Closing Ability

[TRest]

Didn't see this posted anywhere so throwing it here, not a huge fan of Dan Hurley quotes like these.

 

[cohenzone]

It’s been so long, didn’t JC yank players immediately when they turned the ball over?

No. Only when it was an obvious bad play.He was the hook master for sure, but not quite that extreme.

 

[MexicoHusky]

Like many others, I feel our inability to finish a game relates to our suspect guard play. It is what it is. We've talked about it a ton. I don't think Dan Hurley can coach around this limitation, but there are likely some in game coaching criticisms that are warranted. The real criticism is allowing our guard situation to decay to this point. Which is another topic we have discussed significantly. This has to be corrected in the off-season and cannot consistently happen again. Otherwise Dan Hurley will struggle and eventually fail at UCONN

For the time being we will continue to struggle against tournament caliber teams. Those games will be a toss up. Maybe we make the tournament, but maybe we do not.

 

[uconngb]

Beat good Auburn in OT. Beat decent VCU in OT. Arguably got hosed by a terrible call vs MSU that changed the game. SH gets a big break on a wild possession that UConn forced and wind up with a last instant foul that probably sealed the game. Not to mention we best Marquette in a relatively close game and I’m pretty sure they beat the snot out of Providence. I’d bet a bunch Hurley didn’t design a play that ran the clock down to one second. SH is a good defensive team that we hung a lot of points on. Guaranteed they had something to do with our running the clock down.

Honestly, people here react like the other team doesn’t play a role in how a possession goes. And we all know we have limitations on this team with creators, especially ones who can score for themselves. I once asked a player who did well for us under Calhoun if the other team ever made a good play. He smiled because he knew I was asking about Calhoun’s attitude and said “never”.

Your arguments are exactly the issue. Bad call by the ref. Bad bounce of the ball. Close losses are easy to explain away by a “bad break” here or there. The fact of the matter is, you have to win close games to be a good team. Period.

The Auburn game never should have been a close double OT game. We blew a 15 point lead w 10 minutes to go. Our team tightens up in close, late game situations. Anyone that doesn’t recognize that is just whistling past the graveyard.

This ain’t horseshoes. We aren’t looking to be good enough to compete. We need to start winning these games. We are a scatterbrained team when the money is on the line. That’s a direct extension of our coach right now. It has to change.

 

[Palatine]

Closing well means doing things we don't do well.

Getting the ball inbounds against pressure.

Attacking and punishing pressure.

Making foul shots down the stretch.

Spreading the floor to punish double teams.

Playing defense without fouling.

 

[RioDog]

I get why people micro examine Hurley whether or not the conclusions drawn make any sense . But take a look at today’s for example scores and see how ranked teams did away from home. How many lost to lower ranked teams and didn’t come down to the wire? The point being, with a pretty flawed team, Hurley has this team playing pretty well. Coming off this lay off I was pretty happy how they performed Do other coaches get every move examined by fan bases the way ours does? I see us with two major problems and are still a tough out. It’s a lack of ball handlers and an inability to keep guards from penetrating. We have 4 losses, 2 in OT and all close. Except for Hawkins, whose value is yet to be determined, we are not seeing our other touted freshmen play. Johnson has a crowded field. Diggins really doesn’t. I still think we are a fun team to watch.

In this way we are the Notre Dame of college hoops.

 

[cohenzone]

Don’t think anyone is looking for perfection. Just one more point than the other team in these 50/50 games. Our record in them under Hurley is abysmal. That’s just a fact.

I took a look at Calhoun’s history through his early UConn years. Up through about year 7 hus OT record wax 2-9. Didn’t count all the close games for wins and losses. His OT record after the early period was phenomenal. But none of the scores tell you how it got to OT in the first place, which is nice to know. Is it on the coach when his team plays really well but your All American misses 2 FT that would’ve iced the game and loses in OT? Did they blow a lead so that they got into a situation where they needed those foul shots? The point is, every game is different MSU involved a terrible no call. Yesterday a mad scramble winds up with a foul call after a very good defensive sequence. Two games against quality teams where I’m not so sure it’s on the coach tge way the end played out. Obviously the clock running out is bad., but is it bad design or the other team countering successfully. I’m more concerned that we have one guy who is good at creating for himself. Makes us easier to defend.

 

[Greathusky]

We were up by 9 points at one point and proceeded to turn the ball three times in a row. I see just as big a problem not extending our leads than in closing out games.

 

[cohenzone]

In this way we are the Notre Dame of college hoops.

Don’t ever compare us to ND. The most overrated self-important sports factory in history. Duke and Cuse are more palatable. (My son works in the literal shadow of the Dome and his wife is a Dukie so I’m required to be somewhat tolerant.)

 

[Luckyhusky81]

We are good, yet have flaws just like every team. We hit a few 3s and we can beat anyone. Look over at the seton hall board- saying we are the best team they have played this season. ESPN has us vs Auburn as game of the year. But yes- gotta close .

 

[uconngb]

I took a look at Calhoun’s history through his early UConn years. Up through about year 7 hus OT record wax 2-9. Didn’t count all the close games for wins and losses. His OT record after the early period was phenomenal. But none of the scores tell you how it got to OT in the first place, which is nice to know. Is it on the coach when his team plays really well but your All American misses 2 FT that would’ve iced the game and loses in OT? Did they blow a lead so that they got into a situation where they needed those foul shots? The point is, every game is different MSU involved a terrible no call. Yesterday a mad scramble winds up with a foul call after a very good defensive sequence. Two games against quality teams where I’m not so sure it’s on the coach tge way the end played out. Obviously the clock running out is bad., but is it bad design or the other team countering successfully. I’m more concerned that we have one guy who is good at creating for himself. Makes us easier to defend.

You’re trying to compare things completely out of context. If your eyes don’t tell you that there is a concerning theme here that continues to play out under this coach, I don’t know what to tell you. Our players are much better yet we are still losing winnable games. And we have a coach that refuses to make adjustments.

It’s a troubling theme. Some of us would rather see this trend end. Apparently you are ok with coming close and using excuses for why these close games are turning into losses instead of wins.

 

[cohenzone]

We are good, yet have flaws just like every team. We hit a few 3s and we can beat anyone. Look over at the seton hall board- saying we are the best team they have played this season. ESPN has us vs Auburn as game of the year. But yes- gotta close .

Glad you posted. The idea that Hurley is the problem and doesn’t know how to close is kind of betrayed by his quite successful history, including OT games where his pre-UConn record was 13-4. UConn is not a team other teams look forward to playing. Are we flawed? Of course as are most teams. #6 Kansas lost at #25 Texas Tech yesterday in a game that was close but not in doubt in the last minute. Every game is different. All I know is that our team under Hurley is rarely out of any game and beats up on teams we should.

 

[husky429]

I’m a huge Hurley guy, but was curious if his record in close games is as bad as people make it out to be.

Since he got here in 2019 UConn is 11-21 (or 34%) in overtime games and two possession games

If you exclude the first year where we were just an awful team, UConn is 10-14 (42%).

Bad? yes. Awful? Maybe

Wow. That's all I've got.

 

[temery]

I’m a huge Hurley guy, but was curious if his record in close games is as bad as people make it out to be.

Since he got here in 2019 UConn is 11-21 (or 34%) in overtime games and two possession games

If you exclude the first year where we were just an awful team, UConn is 10-14 (42%).

Bad? yes. Awful? Maybe

What's the home vs away record?

 

[superjohn]

Didn't see this posted anywhere so throwing it here, not a huge fan of Dan Hurley quotes like these.

Hurley is @Scrappy3, awesome!

 

[Tenspro2002]

Nailed it in the head. I went into this thread thinking one thing which is that we lack a go to athletic playmaker/shot creator that can consistently get their own bucket. That’s something that becomes the most important in closing minutes whether it’s college or the NBA. And we see how it’s hurting us now.

This is the problem.

Cole is our only facilitator who regularly looks for his own shot, and he's overmatched athletically at this level.

Jackson gets to the rim, but always passes and everyone knows it.

Martin can bully smaller guards, doesn't quite have the explosiveness against other matchups.

Gaffney has made some nice aggressive moves to the rim, but can't do it consistently.

Hawkins was supposed to be this guy, but just looks weak physically and maybe mentally right now.

 

[Fatroony5]

Beat good Auburn in OT. Beat decent VCU in OT. Arguably got hosed by a terrible call vs MSU that changed the game. SH gets a big break on a wild possession that UConn forced and wind up with a last instant foul that probably sealed the game. Not to mention we best Marquette in a relatively close game and I’m pretty sure they beat the snot out of Providence. I’d bet a bunch Hurley didn’t design a play that ran the clock down to one second. SH is a good defensive team that we hung a lot of points on. Guaranteed they had something to do with our running the clock down.

Honestly, people here react like the other team doesn’t play a role in how a possession goes. And we all know we have limitations on this team with creators, especially ones who can score for themselves. I once asked a player who did well for us under Calhoun if the other team ever made a good play. He smiled because he knew I was asking about Calhoun’s attitude and said “never”.

Need to stop getting to the point where we’re making excuses for the loses. Context is obviously important but there are always plays in a game you can point to and say, if it went this way, they would’ve won. It hasn’t, lots of self inflicted wounds in these games but it’s been a pattern for some time now. I also really don’t like how Hurley keeps doubling down on this notion of: we’d be a top 5 teams if we closed out games. They’re not even ranked, please stop with that. I think their record and rankings accurately reflects what the team is. Certainly not time to panic or anything, plenty of season left. I just really don’t like when a coach says that. Maybe hits different if Jay Wright says that.

 

[MyDorona]

I also really don’t like how Hurley keeps doubling down on this notion of: we’d be a top 5 teams if we closed out games. They’re not even ranked, please stop with that. I think their record and rankings accurately reflects what the team is. Certainly not time to panic or anything, plenty of season left. I just really don’t like when a coach says that. Maybe hits different if Jay Wright says that.

I couldn't agree more with this. I'm a lifelong Pats fan, a franchise that has been consistently better at finishing out games than any other franchise or program for 20+ years running. These are the sorts of statements I'm used to hearing from the Manning Colts, the Steelers, or the 2016 Falcons after another Pats W.

I simply couldn't imagine Belichick saying anything like this after a loss, and I'd like to think this mentality has something to do with why the Pats continue to be elite finishers, even post-Brady. I like Hurley overall and think he will bring success to this program, but he does have a woe-is-me personality and demeanor when things start to go sideways.

 

[cohenzone]

You’re trying to compare things completely out of context. If your eyes don’t tell you that there is a concerning theme here that continues to play out under this coach, I don’t know what to tell you. Our players are much better yet we are still losing winnable games. And we have a coach that refuses to make adjustments.

It’s a troubling theme. Some of us would rather see this trend end. Apparently you are ok with coming close and using excuses for why these close games are turning into losses instead of wins.

Apparently we know what he designed. Of course I want them to win. I just wonder what your eyes tell you about the opponents? Do people here analyze them as closely as our team? I can make a case that following our lay off and lack of practice time we had no business having a chance to win yesterday on the road against a ranked team. I guess that was not
to Hurley’s credit. Jackson made two great entry passes that were fumbled, who designed those plays? Just saying our close losses aren’t against crap teams and we’ve won a few close ones against good teams. The assumption that Hurley is a clueless closer is not supported by his history. There is maybe a better case that he hasn’t recruited well for ball handlers who can create for themselves. But Bouk leaving early made a bit of a difference. Jackson is pretty good at creating for others, not so much so far for creating for himself. Richmond.who I don’t follow. at least yesterday showed what a player can do to take over a game. He made it a close game and forced us to adjust. Anyway, as I’ve said, the lack of time for Diggins is more troubling given the need for ball handling support for Cole. I think that’s our real Achilles heel.

 

[RioDog]

Don’t ever compare us to ND. The most overrated self-important sports factory in history. Duke and Cuse are more palatable. (My son works in the literal shadow of the Dome and his wife is a Dukie so I’m required to be somewhat tolerant.)

Don’t ever compare us to ND. The most overrated self-important sports factory in history. Duke and Cuse are more palatable. (My son works in the literal shadow of the Dome and his wife is a Dukie so I’m required to be somewhat tolerant.)

Your personal dislike for ND notwithstanding, the point was that when you have operated at such a high level, i.e. multiple national championships, the fanbase, media, and everyone else tend to crawl up the coach's @$$.

I promise I'll never compare our beloved UConn to Puke or The Fruit.

 

[Fatroony5]

I couldn't agree more with this. I'm a lifelong Pats fan, a franchise that has been consistently better at finishing out games than any other franchise or program for 20+ years running. These are the sorts of statements I'm used to hearing from the Manning Colts, the Steelers, or the 2016 Falcons after another Pats W.

I simply couldn't imagine Belichick saying anything like this after a loss, and I'd like to think this mentality has something to do with why the Pats continue to be elite finishers, even post-Brady. I like Hurley overall and think he will bring success to this program, but he does have a woe-is-me personality and demeanor when things start to go sideways.

For him to say that yesterday after failing for the fourth time to close a game out late just wasn’t something I liked at all. Comparing this team to a top 5 team is so silly, he’s never even gotten a team close to that. When your Jay Wright, you get to say that. Again still plenty of season left, not time to panic or anything. But very curious to see if they show improvement in these late game situations.

 

[cohenzone]

Your personal dislike for ND notwithstanding, the point was that when you have operated at such a high level, i.e. multiple national championships, the fanbase, media, and everyone else tend to crawl up the coach's @$$.

I promise I'll never compare our beloved UConn to Puke or The Fruit.

Yeah, I know. We should only be viewed as relevant for the next 100 years like ND still living off Rockne.

 

[RioDog]

Yeah, I know. We should only be viewed as relevant for the next 100 years like ND still living off Rockne.

I get it you don't like ND. No problem.

 

[8893]

For him to say that yesterday after failing for the fourth time to close a game out late just wasn’t something I liked at all. Comparing this team to a top 5 team is so silly, he’s never even gotten a team close to that. When your Jay Wright, you get to say that. Again still plenty of season left, not time to panic or anything. But very curious to see if they show improvement in these late game situations.

Not even after failing; like I said yesterday, it looked to me like he accepted that result well before the end of the game and seemed contented to have played them close.

I think what has surprised me the most about him as a coach is that he is not as bothered by losing as I expected him to be.

 

[Fatroony5]

Not even after failing; like I said yesterday, it looked to me like he accepted that result well before the end of the game and seemed contented to have played them close.

I think what has surprised me the most about him as a coach is that he is not as bothered by losing as I expected him to be.

He seems to feel the need to always justify his results, wins or losses. Now I’m getting Down voted for suggesting it’s not great that a coach whose team is literally unranked shouldn’t be saying they could be a top five team lol. This board is weird. I remain in the camp of: really like Hurley, but think it’s fair to critique some of the in coaching decisions and roster moves.

 

[8893]

He seems to feel the need to always justify his results, wins or losses. Now I’m getting Down voted for suggesting it’s not great that a coach whose team is literally unranked shouldn’t be saying they could be a top five team lol. This board is weird. I remain in the camp of: really like Hurley, but think it’s fair to critique some of the in coaching decisions and roster moves.

I’m with you. I like guy. He has improved the mess Ollie left in his wake, but Ollie got flogged here for making half the excuses this guy peddles. They have had opposite trajectories so far and I guess we have to keep hoping that’s the case and that Danny is slowly but surely making us and him better.

 

[mrl2016]

The Auburn game never should have been a close double OT game. We blew a 15 point lead w 10 minutes to go. Our team tightens up in close, late game situations. Anyone that doesn’t recognize that is just whistling past the graveyard.

When you play top 10 teams like 14-1 Auburn they’re gonna make a run in a second half. Teams like that don’t go quiet into the night and get blown out. It was obvious they would make it close at some point

 

[Fatroony5]

I’m with you. I like guy. He has improved the mess Ollie left in his wake, but Ollie got flogged here for making half the excuses this guy peddles. They have had opposite trajectories so far and I guess we have to keep hoping that’s the case and that Danny is slowly but surely making us and him better.

Hurley has it heading in the right direction for sure. He’s absolutely raised the floor of the program and public perception of it, that was huge. Now that we’ve seen some success, we’re hungry for more, it just might take a bit longer to get there. There have been a bunch of coaches that it took “awhile” to really get things to that next level. May take him a few new recruiting classes to see that through, it can be a bit of trial and error. He’s made some nice adjustments, so my hope is in a few years time, it’s at a place where UConn is a consistent top 15ish team.

 

[Tenspro2002]

Not even after failing; like I said yesterday, it looked to me like he accepted that result well before the end of the game and seemed contented to have played them close.

I think what has surprised me the most about him as a coach is that he is not as bothered by losing as I expected him to be.

Bizarre take.

What gives you the impression he was satisfied win or lose either during or after the game?

 

[Yardigan]

Pretty sure you can find this exact same Dan Hurley thread on the Rhody board...