Make or break

[superjohn]

It's that time people. We got punched in the mouth, walked over, stomped on and if the game wasn't sanctioned we might have been urinated on. Sure I'm using hyperbole but when your team gets beaten down that badly, you react. Our boogeyman seems to be Louisville, any UConn fan watching that knows that isn't our real team, that was a bunch of dudes wearing the jersey with no conviction. My only advice to our team is strap it on, go in there for battle and never look at the name on the jersey. We wore UConn jerseys today, looked across the court and saw Louisville and collectively c r a p p e ed our pants. We might not have the talent to hang with some teams, I think we do. One thing I never want to see is that look of defeat ever again. once the ball was tipped I never saw anything from our guys, I hope I never see that again as a UConn fan. .This loss mattered, how we respond matters more.

 

[Kitaman]

Their response means everything.

1. Do they regroup, toughen up and go to the Tourney fighting like they realize it could be their last game?
Or
2. Does the taste of defeat in their mouth doesn't bother them that much?


Its not up to us, all we fans can do is cheer, post, agree or argue. Its on them 100%.

 

[mauconnfan]

The craziest thing about this game was that if LVille didn't play so crappy from the point they took the 17-5 lead - they threw the ball away, played sloppy and didn't make a shot - until the end of the half basically our guys would have gotten beat by 50 easy. I mean LVille had us 17-5 at about the 5 minutes in mark then only had 19 at around the 8-9 minutes mark…….

It pains me to think they may not regroup from this………and they allowed everyone who plays them the rest of the way (both of them) to mirror LVille and everyone else who has shut our offense down to nothing……...

 

[Kitaman]

The craziest thing about this game was that if LVille didn't play so crappy from the point they took the 17-5 lead - they threw the ball away, played sloppy and didn't make a shot - until the end of the half basically our guys would have gotten beat by 50 easy. I mean LVille had us 17-5 at about the 5 minutes in mark then only had 19 at around the 8-9 minutes mark…….

It pains me to think they may not regroup from this………and they allowed everyone who plays them the rest of the way (both of them) to mirror LVille and everyone else who has shut our offense down to nothing……...

I remember our first Championship when in the Final Four OSU played 'invincible' dook. During that game dook was exposed by various things OSU did, in essence chipping at their armor. Calhoun saw that game and developed a game plan to continue chipping and eventually beat them.

Well Ville exposed us, by not chipping but removing our armor. I say this because your mirror statement rings true. We have been exposed and teams will develop the Ville strategy against us, especially conference foes. Therefore Ollie better have a trick or two up his sleeve (to counter) and our players better bounce back like never before, or it could be a short March.

We are vulnerable (not because of yesterday) and prone to attack. We have got to play like our jerseys demand and play together and have fun! Don't just take the soon to come punches but punch the duck back and harder!

 

[dsturdy5]

Louisville didn't do anything yesterday that they hadn't done in the previous few match ups. The pressured the ball handlers to force UConn into the half court, they blitzed the high screens, they collapsed on all penetration, and did what they do to everyone, they swarmed the ball. Offensively, they spread the floor and fed off of turnovers. That is in their DNA.

Memphis can do offensively, what Louisville did. Cincy can do it defensively. Can either do it on the opposite side of the ball?

There is something to be said for "blue prints" when beating a team. It's one thing to have the blueprint, it is another to have the material to carry it out.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

I remember our first Championship when in the Final Four OSU played 'invincible' dook. During that game dook was exposed by various things OSU did, in essence chipping at their armor. Calhoun saw that game and developed a game plan to continue chipping and eventually beat them.

Well Ville exposed us, by not chipping but removing our armor. I say this because your mirror statement rings true. We have been exposed and teams will develop the Ville strategy against us, especially conference foes. Therefore Ollie better have a trick or two up his sleeve (to counter) and our players better bounce back like never before, or it could be a short March.

We are vulnerable (not because of yesterday) and prone to attack. We have got to play like our jerseys demand and play together and have fun! Don't just take the soon to come punches but punch the back and harder!

???????

Are you speaking of 1999? This game was played some 20 years after they eliminated the consolation game so there was no way that OSU could have lost twice in the final four (we did beat them in the national semifinal).

 

[tzznandrew]

I remember our first Championship when in the Final Four OSU played 'invincible' dook. During that game dook was exposed by various things OSU did, in essence chipping at their armor. Calhoun saw that game and developed a game plan to continue chipping and eventually beat them.

Well Ville exposed us, by not chipping but removing our armor. I say this because your mirror statement rings true. We have been exposed and teams will develop the Ville strategy against us, especially conference foes. Therefore Ollie better have a trick or two up his sleeve (to counter) and our players better bounce back like never before, or it could be a short March.

We are vulnerable (not because of yesterday) and prone to attack. We have got to play like our jerseys demand and play together and have fun! Don't just take the soon to come punches but punch the back and harder!

Name a team that has a post player like Harrell, players who are big and fast enough to run the zone, and a coach with enough respect that the refs allow his players a little more leeway. I don't think there is one out there...

 

[storrsroars]

Louisville didn't do anything yesterday that they hadn't done in the previous few match ups. The pressured the ball handlers to force UConn into the half court, they blitzed the high screens, they collapsed on all penetration, and did what they do to everyone, they swarmed the ball. Offensively, they spread the floor and fed off of turnovers. That is in their DNA.

Memphis can do offensively, what Louisville did. Cincy can do it defensively. Can either do it on the opposite side of the ball?

There is something to be said for "blue prints" when beating a team. It's one thing to have the blueprint, it is another to have the material to carry it out.

In UL's case it's not only talent. Talented players get tired going full-throttle for long stretches. Pitino's boys are as well-conditioned as any college athlete. They are true Engergizer Bunnies. You don't see UL players bent over, hands on knees. I think if Pitino saw that, he'd be sending 'em off to the glue factory with his horses.

 

[itgoeslike]

Harrell had his way with UConn in the first game. We should've devised a plan to go at him and get him into foul trouble early. With him on the bench and/or playing less physical, then maybe we keep it close.

 

[James]

Honestly I can't really explain that sh1tshow. how do we lose by 40 when we beat other ranked teams ? I'm starting to think the chemistry isn't what it's put up to be. You got Napier just barking at everybody and nobody responding. This must have been just a terrible matchup personell wise combined with some miscommunication.

 

[tzznandrew]

Harrell had his way with UConn in the first game. We should've devised a plan to go at him and get him into foul trouble early. With him on the bench and/or playing less physical, then maybe we keep it close.

They did go at him. A lot. And it didn't end up going well. When we actually got to the rim (as opposed to being stripped), our guards couldn't finish. Not saying they were fouled (they're small), but many games we get calls at the rim when players make contact with Shabazz and he throws up a near air-ball at the rim.

 

[GemParty]

Name a team that has a post player like Harrell, players who are big and fast enough to run the zone, and a coach with enough respect that the refs allow his players a little more leeway. I don't think there is one out there...

Have you seen Florida?

 

[tzznandrew]

Have you seen Florida?

Florida is very good. We also played and beat them. Why? Louisville's defense is more disruptive and physical.

 

[dsturdy5]

In UL's case it's not only talent. Talented players get tired going full-throttle for long stretches. Pitino's boys are as well-conditioned as any college athlete. They are true Engergizer Bunnies. You don't see UL players bent over, hands on knees. I think if Pitino saw that, he'd be sending 'em off to the glue factory with his horses.

Conditioning has always been at the core of what Pitino does. Even when he was with the Celtics, he spoke of conditioning...that didn't go well with NBA types but it was still present. Also, how many guys can Louisville roll out there who can fulfill a role? 9? With Calhoun's physical (mental?) limitations, the lack of bulk and skill from the bigs, and experience for Facey and Samuel, UConn can't match it. This isn't like past UConn teams due to recruiting misses and defections. Coming down the pipe, I think UConn will be far better equipped to handle these types of teams.

 

[Fishy]

Strong team push our pipsqueaks all over the court.

Strength and condition continues to be an issue - the days where guys like Emeka and Ben came in as kids and left looking like something out of a Gold's Gym advertisement are long gone.

Someone needs to keep their eyes on the details and make sure these kids are in the weight room because they sure as hell seem to be there at SMU, Louisville, etc.

Second, the days of missing out on front court prospects and settling for plan C and D players needs to come to an end. Our center by committee only managed three rebounds in about 35 minutes - Harell encountered more resistance on line for the breakfast buffet yesterday.

They desperately need better answers in the front court and those answers are not in the class of '14 or '15 (yet).

 

[UConnDad]

Harrell had his way with UConn in the first game. We should've devised a plan to go at him and get him into foul trouble early. With him on the bench and/or playing less physical, then maybe we keep it close.

This is correct.

 

[itgoeslike]

They did go at him. A lot. And it didn't end up going well. When we actually got to the rim (as opposed to being stripped), our guards couldn't finish. Not saying they were fouled (they're small), but many games we get calls at the rim when players make contact with Shabazz and he throws up a near air-ball at the rim.

Our guards ran in an ad hock and not from a set play. I was thinking players 6'6'"+ catching and driving from the key. Even if we are making 65-70% of our FT's we change the tempo and dynamics of the game. Pitino was pushing his zone out beyond the arc; we should have pulled them out even further to create some separation in the paint. Once their bigs are in foul trouble, you might see their zone pull back to assist down low.

Maybe we still lose, but at least we make it interesting. Of course that's just my opinion. . .and opinions are like. . .

 

[Kitaman]

???????

Are you speaking of 1999? This game was played some 20 years after they eliminated the consolation game so there was no way that OSU could have lost twice in the final four (we did beat them in the national semifinal).

I meant MSU. Sorry but thanks.

 

[James]

Strong team push our pipsqueaks all over the court.

Strength and condition continues to be an issue - the days where guys like Emeka and Ben came in as kids and left looking like something out of a Gold's Gym advertisement are long gone.

Someone needs to keep their eyes on the details and make sure these kids are in the weight room because they sure as hell seem to be there at SMU, Louisville, etc.

Second, the days of missing out on front court prospects and settling for plan C and D players needs to come to an end. Our center by committee only managed three rebounds in about 35 minutes - Harell encountered more resistance on line for the breakfast buffet yesterday.

They desperately need better answers in the front court and those answers are not in the class of '14 or '15 (yet).

It's been noted. Only two or three of our players have trained the way they needed to. One of them Giffey was around pros. Daniels I would argue is sub 200. It's unacceptable, especially with all the chatter in the offseason. You should be able to put on ten pounds in 3-4 monthes.

 

[uconnfan68]

The craziest thing about this game was that if LVille didn't play so crappy from the point they took the 17-5 lead - they threw the ball away, played sloppy and didn't make a shot - until the end of the half basically our guys would have gotten beat by 50 easy. I mean LVille had us 17-5 at about the 5 minutes in mark then only had 19 at around the 8-9 minutes mark…….

It pains me to think they may not regroup from this………and they allowed everyone who plays them the rest of the way (both of them) to mirror LVille and everyone else who has shut our offense down to nothing……...

Me too, but I think KO resorted to 3 ball-handlers to counter that... a little later than he should have, but we weren't going to win 5 on 8 anyway. Officiating is pitiful for UConn at the YUM. Men and women. That whole state is corrupt.

 

[mauconnfan]

I think one guy we forgot to mention in many of our posts was Van Treese in all of our threads……13 boards, many to keep their possession alive. Give him a lot of credit, came in an extra big for them, worked hard got stronger and more athletic and is a force for them……..None of our guys ever did anything to stop Harrell or for that matter Van Treese either……..really awful display of effort and brains down low.

 

[Glastonhusky]

Strong team push our pipsqueaks all over the court.

Strength and condition continues to be an issue - the days where guys like Emeka and Ben came in as kids and left looking like something out of a Gold's Gym advertisement are long gone.

Someone needs to keep their eyes on the details and make sure these kids are in the weight room because they sure as hell seem to be there at SMU, Louisville, etc.

Second, the days of missing out on front court prospects and settling for plan C and D players needs to come to an end. Our center by committee only managed three rebounds in about 35 minutes - Harell encountered more resistance on line for the breakfast buffet yesterday.

They desperately need better answers in the front court and those answers are not in the class of '14 or '15 (yet).

Agree, I'd like to see Donyell brought in as a big man coach at the next opportunity. The chance to play for an ex NBA PF should give our recruiting a boost.

 

[Fishy]

Agree, I'd like to see Donyell brought in as a big man coach at the next opportunity. The chance to play for an ex NBA PF should give our recruiting a boost.

Nothing against Donyell, but no.

Our coaching staff has become a jobs program for former UConn players.

I love these guys, but when you limit your search pool, you limit your upside - if we get an opening on this staff, I want them to overpay for a lights-out recruiter.

 

[Payday]

Far be it for me to try to bring a bit of rationality to this thread...but I will point this out. I was at the All State Arena on March 2, 2006 and personally watched DePaul (the worst team in the BE) totally b!tch slap Syracuse 108 - 69. I believe it was Syracuse' worst defeat in their history and was basically considered to have ended their already weak Tourney hopes.

The next week? McNamara nailed that prayer three at the buzzer to beat Cincy by 1. And then do it again and again against Georgetown, UConn, and Pitt to win the Big East Tourney.

Just sayin'...

 

[tzznandrew]

Our coaching staff has become a jobs program for former UConn players.

This is one of my recent issues, too. I love that the program is a "family," but too much inbreeding leads to: http://madmonarchs.guusbeltman.nl/madmonarchs/ferdinand/ferdinand_bio.htm