List of reasons for the loss:

[mauconnfan]

1) Houston shot 65% in the first half. They played better than they will in another half all year and why? We talked about this, it was UConn coming into their building and they were amped……our guys?(not so much) Not a good job of matching except for Boat……lazy defense allowed them to gain confidence and the hoop looked like an ocean to some crappy shooters!

2) A team ran better than we did (1st half) because they out toughed our guys for rebounds, our guards weren't back to stop the breaks and again, wanted it more!

3) 2 most important plays down the stretch which is the definition of our bigs - Knowles took Deandre off the dribble threw up some crap but DD was not ready for the rebound and Knowles was and got the outback off the battle……..the other was Thomas took TO to the hoop, TO did a nice job holding his ground and having his hands straight up but then he didn't rebound, Thomas did and he got a put back also…..our bigs do too much standing after playing decent D and not enough bossing the guy out after he shoots it….the play isn't over after you play good D, hands up or in the face and turn and box - these plays were more critical because these allowed Stitters to have a chance to tie with that 3..…….these were also important because our Huskies were never allowed to open up the margin enough to make them slither into the corner, instead they said to themselves "we're tougher than these guys, let's stay with it"…….

4) 1st half……read Bazz's quote in the paper he admits to not "bringing it"……as good as he was in the 2nd half that's a pitiful excuse for a leader. Again he can thank God for Boat in the 1st half because if Boat wasn't playing like he was nothing Bazz did in the 2nd half would've meant squat. That really is puzzling to read that!

5) 3 shots for Giffey - let's not hear "everyone knows" blah blah blah - GET HIM OPN, run a set. There's a bunch of real good shooters out there who aren't real quick or fast getting open for other teams why not our guy??

Let's see who has their big boy pants on Saturday - this will be a war and if they don't come out with a W the year will begin to get very LONG fast!

I say they step up in a BIG way……we'll see

 

[Brochacho]

I think the biggest reason why we lost is because Houston scored more points than UConn.

 

[mcs333]

We were a two man team. Need more output from the five position, ten and ten, bench wasn't VG. Didn't get enough from all the minutes played by NG,DD and Kromah. Defensively wewere poor in transition D and could' protect the paint. Better in second half but a horrendous first half. Houston hit their three's and Ft and Houston was clutch the last three minutes.

 

[GemParty]

What happened to Nolan & Omar coming off good games? Bazz in the first half was absent. Giffey 0-1 from three. Unacceptable.

 

[Strummer]

1) Houston shot 65% in the first half. They played better than they will in another half all year and why?

You know, that sounds good, by itself, with no context.

But I look back at a handful of our close games and I can find the exact same type of quotes from several fans. BC played their asses off. That team will never get that many rebounds again. This was their NC.

BULLSH-T.

We're just sucking, and we need to get better.

10 toes in should mean not looking for excuses. If teams shoot 65%, it's because your defense sucked, not because they get a hard on for UConn.

 

[8893]

We're a fundamentally flawed team because we lack a single legitimate front court player.

 

[BLUEDOGHOUSE]

Our ceiling looking at it from the most optimistic of perspectives would have to align itself with the 2009 Villanova team:

http://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/schools/villanova/2009.html

DeAndre Daniels would have to see his rebounding #'s go up to compare with PF D. Cunningham who is in the league now (DD has been very disappointing). Villanova went with 4 guards the majority of the time. They also had a more experienced coach. It is a stretch but I still have hope we can mirror this Villanova team. It will take A LOT of hard work from KO to mold this group into a Villanova clone of 2009.

I still think this team can get to the promised land. SMU and Harvard are huge games. I think we get it done against a good SMU team and right the ship. If we drop the Harvard game we need both @ Memphis and home to Ville.

Up to 1/18 (the Ville game) is the most important stretch of the regular season. Starting 1/21 we could rip off 12 straight games (if I counted right) headed into Louisville to end the season. Regardless of AAC affiliation if we follow the path above our seeding will be good enough to make a very deep run in the tourney (Final4).

The coaching staff needs to desperately put the Houston game behind them (learning from it) and MOVE on. SMU is the biggest game of the year. A loss to SMU could open the floodgates to a long season. I don't think we have the Kemba type leadership or coaching (as of right now) to rebound from an SMU loss. The team is going through growing pains as is KO. We still can get through it and be a great team. It HAS TO start against SMU.

Deandre Daniels needs to toughen up. He is playing himself OUT of the league. That is exactly what Calhoun would tell him. Hit the boards DD and play like your teams success directly effects your draft stock.

An APB to DD. We need you BADLY! REBOUND!

 

[willie99]

5 toes in, we play 1/2 a game

and that rests on Bazz's shoulders, we feed off of him. He takes time off, we take time off

love you Bazz, and do so for a number of reasons, but it's time to grow up my man. I guess I'll call that tough love