Hurley and Creighton Game

[TyroneShoo]

That kid just publicly raised his hand and owned a bad day. He is your guy. You will win a lot of games because of him. Ya might lose one or two. But that kid bleeds blue . That is how culture gets rollin.

 

[uconnfan68]

You may have an argument about the closing minutes, but something happened in the 1st half. Some good coaching moves. We started off pretty horrible offensively. Then a switch was flipped and our offense came alive. We started really hot in the 2nd half as well. It lasted until late in the 2nd half when the game slipped away. So there were some good gametime decisions made as well. Not exactly sure what, but we certainly got Bouk into positions to score.

“We” got Bouk into positions to score? I had about as much to do as his teammates. He did it all on his own.

 

[HuskyFich]

This thread is terrible lol

 

[glastonbury50]

That kid just publicly raised his hand and owned a bad day. He is your guy. You will win a lot of games because of him. Ya might lose one or two. But that kid bleeds blue . That is how culture gets rollin.

I hope he turns things around but tweeting about his bad game doesn't necessarily mean he's our guy. That seems to be up in the air right now.

 

[KembaStepback]

I'm not giving up on Cole...especially because of his ability to be the second scorer after bouk....but those missed FTs were absolutely a gut punch. I know he is going to be harder on himself for it based on that tweet. Seems like a really good kid. Hope he is better for it

 

[AdamaNation]

Same with Jackson. Does he show that he has big time tools (like Sanogo)? Heck yes. Has he shown he's ready to contribute at this level at this time? Hell no.

Akok coming back as a NBA prospect would be a big difference. Other than that, there is only so good we are going to be until Sanogo and Jackson start being ready to play like they're not freshmen.

No doubt we win this game walking away with Akok playing.

 

[Hungryhusky99]

Hurley's in game coaching needs improvement. Not calling timeouts until the other team has already made a big run is a problem. He needs to fix this part of his game if he can, because in game coaching needs work and isn't a strength of his.

It has been coaching malpractice against both USC and Creighton down the stretch of games. RJ Cole has been the guy to be the "closer' both games which is laughable considering he sucks big time for this level. The team has been ice cold, Bouk nowhere to be seen. That cannot happen.

The insistence on playing so many minutes of BAdams is awful coaching considering AJacks is a way better play than him. We lack breakdown ability from our players other than Bouk. AJacks is the only player other than Bouk who has shown that he create off the dribble, and has good vision. He also will not lose the ball or get stripped of the ball. He needs more time. We don't need him to shoot 3s but to do what he naturally can do as a slasher, passer, and rebounder, defender, add intangibles on the court. Adams, Cole, and Martin don't have that in them.

This was an Olliesque loss because Hurley brought in Olliesque players in Cole and Martin. In terms of our second scoring option, our second guy has to be Polley for this team to reach its potential. Whaley/AJacks needs to be the third guy.

Gaff looks worse because he is so tentative and scared to make any mistakes for fear he will lose even more minutes. Despite that he made 2 winning plays down the stretch, which was 2 more than anyone else. That alone speaks to why he should clearly start.

This is so bad on so many levels.

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

This is so bad on so many levels.

Isn't that the "magic?"

 

[HuskylnSC]

Up 66-62 at home with 21 seconds left Hurley needs to win this game. The completely uncontested layup with 14 seconds -left way too much time. Switch to zone, force a shot, anything but the layup.

Can't blame the coach for the layup. Blame the kid who didn't work to stay in front of his man twice. You really don't think for a minute Hurley gave instructions to let them have a layup. Also the two missed free throws at the 21 second mark left the game within reach.

 

[HuskylnSC]

Gaff looks worse because he is so tentative and scared to make any mistakes for fear he will lose even more minutes. Despite that he made 2 winning plays down the stretch, which was 2 more than anyone else. That alone speaks to why he should clearly start.

I agree with the last part of your comment quoted here, but not the first part. How can a kid be tentative when he steps up and makes plays with the pressure on. Gaffney is the better point guard option by a long shot. What may look tentative to some of us is actually the kid doing his job of trying to make a play for someone else instead of trying to force the O. I prefer Gaff to the other point guard who was taking contested 3's from 25 feet with 13 seconds on the clock instead of trying to get it to option #1 Bouk.

 

[HuskylnSC]

Cole played Zegs really well much better than Gaff ever could, not close. Cole missed shots he hopefully will eventually make and until the 2 FTs he played fine. Find someone else because for now even after 2-12 he’s better than Gaffney and it’s actually not too close.

Early in the game Cole had a lot of help defense to hold Zegs down. In crunch time help defense is less prevalent because each player is intent on stopping their man. When it counted Zegs took Cole to the rack twice with little resistance. And on the second Cole was bailed out by a lucky swipe that could have just as easily been an And 1. A foul on the second drive when he reached from behind would have lost the game without the OT.

 

[tennmike]

We should have won the Creighton game, but to layer on a narrative that we vastly outplayed them is not accurate. We were fortunate to be in the position that we were. Had Creighton shot nearer their this or last season free thow average, we lose in regulation. I cannot, however, see how the hell we lost. I remember thinking, "there is little time left, we have the ball, up by two, two time outs, and the possession arrow." You cannot lose that game!

I am a big Hurley fan, but his end of the game stuff needs work. Inextricably allowing an unimpeded layup with seconds left is mind boggling. How does that happen? Do the instructions not to foul mean letting their star player do as he pleases? Similarly, we could have lost the USC game at the end if they made a shot.

Did anyone really think we would win in overtime with Whaley on the bench? Personally, I would have gone with Sonogo instead of Carlton for a bit more offense, but...

It's a shame that Bouk's sensational performance was wasted on a loss. If he was not taken seriously by opposing coaches before, he certainly will be now. Going forward, we need better offensive movement and start making shots.

 

[Hankster]

Hurley's in game coaching needs improvement. Not calling timeouts until the other team has already made a big run is a problem. He needs to fix this part of his game if he can, because in game coaching needs work and isn't a strength of his.

It has been coaching malpractice against both USC and Creighton down the stretch of games. RJ Cole has been the guy to be the "closer' both games which is laughable considering he sucks big time for this level. The team has been ice cold, Bouk nowhere to be seen. That cannot happen.

The insistence on playing so many minutes of BAdams is awful coaching considering AJacks is a way better play than him. We lack breakdown ability from our players other than Bouk. AJacks is the only player other than Bouk who has shown that he create off the dribble, and has good vision. He also will not lose the ball or get stripped of the ball. He needs more time. We don't need him to shoot 3s but to do what he naturally can do as a slasher, passer, and rebounder, defender, add intangibles on the court. Adams, Cole, and Martin don't have that in them.

This was an Olliesque loss because Hurley brought in Olliesque players in Cole and Martin. In terms of our second scoring option, our second guy has to be Polley for this team to reach its potential. Whaley/AJacks needs to be the third guy.

Gaff looks worse because he is so tentative and scared to make any mistakes for fear he will lose even more minutes. Despite that he made 2 winning plays down the stretch, which was 2 more than anyone else. That alone speaks to why he should clearly start.

I like the Gaff part. He was sharp for a frosh last year. Hew needs to be in more. He isn't a three point shooter but he has displayed he can make them. He is not afraid to take it to the hoop either.

 

[mauconnfan]

Early in the game Cole had a lot of help defense to hold Zegs down. In crunch time help defense is less prevalent because each player is intent on stopping their man. When it counted Zegs took Cole to the rack twice with little resistance. And on the second Cole was bailed out by a lucky swipe that could have just as easily been an And 1. A foul on the second drive when he reached from behind would have lost the game without the OT.

Nah he was guarding him without much help to speak of especially first half. No doubt he tired as Zegs doesn’t stop working he’s a good player. He got lit up late though you’re right and there was little to no help which says a lot about everyone else huh. Gaff really blew a help assignment when he was guarding Bassok on the top of the key. Seemed the Jays opened the court on purpose to allow space for him to work, even if help came late he would’ve delivered a dime for someone else to lay one in.

I’m afraid Danny’s going to have to add some zone to the list like it or not. None of Cole, Gaff or Adams are very good defenders against quick guards and that’s an issue.

 

[JustbrewitMan]

Don't give up on this kid.

RJ’s Mom replying to her son’s tweet with a grammar correction is one of the cutest things ever!

@Hans Sprungfeld

 

[FlippinCrazy!]

One thing I didn’t agree with was Carlton over Sanogo in OT. I understand why, he’s a senior versus a freshman in overtime early in the season. But Sanogo was playing much better

 

[MexicoHusky]

“We” got Bouk into positions to score? I had about as much to do as his teammates. He did it all on his own.

I disagree. Also, what if Bouk thought and said what you just said. "I did it all on my own". He would be high on the list of worst teammates ever.

 

[Palatine]

One thing I didn’t agree with was Carlton over Sanogo in OT. I understand why, he’s a senior versus a freshman in overtime early in the season. But Sanogo was playing much better

Carlton blocked three shot in 19 minutes. He is a much better rim protector than Sanogo. Sanogo needs minutes to get better but at this point Josh is a better player.

 

[Chin Diesel]

Hurley still needs to learn how to coach this team.

Last two games against USC and Creighton he was much quicker with the hook and less generous with constant rotations. Everyone in the rotation had a chance to play in the first half. Second half minutes were much harder to get if you didn't play well in first half.

Sign of a good coach and he is giving players a chance to show they can play and execute the offensive and defensive game plans. Also shows the team if you can't do it, you can be a cheerleader.

That being said............Hurley didn't have a good plan on how to end the game after Cole's missed FT's. The more games UConn plays the more opportunities Hurley gets to improve his in game coaching decisions. The layoff affecting the coaching as well as the players.

 

[UCLJ0211]

Don't give up on this kid.

Great that he posted this, as you can see he is totally bought in and wants to win. However, it wasn’t his free throws that lost us the game, it was the lack of defense down the stretch, giving up too many offensive rebounds and ultimately giving Creighton too many chances. Can’t put all the blame on Cole, we shouldn’t have been in that position anyways where we were relying on his free throws to win it.

 

[businesslawyer]

Hurley needs to win this game.

Damn right. If he had just told his best free throw shooter not to go 0-2 we'd still be undefeated.

 

[UCLJ0211]

Because we should have had the game in hand before he went to the line so his free throws would have been irrelevant.

 

[NJHusky]

Hurley still needs to learn how to coach this team.

Last two games against USC and Creighton he was much quicker with the hook and less generous with constant rotations. Everyone in the rotation had a chance to play in the first half. Second half minutes were much harder to get if you didn't play well in first half.

Sign of a good coach and he is giving players a chance to show they can play and execute the offensive and defensive game plans. Also shows the team if you can't do it, you can be a cheerleader.

That being said............Hurley didn't have a good plan on how to end the game after Cole's missed FT's. The more games UConn plays the more opportunities Hurley gets to improve his in game coaching decisions. The layoff affecting the coaching as well as the players.

great points...seems to me a big part of Hurley's coaching persona is motivation based....team, energy, enthusiasm, loyalty, which great..But at some point the other stuff matters too.