Closing Ability

[rip7774]

You lose close games when u have only one natural PG on the roster and he doesn’t play. Cole is a warrior and I’ve changed my tune on him & his limited athleticism but really a strong combo guard and not fair he has to do everything for 40 mins.

A lot of us said all off-season that you can’t go into the season with this weak guard play/one really good shot creator on roster essentially and it would be a ton of rock fights. Was hoping I was wrong after Auburn Looked so good.

 

[sdglast]

Bascially, it comes down to a mix of coaching and playmaking. Not a huge fan of having the ball go through Cole. He is not Kemba or Shabazz, he is a good player who is a 3rd option on most teams. This team lacks a go-to player ala Bouknight. I think we all hoped Hawkins could develop into that player but so far he is not close. Martin is a marginal 3rd option, Polley can't handle it, Jackson lacks the scoring ability you need, and Gaffney is well, Gaffney. Sanogo while a very good player, is a post guy and can't create. It comes down to Hurley understanding this and working on sets to get Sanogo the ball late with kickout options, not trying to run down the shot clock with guys who struggle to create trying to create. Until UConn finds a true go-to player, they are going to continue to lose games like this.

 

[Palatine]

It didn't come into play today. But inbounding the ball at the end of games has been a problem for this team and that falls directly on the coach.

 

[August_West]

It's on the players too.

You can have your initial read, but when it's not there, players have to adjust and try something else.

It is. But you know the saying “ a team takes on the coaches personality”? I think it’s applicable here . We do. Hurley is tenacious as hell and a hard worker and so are our teams. He’s also a bit manic in big spots and so are our teams. His weakness is calm focus in crunch time and so is our teams.

 

[superjohn]

Is that on Hurley or the players?

It's on both but I put more of it on coaching. Talented veteran teams are not supposed to look anything like this game after game in winning time.

 

[MyDorona]

The problem, in this order, is in-game coaching, rotations, late-game execution…and in-game coaching.

Good teams will have a bad loss or two every year, especially on the road. But Hurley has watched these same issues play out half a dozen times this season and hasn’t done a single thing to change it. Believing in your system is one thing, but being stubborn is not a good trait for a coach.

He has some growing to do this offseason if he ever wants to take this team to the next level

I'm not even going to try and defend his end of game play-calling. But I'm not overly concerned about Hurley at this point. Even the best coaches need the right chess pieces on the board. I'm convinced that we don't have the right pieces (yet).

 

[UConnStats]

It's on the players too.

You can have your initial read, but when it's not there, players have to adjust and try something else.

Agreed. From top to bottom they’re scared. Nobody wants the ball when it matters. Hurley needed to give them a plan B besides Sanogo that last possession.

Look at the last possessions in the MSU, VCU, WVU, and now SHU games. We’re not getting better in these moments at all. It’s basically pure panic.

In today’s case it was an ugly ending to what I would consider a pretty impressive performance though.

 

[BugsyCT]

I don't see this even as a moral victory at all. We've already proven we can play pretty good teams close, but rarely finish the job.

It's a tough loss. Not much more.

 

[NEforceUConn]

Tragic

Need more Hawkins

Last five should have been: Gaff, Polley, Hawkins, Tyrise and Adama

 

[Conquistador]

Tragic

Need more Hawkins

Agreed. But he’s a freshman. How about Martin! He hurt us today. He dropped his head a lot, moped, and showed no leadership. We need an Alpha Dog to get in guys faces! He was just terrible all around.

 

[UConn990411]

I'm not even going to try and defend his end of game play-calling. But I'm not overly concerned about Hurley at this point. Even the best coaches need the right chess pieces on the board. I'm convinced that we don't have the right pieces (yet).

I’m optimistic about the state of the program overall, but the lack of progress with some of these issues is concerning if they want to take the next step.

From the outside looking in, it really feels like Hurley is a bit stuck in his ways. He has a solid foundation to build on (already taken three teams to the tourney, for instance), but as someone whose never even made the Sweet 16, I hope he’s open-minded to change for things that clearly aren’t working.

 

[MyDorona]

I don't see this even as a moral victory at all. We've already proven we can play pretty good teams close, but rarely finish the job.

It's a tough loss. Not much more.

100%. This is closer to the heartbreaking MSU loss than it is a moral victory. We played a peer (NOT a much better team) closely in a rockfight, only to blow it during closing time. We were up 7 or so here down the stretch, same as vs. MSU.

 

[UConnStats]

Tragic

Need more Hawkins

Last five should have been: Gaff, Polley, Hawkins, Tyrise and Adama

Hawkins was dropping/losing the ball left and right and hanging his head on the court. Hurley had to take him out when he did IMO

 

[auror]

Glad we didn’t go after Kadary that hard in the off season. Lol.

It's been mentioned several times by people in the know that Kadary was locked up to Hall before he even entered the portal. Was a done deal. Not much to be done.

 

[Chin Diesel]

You lose close games when u have only one natural PG on the roster and he doesn’t play. Cole is a warrior and I’ve changed my tune on him & his limited athleticism but really a strong combo guard and not fair he has to do everything for 40 mins.

A lot of us said all off-season that you can’t go into the season with this weak guard play/one really good shot creator on roster essentially and it would be a ton of rock fights. Was hoping I was wrong after Auburn Looked so good.

This is true but Cole still gets in a lot of trouble when he tries to make things happen in the lane. Yes, he makes a real good old man lay up every game but against better teams Cole gets lost in lane. Same with Martin.

I really want to see Cole being distributor and working perimeter for holes to shoot 3's as Jackson does the driving and playmaking.

 

[alphasigko]

It really is amazing how many times we come out of a timeout and don't get a shot off.

That was so hard to watch. Bottom line: Gaffney is not the PG to direct a winning play in the last 30 seconds of a game.

 

[alphasigko]

THIS: "The frustration is because we’ve pissed away 4 wins because we are total deer in the headlights closing games."

 

[August_West]

Tragic

Need more Hawkins

Last five should have been: Gaff, Polley, Hawkins, Tyrise and Adama

No we don’t need more Hawkins. At all. Not right yet. He’s got some issues to work through . Too many mental errors and then gets all hang dog after them. It’s a little concerning actually .

 

[Austin316]

Hurley has said for years now we need more swagger and toughness. We need more of this and it can’t be coached. Need more fire in our belly.

 

[Huskybass]

Losing by 3 in OT on the road to a ranked team isn't the end of the world, but there were certainly opportunities to win this game. It was an uphill battle once Cole fouled out. We don't really have another experienced ball handler/ floor general.

 

[rip7774]

This is true but Cole still gets in a lot of trouble when he tries to make things happen in the lane. Yes, he makes a real good old man lay up every game but against better teams Cole gets lost in lane. Same with Martin.

I really want to see Cole being distributor and working perimeter for holes to shoot 3's as Jackson does the driving and playmaking.

Not arguing ur points, I’m trying to be diplomatic. I’ve watched quick, athletic guards for 30 years we have none. Trying to look on bright side of Cole’s game. He is a warrior.

 

[Hi-Low]

Have to admire the many ways this team invents new ways to lose close games.

 

[Hi-Low]

Losing by 3 in OT on the road to a ranked team isn't the end of the world, but there were certainly opportunities to win this game. It was an uphill battle once Cole fouled out. We don't really have another experienced ball handler/ floor general.

The team turned the ball over like 20 times and in crucial spots...that is why lost.

 

[Letsgohuskies11]

No we don’t need more Hawkins. At all. Not right yet. He’s got some issues to work through . Too many mental errors and then gets all hang dog after them. It’s a little concerning actually .

I'd been pretty vocal about giving Hawkins more PT but he looks like he has 0 confidence out there and loses the ball more than he's productive with it. Need to take baby steps with him not put him in end game situations that he has no confidence being in

 

[driveway]

We have no go to guy on this team. RJ Cole isn’t it or Tyrese even though they are good scorers when opportunity comes. Jordan Hawkins could be it but he’s getting the freshman treatment for this season.

Hawkins' handle is horrendous right now, as is his decision making. Definitely not the game ending answer.