Chief’s Briefs - Villanova Edition

[Chief00]

Alex Karaban had 0 points with 9 minutes left and scored 17 points to lead UConn to an 8 point overtime victory. Good job of Alex stepping up and making big plays to win the game.

Mullins apparently has a head injury and that’s a direct result of the Big East refs showing perhaps the most talented player in the league zero respect. The play he was injuried on, Mullins was grabbed and pushed as he was many times before. This is a result of poor leadership by Val Ackerman and the breakdown of officiating in her conference.

Ball broke out of his slump and made 24 points, 15 of which were big time threes. Much needed with Mullins injured.

Reed had a double /double with 10 points and 11 rebounds. But, we are just scratching the surface of what he can do. We need him deep posting more with more of a mindset to get him the ball away from double teams.

I watched the screens we set and they need to improve and be more physical. Granted we may not have the muscle guys to set tough screens like back in the Jake and KFree days, but if we don’t choose to run, we need tough screens.

Ross and Steward played 39 minutes combined and scored 2 points. True, there was some good defense but when two guys play 20% of our total minutes - we need more than 2 points.

Demary continues playing pretty good with 10 points and 7 assists. He did not lead us today to victory, Alex did but nevertheless Silas plays a key role.

 

[Umami Zen]

Alex Karaban had 0 points with 9 minutes left and scored 17 points to lead UConn to an 8 point overtime victory. Good job of Alex stepping up and making big plays to win the game.

Mullins apparently has a head injury and that’s a direct result of the Big East refs showing perhaps the most talented player in the league zero respect. The play he was injuried on, Mullins was grabbed and pushed as he was many times before. This is a result of poor leadership by Val Ackerman and the breakdown of officiating in her conference.

Ball broke out of his slump and made 24 points, 15 of which were big time threes. Much needed with Mullins injured.

Reed had a double /double with 10 points and 11 rebounds. But, we are just scratching the surface of what he can do. We need him deep posting more with more of a mindset to get him the ball away from double teams.

I watched the screens we set and they need to improve and be more physical. Granted we may not have the muscle guys to set tough screens line back in the Jake and KFree days, but if we don’t choose to run, we need tough screens.

Ross and Steward played 39 minutes combined and scored 2 points. True, there was some good defense but when two guys play 20% of our totsl minutes - we need more than 2 points.

Demary continues playing pretty good with 10 points and 7 assists. He did not lead us today to victory, Alex did but nevertheless Silas plays a key role.

Demary is a closer making winning plays at crunch time. Ross was highly disruptive on D. High energy dude and impactful. Not pretty-but effective. 19-1

 

[Old Man UConn]

So tired of the BE and the officiating. Explains why this team UCONN does better in OOC than in the league. So much holding on the cutting that uconn uses on their offense. Next game look off the ball at the holding. Lousy crew today for this game to start with. Team does need to play with more pace.

 

[gtcam]

It’s a big win and weirdly, at least to me, one that UConn probably should have lost. First, I am happy they pulled this W and showed some real heart down the stretch in OT.
The team came off a good stretch of having no games to mend and rest. I am hoping that it represents Solo’s full return. Hopefully BM is not going to miss any appreciable time.
Gritty win despite the questionable performance of the men in stripes.
This team needs a game where they are in control 75% of the time and not playing scramble ball in the last 3 minutes. A win is a win.

 

[Husky68]

I usually come up with all kinds of "technique" reasons why scores are too close, here I see too many easy looks missed. Do other teams get lot of offensive rebounds by pushing us out of way or am I just being a UConn homer.

 

[HCCForever]

I watched the screens we set and they need to improve and be more physical. Granted we may not have the muscle guys to set tough screens line back in the Jake and KFree days, but if we don’t choose to run, we need tough screens.

I watch the screens as well. Many times the UConn player does not use the screen effectively. Too much room between screener and themselves. IMO they need to force the defender into the screen and not allow defender to go over it.

 

[SeattleHoop]

Ross and Stewart have been playing great defense but if one or both don’t figure out how to contribute more on the offensive side of things, we are in trouble come tournament time.

We will flame out early the way Houston has the last couple of years because we can’t get enough scoring off the bench. It’s a real issue and I’m concerned about it.

Reed over-complicates his post moves too often leading to bad decisions and turnovers. Sanogo didn’t really have that issue, he would go up at the first sign of light.

I think Reed actually has more variety in his offensive bag than Sanogo did. But he spends too much time thinking about which tool in his bag to use rather than just going to work.

Those are the main two gripes I have right now and I think those are the things leading to these close games outside of rebounding and toughness as larger team wide issues.

On a positive note, this team keeps finding a way, and they are very solid and know their roles extremely well. They play together and care about each other.

The defense has been fantastic this season. We just need to get the offense to catch up with the defense a little bit.

 

[Chief00]

So tired of the BE and the officiating. Explains why this team UCONN does better in OOC than in the league. So much holding on the cutting that uconn uses on their offense. Next game look off the ball at the holding. Lousy crew today for this game to start with. Team does need to play with more pace.

I agree the league’s officiating is pretty lousy. The pushing and grabbing becomes routine and not called against our opponents. I blame that for the Mullins injury.

 

[Chief00]

I watch the screens as well. Many times the UConn player does not use the screen effectively. Too much room between screener and themselves. IMO they need to force the defender into the screen and not allow defender to go over it.

Yes, and I should have mention it’s not only the screener but the technique the guy uses running off the screen. Part of that may be the Euro ball type movements vs Rip Hamilton running off multiple or double screens.

 

[Chief00]

Ross and Stewart have been playing great defense but if one or both don’t figure out how to contribute more on the offensive side of things, we are in trouble come tournament time.

We will flame out early the way Houston has the last couple of years because we can’t get enough scoring off the bench. It’s a real issue and I’m concerned about it.

Reed over-complicates his post moves too often leading to bad decisions and turnovers. Sanogo didn’t really have that issue, he would go up at the first sign of light.

I think Reed actually has more variety in his offensive bag than Sanogo did. But he spends too much time thinking about which tool in his bag to use rather than just going to work.

Those are the main two gripes I have right now and I think those are the things leading to these close games outside of rebounding and toughness as larger team wide issues.

On a positive note, this team keeps finding a way, and they are very solid and know their roles extremely well. They play together and care about each other.

The defense has been fantastic this season. We just need to get the offense to catch up with the defense a little bit.

Good points. And it’s better to be a team who finds a way to win than a way to lose. Leading FG % 41% to 34% helps. Lately we have not been dominant on rebounding. We may lead by a few but not to the point it’s a material advantage. We are unselfish but is our shot selection choice consistently wise?

 

[Chief00]

I usually come up with all kinds of "technique" reasons why scores are too close, here I see too many easy looks missed. Do other teams get lot of offensive rebounds by pushing us out of way or am I just being a UConn homer.

I know I say this to the point others don’t want to hear it, but the way we play the high hedge is the catalyst to not being in position to box out or being on a rebounding mismatch with a guard on a bigger guy. Much of rebounding happens before the shot goes up.

 

[Chief00]

Demary is a closer making winning plays at crunch time. Ross was highly disruptive on D. High energy dude and impactful. Not pretty-but effective. 19-1

I agree Ross was disruptive on defense and that can contribute to wearing down our opponents late. While he was scoreless in 19 minutes, I always think he’s a guy that can fill the lane in the fast break we seldom try to run. When you try to earn time by doing the little things, going 0-2 from FT doesn’t help, but small sample size. I guess sometimes you can be so defensive focus you don’t round it out by rebounding but sometimes that’s because you are guarding their good shooter 20 feet from the basket.

 

[uconn1999]

Mullins was injured as a result of a poor entry pass to Reed and then running his head into Lewis’ shoulder reaching in for a steal. He wasn’t pushed. Lewis oddly was called for a foul. Hope he’s back soon.

 

[donyell34]

As others have said bench scoring is nonexistent. 2pts coming from Stewart and Ross is pathetic and with Mullins probably missing time we need so much more from those guys.

 

[Milo65]

I agree, Stewart and Ross need to step up offensively if they want more minutes. I thought their defense was pretty good. In general, I think the team plays better when there are two guards and Stewart, as opposed to Mullins/Ball/Demery are out there on the floor at the same time. I’m not sure if there is data out there to back it. I just think we rebound better, better D, and the spacing is better. I could be wrong, just my observation.

 

[kobebeanbryant]

Unless something clicks with this team and we see a big change (like 23), I see this team getting bounced early from tourny by a less talented team (like 06).

We either play down to other teams level and/or can’t put teams away and therefore make every game more difficult than it needs to be.

 

[prankster]

I agree the league’s officiating is pretty lousy. The pushing and grabbing becomes routine and not called against our opponents. I blame that for the Mullins injury.

It is consistently, perpetually, lousy.

When this is the case year over year over year... it is the design. It is the plan. It is the desired end.

If that were not the obvious case, then, somehow, by total accident, perhaps, an occasional "not lousy" would happen.

That eventuality never happens, though.

Thanks John Cahill. Thanks Val.

 

[mauconnfan]

Agree with almost all Chief, very well said.

Will disagree on Silas he was really good and when he’s not playing, we aren’t the same team or close. He makes big plays and I trust in him down the stretch as much, if not more, than anyone on this team. Need more of Silas, thought he could take his guy at will yesterday although his aggressiveness is based on his foul situation. The way he’s improved on his decision making is amazing to me.

Mullins was being held, groped and assaulted off the ball (as was everyone else) but they didn’t call fouls on anyone in the first half which I felt was a disadvantage to UConn yet again. The head shot to Braylon was not intentional and was unfortunate. He will be out a while so we need people to step up in a big way for a week or 2.

Tarris is a bit concerning, he’s leveled out. He has no explosion to the rim, he’s not boxing out at all which helped Brennan have a banner day. Also he’s too slow to develop his move, if he dribbles more than once and certainly more than twice, he needs to pass the ball. In his defense he threw a couple of very nice passes.

Also agree on screens, we don’t hold on to screens long enough often, releasing too early so our guards can’t deflect their defender off. Need to stay strong and make the defenders make decisions in the roll.

Overall can’t be unhappy they’re finding ways to win. The defense has been very solid and once again, UConn is tough to score on. But the offense is stagnant too often and it will be a bit worse with Braylon not in the lineup for a while. Alex can’t wait 31 minutes to wake up and we need Solo to be that guy we saw yesterday, more consistently.

As you said Stew and Ross came up big defensively at some point each. But now they need to score a little. Will be interesting as long as Braylon is out.

 

[mauconnfan]

Mullins was injured as a result of a poor entry pass to Reed and then running his head into Lewis’ shoulder reaching in for a steal. He wasn’t pushed. Lewis oddly was called for a foul. Hope he’s back soon.

I don’t think they called a foul on Lewis think they just called it out of bounds on him, which was the right call?

 

[AllHusky]

The Cardiac Kids. You can overdo the psychology, but their is certainly an element of "we don't want it to be too good" to the overall team psyche, hence the inability to "put teams away". Sanogos finger wagging "They thought they could beat us, they could not" doesn't seem to exist on this team. My belief, or hope, is that Dan and staff are working so hard on how they want the team to play is there is still too much thinking going on, rather than free wheeling instinctual reacting and style of play. Look at how close we were to taking down the eventual NCAA Champs in the tourney last year. That team, that day was vastly superior to what we saw for a good portion of the season. This team is obviously better. Believe that we are going to get the UConn late season jump in quality of play once again. Go Huskies.

 

[JakeTheDog]

Thanks chief. How do you feel about our rebounding? Seems like we give up a lot of o-boards and they inevitably lead to open threes.

 

[mauconnfan]

Thanks chief. How do you feel about our rebounding? Seems like we give up a lot of o-boards and they inevitably lead to open threes.

Yes good call. Although Reed had 10 boards if he put his butt on people he should’ve had 15-20 as he has his hands in many others but didn’t move anyone out of the way. He wasn’t the only one, boxing out was at a low yesterday it needs to improve.