Missed Opportunity

[UChusky916]

I don't like how Hurley puts in 4 bench guys at a time around the 12-15 minutes mark. It puts us on our heels instantly.

Our starting backcourt really blew this game though. It's hard not to love Rique and CV, but they just don't embody high IQ decision-making that leads to wins every night. And when they do (see: Miami), we are really good. But it's not consistent enough.

This is the 3rd or 4th post I've seen mention Hurley's lineup in the first half.

Akok and Gilbert both had 2 fouls and had to sit. Carlton was in.

Hurley had to play some other guys out of necessity. No one stepped up. That's not on Hurley.

This board is so ridiculous and loves to contradict itself... case in point:

Posters call out Hurley for not holding AG/CV accountable for bad shots and turnovers...

Then when he actually sits both AG/CV because of fouls and bad performance, people bitch about Hurley's lineup decisions and ask why he's playing 4 bench guys.

Unreal hypocrisy.

 

[HuskyHawk]

I don't think that's fair at all. Vital played a bad game, but it was bad because he tried to force the ball too much to other guys, not because he was trying to be the hero.

He took three hero ball threes and made one. But that wasn't the real problem.

It was bad because AG got two fouls, Hurley decided not to to trust Adams or Gaffney at the PG in a big game and asked Vital to do something he absolutely could not do. He was completely out of his depth trying to run the team and Hurley just left him out there. He waited too long to play Bouknight and when he did he paired him with CV who didn't pass to him. As bad as CV was (and he was bad) this is on Hurley. He should never again put CV in that position. Play Gaffney. He would make mistakes, but they would be freshman mistakes and he'd learn.

 

[MuchoDogYears]

Bottom line is that our senior guards stunk, and when replaced, our young guards (BA, Gaff, Bouk) were invisible.

Both sets of guards were affected by the bright lights of MSG and a national ESPN audience.

The senior guards, who love the bright lights of Broadway, brought back the AG CV Spectacular. Hopefully never to be seen on Broadway again.

The young guards, on the other hand, were pushed onto the stage, saw the bright lights, and forgot their lines.

I keep looking for things to change for the seniors but am rapidly losing faith that they ever will. Which doesn’t bode well down the stretch if UConn gets in tourney games (conference and or ncaas).

My best hope is that the three young guards, after their first “big stage game” played away from home, will show up next time a lot more confident on stage. This season depends on that more than the wishful thinking that AG and CV will change.

 

[uchusky32]

Could have played some zone in the first half. Supposedly they don't shot well from the outside. Slow the game down get to half with the lead.

 

[CL82]

Oh good lord of course Ollie gets the blame as Hurley sits there for 30 mins unable to come up with any answers to settle his players down.

Yes, yes he does. Ollie is the new Selvie.

 

[UCfor3]

He looked like a deer in the headlights yesterday. If you think more time for him would have changed yesterday's result, you're delusional.

Going forward, not yesterday. If you think playing your most talented offensive player 15 mins a night and not entering either half until the 13 minute mark, is going to be a good strategy going forward you are delusional. If you are not tired of the same old story after 4 years of the same player doing the same things.....if Bouk was a deer in the headlights, what do you call what the other 3 gurards looked like? What is their excuse? Bouk has a unique skillset and offensive upside nobody else on the team has. Play him through good times and bad. It feels to me like Hurley is holding him back a bit, even in the games he has played well. Maybe I am delusional?

 

[buddy]

They should have never lost that game. They were so much more talented than Indiana. I will be a happy man when Vital graduates. He is a turnover machine. Have him come off the bench and start Bouknight the rest of the way. This was a sickening loss.

I hope AG goes too! No points the entire game until the last minute. You guys and Hurley give him too much leeway. It is too late for them to shake off their bad habits.

 

[dennismenace]

Coaches and guards blew this game. Sucks have to endure listening to methuselah dickie call a game. Refs let called game for Indiana too. We were better team but guards and coaches ed us.

Sucks have to endure listening to methuselah dickie call a game.

I rarely use the mute button on the remote but their were entire segments where I had to last night. Dick V sounds like an over caffeinated psycho who escaped from a lunatic asylum. Please Dickie, just shut the hell up. It was surreal with heartbreaking stories of people with cancer fighting back interspersed with horrible basketball performance and the lunatic shouting out all that inane commentary. Bordered on torture.

 

[AdamaNation]

I agree. Missed opportunity. What a bummer. Can’t imagine the Huskies could have played much worse. 22 turnovers is just awful.

10 were the same turnover.

 

[BugsyCT]

I thought Sid Wilson played pretty well tonight.

Yup, he had his moments. Was disappointed in Bouknight and Adams' play (or lack of), but they'll learn.

 

[Martin]

“They are what we thought they were....”

 

[RF79]

I honestly believe that if we’re better than these teams like IU we would blow these guys out of the arena. The freakin hard reality that I truly hate to say is that we’re not. This team has some bad/losing habits that may not be rectified until ALL of KO’s recruits are gone. Ehhhh I almost want to mention talent also bc that does play a part in winning along with coaching.