Game thread: UConn @ Tulsa

[Tenspro2002]

This is true, he has no clue how to work the refs. Calhoun used to get all sort of calls out of fear alone.

JC would at least guarantee we'd get make-up calls, if not the whistle swung in our favor.

KO lets 5 or 6 bad calls in a row go against us before he reacts. No ref is concerned about KO's opinion on how fairly the game is being called.

 

[August_West]

He missed two 3s in the final min of OT and a layup at the buzzer and a jumper with 15 secs left in regulation to take the lead.

0-4 with chances to win the game, so with the game on the line he and Purvis cannot hit a shot, been that way for a while. Try to keep up big guy.

Lol the game was " on the line " because jalen scored 8 in a row in Winning time without that you can't cry about anything after anyway . If you want to cry about the misses at winning time cry about Facey and Brimah bricking one in ones during winning time. They make anything and you'd be calling jalen a hero.

 

[mauconnfan]

Hahaha god you are so sad. I love it. I love how easy it is to get under your skin. Definition of an internet tough guy, real life nobody. 20k posts. Haha

Wow Jer you're looking like a real sissy with your hahaha childish posts. Please before you call people sad, check that mirror. You're a pitiful child, but have fun with that you're friends and family must be proud. (Oh crap did I assume you have any dopey? My bad)

Just by reading your spew I have forgotten more than you know about basketball so quit while you're ahead.I promise. Good news for you is I'm old, I have forgotten a lot. Oh yeah nice job going back to find something Olliewood posted 3 years ago. You found that and remembered that yet make e fun of my amount of posts? You need a life Jerry, good luck with that to. Happy New Year my friend should be a beauty.

 

[BUConn10]

Lots of teams have their rotations slimmed down to 7 guys by seasons end, this is just...

 

[Gurleyman]

Lots of teams have their rotations slimmed down to 7 guys by seasons end, this is just...

Difference is that most teams get to pick their 7. If we could have trimmed ours down to Adams-Gilbert-Larrier-Facey-Brimah with Purvis and Enoch or Durham (without senior year ACL) off the bench, we'd be on a better trajectory.

Really, injuries have cost us four guys - since this is not the Durham we expected when he signed

 

[BUConn10]

Difference is that most teams get to pick their 7. If we could have trimmed ours down to Adams-Gilbert-Larrier-Facey-Brimah with Purvis and Enoch or Durham (without senior year ACL) off the bench, we'd be on a better trajectory.

I agree, just pointing out that "lack of bodies" excuse can only go so far. Scoring 12 in the half last game isn't on lack of hands on deck. Our remaining crop is simply offensively deficient.

 

[UConnDan97]

Difference is that most teams get to pick their 7. If we could have trimmed ours down to Adams-Gilbert-Larrier-Facey-Brimah with Purvis and Enoch or Durham (without senior year ACL) off the bench, we'd be on a better trajectory.

Really, injuries have cost us four guys - since this is not the Durham we expected when he signed

Exactly.

Anyone on this board who thinks this team isn't immensely hurt by not having a true point guard is just kidding themselves. Also, anyone who thinks this team isn't immensely hurt by not having a second (and third) scoring option is kidding themselves.

So kids like Vital and Jackson are forced to assume those roles. And they're growing. But they'll need time. Everyone in the gym knew Adams was taking the last shot in regulation. There's a reason...

 

[Gurleyman]

I agree, just pointing out that "lack of bodies" excuse can only go so far. Scoring 12 in the half last game isn't on lack of hands on deck. Our remaining crop is simply offensively deficient.

I agree with that as well. Watching a little of the Houston game without Adams and I thought - we don't have a single player right now who is good at anything offensively. If I was on the bench trying to come up with a play, I wouldn't even know what I was trying to accomplish. We have so little in our quiver.

Wish Hamilton didn't leave too soon, although Larrier being healthy might have made that absence less glaring.

 

[UC1985]

It's just so depressing to watch this group.. I'd prefer to see more Durham, but it would just seem as if he doesn't play any defense? Facey has been better, Enoch shows promise but I'm just so over Brimah.. A few blocks, 5 today? He's just so useless offensively to me, always has. I've seen enough of Purvis, just absolutely done with him.. Never was a fan from Day 1. I give them a pass for the most part, but Ollie has to get some of the blame. I've coached for 10 years and while you can't make chicken salad out of chicken - you can put together better groups to run sets than Ollie does. I just don't understand what he's doing sometimes. I know the roster is depleted, but I just don't get it. So hard to watch

 

[BUConn10]

Exactly.

Anyone on this board who thinks this team isn't immensely hurt by not having a true point guard is just kidding themselves. Also, anyone who thinks this team isn't immensely hurt by not having a second (and third) scoring option is kidding themselves.

So kids like Vital and Jackson are forced to assume those roles. And they're growing. But they'll need time. Everyone in the gym knew Adams was taking the last shot in regulation. There's a reason...

I get this, believe me I do. But when you look at this roster objectively and ask "how far are we from a FF squad?" You realize we are pretty far, not even in the same stratosphere really (obviously this isn't groundbreaking we all know this). But look at this years contenders, the top 5-7 teams; if you take their top 3 players off the roster they still have a product that can effectively run a set, get the ball inside effectively, or just box out for rebounds. When you look at this roster it becomes painfully clear that Ollie and co. still have a huge mountain to climb to return to the altitudes UConn has become accustomed to flying for the last 2 decades. Like someone else here said, while it is not the fault of the players and circumstances are largely out of their hands, this team and staff has accustomed to losing, to conference foes too which hurts even more because while th AAC upper half teams are much better than they get credit for, no one outside of it really sees that so these losses just come off looking way worse than like Duke losing to VT today, despite both opponents being a similar caliber in my eyes.

It's largely a frustrating situation for the squad with several factors affecting the team from all angles, but what we see here is eye opening as to the hill that still needs to be climbed over the next few years.

 

[Mr. French]

I get this, believe me I do. But when you look at this roster objectively and ask "how far are we from a FF squad?" You realize we are pretty far, not even in the same stratosphere really (obviously this isn't groundbreaking we all know this). But look at this years contenders, the top 5-7 teams; if you take their top 3 players off the roster they still have a product that can effectively run a set, get the ball inside effectively, or just box out for rebounds. When you look at this roster it becomes painfully clear that Ollie and co. still have a huge mountain to climb to return to the altitudes UConn has become accustomed to flying for the last 2 decades. Like someone else here said, while it is not the fault of the players and circumstances are largely out of their hands, this team and staff has accustomed to losing, to conference foes too which hurts even more because while th AAC upper half teams are much better than they get credit for, no one outside of it really sees that so these losses just come off looking way worse than like Duke losing to VT today, despite both opponents being a similar caliber in my eyes.

It's largely a frustrating situation for the squad with several factors affecting the team from all angles, but what we see here is eye opening as to the hill that still needs to be climbed over the next few years.

I mean, in many ways I agree with your sentiments...but you can't really say many teams would lose their top 3 players, by far, and who the entire offensive ability is based upon, and still be "running efficient sets."

You have to look at things in a grander scale, some teams might deal with an injury or two or whatever in game, but not as a season long roster...teams can game plan to our roster weaknesses, teams can adjust in game, etc.

We have guys that, in small flashes, can do some things on offense. It's so inconsistent, that's why we're in trouble. But most programs in the country, losing top 3, 4 of 10-11 total, would struggle to run offense consistently effective enough to do damage.

The ones that could are MAYBE the top 2-3 rosters in the country ... Maybe ... Not many college programs have roster depth enough to satisfy this expectation from many of our fans.

Not to mention, our particular offense is predicated on 2-3 main scorers / creators, and those 2-3 players happen to be the ones who were injured. Don't people grasp that in full ?

 

[Gurleyman]

I get this, believe me I do. But when you look at this roster objectively and ask "how far are we from a FF squad?" You realize we are pretty far, not even in the same stratosphere really (obviously this isn't groundbreaking we all know this). But look at this years contenders, the top 5-7 teams; if you take their top 3 players off the roster they still have a product that can effectively run a set, get the ball inside effectively, or just box out for rebounds. When you look at this roster it becomes painfully clear that Ollie and co. still have a huge mountain to climb to return to the altitudes UConn has become accustomed to flying for the last 2 decades. Like someone else here said, while it is not the fault of the players and circumstances are largely out of their hands, this team and staff has accustomed to losing, to conference foes too which hurts even more because while th AAC upper half teams are much better than they get credit for, no one outside of it really sees that so these losses just come off looking way worse than like Duke losing to VT today, despite both opponents being a similar caliber in my eyes.

It's largely a frustrating situation for the squad with several factors affecting the team from all angles, but what we see here is eye opening as to the hill that still needs to be climbed over the next few years.

I think next year may come down to what type of player Durham is after getting his legs and his game back. I like our perimeter a lot with Adams-Gilbert-Larrier and MAL off the bench. That's a Final Four caliber 1-2-3. Enoch and hopefully Diarra can be blue collar rebounders and defenders. If Durham can be a versatile DeAndre Daniels-type scorer to add to the mix, I think we could be a 30-win team. But as we've learned - projecting things a year away can be a fool's errand.

 

[Matrim55]

I think next year may come down to what type of player Durham is after getting his legs and his game back. I like our perimeter a lot with Adams-Gilbert-Larrier and MAL off the bench. That's a Final Four caliber 1-2-3. Enoch and hopefully Diarra can be blue collar rebounders and defenders. If Durham can be a versatile DeAndre Daniels-type scorer to add to the mix, I think we could be a 30-win team. But as we've learned - projecting things a year away can be a fool's errand.

I'm hoping sophomore year Durham can replicate senior year Facey. I don't think it's an unreasonable ask, but it's also far from a given.