Open looks typically develop when the Center hedges too long and/or the ball is swung to the offensive player whose defender is covering the lane. However, If a score occurs when when all defenders are back in position, the hedge is not to blame. This can occur off any double team, not just a hedge. Of course he gets beat on occasion, but when it's working, Sanogo usually has the timing to know when to peel off and disrupt the passing lane.
Because I was questioned, this is what I saw upon second viewing.
1. The first Ducas layup to make it 2-0 was from the wing around a faked-out Hawkins. SMC showed pick and roll early, but Jackson slipped it and Karaban did not switch. Sanogo was on the block, boxed out by Saxen.
2. 2 unsuccessful P&Rs, Hawkins rotated to the lane both times leaving Ducas open but also recovered both times before Ducas could shoot. Hawkins foul on the floor.
2a. Hawkins defends ball out of bounds.
2b, Hedge forces a pass to the weakside corner, touch pass to top of the key, Bowen dribble penetration. Missed layup. Jackson defending. Sanogo pushed out of bounds on the rebound.
3. Off ball pick set by Saxen on Newton for Ducas. Sanogo stays home (drop). Ducas wide open for a missed 3.
4. Sanago hedged and recovered. Looks like the officials missed a kick ball, which went right to Mahaney who drove passed a crossed-up Jackson. Short jumper: Good.
5. No hedge needed.
6. Bowen (guarded by Karaban) threw a shoulder into Jackson. Offensive foul.
7. Sanogo hedged and nearly stole the ball. Recovered to the paint and Logan Johnson drove past Newton for an 'and 1.
8. No hedge. Johnson direct pass to Ducas in transition for 3.
9. No hedge. UConn applied "token" pressure. Johnson again direct pass to Ducas for 3 (Sanogo guarding). Incidentally, other than a defensive rebound, this is the final mention of Ducas in the Play-by-play.
10. No Hedge. Newton's lazy pass stolen by Johnson. Goaltend by Jackson in transition.
11. No Hedge. Mahaney stutter-stepped by Jackson and put the ball in off the glass over Clingan.
12. Two hedges. Diarra, Clingan, and Jackson played them both nearly perfect. SMC timeout.
12a. No hedge. Fall away baseline jumper followed by an offensive pushing foul on the rebound (Smash cut to blond drinking the "Oil can" of White Claw.)
13. Wessels attempted to set a pick but rolled before Johnson could use it. Ended up being doubled by Clingan and Diarra , who was blocking the passing lane back to Wessels and shorted a layup (UConn with nice ball movement at the other end. Clingan dunks off the extra pass, cutting the lead to 6. Tide of game might be turning?).
14. No Hedge. Mahaney drives around Joey C. into the lane and misses a 10 footer over Clingan. (Make-up non-travel on the other end as Diarra picks up his dribble, slips, and drops to a knee. Unfortunately, ball don’t lie, as Diarra misses the 3.).
15. No Hedge. Transition layup attempt missed by Mahaney, who also misses both FTs. Foul on Joey C. (Under 12 TVTO where Hurley mentions they have to do better at not leaving Ducas open for 3, unaware that he might already be hurt.).
16. Lots of picks being set: A) handoff that Joey C. fights through. B) Another Wessels phantom pick; No issue for Diarra. C) Hedge, but Marciulionis does not get close enough to Wessels and ends up passing out of a Joey C/Clingan double-team to Bowen. Airball. Shot clock violation.
17. 3 guys above the key. Joey C. goes above both picks but is called for (What Hurley thinks is) a phantom handcheck.
17a. Sanogo back in. No hedge, but he's guarding Saxen with the ball 24 feet away from the hoop. Drops back as soon as Saxen hands it off and recovers for the block. Ends up committing a foul, attempting to block Bowen’s follow-up. Never mind a FG. SMC went scoreless for 4:25 before Bowen’s free throws. 19-16, SMC. OTOH, defense travels.
18. SMC attempts to run P&R at :16 on the shot clock, it goes unused again by Marciulionis, who and is doubled by Joey C. and a hedging Sanogo. Marciulionis misses the bunny off a pseudo-post up of Joey C.
19. P&R, but Sanogo actually played off (i.e. drop defense). Uncontested (but off-balance) layup missed.
20. Offensive foul drawn by Joey C. in transition. (After the time out, TV shows Sanogo speaking with the ref to presumably draw attention to SMC’s handsy defense).
21. At 6:57 to go, SMC finally got the better of UConn's Hedge Defense. Sanogo switched and ended up doubling the ballhandler with Jackson. Newton was in the paint, but gave up the gimme layup. 21-18, SMC.
22. 2 Hedges: A. Sanogo switched with Alleyne onto Mahaney. Newton covered the paint, and Alleyne recovered, allowing Sanogo to relieve Newton. Marciulionis (shooting-wise, SMC’s Jackson) was open wide open for 3. B. Saxen dribbled off his foot and reset the offense with 8-9 seconds left. Jackson manned the paint. Ducas left open but turned down the 3PA (feeling spasms?). Johnson missed from about 25 feet. (On the other end, Sanogo breaks UConn's 2:08 scoring drought).
23. High P&R...No hedge. Karaban just switches. UConn feigns hedge on the 2nd P&R, but Sanogo drops with Saxen. Missed 3pt attempt over Karaban.
24. SMC is up 21-20 with 4:52 left, Ducas goes down in a heap and ref calls time immediately.
24a. Hedge. Sanogo switches with Joey C. but is playing loose D until Joey C. recovers. Sanogore-acquires Saxon in the paint, Joey C. allows a short jumper.
25. Multiple picks up top but no Sanogo hedge. Traveling violation. UConn down by 1, but the pro-UConn crowd smells blood without Ducas, and Uncle Mo is moseying to the stage-left end of the court. For roughly the next 24 minutes, UConn outscores SMC by 16.
26. Hedge on the far wing but UConn recovers and SMC resets without taking advantage. SMC gets into the paint without the benefit of a P&R. Joey C. was playing very loose on Johnson.
27. No Hedge per se, but sloppy. SMC runs a weave, which draws Sanogo to the 3 point line and loses his man. Easy dunk.
28. Sanogo hedges and Karaban is manning the paint. P&R ineffective.
29. No Hedge. SMC pulls up in transition and make a straight dribble drive that misses. Joey C. defending (On the other end Joey C. pulls up from 3 for a 1 point lead).
30. Hedge worked again. Jackson compensating in the paint. OTOH Mahaney's 3 pointer comes off the offensive rebound. Hurley no happy with the stonehands. Timeout UConn with 15.1 remaining to set up the final play of the half…Incidentally, Wessel didn’t hedge and left Newton wide open from 24 feet. 31-30, UConn take lead headed into the, "Penzoil At The Half, brought to you by Quaker State."
