Hurley compares UConn's defense to a "wet tissue"

[HooperScooper]

“We’ve been just super soft, like a wet tissue, guarding dribble drive,” Hurley said. “We’re doing a really bad job off the ball in ball screen defense, a lot of times it has very little to do with the four players involved in the ball screen, it’s the player on the two sides, the low man often times, letting us down. And then just the toughness, the ability to win one-on-one battles, we’ve been bad individually guarding people this year.”

“If we guard like that, we will not be a team that can win this league, regular season or the (tournament), and we will not be a team that can make a deep run in the (NCAA) Tournament,” Hurley said. “Now, listen, Donovan (Clingan) is one of the most impactful players in the country at both ends of the court, his numbers don’t do justice to how much of a difference he makes.

“But our defense has got to take a major step up from here on out or else we will not be contenders at anything, we’ll be pretenders.”

Why Dan Hurley compared UConn’s defense to a ‘wet tissue’ after decisive win over DePaul

UConn’s defense made strides in an 85-56 rout of DePaul, but head coach Dan Hurley says there needs to be improvement on that end for the Huskies to contend.

www.courant.com

Alternate access:
Why Dan Hurley compared UConn’s defense to a ‘wet tissue’ after decisive win over DePaul

Containing the dribble drive has been a concern. Spencer, Newton and Karaban are each not good at staying in front of their man. Last year the team seemed to get better at it later in the season. Joey C., as one example, couldn't guard a chair early in the season and by the end he was serviceable. Can Hurley work his magic this year to make them a better defensive team?

 

[HooperScooper]

"All week Coach was on us about picking up the urgency level on the defensive end," UConn guard Cam Spencer said. "Our numbers have dropped in the last few games. If we want to get to where we want to go to at the end of the year we have to be better at that end. The urgency level and the intensity level need to pick up and I think we did a good job with that tonight."

How UConn men's basketball team made strides in Big East win over DePaul: 'Picking up the urgency'

The play of his team's defense and freshmen Stephon Castle against DePaul had UConn men's coach Dan Hurley in a positive mood Tuesday night.

www.nhregister.com

Alternate access:

How UConn men's basketball team made strides in Big East win over DePaul: 'Picking up the urgency'​

 

[Palatine]

Not your run of the coach speak.

 

[Waquoit]

Not your run of the coach speak.

Yeah, he's mainly a coach, speaking.

 

[CardiacAndre7]

We have been poor. We are 23rd in KP adjusted D but it’s heavily weighted/projected from last year still. Gotta be better.

 

[Huskyforlife]

Newton and Karaban specifically need to be better. They became very good defenders by the end of last year, at times Newton was out defending Hawkins. The defense will still be very good when Clingan gets back, but it can be elite if everyone takes it up a notch.

 

[WeAreUCONN]

Our defense kinda sucked against Kansas and we still shoulda won. This team will be fine but Hurley is smart for prioritizing defense.

 

[Tenspro2002]

I have very little concern about Dan Hurley being able to improve a team's defense over the course of a season.

 

[HooperScooper]

I have very little concern about Dan Hurley being able to improve a team's defense over the course of a season.

That's what I was thinking in my question at the end.

 

[yungdowork]

We have a lot of guys who have never been required to play team defense at this level and I think it's shown. Ball and Samson have already shown some signs of improvement in my opinion. Castle is already a good defender and I think his off-ball defense will continue to get better as he gets more minutes in game situations.

DePaul isn't very good, but holding a Big East team to under 20 points in a half is indicative of some ability to defend at a high level

 

[TheChamps990411]

“We’ve been just super soft, like a wet tissue, guarding dribble drive,” Hurley said. “We’re doing a really bad job off the ball in ball screen defense, a lot of times it has very little to do with the four players involved in the ball screen, it’s the player on the two sides, the low man often times, letting us down. And then just the toughness, the ability to win one-on-one battles, we’ve been bad individually guarding people this year.”

“If we guard like that, we will not be a team that can win this league, regular season or the (tournament), and we will not be a team that can make a deep run in the (NCAA) Tournament,” Hurley said. “Now, listen, Donovan (Clingan) is one of the most impactful players in the country at both ends of the court, his numbers don’t do justice to how much of a difference he makes.

“But our defense has got to take a major step up from here on out or else we will not be contenders at anything, we’ll be pretenders.”

Why Dan Hurley compared UConn’s defense to a ‘wet tissue’ after decisive win over DePaul

UConn’s defense made strides in an 85-56 rout of DePaul, but head coach Dan Hurley says there needs to be improvement on that end for the Huskies to contend.

www.courant.com

Alternate access:
Why Dan Hurley compared UConn’s defense to a ‘wet tissue’ after decisive win over DePaul

Containing the dribble drive has been a concern. Spencer, Newton and Karaban are each not good at staying in front of their man. Last year the team seemed to get better at it later in the season. Joey C., as one example, couldn't guard a chair early in the season and by the end he was serviceable. Can Hurley work his magic this year to make them a better defensive team?

Hurley knows last season the two big things that lead to that National Title was figuring out how to use Ajax and the defense. We did not give up more than 60 points but once in the tournament. That is insane!

 

[RichCTBB]

I've said it before in other threads....Hurley has shown a consistent ability to have his teams turn a corner around February and peak at the right time. Seems like this every year. The rotational players that we have are all capable of defending at the level that Hurley demands from them. The fact that they're not far off is scary. I can't wait to see what this team becomes.

 

[87Xfer]

Who's he talking about at 9:00? Can't hear the question on my phone, but I assume AK?

 

[HooperScooper]

Who's he talking about at 9:00? Can't hear the question on my phone, but I assume AK?

Correct. That's in the 2nd article I posted (from the New Haven Register).

 

[Rich]

Who's he talking about at 9:00? Can't hear the question on my phone, but I assume AK?

You are correct sir