Chief’s Briefs/ Creighton Edition

[uconnfan68]

The play was literally right in front of me, you have no clue what you’re talking about. It wasn’t even close.

I saw it too. He didn’t come close to trying to box out.

 

[3rdbass]

A center’s position on the floor is a big part of the outcome. Pretending teams guard Johnson on 3 point line is silly. We need them to help on defense in the paint not the 3 line.

Yeah that high hedge needs to be dialed back bigtime. It didn't really create any turnovers and allowed for a lot of easy baskets close to the hoop.

 

[gtcam]

The difference in this game was all the missed chippies. AK must of had 6 himself. Doesn't anyone use the backboard anymore?

 

[Chief00]

The difference in this game was all the missed chippies. AK must of had 6 himself. Doesn't anyone use the backboard anymore?

I think we need to factor in trying to shoot over 7-1 (with reach length) Kalkbrenner. He can change the game.

 

[Chief00]

Yeah that high hedge needs to be dialed back bigtime. It didn't really create any turnovers and allow for a lot of easy baskets close to the hoop.

Johnson was taught the game late so he really doesn’t have the best “natural” instincts to make multiple decisions in real time on the fly. He needs to focus on backing up teammates in the paint not at half court. They toyed with us on mismatches as a result.

 

[Chief00]

I was at the game and have to say there were a ton of missed calls…the touch foul at the end of the first half that was literally called to take away our chance to throw up a shot (which went in). The play before that where the Creighton player flopped taking a 3…Stewart never touched him. That right there was a 6 point swing. Lots of other bad/non calls as well. Called Stewart for a push off foul in the 2nd half that clearly was just a long rebound. Karaban got called for a foul getting a rebound when he was getting hooked, should have been a fouls the other way. Creighton guy went over the back on Ball who had him boxed out with just a few minutes left and no call (luckily we got the ball on that one). Solo got absolutely clobbered on a drive and pull up in the 1st half which he made, I thought Hurley’s head was going to blow off at that point. Not to mention at least 2 moving screens where there was nothing there. Basically same old same old. Phantom calls on us while the other team can do whatever they feel like. It gets tiring playing 5 on 8 every game. We need to get McNeeley back, finish out with a respectable record and get the out of this league. Have a feeling we may be getting a Big 12 invite in short order, so as much as I love the Big East I won’t miss these 3rd tier officials.

Ackerman is chasing away the league’s best team /program by allowing bias, unprofessional officiating. It is a consistent pattern backed up by numbers. And as you so well cite, it doesn’t pass the eye test. Because an official dislikes Hurley that gives him no right to disadvantage our players and effect game outcomes with very bias calls that violate consistency. There is no right to be able to call two different games in the same game. One for them of anything goes and a dramatically different one for us.

I am very disappointed in UConn fans who accept this treatment of our players. They deserve better and greater support.

 

[Chief00]

He was good defensively on the perimeter. But that isn't the whole court. He was repeated dragged to hoop on mismatches and scored over. Watch the entire court. Look Chief, we watch the same game but your "insights" are often less than stellar.

Hassan, Ball and Stewart were our best players tonight. Hassan had 15 points, 7 assists and 6 rebounds.

 

[Chief00]

Karaban is a uconn legend and all but he’s been a little disappointing this year, from the standpoint of being our best player.

There needs to be more awareness with everyone on this team about their teammates and their strengths and weaknesses, sweet spots and weak spots.

 

[Viet Vet]

You do realize we get outshot at the FT line every single game, right? It’s not the refs, it’s a product of the roster/scheme.

RuffRuff is spot on. Last season (look it up) we attempted 756 free throws, our opponents 709. It IS a product of this year’s roster/ scheme.

 

[giddyup]

Hurley has a mess on his hands relatively speaking and it’s his job to fix it. The players aren’t getting faster or more athletic, Samson Johnson isn’t going to be a scoring threat anywhere other than with 2 feet of the basket, and AK isn’t going to be your Alfa go-to-guy. So, coach needs to adjust to the realities of the situation and get these guys in positions to be successful. Play tougher is not a strategy.

 

[RuffRuff]

Hurley has a mess on his hands relatively speaking and it’s his job to fix it. The players aren’t getting faster or more athletic, Samson Johnson isn’t going to be a scoring threat anywhere other than with 2 feet of the basket, and AK isn’t going to be your Alfa go-to-guy. So, coach needs to adjust to the realities of the situation and get these guys in positions to be successful. Play tougher is not a strategy.

Alien Life Form? It would be cool if we could throw it into him and see him levitate over defenders.

 

[Chief00]

True, until the Casual Fans step up and boo the bad calls in a more hostile manner, there won’t be a home court advantage, in fact this disadvantage will continue.
I was very disappointed in the muted reaction to the Stewart 3 point foul call at the end of the first half. But, then about 1/2 the posters here felt a 3x’s more foul shot advantage was justified when every other statistic in the boxscore was relatively even.
Crazy, victim believing they deserve to be a victim type thinking.

 

[Scoe]

These BE officials who try and take over and control the game need to be out of the sport. Maybe run plays where Terris Reed can knock over these officials.

 

[TheShot1990]

Neal drove by Ball frequently and effortlessly many times in the 1st half

Neal drove by everyone on UConn frequently and effortlessly many times, hence the 24 points. And when he didn't, he would juke someone and hit the 3. Perhaps it would have helped to have a shot blocker with his buttocks firmly planted under the rim rather than 30 feet from the basket high-hedging a 6 ft tall guard who was having an off game.

 

[dogpause]

What good is having a 7-footer if we play him on the perimeter? No wonder our bigs get into foul trouble so often. Maybe it's time to vary our defense a bit too. A bit of zone might be useful on occasion. Or, maybe everything will be fine once McNeeley is back.

 

[jibsey]

Question. Does Nowell have the ability and quickness to drive to the rim? We aren’t lacking that and maybe it opens things up both inside and out.

 

[RuffRuff]

Question. Does Nowell have the ability and quickness to drive to the rim? We aren’t lacking that and maybe it opens things up both inside and out.

I wouldn’t count on much with Nowell. The kid lost valuable time with an injury and Hurley is bleeding him back into the rotation where he has no impact, he’s just spelling Hass.

 

[RuffRuff]

And now the wannabe bracketoligists slotting us as an 8 seed:

 

[RuffRuff]

Illinois game on the break - and 1. You’re not gonna see him cut through the lane and posterize anyone. Fleet of foot he is not.

 

[UCan3]

I think we need to factor in trying to shoot over 7-1 (with reach length) Kalkbrenner. He can change the game.

Actually, it wasn‘t all that difficult to figure out….

Kalkbrenner sat inside circle and stayed put for the most part, and the entire lane was open for anyone who wanted to drive.

No one played defense on Johnson Including Kalkbrenner unless he drove the lane - which in large part he did not. Johnson just stay there at FT line for most possessions.

Drive the lane and dish…..

That takes 2, not one UConn players moving towards the hoop at the same time.

Crash boards.


We did not do this - got almost no offense rebounds and were playing 4 on 5 most of gams as Johnson disappeared in set offensive plays.

 

[Chief00]

At some point you have to get tougher, take what refs give, punch back within the rules, embrace physicality and set tone. Not complain about the refs which is an every game thing. Basketball is a contact sport, not ballet.

The problem is the Big East refs call contact by us but not the same type of contact by our opponent. So we can talk big, but the players have to deal with that reality.