Marquette Post Game Thread

[RuffRuff]

Let's not make more of this than we needed to - shouldn't have been in that position. That was a 12-19 team.

 

[How Sway?!]

Yeah Hurley needs to be suspended for a game. Cant believe he's making me side with Stephen A. Make it two games in fact.

 

[superjohn]

I keep seeing draft board updates from respected media like Wasserman(BR) and Vecenie(The Athletic) who talk to team execs/scouts who say they're not worried about Mullins not putting up crazy counting stats compared to the other elite freshmen because of the system and UConn's balance. Forget big counting stats, at what point should he actually be expected to play well? He'll take the occasional deep long ball that he never makes but he's consistently bricking wide open shots. It felt like board consensus that after he got settled into the lineup that he would emerge as our best player and he's not anywhere close to that. This game would have been a dbl digit halftime lead if he could make an open shot other than an non contested lay-up.

He should talk to Liam.

 

[phillionaire]

If you can't beat the worst team in the league, it's a bit foolish to beg to be in a better league

Im not begging to be in a better league. I’m begging our league to get better because we get no opportunities for good wins and any loss is horrendous.

 

[Lefty2one]

Yeah this loss really sucked, but this team reminds me of the 2006 team. It has a gaudy record like that 2006 team, but I just don't have pure confidence with this team.

Yep. The talent level on this team isn't as high as 2006 but the vibe and feel as a fan is similar.

 

[gsmooth]

At least when we lose a 2/15 matchup it won't be as embarrassing as losing a 1/16

They won't lose to 15 seed or 16 seed in the NCAAT. But they could end up having to grind out a 2nd Rd win.

 

[Tenspro2002]

The question at this point is, is this a team that:

A) struggles to get up for bad teams but shows up against great ones?
or
B) just hasn't figured it out and is going to get steamrolled by someone with a pulse

If A, then our ceiling is fine and we should be competitive if we make the second weekend (and stop facing BE teams).

If B, this is going to be a deeply unsatisfying month.

 

[blkknight1]

What it comes down to is that this team doesn’t have any dogs. They are talented but they don’t have that guy that’s gonna keep on their asses on the floor. Alex should be that guy but he never was.

 

[Horatio]

That was a flat performance in which they played down to the level of the opponent. 3/24 from three and kept shooting bricks regardless. But we’re still at 4 loses against a good schedule with a talented team and top coaching staff. We’ve been dominant and we’ve been flat at 27-4. And again, we have FOUR loses. I’m more concerned about Stewart’s health to be honest. And that’s a lose to Arizona, St.John’s, and two standard WTH loses that we’ve seen for the past 35 years.

 

[husky8273]

I mean, who could have anticipated Mullins/Karavan to shoot 1-15 from 3?

haven't they had similar games this year?

 

[NickDanger]

The stats I'm having a hard time with: 14 Orebs to 3, 14 more shots taken. And they actually made almost all their FTs. In what world does that equate to a loss against a sub .500 team?

3 for 23 on 3s. That world

 

[RuffRuff]

I think we need to face up to the fact that this team may not make it to the Sweet 16. It is far, far too easy for committed opponents to turn these guys over; I chuckle every time Hurley compares Demary to Newton in terms of what he's looking for in a floor general. Demary is about as far from TN as Stamford, CT is from Ulan Bataar, Mongolia. Whatever they are paying this kid it is far, far, far too much.

We beat some good teams in the non-conference before those team were fully formed, and in the case of Kansas turned out to be just not good. I think a second matchup with Florida or Illinois would produce a significantly less favorable result.

Add to that the Big East is just not very deep and you get a nice, shiny surface record that hides the garbage churning beneath the surface.

I said it after the Creighton loss-Hurley has some real soul searching to do this off-season regarding how he builds rosters. There are a bunch of guys on this team who are far too inconsistent or outright dead weight. If that means finding more NIL money in the banana stand, then that's what he's going to have to do. But if we want to keep competing for Big Prizes he has got to better than two or three guys that are capable of consistently scoring in double figures, and much better in terms of guys who don't handle the basketball like a live grenade.

He may believe that defense will carry in the tournament; but you also have to score as the refs are just not going to allow teams to muck up the proceedings like they do in the Big East. And I don't think these guys are capable of playing any other way.

By our, and Hurley's standards, this is just a bad basketball team.

I like Demary as a player, but almost see him as more of a combo 2G w/PG skills than a true PG. He does some PG things well, but really has no command of the unit as a floor leader. He would be a solid 2G if we weren't cursed with Solo Ball and his inconsistent shooting and general knuckleheaded play. As long as we feel compelled to him as our starting 2G, our ceiling is limited.

If I'm Danny, go get a real PG and let Silas play off at the 2 next year.

 

[3rdbass]

Silas is the only one who showed up today.

Tarris in the first half. Unfortunately our guards became blind and couldn't see Tarris in the 2nd half including Demary.

 

[Excalibur]

Reminds me of the ‘06 team. That squad had a lot more talent but the same penchant for inconsistency and playing down to the opposition’s level.

And much like that team, we lack ball handlers that can to the basket.

 

[Edward Sargent]

I guess Hurley got a TF at end, but who got the 2nd one?

Hurley got two

 

[jorge34]

The Stewart injury really hurts, because you really really can’t play Ball and Mullins together as much as they do. Or shouldn’t. Neither rebounds or plays D (no, Mullins DOES NOT play good D.)
When neither are hitting their shots, really tough to win with them out there together.

 

[GampelPBA]

Didnt scroll the whole thread but why was the end of the game not on the radio? Was pissed off so got in the car to drive, 97.9 was just the national Fox show.

 

[Sea Goat]

Bigger concern is playing like a team that won’t get out of the first weekend

Agree - Mr. Hyde dominated the second half. Very frustrating team - little hope for MM.

 

[NutmegDog]

Can't add much to what's been said -- but this: how do you get to the last 10 seconds of a 2 point game and have NO timeouts left? (Also, how does AK get the ball in the backcourt and act as if there's 25 seconds on the clock - zero urgency)

 

[3rdbass]

Well, I thought that Creighton loss then the turnaround was what this team needed. But man, they are frustrating and just not as locked in as they should be.

They can definitely still win it all, but these losses are awful. Especially after a week and a half break and 2 big wins.

I thought we turned a corner after nice wins agains Villanova away and St. John's but we kind of went back ot the norm last weekend against Seton Hall. Seton Hall was 1 blown call from tying that game at the end. We just aren't consistent enough to win 6 games in the Tourney.

 

[RuffRuff]

The worst part is Dan handing more ammunition to the haters about how he’s a huge crybaby when he doesn’t get his way. Shoulda just taken the loss on the chin.

Yeah, really bad way to go out after being composed most of the year.

This also offers fuels to most of the non Uconn fans who don't think this team is that good - not that it matters. Maybe that helps in the dance, but it's not like this unit has the ability to become the Celtics based on bulletin board material.

 

[TroyHall98]

Put up or shut up time now. Can’t have another 6/31 overall shooting night from Mullins/Karaban/Ball again.

 

[SaeHusky]

The stats I'm having a hard time with: 14 Orebs to 3, 14 more shots taken. And they actually made almost all their FTs. In what world does that equate to a loss against a sub .500 team?

In a world where Karaban, Ball, and Mullins shot 6 for 31 and we stop feeding Reed in the post

 

[JustbrewitMan]

Especially when he coached such an awful game

Dan Hurley can’t go out there on the court and play offense and defense… We had a ton of clean wide open looks everywhere and didn’t put any in. On defense we absolutely let them blow by us and get wide open looks from three… I won’t single out individual player names, but it was the usual suspects with horrible defense that let Marquette take confidence building shots. This game was at least 99% on the players.

 

[mauconnfan]

Silas and Tarris were good. Not sure why they abandoned the interior and Reed especially when no one could make a shot? Disappointing with a week to prepare, not much to make James think more same ol hedging that didn’t work. Get we’re not winning many shooting it like that no matter. 2/15 seeding upset yikes!!! Alex was exactly the opposite from his senior night.

Not much you can do but get ready for the 2 seed at MSG. Never know, doubt it but let’s see what happens.

 

[Husky Alien]

 

[GHSWolverines]

Silas was fouled...not even a close call! Total joke

Too bad UConn waited until 4 mins left to start playing and let the refs blow the call.

Don't be angry with me but it was not a foul

 

[bigdog1002]

Other than the STJ game, it’s the way they’ve played much of the last month.

Duke is blowing out its mid-level competition every game, while every UConn matchup goes to the last minute.

Duke has much more high-end talent. Karaban is a 5th year player and didn’t make a FG today

 

[NEforceUConn]

In other news Shea Ralph (formerUConn women’s star) got tossed yesterday as Vandy got whacked by Ole Miss. Must be something in the air.

Btw Shea’s tossing much more impressive than Hurley’s 3 year old tantrum. Hurley’s reaction reminds me of the Wedding Crashers scene where Gloria has a tantrum.

 

[blkknight1]

The question at this point is, is this a team that:

A) struggles to get up for bad teams but shows up against great ones?
or
B) just hasn't figured it out and is going to get steamrolled by someone with a pulse

If A, then our ceiling is fine and we should be competitive if we make the second weekend (and stop facing BE teams).

If B, this is going to be a deeply unsatisfying month.

I think it’s A. The teams we blew out creighton and Marquette the first time and in both return matches look uninspired. Play a tough game vs St. John’s the first time and come out dominating them.

The problem is that they don’t treat every team like it’s St. John’s or Florida or Kansas. You would think that with an intense coach it wouldn’t be a problem but you need an intense guy on the floor. We don’t have that. Alex is quiet. That 23 team had Ajax to compliment the quiet newton. 24 team had killa kam. Where has that guy been on the last couple of teams.