I won't complain about officiating, because it's going to be a bit subject to opinion and I thought the officiating was pretty even on both sides, maybe not to the book good but it was fair. The main difference is that Rutgers played a more physical style that UConn just didn't play. The refs made it clear both in the Seton Hall and Rutgers games they were going to allow a lot of holding and grabbing on defense. This may be a call in another game, but it was hardly called against anybody for those two games.
This was a similar problem last year, when the games were physical and refs were letting things (grabbing and holding) go on both ends, UConn's guards didn't adjust (perhaps on purpose) and play more physical. This is also one of the reasons UConn did much better in the tournament last year (BE and NCAA). Refs called a tighter game, not a rough and tumble BE style reffing but a more balanced one where players can't get away with as much. With the opponents not able to hold and disrupt as much, UConn was able to run a much smoother offense OOC last year. Calhoun seems to stress staying in front of your man and moving your feet (proper defense).
This is the one of the reasons teams like Pitt and UL have a tough time in the NCAA's. Their style is predicated on a lot of physical play and when that isn't allowed, they can't adjust.
The main difference between this year and last on offense is that Kemba could either get by his defender anyway in a tight game, or draw a foul because he was just really, really quick and so even some of the physical games UConn was able to pull out.
The other big issue is the off and on the ball defense by the guards. I think the interior defense has actually been OK, mainly because Drummond, Oriakhi/Olander and even Lamb have been very good at blocking shots. The three-point defense has been pretty bad though. Against Rutgers, the UConn guards were constantly being run off of screens and doing a poor job of fighting through them. There was also quite a bad job of "handing off" the cutter. The good news is that I think the pick and roll defense by the bigs looked OK, though Boatright needs to know when to go over and when to go under screens.
As for Lamb, I will say Lamb's flow was mainly disrupted by accumulating fouls and sitting long portions, but he also took a few bad shots, which is fairly atypical for him this year. It did show though that the past two games Seton Hall and Rutgers guards have been more aggressive on D than UConn's guards. Lamb did look frustrated but it was hard to tell if it was due to his foul situation or to the physical play by Rutgers.
Drummond had a weird day. I thought he had one of his better rebounding efforts and defensive efforts, but he just through the ball away way too many times. I'm not sure what he was thinking with some of those passes. He also got very hesitant in the last 10 minutes of the second half with his attacking the basket. The guards got him the ball a few times where instead of looking at the basket he just passed it back out. Normally, I would be OK with a big doing that but in this situation, one dribble gives Drummond a dunk or a foul.
Napier actually played pretty well this game, he only took about 2 shots I thought were bad shots. The thing with him was he seemed to start pressing a bit when Lamb was on the bench. He actually did pull the ball back a few times when you could tell he was thinking of taking a bad shot.
Boatright was erratic at best. He is still learning but obviously isn't great at running the team yet. The ball stalls with him as the lead guard more than when Napier is the lead guard.
Giffey missed those two open threes at the end of the game but had a pretty good effort overall.
Olander didn't show me anything.
Oriakhi looked a smidge better on offense but seems a step behind on defense. Last year he didn't look this out of it on defense even when he wasn't doing great on offense. I understand him looking less athletic than Drummond but to look less athletic/slower than some of the other guys out there is a bit disturbing, b/c he isn't/shouldn't be.
Daniels is worth a highlight a game but is struggling with his shot immensely, similar to Lamb last year (hopefully he has a similar final 1/3 or 1/2.
Hope to see JC get through to them a bit for tonight's game.
I would love nothing more than for RS and AO to get their confidence/game back and hope it happens sooner rather than later.
This was a similar problem last year, when the games were physical and refs were letting things (grabbing and holding) go on both ends, UConn's guards didn't adjust (perhaps on purpose) and play more physical. This is also one of the reasons UConn did much better in the tournament last year (BE and NCAA). Refs called a tighter game, not a rough and tumble BE style reffing but a more balanced one where players can't get away with as much. With the opponents not able to hold and disrupt as much, UConn was able to run a much smoother offense OOC last year. Calhoun seems to stress staying in front of your man and moving your feet (proper defense).
This is the one of the reasons teams like Pitt and UL have a tough time in the NCAA's. Their style is predicated on a lot of physical play and when that isn't allowed, they can't adjust.
The main difference between this year and last on offense is that Kemba could either get by his defender anyway in a tight game, or draw a foul because he was just really, really quick and so even some of the physical games UConn was able to pull out.
The other big issue is the off and on the ball defense by the guards. I think the interior defense has actually been OK, mainly because Drummond, Oriakhi/Olander and even Lamb have been very good at blocking shots. The three-point defense has been pretty bad though. Against Rutgers, the UConn guards were constantly being run off of screens and doing a poor job of fighting through them. There was also quite a bad job of "handing off" the cutter. The good news is that I think the pick and roll defense by the bigs looked OK, though Boatright needs to know when to go over and when to go under screens.
As for Lamb, I will say Lamb's flow was mainly disrupted by accumulating fouls and sitting long portions, but he also took a few bad shots, which is fairly atypical for him this year. It did show though that the past two games Seton Hall and Rutgers guards have been more aggressive on D than UConn's guards. Lamb did look frustrated but it was hard to tell if it was due to his foul situation or to the physical play by Rutgers.
Drummond had a weird day. I thought he had one of his better rebounding efforts and defensive efforts, but he just through the ball away way too many times. I'm not sure what he was thinking with some of those passes. He also got very hesitant in the last 10 minutes of the second half with his attacking the basket. The guards got him the ball a few times where instead of looking at the basket he just passed it back out. Normally, I would be OK with a big doing that but in this situation, one dribble gives Drummond a dunk or a foul.
Napier actually played pretty well this game, he only took about 2 shots I thought were bad shots. The thing with him was he seemed to start pressing a bit when Lamb was on the bench. He actually did pull the ball back a few times when you could tell he was thinking of taking a bad shot.
Boatright was erratic at best. He is still learning but obviously isn't great at running the team yet. The ball stalls with him as the lead guard more than when Napier is the lead guard.
Giffey missed those two open threes at the end of the game but had a pretty good effort overall.
Olander didn't show me anything.
Oriakhi looked a smidge better on offense but seems a step behind on defense. Last year he didn't look this out of it on defense even when he wasn't doing great on offense. I understand him looking less athletic than Drummond but to look less athletic/slower than some of the other guys out there is a bit disturbing, b/c he isn't/shouldn't be.
Daniels is worth a highlight a game but is struggling with his shot immensely, similar to Lamb last year (hopefully he has a similar final 1/3 or 1/2.
Hope to see JC get through to them a bit for tonight's game.
I would love nothing more than for RS and AO to get their confidence/game back and hope it happens sooner rather than later.