Close games decided within 3 points

[huskiesnyc]

Why can't we win close games since our championship?

2015: 1 win 5 losses
2016: 1 win 4 losses (so far)

We've won 2 of our last 11 games decided by 3 or less past 2 seasons. Sure the players execution wasn't there but they looked like they had zero coaching the last 15 offensive possessions tonight. Time to fix some things. Bad luck is a losers excuse

 

[Ts5034]

Whats even more alarming to me is how many of these games we lose at home. Temple was bad enough and now tonight vs Cincy. We used to be a very good team at home. Even in down years where we went to the NIT we still took care of business at home a lot of the times. In the 2000-2001 NIT season, we were something like 1-9 on the road but still won our share of games at Gampel and Hartford.

 

[YearoftheHusky]

Player execution has everything to do with it. We don't defend, rebound, score... Even seem to care when we need to most.

 

[InKembaITrust]

Ollie needs to work on his late close game management. Number of times late in the game when there was a scoreless drought from both teams Ollie should have called a timeout to regroup and draw up a play (go inside to miller). He just continued to watch his team run down the shot clock and throw up prayers.

 

[Silk31]

I remember the good ole days when we used to come out on the winning side of these kind of games...I have no faith in our team in close games anymore. What a pitiful display to lose this game - players and coaches alike

 

[CAHUSKY]

No leader = no success in close games. The fact that we have 4 possible go to guys at the end of the game means we have none.

 

[3rdbass]

Player execution has everything to do with it. We don't defend, rebound, score... Even seem to care when we need to most.

I think our defense was fine down the end of games. It is our offense that is letting us down. This year we have no player who can take over a game like last year. We have great complimentary players that can play off a go to guy(DHAM and SM this year). Last year it was just a go to guy that all teams were ready to defend. I think if we could switch RB for SG we would be winning a lot of these close games this year. I think we need both and this year we are missing the go to guy who can finish a game. We have SM and DHAM who could play off him if covered.

 

[Ts5034]

No leader = no success in close games. The fact that we have 4 possible go to guys at the end of the game means we have none.

This is a great point. We knew going into the season there wasnt an alpha dog on the roster and many people were confident one will emerge in time. Well, its almost February and we still dont have an answer. The problem has been the inconsistency that everybody displays. Hamilton is lost right now and thats a huge problem. I think I saw a stat that he is shooting about 25% in conference play.

 

[jibsey]

Question. Who is our alpha next year? DHam's shooting excludes him.

 

[CAHUSKY]

Player execution has everything to do with it. We don't defend, rebound, score... Even seem to care when we need to most.

We don't defend? Our defense is among the top 15 in the country. It's been amazing. We just absolutely SUCK on offense.

 

[boog204]

No leader = no success in close games. The fact that we have 4 possible go to guys at the end of the game means we have none.

The irony is that this board waxed poetic at the season's start about how having "4 possible go to guys" will illustrate how excellent we will be offensively.

 

[YearoftheHusky]

We don't defend? Our defense is among the top 15 in the country. It's been amazing. We just absolutely SUCK on offense.

Not when we need it most. Temple... Cincy... We always give up the big shot.

 

[Tenspro2002]

The irony is that this board waxed poetic at the season's start about how having "4 possible go to guys" will illustrate how excellent we will be offensively.

Remember when this program used to generate positive surprises from the offseason to the regular year?

"Who's this Okafor kid? He looks like we might be able to build around him."
"What's this? Hilton Armstrong all of a sudden knows how to play?"
"Wow. Thabeet developed an offensive game."
"Kemba is a monster. Where'd this come from?"


Lately, just about every offseason hope, expectation, or question mark ends up in the negative.

"With Drummond in the fold, this is the most talented team we've had on paper. Surely we'll gel by February or March."
"That Nolan kid looked pretty good at the end of the year. With 3 more years of development, he could really be something."
"TSam was awesome in the tournament. He's definitely poised to be our next PG."
"With a full offseason of weightlifting and practice, Brimah's going to make a big leap."
"We have so many weapons on offense. Surely a leader will emerge."

 

[huskiesnyc]

When the game is on the line late our players choke simple as that. Very uncharacteristic of UConn basketball.

 

[UConn990411]

I think these brutal losses are overshadowing an even bigger concern - not a single player on the roster has improved since last year.

Purvis, Brimah, Hamilton, Facey, Calhoun and Nolan - all are basically the same players, if not a little bit worse. That trend makes it hard not to question the coaching.

 

[Silk31]

When the game is on the line late our players choke simple as that. Very uncharacteristic of UConn basketball.

No composure whatsoever, we don't even get off good looks. I can deal with us not knocking down a shot but almost everytime it's an out of control desperate play or a turnover

 

[gtcam]

Question. Who is our alpha next year? DHam's shooting excludes him.

His shooting has NOTHING to do with being a leader - so the leader needs to be the top scorer???
I am not sure he has the leadership qualities needed regardless of shooting percentage.

 

[tcf15]

The Florida and Tulsa AACT game from last year and this year's Texas and Georgetown games should be included in the win column. Game was close and within 3, but the final score is misleading because UConn hit a couple FTs at the end of the game when opponents were trying to make comeback.

Florida: 61-59 with 8 seconds to go, and then they hit 2 FTs to win 63-59
Tulsa: 43-42 with 49 seconds to go, and then they hit 4 FTs to win 47-42
Texas: 69-66 with 12 seconds to go, and then they hit 2 FTs to win 71-66
Georgetown: 65-62 with 18 seconds to go, and then they hit 3 FTs to win 68-62

 

[huskiesnyc]

The Florida and Tulsa AACT game from last year and this year's Texas and Georgetown games should be included in the win column. Game was close and within 3, but the final score is misleading because UConn hit a couple FTs at the end of the game when opponents were trying to make comeback.

Florida: 61-59 with 8 seconds to go, and then they hit 2 FTs to win 63-59
Tulsa: 43-42 with 49 seconds to go, and then they hit 4 FTs to win 47-42
Texas: 69-66 with 12 seconds to go, and then they hit 2 FTs to win 71-66
Georgetown: 65-62 with 18 seconds to go, and then they hit 3 FTs to win 68-62

Going by that logic I'm sure we lost plenty by more than 3 also. Off the top of my head I remember losing to Temple by 4 in overtime last year. Dham choked his free throws to win the game. Bottom line is this team absolutely sucks in close games and that's why we're sitting at 14-6 instead of at least 16-4.

 

[tcf15]

Going by that logic I'm sure we lost plenty by more than 3 also. Off the top of my head I remember losing to Temple by 4 in overtime last year. Dham choked his free throws to win the game. Bottom line is this team absolutely sucks in close games and that's why we're sitting at 14-6 instead of at least 16-4.

My subjective definition of a close game is UConn either winning or losing by 3 with about 2 minutes left in the game.

So far this year, UConn is 4-4 in close games, with 11 games remaining.
2015, UConn was 4-7
2014, UConn was 10-3
2013, UConn was 6-7

Obviously, the losses are very frustrating, and this team has enough talent where 4-4 this year is very disappointing. But UConn has shown the ability to win close games this year - they've just been inconsistent.

Will be interesting to see which way that 4-4 record goes over the next 11 games.

 

[killerBsaturn]

Why can't we win close games since our championship?

2015: 1 win 5 losses
2016: 1 win 4 losses (so far)

We've won 2 of our last 11 games decided by 3 or less past 2 seasons. Sure the players execution wasn't there but they looked like they had zero coaching the last 15 offensive possessions tonight. Time to fix some things. Bad luck is a losers excuse

2014: 6 win 1 losses

Hopefully were just regressing to the mean, and are now due for some close wins.

 

[huskiesnyc]

Bump.

Put whatever spin on it you want @tcf15 but this team absolutely SUCKS in close games and has for 2 years (which was the point of this thread). Today was one of the biggest collapses I've seen in college bball. I can't even remember a close game we've won other than Memphis at home when I felt the refs screwed them.

 

[TouchdownHusky]

The Florida and Tulsa AACT game from last year and this year's Texas and Georgetown games should be included in the win column. Game was close and within 3, but the final score is misleading because UConn hit a couple FTs at the end of the game when opponents were trying to make comeback.

Florida: 61-59 with 8 seconds to go, and then they hit 2 FTs to win 63-59
Tulsa: 43-42 with 49 seconds to go, and then they hit 4 FTs to win 47-42
Texas: 69-66 with 12 seconds to go, and then they hit 2 FTs to win 71-66
Georgetown: 65-62 with 18 seconds to go, and then they hit 3 FTs to win 68-62

But that is the problem......you list FT's and NOT FG's. Need FG's to win these games going away instead of the "hang on and keep your fingers crossed".

 

[Tenspro2002]

Bump.

Put whatever spin on it you want @tcf15 but this team absolutely SUCKS in close games and has for 2 years (which was the point of this thread). Today was one of the biggest collapses I've seen in college bball. I can't even remember a close game we've won other than Memphis at home when I felt the refs screwed them.

It's not complicated.

These players have never won anything and don't know how. They don't have the mentality, they don't have the leadership, they don't have the confidence.

 

[TouchdownHusky]

Not going to be a successful basketball program with an offense that models itself after the UConn football program. UConn - Home of the Absentee Offense.