I think the point of several posters is that Dan Hurley doesn’t trust AM to play the point in a close game and we are concerned about Hass playing 40 min a game. He wasn’t the problem….but he didn’t play, so maybe that is a bit of a problem
Chief’s Briefs - Xavier Edition
- Thread starter Chief00
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What I love is that Singare is playing well enough to earn development minutes, which should help him for next year and also means we can turn to him now when needed.
One thing on Xavier's 3 point shooting--they shot 13-24 for the game but 1-5 in OT. They were 12-19 in regulation for nearly 64%. Yes they are good shooters but they made a lot of tough shots (fadeaways, 3s moving to the side as they shot it, etc.). I would hasten to say UConn actually got the better 3 looks and made a far worse percentage of them (33%). Credit Xavier for playing hard and shooting great from 3, but shooting 3s at nearly 64% in a game is unsustainable in the long run. They played just about an A game for them in their situation, with UConn probably play a C to C-plus game, and UConn still found a way to win. Openers are never easy (Creighton can tell you that) in league play, so glad to have that one under our belt. On to Butler which won't be easy.
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Stop with the Mahaney isn't a point guard stuff. He's not playing the two at 6'2 165 lbs. He was a 1 at St. Mary's. He could maybe play off the ball if we had a Castle or Newton on the roster with size at the point, but we don't. It's either point guard or nothing, and the answer appears to be nothing.
gtcam
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Going into the game, it was known that X depended a lot on their 3 pt shooting. Not saying that anyone would think that Maddox would have a career game (but that bug is definitely a UConn DNA that has been impossible to shake) but perimeter D is horrible.
The one thing that will kill this UConn team is the lack of consistent defensive effort.
Will it improve? I certainly hope so.
It was a gutsy win but should not have been that close.
The refs were again, abysmal at best.
Going into the game, it was known that X depended a lot on their 3 pt shooting. Not saying that anyone would think that Maddox would have a career game (but that bug is definitely a UConn DNA that has been impossible to shake) but perimeter D is horrible.
The one thing that will kill this UConn team is the lack of consistent defensive effort.
Will it improve? I certainly hope so.
It was a gutsy win but should not have been that close.
The refs were again, abysmal at best.
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We let teams get way too comfortable, either by not stopping penetration or not running them off spots. We gave up too many open shots early. Once you let someone get hot, you run the risk that they start making tougher shots. By the time we started clamping down, it was too late.
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cohenzone
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Undeniable truth about hoops. A team really looks great when the ball goes through the hoop. Xavier kids hit a bunch of contested 3s regardless of what might have been defensive issues sometimes. Obviously if they shoot a normal very good percent the game isn’t close. They were unconscious. It happens. We won.
Actually, I time it just before halftime, so it wasn’t too bad for me but just a couple minutes after I got in line, long lines formed 3 or 4 people wide formed. They block the concourse flow of traffic and just create a terrible customer experience in stark contrast to the great game.
There’s no excuse for this level of decision making incompetence and it indicates a disconnect from understanding the average customer’s experience. Never a good thing in any business.
3 point shooting is like rebounding, so much of the necessary work is done before the ball is touched. Especially when a team is not denying the ball, move your man off the line by crowding or taking the right angle and pressure on the ball full court (which we did some) to take them out if their offense.
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Agree with many of your main points, but not so sure it was a lack of effort but rather misdirected effort. Guys getting caught in between, guys trying to help defense when they should just stay on their man and make him uncomfortable in his sweet spots. Again, much of defense is before your man touches the ball. Sometimes though guys will also make tough shots. Please don’t get me started on one ref in particular (dark hair). His professionalism was lacking - put so much into Xavier calls emotionally with his motions /gestures. Hurley apparently lives. In his head, in a bad way.
Watching Solo intently on D. His on ball D seems to be improving, still a bit inconsistent, but better by 2x. To Chiefs point, watched Solo a number of times drift towards the ball when his man was on the opposite side. When they swung it quickly to the opposite side, Solo was too far away to either deny the ball or impact the shot, so Balls man got a relatively clean look at a 3pointer, and sunk it a couple of times.
I know that’s Danny’s Arguments but the +/- of that theory displays on the court and it has been largely a disaster. I rather have Mahaney play the two where he’s guarding a more long distance shooter than getting beaten to the basket, which also got guys open 3’s due to help defense.
Comparing elite national and Big East competition to mid major conference is a huge contrast.
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These guys aren't stand still shooters. Asking Mahaney to play the 2 just exacerbates our defensive issues and lack of size in the backcourt.
If he can't play the 1 here, he can't play.
I think he has good value as a 3 point shooter, if we play him in his natural role. He is one of the top 3 shooters on the team if you look at his shooting stroke and touch. He just needs to be in a role that fits him at this level. I agree you don’t want two guys under 6-2 in the backcourt all game but there’s no reason why it can’t work well in certain rotations and given who your opponent is playing.
Waquoit
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Not positve but I'm pretty sure there's a state law that urinals and women's toilets need to be equal or close to equal. I remember when some guys were irked that The Rent has a couple of extra women's rooms scattered about. But it sounds like you need to take action for your own good. I suggest you start by calling the XL Center and sharing your concern. After they hang-up on you, send them a strongly worded letter, cc the Governor's office and the CDRA. If the reply is unsatisfactory, you'll need to start a petition. I'm sure the Yard will supply you with several signatures.
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It would be really nice if the staff (and Aidan) could find a way to make Mahaney's time on the court work.
Somehow, at Creighton, McDermott has made Ashworth a net plus (even against strong comp) and that guy is an undersized/understrengthed shrimp of a guard.
Great post!!
While, I thought Gaffbey and Potter were fair, Driscoll almost seemed energized further to escalate his feud with Hurley due to the criticism Hurley took reacting to Driscoll’s unprofessional officiating during the Memphis game. It must be great reffing to settle a personal feud and to have the victim get all of the blame?
There was zero communication between Driscoll and Hurley or his assistants before or during the Xavier game. In contrast with the other two refs.
Syracuse native Driscoll made bizarre calls throughout the game, which all favored Xavier.
Late in the regulation he enthusiastically made an out of bounds call against UConn that the other two refs had going the other way as did the reply review. Yet, Driscoll made the bad call as the ref closet to the play. He also called the last foul against UConn with seconds left in regulation, which put the game into overtime. Keeping the tradition alive from his two late Maui calls.
Yet, we were bombard with articles criticizing Hurley’s reaction in Maui but zero media coverage either local or national of Driscoll’s unprofessional feud against Hurley that continued Wednesday night while Hurley made an effort to improve his sideline demeanor.
Does this means there is zero accountability for a veteran ref unlike a veteran coach?
There was zero communication between Driscoll and Hurley or his assistants before or during the Xavier game. In contrast with the other two refs.
Syracuse native Driscoll made bizarre calls throughout the game, which all favored Xavier.
Late in the regulation he enthusiastically made an out of bounds call against UConn that the other two refs had going the other way as did the reply review. Yet, Driscoll made the bad call as the ref closet to the play. He also called the last foul against UConn with seconds left in regulation, which put the game into overtime. Keeping the tradition alive from his two late Maui calls.
Yet, we were bombard with articles criticizing Hurley’s reaction in Maui but zero media coverage either local or national of Driscoll’s unprofessional feud against Hurley that continued Wednesday night while Hurley made an effort to improve his sideline demeanor.
Does this means there is zero accountability for a veteran ref unlike a veteran coach?
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You will find many fans will lean towards blaming Mahaney for anything and everything these days. It is really pitiful so thank you for your observation proving the naysayers all incompetent.
He’s also being force fed a position he basically never played at St Marys and doesn’t look completely comfortable in. Might want to try using his strengths at some point.
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and this issue is even there even after a rebuild of the Civic Center.
Waquoit
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It's been an issue since before the place hosted Boston Celtic games. Non-casual fans know the play is to get the jump on the 4-minute timeout and head to the men's room in the upper end zone. Back before play resumes.
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First, let me say that I want to see Aidan get comfortable and be productive as much as any positive UConn fan...
That being said, we need to stop trying to apologize and make the excuses of "he's not a PG. he's not comfortable doing that, he needs to move to off-guard"
The fact of the matter is that as a UConn guard in our offense, he needs to be able to bring the ball up the court with confidence, and get our offense going. If this means bringing it to the 3pt arc and then starting a set, then do it. If it means finding a seam in the D, penetrating, then scoring or dishing...then do it. That's also part of our offense, too. We've seen Hass, McNeeley, Spencer, Newton, etc. do it.
Check out this play from the NCAAT when he's being guarded by some decent defender from a decent team. Where is that Aidan Mahaney? What he did looks like something a PG would do?
That being said, we need to stop trying to apologize and make the excuses of "he's not a PG. he's not comfortable doing that, he needs to move to off-guard"
The fact of the matter is that as a UConn guard in our offense, he needs to be able to bring the ball up the court with confidence, and get our offense going. If this means bringing it to the 3pt arc and then starting a set, then do it. If it means finding a seam in the D, penetrating, then scoring or dishing...then do it. That's also part of our offense, too. We've seen Hass, McNeeley, Spencer, Newton, etc. do it.
Check out this play from the NCAAT when he's being guarded by some decent defender from a decent team. Where is that Aidan Mahaney? What he did looks like something a PG would do?
CL82
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It's snowing here in Jersey. Damn you Mahaney!
CL82
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Why can't we get kids like that?
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"He's played with early confidence" - there it is
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People criticize Hurley for getting a mid-major guard who is now struggling against more athletic competition. But that's the thing -- some of Mahaney's best performances came against powerhouse Gonzaga. He showed moxie and fight against us in 2023.
The argument that he feasted on scrub teams and we should have known he would struggle against high-major competition is kind of bogus.
Do you know if the referee assignments are made before the season?
Given the history of Hurley, and this referee, it would seem prudent for the big east to avoid potential problems by pulling this guy off the uconn games
Imho this shows a lack of insight and leader ship on the part of the BE commissioner especially when you’re dealing with the marquee program and what is generally acknowledged as the best coach in college basketball
It’s a bad look when what was really a great college game being marred by a phantom foul
Call
Also, completely agree with you on the Outabounds call
That was right in front of him with no obstruction
Only conclusion is he’s either incompetent or has an agenda
Have viewed your post regarding this guy with some skepticism in the past, but I’ve crossed over to your side lol
What Chief posts sometimes is just a fraction of what I know on a subject. This didn’t start at Maui but the negative coverage Hurley received seems to have embolden this Syracuse native even further. His emotion in that ridiculous out of bounds call - highlighted to me - how far Driscoll has strayed from being objective.
But, time to call out the CT media - where is your coverage of disgraceful officiating?
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I think Hurley wanted a guard who could shoot and score and play point guard. Mahaney can do all that, but so far he has just played poorly, shot poorly and handled the ball poorly this season. I think a lot of it psychological. He is in a new place, hasn’t done well and lost his confidence. If the starters can build up some leads against some of the weaker big east opposition, I think Hurley will give Mahaney a chance to work out of his funk and he will be a solid backup to Diarra and Ball. I think some patience is needed. I Let him play atleast half a season before writing him off.
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