Frustrated

[SubbaBub]

Last year, we lose that game by 25 and the entire 2nd half is garbage time. If these guys have any sense they will look at the film and see that when the don't play as a team they get toasted, when they do they get better looks and don't leave themselves open to the fastbreak.

 

[Jaker]

i am looking forward to the rest of the season, we are already better then I expected.

 

[Tex-Lager93]

I will say that I was listening on SiriusXM and was impressed by the noise. All of the folks there showed out and, if I were one of the recruits there, that would have impressed me!

 

[browndog319]

Gilbert, Vital, and smith should've played better, that is obvious. But how can you be mad at Adams for this game? Yeah the layup he missed ended the game, but he was the only guard keeping us in the game at some points. Did you want him to put up 40 to make up for everyone's problems?

I agree. He can’t put the whole game on his shoulders because we know when that happens we lose. The only help he had was Cobb...

 

[Caronimo]

Frustrating and disappointed but the future is bright. We couldn’t match Zona’s interior play, physicality and athleticism in my opinion. We’ll get better and we hung around. Just didn’t add up today. I know we all want these non conference wins but this may be one of those seasons where we get better as it ages. Trust Hurley and the process.

 

[CTBasketball]

I think Arizona did a good job of highlighting our team’s deficiencies.

1. Gilbert has trouble scoring over long, big guards.
2. Force Vital to dribble and not shoot and he’ll turn it over.
3. Our bigs are slow and often late on defensive switches so utilize high pick and rolls.

I think Hurley should have played Sid and Cobb more in the second half, we had the momentum there for awhile but Miller called some good TO’s.

 

[Horatio]

Considering Hurley has only had them for a few months this was an amazing showing. Ya, I am bummed about the loss but I am certian Hurleys impact is good for +10 points in todays game vs if he had not been made the coach.

So true . It’s gonna take time. Hurley is currently trying to figure out everything from minutes to strengths and weaknesses. It’s all
New with new players and coaches. It’ll work out. It’s not instant, it’s a long marinaded process.

 

[Dooley]

Turnovers are still our main problem. Not surprising. We've played 3 years of cement shoes half court basketball. Now that we're playing fast again, we're turning the ball over way too much. Right now, our biggest challenge is re-learning how to play fast without turning over the basketball. It'll come. This is a tourney team.

 

[browndog319]

Everyone on the team owns this. Anyone who went to the line and missed... congratulations. You contributed to a really close loss. Anyone who turned the ball ocer? You, too.
The biggest was the stupid Smith foul when we could have won it. First 26 seconds of that possession were flawless. That would’ve overcome everything else.
But yeah, blame missed FTs and TOs solely on Jalen. Blame AGs lousy performance on Jalen. It’s hard to be the guy that no matter what gets blamed. If AG has a great game and they still lose its AG did everything and Jalen cost them the game...

 

[Towney007]

I think Arizona did a good job of highlighting our team’s deficiencies.

1. Gilbert has trouble scoring over long, big guards.
2. Force Vital to dribble and not shoot and he’ll turn it over.
3. Our bigs are slow and often late on defensive switches so utilize high pick and rolls.

I think Hurley should have played Sid and Cobb more in the second half, we had the momentum there for awhile but Miller called some good TO’s.

This was it in a nutshell, basically.

Especially on the defensive switches down low. Carlton looked absolutely lost today defensively. I also think this was the first time we've seen Hurley probably make a mistake in his rotations. Cobb should have been seeing more minutes and probably ditto for Wilson. Even when they're bad, they're bringing energy.

 

[superjohn]

Everyone on the team owns this. Anyone who went to the line and missed... congratulations. You contributed to a really close loss. Anyone who turned the ball ocer? You, too.
The biggest was the stupid Smith foul when we could have won it. First 26 seconds of that possession were flawless. That would’ve overcome everything else.
But yeah, blame missed FTs and TOs solely on Jalen. Blame AGs lousy performance on Jalen. It’s hard to be the guy that no matter what gets blamed. If AG has a great game and they still lose its AG did everything and Jalen cost them the game...

Jalen is a senior and the team leader, most of our fans consider him a star player. He's obviously held to a different standard than the rest of the players.

 

[Ts5034]

I was pretty upset after the game, but after driving home I was able to process everything,and now Im not that mad. The crowd was really good today. I loved how Hurley kept trying to get the crowd pumped up. I think the game just came down to the FT shooting. Arizona 19-22. UConn 8-13. They had an 11 point advantage from the line and won by 4.

 

[freescooter]

Need a shooter with ice in his veins. I counted 5 Timeswhen we came down with a chance to take the lead or tie with a trey an misses all 5. Wi Jalen doesn’t have it. Polley isn’t close.

 

[Towney007]

This is a tourney team.

This is what I walked away from today's game thinking. And I think that's gotta be the message everyone takes in walking away from it.

I'd have loved to get the win, but today for me was more of a test to see what we really were - and I think they passed with flying colors *despite not playing a very good game*. Carlton looked lost, Jalen was inconsistent and Gilbert played his worst game to date. And we literally went blow for blow w/ them up until the last 10 seconds. They're bigger, more athletic, well coached, we played bad, one of the referees what out of this world terrible and with all that going on, we still flipping SHOULD have won the game. All things considered, this was a team a year ago who couldn't hang on any level with a respectable Division-1 program. In context, this is about what we are and for a month into the season, i'm pretty much okay with that.

And I also think it's the kind of loss where you really do learn things from. They exposed Vital's poor ball handling. They made Gilbert shoot over longer guards. They absolutely abused our slow big men underneath. They made us pay on sloppy turnovers. They needed Jalen to step up and he couldn't find that fifth gear when he had to. Just lessons all around to be had. At the end of the day - we're just not ready to win these games and that showed today.

But we've also played three NCAA Tournament caliber teams - we beat one, got blown out by one, and probably should have beaten the third. All three are probably as good or a little better than the best of what we'll see in our league this year. We're not going to be losing to Tulsa on the road this year or dropping games to ECU. I think we're arguably the best team in the conference and the tournament is 100% in the conversation at this point. If we're in the NIT, we'd probably be one of the best teams in it.

I think this team is better than Ollie's last NCAA team, FWIW. I think i'm feeling pretty good about making it back this year. I think we're good enough now - and I think we're going to be getting better. Today was a huge indicator of that for me. And i've been really pessimistic/walk before you can run about this group as a whole.

I just think it's important people see the good in today because there was just a ton of it. Enough bad to keep you grounded in reality, but I saw everything I needed to see today.

 

[intlzncster]

This is what I walked away from today's game thinking. And I think that's gotta be the message everyone takes in walking away from it.

I'd have loved to get the win, but today for me was more of a test to see what we really were - and I think they passed with flying colors *despite not playing a very good game*. Carlton looked lost, Jalen was inconsistent and Gilbert played his worst game to date. And we literally went blow for blow w/ them up until the last 10 seconds. They're bigger, more athletic, well coached, we played bad, one of the referees what out of this world terrible and with all that going on, we still flipping SHOULD have won the game. All things considered, this was a team a year ago who couldn't hang on any level with a respectable Division-1 program. In context, this is about what we are and for a month into the season, i'm pretty much okay with that.

And I also think it's the kind of loss where you really do learn things from. They exposed Vital's poor ball handling. They made Gilbert shoot over longer guards. They absolutely abused our slow big men underneath. They made us pay on sloppy turnovers. They needed Jalen to step up and he couldn't find that fifth gear when he had to. Just lessons all around to be had. At the end of the day - we're just not ready to win these games and that showed today.

But we've also played three NCAA Tournament caliber teams - we beat one, got blown out by one, and probably should have beaten the third. All three are probably as good or a little better than the best of what we'll see in our league this year. We're not going to be losing to Tulsa on the road this year or dropping games to ECU. I think we're arguably the best team in the conference and the tournament is 100% in the conversation at this point. If we're in the NIT, we'd probably be one of the best teams in it.

I think this team is better than Ollie's last NCAA team, FWIW. I think i'm feeling pretty good about making it back this year. I think we're good enough now - and I think we're going to be getting better. Today was a huge indicator of that for me. And i've been really pessimistic/walk before you can run about this group as a whole.

I just think it's important people see the good in today because there was just a ton of it. Enough bad to keep you grounded in reality, but I saw everything I needed to see today.

Good post. I don't agree with the NCAA projection, but this was a good take nonetheless.

 

[Towney007]

Good post. I don't agree with the NCAA projection, but this was a good take nonetheless.

Well, they're gonna have to steal one of the OOC games. It's going to be hard to get in as an at large bid, but they seem to have some buzz around them and they can play and beat teams at that level. Backcourt is very good, we're deep even though there's not a ton of talent on this team. I think we stand to get better as the year progresses.

I guess instead of saying we're 'an NCAA tournament team' - I'd say 'we belong' again. If that makes sense.

 

[intlzncster]

I guess instead of saying we're 'an NCAA tournament team' - I'd say 'we belong' again. If that makes sense.

Yup. In my assessment, I'm including the fact that the schedule is always front loaded in terms of ability to get signature wins. It's going to take us a while to round into form. So we miss out there.

I see our only shot as winning the conference tournament. I can't really make an assessment until I see how they are in-conference, maybe by the end of January.

 

[mauconnfan]

Some guys were allowed to adopt bad habits for years, and unfortunately it takes more than a few months under a new coach to teach it out of them.

This program is headed in the right direction, and we're playing with the right attitude now. But the intricacies of situational play, intelligence, decision-making, is going to take longer, and more bluntly is going to take new blood untainted by the last few years.

Sorry BS 3 plus years in for our leader and he continues to play stupid at times and part time defense. No doubt all the guards were not good today but the impact guy, go to guy can’t play in a game this late in his career without understanding every possession means so much. Not all on him but shouldn’t we expect eventually for him to get it since he’s the key? I hope no one blames KO for his inability to play a great solid game with all good decisions??? That’s ridiculous

 

[zls44]

Its frustrating, but it also feels like its (probably?) the floor in terms of the worst output they could get from the guards and they still almost beat a really solid team.

Was down on UA a couple of weeks ago. But they're really impressive. Shame for them nobody will see any of their games, but maybe it helps them be a sleeper in March- before the elite 8, of course.

 

[zls44]

I see our only shot as winning the conference tournament. I can't really make an assessment until I see how they are in-conference, maybe by the end of January.

You should drink the Kool-Aid we all are, its very delicious and you'll be happier.

 

[Towney007]

Yup. In my assessment, I'm including the fact that the schedule is always front loaded in terms of ability to get signature wins. It's going to take us a while to round into form. So we miss out there.

I see our only shot as winning the conference tournament. I can't really make an assessment until I see how they are in-conference, maybe by the end of January.

To me - everything about this team is a step down from what you'd see on a 'good' UConn team.

Adams is a good player - but he'd be the 2nd/3rd/4th best player on a good UConn team. Like guys in that kind of a role, he just doesn't have that fifth gear. And he's our best player. He's a difference maker - but he's not a total game changer at an elite level.

Like we were just saying - Polley, Vital and Carlton are nice players to have - but they're not starters on any good UConn team - they're 6th or 7th/8th men on teams like that. They're good enough to *start* on an NCAA tournament caliber team - but not on a team that can make a deep run.

So for people to digest it, I guess... I tell folks to think of a great UConn team - think of the guys they play 1-10, then start at like 2-4 for Adams and then literally start at 5/6/7 for everyone else as to where they'd be on that depth chart.

We're lacking leadership, a game-changing talent and probably one or two more Jalen Adams kind of players. Lots of bench backfill on this team - but we are maxed on our physical talent. We'll get better as a unit- but we just won't have the ability to shift to the gears better, elite programs can shift to.

 

[intlzncster]

You should drink the Kool-Aid we all are, its very delicious and you'll be happier.

Does it have significant booze? If so, I might be all in.

 

[zls44]

Does it have significant booze? If so, I might be all in.

I'm very insulted you would imply it isn't 90% Rolling Rock

 

[Hankster]

Imo AG kept us out of the first half. Not an off night, he was terrible. Turnovers, ouch. A number of times, our guys get the rebound, greyhound down the court only to stop dead an toss up on e from downtown. At least 20 seconds left on the clock. Nobody there for rebounding. Instead of trying to bring the house down, slow it up, setup. Those ill advised three's didn't count as turnover. All of the bad details, this team played tough. Hung in there. All in all, it was an exciting game to me. Cobb made an immediate impact. Did his usual thing. Then came out. Maybe he should of stayed in longer. I never understood that.

 

[zls44]

The AAC stinks, but its still a 3-4 bid league. No reason UConn shouldn't be able to be one of the 3 or 4.

Now, will they be a 6 seed or a 12? That's a different and much tougher proposition.