LOL - Let me address the content - it was intentionally soft since for the first time this season I provided insight via the realtime chatroom. Additionally, I had a philosophical discussion with a couple friends regarding - are we perhaps too hard on college kids ? Do we expect them to be too perfect in how they play? So I decided to just let a good win speak for itself taking a big picture view - But, now I realized people were waiting for the usual content and missed it!
Ok - some thoughts:
- We need to clean up the small stuff that cause loses - giving them 2 free foul shots after falling into the lane while the opponent shot a FT or keeping the offensive ball handler between our knees on defense rather than letting him blow by. Also, after missing another FT, Purvis came close to a technical toward the end which would have hurt.
- Purvis is shooting 53% from the line and I will use the term - and "quite frankly" that's unacceptable and will knock us out of the tournament if he doesn't improve. Along those thoughts looks like KO has settled for now at least on Gibbs and Hamilton to be the guys handling the ball and thus going to the line at the end of the game. Gibbs was at 87% - so for every 10 FT shots Gibbs will make about 9 and Purvis 5. That's a huge difference in close games.
- I thought Miller is turning into the player Jim Calhoun predicted - he also showed he could be a stretch 4 - but Jim wants him inside rebounding, setting screens and posting up.
- Facey has shown an ability now to play with some intensity but I still question his strength against some opponents.
- Adams has great potential but still hasn't completely put it together his freshman year - like many others on this team he needs to fight through screens and stay with his man rather than switching. They just don't switch very transparently - they end up leaving someone open.
- I know it was Macks best game but yes he impressed me.
- Bob Cousy use to have a saying - you can't get closer than close - Hamilton needs to learn that - if you have a good shot in the lane take it and don't over pass.
- Glen Miller seems to be winning the zone debate on the coaching staff - they actually played a lot of zone last night.
- I won't over analyze the carries - saw a season's worth of carry calls last night- until it becomes a trend I won't comment on it other than to say UConn needs to react quicker in general to what the refs are calling in a specific game because the calls are not going our way.
- How do we get Purvis to play well in the first half as he does in the second half.
