Georgetown Post Game Thread

[REB1094]

Are we pretending that Ball has anything similar to the shot making ability of Hawkins? And didn’t Hawkins basically have two games with almost no minutes due to injury early in his sophomore season?

Eye test tells me that Hawkins is 100% a better shooter than Solo Ball, which is why it's crazy that it's so close. Hawkins' sophomore year was the 2nd most threes ever made in a UConn season, and yet Solo is right on his tail. I've been waiting for him to cool off, but he hasn't yet. Insane shot making from him so far

Hawkins got injured early against Stonehill (I didn't include that game because that's not his fault), and only played 6 minutes against Iowa St (I did include that game because it was due to getting benched from foul trouble/technical foul which is his fault). I didn't include any of the games he missed completely

 

[superjohn]

You're just wrong. Cole was the best player on our team for 2 years. One of those teams was about as good as this team. And he's a pro player. Don't see Diarra as a pro anywhere. Cole also never had as poor a game as Diarra yesterday, 2-8 fg, 4 turnovers, 3 blocked shots and just bad decisions. When Diarra is good he's a top 4 player on the team but he was really bad yesterday.

Cole wasn't the best player on UConn for 2 seasons. Bouknight was better than him his first year. You could make an argument for Cole or Tyrese in year two. I would probably go with RJ but it was close. Cole got the first team all-Big East honors and Tyrese got snubbed from any honors. Cole's stats in year two- 15.8 ppg, 42% fg, 33% threes, 4.1 assists, 3.4 rebs. Tyrese stats in year two- 13.6 ppg, 45% fg, 43% threes, 1.9 assists, 7.5 rebs. RJ was a volume scorer and a good general but was taken advantage of defensively a fair amount, he always gave it his all and took charges but Hass is a significantly better defender.

Cole definitely had games just as poor as Hass did yesterday and the poor play from Hass was in extended garbage time when Hurley told him to take the air out of the ball with 8 minutes left...

Cole went 2-13 with 2 assists in a loss against Creighton. Cole went 2-10 with 3 assists in a loss against Nova. Cole went 3-12 with 3 assists in a first round loss to Maryland. Cole went 6-17 with 3 assists and 5 turnovers in a loss to West Virginia. Cole went 4-13 with 4 assists and 3 turnovers in a loss to Seton Hall. Cole went 5-16 with 3 assists and 2 turnovers in a loss to Creighton.


Neither of Cole's teams were as good as this team.

RJ plays overseas, Hass will play overseas too.

 

[Classof87]

I'll never roll my eyes at a Big East road win, so I didn't really mind them going into "clock mode" up by 24.
Gtown coming back like they did to close it to an 8 pt game is purely a result of them having Cooley as their coach, he has that team on the right track and I have no doubt they are poised to become a top team in the BE.

All that being said... we are a terrible perimeter defending team. Gtown shot 46% on 7-15 shooting from three, on the season they shoot it at 32.5%. If they had shot better from the line (15 of 23) especially in the 2nd half when we put the game away, this might have played out much differently. We also keep allowing guards to dribble drive to the hole for layups.

I'll gladly take the win, but this team still has a LOT of work to do defensively to make a FF run. And yes, we need McNeeley back asap.

 

[superjohn]

Are we pretending that Ball has anything similar to the shot making ability of Hawkins? And didn’t Hawkins basically have two games with almost no minutes due to injury early in his sophomore season?

If I want someone taking a high degree of difficulty three I'm taking Hawkins. If I want someone taking an open three I'm taking Solo.

 

[Classof87]

Our best defensive game all year. I hope our defensive metrics actually get better after a game for once. Unfortunately, I wonder if our offensive metrics dip a bit by not trying to score the last 8 minutes and letting GTown claw back to within 8.

Maybe on the interior (maybe), but our perimeter D is still very suspect. We gave up 7 for 15 on 3's last night, and as a team we are ranked 354th in 3 pt defense at 38.4%. Our guards give up too many blow-by drives to the hole too.

 

[Classof87]

I have no issue with Diarra except he is way down the list of great UConn PGs. He does what he does fine. Brings the ball up, runs the offense, plays great D, hits and occasional shot and hits FTs. It is just that his offensive game regarding scoring has a lot to be desired and especially at the end of the shot clock. I would rather have a big better scorer from the PG position but he is our best option right now. He has a very suspect jump shot too which dosn't help him when he can't drive to score.

I don't know that this teams needs a score-first type of PG. RJ's teams needed him to score. This team has enough scorers between AK, Solo, Liam, and SJ (when they run the pick & roll). I'd rather have a floor general who gets the ball to those guys in the right spot. Also, what was RJ's assist to turnover ratio? Hass has been stellar this season in that regard.

 

[RuffRuff]

I'll never roll my eyes at a Big East road win, so I didn't really mind them going into "clock mode" up by 24.
Gtown coming back like they did to close it to an 8 pt game is purely a result of them having Cooley as their coach, he has that team on the right track and I have no doubt they are poised to become a top team in the BE.

All that being said... we are a terrible perimeter defending team. Gtown shot 46% on 7-15 shooting from three, on the season they shoot it at 32.5%. If they had shot better from the line (15 of 23) especially in the 2nd half when we put the game away, this might have played out much differently. We also keep allowing guards to dribble drive to the hole for layups.

I'll gladly take the win, but this team still has a LOT of work to do defensively to make a FF run. And yes, we need McNeeley back asap.

Right now this team is very similar to what Bama was last year in March - outshoot the competition and find 2-3 defensive spurts to separate. I’m sure they are leveraging analytics against their roster to find a formula they think can work. When you rely on outshooting the downfall is a cold game here or there.

 

[Griggs]

would have been nice to see Isaiah Abraham on the floor at the end. Gainesville Va. not far from D.C. Sure he had family at the game.

 

[ctchamps]

I don't know that this teams needs a score-first type of PG. RJ's teams needed him to score. This team has enough scorers between AK, Solo, Liam, and Samson Johnson (when they run the pick & roll). I'd rather have a floor general who gets the ball to those guys in the right spot. Also, what was RJ's assist to turnover ratio? Hass has been stellar this season in that regard.

Point one is correct. Point two is because of point one. Different teams different needs. Both gave/give us what we need.

 

[REB1094]

I don't know that this teams needs a score-first type of PG. RJ's teams needed him to score. This team has enough scorers between AK, Solo, Liam, and Samson Johnson (when they run the pick & roll). I'd rather have a floor general who gets the ball to those guys in the right spot. Also, what was RJ's assist to turnover ratio? Hass has been stellar this season in that regard.

RJ's second season: 2.16
Diarra this season: 2.95

But you're right - different teams, different needs

 

[3rdbass]

I don't know that this teams needs a score-first type of PG. RJ's teams needed him to score. This team has enough scorers between AK, Solo, Liam, and Samson Johnson (when they run the pick & roll). I'd rather have a floor general who gets the ball to those guys in the right spot. Also, what was RJ's assist to turnover ratio? Hass has been stellar this season in that regard.

it was 2 to 1 which is good but you don't think he would of been better on this team. Either way the main point is when the shot clock is winding down Diarra has shown he is having issues finding someone or creating offense for himself. Maybe he improves on it but it definitely is a concern.

 

[RuffRuff]

it was 2 to 1 which is good but you don't think he would of been better on this team. Either way the main point is when the shot clock is winding down Diarra has shown he is having issues finding someone or creating offense for himself. Maybe he improves on it but it definitely is a concern.

I’ll take Hassan any day of the week for multiple reasons.

And no, you dont need a score first PG. In fact those types typically build poor chemistry because when players aren’t touching the ball, they start staring and becoming disengaged. You do want them to be a threat, but I would always take a distributor vs a scorer at PG.

 

[JohnFSilver]

Any time they are on the court they should be committed to playing good basketball with a purpose. This wasn't the walk-ons out there, this was our core starters. No purpose, no connection, it was a sloppy mess. The only good thing about it is it gives Hurley teaching points.

I don’t know. game was over. Perhaps regressed to the mean.

 

[Hunt for 7]

I did not get to watch live in a normal manner. I just watched the game uninterrupted and my biggest take away. We are getting better defensively. If we can keep improving…..Mahaney was better, Ball was better but still to susceptible to the back door and watching ball and man at the same time, Ross could be so much more defensively but he had the length to impact Peavy. There were at least 4 contested shots that Peavy missed because of Ross defense. Even Nowell with the recovery.

This game is definitely one that a team can build from.

 

[3rdbass]

I’ll take Hassan any day of the week for multiple reasons.

And no, you dont need a score first PG. In fact those types typically build poor chemistry because when players aren’t touching the ball, they start staring and becoming disengaged. You do want them to be a threat, but I would always take a distributor vs a scorer at PG.

I just don't like Diarra at the end of clock situations. I won't take him over Cole who was clearly better with that for those situations. Diarra can improve and I understand why you think he is a better fit with this team but we still need someone who can break down players and be able to score at end of shot situations as we presently have none.

 

[TheShot1990]

If I saw it correctly, Nowell smacked Mack in the head with 8:08 or so left in the game thus knocking his precious head band off, which almost started a ruckus. That's the reason Danny pulled him. And...he does dribble too much for someone just starting to get minutes. But his first half minutes were outstanding. He will get more time for sure.

 

[RuffRuff]

I just don't like Diarra at the end of clock situations. I won't take him over Cole who was clearly better with that for those situations. Diarra can improve and I understand why you think he is a better fit with this team but we still need someone who can break down players and be able to score at end of shot situations as we presently have none.

Hassan just needs to avoid having the ball in his hands less than 5 second on the shot clock. Once Liam is back that will figure itself out. I’m not worried.

 

[3rdbass]

Hassan just needs to avoid having the ball in his hands less than 5 second on the shot clock. Once Liam is back that will figure itself out. I’m not worried.

Liam can help out there but not 100% sure he is break down player either but he is better with the ball in his hands when shot clock is going down.

 

[PAHusky]

I’ll take Hassan any day of the week for multiple reasons.

And no, you dont need a score first PG. In fact those types typically build poor chemistry because when players aren’t touching the ball, they start staring and becoming disengaged. You do want them to be a threat, but I would always take a distributor vs a scorer at PG.

Don’t agree at all. Pass or score first pg’s are equally important and preference for me comes down to what sort of team offensively you have them running. Last year’s team didn’t need much scoring from the pg spot as they had scoring threats at almost any other position and a few guys who could creat their own shot. This year’s team has almost no one who can get a bucket out of nothing off the dribble.

Would also be pretty easy to argue that in their finals seasons both kemba and bazz could be considered score first pg’s and that seemed to be ok for chemistry

 

[Huskyforlife]

Cole was the better player in a vacuum. He was asked to carry a much larger burden on offense, he’d be more efficient on our last two teams if he replaced Newtons role.

I’m scared of how bad our defense would be if you swapped Diarras minutes for Cole, and I don’t think Diarras defense is elite this year(best defensive game of the season vs Georgetown and Mack, but that’s recency bias). Our defense is outside the top 100 with Diarra, our offense is top 5. Is the marginal improvement on O worth falling even further on D? I’d say no.

Cole would be remembered much more fondly if the PG that proceeded him didn’t win back to back championships and become a program legend. People gotta realize any all conference performer is a great player, regardless of how their team finishes in March.

 

[Huskyforlife]

Underrated aspect of last game. Diarra played 23 minutes, he coincidentally played his best defense of the year.

Nowell developing into someone who can spare Diarra 10+ minutes per game will make Diarra a better player.

All the people who laughed at the idea of getting Nowell ready asap were foolish. I don’t see how he can go back to bench warming when Liam returns, Ross/Stewart/Mahaney need to see reduced roles if it means keeping Nowell in the rotation.

 

[3rdbass]

Underrated aspect of last game. Diarra played 23 minutes, he coincidentally played his best defense of the year.

Nowell developing into someone who can spare Diarra 10+ minutes per game will make Diarra a better player.

All the people who laughed at the idea of getting Nowell ready asap were foolish. I don’t see how he can go back to bench warming when Liam returns, Ross/Stewart/Mahaney need to see reduced roles if it means keeping Nowell in the rotation.

Yep Nowell is our future for next year and critical for this year to give Diarra quality minutes at PG. I still get scared seeing Mahaney at PG and it seems to bog down the offense. He plays so much better off the ball. We need to keep getting minutes for Nowell to keep his development will be critical.

 

[RuffRuff]

Don’t agree at all. Pass or score first pg’s are equally important and preference for me comes down to what sort of team offensively you have them running. Last year’s team didn’t need much scoring from the pg spot as they had scoring threats at almost any other position and a few guys who could creat their own shot. This year’s team has almost no one who can get a bucket out of nothing off the dribble.

Would also be pretty easy to argue that in their finals seasons both kemba and bazz could be considered score first pg’s and that seemed to be ok for chemistry

Sure I’ll take the superstar lottery pick that can put a team on their back that come around once every 30 years or so. On the average the PG position always seems to work better when it can get the whole team involved.

I’ll agree that it does depend on the rest of team. Hurley happens to recruit and develop well, and we have scorers across the floor. I don’t sense an iso heavy on ball PG is his type.

 

[uconnfan68]

The issue there and why the ref started counting was that all 5 UConn players set up inbounds to run the press break, and nobody picked up the ball to inbound it. They'll let it slide if the player is just being slow picking up the ball, but nobody at UConn was making any effort because they all thought someone else was going to

If that’s not on coaches, I don’t know what would be.

 

[mauconnfan]

The complaints about the last minutes of the road game win and Diarra are mind boggling. Ridiculously spoiled fan base.

Big difference between spoiled and having some expectations. That was some of the worst basketball I’ve ever seen down the stretch of a Husky game for 8 minutes. If you don’t have questions as to why that’s mind boggling.

But it’s okay to get outscored 29-4 by a team you were drubbing because you stop running your offense and hand the team over to someone who won’t get a good shot? Please stop, it was downright awful to watch, painful! I get the last couple minutes but please play UConn basketball until then if not with starters than get the next guys in line in the game to run offense. They wouldn’t have lost by 25.

 

[freescooter]

I don’t know. game was over. Perhaps regressed to the mean.

I was at the game and found it unsatisfying the way it ended. It is one thing to milk the clock but for Diarra to just dribble then take a bad shot at the buzzer was pretty awful. I’ve seen a lot of basketball and lots of clock milking. I can’t remember a team getting so many shot clock violations in succession. And had Georgetown been a better foul shooting team they could have made it a 1-score game late. And over the years I’ve seen teams struggle to get back in a rhythm after trying to milk the clock when they needed to.

 

[Inyatkin]

I was at the game and found it unsatisfying the way it ended. It is one thing to milk the clock but for Diarra to just dribble then take a bad shot at the buzzer was pretty awful. I’ve seen a lot of basketball and lots of clock milking. I can’t remember a team getting so many shot clock violations in succession. And had Georgetown been a better foul shooting team they could have made it a 1-score game late. And over the years I’ve seen teams struggle to get back in a rhythm after trying to milk the clock when they needed to.

Good points. If they hadn't won the game, they might have lost it.

 

[Deleted at users request]

Seriously, the only thing that annoys me about running the clock offense is the lost development opportunity.

We have a lot of young guys on the team that could use the confidence and reps of running real offense and getting shots. From the sounds of it we just let the oldest guy on the team handle the ball and throw something up.

Those could’ve been live reps for Ball, Ross, Stewart, or Nowell to work on things they needed to in a blowout situation.

Not as much about what will happen with other teams as much it is a lost opportunity to get better.

 

[auror]

You guys are all missing the point. Keeping it a closer margin kept Georgetown a Q1 win on the road (it might've slipped to Q2 if we destroyed them).

Playing chess not checkers.

(60% joking).

 

[WhereistheDove?]

The complaints about the last minutes of the road game win and Diarra are mind boggling. Ridiculously spoiled fan base.

Out of curiosity, do you think Hass and Hurley came out of that game patting themselves on the back for the execution the last 8 minute? I guarantee you they’re addressing that both from a coaching and execution side this week and not just pretending like it wasn’t bad.

No one is saying bench the guy or that was unforgivable, but this is a message board. Why is it insane to discuss what was clearly a really bad stretch at the end of an otherwise very good game?