Georgetown Post Game Thread

[homunculus]

we will have to agree to disagree.

Mahaney's lack of size and strength is a big factor in what makes him unplayable defensively in our system. He gets ISOd, can't wall off with strength, and fouls at the rim

Not to mention our lack of size in backcourt as a whole, I believe to be a factor allowing teams to get hot on us from 3. To use a football analogy, if you are gonna leave your CB on an island without safety help, he better have the size necessary to hold his own. Difficult with three 6 foot guards

Most college players have shortcomings. It’s only when they don’t produce that fans make that shortcoming that player’s identity. We had a tiny backcourt in 2014, Boat was no bigger than Mahaney and that team managed to play D well enough to win the championship including against teams along the way like Michigan State. (And everyone can spare me the moving goalposts about their overall comparative value as players, we’re talking about size.) The problem is not with any single player, or their physical attributes - everyone on the team including Diarra, Karaban and McNeeley are getting blown by or losing assignments. It is a systemic problem, stemming from the fact that the coaching staff has been slow (or flat out refusing) to adapt to the weapons they have in their arsenal, believing in the system above all else.

 

[UCTitleTown]

Boat was a freak athlete that could jump out of the gym. He also had an edge to him. That's a significant difference.

 

[FreeKlaiber]

Most college players have shortcomings. It’s only when they don’t produce that fans make that shortcoming that player’s identity. We had a tiny backcourt in 2014, Boat was no bigger than Mahaney and that team managed to play D well enough to win the championship including against teams along the way like Michigan State. (And everyone can spare me the moving goalposts about their overall comparative value as players, we’re talking about size.) The problem is not with any single player, or their physical attributes - everyone on the team including Diarra, Karaban and McNeeley are getting blown by or losing assignments. It is a systemic problem, stemming from the fact that the coaching staff has been slow (or flat out refusing) to adapt to the weapons they have in their arsenal, believing in the system above all else.

Definitely agree with the last sentence. We don't have the type of athletes (& bbiq) to play the stifling man Dan Hurley wants & get the rotations down. I wrote something like this after the Memphis game. As for Boat, he was quicker, better athlete, and JC wasnt running the same defensive system. But you are correct, we thrived with a smaller backcourt. As a thought experiment, do you think Khalid could play defensively in this system without a shot blocker behind him? I have my doubts, & loved KEA.

 

[uconngb]

It’s a lose lose, but sure, give Nowell the chance. That said, I am beyond curious as to how people thought he played well. They literally attacked him every time on the defensive end and he got exposed every time on the defensive end. It was that bad. Playing defense like that won’t get you any time in Danny’s program. With that, and with the type of guards in this league that are already exposing our backcourt, makes Nowell unplayable in any meaningful role.

I'm with you. It seems like he can barely dribble and the few shots he has recently attempted have barely hit the backboard. Definitely does not look like a top 40 freshman prospect.

 

[superjohn]

Boat was a freak athlete that could jump out of the gym. He also had an edge to him. That's a significant difference.

Boat is one of the best athletes who ever played at UConn.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

Aren’t you a guy that constantly complains that Hurley doesn’t make adjustments. This is an adjustment made primarily because the offense has stagnated because our lead guard is playing on one leg.

No one is to blame for this , but Hass’s injury is the biggest reason why we have struggled. If he was healthy, we would be top 15.

I am not a big fan of the defensive scheme and I think 2 bigs is the next generation of analytics, but I have not complained about the offense since 2022. Why adjust something that is working great?

 

[nelsonmuntz]

I have been to the XL 3 times this year. Is the food better than it used to be, or was it just a good night?

 

[uconnfan68]

Boat was a freak athlete that could jump out of the gym. He also had an edge to him. That's a significant difference.

We seem to be decidedly nonathletic against almost everyone we play.

 

[superjohn]

We seem to be decidedly nonathletic against almost everyone we play.

Remember years ago when Hurley said we don't dunk and that needs to change? Well we seem to be back to not dunking. Our two centers are basically the only guys on the team who dunk.

 

[Marat]

Remember years ago when Hurley said we don't dunk and that needs to change? Well we seem to be back to not dunking. Our two centers are basically the only guys on the team who dunk.

Samson was usually good for a few lobs per game, and this season this has been like I don't remember the last time he was thrown a good lob and dunked it. Newton and Cam we quite good at that and now we can't event do that anymore.

 

[Skiblets]

I keep waiting for one of our reserves to have that career game that we seem to suffer through when playing other teams with some schlub who averages 3 and 1 somehow going off for 18 and 4 on 65 percent shooting.

When can we get a few of those from our bench?

 

[aceboon]

Mahaney's just been such an enigma this whole season. You can say "well it turns otut he's undersized, not strong enough" for BE play...but then you watch the game last night, and you see Malik Mack from G'Town. He's listed on their roster as 6'2", 175 lbs...but he looked like a skinny like shrimpy 8th grader when he was standing next to Diarra. No joke, he's at most 5"10" and 160lbs soaking wet.

Yet, Mack was battling, getting downhill, into the lane, getting shots up vs. trees.

Make it make sense.

Mahaney didn't look good against the bottom feeders in the non-conference, I don't buy the size issue it's more of him not fitting in/grasping the system and then his confidence got shattered imo. The Big East is filled with guys who have transferred up from midmajors, it ain't like this is the BE from the old days.

 

[Slick]

Reed needs to start. Please Dan, put your fondness for Samson behind you, all of Uconn Fandom is begging you.

Hurley needs to be cautious. If Reed picks up quick 2 or 3 fouls we are in trouble

 

[upstater]

What happened his freshman year? He didn’t end up finishing it.

And yeah he wasn’t much of a scorer but he was a magical passer. Which when playing next to guys like Ben, Rashad, Emeka, Charlie etc. is all you really need to do lol

You can also argue that it's easier making assists to Ben, Rashad, Emeka and Charlie than it is to Solo, Liam and Karaban.

 

[Chasm64]

Does anyone remember what Diarra was like his freshman year. I think we need to understand freshman who can step in an be great or very good players at this level are rare. Nowell will be a very good major to high mid major guard by the time he is a junior. He was not great last night his defense needs major work but he will be able to run an offense get to the basket and be an efficient passer.

May never be a great shooter but he will be a better shooter than Diarra is by the time he leaves college.

I don’t remember what Diarra was like his freshman year because he wasn’t here

 

[Coach J]

I will say two things:

1. It will kill us to at least switch to a zone now and then. Like when weaker man defenders are in the game.

2. Dan Hurley HAS GOT TO STOP WITH THE CENTER HEDGE ON THE PERIMETER! For the one or two times it is successful it costs us 5 times that in open dunks in the paint or wide open threes because we are always scrambling to recover. It is flat out stupid to continue doing when it costs us every game.

 

[Hunt for 7]

I still think we have to give Nowell a chance. I watched his high school film and he is quicker than what we have seen. His body will be an advantage next year when he goes to the hoop. He will learn to make contact and get into the bigger players when he drives.

What I liked about him most was his court vision and not telegraphing passes. The pass to Alex he moved his defenders hands with a ball/head fake to create space to make that pass. It is a small thing but I really see him being able to get the ball to Reed in the post. He will learn that he does not have to get anll the way to the basket when he beats his man as evidenced in sequence where he was at the foul line after beating his man and he saw two passes in advance by getting the ball to Liam who then got it to Ball for an open three. He saw all that when he made the first pass or at least it seemed clear to me he did.

He definitely sees the court. Not saying he is Marcus Williams but I think he will be an above average passer and an above average guard at the college level. Clearly his length or lack thereof will create obstacles but I see him being an effective player during his time in college.

 

[uconngb]

I keep waiting for one of our reserves to have that career game that we seem to suffer through when playing other teams with some schlub who averages 3 and 1 somehow going off for 18 and 4 on 65 percent shooting.

When can we get a few of those from our bench?

As soon as Ross gets more playing time

(Answering for HuskyWarrior)

 

[uconngb]

I will say two things:

1. It will kill us to at least switch to a zone now and then. Like when weaker man defenders are in the game.

2. Dan Hurley HAS GOT TO STOP WITH THE CENTER HEDGE ON THE PERIMETER! For the one or two times it is successful it costs us 5 times that in open dunks in the paint or wide open threes because we are always scrambling to recover. It is flat out stupid to continue doing when it costs us every game.

Two things I’ve been harping on for months now

 

[TheShot1990]

BTW, am I the only one who thought this was unsportsmanlike by Cooley to not only stand on the court, but also to jump up and down right behind Liam while he was shooting?

 

[aceboon]

BTW, am I the only one who thought this was unsportsmanlike by Cooley to not only stand on the court, but also to jump up and down right behind Liam while he was shooting?

reminded me of Shaka damn near contesting a Tristen 3 point shot in the first half of the BET championship last year

 

[UConnJim]

Shabazz Napier and Boatright were rated similar to Nowell coming out of high school and those guys were good right from the get go. Napier might not have been a great scorer right off the bat, but he was very good at backing up Kemba, so good in fact they often played together with Shabazz running point and Kemba playing off the ball.

Here are some stats from freshmen year UConn point guards:

3 Point FG%: Boat 37.7%, Bazz 32.6%, Walker 27.1%, Price 27.3%, Marcus Williams 17.6%, T Brown 25.0%, Ricky Moore 29.4%

FT%: Boat 69.0%, Bazz 77.1%, Walker 71.5%, Price 69.0%, Marcus Williams 69.2%, T Brown 54.5%, Ricky Moore 52.0%

Assist/TO Ratio: Boat 1.82, Bazz 1.67, Walker 1.61, Price 1.80, Marcus Williams 1.79, T Brown 2.04, Ricky Moore 2.00

Nowell: 3 Point FG% = 20.0%, FT% = 57.1%, Assist/TO Ratio = 2.70

Nowell has been injured with sporadic playing time which makes being competitive more difficult. He is a highly rated recruit who needs to play now to get ready for March and he will developed for next year just like a l the above UConn PGs.

 

[GoConn]

If we run our offense through Reed like we did Sanogo, we are a much better team.

 

[homunculus]

Definitely agree with the last sentence. We don't have the type of athletes (& bbiq) to play the stifling man Dan Hurley wants & get the rotations down. I wrote something like this after the Memphis game. As for Boat, he was quicker, better athlete, and JC wasnt running the same defensive system. But you are correct, we thrived with a smaller backcourt. As a thought experiment, do you think Khalid could play defensively in this system without a shot blocker behind him? I have my doubts, & loved KEA.

Boat was definitely a better player and athlete. My bad if I implied otherwise. Bottom line is, I feel like there has been a lot of over the top negativity, almost from day one, toward this kid who I see as a good player who is just not fitting. I’m not sure why the comments about him get reactions out of me more than prior players. Maybe it’s just because we reached such a high pinnacle as a program, and our struggles are really pretty “moderate” in the grand scheme of things. Or maybe it was the dude sitting somewhere above me in Gampel screaming at the top of his lungs about how awful Mahaney is.

 

[homunculus]

BTW, am I the only one who thought this was unsportsmanlike by Cooley to not only stand on the court, but also to jump up and down right behind Liam while he was shooting?

There was another point where he was standing a good six feet fully on the baseline talking to the ref who was about to hand the ball to UConn.