Butler Post Game Thread

[mauconnfan]

Karaban hasn't been any better, unfortunately.

Oh agree mostly I just left that out. A couple big runners tonight I will give him that boy overall you are correct.

 

[superjohn]

Just got back from the game.

Scrolling through this thread, can’t believe there isn’t more mention of the refs.

That was probably the worst whistle we’ve gotten all year.

Ton of no-calls and whistle swallowing in Butler’s favor all game long.

The amount of clutching, grabbing, bumping, moving screens that they were able to get away with was breathtaking.

Unreal what a biased whistle we’ve get.


That being said, Liam can’t get back in the court soon enough. This offense can’t do jack crap without him on the court.

That's not what I saw, I thought we got some home cooking for a change.

 

[Mike Honcho]

Hurley really missed in the PG department. Both Mahaney and Nowell don't look like they are up to this level of play. I had hopes Nowell would get better with more minutes but he seems to be regressing and he doesn't play good D. Mahaney has been talked about for a long time but he is giving us next to nothing on offense too now. I like Diarra but he shouldn't be a starting PG on a legitimate National Championship contender. He can't break down defenses consistently and doesn't shoot well enough outside for teams to respect him there. i think we look a lot different with Tristen Newton or Even Cam Spencer on this team.

Wayyy too early to throw in the towel on Nowell. He looked bad today but he needs more reps. We should have gotten him those reps earlier on in the season, but he was battling some injuries. Now the margin for error is so small that we can't afford to chance it. Rarely do freshmen PGs make an impact at UConn.

 

[HuskyWarrior611]

Stephon Castle plays majority PG minutes for the SA Spurs. Can you stop now? My lord.

You mean the guy who played small forward here. To the point where people on this very board were wondering why he was so adamant about wanting to be drafted to someone who looked at him as a PG

 

[AntG168]

You mean the guy who played small forward here

*slaps forehead

So you’re not going to stop.

Got it.

 

[RuffRuff]

Butler has been losing close games all season. They are an older, skilled team that doesn't have the athleticism to win consistently at this level. They have some good non-conference wins. They don't suck. UConn is missing its best player, and is going to have to grind out some games while he is out. Most teams in college basketball would take a dip if their best player was out for an extended period.

There was a lot UConn could do better, and this crew has some pretty severe self-destructive impulses, but they are paying hard and pulling these games out for the most part.

1-10 in last 11 with their one win a nail biter at home against the Hall. Yes they have some vets, but this is the definition of sucking, sorry.

 

[HuskyWarrior611]

*slaps forehead

So you’re not going to stop.

Got it.

You not recognizing that Castle had to force his way to play PG in the NBA because we did not do that for him here shows how little you know about hoop.

Please stop responding to my post with dumb replies man.

 

[WhereistheDove?]

You mean the guy who played small forward here. To the point where people on this very board were wondering why he was so adamant about wanting to be drafted to someone who looked at him as a PG

He ran the point A LOT here.

 

[RuffRuff]

it’s not just Hurley. NBA scouts invited him to camp over the summer. The putty is there for him and others in the sophomore class. They just have to keep getting experience and coached in the right way.

If we give up on Nowell already that would be going into year 8 without a PG that he’s identified, recruited, and developed out of HS on his own.

At this point I’m having serious worries on Hurley being able to develop guards on his own in general.

Who is giving up on Nowell? Kid is a young frosh in a sophisticated offense playing PG. He’ll be fine.

Hurleys played PG, I’m sure he can coach it.

 

[NIT88]

I’m as frustrated as anyone in our D, but man we need a little perspective. Two years ago we finished January 16-6. Now, we’re throwing the team under the buss at 14-5 and 6-2 in the BE, without arguably our best player injured….oh, and we are only the 2nd team in the last 50 years to even have an outside shot at a three-peat.

My point is that things will get better. It’s incredible that we are even in this spot with everything we lost the last two years. Reinforcements will come. This year we are playing with house money.

 

[Mike Honcho]

There won't be any more to put on Liam's shoulders than what he was giving us before the injury. He naturally gives us things on the court and with his personality that nobody else on this team gives us and everyone else can go back to their regular roles. Hass will still handle the ball a ton but Liam will help supplement that. AK will go back to being an awesome connector who gets a lot of open looks from three and cuts for layups. Solo will be hounded less than he's being hounded currently, Stewart will go back to his role off the bench but will hopefully be better equipped because of his time starting, and Ross will be playing less. The shooting, handling, driving Liam brings is all natural to him...he's a pro. The energy and passion he'll bring is also natural for him, he's our emotional leader already because that's how he's wired.

I think the skill and roster construction is the bigger issue, but agreed that this is the first UConn team in a long time that I can remember without DOGS. Andre Jackson, Cam Spencer, Kevin Freeman, Ed Saunders, Donny Marshall, Tyrese Martin, Shabazz Napier, Rod Sellers, Kemba Walker, Ryan Boatright. Dudes who were liable to blow their lid at any time and get T'd up. Guys who oozed competitiveness. Liam definitely has it, and we need that, but it's a glaring team deficit. Hurley talked about this the other day. Not sure we are going to toughen up with this roster, but I hope we start factoring this into our recruiting because playing with a chip on your shoulder matters.

 

[HuskyWarrior611]

Who is giving up on Nowell? Kid is a young frosh in a sophisticated offense playing PG. He’ll be fine.

Hurleys played PG, I’m sure he can coach it.

I saw a couple of posts from people asking who will run PG for us here in chat. Kind of set me off a little tonight.

Just hate people writing off talented kids in general and we have a lot on this team.

 

[UCFan1513]

You not recognizing that Castle had to force his way to play PG in the NBA because we did not do that for him here shows how little you know about hoop.

Please stop responding to my post with dumb replies man.

Why are you complaining about the utilization of Castle on the best team in modern college basketball history? In the Butler post game thread, of all places

 

[JMick]

I saw a couple of posts from people asking who will run PG for us here in chat. Kind of set me off a little tonight.

Just hate people writing off talented kids in general and we have a lot on this team.

If we don't bring in a top PG from the portal then it'll be a bad off-season.

 

[RuffRuff]

I think the skill and roster construction is the bigger issue, but agreed that this is the first UConn team in a long time that I can remember without DOGS. Andre Jackson, Cam Spencer, Kevin Freeman, Ed Saunders, Donny Marshall, Tyrese Martin, Shabazz Napier, Rod Sellers, Kemba Walker, Ryan Boatright. Dudes who were liable to blow their lid at any time and get T'd up. Guys who oozed competitiveness. Liam definitely has it, and we need that, but it's a glaring team deficit. Hurley talked about this the other day. Not sure we are going to toughen up with this roster, but I hope we start factoring this into our recruiting because playing with a chip on your shoulder matters.

Couldn’t agree more. My points in other rosters construction threads was Dan Hurley over indexing on the cultural fitting choir boys that can process and not enough street swag and athleticism. Team is looking a little too uniform. Give me Johnie Selvie baby!

 

[HuskyWarrior611]

I think the skill and roster construction is the bigger issue, but agreed that this is the first UConn team in a long time that I can remember without DOGS. Andre Jackson, Cam Spencer, Kevin Freeman, Ed Saunders, Donny Marshall, Tyrese Martin, Shabazz Napier, Rod Sellers, Kemba Walker, Ryan Boatright. Dudes who were liable to blow their lid at any time and get T'd up. Guys who oozed competitiveness. Liam definitely has it, and we need that, but it's a glaring team deficit. Hurley talked about this the other day. Not sure we are going to toughen up with this roster, but I hope we start factoring this into our recruiting because playing with a chip on your shoulder matters.

I know what you mean. But none of those guys outside of the Hurley era was not liable to blow their lid and get T’d up.

The PGs especially with Kemba, Shabazz, and Boatright were the definition of calm, cool, and collective. They were competitive but controlled their emotions to the point they baited others to blow their lid. Remember when Kemba drew that tech against SDSU in the tourney?

He was one of the nicest and calmest people you would meet.

 

[AntG168]

You not recognizing that Castle had to force his way to play PG in the NBA because we did not do that for him here shows how little you know about hoop.

Please stop responding to my post with dumb replies man.

He played point here.

Now can you stop?

 

[TheHorde]

If we don't bring in a top PG from the portal then it'll be a bad off-season.

I think it’s practically a foregone conclusion that a point guard will be on the shopping list with Diarra out of eligibility.

 

[HuskyWarrior611]

He ran the point A LOT here.

Then why did he have to force his way to go to a team who’ll play him at PG in the NBA?

 

[thekollieman]

Then why did he have to force his way to go to a team who’ll play him at PG in the NBA?

He got drafted 4th overall… really forced the league to put a square peg into a round hole with that outcome.

 

[That Guy]

It honestly cannot be overstated how badly this team needs McNeeley back.

 

[HuskyWarrior611]

He got drafted 4th overall… really forced the league to put a square peg into a round hole with that outcome.

Man shutup

NBA Rumors: Stephon Castle Avoiding Draft Workouts with Teams Who Have Starting PGs

UConn star Stephon Castle is reportedly turning down workouts with teams that have starting point guards, per ESPN's Jonathan Givony: "He also appears to be…

bleacherreport.com

 

[navery12]

The negatives have been discussed ad nauseam in this thread already. But there was one change I liked on offense. Everyone here was complaining after the Creighton game about how we had no answer for the defense sagging off Samson Johnson and Tarris Reed Jr. Multiple times tonight we had Stewart or Karaban flash to the free throw line and as a result they either had a wide open jumper or were able to dump it off for an easy layup. Thought that was a great change and a nice option against teams who will keep using that defense

 

[Candyman]

I mean he is. But be humbler, Danny cmon.

Who cares what Hurley says to the refs. I’m sure he said much worse that we don’t know about. He let the ref know. Guess what the next play Samson got away with a push and we got a turnover. So it worked. That was the point.

Hurley says crazy shhh when he pissed. UConn fans being mad that he said that need to get over yourselves. Embrace the crazy coach who won back to back and took us from the basement to the top of the world. We still ranked top 20 and still have top 3 class coming in. Hurley can say whatever he wants and I will defend him.