Nothing like 2010

[Inyatkin]

The similarities were pointed out throughout the year -- the post-Final Four letdown, the bad bounces, close losses, fatal flaws. But this team turned out to be nothing like that one. That team went out with a whimper, the loss to St. John's one of the Calhoun-era low points.
This team fought. They were limited, especially tonight, but they kept at it. Give them that much.

 

[tzznandrew]

The similarities were pointed out throughout the year -- the post-Final Four letdown, the bad bounces, close losses, fatal flaws. But this team turned out to be nothing like that one. That team went out with a whimper, the loss to St. John's one of the Calhoun-era low points.
This team fought. They were limited, especially tonight, but they kept at it. Give them that much.

I felt pretty proud of this team tonight. And through the AAC tournament.

Purvis and Hamilton are legit.

Samuel and Nolan looked like what we thought they would look like this year.

I would have liked better defense, but Boat was their best perimeter defender and he was out. They all got bumped up, if you will, in their defensive assignment.

Progress isn't linear, but again, I left this game--and the season--heartened, and confident about next year's team.

 

[BFieldHusky]

That team was 10x more disappointing for me than this year. We had 3 seniors plus we brought back a sophomore Kemba. Kemba played great down the stretch, but that was a veteran team that struggled. This year besides Boat, all are our players were freshman/sophomores except Calhoun who didn't play much early in the year, and Nolan who finally come on late.

 

[BFieldHusky]

I felt pretty proud of this team tonight. And through the AAC tournament.

Purvis and Hamilton are legit.

Samuel and Nolan looked like what we thought they would look like this year.

I would have liked better defense, but Boat was their best perimeter defender and he was out. They all got bumped up, if you will, in their defensive assignment.

Progress isn't linear, but again, I left this game--and the season--heartened, and confident about next year's team.

Adams had to be good, but he doesn't have to be an All-American for us to be a solid team next year. With him, Purvis and Hamilton, we have 3 guys who will able to get their own shot. That is HUGE.

 

[willie99]

the hustled Sunday too, but they just had too many lapses. Giving up uncontested layups like TS and PN did down the stretch, or weak passes leading to run-outs in the 1st half, or mysteriously bad shots or letting the opponent shoot uncontested 3's, there was always a lapse

On Sunday they got beat for one bunny after another before stopping it, then give up every rebound to SMU before they figured that out too

They have been playing real hard, you can appreciate that, especially in person. But they just never put it together


and that St John's game was infamous for Doug Gott-nothing telling a national TV audience "Uconn is falling apart at the seams, Roscoe Smith should reconsider his commitment". That followed with a class the board generally hated, which all lead to a NC the very next year and then again 3 years later.

The moral of the story? it's never as good as it looks on your best days, and it's never as bleak as it looks on your worst days. I'm optimistic Hamilton has a Caron Butler-esq season and leads us deep next year.

 

[Jerry1714]

That team was 10x more disappointing for me than this year. We had 3 seniors plus we brought back a sophomore Kemba. Kemba played great down the stretch, but that was a veteran team that struggled. This year besides Boat, all are our players were freshman/sophomores except Calhoun who didn't play much early in the year, and Nolan who finally come on late.

Agreed, 2010 my blood pressure was through the roof, that team was infuriating. Say what you want about this season but I never questioned the desire to win.

I saw a lot that I liked tonight (a lot I did not too) and I feel better about next after some things I saw out there

 

[tzznandrew]

Agreed, 2010 my blood pressure was through the roof, that team was infuriating. Say what you want about this season but I never questioned the desire to win.

I saw a lot that I liked tonight (a lot I did not too) and I feel better about next after some things I saw out there

One thing that frustrates me is the crowd that calls into question their "desire to win" after any loss. As if the superior passing, shooting, or rebounding of the other team could merely be mitigated by trying harder.

In that logic, all losses are due to effort, not other teams being better.

People often accused this team of "not trying hard enough." I don't think that was ever the issue. The issue was Boat. Well, not him, per se, but the way they played when he was in the game. They looked to him to bail them out, and he often did. They all played with too much deference. He called them out. He tried to get them to be more assertive. But they were young, and never led a team, and it took a long time to get that you can be assertive and not step on another's toes, if you will.

I saw some of it tonight. They were starting to get it by the end of the year.

 

[Stainmaster]

One thing that frustrates me is the crowd that calls into question their "desire to win" after any loss.

To be fair, it's really easy for middle-aged men sitting in front of their computers to call out basketball players who have been hustling for 40 minutes.

 

[UCweCONN]

We set a record for airballs in the 1st half.

 

[brasssbonanzaa]

Probably the most reasoned thread on the boards right now. You could tell these guys finally started to gel a bit after a disastrous and confidence-killing beginning to the season. Yes, they're raw, they're young, they're underdeveloped, some need to add size, but they're hungry and you can tell they want to win and want to win together. That 2010 was full of one foot out the door seniors, an overmatched Alex, and Kemba doing all he could literally on his own.

 

[3rdbass]

Well as far as a let down it is big to me as 2010 team. The difference was that was a senior laden team besides KW and this a freshman-sophmore one minus RB. Though both teams had high expectations that weren't realized.

 

[whaler11]

To be fair, it's really easy for middle-aged men sitting in front of their computers to call out basketball players who have been hustling for 40 minutes.

For someone who seems to hate message board posters you sure do spend a lot of time posting.

 

[Stainmaster]

For someone who seems to hate message board posters you sure do spend a lot of time posting.

What can I say? It's a great way to procrastinate.

 

[art4life]

The 2010 season was infuriating and frustrating to me. I really thought they turned the corner with the amazing victory over then #1 TX, only to slide back into mediocrity.
I seriously questioned my being a fan after that season with so much aggravation and frustration.
But even with all of that, I was back watching and attending games for 2010-11 (and what a season that was...!).

This season was tough, but nowhere near as bad that one in 2010.

I hope the team has a productive off-season & I can't wait to see what next year brings...