Can't blame the coaching here

[UCFan1513]

There were good in game adjustments: playing Cole off the ball to lead to his back-to-back threes, good TO management to have them in the pocket at the end when they mattered, good lineups and management of foul trouble

Gripe all you want but here is what in-game coaching can't control (save yanking a player for every mistake they make, which you can't really do down 2 scholarship players):

1. Most importantly - putting a body on every other player at the free-throw line. Not even talking about the mistake in the last couple of minutes (though it was bad), a huge momentum shift happened when literally nobody put a body on the shooter with ~5 minutes left, and the lead evaporated like that
2. Taking the ball down the court completely out of control (multiple times, at that)
3. Missing wide open, quality three-point looks
4. Not helping the inbounder get the ball in or providing support getting up the court to get into the set faster

Save number 3, all of those things are elementary, youth level, basketball skills. Chalk it up to the first true road game in a while and some questionable calls, and you get what happened. That being said, this loss was totally preventable and is not on the coaches.

This team will be fine - that game would have been a W if players did any one of the above, but they didn't. Still not concerned given the personnel problems, and the fact that it was the first true road game in a while. Certainly frustrating, but not the end of the world

 

[brasssbonanzaa]

Not concerned. Great learning experience for the young kids. Martin and Sanogo would be our two most important players on the floor in a game against that specific roster in that style of play. Lots of playground-style ball. Martin, specifically, excels at that kind of game.

 

[uconntoatl]

Everyone is to blame

 

[husky429]

There were good in game adjustments: playing Cole off the ball to lead to his back-to-back threes, good TO management to have them in the pocket at the end when they mattered, good lineups and management of foul trouble

Gripe all you want but here is what in-game coaching can't control (save yanking a player for every mistake they make, which you can't really do down 2 scholarship players):

1. Most importantly - putting a body on every other player at the free-throw line. Not even talking about the mistake in the last couple of minutes (though it was bad), a huge momentum shift happened when literally nobody put a body on the shooter with ~5 minutes left, and the lead evaporated like that
2. Taking the ball down the court completely out of control (multiple times, at that)
3. Missing wide open, quality three-point looks
4. Not helping the inbounder get the ball in or providing support getting up the court to get into the set faster

Save number 3, all of those things are elementary, youth level, basketball skills. Chalk it up to the first true road game in a while for most, and ever for many, and you get what happened. All the while down 2 of the team's 3 best players.

This team will be fine - that game would have been a W if players did any one of the above, but they didn't. Still not concerned given the personnel problems, and the fact that it was the first true road game in a while. Certainly frustrating, but not the end of the world

Like I said in the other thread... it probably didn't come down to coaching tonight. When you shoot that badly, you don't deserve to win. I do, however, understand those who are frustrated. Hurley has a history of pretty poor in-game coaching. His record in close games sucks. He isn't ready to hang with HOF coaches like Huggins, Wright, Or Izzo right now. We're getting by on amazing recruiting and talent management.

Personally, I've really resigned myself to knowing that pulling out close games in the last 4 minutes with creative and smart coaching simply isn't something we're going to see with Hurley.

No reason we can't shoot the ball better though. That's squarely on the players right now. We haven't had a true road game with fans in a long, long time. This is an important experience.

 

[UCFan1513]

Not concerned. Great learning experience for the young kids. Martin and Sanogo would be our two most important players on the floor in a game against that specific roster in that style of play. Lots of playground-style ball. Martin, specifically, excels at that kind of game.

Agree. Think that Martin is the much bigger loss to the team than Sanogo at this point, and realize I'll take flak for it

 

[Fairfield_1st]

I don't understand those who are frustrated. We went toe-to-toe with a decent WVU team without 2 of our top 3 players. Guys shot poorly. That happens. Villanova missed 37 threes last night, but got enough rebounds and putbacks to win.

 

[SaeHusky]

Martin is the bigger loss for sure. One of our best rebounders , plays great D , and gets double digit points. Also can take his guy off the dribble

 

[wheelerdog]

The poor execution over the final five minutes is too concerning of a trend to be ignored.

 

[superjohn]

Like I said in the other thread... it probably didn't come down to coaching tonight. When you shoot that badly, you don't deserve to win. I do, however, understand those who are frustrated. Hurley has a history of pretty poor in-game coaching. His record in close games sucks. He isn't ready to hang with HOF coaches like Huggins, Wright, Or Izzo right now. We're getting by on amazing recruiting and talent management.

Personally, I've really resigned myself to knowing that pulling out close games in the last 4 minutes with creative and smart coaching simply isn't something we're going to see with Hurley.

No reason we can't shoot the ball better though. That's squarely on the players right now. We haven't had a true road game with fans in a long, long time. This is an important experience.

It just sucks because he's so good at the other most important parts of being a top college basketball coach but the in game stuff is pretty glaring at this point.

 

[Peacefrog]

I'm going to disagree at least to some extent. Hurley has not been able to come up with any minimally effective solution for half-court offense against pressure defense. We had 5 shot-clock violations in the second half I believe and multiple other instances where we just passed around the perimeter for 25 seconds and then someone launched a prayer. Also, to this point, there has been a failure to address Jackson's carelessness. Hurley has spoken about it openly in interviews but he needs a tougher approach at this point. But yeah, even your garden variety bad shooting night and we win. 3-21 is a death sentence.

 

[Hamms30]

I said it in the game chat.. but we shot 11 free throws. 6 were from 3 pointers. We didn't go inside nearly enough. On top of that, We were only 6-11. I don't care how many WVU missed.. that's no excuse for us not to hit ours. Too many home run passes for turnovers which we've done a few times already this season and we've been saying.."that's gonna cost us later in the season". Poor shot clock awareness is going to give me a stroke too.

 

[XLCenterFan]

WV had one player. They were not good at all. Execution and coaching down the stretch was terrible. They couldn’t shoot free throws, and we couldn’t shoot 3’s. Saturday is a must win. Drunken thoughts.

 

[brasssbonanzaa]

I said it in the game chat.. but we shot 11 free throws. 6 were from 3 pointers. We didn't go inside nearly enough. On top of that, We were only 6-11. I don't care how many WVU missed.. that's no excuse for us not to hit ours. Too many home run passes for turnovers which we've done a few times already this season and we've been saying.."that's gonna cost us later in the season". Poor shot clock awareness is going to give me a stroke too.

might have something to do with our two best interior offensive players being injured

 

[Woodson]

Everyone is to blame

Seriously! It was a team effort

 

[HuskyHawk]

Everyone is to blame

 

[Hamms30]

might have something to do with our two best interior offensive players being injured

absolutely, but still when we were going inside we were getting points. We got 9 points from 3's, but kept throwing them up. WV was playing pressure defense on the perimeter and doubling on Cole where they could. Get the ball inside and use Akok and Whaley's height. Akok floating around the 3 point line didn't do anything because as soon as he touched the ball he was suffocated.

 

[Viet Vet]

There were good in game adjustments: playing Cole off the ball to lead to his back-to-back threes, good TO management to have them in the pocket at the end when they mattered, good lineups and management of foul trouble

Gripe all you want but here is what in-game coaching can't control (save yanking a player for every mistake they make, which you can't really do down 2 scholarship players):

1. Most importantly - putting a body on every other player at the free-throw line. Not even talking about the mistake in the last couple of minutes (though it was bad), a huge momentum shift happened when literally nobody put a body on the shooter with ~5 minutes left, and the lead evaporated like that
2. Taking the ball down the court completely out of control (multiple times, at that)
3. Missing wide open, quality three-point looks
4. Not helping the inbounder get the ball in or providing support getting up the court to get into the set faster

Save number 3, all of those things are elementary, youth level, basketball skills. Chalk it up to the first true road game in a while and some questionable calls, and you get what happened. That being said, this loss was totally preventable and is not on the coaches.

This team will be fine - that game would have been a W if players did any one of the above, but they didn't. Still not concerned given the personnel problems, and the fact that it was the first true road game in a while. Certainly frustrating, but not the end of the world

Yes, IN-GAME coaching has very little impact on the above. However, 1,2 and 4....as UCFan1513 stated, are elementary, and if not properly executed, are the result of deficiencies in practice. Those need to be drilled over, and over, and over again...........until they become second nature. So I disagree with the forum headline, "Can't Blame the Coaching Here". Fundamental shortcomings are the responsibility of coaches to correct. It IS on the coaches.

 

[HooperScooper]

I don't understand those who are frustrated. We went toe-to-toe with a decent WVU team without 2 of our top 3 players. Guys shot poorly. That happens. Villanova missed 37 threes last night, but got enough rebounds and putbacks to win.

First off, I don't think WVU is a very good team. That game was winnable even with the terrible shooting. I was worried about the first real road game and I think that proved to be an issue.

Forget about this one and move on to the Bonnies. Definitely can't let a win get away in that one.

 

[uconngb]

The poor execution over the final five minutes is too concerning of a trend to be ignored.

Happens
Every
Close
Game

That’s coaching and preparation. Period.

 

[HuskyHawk]

It just sucks because he's so good at the other most important parts of being a top college basketball coach but the in game stuff is pretty glaring at this point.

There isn’t anything any coach could have done tonight. Whoever the greatest is, it wouldn‘t matter. The guys didn’t make plays. It’s on them.

 

[Waquoit]

I don't understand those who are frustrated.

What's to understand? They're the Fellowship of the Miserable.

 

[MexicoHusky]

Missed a bunch of shots. I suppose it was the true road game. Been a while.

 

[CardiacAndre7]

I don't understand those who are frustrated. We went toe-to-toe with a decent WVU team without 2 of our top 3 players. Guys shot poorly. That happens. Villanova missed 37 threes last night, but got enough rebounds and putbacks to win.

We aren’t Villanova. The comparison that Nova missed threes just like us doesn’t make any sense or mean anything. They won and we didn’t though.

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

What's to understand? They're the Fellowship of the Miserable.

They have two losses to teams that they are clearly better than. No one who's paid a lick of attention had any confidence that they would win this game if it was close in the second half, and they did not disappoint. This team should be undefeated and knocking on the door of a top ten ranking and instead they lost another game to an inferior team and you don't get why people are frustrated?

It's going to be a very disappointing season if they keep inventing ways to lose games like this.

I love the recruiting. I love the cultural shift. I hate the coaching with two hands around your neck. There is zero reason to be confident in a close game at this point.

 

[Ts5034]

Is It just me? Or has anyone else noticed that it seems like we miss out on every 50-50 ball? We have had some bad luck in the two losses, and It seems like a situation where anything that can go wrong usually does.