NH Register Marquette post game article.

[Frank06830]

IMHO Hurley post game comments on Marquette are self serving and pitiful. He is getting beat by teams who have a “fifth level” in the second half against coaches who can make second half adjustments. Ridiculous. Keeps saying we need to get tougher like a broken record. Meanwhile more talented coaches are picking his pockets.
All three loses we were out scored in the 2nd half 129-99. Last night perfect example. Marquette scored 49 points in the second half. Intensity yes, but out coached also. Wake up Hurley. It’s not just toughness

https://www.nhregister.com/sports/u..._source=post original url&utm_medium=referral via @nhregister

 

[gtcam]

Is he going to say "I got out smarted by Smart" or by Miller or by Cooley?
Don't hold your breath.

Toughness is needed - yes, but a huge component of toughness is instilled by leadership. A good starting point is by getting an effective floor leader on the court - He has two captains, one is silent, and the other is a rah rah guy - the real rallying leader is not to be found.
Toughness is a multi-purpose word but I don't see it in any player while on the court with the exception of DC - you see it in his face and emotions. His emotions are from the heart. I am not saying he should be the leader but if it happens, then so be it.
DH plays the leader on the bench. He wasn't a leader in college, like his brother Bobby was at Duke. He has what some may call compassion, but I see it reactionary, and to me he has a glory hound persona about him. He recruits great and he can relate to most players on a personal basis - both important components. I feel he knows the game of basketball but the Xs and Os either are not easy for him or he has a hard time to relate them effectively during the game.

15-3 is a great start but the 3 losses are league losses - goods news is that UConn has a revenge game with all 3 at home, Adjustments need to be made - let's see what happens.

 

[HooperScooper]

Another post game Register article about whether the Huskies are better suited for out of conference games.

There is another thing to consider. UConn is clearly better-suited to playing out of conference, where the physical play found in the Big East is often negated by out-of-conference referees who'll call more fouls.

"The way the game is played in the nonconference and the NCAA Tournament is much different than the way we play in league play," Hurley noted. "Games are a lot more physical (in the Big East). We're proving to be better suited for maybe those other types of games that are played a little bit differently. That makes me feel better about March."

Perhaps so, but it's still January, and UConn has to start figuring things out. There are other issues. Jordan Hawkins has been in a shooting funk, 1-for-8 on Wednesday night and 37 percent from the floor over his last seven games. Part of that stems from the difference in officiating in the league from when Hawkins was more able to get free for open looks off screens in the non-conference.

"He's being grabbed and held," Hurley said. "It's tough for him."

Is UConn men's basketball team 'better suited' for games outside of physical Big East?

After breezing through nonconference games, the Huskies have dropped three straight Big East road games after Wednesday night's loss at Marquette.

www.nhregister.com

Alternate free link:

Is UConn men's basketball team 'better suited' for games outside of physical Big East?​

 

[UCFan1513]

Another post game Register article about whether the Huskies are better suited for out of conference games.

There is another thing to consider. UConn is clearly better-suited to playing out of conference, where the physical play found in the Big East is often negated by out-of-conference referees who'll call more fouls.

"The way the game is played in the nonconference and the NCAA Tournament is much different than the way we play in league play," Hurley noted. "Games are a lot more physical (in the Big East). We're proving to be better suited for maybe those other types of games that are played a little bit differently. That makes me feel better about March."

Perhaps so, but it's still January, and UConn has to start figuring things out. There are other issues. Jordan Hawkins has been in a shooting funk, 1-for-8 on Wednesday night and 37 percent from the floor over his last seven games. Part of that stems from the difference in officiating in the league from when Hawkins was more able to get free for open looks off screens in the non-conference.

"He's being grabbed and held," Hurley said. "It's tough for him."

Is UConn men's basketball team 'better suited' for games outside of physical Big East?

After breezing through nonconference games, the Huskies have dropped three straight Big East road games after Wednesday night's loss at Marquette.

www.nhregister.com

Alternate free link:

Is UConn men's basketball team 'better suited' for games outside of physical Big East?​

I mean sure the Big East may be more physical than other leagues, but the idea that refs don't blow the whistle seems questionable when faced with the fact that UConn's committed a ton of fouls in losses. Some may point to bad officiating, and I think there have been some cheap shot fouls against UConn, but all that seems to wash out in the end (especially once the home/away whistle evens out).

I think teams from other leagues play more of an NBA style or European style game than many BE teams (other than Nova). The floor is much more wide open and UConn's off-ball stuff worked. BE teams seem to be packing the paint (Nova, Xavier) or playing much tighter perimeter D (Marquette, Providence) than in the non-conference games. I imagine someone who knows more ball than me could point to how to beat that style of D, but it seems to have been a hard adjustment for the players and staff thus far

 

[Icehawk]

The way I see it is we played "Big East" ball early and out muscled OOC teams that aren't used to that. Then we showed up at home and not only are all the teams used to it... but they know our playbook inside & out. Our game style of shooting 3s doesn't help here either if we're trying to draw fouls and get to the FT line.

 

[UConnSwag11]

 

[QDOG5]

Marquette is NOT a physical team.

 

[MuchoDogYears]

I’m a DH supporter but that’s some serious spin doctoring.

Blaming losses on the BE being too rough for his team, and claiming they’ll do better in the NCAAs because the refs will call the fouls that the BE doesn’t…that’s just weak.

We’re in the BE. I’m happy that it’s still a tough, rough league. Wouldn’t want it any other way. That’s the BE legacy and it’s identity. It’s UConn's job to find a way to win in this league, not the leagues job to soften up.

 

[LIuconn]

Cop out. He’s getting smoked

 

[uconn13]

Cop out. He’s getting smoked

Maybe it's the sage

 

[XLCenterFan]

MQ was pulling shots out of their arse last night and DH did not coach/game manage/bench manage/timeout manage as well as he should have. Bottom line.

 

[superjohn]

I’m a DH supporter but that’s some serious spin doctoring.

Blaming losses on the BE being too rough for his team, and claiming they’ll do better in the NCAAs because the refs will call the fouls that the BE doesn’t…that’s just weak.

We’re in the BE. I’m happy that it’s still a tough, rough league. Wouldn’t want it any other way. That’s the BE legacy and it’s identity. It’s UConn's job to find a way to win in this league, not the leagues job to soften up.

You see this type of spin when a coach doesn't have answers. There might be a little truth to what he's saying but it isn't something you're supposed to say.

 

[F101Voodoo]

MQ was pulling shots out of their arse last night and DH did not coach/game manage/bench manage/timeout manage as well as he should have. Bottom line.

I did not. keep count but I saw way too many turnovers. It was also one of those nights we did not make the shots we should have. Of course us fouling was like suicide.

 

[Frank06830]

Marquette is NOT a physical team.

Yep. He was out coached by someone who knew how to make adjustments and get his players to bring sense or urgency

 

[HuskyWarrior611]

Lol it’s always everybody else’s fault.

Wasn’t the goal a Big East championship?

 

[willie99]

How cute

 

[RichCTBB]

I took this as blaming the refs without blaming the refs. I love having him as the coach and love that were relevant again, but he seemed to throw everyone under the bus except the coaching staff.