Most telling moment of the game...

[deedougie]

Don't know if anyone else saw it but with about 5 minutes in the game on a UConn possession, Sterling Gibbs was at the top of the key holding the ball and dribbling around with nowhere to go (as usual).

Jalen Adams was on the right sideline and made a run across the key to the left baseline try to get free from his defender.

Meanwhile Rodney Purvis was just standing on the left sideline not doing much of anything.

When Adams made the run, Purvis should have cheated out to Gibbs to (1) give him a passing option (2) to open up some space for Adams on the baseline. Adams started to yell at Purvis and gesture at him to move closer to Gibbs. Purvis saw Adams, and instead of running towards Gibbs, he started to WALK closer to towards Gibbs at a glacial pace.

Gibbs, then attempted to penetrate towards the foul line and toss the ball to Adams. Adams, who was covered by his own man, and the other defender who was sagging off of the static Purvis, was unable to get his hands securely on the ball and it went out of bounds.

Unfortunately I think that offensive play summed up the UConn offense in the second half: Static, No effective ball movement, and selfish and LAZY.

I don't think I've ever seen a UConn team play offense as poorly as this year's team.

Not sure what the answer is, but the problems are crystal clear.

 

[TasteofUConn]

Yeah, I'll keep beating this drum. Didn't like Purvis' game when he first started for us 2 seasons ago. Didn't like his game when he wasn't getting PT and he tweeted something implying a lack of loyalty from the program/Ollie, didn't like his game even when he was on a nice 5 or 6 game scoring spree when we were out of it and it didn't matter last year, didn't like his game when he committed a lane violation with nobody on the other team on the blocks (but the shooter hit the first shot), despised his game when he then committed a second lane violation, STILL with nobody on the other team on the blocks, giving the shooter a third free throw, didn't like his game when he stepped out of bounds 20 times in his career, and don't like his game now. Never will like Purvis' game. He's fools gold, because he - sometimes - can score in bunches. He puts up 25 one night and gets hot from 3 and suddenly his bandwagon is overloaded.

The example the OP cited is a perfect example. He has a very low BBall IQ, and his only mode is "how can I score?" mode. It's why he never regularly puts up assists numbers, and it's why he's just standing around gumming up the play when Jalen's trying to do something. Jalen has high BBall IQ, and understands spacing and breaking down a D. Purvis understands bomb from 3 or crash to the rim. He has no other game. At all. Can you sense my frustration?

Guy has what I call the negative intangibles. His game doesn't make others around him better. That's the reason he's coming off the bench.

Seems like a nice kid. Wish him the best in life. Just don't particularly like his input on the team.

 

[mauconnfan]

Yeah, I'll keep beating this drum. Didn't like Purvis' game when he first started for us 2 seasons ago. Didn't like his game when he wasn't getting PT and he tweeted something implying a lack of loyalty from the program/Ollie, didn't like his game even when he was on a nice 5 or 6 game scoring spree when we were out of it and it didn't matter last year, didn't like his game when he committed a lane violation with nobody on the other team on the blocks (but the shooter hit the first shot), despised his game when he then committed a second lane violation, STILL with nobody on the other team on the blocks, giving the shooter a third free throw, didn't like his game when he stepped out of bounds 20 times in his career, and don't like his game now. Never will like Purvis' game. He's fools gold, because he - sometimes - can score in bunches. He puts up 25 one night and gets hot from 3 and suddenly his bandwagon is overloaded.

The example the OP cited is a perfect example. He has a very low BBall IQ, and his only mode is "how can I score?" mode. It's why he never regularly puts up assists numbers, and it's why he's just standing around gumming up the play when Jalen's trying to do something. Jalen has high BBall IQ, and understands spacing and breaking down a D. Purvis understands bomb from 3 or crash to the rim. He has no other game. At all. Can you sense my frustration?

Guy has what I call the negative intangibles. His game doesn't make others around him better. That's the reason he's coming off the bench.

Seems like a nice kid. Wish him the best in life. Just don't particularly like his input on the team.

And he is by far a better on ball defender than Gibbs or Adams. I get your frustrations (they sound like myself with AB so I really do) but there is some good there and some wins have come from him. The reality everyone on the team is inconsistent and that's not a good thing. The one person we expected to grow from his IQ and a year in the system is our worst offensive player and is hurting us more than anyone and that is DHam. I see in him over the last 8-9 games what you see in Rodney over his career. The fact we have 2 of them who are key components doesn't bode well for 22-25 win seasons, not at all.

Frustrating team, not just any single player in particular.

 

[David 76]

I don't remember Purvis playing 2 years ago and I don't remember Purvis being "disloyal".
I may have missed something. I remember the opposite including not a complaint when he was pulled at the end of games and when he lost his starting position.

 

[BoatShow]

Cincy is too good on defense for their typical screw around on the top of the key for the first 20 seconds of the possession offense.

 

[Tommyboy]

....Adams started to yell at Purvis and gesture at him to move closer to Gibbs. Purvis saw Adams, and instead of running towards Gibbs, he started to WALK closer to towards Gibbs at a glacial pace....

I do remember that specific play. The one thing I take heart in is that at least the future knows what to do and how to play smart basketball.

 

[Stainmaster]

I don't remember Purvis playing 2 years ago and I don't remember Purvis being "disloyal".
I may have missed something. I remember the opposite including not a complaint when he was pulled at the end of games and when he lost his starting position.

People get these notions in their head about certain players and let their mental fantasies run wild. Nothing to see there.

 

[Hi-Low]

Yeah, I'll keep beating this drum. Didn't like Purvis' game when he first started for us 2 seasons ago(??). Didn't like his game when he wasn't getting PT and he tweeted something implying a lack of loyalty from the program/Ollie, ..

I think maybe you have him confused with Alex Oriakhi (and his pop)....Purvis not a Ferrari but also not a malcontent.

 

[tcf15]

I don't remember Purvis playing 2 years ago and I don't remember Purvis being "disloyal".
I may have missed something. I remember the opposite including not a complaint when he was pulled at the end of games and when he lost his starting position.

People get these notions in their head about certain players and let their mental fantasies run wild. Nothing to see there.

This is just something @TasteofUConn inferred based on a Rodney Purvis tweet back when he was posting under a different username. Like @Stairmaster says, nothing to see here.

 

[TasteofUConn]

This is just something @TasteofUConn inferred . . .

Sure, but it was a well grounded inference. Rodney wasn't getting much PT early on, and KO was keeping him on the bench for extended stretches, and he posted a Tweet that strongly suggested that he thought he wasn't being properly paid back for coming to the program and sitting out a year. He then deleted it. And while deleting your tweet doesn't always mean it was an inappropriate tweet, it usually does mean just that.

 

[David 76]

And his play 2 years ago? On the NC team? Well founded?