Game Thread

[housekeys]

With Wolf down low, we need to extend our D to the perimeter.

 

[Gurleyman]

You don't mean today, right? Bazz has taken one shot all night, and it was early.

 

[housekeys]

And just as I say this, we get beat easy down low.

 

[ctchamps]

Does NG have two fouls?

 

[Rico444]

GET. DEANDRE. THE. ****ING. BALL.

 

[huskyharry]

Unfortunately, no TV access here, but from box looks like DD had a great half.

 

[housekeys]

Does NG have two fouls?

Don't think so. I think Ollie is in confidence building mode. Seems like he should have a quicker hook, but seems to keep the players in longer, even when the players are not producing. That is how I see it.

 

[Gurleyman]

To be honest, lack of offensive complexity is the tradeoff with the big frontline we have gone to this decade. We ran more complex offensive sets with Rip and Ray at the 3, because those guys had guard skills and were triple-threats (shoot, drive, pass). With Rudy, Sticks and Roscoe - you don't want those guys making decisions. Our offense looked better in 2011 when Lamb was at the 3 and Kemba was playing off the ball interchangably with Bazz.

This year, the problem isn't the size (unless we go to DD at the 3 at some point) - it is that Omar is still kinda raw and really isn't a great decision maker yet. Spot up, sure. Put it on the floor and create, not so much.

When you only have two people who you want to have the ball in their hands for any length of time, it means that the offense isn't going to look that great. If we get to the point that Omar can come off a curl and be a triple threat like Rip was, we can initiate offense from three different directions and maybe have more cutting and misdirection.

 

[Kitaman]

KO is way to calm sometimes. Needs to light a fire under these guys' ass

I could be wrong but a 7 month contract does not give a coach much room to rag on the players, the last thing he needs is a rebellion or discontent. I really feel for him, his roster is average, and he is forced to coach for his life. It just suxs!

 

[ctchamps]

Don't think so. I think Ollie is in confidence building mode. Seems like he should have a quicker hook, but seems to keep the players in longer, even when the players are not producing. That is how I see it.

/Yep and Gurlyman in the post following yours explains why.

 

[sledog]

DD, OC, SN, RJE all have 1 foul

 

[joober jones]

We can't just let Omar keep tanking the whole game and turning the ball over. He does need to build confidence and experience, but we also need NG spending a little less time on the bench.

 

[ctchamps]

To be honest, lack of offensive complexity is the tradeoff with the big frontline we have gone to this decade. We ran more complex offensive sets with Rip and Ray at the 3, because those guys had guard skills and were triple-threats (shoot, drive, pass). With Rudy, Sticks and Roscoe - you don't want those guys making decisions. Our offense looked better in 2011 when Lamb was at the 3 and Kemba was playing off the ball interchangably with Bazz.

This year, the problem isn't the size (unless we go to DD at the 3 at some point) - it is that Omar is still kinda raw and really isn't a great decision maker yet. Spot up, sure. Put it on the floor and create, not so much.

When you only have two people who you want to have the ball in their hands for any length of time, it means that the offense isn't going to look that great. If we get to the point that Omar can come off a curl and be a triple threat like Rip was, we can initiate offense from three different directions and maybe have more cutting and misdirection.

And that is why KO kept OC in during the last 7 minutes instead of subbing back NG.

 

[sledog]

Out boarded 8-10

 

[Gurleyman]

It's another game where you can't complain about our D, other than specific possessions (giving them a 3 after we went up 7 to kill momentum, for example). Harvard has 24 points. In a normal year with typical UConn talent, playing defense like this would mean the score is something like 40-24 now.

 

[sledog]

Put NG in already.

 

[ctchamps]

It's another game where you can't complain about our D, other than specific possessions (giving them a 3 after we went up 7 to kill momentum, for example). Harvard has 24 points. In a normal year with typical UConn talent, playing defense like this would mean the score is something like 40-24 now.

I would say OC still is has trouble keeping his man in front of him and TO did not have effective minutes. But the defense was great overall.

 

[CTBasketball]

Niels Giffey needs to be in the game. How about we go with Wolf, Daniels, Giffey, Boat, and Bazz?

 

[ctchamps]

Lets just hope DD's back doesn't tighten up on him.

 

[Gurleyman]

I would say OC still is has trouble keeping his man in front of him and TO did not have effective minutes. But the defense was great overall.

True - you can live with a little bit of on-ball defense issues from a freshman. It takes time to get the feet moving instinctually when the game is being played at a faster speed. Ideally, of course, you'd like for him to hit a shot or two to make up for it so he's giving you something.

And unlike, say, Kemba as a freshman, he doesn't get the luxury of someone like Thabeet behind him.

 

[housekeys]

Great pass by Wolf to the cutting DD, and DD makes FT

 

[Rumrunner]

am i missing something? why is calhoun in and not giffey. should be

boat
daniels
wolf
giffey
bazz

 

[ctchamps]

am i missing something? why is calhoun in and not giffey. should be

boat
daniels
wolf
giffey
bazz

Development of OC probably.

 

[ctchamps]

Guards struggling to keep their player in front of them.

 

[sledog]

UC ahead only due to H shot clock violations