Chief’s Briefs - Florida Edition

[JohnFSilver]

our three best perimeter shooters shot 6 for 26.
Alex needs some work on his mechanics but Solo and Liam have sweet strokes. Hard to explain why they have struggled so much but it is a make or miss game.

I think it is "move" 3 pointers.

Karaban, McNeeley and Ball are stellar on catch and shoot 3s. But our offense is movement, and I just dont see Karaban as a move 3-point shooter coming off a pick. He needs to park in the corner and catch and shoot.

That'a the one problem of not having a post up offense or a 1-on-1 player to create catch and shoot and put defense in rotation.

The shots UConn takes for 3 are good shots, but they are for the Jordan Hakwkins move shooters of the world, more so than a catch and shoot player like Karaban.

Ball is better stationary catch and shoot as well IMO. They need a drive and kick guy or a post up big who can pass out of the post to stationary guys in the corner.

 

[Chief00]

our three best perimeter shooters shot 6 for 26.
Alex needs some work on his mechanics but Solo and Liam have sweet strokes. Hard to explain why they have struggled so much but it is a make or miss game.

UConn 3 attempts in the dark above, not a pretty picture. I have said for Alex’s entire career that his mechanics were broken or unorthodox. When you still do well and make 3’s at big moments, there’s an argument - if it’s not broken (from an outcome perspective) why try to fix it?
But, in hindsight that was a mistake and hard work using broken mechanics just can make things worse.
When Hurley said today winning can create arrogance - this may be an example - just a few days ago Hurley said Alex was passing up too many shots.

 

[Chief00]

Couple of points:

1. All year we struggled closing out and being unable to foot on the neck when we had teams on the precipice. We had a few chances tonight to make some big plays and it didn’t happen.

2. We were generally a slow unauthentic team. It speaks to what Hurley can get out of his team.

3. The high hedge cannot be used all the time. I get the need because it compensates for our penetration vulnerability, we should be getting faster, taller more athletic guards.

4. We need to get out of the BigEast clown conference sooner rather than later, before it drags us under. You can see the writing on the wall with shift to the SEC throwing $$ around getting longer, faster and overall better athletes.

5. Be proud of a hell of an effort against a far more athletic team. We played better team basketball and almost had them.

Many great points.
Another point is we need to do a better job teaching our guys not to foul /play more fundamental defense and know when to or not to take defensive risks. Some of this is associated with the high hedge issues that I have covered but the Karaban foul on a three point shot comes to mind. To me it did not look like a foul in regards to contact on the replay, but Alex leaning forward creates the trigger to make the call. He should have stayed straight up verticle and taken his chances.
I think Hurley realizes this now, but his time would have been more productively spent coaching foul avoidance to the players rather than the circus with the refs.

 

[zls44]

Today was the best game Dan Hurley's coached here. Period.

 

[caw]

In a close game FG droughts like that matter with the other team taking the lead by 8 points 72-64 with 40 seconds left. We were up by 55-51 at 7 minutes per you. So it was a 12 point swing over 6 minutes and 20 seconds to be exact. I did specify FG because converting FT’s was the shooting we did well this season in addition to center shooting. The bottom line that 6 minutes and 20 seconds cost us the game.
And given Karaban’s poor shooting from three why not play Mahaney more? And Johnson played well on offense and rebounds but I would roll the dice and worse case have Reed end the game with 5 fouls rather than 4.

But there was exactly three possessions where UConn had potential for a FG inside those 5 minutes, as they got FTs the other possessions. They missed one, and had two TOs.

There was a TV timeout after the first TO and IConn got Karaban an open lane to the basket, bad shot, good play.


Then Liam turned it over and Hurley called his timeout. UConn got an open Ball three.


What do you want there. For Hurley to call a TO after a missed layup? Or after the FTs? He got a timeout after each TO, and got good open shots for his two best shooters after those TOs. That’s all he could have done.

 

[JohnFSilver]

UConn 3 attempts in the dark above, not a pretty picture. I have said for Alex’s entire career that his mechanics were broken or unorthodox. When you still do well and make 3’s at big moments, there’s an argument - if it’s not broken (from an outcome perspective) why try to fix it?
But, in hindsight that was a mistake and hard work using broken mechanics just can make things worse.
When Hurley said today winning can create arrogance - this may be an example - just a few days ago Hurley said Alex was passing up too many shots.

Great chart. Someone tell Hurley and Luke to create more below the break and corner 3s next year.

 

[JohnFSilver]

Today was the best game Dan Hurley's coached here. Period.

He pantsed Todd Golden.

 

[Coach J]

Remember the 3 that Ball made late in the 1st Half that would have made it a three-possession game, but Johnson got called for a moving screen. That could have changed the entire tone of that game. We would have been up nine. But Johnson as he has his whole career stuck his knee out on a screen. For the life of me, I can't believe the coaching staff has not coached that out of him, I've been talking about it for years and I just knew it would cost us in a big spot.

If that basket counted, who knows if Florida ever grabbed the lead back. They were already starting to press and it would have added more pressure to them while at the same time it may have took some pressure off of our shooters and who knows we make one more open look that we missed and the outcome is the other way.

 

[Coach J]

So close, and we still could have won if we just did a couple simple things. The Johnson foul on the screen, Ball losing it out of bounds, the two missed rebounds late, McNeeley, Stewart, and Karaban all missing easy layups in the 2nd half, when at a minimum they should have drew contact by going strong instead of trying to get too cute. Stewart should have flushed his attempt.

 

[alphasigko]

Couple of points:

1. All year we struggled closing out and being unable to foot on the neck when we had teams on the precipice. We had a few chances tonight to make some big plays and it didn’t happen.

2. We were generally a slow unauthentic team. It speaks to what Hurley can get out of his team.

3. The high hedge cannot be used all the time. I get the need because it compensates for our penetration vulnerability, we should be getting faster, taller more athletic guards.

4. We need to get out of the BigEast clown conference sooner rather than later, before it drags us under. You can see the writing on the wall with shift to the SEC throwing $$ around getting longer, faster and overall better athletes.

5. Be proud of a hell of an effort against a far more athletic team. We played better team basketball and almost had them.

Where do you suggest we go when no one is offering?

 

[3rdbass]

Remember the 3 that Ball made late in the 1st Half that would have made it a three-possession game, but Johnson got called for a moving screen. That could have changed the entire tone of that game. We would have been up nine. But Johnson as he has his whole career stuck his knee out on a screen. For the life of me, I can't believe the coaching staff has not coached that out of him, I've been talking about it for years and I just knew it would cost us in a big spot.

If that basket counted, who knows if Florida ever grabbed the lead back. They were already starting to press and it would have added more pressure to them while at the same time it may have took some pressure off of our shooters and who knows we make one more open look that we missed and the outcome is the other way.

I thought it was his arm.

 

[alphasigko]

Remember the 3 that Ball made late in the 1st Half that would have made it a three-possession game, but Johnson got called for a moving screen. That could have changed the entire tone of that game. We would have been up nine. But Johnson as he has his whole career stuck his knee out on a screen. For the life of me, I can't believe the coaching staff has not coached that out of him, I've been talking about it for years and I just knew it would cost us in a big spot.

If that basket counted, who knows if Florida ever grabbed the lead back. They were already starting to press and it would have added more pressure to them while at the same time it may have took some pressure off of our shooters and who knows we make one more open look that we missed and the outcome is the other way.

Exactly right. I said essentially that in the chat. It was a foul he committed over and over the course of the last 2 seasons.

 

[alphasigko]

I thought it was his arm.

Whichever, it was inexcusable and cost us 3 very valuable points.

 

[3rdbass]

Whichever, it was inexcusable and cost us 3 very valuable points.

So did McNeeley fumbling a sure rebound and going 1 on 3 and missing a layup. Karaban missing a wide open 3 on an offensive rebound. Yeah there are a lot of plays you can point out. It is a close ost just move on.

 

[Chief00]

I think it is "move" 3 pointers.

Karaban, McNeeley and Ball are stellar on catch and shoot 3s. But our offense is movement, and I just dont see Karaban as a move 3-point shooter coming off a pick. He needs to park in the corner and catch and shoot.

That'a the one problem of not having a post up offense or a 1-on-1 player to create catch and shoot and put defense in rotation.

The shots UConn takes for 3 are good shots, but they are for the Jordan Hakwkins move shooters of the world, more so than a catch and shoot player like Karaban.

Ball is better stationary catch and shoot as well IMO. They need a drive and kick guy or a post up big who can pass out of the post to stationary guys in the corner.

Agree, and that’s why I would have liked to have tried to build an inside out post game with Reed. Unfortunately that never truly happened this year despite his post scoring abilities. We exposed our centers to too many defensive fouls and they made high risk decisions guarding players 30 feet from the basket. The mismatches that triggered made us end up in no man’s land too often on defense and playing a step behind the play. Therefore, our centers and coaches had to focus too much on trying to keep Johnson and Reed eligible to play rather than executing offense better.

 

[Chief00]

Exactly right. I said essentially that in the chat. It was a foul he committed over and over the course of the last 2 seasons.

Perhaps the coaches fell in love with the passion that Johnson played with rather than fixing the mistakes he repeatedly made. Over-all, Johnson has played his best ball lately, yet his decision making in certain areas did not change.

 

[Chief00]

So close, and we still could have won if we just did a couple simple things. The Johnson foul on the screen, Ball losing it out of bounds, the two missed rebounds late, McNeeley, Stewart, and Karaban all missing easy layups in the 2nd half, when at a minimum they should have drew contact by going strong instead of trying to get too cute. Stewart should have flushed his attempt.

McNeeley is our only guy who consistently draws fouls going to the basket. He was 8-8 from FT. Mahaney and Ball had 3 FT attempts each and no one else had more than 2. We were a good foul shooting team this season, which did not get to the FT line enought.

 

[Chief00]

We threw up 29 3pt attempts and shot 27% from 3, while Florida threw up 19 3pt attempts with 47% 3pt shooting. That was the difference in the game. We shot too many 3’s poorly. The opportunity costs was that we did not go to the FT line enough, where we shot 86%.

 

[coachn]

On to next year, McNeeley needs another year.

 

[businesslawyer]

Perhaps the coaches fell in love with the passion that Johnson played with rather than fixing the mistakes he repeatedly made. Over-all, Johnson has played his best ball lately, yet his decision making in certain areas did not change.

You must have watched a different game than I did. I saw a game where we would have been down double digits at halftime but for Johnson’s defensive and rebounding intensity. And a game where Reed still doesn’t understand defensive rotations sufficiently that we don’t end up giving up uncontested shots at the rim.

 

[86.578]

We threw up 29 3pt attempts and shot 27% from 3, while Florida threw up 19 3pt attempts with 47% 3pt shooting. That was the difference in the game. We shot too many 3’s poorly. The opportunity costs was that we did not go to the FT line enough, where we shot 86%.

I respectfully disagree w/regard to"opportunity cost". Never during the year did anyone show a propensity to draw fouls , especially going to the basket. Just not strong at the basket (perfect example, AK's reverse attempt). It's their make-up. Maybe dump it down to Reed more, but FL would have figured that out if it was working......and Reed hasn't learned to kick it back out yet.

With this team as is, take wide open 3's (by relatively good shooters) versus driving to the basket any day of the week.

The difference in this game (in this year) is we could have been playing the 2, or worse, seed (Memphis.....talk about opportunity cost.....and Seton Hall)

All that being said, played the 2nd best team in the country to a draw for about 35 minutes and lost by 2 (5).

It's too bad b/c the defense was definitely figuring some things out game by game the last few weeks...100s up to mid 70's......with another game or two, who knows....oh well.

 

[6NCsMORE2Go]

In a 2 PT loss every mistake matters or every missed opportunity second guessed. That missed rebound that led to an easy 2pt dunk in the second half proved to be quite hurtful. I actually thought this was a true championship effort despite the loss. Clayton made some tough shots.

 

[ucp990411]

Many great points.
Another point is we need to do a better job teaching our guys not to foul /play more fundamental defense and know when to or not to take defensive risks. Some of this is associated with the high hedge issues that I have covered but the Karaban foul on a three point shot comes to mind. To me it did not look like a foul in regards to contact on the replay, but Alex leaning forward creates the trigger to make the call. He should have stayed straight up verticle and taken his chances.
I think Hurley realizes this now, but his time would have been more productively spent coaching foul avoidance to the players rather than the circus with the refs.

Chief you must know the rule about fouling 3 point shooters. They must be given room to land after shooting and Alex clearly did not. But why do they get 3 free throws when it is after the shot has been taken? And why is this a foul for a 3 point shot but not a 2 pointer.

 

[LStudfellow]

Today was the best game Dan Hurley's coached here. Period.

I understand your knee jerk reaction in saying this... but I believe the title of his best game of coaching here still resides in last year's championship game.

Yes, putting a serious scare and almost beating arguably the #1 team and odds on favorite to win this year's title is obviously an elite coaching job by Dan and the entire staff. Kudos to him, them and the entire team.

But giving yesterday's performance that moniker of "best coached game" and therefore taking it away from the NCAA championship game last year is the same as saying yesterday's game planning was more impressive than the scheme to cover Zach Edey 1-on-1 while concentrating efforts to keep their guards and wings from going off. Particularly when it looked early on as if it might not be working when Edey had already scored 14 of their 23 points, was dominating us and they held a 2 point lead on us 12 minutes into the game. The commentators on the broadcast were questioning the strategy, and I am sure so were many of us.

Of course now we all look back in 20-20 hindsight and say it was absolutely the right move, and proved to be a brilliant stroke of genius. But to say we all knew it was going to work the way it did as it was happening early on would be a total lie. No one had implemented such a strategy against Purdue so effectively. Edey tired out, the Purdue guards and wings never did get untracked and we won going away. And deciding not to double on Edey was the singularly most important strategic coaching move that helped give us the edge we needed to win the game, and the title.

So in my mind, particularly with what was at stake (you have to take that into account too), yesterday's coaching job as good as it was still has to fall in line behind last year's championship game against Purdue.

I personally put last year's Title game plan and coaching right up there with the decision in the 1999 Title game against Duke to guard Elton Brand with the big-to-big strategy that helped sway that game just enough in our favor to win.

2024 vs. Purdue Hurley and staff was every bit the equal of 1999 Calhoun and staff vs. Duke. That says it all in my book.

 

[CL82]

Remember the 3 that Ball made late in the 1st Half that would have made it a three-possession game, but Johnson got called for a moving screen. That could have changed the entire tone of that game. We would have been up nine. But Johnson as he has his whole career stuck his knee out on a screen. For the life of me, I can't believe the coaching staff has not coached that out of him, I've been talking about it for years and I just knew it would cost us in a big spot.

If that basket counted, who knows if Florida ever grabbed the lead back. They were already starting to press and it would have added more pressure to them while at the same time it may have took some pressure off of our shooters and who knows we make one more open look that we missed and the outcome is the other way.

I was thinking about this as well, though I think it is misplaced to "what if" a single moment in the game. I'd have to rewatch it, but I'm not sure if the shooter would be free, or as free, without the foul.