Marquette Post Game Thread

[Inyatkin]

I see no reason why to assume the experiment is failed when we’re about 1/4 of the way through the timetable for it. You may turn out to be right, but jumping to way-too-early conclusions with a profoundly negative outlook on our players’ potentials is simply not the way I choose to orient myself as a UConn fan.

I know it’s all a part of the discussion between similarly passionate fans, but I’m honestly just not in tune with pessimism. I know, you may see this take as realism, but what we’re doing here is predicting the future outcome of a guy on our roster. You predict a fundamentally negative outcome (i.e., the pessimistic point of view), I predict a positive one. Neither of us actually has a clue what is going to happen. Even by watching every game and press conference we are still only observing the tip of the iceberg that is Aidan Mahaney’s development process.

You’re entitled to your opinion and I’m not even trying to change your mind, but I feel like it’s good to inject some optimism at times when one of our guys is getting crapped on so much here.

There are fans who would rather play amateur GM than root for the players actually on the team. It's weird, to me.

 

[cp176]

You can call a point guard a lead guard if you want, but I think it is important to have at least one player on your team who you are comfortable with handling the ball under pressure. In my world, I’d like to see that player to have at least some size, be able to make foul shots, to be able to bring the ball up the court with as few dribbles as he can. He has to be a good decision maker. It would be great if we already have that potential player in house.

 

[Iluvsuebird]

There are fans who would rather play amateur GM than root for the players actually on the team. It's weird, to me.

I can chew gum and walk at the same time.

 

[HuskyWarrior611]

Seriously, how many 6’4/6’5 and up guards are available every year?

Feel like it’s hard to find guys like that who aren’t also NBA prospects. Usually at that size if you are a good PG that NBA is calling. It’s hard to strike that balance.

I could be wrong though as I’m not an avid follower of the portal but on the surface it doesn’t seem like something to bank on.

 

[Excalibur]

The thing with Cam - and Joey C before him - is they came off screens a major threat to shoot, and that got defenders rushing at them and opened up driving lanes and passes.

We rarely use Mahaney that way and when he runs around screens, he’s often not looking to shoot. He’s looking to get the ball and start dribbling. So the defense isn't scrambling and is ready to play him straight up, making whatever he does next more difficult.

That quick square up off the catch and shoot is an important part of our offense when we have shooters out there. You do all this work running sophisticated plays to get a shooter some daylight, they need to use it. Otherwise you might not get a look again. And when Mahaney is out there with Diarra or Ross, he’s got to think of himself as having a green light.

Again, Mahaney is a ball-dominant scoring lead guard. We don’t really have a place for that in our offensive structure, and the step up in ball pressure from the WCC to the Big East limits him in any event.

 

[TouchdownHusky]

What do you think Brea is? He's not all that athletic or a 6'10 forward so he's not filling either of your needs.

Brea would have been this year. The 6'10 ish forward is next year.

 

[Dove]

Hawk 2 years ago was better than Solo this year.

You sir, are an idiot.

 

[Hoophound]

No one has mentioned how playing in the XL prepares the team for playing in the arenas like Fiserv. And for the Big Dance as well. Twelve in a row is proof of that. No tournament games on campus.

This is absolutely a legit argument. I’ve shot around in XL several times before. It’s takes adjustment. However, I shot around at the Meadowlands too and that hasn’t helped Seton Hall.