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But it was butler for god sake.
Butler Post Game Thread
- Thread starter temery
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The amount of negativity in this thread after this win is absolutely disgusting. Do you realize any of the following:
I think all these factors will make us a much better team come March. In the meantime we continue to win at a sold clip despite the headwinds. Trust the process guys.
- If not for a foul shot and a bad call we could be undefeated in league play
- We’re playing without arguably our best player and finding ways to win (also a reminder we’re are UNDEFEATED with Liam on the mainland)
- Every team is giving us their absolute best shot and give all out effort all game against us
- It’s clear by now we’re also battling biased refereeing every game
- These are kids with a lot of pressure on them in this moment - they’re getting used to it slowly
I think all these factors will make us a much better team come March. In the meantime we continue to win at a sold clip despite the headwinds. Trust the process guys.
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Ok guys. We’ve now had 3 or 4 games like this on the mainland. Once is an anomaly, twice is a trend and thrice is the reality.
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I have two big complaints about this team (lots of little ones, too). Both are defensive. I wish our centers would stop hedging picks so far from the basket, often 30 feet away or more. Too often ends up in a foul (which neither of them can afford) or an open lay up for the opposing center. The other is the inability of some players (you all know who they are) to move their feet and stay in front of their man. We give up way too many drives to the basket with little opposition. I can handle when a good offensive player backs one of our guys down and hits a tough shot, but the easy drives annoy the hell out of me. The first complaint can be dealt with by a scheme change. The second seems to be about the willingness to dig in defensively, because the primary offenders are athletic enough to at least provide some opposition.
Still, we are not without talent, and I'm not giving up!
Still, we are not without talent, and I'm not giving up!
This. I lose my mind every time they do it, especially Samson. He's been doing that since he's been here.
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You calling Newton a Good role player has already made any of your opinions about him worthless. He was a 1st Team All-American, 1st team All Big East and NCAA Final Four MOP. You don't become that by being a role player.
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yeah the High Hedging needs ot stop. It rarely works and doesn't really slow the opposing offense. Hurley was talking to J-Stew about getting in a defensive stance on one drive he fouled the player. J-Stew is sometimes too upright and makes it easier to blow by him. We have this problem with Ball, Nowell and Mahaney. Ross is alright defensively. Diarra is the only player who plays above average D on the perimeter.
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I can explain all this. But it won’t matter. All those awards are cool man.
Just know Jalen Adams shot better from the field and 3 playing 1 on 5 in the backend of the Ollie years than Newton did with the best roster in college hoops and an offense designed to get him easy looks.
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Well as Hurley mentioned in the press conference a lot of teams are messing up our offense. Teams now our holding our players coming off picks and the refs are calling it since they would have to call fouls every time. We will have to adjust to this and the way games are being played. Our offense has been in a funk since McNeeley's been out too. We are definitely in between a rock and a hard place. There are areas in the middle at the top of the key were we can attack but we aren't doing enough of it.
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Dude you are really saying Jalen Adams was better all around player than Tristen Newton because he shot better? LOL! I think what ever you are drinking tonight you need to go to sleep. Jalen while a good one on one player was not really a team player. He was a ball hog and offense wasn't smooth with the ball in his hands. You really think Jalen Adams would work in this offense? I don't see it.
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I'm afraid to read all of these. Here's my take on the game and team:
Although it was a win it felt like a loss. If it wasn't for Butler shooting poorly from the charity stripe it would have been a loss.
Why can't they run more stuff for Ball. He should be running around screens till his feet blister and taking twice the number of 3s he's jacking up,at least till McNeeley returns. He's been an offensive bright spot for this team all season. As for the other end of the floor...that's noted later in this post.
This team doesn't have the blood in the water killer instincts to take a moderate lead and blow the game wide open. They always seem to let teams right back into the game where it's a nail biter to the finish line. And why do they always seem to close the first half so poorly?
Alex had a nice bounce back game. He stuffed the box score with a lot of points, assists, rebounds, blocks and steals. He was relentless tonight. Didn't get to the line much, though nor did his teammates which brings me to my next point.
I'm not sure if it's a lack of driving it hard to the basket hunting contact or just not getting calls. I thinks it's a lot of the first part of that statement and a little bit of the second part. Although they don't seem to have many players who are good at it, I still think they could be much better attacking the basket.
Lately they seem to be missing a lot of makable layups and shots near the basket. They need to be better and should be.
Rebounding consistently continues to be a problem. Yet another area they should be better at.
Hass is playing too many minutes and either will wear down or already is starting to. He really struggled with his shot tonight. And he should not be the player taking the shot with the shot clock running down. I'm fine a couple times a game but not nearly the amount we're witnessing. As noted above, why they're not running Ball relentlessly around screens and getting him the ball more often for a catch and shoot 3 or curl into the paint midrange shot is a frickin mystery to me.
Reed Jr played better than he has recently, but it felt like a quiet 14 points. Coming out of the Xavier game he looked automatic in the paint and a force to be reckoned with who was just going to get better and better, but since then his game had been on the decline. Again, maybe McNeeley's absence has had its impact on Reed as it has on the others.
Lastly, though should probably been listed much higher, this might be the worst UConn team I've ever seen at trying to stop dribble penetration and unable to stop fouling. The amount of points they give up off dribble penetration and the foul shot differential is staggeringly alarming.
We all know that McNeeley returning makes this team a lot better, and can't come soon enough, but a lot needs to be cleaned up and improvement realized for this team to have any shot at 3-peating or even making it to the Final-4. In fact, adresssing a lot of the above is needed if they want to make it beyond the first week of the tournament. They're playing themselves into a more difficult seeding where they're likely facing a really tough round of 32 team. I hope they finish strong and secure at least a number 4 seed. If that's the case then much improvement will have been realized.
This team is a head scratcher. At times they look great while many stretches they look horrible. I'm hopeful they'll figure it out.
Although it was a win it felt like a loss. If it wasn't for Butler shooting poorly from the charity stripe it would have been a loss.
Why can't they run more stuff for Ball. He should be running around screens till his feet blister and taking twice the number of 3s he's jacking up,at least till McNeeley returns. He's been an offensive bright spot for this team all season. As for the other end of the floor...that's noted later in this post.
This team doesn't have the blood in the water killer instincts to take a moderate lead and blow the game wide open. They always seem to let teams right back into the game where it's a nail biter to the finish line. And why do they always seem to close the first half so poorly?
Alex had a nice bounce back game. He stuffed the box score with a lot of points, assists, rebounds, blocks and steals. He was relentless tonight. Didn't get to the line much, though nor did his teammates which brings me to my next point.
I'm not sure if it's a lack of driving it hard to the basket hunting contact or just not getting calls. I thinks it's a lot of the first part of that statement and a little bit of the second part. Although they don't seem to have many players who are good at it, I still think they could be much better attacking the basket.
Lately they seem to be missing a lot of makable layups and shots near the basket. They need to be better and should be.
Rebounding consistently continues to be a problem. Yet another area they should be better at.
Hass is playing too many minutes and either will wear down or already is starting to. He really struggled with his shot tonight. And he should not be the player taking the shot with the shot clock running down. I'm fine a couple times a game but not nearly the amount we're witnessing. As noted above, why they're not running Ball relentlessly around screens and getting him the ball more often for a catch and shoot 3 or curl into the paint midrange shot is a frickin mystery to me.
Reed Jr played better than he has recently, but it felt like a quiet 14 points. Coming out of the Xavier game he looked automatic in the paint and a force to be reckoned with who was just going to get better and better, but since then his game had been on the decline. Again, maybe McNeeley's absence has had its impact on Reed as it has on the others.
Lastly, though should probably been listed much higher, this might be the worst UConn team I've ever seen at trying to stop dribble penetration and unable to stop fouling. The amount of points they give up off dribble penetration and the foul shot differential is staggeringly alarming.
We all know that McNeeley returning makes this team a lot better, and can't come soon enough, but a lot needs to be cleaned up and improvement realized for this team to have any shot at 3-peating or even making it to the Final-4. In fact, adresssing a lot of the above is needed if they want to make it beyond the first week of the tournament. They're playing themselves into a more difficult seeding where they're likely facing a really tough round of 32 team. I hope they finish strong and secure at least a number 4 seed. If that's the case then much improvement will have been realized.
This team is a head scratcher. At times they look great while many stretches they look horrible. I'm hopeful they'll figure it out.
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Playoffs!!!! Playoffs!!
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All of you don't realize that Hurley will turn his team into Godzilla come tournament time once again.
I think the game was called horribly both ways. Both teams have several plays to complain about.
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A few thoughts:
1) anyone ever watched Bad Lip Reading on YouTube? They take well known videos and add ridiculous dialogue. It looks like the lips are matching up exactly with the voice overlay. Hurley clearly says “don’t you turn your back on me” but I don’t know about the rest.
2) it’s wild how many people don’t realize how much of an impact missing your overall best player impacts you. He’s not just some role player. Besides his actual production, he opens the floor up for everyone else. Would we win last year without DC? Would we win the year before without Sanogo? The team was designed with McNeeley in the schemes and his absence is massive. Where would Creighton or Marquette be without Kalkbrenner or Jones? It wouldn’t be pretty, I promise you.
I don’t care if he’s a freshman. Would Duke be top 10 without Flagg? I’d guess somewhere around… 19.
3) the officiating was actually for once tilted a bit in our favor for 3/4 of the game. Then in the last portion, they went “screeching-tires-off-the-exit-ramp-meme” in favor of Butler, during the most critical portion of the game. And what a coincidence that we struggled to score.
1) anyone ever watched Bad Lip Reading on YouTube? They take well known videos and add ridiculous dialogue. It looks like the lips are matching up exactly with the voice overlay. Hurley clearly says “don’t you turn your back on me” but I don’t know about the rest.
2) it’s wild how many people don’t realize how much of an impact missing your overall best player impacts you. He’s not just some role player. Besides his actual production, he opens the floor up for everyone else. Would we win last year without DC? Would we win the year before without Sanogo? The team was designed with McNeeley in the schemes and his absence is massive. Where would Creighton or Marquette be without Kalkbrenner or Jones? It wouldn’t be pretty, I promise you.
I don’t care if he’s a freshman. Would Duke be top 10 without Flagg? I’d guess somewhere around… 19.
3) the officiating was actually for once tilted a bit in our favor for 3/4 of the game. Then in the last portion, they went “screeching-tires-off-the-exit-ramp-meme” in favor of Butler, during the most critical portion of the game. And what a coincidence that we struggled to score.
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I’m not mad about it and I think it’s overblown. And I’ve defended him as infinitum here.
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I have said it many times on this board how much I love Alex as a player. I still do. He is the consummate team player and I bet a coaches dream. He even may be the most versatile guy on the floor but he is not a go to guy. That’s ok. It doesn’t fit him and doesn’t fit his skill set. This idea that Hurley is trying to force on everyone isn’t working. I have seen Alex commit more turnovers(and simple steals by dribbling in front of him) the last few games than I can remember the first two years. He is forcing things and playing in a way I feel he believes Danny wants him to. It’s not helping him or the team. As much as we fans need to realize this team isn’t like the last two, So does this staff. Stop issuing out roles for kids to fill a part and start designing a defense that fits this groups skill set.
It’s not that they aren’t good, I still think they are. It’s simply the staff asking them to play to what worked in the past and not their strengths.
It’s not that they aren’t good, I still think they are. It’s simply the staff asking them to play to what worked in the past and not their strengths.
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The whole time I was thinking...the Gampel crowd vs XL crowd? No contest, XL fans.
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Dev, let me introduce you to…….Kemba Walker. I’m looking but I don’t see him in our locker room.
Agree, not a fan of it. If we were undefeated I would not like it but Dan Hurley has struggled to get this team to play like Champions…so even more egregious. Cameras on other coaches, I’m the greatest…? I think the guy is losing it again, hopefully Mrs Hurley can step in.
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68 in regulation should be enough for this offense to win every game they do that. It doesn’t matter who it’s against. 68 in regulation is not bad
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Honestly even with the outburst he was great most of the game considering Moore fouled out twice trying to guard people. I mean he gets no calls on the other teams holding our guys running around screens and it’s not just once in a while either. He’s calm for all I’m sure he sees.
Crazy take of the day. We all understand that Liam will play a pivotal role in taking this team to the next level. But I also think Mahaney will emerge as a guy who can come off the bench and provide meaningful minutes. I realize that it’s taken him a long time to adapt to our system, but I’m still a believer.
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A lot of us have been seduced into this idea with those two titles. Hurley and staff are mortals and not alchemists. The players you have dictate your potential.
Need McNeeley back. He’s not only the best player but he puts the rest of the good players in their more natural role, and keeps bad players from playing. It’s that simple.
This squad without him is not a top 25 team as has been suggested.
Hassan needs to learn how to make pull-up jump shots too instead of driving to basket and attempting shots against centers. He often gets clear of his defender and then typically stops even though he has space- this is when he could take a nice 8-10 foot jumper, but instead he stays outside & waits for teammates to try getting open instead of shooting. I guess he sees himself as assist maker instead of shot maker, but team could use his offense more especially now.
StllH8L8ner
You’ll get nothing and like it!
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Last night’s game was just not much fun. I am actually seeing growth in Stewart. Him getting the playing time, is a good thing all around. Much has been said and rightfully so about this team lacking the ability to get to the rim. When both of your centers are left unguarded from the foul line and above, getting to the rim for even the best penetrators becomes very very difficult. Our team’s defense overall is below average.
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