Coach Hurley, you have a good team

[Jbirdp5]

Sorry guys need to hold Dan Hurley accountable as much as anyone. The end of regulation play call was horrendous. Not to get the ball in Bouknights hands was awful. Then the staff didn’t have Sid ready for offense defense that’s in them too.

AG was good in regulation until the last play which was awful and in OT he became his out of control self. Frustrating as fn hell we lost this one.

Not to mention how is vital one of our most questionable decision makers our inbounder under the basket?

 

[superjohn]

This is on Hurley and he's learning as well.

He's got 10 usable pieces, and finding the right mixes and balances will be his top challenge. I'm not as upset or critical as I've read some others here. And I don't think it's about message sending.

AG should be a pass first PG.
CV has a great nose for the call and needs to lay within himself.
Carlton wants to be more dominant, but his finish at the basket doesn't match that yet.

I don't know if these three wool or won't get there, but thd pieces around them are getting better.

No recent memory of a more confident freshman than Bouknight in his first semester, let alone first two games. I can't remember what Caron was like, but was he ever tentative? I remember Emeka doing stuff early, but really UConn has historically brought out freshmen slowly. Rip started to show as special rather early.

I'm only upset because we have a chance to be very good, it's not gonna happen this year if he doesn't get Gilbert and Vital fixed. The future is really bright. Two games in and you can already see Bouknight has "it" and when I say "it" I'm throwing him in with Caron, Rip, Ray, etc. He is supremely talented and really knows the game.

 

[Towney007]

Some of the stuff Gilbert put in the air tonight was shocking.

Like just stuff I can't even comprehend that a D1 basketball player thinks would be OK. Plus with the rumors he was hurt prior to the game, I can't process in my head how Dan was OK rolling him out there and then watching what he watched in long stretches like that.

There's an aura of loyaltyto the upper classmen and I get that on a level. But they're killing us right now - and there isn't a reason for that to be happening - especially w/ Bouknight in the fold. I'm a Hurley guy through and through but jesus.

 

[ASweet3781]

 

[superjohn]

If Akok was benched to send a message and Gilbert is not … count me as baffled

That's upsetting if true and it seems to be the case. That sends a bad message.

 

[ClifSpliffy]

This is on Hurley and he's learning as well.

He's got 10 usable pieces, and finding the right mixes and balances will be his top challenge. I'm not as upset or critical as I've read some others here. And I don't think it's about message sending.

AG should be a pass first PG.
CV has a great nose for the call and needs to play within himself.
Carlton wants to be more dominant, but his finish at the basket doesn't match that yet. Needs to improve FT shooting to maximize strength moves if can make that shift.

I don't know if these three will or won't get there, but the pieces around them are getting better. And that's great because it means options if they don't do what's needed.

No recent memory of a more confident freshman than Bouknight in his first semester, let alone first two games.

I can't remember what Caron was like, but was he ever tentative? I remember Emeka doing stuff early, but really UConn has historically brought out freshmen slowly. Rip started to show as special rather early.

right joe, we are the men! (luv dat)

 

[auror]

I got it. thought it was kinda funny, too. maybe the 'left at the airport, home alone' angle would work also, but your stuff was better.

I think people thought I was being glib and casting OP as reactionary, but I really do agree with @superjohn's sentiment. Vital and Gilbert need to be ancillary or supporting pieces at best.

We turned the game around with Brendan Adams hounding dudes and getting the ball to Carlton, and the same was true against Buffalo.

Hurley doesn't really have any real offense, so transition opportunities, Carlton post ups/follow-ups when he inevitably misses, and Polley/Akok kick out 3s have to be the offense. At least until Bouknight is ready to take a primary role.

 

[navery12]

Its probably my preference that I like Vital but I don't hate him nearly as much. He makes a ton of bad decisions and should be benched to fix it, but I still have confidence in him. Gilbert is just a disaster, and he's still the one with the ball late in the game

 

[TheChamps990411]

Rique and Vital do so many things right, but continue to make low BBQ errors. They need consequences if we are going to make a splash in-conference.

"Reek" I think thats what you meant too spell.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Hold Alterique accountable for the out of control hero ball, same with Vital it's what lost us this game. We completely outplayed them the second half and then Vital and Gilbert went into hero ball mode. We have the talent where they need to sit when they pull this cr@p. We outplayed the #18 team full of hardened juniors and seniors but this is why we lost. The season will ride on how Hurley handles them, they simply can't be allowed to keep making losing plays over and over. Hero ball has to be beaten out of them.

James Bouknight is special, best freshman we've had since I can't remember. The future is bright.

What cost us the game was Hurley’s decision to keep feeding Carlton late.

 

[NEforceUConn]

We don't have a go to scorer. It is most likely Bouk but he's 150 lbs soaking wet

150 soaking wet - Man you need a retake dude!

 

[ClifSpliffy]

I think people thought I was being glib and casting OP as reactionary, but I really do agree with @superjohn's sentiment. Vital and Gilbert need to be ancillary or supporting pieces at best.

We turned the game around with Brendan Adams hounding dudes and getting the ball to Carlton, and the same was true against Buffalo.

Hurley doesn't really have any real offense, so transition opportunities, Carlton post ups/follow-ups when he inevitably misses, and Polley/Akok kick out 3s have to be the offense. At least until Bouknight is ready to take a primary role.

I agree. imma 'get the ball to josh' guy, too.

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

Some of the stuff Gilbert put in the air tonight was shocking.

What's shocking is that it's not shocking. But, of course, that means I'm saying the same thing you are. The blocked shots in the lane are not at all of the, "He's gonna come around and start making them" variety.
We've had guys who have done that - Kemba, Bazz, Jalen in this decade, but not really even Boat. I have no confidence that AG has this within him. It's not even a knock on him to say this. In fact, that's why I excluded Boat.

AG more brings to mind the most infuriating elements of Taliek and Dyson, and I liked both of them very much.

Makes Kemba 2010-11 all the more extraordinary.

 

[LIuconn]

@NEforceUConn

Huh? He's light and that's fine. Look at Xaviers players. All built. Bouk will get there with Sal.

 

[UCDaveD]

Sorry guys need to hold Dan Hurley accountable as much as anyone. The end of regulation play call was horrendous. Not to get the ball in Bouknights hands was awful. Then the staff didn’t have Sid ready for offense defense that’s in them too.

AG was good in regulation until the last play which was awful and in OT he became his out of control self. Frustrating as fn hell we lost this one.

I was under the impression that the sub issue was that it wasn’t a timeout, the refs were just checking the clock and you can’t sub during an official review. Was that not the case?

 

[Fishy]

I don’t know what the hell is wrong with Alterique. Alterique likely doesn’t know what the hell is wrong with Alterique because he‘s playing like it’s a mystery to him, too.

Vital is what he is. He believes he’s a lot better than he is and he’s determined to prove it even if it kills us. He can’t do what a senior guard should be able to do, but he does some other things that a six-foot guard should never be able to do.

He’s in a class of one in a lot of ways.

 

[80shusky]

What cost us the game was Hurley’s decision to keep feeding Carlton late.

Wrong. UConn lost the game in the first half, was lucky to even be in the game late due to Xavier's inability to close it out and shouldn't have even been able to keep it that close. Only some heroics by a few individual players kept it close. We were better than this team and blew it. They played their game against UConn and the coach let them do it, the entire game.

 

[navery12]

I was under the impression that the sub issue was that it wasn’t a timeout, the refs were just checking the clock and you can’t sub during an official review. Was that not the case?

Not sure if it was the official review or just Wilson was late getting to the table. But that's why Bouk was in for that 5th foul

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

The fact that the first instinct is to harken back to Caron, Emeka, and Rip says it all. I hope you know how long of a season you're in for, Herr Hans.

Long season???
How do you mean?

No 'instinct' at all to go back that far.

Bouknight showed up looking kinda 'ready' last night, and tonight was, "Oh yeah."
That's not been the UConn way.
I'm excited.

But I'm still patient, and don't really get down on the players as much as I do on posters who get down on players, and, to shift the topic, I don't recall being as engaged in any AAC game in the past 5 years as much as I was in this game.

 

[UCDaveD]

Not sure if it was the official review or just Wilson was late getting to the table. But that's why Bouk was in for that 5th foul

I'd like to find out. If the later, that's an inexcusable mistake by the staff.

 

[LIuconn]

@Fishy nails it

 

[NEforceUConn]

Hey we lost by 1 in a 2 OT game. You can talk about 1st half, second halt, end of regulation, first OT, second OT . but as a UConn fan the team did me well, full stop!!

Lets get a W against a cagey UM team. Nuff said! Go from there.

 

[MTHusky]

I was under the impression that the sub issue was that it wasn’t a timeout, the refs were just checking the clock and you can’t sub during an official review. Was that not the case?

That's what one of the announcers said anyway.

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

Ray. Ben. Bazz (with rat tail for his homie version). Lamb. But yes. I here you. And that forever ago

I think of all of them as 'after January 1st guys,' even though I was told in advance that they'd be good.

On a small sample that could regress, Bouk has been more notably 'right out of the gate' good, even if it's best explained that the others came into teams that had lots of talent already. .

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

Starters:
Bouknight
Adams
Polley
Akok
Carlton

off the bench:
Gaffney
Wilson
Whaley
Gary
Play Richie Springs and forfeit the rest of the season
RJ Cole wearing Gilbert’s uniform

if they all foul out then Vital

 

[UCfor3]

No, you sit them when they play out of control. You tell AG if he keeps driving and throwing up ridiculous shots near the rim instead of finding his teammates, he'll ride pine. You tell Vital if he takes contested hero low percentage threes he sits (it's called coaching.) We have other guys who can ball now.

I said this a week a go. Actions needs consequences. You need to leverage playing time. Our guards act stupid at times. They need to sit when they do. Period.

 

[MattMang23]

Great post. It's 100% why we lost, we had that game in check and then bam, hero ball. You notice we are pretty damn good when they don't go into hero YMCA mode. We were beating the brakes out of Xavier before it happened.

We are a better team without Gilbert on the floor. There, I said it.

 

[Bonehead]

What kind of moronic statement is this? He needs to sit them on the bench when they take a bonehead shot. It's that simple. Go over film and point out every single bonehead drive. Missed passed. Selfish play on offense.

Rique and Vital do so many things right, but continue to make low BBQ errors. They need consequences if we are going to make a splash in-conference.

HEY!!

 

[Huskybass]

There is a reason that Gilbert and Vital have a terrible winning % in their college careers. It was on full display at crunch time last night. Sorry, but these two and winning basketball just don't go together.

 

[RF79]

Dan Hurley loves Gilbert. He certainly hit his free throws tonight. The insistence on driving to the basket mystifies me.
Bouknight would have taken the last shot had he not fouled out. Hurley ran the play for him down the stretch. The change is coming.
On the bright side... The toughness I'm seeing out of them this year is real. Last year's team loses this game by 16 to 20 points after being down 10 at the half.

Totally agree with everything. Our PG isn’t playing like a PG. This is a totally different defensive team that is still making some very poor offensive plays, but yes last year we get smoked by Buffalo and never even play a tight contested double OT game against Xavier.