Game thoughts - Houston in Houston

[RichZ]

Not a lot of detail about last night's game, because it just took the urge to rewatch it and analyze the minutiae right out of me. So this report is painted with a much broader brush.

1. We led through the first half, but to be honest, it felt like there might be smoke and mirrors involved.
2. Second half collapse was simply gut wrenching.
3. It's not like we were on top of our game in the first half. But we kicked the legs out from under a few comeback runs and did what we needed to do. Then we came out as flat as flat could be in the second half. Conversely, Houston came back from needing life support to looking like world beaters.
4. W
   T
   F
   ?

 

[Travelman6]

That is the kind of loss that makes you think, should I find other things to do on game nights for the rest of the season? It was a very deflating loss, especially after a solid first half, it was mirrored by some of the worst basketball Uconn has played in weeks, if not a month+ in the 2nd half. I still do not really get what happened there.. That was more than flat, as you said...WTF... God, everything was starting to really fall into place too, now I wonder if they can even get up for this smu game and keep it respectful since they have already been slammed once. Could this be an ugly 70 to 45 type game made closer by some closing minute garbage points?

 

[sledog]

The lads deferred the -15 scenario from opening tap to the 2nd half, so still prone - just a matter of when. Still trying to grasp how that happened. Probably drove an increase in BY suicide attempts.

 

[gtcam]

That is the kind of loss that makes you think, should I find other things to do on game nights for the rest of the season? It was a very deflating loss, especially after a solid first half, it was mirrored by some of the worst basketball Uconn has played in weeks, if not a month+ in the 2nd half. I still do not really get what happened there.. That was more than flat, as you said...WTF... God, everything was starting to really fall into place too, now I wonder if they can even get up for this smu game and keep it respectful since they have already been slammed once. Could this be an ugly 70 to 45 type game made closer by some closing minute garbage points?

Feel free to find other things to do - not sure any real UConn fan that I know would even think that

As far as them being up for the SMU game - this team could have mailed it in when they were down to 6 players but the heart kept beating and they persevered as best they could. They were bound to have a bad game/half game but can't afford it vs. Houston/Cinci/SMU

Yes they had a collapse in the second half - why? Not 100% sure but a few factors played into it:
1. Missing 6 chippies under the basket in the first few minutes of the 2nd half led to unanswered points at the other end
2. ABs failure to take charge of under the basket when KF got his 4th foul, No rebounds in traffic and no offense from the 7' center - it was a less than bad performance and somewhat mind boggling - SE should have played more
3. Overall foul trouble - RP, KF, playing scared to get 4 and 5 caused an easing in defensive intensity and allowed Houston to penetrate
4. JA was not himself yesterday and for that matter neither was CV - can't afford to have more than 1 player to be bad and last night we had at least 3 with bad games
5. Houston is best AAC 3 pt shooting team and had a shooting slump in the 1st half - it woke up
6. Fouls - officiating was bad - I'm not going to say anymore on that

 

[jibsey]

Picture last night's game with next year's roster. I think we win.

 

[pj]

Picture last night's game with next year's roster. I think we win.

Undoubtedly, but I'm hoping for much more from next year's team.

 

[CardiacAndre7]

Feel free to find other things to do - not sure any real UConn fan that I know would even think that

As far as them being up for the SMU game - this team could have mailed it in when they were down to 6 players but the heart kept beating and they persevered as best they could. They were bound to have a bad game/half game but can't afford it vs. Houston/Cinci/SMU

Yes they had a collapse in the second half - why? Not 100% sure but a few factors played into it:
1. Missing 6 chippies under the basket in the first few minutes of the 2nd half led to unanswered points at the other end
2. ABs failure to take charge of under the basket when KF got his 4th foul, No rebounds in traffic and no offense from the 7' center - it was a less than bad performance and somewhat mind boggling - SE should have played more
3. Overall foul trouble - RP, KF, playing scared to get 4 and 5 caused an easing in defensive intensity and allowed Houston to penetrate
4. JA was not himself yesterday and for that matter neither was CV - can't afford to have more than 1 player to be bad and last night we had at least 3 with bad games
5. Houston is best AAC 3 pt shooting team and had a shooting slump in the 1st half - it woke up
6. Fouls - officiating was bad - I'm not going to say anymore on that

Get off your high horse with the "Real Uconn Fan" stuff. We are all real Uconn fans, we post on a Uconn Basketball message board. Some of us were frustrated with our game last night and don't like seeing that kind of game from us, doesn't make you any more of a fan than us.

 

[Travelman6]

Feel free to find other things to do - not sure any real UConn fan that I know would even think that

That horse you rode in on is mighty tall....Take it easy. I am a fan, I will be there, I was just frustrated. Anyone with a pulse is.

 

[Fishy]

Picture last night's game with next year's roster. I think we win.

Positions one through three....I agree.

I think Adams is more of an off guard than a point guard and adding Alterique and MAL and Vital's improvement make the backcourt more than formidable. Rodney is one of my favorite Huskies ever, but I think his streakiness is contagious and we will be in a better spot next year.

Add Larrier and Polley to Vance Jackson. We're very good on the wings.

Here's my concern.

Subtract Facey and Brimah and add.....who?

Enoch? Diarra? Carlton?

Two ways that goes - either losing Brimah is addition by subtraction or we're screwed. We would need Durham and Diarra to be much better than we expect and we'd need Carlton or Enoch to be more than they appear to be now.

 

[husky429]

Positions one through three....I agree.

I think Adams is more of an off guard than a point guard and adding Alterique and MAL and Vital's improvement make the backcourt more than formidable. Rodney is one of my favorite Huskies ever, but I think his streakiness is contagious and we will be in a better spot next year.

Add Larrier and Polley to Vance Jackson. We're very good on the wings.

Here's my concern.

Subtract Facey and Brimah and add.....who?

Enoch? Diarra? Carlton?

Two ways that goes - either losing Brimah is addition by subtraction or we're screwed. We would need Durham and Diarra to be much better than we expect and we'd need Carlton or Enoch to be more than they appear to be now.

Yeah, I don't see us as a better team unless we can bring in some immediately eligible grad transfer. We will have a GAPING hole at the 5. I think going small can mitigate some of the issues at the 4 spot, but as of now we're going to get abused in the lane.

We need Enoch to get better in defense. But that's really difficult over the summer--players can't spend the time in "official" practices.

 

[RichZ]

We need Enoch to get better in defense. But that's really difficult over the summer--players can't spend the time in "official" practices.

Yes, but they can go to a big man camp.

 

[CTBasketball]

Yes, but they can go to a big man camp.

 

[Doheny]

6. Fouls - officiating was bad - I'm not going to say anymore on that

You should. Houston was 18 for 21 from the line in the 2nd half, while we were 9 for 13. We were OK, but they were very good (86% for the game) with many more attempts. With parity from the line, we probably win the game.

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

Positions one through three....I agree.

I think Adams is more of an off guard than a point guard and adding Alterique and MAL and Vital's improvement make the backcourt more than formidable. Rodney is one of my favorite Huskies ever, but I think his streakiness is contagious and we will be in a better spot next year.

Add Larrier and Polley to Vance Jackson. We're very good on the wings.

Here's my concern.

Subtract Facey and Brimah and add.....who?

Enoch? Diarra? Carlton?

Two ways that goes - either losing Brimah is addition by subtraction or we're screwed. We would need Durham and Diarra to be much better than we expect and we'd need Carlton or Enoch to be more than they appear to be now.

A serious question toward you or anyone else: how many college teams actually are strong at the 5? I ask because TV announcers repeatedly mention that UCONN has 3 guys 6'11" and above, implying that other teams don't, which at least shades toward the notion that a lot of teams would have this kind of situation.