Marquette Post Game Thread

[uconn_jack]

Mahaney was unplayable last night. He was playing like it was a noon time pick up game at the Y when it was a summer league game at Rucker. He wilted big time last night.

Well, he took a step closer the last couple of games, but he now needs to take another on against the quality of a Marquette. I think he can now after seeing the flashes, just hope it will be by March.

 

[drayenob]

 

[uconn_jack]

Solo scored 25, but it felt like he scored 40. What an awesome show he put on for the fans. Ross had a terrific game and his fadeaway J from the lane was amazing.

This season at Gampel I've stood on the concourse behind the basket a few times just to watch Ross play defense. What amazes me is his lateral movement, his side to side quickness, his incredible athleticism, all that combined is making him a killer on D. If anyone going to Gampel this point forward, go stand on the concourse for a couple of minutes behind the basket and watch Ross play defense. He is blanket coverage on steroids.

As long as he continues to resist every ball fake. He was better last night, but it was getting to the point where he'd jump every time I got up to get a beer.

 

[uconn_jack]

Couldn’t watch live but just caught a replay. Man. Outhustled all night, crushed on the offensive glass, 20+ turnovers, and we still beat a top 10 team on the road. How? 12-19 three point shooting led by THE BEST GAME OF SOLO BALL’S CAREER! He is growing up right in front of us. He answered every single Marquette run with a soul crushing three

We came out with great energy and built a huge lead early thanks to Stewart popping off. Tarris got involved, AK got involved, then Solo took us home

We played great individual defense in the first half. Switched pretty much everything and everyone held their ground. I was disappointed with Marquette. Their strategy was to flop and pray for whistles. The basketball gods punished them with 12-22 FT shooting. They made their runs when they started playing real basketball and it made for a really exciting second half

LETS. GO. HUSKIES.

I wouldn't say we were outhustled ALL night. They got a lot better after Danny tore into them about it during a TO.

 

[Scoe]

There is not an analyst alive that hasn't been trashed on the BY. They hate everyone except Bill Raftery.

Being a national broadcaster you can't please everybody, he talked good about us and Marquette. Was great to hear him go to bat for Hurley last night, him and Jimmy Jackson are a great duo.

 

[uconn_jack]

One thing I was really suprised about is that Marquette didn't press us late in the first half when we didn't have any PGs in there.

 

[ctchamps]

Crazy that the yard goes from utter despair to euphoria in one game’s time.

My euphoria comes from winning without having Liam and with HD being pretty much a non factor because he was injured. I came into this game thinking not having two of our best ball handlers against one of the better defensive teams in the country was a recipe for disaster. I came into this game thinking of our away game at Xavier, which isn't as good as Marquette particularly on the defensive end, and HD was healthier.

So count me in as one who is over the moon with this game. As far as despair, I started this season with Hurley's pre season comments so my anticipation was muted. Not the comments of the 3 peat. The comments that the only position he was confident in was the center position. He had concerns about the younger players. And he had major concerns about the point guard position.

Two years ago we only needed to fix one position. Last season there was no weakness. This season is a major overhaul season. I'm not focusing on the failures. I'm enjoying the improvements our players and team are making. Anything that happens positively with our record, our ranking, our postseason play is icing on the cake for me.

 

[Jaydumo20]

Being a national broadcaster you can't please everybody, he talked good about us and Marquette. Was great to hear him go to bat for Hurley last night, him and Jimmy Jackson are a great duo.

Agree 100%.Also, I will never criticize an analyst as it's a particular field where many armchair-fan-analysts secretly believe it's a job they themselves may be able to do just as well, until they realize it's one of the hardest, most competitive, most sought after jobs in all major athletic competition. Try recording yourself calling a game and listen back afterwards in shame and disgust at your own Ineptitude.
People may crap on Donny Marshall but there are only a very small number of people, especially former athletes, who can do what he does.

 

[FearThePups]

25 turn overs is ugly.

But 25 turnovers on the road and winning by 8 against a top 10 team isn't.

It could also be maybe Marquette just had an off game. It happens.

 

[EricLA]

That was a great game all the way around. the 3 point shooting at 63% was unconscious. Obviously we don't do that hardly ever, but it worked this game.

One thing I noticed is that when we built our big lead in the 1st half, Marquette was literally playing offense 100% 1 on 1. Their guard would bring the ball up, dribble around, drive to the basket, and look for a foul. In fairness, the announcers even said several of our guys fouled them but the refs didn't call it. As much as it was a great game, could have looked a lot different if those fouls were called.

Regardless, great result, great win, great for our resume, and a fun game to watch.

 

[uconn_jack]

Contrast Shaka’s coaching last night where he was trying to be “Mr. Mellow” to get his team to relax… that didn’t work, kind of a head scratcher! Low energy IMO. Might work against most DIV 1 teams but not Mr. Hurley.

The homer TV announcers after cutting away from Shaka’s “pep talk” were locked in on showing how it worked after Marquette scored after Time out. “See it worked” they started this conversation about how good the speech was…

Then Ball drains a 3… Sorry announcers, sometimes you need to call what you see, not what you’d like to see.



It was funny seeing Dan fire up our team!!! How can they be more desperate than us!! That was one for the ages!

I disagree, I think that was the right call for Shaka for his team, they were way to amped up, and not in the good way. We were just better offensively.

 

[uconn_jack]

You can never tell on chat if we are winning or losing

The troll is strong on the chat.

 

[uconnfan68]

That was a great game all the way around. the 3 point shooting at 63% was unconscious. Obviously we don't do that hardly ever, but it worked this game.

One thing I noticed is that when we built our big lead in the 1st half, Marquette was literally playing offense 100% 1 on 1. Their guard would bring the ball up, dribble around, drive to the basket, and look for a foul. In fairness, the announcers even said several of our guys fouled them but the refs didn't call it. As much as it was a great game, could have looked a lot different if those fouls were called.

Regardless, great result, great win, great for our resume, and a fun game to watch.

I only wish someone would have had Hass' back. He couldn't keep up and there was zero offside help on those drives.

 

[uconn_jack]

Yeah, I saw that on there, almost spit out my beer.

 

[AllHusky]

Crazy that the yard goes from utter despair to euphoria in one game’s time.

Isn't that what the Yard is for? Allows otherwise healthy well adjusted people the opportunity to vent their mental illness amongst similarly afflicted nut jobs. Makes perfect sense to me.

I can't even publicly acknowledge my contribution to the Mojo(it worked). It is so bad I am embarassed and ashamed....and happy all at once

See, crazy. And everyone here is understanding, aren't you?

 

[HuskyWarrior611]

He's not demonstrated much to talk about his offense. I'm extrapolating a lot but I predict we are going to see great things from him in the future. He was our best ball handler in the Marquette game. I don't know about you but he was the only player I felt confident with bringing the ball up court. That's a rapid improvement from his previous games.

I know it's not a game situation but he won the 3 point contest pre season. He had a beautiful stroke under that pressure situation. I contend his poor performance in games is a lack of experience plus being the player who knows/thinks he's the last offensive option so he hesitates. He needs a couple of games like Stewart had at the start of this game to make the leap we are beginning to see with his defensive ability.

Who is this new ctchamps that’s been doing these thorough team/player breakdowns this season??

 

[HuskyWarrior611]

By the way I completely agree on Ross. You can continue to see the tools there. His handle, quickness, and IQ shows up. Made some pretty great passes and reads tonight too.

He can get to where he wants. As @ctchamps said though he plays like he knows he’s the last option on the court and hesitates to score and be aggressive because of it it seems.

That move in the lane though where he did a turnaround jumper over the defender is something I expect he can do more consistently in the future.

I’m really really hoping for even bigger leaps from him and Ball over the summer. Ball working on his handle and playmaking ability. Ross working on his overall scoring confidence.

They both have all the ability in the world to be high level two way playmaking guards. Which can be huge for next year and their draft stocks.

3:30 for that Ross play. It looked natural.

 

[alphasigko]

Great win in a very tough environment against a talented team albeit with 25 TOs... Also very fortunate that Marquette could not make their shots in the 1st half. Great efforts by Samson Johnson and Ball. One more week of rest for Liam before the St John's game. GO HUSKIES!

 

[sdglast]

Mahaney was unplayable last night. He was playing like it was a noon time pick up game at the Y when it was a summer league game at Rucker. He wilted big time last night.

He really struggles again Big East level competition. He can handle himself against smaller guards, but anyone with size and quickness really disrupts him both in play and in confidence. He is not a good defender and will likely get limited minutes against St. Johns. They are way too quick and physical for him defensively.

 

[my2cents]

I never screamed more at the TV than last night in a win. My wife was saying, "Who are you yelling at?'
"Grab the damn ball"
Stop with the turnovers"
Who are you passing too?

You get the drift. But it is tiring.

 

[Palatine]

Mahaney picked up three quick fouls and that took away his aggressiveness. If he isn't aggressive he has very little to offer.

I don't think he "wilted"as much as he was passive and that led to 3 TOs in 8 minutes. He had a bucket , a steal and a missed three pointer. Not a good night. But his play has picked up lately on both ends of the floor.

Every game he seems to have a lapse in focus that causes a problem. But you can live with it if he hits his ceiling of a three, a lay up, two fouls shots and adequate defense.

 

[ucp990411]

One thing I was really suprised about is that Marquette didn't press us late in the first half when we didn't have any PGs in there.

With Solo at the point they backed off the press for some reason. We actually had good ball movement with Solo as the main ball handler. Shaka does not seem like a very good game coach to me.

 

[boba]

The chat is not the faculty lounge at Princeton.

Still, it achieves a higher standard than Yale's.

 

[UCan3]

I disagree, I think that was the right call for Shaka for his team, they were way to amped up, and not in the good way. We were just better offensively.

It was a right call if you are Uconn fan that's for sure. seriously though you can't really prove it one way or another, but Dan did out coach him

 

[superjohn]

He had some big moments and huge shots but I disagree. And also, Ball is doing it on volume with WAY more pressure.

I’m not mad or anything I just disagree. I’m more confident when he shoots than anyone in a long time.

He's a better shooter than Hawk. Hawk could go on heaters and hit super high degree of difficulty shots but he's not a consistent open shooter. He never has been. He's never shot over 40% in his college/NBA career from three.