Everyone's got the negatives covered, here's some positives.

[OkaForPrez]

Whilst you were blinded by our half court offense against the 2-3, you might have not been able to see us holding a very good offensive team in the 50s. Yes, we shot 16% in the 2nd half and yes we looked like a deer in headlights in the process, but we had a shot (2, 3, 4??) at winning this game.

The reason for that is we are a very, very (channeling JC) good defensive team. Currently we rank 11th in adjD in Ken Pom. When I pick a NC in my bracket every year, the single factor I use to filter out my contenders is adjusted defense in Kenpom. Why? Because no team outside of the top 21 in this category has won 6 in a row since KenPom started publishing.

2013 - Lousiville - 3rd
2012 - Kentucky - 8th
2011 - Uconn - 13th
2010 - Duke - 8th
2009 - North Carolina- 21st (1st offensively)
2008 - Kansas -1st
2007 - Florida - 17th
2006 - Florida - 6th
2005 - North Carolina - 12th
2004 - Uconn - 5th
2003 - Syracuse 13th


Our defense! puts us very much in the conversation for the National Championship and it was very good last night. Stanford averages 48% FG% per game which is 37th in the country, we held them to 35%

As an aside, those who keep saying that team was "not good" and "middle of the pac" Why do you think that? Because they lost in a shootout to a good BYU team and got rolled by Pitt? Time will tell, but Stanford is now 8-2 and 39th overall in kenpom. They looked like a tournament team to me.

My second silver lining is Amida. He had 4 boards and 2 blocks in 13 min. And he was clearly playing more physical, bodying up much better than he has in the early season (which has kept him off the floor). He was offensively late rotating over on that late possession and I wish he squeezed that late rebound where Deandre was called out of bounds, but he played tough, and his growth and increased minutes at the 5 are obviously essential to the next level for this team.

Lastly, we haven't seen the real Omar Calhoun this season. He lost a lot of summer hoop time with the hip surgery and now he's got a bum wheel. He's probably fighting some mental demons losing a good chunk of his minutes from last year. When, not if, he gets back to form, we will regain our balance of shooting and slashing on both wings, and it will make us that much more dangerous.

We owed one back to the gods for Florida. I'm at peace with it. We're not the orange, we don't measure success on regular season wins. We develop towards march. We take the opportunity to feed the ball into Phil Nolan in the post even when we know its not our best offensive option to give him quality opportunities against tough competition. We run sets for Kromah because we know were going to need him down the stretch when it might be best to iso Bazz.

I don't believe for a second that Kevin Ollie is incapable of preparing for or adjusting to a zone and I don't feel the need to defend that statement. If you disagree, fine, agree to disagree.

Next.

 

[ConnHuskBask]

Very impressive stat about the adjusted defense.

As we saw in 2011, a great D, with an All America running the show can produce big results.

Nice post.

 

[Tenspro2002]

I agree completely with your commentary on our defense. Especially as Brimah learns to defend without fouling and when to go for blocks without surrendering rebounding position, we could be a very stout defensive team.

The only liability I see going forward that won't be rectified is that the diminutive size of our guards (Bazz 6'0 and Boat maybe 5'10) makes it easy for opposing guards to either (1) shoot over them (and last night we were victimized by a lot of 3's over our guards), or (2) aggressively drive to the hoop and use their physicality.

But I do think with guys like Kromah and Giffey shutting down opposing wings, our guards generally being pests and quick with their hands, and developing some sort of interior deterrent, we should be an excellent defensive team like in 2011.

Regarding KO, I don't think he's "incapable" of designing an effective zone offense, I just think he's inexperienced at this juncture. As I said elsewhere, the growing pains of a second year coach. This sort of game -- disappointing and disconcerting as it was -- was inevitable.

 

[OkaForPrez]

Regarding KO, I don't think he's "incapable" of designing an effective zone offense, I just think he's inexperienced at this juncture. As I said elsewhere, the growing pains of a second year coach. This sort of game -- disappointing and disconcerting as it was -- was inevitable.

As a counterpoint to that argument, I'll submit that the greatest indicator of understanding in game what a defense is taking away and adjusting to it is the offensive execution out of a timeout. This is something Ollie has been praised on by Seth Greenberg as recently as yesterday in a column about the 10 coaches getting the most out of their personnel.

My favorite example of this last night was what looked to be an okie doke fake. Maybe I'm giving Ollie too much credit, but in the 2nd half out of a timeout, Deandre set a bad screen for Napier at the elbow which looked to be sloppy, Napier then signaled at the top of the key for Boatright to give space like he was going to reverse the ball to him. Immediately after the gesture he no looked the ball in the corner where Omar was running the baseline for an open 3, Omar missed it. But the game action was suggesting we were running the pick and pop at the top and it was all to set up free the short corner.

Either I'm giving Ollie way too much credit, or it was really smart.

 

[Tenspro2002]

As a counterpoint to that argument, I'll submit that the greatest indicator of understanding in game what a defense is taking away and adjusting to it is the offensive execution out of a timeout. This is something Ollie has been praised on by Seth Greenberg as recently as yesterday in a column about the 10 coaches getting the most out of their personnel.

My favorite example of this last night was what looked to be an okie doke fake. Maybe I'm giving Ollie too much credit, but in the 2nd half out of a timeout, Deandre set a bad screen for Napier at the elbow which looked to be sloppy, Napier then signaled at the top of the key for Boatright to give space like he was going to reverse the ball to him. Immediately after the gesture he no looked the ball in the corner where Omar was running the baseline for an open 3, Omar missed it. But the game action was suggesting we were running the pick and pop at the top and it was all to set up free the short corner.

Either I'm giving Ollie way too much credit, or it was really smart.

You're absolutely right that we've been very good coming out of timeouts. However, our execution last night was so horrific that it should have been corrected at some point.

I'd have to look at that particular play again, but I'm more inclined to believe that Daniels just set a really weak screen (as is his wont, as a finesse player reluctantly thrust into a more physical role) than that he was executing a designed "fake" screen.

 

[OkaForPrez]

You're absolutely right that we've been very good coming out of timeouts. However, our execution last night was so horrific that it should have been corrected at some point.

I'd have to look at that particular play again, but I'm more inclined to believe that Daniels just set a really weak screen (as is his wont, as a finesse player reluctantly thrust into a more physical role) than that he was executing a designed "fake" screen.

Yea I just looked at it on tape for the first time, its at the 6:59 mark and its not even close to what I remember from my seat across the arena. It's still an effective play though that got us a good look omar should have hit.

 

[OkaForPrez]

Forgive the old post bump from last year, just wanted to note that our KP AdjD rank is now 19. We are once again a championship level defensive team.

 

[James]

Forgive the old post bump from last year, just wanted to note that our KP AdjD rank is now 19. We are once again a championship level defensive team.

we have to structure and physical assets to be elite. i'm not worried, at all. can't wait till saturday, another step..

 

[Danzz]

Biggest positive in my mind is the play of Omar. Not only is he making shots, he looks 2 steps quicker.

 

[Kitaman]

The team is finally learning how to play with one another. New pieces always present a challenge early on, with major adjustments. Technically Boat is are only returning starter (Nolan primarily started last season). By the end of the month we will vastly improved, particularly as our bench is making contributions.

Yes defense has become our signature yet the Championship pedigree is rising. Many of our returnees do have rings, and that counts for a lot.

The biggest positive is Boat, man its almost criminal that he had to defer for 3 years, not leadership but scoring output. The kid can flat out ball, even when hurt. He's due for a 30 point game soon. He's all that and some!

 

[SixRings]

Get what you're saying and like it but feel we are missing the three point shooting threats that are the daggers that push/pull those defensive stops. You don't get all the yin without some yang.

 

[djct1999]

Great Stuff. No matter how "bad" some on this board think we are, I can guarantee you that not a single higher seed, Kentucky inlcuded, will want to see us in their bracket.

 

[Scot-e]

I say ti to anyone that will listen- which is next to no one here in Atlanta. We win when we put D first- we are just not that offensively gifted this year. It was awesome watching the NCAA last year and saying "we are going to stop them here".

 

[Waquoit]

We didn't need Ken Pom to tell us we have a good defense. We saw the Duke game.

 

[Mots010]

Get what you're saying and like it but feel we are missing the three point shooting threats that are the daggers that push/pull those defensive stops. You don't get all the yin without some yang.

Last year we were a very good 3 point shooting team. But in 2011, I recall us being fairly pedestrian from beyond the arc. Kemba could knock them down, but was inconsistent. Napier and Lamb were opportunistic, but were basically spot up shooters and needed to be open. Here's our 3 point shooting in the NCAA tournament from 2011 (31%):

9/24 vs Bucknell
6/16 vs Cincy
8/16 vs SD State
5/17 vs Arizona
1/12 vs UK
1/11 vs Butler

We basically didnt even need the three to win our two final four games. Play great defense and have an all american point guard to make plays when you need them, and you have a recipe for success. Our shooting is improving as Calhoun and Purvis round into form. We don't need to be like last year, but we do need to get better.

My biggest concern is that our margin of error is so small this year with our conference. We just have to take care of business. Just to be clear, I'm not predicting another national championship, but this can be a very good team come March.

 

[Horatio]

we have to structure and physical assets to be elite. i'm not worried, at all. can't wait till saturday, another step..

When everyone is healthy and can contribute we're undefeated this season.

 

[SellersElbow]

Boat is a remarkable on the ball defender and AB can be monster rim protector. However, to be a truly elite defensive squad you must have all five players on the floor function as a seamless system. This requires an understanding and investment in the schemes and a general cohesiveness that take time to develop. With so many key contributors from last year (Bazz, DD, NG, LK, TO) gone, I was concerned. We are not a shut-down machine like some previous UConn teams...yet...but the rapid improvement has been impressive and fun to watch.

 

[UConn9604]

Biggest positive in my mind is the play of Omar. Not only is he making shots, he looks 2 steps quicker.

...and stronger, and he seems to have lost his awful hands somewhere in 2013. He's becoming a really good player.

 

[James]

Boat is a remarkable on the ball defender and AB can be monster rim protector. However, to be a truly elite defensive squad you must have all five players on the floor function as a seamless system. This requires an understanding and investment in the schemes and a general cohesiveness that take time to develop. With so many key contributors from last year (Bazz, DD, NG, LK, TO) gone, I was concerned. We are not a shut-down machine like some previous UConn teams...yet...but the rapid improvement has been impressive and fun to watch.

i would contend boatright is overall elite defender. not just on ball. he has lapses, but when locked in he can make any guards life difficult. see how he stuck to frazier off ball , who some would say is the best shooter in the country. he also is a good pnr defender.

but overall your premise is on point, we are on the rise defensively, and i would say we have more athletes on the perimeter so its a new brand. facey is less of a rim protector but a rebounder (compared to daniels)

 

[Onions]

Last year we were a very good 3 point shooting team. But in 2011, I recall us being fairly pedestrian from beyond the arc. Kemba could knock them down, but was inconsistent. Napier and Lamb were opportunistic, but were basically spot up shooters and needed to be open. Here's our 3 point shooting in the NCAA tournament from 2011 (31%):

9/24 vs Bucknell
6/16 vs Cincy
8/16 vs SD State
5/17 vs Arizona
1/12 vs UK
1/11 vs Butler

We basically didnt even need the three to win our two final four games. Play great defense and have an all american point guard to make plays when you need them, and you have a recipe for success. Our shooting is improving as Calhoun and Purvis round into form. We don't need to be like last year, but we do need to get better.

My biggest concern is that our margin of error is so small this year with our conference. We just have to take care of business. Just to be clear, I'm not predicting another national championship, but this can be a very good team come March.

Those numbers are a bit misleading. Houston had those horrible rims where nobody could hit a 3 for either team. In the 4 previous tourney games we were shooting better than 38% from 3. Without seeing the numbers I'm guessing we shot in that range during the Big East tourney. Kemba's team wasn't as good as last years from distance, but they were pretty good. This year we have been a very bad perimeter shooting team, but hopefully the presence of Omar, the growth of Hamilton and some regression to the mean by Casssel will change that.

 

[Rocktheworld]

I think it ought to be recognized that this year's mojo idol might be surfacing

 

[Mots010]

Those numbers are a bit misleading. Houston had those horrible rims where nobody could hit a 3 for either team. In the 4 previous tourney games we were shooting better than 38% from 3. Without seeing the numbers I'm guessing we shot in that range during the Big East tourney. Kemba's team wasn't as good as last years from distance, but they were pretty good. This year we have been a very bad perimeter shooting team, but hopefully the presence of Omar, the growth of Hamilton and some regression to the mean by Casssel will change that.

I agree there was something weird about the shooting in Houston that year. However, looking at the numbers, Uconn shot 8% from three in the final four, and the other three teams shot 35%. I'm not sure anyone thought if we shot those numbers we'd be the last one standing. Our three point shooting likely won't end up being 15% this year. It will head back closer to an average number I think.