I think we are on the upswing.

[3rdbass]

• Larrier had some headache thing and couldn't go.
• Anderson, Vital, and Jalen started and played together much of the time.
• Resulting in the expected clusterf@#$k.
• They had a box and 1 on Jalen, so he was bottled up. If he tried to drive, it was against 4 guys.
• Vital was there to save the day, but unfortunately most of his shots completely missed the rim.
• We had one of the most memorable 4 on 1 plays in UCONN history.
• Unsurprisingly, One of their kids went for a career night.
• Overall, it looked like a very poor representation of pickup basketball.

Verdict 0/10 do not watch

Without Larrier in the lineup we are totally screwed against any decent opponent. Just don't have the inside guys and shooters to make up for his loss.

 

[todbo]

Without Larrier in the lineup we are totally screwed against any decent opponent. Just don't have the inside guys and shooters to make up for his loss.

As I remember, last year's disappointment came when we lost a number of kids to injury. Looks as if we're on the same trajectory this year. How many of those injuries are repetitions of stuff that happened before the kids came to UConn?

 

[mauconnfan]

As I remember, last year's disappointment came when we lost a number of kids to injury. Looks as if we're on the same trajectory this year. How many of those injuries are repetitions of stuff that happened before the kids came to UConn?

Yeah that's true I heard through the grapevine Larrier had a couple of headaches every year and they started in HS. Ollie should've known this was going to happen, he does suck!

 

[noeynox]

Diarra had 0 points and 1 rebound in 3 minutes in a blow out game he could have gotten more PT, not sure how u define valuable

Ollies rotations make no sense. He had the nice give and go with jalen the game before and was tough on the interior and on defense. The next game nothing? Knee flared up? With Larrier our you'd expect a few more minutes by default, instead he runs that terrible three guard offense that always kills us defensively and on the glass. Just don't get it.

 

[mauconnfan]

Ollies rotations make no sense. He had the nice give and go with jalen the game before and was tough on the interior and on defense. The next game nothing? Knee flared up? With Larrier our you'd expect a few more minutes by default, instead he runs that terrible three guard offense that always kills us defensively and on the glass. Just don't get it.

Yeah but Diarra is totally lost on D, worst than mostly everyone. And 2 games ago he missed 3 easy lay ins, well 2 easy one he should've made also. I love the fact he's active but he has to get a lot smarter with his effort. Having said that, he has potential so needs more time nonetheless to learn, after all it is that kind of year as it seems. Year of playing, summer of hard work it will be interesting to see who may emerge as a whole new guy next year from the Polley, Diarra, Whaley and Carlton crew. I guess I can throw in, who emerges at all

 

[noeynox]

Yeah but Diarra is totally lost on D, worst than mostly everyone. And 2 games ago he missed 3 easy lay ins, well 2 easy one he should've made also. I love the fact he's active but he has to get a lot smarter with his effort. Having said that, he has potential so needs more time nonetheless to learn, after all it is that kind of year as it seems. Year of playing, summer of hard work it will be interesting to see who may emerge as a whole new guy next year from the Polley, Diarra, Whaley and Carlton crew. I guess I can throw in, who emerges at all

I agree but we play Anderson a ton who commits unforced turnovers and gets stuffed at the rim or picks up charges regularly. The roster is just not looking functional.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

Without Larrier in the lineup we are totally screwed against any decent opponent. Just don't have the inside guys and shooters to make up for his loss.

True.

Against a legitimate (not high quality, just competent) opponent no Larrier gives us two players who can score on days that CV doesn't have his head up his backside, one on days such as this past Tuesday. On days like that, harassing JA is all that is needed to stop our offense.

I believe that in time Carlton, Whalley and Polley will be solid pieces. Not stars, but the type of guys needed to fill out the lineup of a top team (if there are a couple of stars on the floor).

If anyone thinks this team can somehow turn into a consistent force this season, I have some land I'd like to offer up for sale, pm me and I'll put you at the top of the list.

Whether it is with KO or a new guy in charge are hope is that the frontcourt kids continue to develop, the incoming freshman are as good as (or better) than we currently expect, that Wilson can step in as a shooter and more quality recruiting classes arrive each year. Until then, we are what we've seen, a poorly constructed, limited basketball team.

 

[mauconnfan]

I agree but we play Anderson a ton who commits unforced turnovers and gets stuffed at the rim or picks up charges regularly. The roster is just not looking functional.

Yeah I'm all in with Diarra getting more minutes of Andersons no doubt. Just not a fan of the 3 guard offense unless you have 3 guys who can pass, score and defend. Tuesday we had one of the 3 who could do those things.

 

[Hankster]

Pal I kind of agree with you amazingly.

Couple things

re Anderson. He's actually a valuable piece to this team but he is so out of sorts right now I wonder if he can actually break through. He is so snake bitten you can actually see that it has entered his head and that's a bad thing. He is becoming the Steve Sax of College hoops.

I say that, because Anderson is actually a decent relief ball handler, he seems to know what KO wants out of offense, he can get to spots and make a proper read. He plays very hard and he plays mostly decent defense. He is so on tilt right now that I see times where he actually can make it to the hoop or in the lane and make things happen but he is so terrified of a bad result that he circles back out at times where he has already beaten his man! Scared hoops is terrible. Cant play scared even in a slump and he is playing scared offensively right now. That 4-1 Lob last night was the final nail in the coffin of a "head problem" diagnosis. He is thinking way too much out there. And with all those flaws he still is more of a net positive than Vital.

The bigs are getting much better, very quickly. Having cobb out of rotation was certainly addition by subtraction that cant even be disputed after the last 4 games.

I agree 100% your assessment on Anderson. Your eyes don't lie. He does look terrified out there at times. He lost all confidence. I wish I knew when this started. The start of the season watching him, I was amazed. Now.....I just don't know. Also he has developed an urge to drive the lane with three red oaks waiting on him. Result? Turnover.

 

[pj]

Anyone know why Diarra is not playing more. He is an energizer bunny, he rebounds w/ authority, he tries to dunk everything w/in reason. I know he's still learning defensive concepts and fouls way too much. I get that, but I believe he is a weapon. He's a guy who transfers and becomes a double-double guy down the road.

And Williams too -- another energizer bunny. You'd think you'd want to generate more game tape of them if only for teaching purposes and encouragement. Tell them, you get 3 mistakes per game, then you're out. Every positive play buys you one more mistake. Figure out how to make mistakes less frequently and you play longer. Every game, we review your mistakes on tape ASAP after the game.

 

[Waquoit]

... he does suck!

Glad you've finally come around.

 

[mauconnfan]

Glad you've finally come around.

Not quite yet my friend. But I mean c'mon Waq every coach should be wary of a kid who had a headache in HS, this scares me about KO.

 

[freescooter]

I think I just woke up in an alternative universe. Pal says we’re improving. Stair say not so fast. Wasn’t this a Seinfeld episode?

 

[CL82]

Not quite yet my friend. But I mean c'mon Waq every coach should be wary of a kid who had a headache in HS, this scares me about KO.

Headache = Escalator.

 

[Husky68]

Pal and August talking about basketball is like listening to Sheriff David Clarke and Joe Arpaio talk about police brutality.

Or Hillary Clinton talk about child care and protection.

 

[mauconnfan]

Or Hillary Clinton talk about child care and protection.

Or sj and bass talking about keeping KO.

 

[BLUEDOGHOUSE]

This one is on me. Enjoy.

 

[Kitaman]

Yeah I'm all in with Diarra getting more minutes of Andersons no doubt. Just not a fan of the 3 guard offense unless you have 3 guys who can pass, score and defend. Tuesday we had one of the 3 who could do those things.

Not sure why Ollie is hell bent on this 3 guard offensive set. Larrier may not be the best ball handler but he is a legit small forward with a sweet mid game stroke. This season is mostly experimental anyway so allow Carlton, Diarria, Whaley and Polley figure things out manning the 4 and 5 spot, with DO handling spot duty.

Vital (at this point) and Anderson are both not D1 high level guards and should not be starting together with Adams, even with Larrier out. Adams picked up his first foul early and this fan was on pins and needles hoping #2 wouldn't come in the 1st half.

Anyway starting 2 guards rests one guard at all times which is important with a depleted roster. It also allows quicker development, experience and chemistry down low, for our young pups. Time to invest in our future.

By the way what is Ollie's reason for sticking with the 3 guard lineup? Its not like they all are All Conference players able to dominate conference opponents. And I also don't see good chemistry out there either. Perhaps they may be having hellava practices running this offense.

 

[David 76]

I agree 100% your assessment on Anderson. Your eyes don't lie. He does look terrified out there at times. He lost all confidence. I wish I knew when this started. The start of the season watching him, I was amazed. Now.....I just don't know. Also he has developed an urge to drive the lane with three red oaks waiting on him. Result? Turnover.

Remember the huge smile he had at the beginning of the season?

 

[QDOG5]

We get beat by 24, have 17 to's to 8 assists, out-rebounded by 15, shoot 23% from three and our second best player may miss some playing time going forward and we are on an UPSWING? Would you overnight me a pair of the rose colored glasses you're wearing in time for the Nova game. Never mind I just realized my avatar has some on. I think .500 the rest of the season sounds reasonable.

 

[August_West]

We get beat by 24, have 17 to's to 8 assists, out-rebounded by 15, shoot 23% from three and our second best player may miss some playing time going forward and we are on an UPSWING? Would you overnight me a pair of the rose colored glasses you're wearing in time for the Nova game. Never mind I just realized my avatar has some on. I think .500 the rest of the season sounds reasonable.

Hop on the train!

 

[Alum86]

Necessarily missed game as I had to get up at 4am. wtf happened? 25 pts? Back to the same-ol-same-ol?

Yep. 25 + in front of < 25. Hundred. Let that sink in. You made a smart choice

 

[8893]

Yep. Lost by fewer points to a much better team. Definitely on the upswing.

 

[jibsey]

Nova did not put their foot on the gas today, they coasted and coulda beat us by 30 easily. Today was not a close game that got away at the end.

 

[David 76]

We got 'em right where we want 'em.