Liam’s Return Is the Only Thing that Matters

[HooperScooper]

If the doctor clears him to play he'll play.

Which doctor?

Not a witch doctor though.

 

[TheShot1990]

He'll play, but probably limited minutes. You don't leak this to the press if he's not ready.

 

[Marat]

He'll play, but probably limited minutes. You don't leak this to the press if he's not ready.

Maybe playing games with Shaka too.

 

[RuffRuff]

"Liam empowered the whole group, but he's been gone now coming up on five weeks, if he doesn't play this weekend," Hurley said. "Removing one person's personality, like Liam, I don't want to put too much on the kid because he's still a freshman player. But his absence has been catastrophic from a basketball standpoint, and in turn, the morale. So it would be nice to get him back."

Hurley said he and others will talk to McNeeley Friday night, see how he feels after Saturday's shootaround, and a decision will then be made about his status for the 8 p.m. game. An update is expected from UConn spokesman Bobby Mullen during the day Saturday.

Hurley said McNeeley looked "pretty healthy" in practice Friday. Based on some stuff I heard and the way this has gone, if he doesn't play tomorrow I get the sense this isn't UConn's decision to make.

Nowell is a no go tomorrow. He's not getting much game rep for next season.

https://www.nhregister.com/sports/uconn-mens-basketball/article/liam-mcneeley-dan-hurley-marquette-big-east-20102036.php

Alternate access:

UConn men's basketball freshman Liam McNeeley a 'game-day decision' for Saturday at Marquette​

Gad zooks, he’ll be absent all next year too. Hopefully we avoid a years worth of catastrophe.

 

[auror]

He'll play, but probably limited minutes. You don't leak this to the press if he's not ready.

Leak what? That he's a gametime decision?

 

[Hunt for 7]

Maybe playing games with Shaka too.

Of course this is part of the reason you make this comment. To mess with the other team. The players are not robots. They read what’s on social media and they form their own ideas. Then the coaches have to create two game plans how we defend with Liam playing how we defend without Liam playing

Not to mention what it does for our team morale. We came out low energy against DePaul. We can’t have that tonight with or without Liam.

It all has an impact.

 

[Rico444]

Leak what? That he's a gametime decision?

It's also not a leak if you say it to a bunch of reporters standing around with recording devices while on the record.

 

[Giddyup5]

Whose decision is it when he plays? Liam's? Hurley's? Dr. Joyce's? Liam's agent? The doctor Liam's agent hired as a 2nd opinion? Who makes this final call?

Joyce is just a consultant. He’s not even the main team doc. Also, Joyce and Arciero are knee and shoulder surgeons. They turfed this to a foot and ankle specialist.

 

[FreeKlaiber]

no offense to original poster, but it irks me everytime I see this thread title

Liam is clearly our best player, but our inability to defend man to man is really the only thing that matters. Whether he's in lineup or not, we don't stop penetration or help. Sorry to say, I'm pessimistic that it's coming around this year. We will see if Hurley adapts vs marquette or if its gonna be turnstile layups and marquette foul shots all day. Hope I'm wrong

 

[RuffRuff]

no offense to original poster, but it irks me everytime I see this thread title

Liam is clearly our best player, but our inability to defend man to man is really the only thing that matters. Whether he's in lineup or not, we don't stop penetration or help. Sorry to say, I'm pessimistic that it's coming around this year. We will see if Hurley adapts vs marquette or if its gonna be turnstile layups and marquette foul shots all day. Hope I'm wrong

Very curious to see if Hurley flashes anything but M2M as a 4-5 minute change up against the Marquettes or StJohns, especially if they are dicing up the D. They are two teams that do not shoot the 3 well at all, and will be able to penetrate at-will against our defense. If he's going to use it, it would be against them. Otherwise we can generally bank on that option never happening. Have seen a lot of other coaches flash it this season, with much better defenses, if only to throw the opposition off for a few possessions. Could also help a guy like Liam get the full 15 as would take stress off him chasing his man around on D.

 

[Umami Zen]

Play solid D. Grab some boards and loose balls-50/50 balls. Get out to a lead early. Bench points. If Joplin and Jones continue to underperform from three point line. They are beatable. If Liam can give us some minutes and leadership- It will definitely help. Play with a champion's pride and energy and disrupt their shooters.

X factors-Aidan/Reed/Stewie. Showtime. Let's do this

 

[DogMania]

Hurley has deployed zone in the past, but every time he did they gave up points immediately and he would then abandon it.

What makes this problematic is the team needs to practice it quite a bit gor it to be successful in a game, taking away practice reps improving their base m2m help D which has not been good during stretches of just about every game.

It’s a good idea to drop a different D from time to time, so that teams don't get used to successfully attacking the primary defensive scheme. I think they should add a quick trapping type of half court defense every once in awhile throughout the game, but they're so prone to fouling where this type of D becomes problematic as well.

Hurley and his staff do have a history of improving the team defense as a season goes on. Although improvement has been limited at best, let's see how things progress over the last third of the season.