Observations

[Yankees32123]

I also LOOOVE shooting 90% from the free throw line.

 

[superjohn]

Formatted the OP for your reading pleasure:

Okay Bryant gave us all we could handle for a lot of the game. We settled for outside shots for a while when we should have been attacking the zone and on D we left too many Bryant shooters open, and too often we left our feet on a fake. Bryant led for a lot of the game simply because they were unconscious and we were bricklaying.

Ok now for the good:

• Boat was great and took over when the game was in the balance
• Hamilton is good at everything. He hasn't even been shooting it as well as he will, but he doesn't let it effect his game, he simply does everything
• Brimah, we are just a much better team when he is on the court. He alters everything near the rim and he's improved offensively. He still fumbled some great passes by Hamilton but he is definitely getting there
• TSam will play more this year but he will still be that huge spark off the bench with his driving to the tin
• Facey is reluctant on offense because of a lack of confidence and still gets lost too much on offense but he is a great rebounder, the best on the team
• Cassell is just steady as heck, his shot was off the whole game but he drained the three's to ice the game
• Nolan and Rock, not enough to go on.

Several fans in the chat room seem to be making statements about us not being good because of our struggles against three teams they think we should blow out. Sure, these games have been much closer then we want, but my main takeaway tonight is that this team has the makeup to be special on the defensive end. You could make a case Brimah and Boat are the two best defenders at their position in the entire country and Hamilton, Cassell, Nolan and Purvis are all plus defenders. Facey has the athleticism to be.

Our fast-break abilities also have me excited. Boat, Hamilton, Facey and Purvis are a blur, and you just don't see many guys at Hamilton's position who can rebound, turn and push it down the court in an instant, it jumps out at you. Facey is also extremely quick at snatching the rebound and looking ahead.

We need to be really good at these things because this is where our bread is going to be buttered this year. We have some guys who can knock down some threes but it's nothing like what we had last year.

Remember, this is a process and it's important to not make snap judgements. As Ollie said it's all building towards how we look in March and April.

Thanks

 

[Huskyhoops25]

I must have had a different game on because I thought Boatright was great last night. He did it all. It was one of his best regular season games of his career. My lord 8 rebounds from the smallest player on the court. If Omar comes back and can hit some shots this team will be so much better. Props to K Facey. He's still learning his role on both O and D but I love his motor and tenacity. All in all they really put it together in the 2nd half sparked by the incredible play of RB.

Boat was great in the second half. In the first half, he was getting beat consistently off the dribble and was settling for outside shots when he should have been attacking. Agree that they as a team looked much better in the second half, and that much of that was due to Boatright's leadership. Against better competition, we would have been in a much deeper hole at the end of the first half. I do expect great things from Boat and the team this year and look forward to the hanging of another NC banner.

 

[Cheeky]

A few of the teams in the last 10 years have just been very difficult to watch. This team is fun to watch, as was last years. We've been on a good run in that regard.
Regardless how it turns out, am I not entertained?

 

[champs99and04]

If that could be developed in the current crop of big men, it could go a long way to helping the guards against a zone.

Not sure if it's necessarily with Hamilton on the roster. At 6'7, he's plenty tall enough to serve as an accessible target at the foul line, and his combination of passing and shooting skills really make him an ideal candidate to assume that role. Regardless, I agree with you that our problems with the zone are largely overstated at this point - there are multiple ways to beat a zone, and good shooting teams are frequently the ones that actually struggle the most with it (see last years team early in the season).

Louisville eviscerated the Syracuse zone in 2013 with a two high-post offense, and none of their perimeter guys could shoot a lick aside from Hancock. The 2009 UConn team enjoyed plenty of success against the zone as well, and A.J. was really the only guy on that team whose range extended to the three point line. Smart high-low passing can overcome a lot of shooting deficiencies, and if Brimah becomes a legitimate low post threat, I can pretty much guarantee teams are not going to zone us.

 

[joober jones]

I'm having a 6 pack of Milwaukee's Best tonight. I've got to do what I can to support the Nolan initiative, even if it's an obscure gesture with a lousy beer.

 

[UConnDad]

Observations- Lubin is pretty much Jeff Adrien 2.0
-Brimah will be a top 5 pick in the upcoming draft
-Hamilton is clearly a one and done and we are screwed at the wing position next year
-Nolan put on 60 pounds of muscle
-Purvis and Calhoun arent going to get any playing time

Glass is half empty besides Purvis Calhoun comment! Whew!

 

[mauconnfan]

I'm having a 6 pack of Milwaukee's Best tonight. I've got to do what I can to support the Nolan initiative, even if it's an obscure gesture with a lousy beer.

"Doesn't get any better than this guys"

Haven't had Old M since our college baseball team stayed at the Scottish Inn in Jacksonville FL in the spring of '78.........had a tub full of it in one guys room on ice every night before we went to the club/disco across the street called "The Other Place".......good old days. Think they were about 3 bucks a case then, maybe less! LOL

 

[joober jones]

"Doesn't get any better than this guys"

Haven't had Old M since our college baseball team stayed at the Scottish Inn in Jacksonville FL in the spring of '78....had a tub full of it in one guys room on ice every night before we went to the club/disco across the street called "The Other Place"..good old days. Think they were about 3 bucks a case then, maybe less! LOL

Still not all that much more, even today. Heineken it's not.

 

[Rico444]

My beer of choice in college was Busch heavy. The best part about it was what it said on the can... "As smooth as its name." And yes, it did taste about as smooth as a bush.

 

[UconnFanNVa]

I think we are much better then we looked against Bryant. Teams like Bryant scare me, mainly because they have no choice but to stand out 5 feet or further from the 3 point line and chuck away. If they have players that have that range, and they have a good shooting night, then UConn o r any other team is in for a rough night. Most good teams are not going to be allowed to take the shots that Bryant took against us, so for the most part the defense wouldn't look so bad against other teams. I think we had problems keeping them out of the lane at times, but that is also because they spread us out so far with that deep shooting. Its a catch 22, play good d and force the other team outside of the three point arch and if they have some shooters that could backfire on you.

I think we need to work on alley oops. Amida should be catching at least 4 or 5 a game. Completing a few of those will open things up for the guards a little more in the lane too.
Also I love D hams game. Dude has great poise and handle. Even in his misses I was ok with his shots. Only thing I saw that didn't look good was that when he puts on the floor, he gets a little lost. meaning when he puts the ball down, he's looking for his shot. Once he realizes he doesn't have it at that point he starts thinking about passing and I can see that causing some turnovers. However, I think he's good at getting his own shot off, so if that happens I think he could still end up getting a good shot off.

Cassell was a real bright spot too. Just has a poise to him and a glue like quality. I'm hopefull that he can fill that Giffey role. Not necessarily as a 3 point shooter, but just as that poised vet that can do everything on the floor and keep everyone on the right path. I really like what he does for the team.

I'm optimistic about this season! I want to see Purvis next.