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.
Did you expect UConn to have the best college basketball team of all-time this season?
Are you happy with their progress or did you expect more from them at this point?
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.
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?
The Kool-Aid, you should join us.
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
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
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.
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.
He’s streaky. But man is he clutch. He come through in the clutch multiple times this season
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
And made HUGE shots in the Xavier game
Definitely doesn’t shy away from the big shot, but he was 6-17 from the field that game. Did we realize he has 1 assist since the Baylor game? 1.8 rebounds and .2 assists, 36% shooting, 34% from 3 since UMBC, 29 minutes a game. The numbers against real teams are not where they need to be.
I mean, I'd consider his last 5 a slump if you really think his season long averages are what we should expect? 37% and 34% is not good for a scorer in his last 5. 35% in that 22 point game.
When you watch the replay you can see him walking back in the second half instead of at least jogging. Ran him right out of the gym.
I really don't get the Solo angst on here. Sure, he's not a great defender and he's shown he can be streaky shooting the rock (hmm....not the greatest defender and streaky shooter...reminds me of some guy on the team a couple years ago), but when he's on, he can be lights out. And he doesn't seem to have any issues taking high-stress shots either (see end of regulation Memphis and Xavier games). Also, while he's still not great or even average yet, he's at least shown a pulse and some improvement on the defensive end lately.
I think one could reasonably argue that he has (maybe vastly) exceeded expectations as a shooter while leaving a lot to be desired in other aspects of his floor game.
Getting off on a tangent here, but it was such a brilliant strategy to basically force Edey to do everything on offense, which both eliminated their outside shooting (2 < 3) and tired him out to be ineffective on D.When you watch the replay you can see him walking back in the second half instead of at least jogging. Ran him right out of the gym.
Numbers are an asset; not a liability when they are used properly and everyone understands the culture. When you're exhausted physically it plays tricks with your mind unless you can overcome it with will. Then add the complexity and speed of our offense which can be something to behold.
And the points he racked up at the end of the game were really glorified garbage points. I think he got like 4-5 easy buckets/dunks when the outcome was already decided.