Creighton Post game thread

[Hunt for 7]

Almost 100 more posts in this thread than the Nova win thread. It's been 8 hhorse.

The power of anger and despair.

All this does is prove the saying misery loves company. We do a good job of arguing and making fun of each others take but right now this is the only place we can share our disappointment without sounding like we are a bit unhinged. I mean how many places can I say this loss ruined my weekend without sounding like a 60 yr old cry baby. My wife got up and left the room when they went down 17, she played hoops in high school and college so she gets the game.

She usually watches the big games with me and my sons but last night she finally said she had enough she was going to bed. The only positive was that my oldest son 16 years old (yes I am 60 but that a long story) and I were not screaming at the tv. It was clear that we just were not going to win this game. As soon as we and McNeeley came out at halftime and looked like the keystone cops and he gets called for the clear path flagrant it was kind of over.

She knew as I did that we would make a run but that was all that would happen. DePaul almost beat them and we came out and made them look like a top ten team. McDermott just has Hurley’s number he outcoached Hurley last night. He has continued to expose one of Hurley’s biggest flaws as a coach, he is stubborn, which is why he makes so few in game adjustments.

We needed to do something radical in that game to have a chance to win. Personally I would have played small ball and put all of our best shooters in the game together. AK, Liam, Stewart, Ball and Mahaney and stopped Kalkbrenner from playing in the lane. DePaul played them tougher as they has a few guys that could make their own shots. And the refs allowed DePaul to take three steps on step back threes. Also look at it position by position DePaul is more athletic than we are right now. Creighton will get mauled by St Johns and be out of the tourney in the first or second round, they just have our number.

 

[connVA]

I have to give credit to McDermott’s game planning against us because he seems to nail it every time. He recognized that AK was the difference on Thurs and decided to shut him down and force McNeeley to be the focal point. Not sure if he fully anticipated Hurley would go all in on Kalk and Ash and specifically prepped his offensive sets around Neal, Green, and others but it wouldn’t surprise me. Guy is a great coach.

 

[Hunt for 7]

We are also better than we were in November. This was a disappointing loss that sort of encapsulated some of the good and a lot of the bad on this team. We are heading into the tournament playing good ball and have a week to recharge.
Let’s enjoy the ride. We talked ad nauseum why this team doesn’t stack up with the previous two. The reasons why can’t be fixed overnight or in season. With that in mind, as much of an emotional roller coaster this season was, this team and the staff probably got the most out of this group it could. Many on here have unrealistic expectations .

I am good with that idea. Either way it won’t matter after next Sunday because the season will be over. It is hard to root hard for a team that plays defense as badly as we do. But I was rooting for them last night just kind of knew what the outcome was going to be when we were down 11 at half.

 

[RuffRuff]

Hurley was vocal about the team being soft in the presser, again. So Dan, you knew your roster and thought getting a small unathletic 2 guard in the portal was the solution?

Watching Mahaney square up with Ashworth up close last night, Asworth is the stronger player. They’re about the same height, Ashworth more solid.

 

[Hi-Low]

Disagree. He’s always been deferential and complimentary to Hurley and Uconn. He's not fake slick Rick. I will root for them tonight no question.

Cool, he's deferential on camera but just don't buy it...I'll take Slick Rick over McDermott, at least he's not pretending.

 

[homunculus]

McDermott also started the $1 beer game thing against UConn so his drunken fans could scream obscenities at UConn players & Dan Hurley for 2 hours. Then McDermott gets "offended" when Dan Hurley gives it back to drunken fan's at the end of 2 hours of constant nonsense and uses it as an excuse for his player dunking the ball with a second left when UConn had already waved the white flag.

Thank you. I hate dishonesty more than I hate losing. Sure it worked, doesn’t make it right.

 

[Hunt for 7]

Liam’s defense is offensive. He gets taken off the dribble with ease. There was one drive where Neal may have been defended by a road cone he had such an easy take to the rim.

We really don’t know how that ankle is doing, he was never explosive but lateral movement is what hurts the most with those high ankle sprains even after a player returns. I think he is 80% at best.

 

[UCONNFAN179]

Great class coming in atleast

Yes...highly ranked and skilled shooters, which is great, but again, the group overall is slow and unathletic. Liam was supposed to be the best shooter in his class. He was a VERY good player for us as a freshman, but he didn't strike me as an exceptional shooter. Shooting is very important, but doesn't always translate, especially in year one. Let's hope we supplement those players in this class with some starter level athletes via the portal because we definitely need that.

 

[Mr. Wonderful]

Our defense is frequently atrocious.

Our wing players haven't locked up anyone all season.

 

[Hunt for 7]

Nope, cuz Dan Hurley won't adjust from his Euro style offense. I remember seeing a you tube vid of the intricacies and sophistication of Hurley's (cuts, screens, ball movement). But it is not working with this void of shot finishers on this team.

He has actually commented on giving his players to play off script offensively, don’t just run the offense if you see an opening take it. Problem is we really don’t have many players who can play off script and create. Last year we had Cam, Tristen and Castle to some extent. But Cam and Tristen got us many baskets when the offense sets got clunky.

 

[Palatine]

Here's a metric for you.

Creighton made 13 free throws the Huskies made 2. Two for the entire game.

Creighton won the free throw contest by 11 and the game by 9.

 

[superjohn]

McDermott is sort of a phony imo. He's also not a "great" coach although everyone seems to say it. He's made 1 Elite Eight & 2 Sweet 16's in his entire coaching career (age 60) and has had some highly ranked teams that lost early....underachiever. Great coaches tend to win something, he's not making the HOF because he beats UConn.

McDermott also started the $1 beer game thing against UConn so his drunken fans could scream obscenities at UConn players & Dan Hurley for 2 hours. Then McDermott gets "offended" when Dan Hurley gives it back to drunken fan's at the end of 2 hours of constant nonsense and uses it as an excuse for his player dunking the ball with a second left when UConn had already waved the white flag.

Maybe I'm in the minority but not a McDermott fan. Pitino is a great coach, Dan Hurley is a great coach....McD not so much.

He's had Creighton #2, #3, #3, #3, #1, #2, #4, #3, #2, #2 in the Big East in 10 of his 12 seasons coaching in the league. His last 6 seasons- #7 in the country when Covid hit and they canceled the tournament, sweet 16, round of 32, elite 8, sweet 16, this season #2 Big East regular season Big East conference title game so far...

He's an excellent coach and he's 9-3 vs. Hurley since Hurley has been at UConn. It's pretty remarkable what he's done at Creighton.

 

[RuffRuff]

McNeeley 36% from field and 25% from 3 since Omaha.

 

[bendm]

We need to bring in a Tyrese Martin for next year on the wing

 

[Dogdeacon]

The tough play in this league is what prepared us for our two national championships, moron.

The knee jerk reactions to wanting out of the big east are baffling.

We've been in that wilderness before it sucked.

And way more schools have failed in new conferences.

Prior two years were pretty, pretty good, it ain't broke.

 

[Kowalski]

McDermott is sort of a phony imo. He's also not a "great" coach although everyone seems to say it. He's made 1 Elite Eight & 2 Sweet 16's in his entire coaching career (age 60) and has had some highly ranked teams that lost early....underachiever. Great coaches tend to win something, he's not making the HOF because he beats UConn.

McDermott also started the $1 beer game thing against UConn so his drunken fans could scream obscenities at UConn players & Dan Hurley for 2 hours. Then McDermott gets "offended" when Dan Hurley gives it back to drunken fan's at the end of 2 hours of constant nonsense and uses it as an excuse for his player dunking the ball with a second left when UConn had already waved the white flag.

Maybe I'm in the minority but not a McDermott fan. Pitino is a great coach, Dan Hurley is a great coach....McD not so much.

I’ve been a McDermott fan & I think he’s a good coach but for him to act like his team was offended by Hurley’s response to heckling fans is dumb. Whether or not he thinks Hurley should be engaging with fans is an entirely different issue - Bottom line is Hurley wasn’t being disrespectful in any way to the Creighton team. If he was barking at Luke for that, he was out of line.

 

[superjohn]

McNeeley 36% from field and 25% from 3 since Omaha.

He was 37% in conference this season. Finishing at the rim has been a huge problem for him. He always gets there and then it becomes a bit of a circus.

 

[superjohn]

I’ve been a McDermott fan & I think he’s a good coach but for him to act like his team was offended by Hurley’s response to heckling fans is dumb. Whether or not he thinks Hurley should be engaging with fans is an entirely different issue - Bottom line is Hurley wasn’t being disrespectful in any way to the Creighton team. If he was barking at Luke for that, he was out of line.

Give me a break, Hurley threatened to knock out a fan in Omaha last season and then did his two rings routine this season. You bring that smoke and of course the coach and players are going to use it as a rallying cry.

 

[uh-no]

McDermott is sort of a phony imo. He's also not a "great" coach although everyone seems to say it. He's made 1 Elite Eight & 2 Sweet 16's in his entire coaching career (age 60) and has had some highly ranked teams that lost early....underachiever. Great coaches tend to win something, he's not making the HOF because he beats UConn.

McDermott also started the $1 beer game thing against UConn so his drunken fans could scream obscenities at UConn players & Dan Hurley for 2 hours. Then McDermott gets "offended" when Dan Hurley gives it back to drunken fan's at the end of 2 hours of constant nonsense and uses it as an excuse for his player dunking the ball with a second left when UConn had already waved the white flag.

Maybe I'm in the minority but not a McDermott fan. Pitino is a great coach, Dan Hurley is a great coach....McD not so much.

People cite his record....but i'm curious how he's going to do after cockbrenner finishes his 19th year of eligibility.

 

[RuffRuff]

Give me a break, Hurley threatened to knock out a fan in Omaha last season and then did his two rings routine this season. You bring that smoke and of course the coach and players are going to use it as a rallying cry.

100% - McDermott is not the one that creates the drama ecosystem.

FYI that the Hurley E60 coming on in 10.

 

[Hi-Low]

He's had Creighton #2, #3, #3, #3, #1, #2, #4, #3, #2, #2 in the Big East in 10 of his 12 seasons coaching in the league. His last 6 seasons- #7 in the country when Covid hit and they canceled the tournament, sweet 16, round of 32, elite 8, sweet 16, this season #2 Big East regular season Big East conference title game so far...

He's an excellent coach and he's 9-3 vs. Hurley since Hurley has been at UConn. It's pretty remarkable what he's done at Creighton.

Wow all those great teams and the only thing he's accomplished is beating UConn...lol. Make a Final 4 once and we'll talk about "great"

Not going to mention that whole "plantation" thing...oops I just did. That was sort of character revealing.

 

[tennmike]

We cut it to 5 with about 12 minutes to go, and I really felt Creighton would run out of gas. But we couldn't make shots.

Thought McNeeley played outside of himself, and didn't do the little things. But this team can't win with AK is off like that.

Officials are not the reason we lost, but that sequence were we had cut it to 3, and then the ball goes off Creighton in back to back sequences, yet gets the ball both times, and then increased it is inexcuseable.

Seems like there was some tension between the coaching staffs...

The officials had a couple bad calls late, but the foul shot disparity was 18-4. That's right. UConn had 4 foul shots the entire game. Can that be right?

 

[uh-no]

Hurley was vocal about the team being soft in the presser, again. So Dan, you knew your roster and thought getting a small unathletic 2 guard in the portal was the solution?

Watching Mahaney square up with Ashworth up close last night, Asworth is the stronger player. They’re about the same height, Ashworth more solid.

here's the thing....what do you want him to say? "yeah these players suck, I should have gotten different ones"?

Obviously he wouldn't use those words, but he's not going to throw his players under even the slightest bus and tell them they can't do this.

"team is soft" -> my team can do better
"i put together the wrong roster" -> welp, these guys suck...better luck next year

Hurley and everyone know the second is the case, but he's never going to put his players down like that....at least not during the season.

 

[superjohn]

Wow all those great teams and the only thing he's accomplished is beating UConn...lol. Make a Final 4 once and we'll talk about "great"

Dude, nice swipe at UConn basketball.

 

[VA Blue Dog]

UCONN 2024-2025 is a slow unathletic team especially evident on defense.
After watching St. Johns and Marquette it seemed like we were in slow motion.
Quite a contrast visually. St Johns battles every play. Always looking for the double team or trap. Not afraid to over commit because they know they are quick enough to challenge the open man on the far side. This all out, every play doctrine is engrained in their minds by Pitino. In the Marquette game, after Marquette had finally made a three after 12 straight misses, when the camera went to the huddle Pitino's first comment was to blast his players "You just gave up an open three". For UCONN to win against a good team, assuming we can maintain parity at the 5, we need two of the three; Alex, Liam or Solo, to have a good game offensively.