Observations

[superjohn]

We played pretty well for most of the game and we should grow from this. That's the best Shabazz has played in a long time, he didn't force things and moved the ball much quicker and with a purpose, our overall ball movement was good for a lot of the game up until a few minutes were left. We need to grow from this, nobody should look at the final score and hang their heads, the final score reads like a blowout but the game was far from that. Drummond needs to plant his ass down low from here on out and dunk everything, no more jumpers and flip shots, get mean Andre. Lamb played pretty well in the second half but still needs to flash into the lane and use his tear drop way more, he did it twice today and was successful. No empty feeling after this one, we competed, Syracuse is just the more exoerienced and better team this year. If we grow from this game and play as one we will have a chance to beat them at home and we will be a tourny team. Today is the start of this team coming together and making a push for the tournament.

 

[mauconnfan]

We played pretty well for most of the game and we should grow from this. That's the best Shabazz has played in a long time, he didn't force things and moved the ball much quicker and with a purpose, our overall ball movement was good for a lot of the game up until a few minutes were left. We need to grow from this, nobody should look at the final score and hang their heads, the final score reads like a blowout but the game was far from that. Drummond needs to plant his ass down low from here on out and dunk everything, no more jumpers and flip shots, get mean Andre. Lamb played pretty well in the second half but still needs to flash into the lane and use his tear drop way more, he did it twice today and was successful. No empty feeling after this one, we competed, Syracuse is just the more exoerienced and better team this year. If we grow from this game and play as one we will have a chance to beat them at home and we will be a tourny team. Today is the start of this team coming together and making a push for the tournament.

Good post superjohn. Agree in so many ways much better today and despite awful 1st halves by Andre and Roscoe they were able to hang around and get it to 2. I hope everyone understands the Cuse just shot 60% and well over their expected 34% from 3 and many were contested. You are not going to contest them all when they have so many weapons so look at it this way, they played their best offensively and ourt kids hung tough, real tough. Andre matured, got pissed and quite honestly for a 5-6 minute stretch proved he is a better player than Melo. Melo is much better than I thought but still, making jumpers? Please..............anyway Andre needs to have that impact and want to finish instead of being pretty all the time and he will be a force to reckon with!!! The guards were good but Cuse just made too many plays at home.

All in all excited if they can sustain the effort.

 

[djct1999]

Personally, I think Lamb is to unselfish and plays way to much within the team game. He has elite talent and needs to take over.

 

[Burnsbros23]

This is how any smart reasonable UConn fan who knows anything about basketball should feel.

 

[Kitaman]

We only lack maturity. We have a good team that was close to beating a top ranked team on the road. If fans were more patient with this team it wouldn't feel so devastating. It may not be this year but you can see it coming.

 

[sparkdog]

Can we say that Olander gave a good effort? I know most people would rather he be on the bench but he played well today

 

[bpear1600]

We only lack maturity. We have a good team that was close to beating a top ranked team on the road. If fans were more patient with this team it wouldn't feel so devastating. It may not be this year but you can see it coming.

...and toughness and poise. Good effort today though.

 

[mauconnfan]

Can we say that Olander gave a good effort? I know most people would rather he be on the bench but he played well today

Thought he was pretty decent.......needs to start staying home anticiapting and taking some charges. He has had many chances and instead elects to get off his feet to block shots...stay on your feet tyler.....also needs to move his feet and quit going for ballfakes and protecting baseline......most of our bigs need to do that better....all-in-all he played hard, boxed out well a few times and fought. Would've been nice on the 35 second clock winding down if he was able to get the ball to AD open alone for the dunk...........

 

[aceboon]

Can we say that Olander gave a good effort? I know most people would rather he be on the bench but he played well today

He did, defensively he got burned but Fair is pretty much a 3/4 tweener and Tyler couldn't deal with him, too much quickness and athleticism. I liked what I saw offensively from him and he boxed out.

 

[defense]

I do not understand why we recruited Olander. The only reason he plays lots of minutes is out other big guys are underperforming. He would be better suited for the Patriot League.

 

[Tenspro2002]

If Olander's play suggests he should be in the Patriot League, where does that leave Roscoe? Division III?

 

[dpross]

Personally, I think Lamb is to unselfish and plays way to much within the team game. He has elite talent and needs to take over.

I agree with the theme of this thread but not this post. Lamb does not have elite talent. He is a good wide open shooter with a solidly smooth floater. Kemba put this on display last year. He has no one on one game. He cannot take any contact. He cannot dribble amidst greater than one defenders. Definitely good, but not elite.

 

[tzznandrew]

I agree with the theme of this thread but not this post. Lamb does not have elite talent. He is a good wide open shooter with a solidly smooth floater. Kemba put this on display last year. He has no one on one game. He cannot take any contact. He cannot dribble amidst greater than one defenders. Definitely good, but not elite.

He should probably just quit. It has nothing to do with his back issues.

 

[tzznandrew]

I do not understand why we recruited Olander. The only reason he plays lots of minutes is out other big guys are underperforming. He would be better suited for the Patriot League.

You're a very brave person. Considering how negative every one of your posts has been regarding this team, I can only assume you are seriously depressed and have used every ounce of your energy to stop yourself from slitting your wrists.

 

[dpross]

He should probably just quit. It has nothing to do with his back issues.

Pretty sure I didn't suggest such a thing. He simply isn't "elite", which is what he was referred to. He had the same issues that I refer to last season, but he had a lot more space to go unimpeded. How many times against a semblance of a defense has he demonstrated elite skills this season? None. He is good and is one of the better players in the BE but nowhere near an all-American as he was hyped to be.

 

[Danzz]

We played pretty well for most of the game and we should grow from this. That's the best Shabazz has played in a long time, he didn't force things and moved the ball much quicker and with a purpose, our overall ball movement was good for a lot of the game up until a few minutes were left. We need to grow from this, nobody should look at the final score and hang their heads, the final score reads like a blowout but the game was far from that. Drummond needs to plant his ass down low from here on out and dunk everything, no more jumpers and flip shots, get mean Andre. Lamb played pretty well in the second half but still needs to flash into the lane and use his tear drop way more, he did it twice today and was successful. No empty feeling after this one, we competed, Syracuse is just the more exoerienced and better team this year. If we grow from this game and play as one we will have a chance to beat them at home and we will be a tourny team. Today is the start of this team coming together and making a push for the tournament.

I agree with all of your points. We moved the ball a lot quicker than we have in the past and someone finally figured out that you have to get the ball to the middle against the zone.In the past our zone offense was pathetic. There was a lot less tentative play and today we played with intensity against perhaps the best and definitley the deepest team in the country.
There was a lack of confidence with this team as the losses piled up' Good and decent shooters couldn't make anything. We were better than that and today we showed it against a very good team.Strange that a good loss could turn a season around but that may have happened today.
BTW, outstanding job by Blaney.

 

[Ts5034]

I agree that the final score didnt indicate how close the game really was. This team did play much better but it was still a loss. This is Uconn, no moral victories here

 

[tzznandrew]

Pretty sure I didn't suggest such a thing. He simply isn't "elite", which is what he was referred to. He had the same issues that I refer to last season, but he had a lot more space to go unimpeded. How many times against a semblance of a defense has he demonstrated elite skills this season? None. He is good and is one of the better players in the BE but nowhere near an all-American as he was hyped to be.

This team is still finding their roles. Caron, Ben and others looked out of sorts frequently during the role definition period. People said they weren't elite. God, the amount of times people said that about Ben is insane.

Lamb can be frustrating. He may be injured. But part of this team's problem is that there has been so much turmoil in the actual roster. Boatright's not on the team, then he is, then he isn't, then he is again. I think they're just sorting out offensively who does what. This team usually gets things together by February (last year was a notable exception), but they haven't yet because their roles are undefined.

When they get things down, I imagine Lamb will start to become who we want him to be.

 

[dpross]

This team is still finding their roles. Caron, Ben and others looked out of sorts frequently during the role definition period. People said they weren't elite. God, the amount of times people said that about Ben is insane.

Lamb can be frustrating. He may be injured. But part of this team's problem is that there has been so much turmoil in the actual roster. Boatright's not on the team, then he is, then he isn't, then he is again. I think they're just sorting out offensively who does what. This team usually gets things together by February (last year was a notable exception), but they haven't yet because their roles are undefined.

When they get things down, I imagine Lamb will start to become who we want him to be.

This I can agree with. I'm not instigating; just pointing out observations. We've had the luxury of seeing many elites blossom at UConn. With JL, the stem is certainly there, but it needs to blossom.

 

[tzznandrew]

This I can agree with. I'm not instigating; just pointing out observations. We've had the luxury of seeing many elites blossom at UConn. With JL, the stem is certainly there, but it needs to blossom.

I came out of the game feeling annoyed (the ending) but encouraged...and certainly that this game was better than the Louisville, Seton Hall, and pretty much every game same the game they won at ND. Then everyone here put me in a pissy mood, which explains the unnecessarily dismissive response.

 

[defense]

Hey tzz, ahh no wrist slitting necessary. Just commenting on players who won the NC last year and were all stars in high school. I root hard for this team every game.

 

[Prezidint]

I'll repeat - I liked what I saw today.

Against the number 2 team in the country, we played even through 37 minutes. Not too shabby.

 

[Chief00]

The book in the Big Esat is to play Lamb physical. Until he makes them pay for that by attracting the attention of the refs using certain techniques - that will continue.