No surprise. No counterpunch from coaching staff.

[the Q]

Yeah, what is that 2nd option in the half court against a set defense? As you mentioned, Cole was fouled out, so really we're talking about a secondary action utilizing our 3rd scoring option.

Martin had brain fog all day and had tough defenders on him (and we saw the actual result when he tried to create). Jackson can't finish at the rim or shoot. Gaffney would be the last option to most on this board. We tried Polley off a pick at end of 1st half and he was blocked. Whaley wasn't healthy. Akok isn't strong enough against a set D. Hawkins isn't ready and that's the killer. That's what would have made this team top 15 good, but he's not ready and so we're probably top 30 good.

On the actual play, Martin should probably have driven right into the help and kicked out to wide open Jackson. But the problem is that it's Jackson and they're able to help off him for a reason. It's a handicap to have Jackson in the game at those moments. The defense was able to front Sanogo because Jackson's man was basically standing in the paint ready to help.

This is a good take.

The reality is someone would’ve been open.

And at least would’ve been a shot vs…whatever he did. He also had a chance to get it to sanogo right after the screen. Would’ve been further away than they wanted to at least he’d have the ball

 

[Improviser]

I blame Hurley for the airball 3 by a wide open Jackson.

Did Hurley distract Jackson from the bench, by hollering for him to pass it inside?

 

[UConnStats]

Yeah, what is that 2nd option in the half court against a set defense? As you mentioned, Cole was fouled out, so really we're talking about a secondary action utilizing our 3rd scoring option.

Martin had brain fog all day and had tough defenders on him (and we saw the actual result when he tried to create). Jackson can't finish at the rim or shoot. Gaffney would be the last option to most on this board. We tried Polley off a pick at end of 1st half and he was blocked. Whaley wasn't healthy. Akok isn't strong enough against a set D. Hawkins isn't ready and that's the killer. That's what would have made this team top 15 good, but he's not ready and so we're probably top 30 good.

On the actual play, Martin should probably have driven right into the help and kicked out to wide open Jackson. But the problem is that it's Jackson and they're able to help off him for a reason. It's a handicap to have Jackson in the game at those moments. The defense was able to front Sanogo because Jackson's man was basically standing in the paint ready to help.

Yeah that’s the question and it’s not like there’s some blatant thing Hurley is missing on. I guess a Polley 3 would even be better at the rate the two end of game possessions went today, but that’s not high percentage obviously, and there isn’t a great second option.

I ultimately just don’t think we should be pounding the rock and wasting time in a situation where the opponent has plenty of time to get a shot off no matter how we play it. At minimum, move the ball and try your best to make it a normal possession instead of an impossible heave or turnover. There’s a big difference between not having a great end-game option and struggling to hit rim or even take a FGA. I think winning a close game like today’s would be a big mental chip off of the collective team’s shoulders.

 

[microfich]

Tough ending against a good team. For us, it's a lot more than end of game possessions.
If we had any offensive explosion or defensive quickness in the backcourt, different story. I could go on.
We are not really built for end of game possessions. It's not the coach.

 

[Kathy]

Tough ending against a good team. For us, it's a lot more than end of game possessions.
If we had any offensive explosion or defensive quickness in the backcourt, different story. I could go on.
We are not really built for end of game possessions. It's not the coach.

And why aren't we built for end of game possessions?

 

[Nicklo28]

Enough with The Hurley bashing. The last play in OT was set up for Sanogo but he was fronted and not open. At that point Martin should have drove strong to the hoop but he froze. That’s not in Hurley. Poor execution.

 

[Mots010]

Enough with The Hurley bashing. The last play in OT was set up for Sanogo but he was fronted and not open. At that point Martin should have drove strong to the hoop but he froze. That’s not in Hurley. Poor execution.

It’s the coaches job to have his players prepared to execute end of game situations. Our players consistently are deer in headlights in the final minutes.

 

[Watchdog]

Tough ending against a good team. For us, it's a lot more than end of game possessions.
If we had any offensive explosion or defensive quickness in the backcourt, different story. I could go on.
We are not really built for end of game possessions. It's not the coach.

The coach constructs the roster.

DH did not recruit a guard he trusts this year, nor did he get a guard from the portal (like Richmond) while others reloaded via the portal (like Seton Hall).

My mantra this year has been how DH has spent too much time recruiting forwards and too little time (or success?) recruiting guards with moxie, especially point guards. There's no Shabazz or Boatrigh, let alone Kemba. Let's hope RD and CF show some leadership and toughness next year.

All our championships have been won with guards that controlled the game, handled the ball, played defense and (except for TB) could take and make a tough shot in crunch time (except the near half court shot against Pitt at MSG).

Exhibit #1 is how we beat Kentucky with their 6'5" highly rated twin guards with 6 foot and 5'10" guards who could do it all.

 

[uconngb]

And why aren't we built for end of game possessions?

Bingo

 

[mauconnfan]

Gillespie will back Cole down 20 times

Everyone on Nova will kill us backing our men down. Everyone jumps to block shots, no one stays on their feet like they should. It will be a rout for that reason alone, ball fakes and step bys or at the foul line all night for Nova.

 

[mauconnfan]

Enough with The Hurley bashing. The last play in OT was set up for Sanogo but he was fronted and not open. At that point Martin should have drove strong to the hoop but he froze. That’s not in Hurley. Poor execution.

Hence why you don’t do the obvious right? Every time same thing, same plan.

 

[dennismenace]

UConn allowed Richmond and Aiken to their right hand over and over. Defense is about taking away what the offense wants to do. Make them go left until they prove us wrong.

Thanks for pointing this out. This is the ultimate and most basic rule in defense. The more one handed a player is, the weaker and easier to exploit. Overplay and take away the strength. If he can't drive he will have to pass. This was stressed over and over in grammar school leagues. It started with the basic (left and right handed) layup drills. It's fundamental.

 

[dennismenace]

Everyone on Nova will kill us backing our men down. Everyone jumps to block shots, no one stays on their feet like they should. It will be a rout for that reason alone, ball fakes and step bys or at the foul line all night for Nova.

It also appears that the refs are going to permit offensive players to push, shove and shoulder block their way to the basket without calling a charge. Remember when they introduced the hand contact rule? You couldn't even touch a player. Now it almost looks like football. Lambier would love this. The only "rule" is to consistently do this. Gillespie always does this so it's ok (consistency). Different rules based on "style"?

 

[freshler40]

Tough ending against a good team. For us, it's a lot more than end of game possessions.
If we had any offensive explosion or defensive quickness in the backcourt, different story. I could go on.
We are not really built for end of game possessions. It's not the coach.

The coach put the team together and coaches them????? Why isn't it on him or some of him????

 

[mauconnfan]

It also appears that the refs are going to permit offensive players to push, shove and shoulder block their way to the basket without calling a charge. Remember when they introduced the hand contact rule? You couldn't even touch a player. Now it almost looks like football. Lambier would love this. The only "rule" is to consistently do this. Gillespie always does this so it's ok (consistency). Different rules based on "style"?

No doubt agree with this. Even Richmond a couple of times used a hook to get to where he wanted but he was owning us so the refs let him stay on a roll. Give him credit he killed us had a career game, and we let him. Didn’t even double down until he already had 17 in a row.

But Gillespie, Moore get away with a lot of moving their defenders back no doubt. Defenders can take advantage of the timing of a backwards bang and fall back taking the charge if their good at it ( unlike the horrendous flop by Polley) but the key no matter will be STAY ON THE GROUND USE YOUR LENGTH TO ALTER. Teams have had success doing that and controlling their scoring by keeping that focus, and going to get the rebound.

 

[mauconnfan]

As far as the counter punch from the staff they are part of it. Let’s not throw it all on them as during the game our guys make inexcusable turnovers that are lost in the dynamic of the end of the game. Some of the passes and shots are just plain out of control and weak. We don’t have playmakers like they have. Love RJ but the majority of his drives to the hole are altered/blocked and he’s kind of the only guy that can threaten the defense by doing that. While we look deep on the board guys like Gaff and Hawk were pure negative when on the court yesterday.

Our offense is tough to watch as we depend on RJ and Adama a high percentage of the time. Good teams will take away our strengths and have been successful in doing so. I mean we shot 60% from 3 and killed them in the boards but lost. Yeah they’re good but they’re not that good. Need stops and need to stop penetration which our defense had an awful time doing. Having said that there’s no doubt if we played some zone and we got off the hard headed view of man only, we could have created some issues when they were having success. Make Aiken shoot it deep don’t go guard him at the 25 foot mark give him space, double down on Richmond or play a zone. Those are the places we need the staff to lose their stubbornness. I won’t even go into RJ holding the ball for 15 seconds or whatever coming out of the timeout, yikes.

All in all players need to be better, make better decisions as well as the coaches.

 

[willie99]

I'm in Hurley's corner, but I can't believe he let them play one on one the entire game. Obviously a strength of theirs. When watching the game early on, I was thinking they can't make those contested one on one shots the entire game, but they did. They obviously spaced everything enough so the blockers couldn't help much.

We were watching that game and joking that everyone on the Hall is a black hole, NONE of them passed. I do believe it's painfully obvious we should have played some zone, even though I hate zone defenses. Even the GOAT used a zone occasionally

We dominated the boards, doubled them on assists, shot great from three, AND LOST.

This one is on coach on the defensive end.

 

[coachn]

Ah for Baz and Boatright days when someone could make plays at the end of the game.
Play better so we don't have end of game situations.

Andre please mature fast.

 

[microfich]

And why aren't we built for end of game possessions?

So now Hurley can't recruit, is it? Do you already forget the 3 star program we'd become? Pick your poison. A little patience is all it will take.

 

[MexicoHusky]

Nothing surprising here. Never a counterpunch from Hurley.

Constantly out-coached and puts team in a position to lose any close games with a competent opposing coach. If you don’t realize you have to go zone or do something different in the second half then you are insane.

Building a good program but watching in-game coaching is insanely infuriating.

I'm curious what all the DH haters actually want? Do you want him fired?

 

[Kathy]

So now Hurley can't recruit, is it? Do you already forget the 3 star program we'd become? Pick your poison. A little patience is all it will take.

Never said he can't recruit - but he needs to recognize weaknesses and fill those spots. I am certainly not the 1st poster to suggest that this team is in need of a PG.

 

[giddyup]

idiotic response… didn’t have our main point guard at end of game and some bad turnovers for no reason during game. That’s no on Coaches. That was the difference. Plenty of counter punches. Sucks we lost but great game after nothing for past two weeks.

Great games are the ones we win. Got to be able to win in suboptimal conditions or you’re a paper tiger. Hurley is his own problem. He needs real help on in-game adjustments, counter strategy and seeing what is happening. He’s conducting players in real time like a puppeteer, and thinking possession to possession. Great recruiter, great motivator but a pretty poor game day coach.

 

[geordi]

Let's just cut to the chase. It's very simple. Every time we win, it's the players who made great plays. Every time we lose, it's Hurley's fault.

 

[mauconnfan]

Let's just cut to the chase. It's very simple. Every time we win, it's the players who made great plays. Every time we lose, it's Hurley's fault.

Lol that’s it. The “haters” (another ridiculous label) just want to see adjustments on D and some creativity in play calling down the stretch in games. He makes 3M there are expectations. There were many here who gave him tons of credit for his handling of the end of the Marquette game and he deserved it. Most just want to see consistency and some confidence to pull out the close ones. For now we lose way too many of those including last year. It’s not all on him not even close but he’s a big part of finding ways to win.

 

[microfich]

Never said he can't recruit - but he needs to recognize weaknesses and fill those spots. I am certainly not the 1st poster to suggest that this team is in need of a PG.

Of course we needs to be better at guard. Yes, this is all very clear except I am fairly certain coach recognizes the weaknesses and will look to fill those spots. I get as physically ill as anyone watching us play out our weaknesses but believe me we have a great coach here in Dan Hurley. He keeps bringing in the bodies. Better every year. We'll be fine and finer and a good chance at finest.