Does this UConn team have one or more winning-time go-to play-makers?

[Palatine]

Our end game execution has been very bad.

 

[jibsey]

Our end game execution has been very bad.

What happened with an experienced player like Diarra was a joke.

 

[3rdbass]

Offense is not the issue, we need consistent stops

Yeah if teams keep on shooing 50 percent against us we might not have to worrry about who is taking the last shot. LOL!

 

[Chasm64]

Last minute shot would have to be Mcneeley, everyone else at this point is a one trick pony.

 

[Excalibur]

I really don't get this attitude. Through most of hurley's tenure, we've preached team-offense and unselfishness. A single "go to" playmaker on offense is antithetical to the exact thing that has made hurley's offenses great the past couple of years.

You don't need a great playmaker, you need an offense that makes anyone a playmaker depending on how the defense reacts.

This ignores the reality of late shot clock scenarios, particularly late in close games.

 

[UCTitleTown]

I don't think AN is that guy yet, but will be. He can score anytime he decides to. If we need a three, I'd say AK or LM, and Solo has shown onions.

 

[jibsey]

Throw it to SJ in the post.

 

[uh-no]

This ignores the reality of late shot clock scenarios, particularly late in close games.

we ran offense until double zeros all the time with incredible success. this is a bonkers take. how many buzzer beating half time shots did we hit two years ago? was something like fifteen... and they weren't hero ball, they were the outcome of continuing to run good offense for the entire clock instead of waiting for some one to "make a play"

it's like you guys didn't even watch the games.

 

[87Xfer]

Last minute shot would have to be Mcneeley, everyone else at this point is a one trick pony.

Including Karaban?

 

[CONN78SEJ]

Karaban and McNeeley. Karaban hasn't suddenly lost it, though I think he's still adjusting to being Option #1. And McNeeley without a doubt has that "it" factor -- you could tell he wants the ball in crunch time.

Diarra isn't a strong enough shooter to be that guy, but I may trust him more than anyone else at the line in a must-make scenario.

I’d say Karaban, McNeeley, and maybe even Reed or Mahaney The early season jitters for Mahaney are gone, and Reed will be a different player by March. Barring a major injury, I think Hurley and company will be back at the FF.

 

[Palatine]

Do we have a go to play for the last minute?

 

[Excalibur]

we ran offense until double zeros all the time with incredible success. this is a bonkers take. how many buzzer beating half time shots did we hit two years ago? was something like fifteen... and they weren't hero ball, they were the outcome of continuing to run good offense for the entire clock instead of waiting for some one to "make a play"

it's like you guys didn't even watch the games.

And just as often it was Newton or Spencer creating a shot for themselves. The point is we had guys that could make individual plays when needed.

It’s a simple point. I see why you can’t comprehend it . . .

 

[rip7774]

It’s bizarre how little time Nowell gets I think he’s the one that could do it. I know he’s been struggling with injury, but like 4 years or so ago (when we’d sometimes go to tv Timeout without scoring or 2 pts) think it’s a poorly constructed roster At this point.

Baylor had a zillion guys that could get to the hoop. We had 3 elite options last year and we have none of those guards At this point.

Further, if Ball is as bad as people are saying defensively (smart scouting folks incl husky429) there’s really no accountability with the bench bc with such limited guards he has to play. Happy Mahaney bounced back last game, but not sure he’s the guy for end game, again compared to Baylor guards. Liam is a dawg but I’d rather a quick or deceptively quick/strong guard like Tristen & Cam.

Nowell or bust!

 

[Spaceman213J]

9 days ago Solo hit a game tying three in the Memphis game.

But is even on the court in a late game tight situation because of his defense?
If Hurley has timeouts to burn, they could be used for offense/defense substitions

 

[Spaceman213J]

It’s bizarre how little time Nowell gets I think he’s the one that could do it. I know he’s been struggling with injury, but like 4 years or so ago (when we’d sometimes go to tv Timeout without scoring or 2 pts) think it’s a poorly constructed roster At this point.

Baylor had a zillion guys that could get to the hoop. We had 3 elite options last year and we have none of those guards At this point.

Further, if Ball is as bad as people are saying defensively (smart scouting folks incl husky429) there’s really no accountability with the bench bc with such limited guards he has to play. Happy Mahaney bounced back last game, but not sure he’s the guy for end game, again compared to Baylor guards. Liam is a dawg but I’d rather a quick or deceptively quick/strong guard like Tristen & Cam.

Nowell or bust!

It sounds like Nowell is a little banged up right now. Like a lot people, I think he's the future and the solution at PG in the long run, but I see Hurley waiting to make sure he's 100% healthy before he turns him loose out there.
It wasn't under Hurley, but almost everyone here remembers Gilbert's history here and how he we never "right". It was Ollie's fault, but I think Hurley will do whatever he can to protect the players. He has to. Any coach who wants guys with NBA talent has to look for them.

 

[pj]

Do we have a go to play for the last minute?

If you have a go to play, other teams will scout it and be prepared. It's better not to.

 

[Hey Adrien!]

Just throwing it out there that Mahaney has 2 years of experience of being the "it" guy when Saint Mary's needed a bucket. He looked great last night...could be a turning point for him

While Mahaney's certainly got potential and creativity inside the arc, Marciulionis was more of the "bucket getter" of the two guards. Much bigger and more of a bulldog where Mahaney is the more shifty of the two.

 

[Gurleyman]

9 days ago Solo hit a game tying three in the Memphis game.

He also hit one in overtime that put us up four. And had back to back big shots against Colorado that could have put us over the top. The second was a bit lucky, but he drew the foul first.

He needs to get better off the bounce to be a true go to guy, but I certainly wouldn’t be upset if he was taking a big shot.

 

[JerseyAlum]

I don’t know if there is a stat for this, but it seems like Diarra is a better shooter when he has a hand in his face at the end of a shot clock.

not ending the first half of this Texas game…air ball

 

[Hogoff]

not ending the first half of this Texas game…air ball

Yeah. That was bad.

 

[Doctor Hoop]

Revisiting this Q. It depends on what you mean by “go to.” There isn’t anyone right now who can break their guy down an either get to the hoop unimpeded or get the D off balance like Kemba for an open J. I think Ball has the best potential to do that, since the D has to fear the 3.

But there are a lot of guys that, working within the offense, I’d feel comfortable taking a final shot. McNeeley, Ball, Karaban at the top of the list. But Mahaney, Stewart, Ross can all shoot, and Reed posting up, Diarra with his experience, and Johnson slipping to the hoop are also options.

 

[Umami Zen]

When the offensive sets break down as the shot clock is winding down. Still working on it ala Tre Johnson one-on-one skills.. If the ball finds the open shooter? We're good

 

[uh-no]

not ending the first half of this Texas game…air ball

we ran zero offense on that possession. that ticked me off. diarra needs to do better there.

That's why you don't play hero ball and play offense instead....

 

[DogMania]

Revisiting this Q. It depends on what you mean by “go to.” There isn’t anyone right now who can break their guy down an either get to the hoop unimpeded or get the D off balance like Kemba for an open J. I think Ball has the best potential to do that, since the D has to fear the 3.

But there are a lot of guys that, working within the offense, I’d feel comfortable taking a final shot. McNeeley, Ball, Karaban at the top of the list. But Mahaney, Stewart, Ross can all shoot, and Reed posting up, Diarra with his experience, and Johnson slipping to the hoop are also options.

I probably didn't title this thread all that well.

It was intended mostly about making the shot or creating a great scoring opportunity for a teammate when the game is close or outcome in the balance.

It's clear that at this point the team doesn't seem to have a player who can break his man down off the dribble. (McNeeley has shown promise in this, though usually needs to catch it while in motion or when he has a mismatch where he can split the seams and take it to the basket.). That's not what I was aiming for. Just wondering if we had multiple options yet where the moment isn't too big for them, where they can be counted on to make a play with the game on the line to secure the W.

That's what we had the past two seasons, albeit they tended to pull away in the second half often not needing any late game heroics.

 

[uh-no]

I probably didn't title this thread all that well.

It was intended mostly about making the shot or creating a great scoring opportunity for a teammate when the game is close or outcome in the balance.

It's clear that at this point the team doesn't seem to have a player who can break his man down off the dribble. (McNeeley has shown promise in this, though usually needs to catch it while in motion or when he has a mismatch where he can split the seams and take it to the basket.). That's not what I was aiming for. Just wondering if we had multiple options yet where the moment isn't too big for them, where they can be counted on to make a play with the game on the line to secure the W.

That's what we had the past two seasons, albeit they tended to pull away in the second half often not needing any late game heroics.

what got me at the end of the half is diarra didn't even try. he didn't do anything. dribble-dribble-dribble-jack a 3 is the worst offense you can possible run and antithetical to everything Hurley stands for, and Diarra ran it to a T at the end of the half. If that's the game plan, at least pass it to ball/alex/liam first.

I suspect that possession royally ticked Dan Hurley off, but there are still bigger things to work on, like the adjustments that needed to happen to the 2H def/off and the sloppiness under pressure. and layups...that cleaning up that kind of play will be a late-season improvement.

 

[DogMania]

we ran zero offense on that possession. that ticked me off. diarra needs to do better there.

That's why you don't play hero ball and play offense instead....

I agree. Frustring seeing Diarra take so many clock running down desperation shots. I'd rather see them get into their motion and get the ball to someone in solid scoring position, such as a catch and shoot 3 by Ball, Karaban, McNeeley, Stewart or Mahaney, or a cutter who breaks free who can finish inside or draw the foul and get to the line.

Enough of the dribble till seconds on the clock then jack up a wild 3. I see that happen in the NBA way too often and have always wondered if the percentages favor trying to create a good shot off of solid execution. I do realize that the ball passing multiple hands can be subject to getting picked off or the D preventing the ball from being in the hands of the best scorer, but I still wonder if the success rate of shots off a half court set or scripted situational play would outweigh that. Just seems a low percentage shot in the hands of your best shooter and/or handler isn't the best way to go.

 

[CONN78SEJ]

I probably didn't title this thread all that well.

It was intended mostly about making the shot or creating a great scoring opportunity for a teammate when the game is close or outcome in the balance.

It's clear that at this point the team doesn't seem to have a player who can break his man down off the dribble. (McNeeley has shown promise in this, though usually needs to catch it while in motion or when he has a mismatch where he can split the seams and take it to the basket.). That's not what I was aiming for. Just wondering if we had multiple options yet where the moment isn't too big for them, where they can be counted on to make a play with the game on the line to secure the W.

That's what we had the past two seasons, albeit they tended to pull away in the second half often not needing any late game heroics.

If anyone can get into the paint or at the top of the key, just dump the ball to Reed and it’s almost always an automatic two, or an and one. It’s a tight off the glass bounce that’s almost impossible to pin, without fouling Reed. Sort of reminds me of Sarah Strong on the women’s team. Anyone know how many more years does Reed have?

 

[Gurleyman]

Sometimes it’s just simplicity. You want to be sure you shoot at the right time so as to not allow a basket the other way and it’s easiest to do that with an iso. Running offense isn’t guaranteed to have anyone break open at the right moment. You could get a clean look too early and give up a transition opportunity or force a bad shot because you needed a couple more seconds for the actions to work and ended up stuck.

But recently we have had success getting looks without isos - thinking AK at the half vs. Gonzaga and Miami (Jackson helped the Gonzaga one along with a little improv). Had a couple good looks at the rim against SDSU as well. And last year Cam had a good look at the end of the half from 5 feet that didn’t fall. But felt like we have been pretty good with Newton driving and options around him where we got good looks.

Could be that we’ll add more of that in as the season goes on, but we’re keeping it simple for now until everyone is more crisp with their timing.

 

[jibsey]

I probably didn't title this thread all that well.

It was intended mostly about making the shot or creating a great scoring opportunity for a teammate when the game is close or outcome in the balance.

It's clear that at this point the team doesn't seem to have a player who can break his man down off the dribble. (McNeeley has shown promise in this, though usually needs to catch it while in motion or when he has a mismatch where he can split the seams and take it to the basket.). That's not what I was aiming for. Just wondering if we had multiple options yet where the moment isn't too big for them, where they can be counted on to make a play with the game on the line to secure the W.

That's what we had the past two seasons, albeit they tended to pull away in the second half often not needing any late game heroics.

Agree. This team is set up to create that shot if the ball handler is covered like Diarra was and they should work on that. We don’t have Kemba.
Of course it may not work all the time and people will ask why didn’t he put the shot up or why was a pass picked off. There no guaranteed scenario.

 

[alphasigko]

Anyone but Diarra taking the last shot before halftime, or at the end of regulation.