KO and DD, Omar and TO

[gtcam]

Daniels - don't think someone with his potential and proven(last 4 games last year vs better teams than Houston) ability can play any softer. Doesn't like to go strong to the hoop when it's there, doesn't slam the ball down when it's there, doesn't grab and fight for a loose ball when it's there and today - getting beat on D like he wasn't even there. He needs to sit when he plays like this
Calhoun- I've been trying to give this guy a pass due to his surgery etc., but my oh my, is this a scholarship player???? He looks only to shoot every time he touches the ball and is so mixed up he loses his head.
TO - poor guy gets NO breaks on calls but he did play well and after watching the other two bigs - may be our best option - not good for a team looking to make a March run.
KO - no timeout on the final possession? I hope this is just a case of UCONN losing another league opener and not a case of a young coach getting caught up in the moment rather than taking charge. And when will this team come to a game ready to play a full or at least 90% of a game?

I love these guys but please no more talk of being under rated in the polls, etc. Houston was missing 3 starters playing in front of a crowd that would make a jr high athletic director concerned.

KUDOS to Boatright for his best performance in recent memory, Bazz for waking up in the 2nd half, Giff for some inspired D and again to TO

 

[CTBasketball]

Only problem with this post is that "Kudos" was spelled incorrectly.

 

[Gurleyman]

Daniels - don't think someone with his potential and proven(last 4 games last year vs better teams than Houston) ability can play any softer. Doesn't like to go strong to the hoop when it's there, doesn't slam the ball down when it's there, doesn't grab and fight for a loose ball when it's there and today - getting beat on D like he wasn't even there. He needs to sit when he plays like this
Calhoun- I've been trying to give this guy a pass due to his surgery etc., but my oh my, is this a scholarship player???? He looks only to shoot every time he touches the ball and is so mixed up he loses his head.
TO - poor guy gets NO breaks on calls but he did play well and after watching the other two bigs - may be our best option - not good for a team looking to make a March run.
KO - no timeout on the final possession? I hope this is just a case of UCONN losing another league opener and not a case of a young coach getting caught up in the moment rather than taking charge. And when will this team come to a game ready to play a full or at least 90% of a game?

I love these guys but please no more talk of being under rated in the polls, etc. Houston was missing 3 starters playing in front of a crowd that would make a jr high athletic director concerned.

CUDOS to Boatright for his best performance in recent memory, Bazz for waking up in the 2nd half, Giff for some inspired D and again to TO

I had no problem going without a timeout. Houston was throwing some gimmick box and one things on Bazz at times in the second half. We wanted the ball in his hands, and if we called a TO, we might never have gotten it back in his hands again. There wasn't a lot of time left (9 seconds to go length of the court) if they threw two guys on him off the inbounds and denied him the ball, we might have ended up with DD or Giff dribbling up court under duress. Or Bazz forced to shoot a 35-footer by the time we got him the ball. Bazz got into the lane nicely - and probably either has to go with a little floater or look to draw contact, since the officials were calling everything.

Possession before, we should have been more organized. Not that we necessarily needed to call our last timeout, but we needed a 2 for 1 and we got the ball to Bazz too late, so we almost lost the 2 for 1 chance (only 3.5 differential). By the time he got the ball, the window had just about closed and the three was probably the best choice, but had he gotten it five seconds earlier, he could have looked to drive - and maybe get to the line.

I get pissed sometimes at Bazz for shooting a ton of 20 foot jumpers (the three-point line is 20.9). It cost us today. We ran a great play out of a timeout to get him a 3 to go up 4 with 1:30 left, but he has his toes on the line yet again. Don't understand why a senior takes so many of those.

 

[gtcam]

Only problem with this post is that "Kudos" was spelled incorrectly.

Wow- I cant see or proofread straight I am so angry right now. THANKS - FIXED IT

 

[upstater]

Daniels - don't think someone with his potential and proven(last 4 games last year vs better teams than Houston) ability can play any softer. Doesn't like to go strong to the hoop when it's there, doesn't slam the ball down when it's there, doesn't grab and fight for a loose ball when it's there and today - getting beat on D like he wasn't even there. He needs to sit when he plays like this
Calhoun- I've been trying to give this guy a pass due to his surgery etc., but my oh my, is this a scholarship player???? He looks only to shoot every time he touches the ball and is so mixed up he loses his head.
TO - poor guy gets NO breaks on calls but he did play well and after watching the other two bigs - may be our best option - not good for a team looking to make a March run.
KO - no timeout on the final possession? I hope this is just a case of UCONN losing another league opener and not a case of a young coach getting caught up in the moment rather than taking charge. And when will this team come to a game ready to play a full or at least 90% of a game?

I love these guys but please no more talk of being under rated in the polls, etc. Houston was missing 3 starters playing in front of a crowd that would make a jr high athletic director concerned.

KUDOS to Boatright for his best performance in recent memory, Bazz for waking up in the 2nd half, Giff for some inspired D and again to TO

On KO and no timeout, Bazz drove to the hoop and had an open look. Was maybe expecting contact. He should have stopped and popped.

 

[gtcam]

On KO and no timeout, Bazz drove to the hoop and had an open look. Was maybe expecting contact. He should have stopped and popped.

Maybe you're right but still would like to have seen something more organized with 9 secs

 

[CTBasketball]

Timeout or not, KO needs to call a play.

 

[BoatShow]

Another situation where we leave a timeout onthe table . Yeah we called one but the game was already lost.

 

[Gurleyman]

Another situation where we leave a timeout onthe table . Yeah we called one but the game was already lost.

If you want the ball in Bazz's hands at the end, I don't think you call one after the foul shots. With 15 seconds or more, sure - you have enough time to get the ball to him if it has to be inbounded to someone else. With 9 seconds and the length of the court, there's a risk you can't get it to him. Or if you call a timeout with five seconds left at mid court, you run into the same problem (Houston doesn't guard the inbounds passer and sends two guys at Bazz, then you have to go elsewhere). Since he got open for the inbounds and got the ball with a head of steam, let him go. Ollie won a game at Providence with less time than that without a timeout.

The second to last possession maybe warranted one. We had gotten Bazz buckets out of the last two timeouts, but I can see being hesitant to call our last one in case we needed it later. For example, if Houston had missed their second free throw, we could have called the last one to stop the clock with 2 seconds left and try a home run play. If we had used them all, we would have had to shoot a 70 footer (if we didn't have a timeout left against Clemson, we lose). But we need a little more of a plan. i think KO's NBA influence reared its head late in the game, for better or worse (well, for worse obviously). NBA philosophy on big possessions is spread the floor, give it to your best player, and let him go to work (and always make sure you have timeouts left at the end - they are even more valuable in the NBA since you can advance the ball 70 feet after calling one).

I think we have to get away from that with Bazz since he just isn't taking good shots or making good decisions in late game situations on his own (Florida was a fluke, Stanford and Houston were some bad decisions). The lack of explosive athleticism/vertical jump prevents him from making something out of nothing sometimes, the way an NBA athlete can. To a degree Boat has the raw athleticism to be more effective in those spots, but he is small and it just takes him too damn long to squeeze off his shot. The late contest - even if he gets separation - always seems to force him to pull the ball back down and find a bail out.

 

[BoatShow]

If you want the ball in Bazz's hands at the end, I don't think you call one after the foul shots. With 15 seconds or more, sure - you have enough time to get the ball to him if it has to be inbounded to someone else. With 9 seconds and the length of the court, there's a risk you can't get it to him. Or if you call a timeout with five seconds left at mid court, you run into the same problem (Houston doesn't guard the inbounds passer and sends two guys at Bazz, then you have to go elsewhere). Since he got open for the inbounds and got the ball with a head of steam, let him go. Ollie won a game at Providence with less time than that without a timeout.

The second to last possession maybe warranted one. We had gotten Bazz buckets out of the last two timeouts, but I can see being hesitant to call our last one in case we needed it later. For example, if Houston had missed their second free throw, we could have called the last one to stop the clock with 2 seconds left and try a home run play. If we had used them all, we would have had to shoot a 70 footer (if we didn't have a timeout left against Clemson, we lose). But we need a little more of a plan. i think KO's NBA influence reared its head late in the game, for better or worse (well, for worse obviously). NBA philosophy on big possessions is spread the floor, give it to your best player, and let him go to work (and always make sure you have timeouts left at the end - they are even more valuable in the NBA since you can advance the ball 70 feet after calling one).

I think we have to get away from that with Bazz since he just isn't taking good shots or making good decisions in late game situations on his own (Florida was a fluke, Stanford and Houston were some bad decisions). The lack of explosive athleticism/vertical jump prevents him from making something out of nothing sometimes, the way an NBA athlete can. To a degree Boat has the raw athleticism to be more effective in those spots, but he is small and it just takes him too damn long to squeeze off his shot. The late contest - even if he gets separation - always seems to force him to pull the ball back down and find a bail out.

Ollie is fairly lethal on sideline out of bounds plays. Get it in call a TO at half court with 6 left. I'm sure you can use Bazz as a decoy and get someone else a decent look out of that.

 

[Gurleyman]

Ollie is fairly lethal on sideline out of bounds plays. Get it in call a TO at half court with 6 left. I'm sure you can use Bazz as a decoy and get someone else a decent look out of that.

Mid court isn't really a sideline o/b situation where you can run a good play to score off the inbounds. Too far away from the scoring zone. You can maybe curl someone up the near sideline, but more than likely you're throwing the ball in to someone moving away from the basket - perhaps even into the backcourt if the defense takes everything else away. My guess is that we would have tried to get it in to Bazz directly, and if not, then running something like throwing the ball in high to DD or Giff and doing a handoff to Bazz streaking by. But if it is defended well, the ball is stuck in the hands if the wrong guy to create their own shot. And if it works, you get Bazz streaking into the teeth of the defense, which is what we got anyway. Since you have to get the ball in bounds first and foremost, you can't have an offensive set - you have a minimum of three guys 40-50 feet from the basket (the inbounds passer, the recipient, and presumably someone else setting a screen or acting as a relief valve) and six seconds. If there was enough time to stick Giffey and Kromah/DD in the corners and give Bazz the same head of steam, he'd have options for a kickout.

If we take the ball out of Bazz's hands to call a TO and then used him as a decoy, the question becomes why aren't you going to your best player/hot hand. Personally, I'd live with a good look from anyone, so that wouldn't bug me. But I consider Bazz breaking into the paint with a choice between a little floater or a contested layup a good look/ opportunity. Better than the off balance 20-footer and the Omar 30 footer against Stanford.

 

[zls44]

Personally, I'd live with a good look from anyone

Except Omar. Poor kid gets nothing but open looks and can't knock them down.

 

[Gurleyman]

Except Omar. Poor kid gets nothing but open looks and can't knock them down.

Yeah -true, but he's not going to be on the court right now in those situations. I hope he gets rehabilitated and becomes a factor again - maybe just one day when he hits four in a row and gets his confidence back. I remember this happening to Rash Jones and he never really found his offense again, but he couldn't have asked for a better ending.

I was hoping the basketball gods would guide that 30-footer in against Stanford, since that might have gotten him feeling good again.

 

[Chief00]

Nothing inside. We need to get some bigs.

 

[Danzz]

If KO calls a timeout Houston gets to set its defense with less than the 9 secs. left. JC rarely did this, in fact he usually did exactly what KO did: play on and send your best player directly to the rim to try to score or get fouled in the act. It didn't work this time and give credit to the Houston player for blocking the shot. The alternative is to call a TO and try inbound the ball under pressure and score from what likely becomes a half court offense; not exactly our strength.
We clearly outplayed Houston by a lot in the second half so I'd say KO's strategy worked fine. It was first half lack of defense and lethargic offense that lost us this game. I never thought I would say this but Tyler needs more PT. At least he provides some beef in the frontcourt.

 

[Bryan Lord]

TO gave it his all tonight, proud of him for stepping up. He's always a step behind but he's our best option for now I think. Got screwed a bit but it happens on the road.

 

[HailUConn]

Daniels - don't think someone with his potential and proven(last 4 games last year vs better teams than Houston) ability can play any softer. Doesn't like to go strong to the hoop when it's there, doesn't slam the ball down when it's there, doesn't grab and fight for a loose ball when it's there and today - getting beat on D like he wasn't even there. He needs to sit when he plays like this
Calhoun- I've been trying to give this guy a pass due to his surgery etc., but my oh my, is this a scholarship player???? He looks only to shoot every time he touches the ball and is so mixed up he loses his head.
TO - poor guy gets NO breaks on calls but he did play well and after watching the other two bigs - may be our best option - not good for a team looking to make a March run.
KO - no timeout on the final possession? I hope this is just a case of UCONN losing another league opener and not a case of a young coach getting caught up in the moment rather than taking charge. And when will this team come to a game ready to play a full or at least 90% of a game?

I love these guys but please no more talk of being under rated in the polls, etc. Houston was missing 3 starters playing in front of a crowd that would make a jr high athletic director concerned.

KUDOS to Boatright for his best performance in recent memory, Bazz for waking up in the 2nd half, Giff for some inspired D and again to TO

As I observed from the first 2 games, he is mentally soft.

 

[Sky ball]

I am not always a fan of TO's at end of games, especially after a foul shot like last night. Sometimes letting it go helter skelter is better. Sometimes I think coaches can "over coach in these situations". It's in their "Control" DNA. Last night Bazz got to the hoop and missed. So it was the wrong thing to do?

 

[Kitaman]

I am not always a fan of TO's at end of games, especially after a foul shot like last night. Sometimes letting it go helter skelter is better. Sometimes I think coaches can "over coach in these situations". It's in their "Control" DNA. Last night Bazz got to the hoop and missed. So it was the wrong thing to do?

TO brings a whole lot experience if nothing more. I'm okay with him in the game in tight situations. With TO he will not be a deer in the headlights or fearful, playing hard and trying to contribute. He knows how Div 1 ball is played. Its his skill set that's an issue.

 

[mauconnfan]

I am not always a fan of TO's at end of games, especially after a foul shot like last night. Sometimes letting it go helter skelter is better. Sometimes I think coaches can "over coach in these situations". It's in their "Control" DNA. Last night Bazz got to the hoop and missed. So it was the wrong thing to do?

Tyler was the best defender they had against a tough inside guy in Thomas. He was called for at least 2 phantom calls with the last one being one of the biggest jokes of the year - a ref does not deserve to carry a whistle in the NCAA if he makes a horrid call like that ever…….(that call was a mirror of the call on Auda for the Hall vs PC in the first OT by the way - awful)…..Bazz never got to the hoop…….it was a bad decision!

 

[huskiesnyc]

If we are going to start blaming people for this loss I nominate Warde Manuel..

 

[Sky ball]

Tyler was the best defender they had against a tough inside guy in Thomas. He was called for at least 2 phantom calls with the last one being one of the biggest jokes of the year - a ref does not deserve to carry a whistle in the NCAA if he makes a horrid call like that ever…….(that call was a mirror of the call on Auda for the Hall vs PC in the first OT by the way - awful)…..Bazz never got to the hoop…….it was a bad decision!

Bazz never got to the hoop…….it was a bad decision![/quote]

What? http://scores.espn.go.com/ncb/recap?gameId=400496942

 

[mauconnfan]

Bazz never got to the hoop…….it was a bad decision!

What? http://scores.espn.go.com/ncb/recap?gameId=400496942[/quote]

Wait did I miss something? Did that ball ever get too the RIM? You're kidding me right…….he's 5'11" and went into the trees with 6 seconds left were they going to leave or were 3 guys going to try to block the shot?

Please give it up….he was real good for MOST of the 2nd half and brought us back again - but he made a real bad decision!

 

[mauconnfan]

By the way thanks for the video again…..a drop off to Kromah or Giffey was a lay up!….but my bad it was a good decision!

 

[Strummer]

By the way thanks for the video again…..a drop off to Kromah or Giffey was a lay up!….but my bad it was a good decision!

I watched the slo-mo replay of the last play several times. It demonstrates the danger of putting all of your eggs in one basket.

DD is trailing the play. Not sure why. His guy ends up cutting off a passing lane to Giffey/Kromah because he's wandering around the 3 point line with nobody to guard.

Kromah's guy leaves Kromah as soon as he senses that SN is going to go to the rim. This guy gets the actual block. Kromah and Giffey did not put themselves in a good position. This was not a fast break. BOTH of these guys needed to be parked on the 3 point line on the left side to either force their guy to cover or be wide open for 3. Fact is, both of them were moving into the lane area, allowing BOTH of their defenders to go toward SN. RB was open on the right wing, on the 3 line, and his defender was a non-factor.

Point is, pretty much everybody but Boat made a bad call. SN went 1 on 4. Bad call. Giffey and Kromah were out of position and allowed their defenders easy access to Bazz. Bad call. DD was trailing the play, thereby allowing his man to further clog the lane.

Not a good finish, but they won't all be!