Chief’s Briefs - Bryant Edition

[Old Man UConn]

If this team does not shoot the ball better from 3 and start making easy shots from in close it may be not so good of a seasonb. Hard to tell until the full roster rotation is healthy and comfortable playing together.

 

[giddyup]

This is a very talented squad that is lacking something I can’t quite put a finger on. The best I can decipher is they are lacking in length and explosiveness. It doesn’t show up as a big issue until you play elite level teams.

 

[boog204]

This is a very talented squad that is lacking something I can’t quite put a finger on. The best I can decipher is they are lacking in length and explosiveness. It doesn’t show up as a big issue until you play elite level teams.

Athleticism and, well, Reed. We are a total 180 with him on the court vs. not. With him, we have an interior presence, we can rebound in space, and we have interior toughness. Just having him on the block makes other guys have to at least consider providing help, which only gives space to everyone else. Reibe has been a very good freshman so far. But he's only going to score via 3's or getting set up for an easy one. We're not really running him in the post. With him, I think we are a legit championship contender. He's that good. Without him, I think we're essentially last year's team.

 

[Excalibur]

This is a very talented squad that is lacking something I can’t quite put a finger on.

2 of its 6 best players . . .

 

[Inyatkin]

2 of its 6 best players . . .

Seriously. Most teams lack something if you take away their guys

 

[Chief00]

If this team does not shoot the ball better from 3 and start making easy shots from in close it may be not so good of a seasonb. Hard to tell until the full roster rotation is healthy and comfortable playing together.

Mullins is our best shooter by a wide margin but he has been sidelined for a long period of time. Maybe he will be that turn the switch on and be that instant 100% guy? However, that’s expecting a lot from a freshman.

 

[Chief00]

Seriously. Most teams lack something if you take away their guys

In this case, by a wide margin, Reed and Mullins are our top 2 players. They were that in our August Werth Center scrimmage and remain that today, when healthy.

 

[Chief00]

Your favored plan takes us to 1994, so not sure who’s really looking ahead here

Calhoun’s 1999, 2004 and 2011 NC teams all looked up court and ran. We are in a rut now where our opponents know our predictable Euro sets, and we don’t have the shooters to make the shots off these sets.

 

[giddyup]

Calhoun’s 1999, 2004 and 2011 NC teams all looked up court and ran. We are in a rut now where our opponents know our predictable Euro sets, and we don’t have the shooters to make the shots off these sets.

It’s early, but my sense is this squad is maybe a tad better than last years’, but it’s not walking its way into a final four. Long, super athletic squads will have us on the ropes. But, there is a season ahead for the team to find its identity and maximize its strengths.

 

[Inyatkin]

Calhoun’s 1999, 2004 and 2011 NC teams all looked up court and ran. We are in a rut now where our opponents know our predictable Euro sets, and we don’t have the shooters to make the shots off these sets.

Your blathering about Euroball is actually instructive.

You're emblematic of a huge subset on this board that isn't arguing about offensive sets, or fast breaks, or even the high hedge. You're still arguing about Jim Calhoun.

Like basically everyone here, I love Jim Calhoun. He's on the short list for best ever at what he did. There's a good case for him as number one all time.

But you and others like you just can't stand the idea of anyone else having success here. You're mad that another coach is hitting the same heights and, in some cases, exceeding them (back-to-back titles, making the NCAA even in down years, etc.)

It comes up all the time, this resentment of Dan Hurley. Right now I can hear someone typing "But it's not the same! Look where Calhoun started! Hurley was handed everything!"

Fine. It's not the same. No one is arguing it is.

But you guys are just so mad that someone else is achieving greatness at UConn. It's at the heart of a huge chunk of the arguments here.

And, it's dumb.

 

[Palatine]

Our pace isn't really slow. We take more time off the clock because our half court offense is complex, it takes a moment to set up, and we often pass up a good shot for a better one. That's why we have so many assists. Which skews the numbers.

At one point, Calhoun had a four second offense where the first open guy shot. We used to run on made baskets. Calhoun also pressed frequently which picked up the pace.

 

[Excalibur]

Calhoun’s 1999, 2004 and 2011 NC teams all looked up court and ran. We are in a rut now where our opponents know our predictable Euro sets, and we don’t have the shooters to make the shots off these sets.

Our pace slowed significantly after the mid 1990's. '99 was probably the best Calhoun team in terms of halfcourt execution, but they were a fast-paced team regardless. 2004 was ranked between 100 and 150 nationally in adjusted pace. The 2011 team was in the bottom 1/2 to 1/3 nationally in terms of pace.

 

[HooperScooper]

Mullins is our best shooter by a wide margin but he has been sidelined for a long period of time. Maybe he will be that turn the switch on and be that instant 100% guy? However, that’s expecting a lot from a freshman.

In this case, by a wide margin, Reed and Mullins are our top 2 players. They were that in our August Werth Center scrimmage and remain that today, when healthy.

How do we know Mullins is "our best shooter by a wide margin" and one of our 2 top players? He hasn't played in a real game yet. I know some on the board, superjohn especially, are extremely high on him but until we see it I'm reserving judgment. I hope he is all of that but freshmen, even highly decorated ones, don't always transition to college basketball right away. I hope he plays on Friday and ramps up quickly.

 

[Chief00]

How do we know Mullins is "our best shooter by a wide margin" and one of our 2 top players? He hasn't played in a real game yet. I know some on the board, superjohn especially, are extremely high on him but until we see it I'm reserving judgment. I hope he is all of that but freshmen, even highly decorated ones, don't always transition to college basketball right away. I hope he plays on Friday and ramps up quickly.

I have seen him shoot. It not only consistently goes in but everything about his shooting mechanics and ball trajectory looks beautiful from start to finish. I saw him in person during the August scrimmage. Reed and Mullins were our two best players by a wide margin.

 

[Chief00]

Your blathering about Euroball is actually instructive.

You're emblematic of a huge subset on this board that isn't arguing about offensive sets, or fast breaks, or even the high hedge. You're still arguing about Jim Calhoun.

Like basically everyone here, I love Jim Calhoun. He's on the short list for best ever at what he did. There's a good case for him as number one all time.

But you and others like you just can't stand the idea of anyone else having success here. You're mad that another coach is hitting the same heights and, in some cases, exceeding them (back-to-back titles, making the NCAA even in down years, etc.)

It comes up all the time, this resentment of Dan Hurley. Right now I can hear someone typing "But it's not the same! Look where Calhoun started! Hurley was handed everything!"

Fine. It's not the same. No one is arguing it is.

But you guys are just so mad that someone else is achieving greatness at UConn. It's at the heart of a huge chunk of the arguments here.

And, it's dumb.

I like Hurley and of course Calhoun strongly advocated for his hire.
Winning is not a destination but a process of continuous improvement. You need to learn that. You expect me to write a Briefs about the Bryant College game where they played us even in the second half - and have no criticisms?