I'm on the platform

[sammydabiz]

this was the first time this year, we saw UConn Basketball. Great effort by our boys, and kudos to the coaching staff for a well managed 40 minutes. I'm not sure if this effort, this unity, harkens back to the Cobb incident, but we saw a true team effort today. Sure everything wasn't perfect, but let's face it, this isn't the most talented squad we've pushed out on the court. Our young bigs played a helluva game, they'll only get better with time & experience. I still forget Vital is only a soph. Jalen did not force it and play out of his wheel house. But most of all, our shots fell.

I guess what I'm trying to say is: I actually enjoyed watching UConn basketball for the first time in a long time. If this can become a consistent thing (and that's a big if)... I'm willing to grab a seat with the loyalists and ride out this Ollie train for another year, if this Akinjo kid is the real deal, it might be worth it. I just want us to be relevant again, as quick as possible.

I'm on the platform, we'll see if this is the new normal, cause lord knows I'm tired of standing and would love to take a seat. Hoping for more of the same the rest of the way, win or lose, I'm looking for competency, we saw that today in spades.

Good job boys

 

[Fishy]

The offense was still bad, but it was much less bad against a pretty good defense.

I thought defensively they had a very good plan to handle Fall and largely followed it.

UCF took two runs at them and they stopped the runs and built the leads back.

Very, very solid. No complaints.

 

[willie99]

hopefully they're jelling

 

[djct1999]

hopefully they're jelling

We are. I am totally confident that this team can contend with the bottom 2/3rds of the AAC.

 

[UConNation]

I think that even the majority of the "fire KO" crowd will admit that the best thing for UConn is for KO to figure it out. The fastest path back to relevancy is for him to get the Xs and Os right, the team chemistry in order, etc. So yeah, I agree with the OP, if this is the new norm, I'm on board, and I think most of the UConn faithful will be too.

 

[The Funster]

Next two games are really important. If we can get them we'll be in pretty good shape conference wise. I don't expect anything from the Nova game but I do want to see us be in it do=wn the stretch.

 

[willie99]

We are. I am totally confident that this team can contend with the bottom 2/3rds of the AAC.

you represent your ilk well

 

[InKembaITrust]

Whaley gets 5 blocks with his defensive energy.

Has to be pointed to as a major difference maker to this team.

Love the kid

 

[tykurez]

Damn Tulsa game. Would feel really good about 3-1 in conference right now.

 

[Guapo]

I think that even the majority of the "fire KO" crowd will admit that the best thing for UConn is for KO to figure it out. The fastest path back to relevancy is for him to get the Xs and Os right, the team chemistry in order, etc. So yeah, I agree with the OP, if this is the new norm, I'm on board, and I think most of the UConn faithful will be too.

I agree.

I'm rooting with everything I've got for KO to figure it out.

Last night was fun. It felt good.

For as much as I've complained about KO's coaching this year (offensive play calling, inbounds and, shockingly, perimeter defense) his defensive scheming for dominate opposing big men, such as the guy on Arizona, has been superb this year. Last night was another example. All this being done with a very thin front court, no less.

 

[willie99]

Next two games are really important. If we can get them we'll be in pretty good shape conference wise. I don't expect anything from the Nova game but I do want to see us be in it do=wn the stretch.

they obviously have to start winning more consistently and put together a little run

it's also obvious they're playing better. Since they're a very young team playing together for the first time, they're on the very steep part of the learning curve

stated differently, they have a chance to improve a lot more

I have said countless times we'll know a lot more in January, while some only need to see the exhibition game against PC to start calling for Ollie's head

I think he's going to get it done

 

[tentoes4rings]

I think that even the majority of the "fire KO" crowd will admit that the best thing for UConn is for KO to figure it out. The fastest path back to relevancy is for him to get the Xs and Os right, the team chemistry in order, etc. So yeah, I agree with the OP, if this is the new norm, I'm on board, and I think most of the UConn faithful will be too.

I don’t think many of us who have been critical want to fire KO necessarily, we want to fire bad basketball, listless coaching, bad recruiting and embarrassing losses.

While it was only UCF at home, tonight I saw us shoot considerably more FTs than the opponent, have a good defensive scheme and execution, heart and mental toughness, and coaches who were teaching on the sideline and fully engaged. It looked like UConn basketball and was enjoyable again.

 

[The Funster]

they obviously have to start winning more consistently and put together a little run

it's also obvious they're playing better. Since they're a very young team playing together for the first time, they're on the very steep part of the learning curve

stated differently, they have a chance to improve a lot more

I have said countless times we'll know a lot more in January, while some only need to see the exhibition game against PC to start calling for Ollie's head

I think he's going to get it done

Agree. There can't be a swoon like last year. Last year it looked like we were improving and we hit a wall and got swamped.

 

[willie99]

Agree. There can't be a swoon like last year. Last year it looked like we were improving and we hit a wall and got swamped.

they played well in the tournament, they didn't want their season to end

Karl Hess put an end to that (I swear, he screws us every time too)

 

[August_West]

We are going to throw some clunkers along the way still obviously, simply because our margin of error is so thin offensively. But we are getting better defensively which is the most important thing. And I see players ( mostly) starting to get a feel for their roles and comfortable in their specific jobs.

We are improving. Every game very important to this teams psyche as far as confidence and system buy in. Lots of quotes from players last night about “ how if we stick to game plan we are better”. Hopefully they believe that and it’s not empty lip service platitudes. We’ll see.

One game at a time though. Success even small incremental successes breed more successes.

 

[tykurez]

One thing Ollie's teams have always done well is shoot free throws. They've been in the top 3rd of the country every year he's been the coach. They've been #1, #4, #34 and this year they're #25 (and leading the AAC).

One thing Ollie's recent teams have not done well is getting to the free throw line. I sincerely hope last night is a sign of that trending in the other direction. Nothing cures offensive ineptitude like getting to the line.

 

[Greathusky]

We need to get rid of Ollie. The offense is stagnant and reeks of simplicity. He fails to develop players over their UCONN career. Fire him and bring in Hurley!

Oh wait.. we won last night? Never mind.....

The world of the Boneyard!

 

[jibsey]

This tells everything. We had chat last night, and that tells you that a few people were spared from crying alone in their closets during the game.

 

[DonaldDraper]

The offense was still bad, but it was much less bad against a pretty good defense.

I thought defensively they had a very good plan to handle Fall and largely followed it.

UCF took two runs at them and they stopped the runs and built the leads back.

Very, very solid. No complaints.

I would disagree that the offense was bad. Shooting 43% against a guy who pretty much takes away any guard scoring in the post in the half court set is pretty good. Taco forced the guards to shoot 6 feet out from where they normally do and they made some good shots. The first goal was to get stops and get out into transition before the big man sets up. In the half court set - to have Taco's man set a screen for the guard so it would pull the big man out of the post or give the ball man an open 12 foot shot. Once that gets effective, UCF would go to zone in an effort to keep Taco in the post. We killed the zone pretty effectively and forced them to largely go after us man on man. We scored in bunches and had some dry spells. I think you expect to have some dry spells against a D of that quality.

While we played well on D, it was a huge comfort to play a team that shoots the 3 ball as poorly (or worse) as we do. It allows us to double up on Taco without having to worry about the kick out. If they had a guy on each wing who could shoot the 3 reasonably well they would be a heck of a team to face. I feel like the help-D in the post has been our downfall in some of the big games, and UCF just didn't have the sharp shooters to take advantage of very open shots. WSU shot 48% from 3, Arkansas shot 57% from three. We're 268 in the country in 3pt defense and this team didn't expose that.

 

[huskyjawz]

We are. I am totally confident that this team can contend with the bottom 2/3rds of the AAC.

funny.

 

[djct1999]

funny.

Just trying to keep last nights encouraging home win vs a terrible ucf team in perspective.

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

We are. I am totally confident that this team can contend with the bottom 2/3rds of the AAC.

I don't know where this leads and you don't either, so why not just open up to your confidence continuing to build, and root for good things to happen. Stay in a one game at a time mindset. We'll all see how it plays out soon enough.

 

[UChusky916]

Aside from this thread, lots of crickets around here after a solid W. Yet, after a bad loss it's teeming with morons and inane threads

 

[djct1999]

I don't know where this leads and you don't either, so why not just open up to your confidence continuing to build, and root for good things to happen. Stay in a one game at a time mindset. We'll all see how it plays out soon enough.

Because to me, this is accepting mediocrity. You don't build on mediocrity. You don't build on a home win vs an equally bad team. You want me to feel good about where this heading? Go out and beat Villanova. Hell, beat Cincinnati. Or maybe SMU. At this point, go out and beat Tulane on the road. Until then, last night is a win we all thought we should have. Of course, I am happy with the result. I applaud the guys on their effort and their ability to win from start to finish. I still don't feel any better about where things are heading. Last nights result didn't change a thing. If your program is building confidence off a home win vs UCF, that should be a major red flag. Has the bar been set that low?

 

[UConnDad]

Because to me, this is accepting mediocrity. You don't build on mediocrity. You don't build on a home win vs an equally bad team. You want me to feel good about where this heading? Go out and beat Villanova. Hell, beat Cincinnati. Or maybe SMU. At this point, go out and beat Tulane on the road. Until then, last night is a win we all thought we should have. Of course, I am happy with the result. I applaud the guys on their effort and their ability to win from start to finish. I still don't feel any better about where things are heading. Last nights result didn't change a thing. If your program is building confidence off a home win vs UCF, that should be a major red flag. Has the bar been set that low?

I dunno. I liked that mediocre performance. UCF was playing well before last night and we weren't. We showed some fight and could be coming together. It's just so fortunate Kwinton was the closest player to Christian after the flagrant!