How do you feel right now?

[alleyoops55]

I feel like I won the lotto and then found out it was a joke. I feel like I found the love of my life and then learned she was a he. This is unreal.

 

[NickDanger]

It's funny last night my wife was watching for a few minutes in between doing other stuff and said "well finally it looks like they should win" as they had an 8 pt lead. I laughed and said not for sure but here's hoping. Then the game went on as it did. I was quiet (rare), my brother who we call back and forth for every play and call at least 20 times a game called less and not at all after the 4 minute time out. And my wife came in about 10 minutes after the game and asked the final and I let her know they lost at the buzzer. She was stunned that she didn't hear me or how calm I was, playing with my pup. A loss usually puts me in a fowl mood for a while, not with everyone just pissed. I was calm last night and that's not good. I have come to expect this team to gag down the stretch, throw the ball away like Jackson and Newton did, miss the worst bunny in history of UCon basketball like Sanogo did and not box out like no one did. It's here, it's not going away this team has become what it is and I don't see the turn around in sight. They don't have the leaders with the balls, the brains or the brawn.

I feel like I'm watching the NY Giants of the the last few years prior to this fun year finally. You know what the result is so you can't even enjoy when they play good for a half because reality will set in, and it always does. The other teams make plays, get to loose balls down the stretch and we don't.

NIT, I hope they say no because being invited will be embarrassing to the program, but that's exactly how I feel right now. The excitement of going to work on a day of a game that evening is now, well nothing. Could take it or leave it not excited to watch this debacle. It may change but I've never felt like this even through the rough years prior. When you should be much better than you are and this happens, it's just unacceptable. But that's just me!

“A loss usually puts me in a fowl mood for a while…”
Don’t be chicken!

 

[Billy Jack]

Games like this are why you play in a league like the Big East. These games make you better. They get teams ready for the tournament. Our team will get through this and they will turn it around.

We could see panic setting in on this board after the St. John’s loss. Now it’s turning to despair. But it’s January. It’s not March. It’s a long season. It’s already had it’s ups and downs. We’re in for a long ride. And no one yet knows the ending.

 

[Ports21]

Our asses pucker up in close games. I don't want to criticize college athletes, but we look mentally weak.

In all seriousness do we have a mental skills coach or sports psychologist on staff?

We're fine when things are going well but when it starts to go the other way it's like quicksand and confidence is at an all-time low.

Halfcourt O in 2nd half was absurdly bad

 

[gsmooth]

Whatev. I think many people have accepted after tonights game that this team is just not good. I hope we can make the tourney but Im not sure where the W is coming from. I can see us losing us to depaul yikes

after watcing Depaul-Xavier, I could, too. I can see where DePaul can attack UConn, although UConn's D has been bad so it's not too hard to see.

 

[gsmooth]

Sick to my stomach, to be honest with you. Like a gut punch. Needed that game and pissed it away in unbelievable fashion. Not even talking about that last possession. Shouldn't have come down to that.

Yes! Thanks! This game never should have come down to 1-2 possessions. Someone else said this and IMO it's true. UConn was lucky to be bailed out by Hawk's 3pointer at the end of the first half to be up 14 points-they should've been up 20 but wasted possessions in the first half prevented that.

 

[oshkosh]

On the bright side, these 5 losses are all avengable within a few weeks, if they give enough of a crap. Maybe that’s what will snap the team out of this funk.

 

[Hogoff]

 

[gsmooth]

The one that Sanogo left at the front of the rim with about 2 minutes left will be burned into my brain for a long time. I just cannot believe he could not put that in. Surreal doesn't begin to describe it.

there is plenty of blame to go around with missed bunnies and they all irritated me in real time when I saw them. Like I stated in some other posts, this brought flashbaks to UConn-Nove in the BET last year.

 

[KingAG]

there is plenty of blame to go around with missed bunnies and they all irritated me in real time when I saw them. Like I stated in some other posts, this brought flashbaks to UConn-Nove in the BET last year.

He thought it had a chance to go in. It did not.

 

[jpeakin]

 

[Get a Job]

 

[gtcam]

I'm not feeling as bad as I did after the Providence loss earlier in the season.
I was pissed at the effort and had thought the Xavier loss was a one off.
But you could see it in the players and Dan Hurley's eyes - something is wrong here, UConn is not as good as we all thought and there are some really good players and teams in the NBE that execute plays.
But since there has been zero adjustments. maybe they just don't care, why should I?

 

[Kolumbo]

 

[HooperScooper]

Freak it, we’re running the table the rest of the way! I’m all in! Who’s with me??

My hearts already been crushed. I have nothing left to lose by being a blind optimist. We Don’t Quit! We Don’t Give Up! We’ve been here at the mountain of adversity before! And we always rise. WE WILL RISE! Go Huskies!!

 

[boog204]

I'm not surprised... Our guard play was the key to the season. We started the year with Newton, Diarra, and Joey C playing above their heads. But you could see even then that we could be exposed in conference play when we need to execute in the half court as there is nowhere near a true PG on this team.

We might have the best two-headed big man combo in the country and an excellent scorer in Hawkins. We're shooting just 41% in conference play, turn the ball over far too much, and basically field a starting 5 where really nobody can create their own offense. This is not going to change. To go to the S16, which is what I think we all want, we have to become a demonic defensive team and win some ugly games. The early season wins were a mirage.

 

[CL82]

I feel like the basketball gods are still collecting from us for miracles in 2011 and 2014..

Or setting us up for the next one?

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

"How do feel right now?"

I feel calm and contemplative, sitting on the front porch, listening to two neighbors' windchimes, and a few varieties of traffic & ambient medium-sized city sounds on a sunny 57-degree mid-January Louisville late morning.

I'm settling into the quiet of my daughter & granddaughter having departed within the past hour on the first leg of a 650-mile road trip to join up with daddy and then be in Virginia & Florida for the next 6 weeks. Things will be less chaotic & turbulent, but I will miss them deeply.

When they return, the baby will have mastered standing and very likely will be walking.

Last night, I felt frustrated, angry, sad, pessimistic, disgusted, powerless, cranky, anxious, nauseous, and relatively despairing. I have a special friend whose nearly ritual response in any such situations would apply, "Why wouldn't you?"

So many of my same emotions are on display by others posting to this thread. Again, why wouldn't they be?

I also see high levels of disagreement and dissension within this community.

I don't see any clear path to lowering the tension here and coming together except for the team to return to playing well together. I don't see much of a sense that the team will play well and win, absent better coaching. And I don't see much confidence in the team's coaching. As such, this community appears held hostage by its common bad feelings. That, in turn, leaves me feeling sad, frustrated, powerless, and unhappy as a UConn Men's Basketball fan...right now.

It is a beautiful, mild day, and earlier I read a shocking report from a rural California friend who survived and is recovering from a horrific potentially fatal attack on her by a previously loving pet donkey.

From within the baby's playpen, I video-called my sister whose birthday was Monday, and also a dear friend who is like a stepmother to my daughter. We all loved seeing & 'being with' each other.

While baby is away, I'll toddler-proof the house; travel to the Jersey shore for 10 days to care for a wonderful dog and host visiting friends from CT & NJ; have more freedom to additionally explore Kentuckiana toward deciding if I will fully relocate here; and hope to enjoy a healthy & increasingly rebalanced life after being so focused on care-giving for the past year.

If the Giants can beat the Eagles, then one sister's Eagles fans family will join me in rooting next for the Giants. Otherwise, I'll join them in rooting for the Eagles. If either of those teams goes to the Super Bowl, my other sister's family has become Bills fans. I stick with the Giants because I barely care about football anymore, but I first watched with my dad the year before my first UConn basketball game.

I've barely seen any NFL this year, but the three teams we siblings cheer for remain. That's pretty good.

The UConn Women's BB team has remained a fascinating study in dealing with the uncertainties, disappointments, and frustrations that go with an insane number of illnesses & injuries...for its 3rd year in a row. I'm all in.

I anticipate that I'll continue to watch the Men's BB games, and, like others have reported, I have watched more NCAA MBB overall this year than any since 2014.

I'm going to go inside now and cook one of my favorite dishes. I'm sorry that it felt like too much to do while my daughter was crazed & crazy-making from packing and such. The meal had been intended for her. We went out to eat instead. I'm happy that I made the disj two weeks ago for her.

We do what we can. And we start where we are.

Today, I wish us all a good measure of wisdom, serenity, and courage.

PS - I don't know why this posted in italics, and I can't turn them off.

 

[JT-55]

Feel confused.

I just don't understand how the team we watched play in November with the tight defense, team rebounding and crisp offensive actions and ball movement has become this team in January that can not stay in front of the ball, gets bullied on the glass and stands around just to force passes that become turnovers. We can barely catch the ball without stepping out of bounds now. I don't know if it is a coaching issue, a player issue, or just bad luck but some changes need to be made I just couldn't even tell you where to start.

 

[Billy Jack]

Feel confused.

I just don't understand how the team we watched play in November with the tight defense, team rebounding and crisp offensive actions and ball movement has become this team in January that can not stay in front of the ball, gets bullied on the glass and stands around just to force passes that become turnovers. We can barely catch the ball without stepping out of bounds now. I don't know if it is a coaching issue, a player issue, or just bad luck but some changes need to be made I just couldn't even tell you where to start.

Level of competition.

 

[uconngb]

I just want to know where all the posters are who said this was their favorite team of all time a month ago?

LOL

 

[Husky pride]

Like this should be Hurley's last year if we don't get to the Sweet 16.

I’m not as ready to give up on Hurley, but can’t help but feel he’s not using players in combination who can make a difference. Adama and Donovan on the court at the same time is a must. This seems to be a squandered opportunity and at this stage should have become more obvious. Jackson, Hawkins and Karaban have to continue to start and we very much need to get Samson Johnson back to help make it all hang together.

 

[HuskyHawk]

On #4, working towards #5.

1. Denial
2. Anger
3. Bargaining
4. Depression
5. Acceptance

 

[HooperScooper]

Level of competition.

They beat Alabama (#3 in NET, #4 Kenpom) by 15 on a neutral court.

They beat Iowa State (#9 NET, #12 Kenpom) by 18 on a neutral court.

They beat Oklahoma State (#46 NET, #34 Kenpom) by 10 at home.

They beat Florida (#51 NET, #44 Kenpom) by 21 on the road.

They beat Oregon (#58 NET, #52 Kenpom) by 24 on a neutral (?) court.

That's a pretty good sample size. They were blowing out most other teams. And now they're losing to most teams. They were playing very well earlier this season. And now they're not. It's as simple as that. I don't think it's about the level of competition.

 

[JT-55]

Level of competition.

Yeah I just don't know if I believe that. Oregon is 11-8 and just beat Arizona by 20. Alabama is 16-2 ranked 4th. Iowa State is 14-3 and beat TCU& Texas and lost to Kansas by 2. That is really good competition that we smashed.

 

[geohusky]

 

[F101Voodoo]

Feel like I need another beer

The philosophical question is- is one enough? is one ever enough?

 

[Billy Jack]

Yeah I just don't know if I believe that. Oregon is 11-8 and just beat Arizona by 20. Alabama is 16-2 ranked 4th. Iowa State is 14-3 and beat TCU& Texas and lost to Kansas by 2. That is really good competition that we smashed.

Yes, but we didn’t play any of them on their own court. You have to factor that in.

 

[StllH8L8ner]

 

[Rocktheworld]

I feel like I’m gonna puke when next week Rutgers is ranked higher than us