nelsonmuntz
Point Center
- Joined
- Aug 27, 2011
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I have been critical of Hurley on this board, but I thought he coached a good game against Cincinnati.
Defensive rotations were much better today than in the first game. The big part was the second rotation in the help defense. In the first game, Cincinnati had a lot of layups off dump off passes after the help defense had stopped penetration. UConn defended those dump off passes much better today. Cincinnati made some tough shots, but it did not get as many easy ones as it got in the first game.
Hurley's best work was on offense. UConn took a lot more open catch-and-shoot 3's as opposed to contested pull-ups. There was good ball movement and finding open space against Cincinnati's defense.
The best chess move of the game was with around the 6 minutes left in the first quarter. Cincinnati had a 10 point lead and switched to a 1-3-1. Adams went to the corner on the next two possessions, and UConn pulled the defense to the top and then passed to Adams, who was wide open for 2 straight 3's. A 1-3-1 is a funky defense but some coaches will switch to it for a few possessions to mix things up. Hurley identified and exploited it immediately.
I thought keeping Carlton in the game at the end was ballsy, and the right move. Whaley is more of a shot blocker, but Hurley needed a position defender and space eater like Carlton.
Finally, Hurley kept up the pressure and attacked in transition. Bouknight does not know the offense yet, but he is very good in the open court. Maximize his strengths and minimize his weaknesses. Good coaching.
Defensive rotations were much better today than in the first game. The big part was the second rotation in the help defense. In the first game, Cincinnati had a lot of layups off dump off passes after the help defense had stopped penetration. UConn defended those dump off passes much better today. Cincinnati made some tough shots, but it did not get as many easy ones as it got in the first game.
Hurley's best work was on offense. UConn took a lot more open catch-and-shoot 3's as opposed to contested pull-ups. There was good ball movement and finding open space against Cincinnati's defense.
The best chess move of the game was with around the 6 minutes left in the first quarter. Cincinnati had a 10 point lead and switched to a 1-3-1. Adams went to the corner on the next two possessions, and UConn pulled the defense to the top and then passed to Adams, who was wide open for 2 straight 3's. A 1-3-1 is a funky defense but some coaches will switch to it for a few possessions to mix things up. Hurley identified and exploited it immediately.
I thought keeping Carlton in the game at the end was ballsy, and the right move. Whaley is more of a shot blocker, but Hurley needed a position defender and space eater like Carlton.
Finally, Hurley kept up the pressure and attacked in transition. Bouknight does not know the offense yet, but he is very good in the open court. Maximize his strengths and minimize his weaknesses. Good coaching.
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