New Haven Post Game Thread

[Vancat]

Seriously? It's been like that forever. Weeknight or cupcake games those fans don't show in Gampel. A weeknight AND cupcake games are worse. Not an issue in Hartford because the drive home is much shorter.

Yeah, seriously. Are you telling me in Hartford the seats would be filled for a game like this?

 

[HuskyHawk]

There's always a lot of nonsensical overreactions here over a single game but I don't ever remember this volume of ridiculous takes in the past over a meaningless cupcake game where we don't have our roster intact.

Indeed. Continuity isn't what it was 10 years ago. Each team is pretty new and they need time. Meanwhile, I remember losing to Wagner on opening night in 2016. That was actually concerning. This is just a poor performance that Hurley will use to help the team.

 

[HW611]

I think Reed being back will open up some more options for him. Reed will draw a lot of attention and help in the paint (which Reibe just doesn’t right now), which will lead to more open looks for the perimeter players. Ross just needs to be ready to take that open shot or open lane when it comes. I don’t think the confidence we need from him is breaking his man down off the dribble.

I agree Reed’s gravity will open it up for everyone, including Ross, and will provide a dump off option too on drives.

Don’t think Ross needs to take anyone one on one. But most of the time he gets the ball is on the move or with an opportunity to attack a close out.

 

[Tenspro2002]

It was a bad game. Period. We got up 28-15 and then basically played them even for over 20 minutes until 70-55 and then we closed on a 9-0 run. Against a team making their DI debut.

But let's see how we've done in our first cupcake game the last several years and how it boded:

2025: 92-56 over Sacred Heart. Bad D in the first half maybe portended season-long issues.
2024: 95-52 over NAU. Consistent, pretty dominant.
2023: 85-54 over Stonehill. D was stout early, offense so-so.
2022: 99-48 over CCSU. High-flying and dominant, actually masked season-long issues on offense.
2021: 102-75 over CCSU. Misleadingly explosive on offense and mediocre on defense.
2020: 89-67 over Sacred Heart. Disconcertingly close at halftime portended slow start to the year, but the team developed immensely.
2019: 80-70 over Morehead State. Bad game by a bad team.
2018: 70-58 over Colgate. Bad game by a bad team.
2017: 58-67 loss to Wagner. Say no more.
2016: 100-56 over Maine. So-so first half, pulled away early 2nd. Maybe emblematic of some inconsistency.
2015: 66-53 over Bryant. Bad game by a mediocre team.

So, of those 11 examples, there are several cases -- though mostly among teams that were much worse than this one -- of a bad start being representative of the team's performance. There are also a few where the game wasn't representative, though mostly, but not always, in the direction of the team being worse than implied. There's also one case of a team developing over the year. And, of course, missing 1-2 starters is a factor.

We shouldn't dismiss some obvious warning signs, but full-blown panic is unwarranted.

 

[freescooter]

He has, but I do think this year is a good test to confirm whether his template was a product of a swath of talent that struck lightning(I know Temery thinks so), or repeatable. He has a very good, but not spectacular roster this year. There are still a lot of parts from a team that was disappointing last year. Now it's going to be about how quickly he can coach up a Demary to run PG and how fast can we get Mullins involved. Demary doesn't look like a natural PG to me right now - he's super intentional in how he passes the ball in at times, versus looking instinctive. Almost like he's aiming, trying too hard. And this whole not shooting thing to facilitate makes it seem even more like he has to think about it versus it just coming to him.

I kind of wonder if he is going to be Coach K- won back to back then won 3 more championships plus went to 4(?) more Final Fours or will he be more Billy Donovan. Back to back and never got to the winner’s circle again. Only made the Final Four one other time. Finally went to the NBA where he has been moderately successful I guess, though I concede that the NBA is a different sort of beast with the draft, salary cap and so forth, free agency limits and coaches are less important than effective GMs. I think if you ask who was the better coach nobody would say Donovan, though.

 

[Iluvsuebird]

Both centers got schooled by a division 3 transfer.

that Division 3 transfer looked like Hakeem. He has a sweet game.

 

[KingAG]

that Division 3 transfer looked like Hakeem. He has a sweet game.

He wasn’t a division 3 transfer

 

[Hunt for 7]

UConn will be fine but expectations need to be reset. This is nowhere near a championship caliber team like we saw a couple years ago. Which is fine, winning three in four is insanely hard to do.

I agree but one of our experts decided to go the name calling route when I made a very similar comment in the chat. I know Reed and Mullins will make us a better team but when you have trouble guarding guards who are just barely Division 1 quality for a whole game first game or not that is unfortunately a very bad look and is concerning. It’s defense freaking stay in front of your man.

Yes we can and should be optimistic and a few 10-0 runs where we could have defended better should not be a bridge too far of an expectation for a team with what is supposed to have a very high ceiling.

The BY experts can take all their shots at this take as I know they will and I hope they are right but we looked very pedestrian against a team playing their first division one game.

Another team that had a first bad game against a low level opponent was Michigan St.

Personally I have reset my expectations of this team hope I am wrong but man that was an ugly game.

 

[CCSUBlue92]

I mean, you're not wrong, but it really needs to be pointed out that this New Haven team (barring injury) will probably make a lot of noise in the NEC. They were picked to finish last, and that's just the role of the D2 team making the jump. Pasha was at a CC last year. He's not a D2 guy. He plays the 4 like an early 80s NBA player with his back to the basket.

They'll end up in the 6-12, 8-10 range in the NEC this year. That's as much noise as they'll make.

 

[Tenspro2002]

He has, but I do think this year is a good test to confirm whether his template was a product of a swath of talent that struck lightning(I know Temery thinks so), or repeatable. He has a very good, but not spectacular roster this year. There are still a lot of parts from a team that was disappointing last year. Now it's going to be about how quickly he can coach up a Demary to run PG and how fast can we get Mullins involved. Demary doesn't look like a natural PG to me right now - he's super intentional in how he passes the ball in at times, versus looking instinctive. Almost like he's aiming, trying too hard. And this whole not shooting thing to facilitate makes it seem even more like he has to think about it versus it just coming to him.

Yeah, but lightning striking twice? I mean, of the top 8 guys in 2023, we lost 5 of them, including multiple NBA players. It's not like Florida 2006 to 2007 or Duke 1991 to 1992 who basically ran back the same lineup.

Newton, Karaban, and Clingan (in a much bigger role) were the main holdovers. Diarra barely.

If this team doesn't pan out, Hurley is definitely going to get more questions about misplaced loyalty (this time to guys like Ross and Stewart) like he did 5 years ago when he held onto Whaley and Polley in significant roles. Though, one hopes that this year's team has enough talent (not just depth) that if they're not performing at an elite level he can play others.

 

[UCSouth]

Looking around the top 25 scores, other teams are winning these cupcake games by 30-40+ points. And scoring way more than 79 points. I think we have a lot to be concerned about.

You might want to jump off the wagon before it gains momentum. Come back next year and hopefully it's a better outcome for you. Round up the rest of the naysayers while you're at it.

 

[temery]

Both centers got schooled by a division 3 transfer.

I could be wrong, but I thought I heard of the announcers mentioned that he was division three all American on a division three national championship team.

Edit: may have been juco AA and national champ. The kid can play.

 

[Iluvsuebird]

I have on the BY long enough to have seen some incredible over reactions. But the reaction after this game takes the cake:

• To the dude that said he would have lost to Florida or Arizona: NO s---. Where they missing two starters last night?
• To the army of negative willies that are lamenting about an offense that everyone predicts to be top 5 in the country: Chill out! We are one dimensional without The Bear. Our offense is going to look much different when we have an inside out game, as we did in 22 and 23. The inside game will yield open looks, creating the beautiful offense that we are used to.
• To the folks hating on our D: All due respect, you are missing the forest past the trees. Last night we played solid (not spectacular) defense without fouling as we did in the first two games. That is called PROGRESS. Yes they were making tough shots. In Basketball, that will happen. And again, our starting Center is out.
• Reibe having one rebound is hard to excuse or defend. So I will not even try. However, The Bear is coming back. All is good.

If a couple of the missed 3's go in early in the second half, the final score would have been more like we expected, and some of you would not have such high blood pressure.

Among the things I need to see improving:

• Solo has to play better. His 3 point shot must improve.
• Silas looks at 80%. This was only his second game back, though. You can tell he is going to be nasty good.
• Reibe and Malachi must improve their finishing around the basket. Too many missed layups.

 

[RuffRuff]

I kind of wonder if he is going to be Coach K- won back to back then won 3 more championships plus went to 4(?) more Final Fours or will he be more Billy Donovan. Back to back and never got to the winner’s circle again. Only made the Final Four one other time. Finally went to the NBA where he has been moderately successful I guess, though I concede that the NBA is a different sort of beast with the draft, salary cap and so forth, free agency limits and coaches are less important than effective GMs. I think if you ask who was the better coach nobody would say Donovan, though.

Who knows - I just know this is a big year for Dan Hurley. He's gotten a lot of flowers, deservingly. Last year was a healthy pass, deservingly. Now he has a very good roster that goes into the mix with 12-14 other teams capable of winning the whole thing. This is where you show your stuff.

And if he doesn't have the year he hopes, how does he handle it?

 

[Kemba15]

He has, but I do think this year is a good test to confirm whether his template was a product of a swath of talent that struck lightning(I know Temery thinks so), or repeatable. He has a very good, but not spectacular roster this year. There are still a lot of parts from a team that was disappointing last year. Now it's going to be about how quickly he can coach up a Demary to run PG and how fast can we get Mullins involved. Demary doesn't look like a natural PG to me right now - he's super intentional in how he passes the ball in at times, versus looking instinctive. Almost like he's aiming, trying too hard. And this whole not shooting thing to facilitate makes it seem even more like he has to think about it versus it just coming to him.

If it's so easy to blow every team out in 2 straight NCAA tourneys with a spectacular roster, how come no one else has ever done it?

 

[superjohn]

Yeah, but lightning striking twice? I mean, of the top 8 guys in 2023, we lost 5 of them, including multiple NBA players. It's not like Florida 2006 to 2007 or Duke 1991 to 1992 who basically ran back the same lineup.

Newton, Karaban, and Clingan (in a much bigger role) were the main holdovers. Diarra barely.

If this team doesn't pan out, Hurley is definitely going to get more questions about misplaced loyalty (this time to guys like Ross and Stewart) like he did 5 years ago when he held onto Whaley and Polley in significant roles. Though, one hopes that this year's team has enough talent (not just depth) that if they're not performing at an elite level he can play others.

Exactly. The 2023 had just one NBA player who has had any NBA impact and he played 13 minutes per game. That team ran roughshod over the field in the tournament like has only been seen a couple of times in the 64 team tournament. The '24 team had three new starters and ran roughshod over the field like no other team in 64 team history.

It's an insult to describe what Hurley and those two teams accomplished as lightning striking or that it may not be repeatable when he already repeated it.

 

[Gurleyman]

I kind of wonder if he is going to be Coach K- won back to back then won 3 more championships plus went to 4(?) more Final Fours or will he be more Billy Donovan. Back to back and never got to the winner’s circle again. Only made the Final Four one other time. Finally went to the NBA where he has been moderately successful I guess, though I concede that the NBA is a different sort of beast with the draft, salary cap and so forth, free agency limits and coaches are less important than effective GMs. I think if you ask who was the better coach nobody would say Donovan, though.

Big difference in my eyes is that Donovan and K won with basically the exact same team two years in a row. I don’t think either team lost anyone after winning the first one, so they just ran it back. By contrast Hurley lost 3 starters to the draft early - and the top two bench scorers. And the starters who were there for both - Newton and Karaban - aren’t the sort of generational “lightning in a bottle” sort of talents that we’ll never see again. (Clingan was there for the first one … but playing 10 mpg).

Swapping out Clingan for Sanogo and Spencer for Hawkins gave us vastly different players at those spots. Jackson and Castle had some similarities in how they played here, but they were very different too.

So yeah we won two in a row, but they were two different titles that happened to come in back to back years that required different systems/different coaching styles.

Last year, the timeline could have looked different if Liam stayed healthy (and Diarra too) - but the Aidan and Nowell whiffs didn’t give us enough margin for error. So it certainly wasn’t all bad luck.

I’ve seen too much from Hurley - he’s raised our level 3 times: taking us from a pit to being competitive, taking us from being competitive to being an NCAA team, taking us from NCAA team to NCAA champion. Each one of those levels was harder than the last.

Not sure why we’d doubt his long term coaching ability - unless there’s something systemic in NIL era where we get outbid all the time.

 

[temery]

If it's so easy to blow every team out in 2 straight NCAA tourneys with a spectacular roster, how come no one else has ever done it?

Now tell us about the regular season for each of those championship teams.

 

[RuffRuff]

If it's so easy to blow every team out in 2 straight NCAA tourneys with a spectacular roster, how come no one else has ever done it?

No one said it was easy. What he did was one of the most amazing accomplishments in modern CBB history. It is plausible that he just landed a core group of guys in back to back years that were lightning in a bottle, with Clingan being at the center of it. My strong lean is definitely on the fact that he is a very instinctive coach that builds great culture & system, but it wouldn't be a bad idea for him to show his stuff for a little confirmation. This year wouldn't be a bad one to start.

 

[Kemba15]

Clingan played 13 MPG in the year of the first run. So is the argument that those 13 minutes led to 2023-2024 tourney dominance or that lightning somehow struck twice in 2 straight seasons?

 

[80shusky]

This place is nuts. That was fine. That was basically an exhibition game without two starters. There's stuff that could be better but wow folks are running off the dock here. It only looked like they even ran actual offense a few times and the rest of the time they were just freeballin it.

 

[Inyatkin]

No one said it was easy. What he did was one of the most amazing accomplishments in modern CBB history. It is plausible that he just landed a core group of guys in back to back years that were lightning in a bottle, with Clingan being at the center of it. My strong lean is definitely on the fact that he is a very instinctive coach that builds great culture & system, but it wouldn't be a bad idea for him to show his stuff for a little confirmation. This year wouldn't be a bad one to start.

Translation: I'm not fully on board with the crazy people on this board, but I am crazy-curious

 

[my2cents]

Didn’t look like UConn basketball. So much one on one. So many missed layups.

100%. I guess I have a low basketball IQ too, lol.

 

[HW611]

Swapping out Clingan for Sanogo and Spencer for Hawkins gave us vastly different players at those spots. Jackson and Castle had some similarities in how they played here, but they were very different too.

The thing here is that each one of these guys were upgrades over their predecessors.

Cam was a more consistent shooter and true 3 level scorer in a way Hawkins wasn’t.

Clingan was a force on the defensive end of the floor while still being a dominant lob threat at the rim and passer that Sanogo wasn’t.

Castle was the defender, athlete, playmaker Andre was while being the scorer that Andre wasn’t.

It turned out we had an even better roster than the year prior (something I called before the season started).

 

[Kemba15]

Now tell us about the regular season for each of those championship teams.

Now tell us about the regular season for each of those championship teams.

not sure what you mean