Hurley and Transfer Portal

[auror]

We (the assistants) kicked the tires on a bunch of transfers. We were looking for a very specific archetype since we were so deep everywhere. We needed a 20 min a night ball handling wing shooter who can defend. A few that I wanted: Grady, Locke, Kolek, Myreon Jones. Richmond doesn't shoot and apparently was never an option (done deal to Seton Hall from before he announced he was transferring).

Myreon Jones is shooting 30% from 3. Kolek is shooting 21% from 3 and sub 40% from 2. Locke is shooting 31% from 3 and sub 40% from 2.

Grady would have been perfect, but doesn't seem realistic that we could have beaten out Kentucky even if Hurley went all in.

 

[dennismenace]

I also seem to recall that Uconn is one of only two schools in the country with no transfers in this year. I believe that is because he must be being honest and consistent and earning the players trust.

I think you just made a fine case of Hurley's loyalty to upperclassmen and his sticking with them despite continued lackluster performance. It's the same reason that talented freshman are not getting play time and at least giving the non-performers something to think about when they lose minutes. That will frustrate top recruits and give others pause to committing here.

 

[Rico444]

Um, Hawkins is supposed to address that issue and he is seeing the floor. Polley supposedly is a shooter and the fact that he isn’t making them is not something a coach can change. Martin is not a horrible shooter. Ditto Cole who right now isn’t shooting at a great clip. I’d guess Hurley thought he had that base reasonably covered with some contribution. from Akok who right now is making a case for Johnson to play more, and Whaley . While I’ve said Gaffney (who also supposedly can shoot) isn’t the worst back up option, I’ve also said I’d like to see Diggins more. Can he make jumpers? A limited sample implies maybe.

There is some sort of assumption that some unidentified transfer would be taking and not missing a bunch of the shots all of the guys I’ve identified are missing. And play the D Hurley wants which has pretty good even in the losses. Personally, I think if the main offensive rebounders would stop tipping wildly so much and grab the ball to go back up and maybe score or be fouled we might get 6-10 more points a game.

The coach can't make these guys shoot better, but he can control the minutes each player gets. If Polley isn't making his shots, what value is he bringing to the court? Get someone else in there.

 

[KingAG]

The coach can't make these guys shoot better, but he can control the minutes each player gets. If Polley isn't making his shots, what value is he bringing to the court? Get someone else in there.

Who should take Polley's minutes?

 

[cohenzone]

The coach can't make these guys shoot better, but he can control the minutes each player gets. If Polley isn't making his shots, what value is he bringing to the court? Get someone else in there.

Cuz you don’t know a guy isn’t making his shots until he doesn’t make several. Streak shooters often heat up after a few misses. The big problem with Polley is that he has more cold streaks than hot streaks. And Hurley at this point isn’t exactly gluing Hawkins to the bench. Diggins is another matter.

 

[Hungryhusky99]

Who should take Polley's minutes?

Akok/Hawkins/Samson

 

[Huskyforlife]

Who should take Polley's minutes?

Literally anyone.

 

[F101Voodoo]

Why didn't Hurley know that Martin and Sanogo would get hurt? What an idiot!!!!!!

You are so right. He should have asked Miss Claire Voiyant.

 

[Hoophound]

I

I agree in terms of Diggins and Samson. But with Cole, Sanogo, Hawkins, and possibly Martin returning. Nothing about that team is “young and inexperienced”. I don’t think we should judge this season and or this team just yet. We’ve beat some good teams, and lost to some good teams. It’s honestly we’re I thought we’d be. We’ve been top 25 for 75% of the season. I get the concerns, but I think the severity of the results have been a little overstated

Cole isn’t a pg. I’m happy to have him next season, but he is a shooting guard. I am worried that Diggins isn’t playing and Floyd is redshirting. Hawkins is a great talent but his handle is his weakness. We will have a very inexperienced backcourt to go with Cole and Gaffney, assuming no one transfers. I want a plan for our backcourt that makes us better, because we aren’t adequate right now. We don’t have creators, slashers or bucket getters.

Diggins needs to play a little bit, Hawkins need to play a lot and we all better pray Floyd is as good as he looks.

 

[Horatio]

Cole is not the problem. Him not having help at his position is.

 

[businesslawyer]

I don’t know. I think for many of us, we’ve been seeing the same problems for a few years and we don’t see a way to something better yet. We haven’t had a true PG, we can’t drive and we can’t shoot. Aside from that, we have some very talented guys on the bench getting no chance to develop and we will need them to be all grown up by next season. I really thought that next season would be when we’d see a return to UConn basketball with superior athletes and solid skills. Now I foresee a young team with little experience trying to find their way. Diggins, Johnson and Springs need to get some run.

People are still looking for Richie Springs to be part of a return to continuous national contending teams? He’s now in his third year and still hasn’t contributed. That’s not knocking the young man — I’m sure he’s capable of helping teams at some level. But if he was going to be helping us, you really don’t think he would be doing so by now?

 

[Hoophound]

Cole is not the problem. Him not having help at his position is.

I agree with this. Cole is an awesome person and player. He needs help in the back court, but it needs to be from a natural point guard. Cole is a good combo guard that should be playing shooting guard most of the time and backup pg some of the time.

 

[navery12]

I agree with this. Cole is an awesome person and player. He needs help in the back court, but it needs to be from a natural point guard. Cole is a good combo guard that should be playing shooting guard most of the time and backup pg some of the time.

What do you make of the fact that he's averaging 4.5 assists a game and a 2.5 A/TO ratio? Genuinely curious, not being snarky

 

[Hoophound]

What do you make of the fact that he's averaging 4.5 assists a game and a 2.5 A/TO ratio? Genuinely curious, not being snarky

He’s a good player so he produces in many ways. However, he’s not good at penetrating, getting in the lane and distributing, slashing to the hoop or even leading a fast break. He’s a very solid combo guard with tons of great attributes. He just isn’t a pure pg that can create for others enough. He makes some nice plays and finds guys cutting to the hoop, but he doesn’t make opportunity happen as much he capitalizes on what openings he’s given.

 

[Hoophound]

People are still looking for Richie Springs to be part of a return to continuous national contending teams? He’s now in his third year and still hasn’t contributed. That’s not knocking the young man — I’m sure he’s capable of helping teams at some level. But if he was going to be helping us, you really don’t think he would be doing so by now?

I don’t know, but he’s looked ok when in the game. He isn’t clueless. I’d like to see what he can do. With all the work he’s put in you’d think he’d get more than 2 minutes up 35 against CCSU or whomever.

 

[Get a Job]

I don’t know, but he’s looked ok when in the game. He isn’t clueless. I’d like to see what he can do. With all the work he’s put in you’d think he’d get more than 2 minutes up 35 against CCSU or whomever.

All I know is that his jumper looked immaculate in the shootarounds before Saturday's game and the ball barely touched net as it went through.

 

[tzznandrew]

All I know is that his jumper looked immaculate in the shootarounds before Saturday's game and the ball barely touched net as it went through.

Are we serious in using shootarounds as some sort of evidence? I watched Rajon Rondo bury 3s in shootarounds over multiple years... it's meaningless without the pressure.

 

[Get a Job]

Are we serious in using shootarounds as some sort of evidence? I watched Rajon Rondo bury 3s in shootarounds over multiple years... it's meaningless without the pressure.

Note that I said, "All I know is...". That means I am not making any claims outside of the face value of the statement that followed.

 

[Rico444]

Who should take Polley's minutes?

I would put Akok out there. Give Samson some more minutes. Hell, you could go small and put Hawkins out there. I'm not saying you have to bench Polley completely, but he brings almost nothing to the table when he's not hitting his shots. Akok blocks shots and rebounds, Hawkins plays good defense, Samson blocks shots and needs to start seeing some minutes if we want him to be a contributor later this year.

Cuz you don’t know a guy isn’t making his shots until he doesn’t make several. Streak shooters often heat up after a few misses. The big problem with Polley is that he has more cold streaks than hot streaks. And Hurley at this point isn’t exactly gluing Hawkins to the bench. Diggins is another matter.

I get that, but Polley doesn't bring enough to the table in any other aspect of his game for you to let him play through his misses. You're putting him out there to get 2 rebounds in 24 minutes and nothing else, in hopes that he gets hot from 3? He needs to play 10-15 minutes a game unless he's drilling his shots from deep, then you play him more. Any other minutes need to be earned by him contributing in another way.