I Don't Understand Why JC Didn't Put AO Back In

[aceboon]

I understand he got his 4th but he should've came back in at least with 4 minutes left. I thought he should've gave Giffey some of Boat's minutes as well, Boat didn't have it offensively today and Giffey at least hit a shot and played D when he was in.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

That was a weird lineup for the last 7-8 minutes. Boatright is going to be a very good, maybe great player someday, but he is a huge defensive liability. We need Oriakhi or Smith on the interior defense, and Giffey was playing well.

Lamb was spent at the end of the game. UConn should have used Boat to give Napier and Lamb some rest, and played bigger.

I am sure Calhoun saw something that caused him to use that lineup, but I have no idea what it was.

 

[Husky Dad]

Olander and Roscoe are off their games this year because of lack of playing time.

 

[superjohn]

JC waited too long to put Oriakhi back in. Refs don't normally like fouing out a guy, Oriakhi was playing well and he probably would have had to knock over a guy for his 5th foul.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

Olander and Roscoe are off their games this year because of lack of playing time.

I really hate all the 3 guard UConn plays on a day like today. Lamb is absolutely exhausted and Napier is not much better. Boat is hustling, but makes a lot of mistakes on both ends. Boat should be spelling Lamb and Napier more and Smith and Oriakhi need to be on the court more.

 

[businesslawyer]

Not putting AO back in was a huge, huge mistake (in my humble opinion). No, he wasn't having a big time game, but this team for the last month is consistently better with him on the court than with him on the bench. Again and again and again. And if you don't think it's him, fine, but others play better when he's out there.

He needed to come back in with about 5 minutes left when the two teams were about even.

 

[housekeys]

Something similar happened earlier in the year to AO that caused the whole "leadership", self-doubting thing to happen and the eventual spiraling down of this team. Poor decision by JC. You have to hitch your wagon to certain players and go with them through thick and thin. Bazz fouled out last game and we did OK, but AO was not even given the chance. Unreal. Very disappointed in JC's decision.

 

[Calhoun's Court]

Agree. When AO got his 4th the game turned.

 

[iam76]

His D was missed bigtime... But Jim gambled and hoped olander would make some good plays at the top of the key... He did early then stopped making his shots.. started to drive the ball? and other things. Its as simple as calhoun made the choice to go offense ( jump shot) over D alex... It didn't work this time. Its a gamble..

 

[zls44]

UConn is statistically better when they play the 3 guards.

 

[caw]

UConn is statistically better when they play the 3 guards.

Of course they are, they are much quicker and shoot better. The problem today was Roscoe couldn't buy a basket and AO got in foul trouble which limited Calhoun's options.

 

[ConnEd]

His D was missed bigtime... But Jim gambled and hoped olander would make some good plays at the top of the key... He did early then stopped making his shots.. started to drive the ball? and other things. Its as simple as calhoun made the choice to go offense ( jump shot) over D alex... It didn't work this time. Its a gamble..

While TO looks smoother out there at /T line and looks to be a better passer than Alex, I don't know that the results support that. From what I remember, when Tyler gets it inside the middle of the zone, you better hope he shoots, because much of the rest of the time the result is a turnover (when he doesn't just pass it back out). In that regard, I'd almost rather have Alex taking 13'-15' jumpers there than TO, because I think his percentage is as good or better - at least in games.

So, if we're going to put our PF there, it might as well be AO. None of our big guys have proven to be good shoot/drive/pass threats. Roscoe had a nice stretch last game vs Syr. TO made some jumpers from there. But we also had a lot of bad passes, charges, and other turnovers when the ball got in there. Roscoe should kill from there, but he needs to become a little more patient when he wants to drive or pass and let the defense get to him rather than immediately running right into the oncoming defender coming up from the baseline.

 

[housekeys]

Of course they are, they are much quicker and shoot better. The problem today was Roscoe couldn't buy a basket and AO got in foul trouble which limited Calhoun's options.

JC screwed this big time. Use AO and tell him to play aggressively. If AO fouls out, he is on the bench anyway. At least you give the guy a chance. Either way the coach shows confidence in his junior, who has already given him a championship. This is a poor JC decision in so many ways, it is mind numbing.

 

[caw]

JC screwed this big time. Use AO and tell him to play aggressively. If AO fouls out, he is on the bench anyway. At least you give the guy a chance. Either way the coach shows confidence in his junior, who has already given him a championship. This is a poor JC decision in so many ways, it is mind numbing.

It really wasn't that bad. UConn was up 6 when he took him out. Perhaps he should have put him back out there at the under 8 timeout, but it was UConn ball and Olander is a slightly better offensive option against the zone. Drummond misses a shot, Olander gets the O-board and Lamb misses a 3. UConn is still up 1 when Napier turns it over with 5 minutes to go. At that point, offense is the concern and JC obviously (and somewhat justifiably this game) feels Olander is having a better offensive game than Oriakhi. Why he didn't try to go offense/defense down the stretch I'm not sure.

 

[housekeys]

It really wasn't that bad. UConn was up 6 when he took him out. Perhaps he should have put him back out there at the under 8 timeout, but it was UConn ball and Olander is a slightly better offensive option against the zone. Drummond misses a shot, Olander gets the O-board and Lamb misses a 3. UConn is still up 1 when Napier turns it over with 5 minutes to go. At that point, offense is the concern and JC obviously (and somewhat justifiably this game) feels Olander is having a better offensive game than Oriakhi. Why he didn't try to go offense/defense down the stretch I'm not sure.

Your points are well taken. However, this is really not about X's and O's. You pick your horses and you ride them. JC picked the wrong horses (and he did this earlier in the year). Sure, in hind sight we have the benefit of the doubt. But even with AO in the game, the result could have been the same or even worse. There is no way to know. The point, again is, you pick the players you want to win OR lose with. Perhaps I am the only Husky fan that, win or lose, wants AO to be on the court when the game is over.

 

[PRHusky]

Bottom line, Olander hits at least two of the wide open short jumpers he missed and UConn probably wins this game and we are not having this conversation. This was, IMO, UConn's worst shooting game of the year.

 

[caw]

Your points are well taken. However, this is really not about X's and O's. You pick your horses and you ride them. JC picked the wrong horses (and he did this earlier in the year). Sure, in hind sight we have the benefit of the doubt. But even with AO in the game, the result could have been the same or even worse. There is no way to know. The point, again is, you pick the players you want to win OR lose with. Perhaps I am the only Husky fan that, win or lose, wants AO to be on the court when the game is over.

AO started and would have been in the game had he not gotten in foul trouble. Calhoun probably should have put him back in on defense a few possessions but AO took himself out of a lot of the game with his fouls.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

UConn is statistically better when they play the 3 guards.

You have some actual statistics to support that? Like a +/- with the 3 guards vs. Oriakhi, Drummond and Smith or Giffey? Otherwise, you can't say "statistically better".

 

[nelsonmuntz]

Of course they are, they are much quicker and shoot better. The problem today was Roscoe couldn't buy a basket and AO got in foul trouble which limited Calhoun's options.

they're not better, and the team is quicker for a while, but Lamb and Napier wear down when they don't get some rest during the game. Boat is borderline terrible defensively. The rebounding margin with the 3 guard must be brutal.

 

[caw]

they're not better, and the team is quicker for a while, but Lamb and Napier wear down when they don't get some rest during the game. Boat is borderline terrible defensively. The rebounding margin with the 3 guard must be brutal.

I think "better" needs context. I think the 3-guard lineup with those three guards would be fantastic in spurts and if Uconn had a 4th guard. I personally don't like how long Calhoun and even moreso Blaney have used it this season. They stick with it too long and the level of play drops.

It's like how Cuse is able to mitigate it's players flaws with its depth, UConn just can't mitigate the inherent flaws with this 3 guard lineup when it uses it for 30 minutes a game.

 

[Tenspro2002]

The 3-guard lineup is better offensively, for sure, since you have 3 guys who can legitimately handle the ball on the perimeter or on the fast break, and who can shoot from the outside.

The problem is on defense. Bazz and Boat are both undersized, even as point guards, and Lamb can't guard a chair.

 

[Chief00]

It baffled me; I know George lobbies for playing time for Tyler; but I really believe Alex would have given us a better chance to win at the end. Tyler played ok, but we went to the Tyler well too long. If you look at the +/- when guys are in there; it has been pretty ugly with Tyler since his Fairfield game debacle.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

The 3-guard lineup is better offensively, for sure, since you have 3 guys who can legitimately handle the ball on the perimeter or on the fast break, and who can shoot from the outside.

The problem is on defense. Bazz and Boat are both undersized, even as point guards, and Lamb can't guard a chair.

My biggest complaint about the 3 guard is on offense. We look like a pickup game most of the time when all 3 guards are out there. Whoever brings it across halfcourt takes the shot. Oriakhi is the only guy we have that can post up, and Smith does have one effective move, his up and under. Drummond seems to primarily dunk on alley oops and drive and dish plays.

With their height, Giffey and Smith are matchup problems for most college 3's. Giffey can matchup with most guards defensively, which takes pressure off Napier and Lamb.

Boat is lightening quick off the dribble and has a nice stroke, but he is not ready for 30 minutes a game.

 

[willie99]

Not putting AO back in was a huge, huge mistake (in my humble opinion). No, he wasn't having a big time game, but this team for the last month is consistently better with him on the court than with him on the bench. Again and again and again. And if you don't think it's him, fine, but others play better when he's out there.

He needed to come back in with about 5 minutes left when the two teams were about even.

plus minus box scores prove this to be true. the team is better with AO on the court, and we're literally DePaul when TO is out there

 

[sledog]

Why were they pooped?? They went 5 games last year.

I looked for, but could not find, the times of the 2011 Huskie run. Anyone have?