney playing more minutes than Ball.

I'm rooting for Mahaney. He had a nice game today and we do need a 3rd reliable scorer after Alex and Liam, but I think he has a long way to go on D before he plays more than Ball.
 
.-.
I'm rooting for Mahaney. He had a nice game today and we do need a 3rd reliable scorer after Alex and Liam, but I think he has a long way to go on D before he plays more than Ball.
He’s unlikely to play more than Ball. That 2G spot is going to be a work in progress.
 
Team looks slow again. Slow footed and slow passes. Defense just isn’t good. We should be holding these teams to mid 50s. Offense doesn’t look right. Winning these games barely is not good.
 
Butler doesn't suck, and they played pretty well in a gym that has a big home court advantage. UConn still won. Not much to complain about there.

While it is not saying much, this was one of UConn's better games defensively, mostly because UConn's guards were not getting smoked on the perimeter the whole game like they were against Xavier.
 
There's something to be said about a big having a career night, as opposed to a guard bombing threes for thirty. Screen played excellent on both ends and did everything he could to be the difference maker. Tip of the cap to his performance.
 
.-.
Mahaney was okay today. If he can give us a few points a game, it helps.
Several people around here have made the point that his highest and best present usage is as a 'microwave' scorer. Until he gets a grip on the physicality of the Big East that's probably a good role for him. He can learn what he has to learn while still feeling like he's contributing and it gives Hurley another weapon instead of a roster void.

Also, is there a better name for a basketball player than Andre Screen?
 
I thought we executed the “Purdue NC” strategy well today. Butler was not gonna beat us from 3 and we were willing to let them try to beat us with one inside player. Kudos to Screen, I guess, as he came to play & had a career day. Haven’t watched him much so I don’t know if he’s capable of doing that regularly.

Butler players did a great job of initiating contact and selling fouls. The refs were in a buying mood.

Mahaney actually looked semi-confident out there. Moved with purpose on offense and decent D.

This was just a hard-fought BE game. Butler made some nice defensive adjustments.

Samson was the victim of some sus fouls as usual. He was looking fabulous early in the 1st until the refs forced him to the bench.

Keep stacking wins!
 
.-.

Forum statistics

Threads
168,193
Messages
4,556,281
Members
10,441
Latest member
Virginiafan


Top Bottom