Mullins first start maybe?

[ctchamps]

CT insider said Hurley seems frustrated by the “on again off again nature of Reed’s injuries”. Frustrated by the medical staff or by Tarris? He has also said Tarris needs to get himself into playing condition. One can interpret these comments a few different ways

He's frustrated with the situation. A situation both he and Tarris have no control over.

 

[tennmike]

An easy opponent, having Mullins available must make Hurley feel like he just entered an all you can eat buffet. I'm far more interested in what lineups Hurley experiments with in this game. My expectation is we see a lineup of Smith, Mullins, Ross, Alex and Reibe as much as we see a lineup of Demary, Ball, Mullins, Alex and Reibe.

Ross is probably a better set up man for Mullins than Ball at this stage of the teams development. Plus that lineup with Ross and Smith should be a far better defensive lineup.

Having Karaban, Mullins, and Ball on the court at the same time puts opposing teams in a pick-your-poison dilemma. That will create far more opportunities than an occasional pass from Ross to Mullins.

 

[B1GEast]

In Hurley's offense it's about minutes.

If you're getting 20 plus minutes, he trusts you

 

[ctchamps]

Having Karaban, Mullins, and Ball on the court at the same time puts opposing teams in a pick-your-poison dilemma. That will create far more opportunities than an occasional pass from Ross to Mullins.

I'm aware of that. There would be some strategic loss overall. Just pointed out some compensatory benefit with Ross opting to be the fifth scoring option and searching for offensive rebounds and assisting our other shooters. And does so better than Ball. We saw that in the Kansas game.

Defense is an obvious advantage over Ball.

I'm not advocating one lineup over the other. I'm stating that defensive line up offers advantages the offensive lineup doesn't.

 

[tennmike]

I'm aware of that. There would be some strategic loss overall. Just pointed out some compensatory benefit with Ross opting to be the fifth scoring option and searching for offensive rebounds and assisting our other shooters. And does so better than Ball. We saw that in the Kansas game.

Defense is an obvious advantage over Ball.

I'm not advocating one lineup over the other. I'm stating that defensive line up offers advantages the offensive lineup doesn't.

I wasn't meaning to be snarky. My comment may have been too abrupt. UConn's wild advantage is having shooters all over the court and I wouldn't advocate diluting that. Play to the teams strengths. Continue to use Ross as has been so far; he's been good at it.

 

[ctchamps]

I wasn't meaning to be snarky. My comment may have been too abrupt. UConn's wild advantage is having shooters all over the court and I wouldn't advocate diluting that. Play to the teams strengths. Continue to use Ross as has been so far; he's been good at it.

Didn’t feel you were being snarky. Just letting you know I recognize that advantage and I believe the other advantage is just as important and more predictable imo. It’s why JC, Hurley and Geno stress defense more than offense. If you can get both like in 24 then you’re almost unbeatable. That 24 team had two really good three point shooters in Cam and Alex and a good third option with Newton.

While Mullins was recovering we only had Alex and Ball. We were only able to take them out for short increments and very rarely both at the same time.

Now we can play all three or different combinations of two out of the three and rotate in better defenders. My guess is we’ll see this tonight and during the easier games playing BE teams.

 

[HooperScooper]

Can you cite your sources here? Curious what you’ve seen that makes you infer that Hurley thinks Reed is capable of playing but is choosing not to.

I posted that in the Tarris Reed GTD thread. But that's Borges's take on how he heard Hurley say it in the Kansas post game media availability.

Post in thread 'Tarris GTD'

Dec 3, 2025

From Dave Borges's game article. Knee? Is it an ankle or a knee? Both? I'll have to listen to the post game presser to see the tone of this.

Hurley seems to be getting a bit frustrated by the injury situation with Reed, who missed the season-opener with a hamstring issue and now three of the Huskies' last four games with a knee problem.

"Tarris has got to get himself healthy and on the court," Hurley said.

• HooperScooper

• 

 

[ucp990411]

Hmmmmmm. Thank you.

We are in agreement

 

[ucp990411]

I posted that in the Tarris Reed GTD thread. But that's Borges's take on how he heard Hurley say it in the Kansas post game media availability.

Post in thread 'Tarris GTD'

Dec 3, 2025

From Dave Borges's game article. Knee? Is it an ankle or a knee? Both? I'll have to listen to the post game presser to see the tone of this.

Hurley seems to be getting a bit frustrated by the injury situation with Reed, who missed the season-opener with a hamstring issue and now three of the Huskies' last four games with a knee problem.

"Tarris has got to get himself healthy and on the court," Hurley said.

• HooperScooper

• 

Thanks

 

[superjohn]

I posted that in the Tarris Reed GTD thread. But that's Borges's take on how he heard Hurley say it in the Kansas post game media availability.

Post in thread 'Tarris GTD'

Dec 3, 2025

From Dave Borges's game article. Knee? Is it an ankle or a knee? Both? I'll have to listen to the post game presser to see the tone of this.

Hurley seems to be getting a bit frustrated by the injury situation with Reed, who missed the season-opener with a hamstring issue and now three of the Huskies' last four games with a knee problem.

"Tarris has got to get himself healthy and on the court," Hurley said.

• HooperScooper

• 

It's Borges's take that Tarris can play and is choosing not to?

What?

 

[Kitaman]

Freshman James Bouknight was on a team with veterans Vital, Alterique Gilbert, Brandon Adams, and RJ Cole.

Hurley started the freshman and never looked back. History tells me Mullins is starting.

 

[HooperScooper]

It's Borges's take that Tarris can play and is choosing not to?

What?

No. That's not what Borges wrote.

 

[Slick]

I just don't see Hurley starting Mullins tonight, not yet.

Would it hurt JStew's psyche now? I don't know. But, if Mullins has a few strong games then I can see him starting later in Ddecember.

It doesn’t matter who starts. It matters who finishes

 

[aboogieee]