Ollie was terrible in the last five minutes.

[Palatine]

His team gambled when they shouldn't have.
No one stopped the ball.
He couldn't design a play to get the ball in bounds.
And going to the small line up with no center was a disaster.

This team wouldn't need all the last minute heroics if the team KNEW what they were suppose to do in the last five minutes.

This team is winning on talent alone. The coaching has been poor.

 

[rbny1]

Duh. I think we get the point that you don't like Ollie.

 

[Palatine]

Duh. I think we get the point that you don't like Ollie.

Duh. I like Ollie, so you don't "get" anything.

But most of what happened down the stretch is his responsibility. He needs to fall out of love with the small line up. And he still has much to learn.

But he was abslutely awful down the stretch.

 

[specialisthusky]

I love Ollie. Also Palatine is correct.

 

[UCONNfan1]

I don't know if he hates Ollie or not, but the coaching decisions at times this season have been mystifying at the very least. But on the flip side, Ollie is NOT an experienced head coach. In fact, he was only an asst for 2 years. He has a HUGE learning curve IMHO because he missed out on many years coaching experience that most other guys have before getting super high profile HC gigs.

Look at the disaster that Jason Kidd turned out to be for the Nets. The guy was a perennial all star and great player, but a mess as a HC. Goes to show you that experience does count for something. Ollie will get it in time. No one is harder on himself than he is. But it would be naive to say he doesn't have growing and improvement to do, especially on his in-game decisions and adjustments...

 

[ctchamps]

I felt the team did well until the last 1:32

 

[ctchamps]

Big problem with not having defensive pressure on the inbounds letting Chambers score with little time off clock. He was so afraid of fouling after the Bazz four point play that he pulled the team from defense. That was his major mistake. He can't be held responsible for Boat missing three points at the end.

 

[Jaybo]

His inexperience shows a lot at times,but these kids aren't new to the game either.

 

[BarkingDog]

make a couple free throws and if giffey doesn't turn it over we aren't having this discussion

 

[Storrsbred]

Was going to post something similar. Someone on this team doesn't have a clue at the end of games. Either the coaching staff or the players or perhaps a little bit of both. Harvard was going unimpeded down the court like a hot knife through butter. Isn't it pretty standard and basic defense to stop the ball? And then on some plays UConn had lights out defense. If they can do it sometime, what's wrong with the "other" times of nonsensical defense? One would think by now some of this stuff would have been worked out, including the rotation at the end of games.

 

[Palatine]

His inexperience shows a lot at times,but these kids aren't new to the game either.

That's a good point. This team is loaded with seniors and juniors and at some critical times they look very sloppy and inexperienced.

The thing is that we have Napier and at times it is surreal how clutch he can be.

 

[4UConn]

Agree, Boat can't seem to make more than one FT in a row when it counts and Ollie's defense was inexplicable.

 

[mauconnfan]

Go back to Stanford, took the lead and suddenly full court pressure and they picked it apart and came back to take the lead…..tonight the same……why the need? You're playing great half court D now we need to change this?

But in defense of KO, Deandre was worst…….down the stretch 2 attempts at measuring blocks rather than just sliding and playing D, then to top it off both times smaller players got their own rebound scored AND 1. Inexcusable……..especially the last one when up and little time left - no need to block shots and foul only need to play hard straight up D and block out……really awful stuff down the stretch and he, Kromah and others watched the kid go coast to coast for a 3 seconds off the clock lay up…….

They won, we'll take it no doubt. But they're best player didn't play and we were home. The crowd and the team were listless at times…….very alarming!

 

[cohenzone]

There is a lot to pick over for why the game almost got away. But once they seemed to have finally reestablished control after Bazz sank the 2 FTs with 14 seconds, my nomination was the failure to at least loose full court press after the make to force time off the clock. They immediately dropped back and gave up an easy hoop in 5 seconds. I know KO is pretty new to head coaching, but that seemed like a no-brainer decision.

 

[James]

Fire him. Is Shaka smart still available ?

 

[Penfield]

DD also went for two blocks on plays right before Brimah fouled out that were really unnecessary. I really feel like if he was in rebounding position on more plays they would be much better off. Ollie is in a tough position because he really doesn't have anyone to sub for DD for extended periods. They need him in there.

Also back the the OP- I agree Ollie could have made better decisions down the stretch but he only went small after AB fouled out on a bad play. He was playing center position best tonight up to that point.

 

[David 76]

Big problem with not having defensive pressure on the inbounds letting Chambers score with little time off clock. He was so afraid of fouling after the Bazz four point play that he pulled the team from defense. That was his major mistake. He can't be held responsible for Boat missing three points at the end.

Don't you think at this level, when a coach says "DON'T FOUL" the players are supposed to know what to do? You don't think Ollie told them "Don't foul and let them go straight to the basket"

I think they should have showed more composure. I think Ollie should have had a better in bounds play, especially the second time.

I also don't think Ollie coached them to foul a 3 point shot and follow that up with a foul on a 2-pointer and then a travel. Also, when you go to the foul line, miss!

So Ollie could have been better. Everyone else could have been too. I think the pressure of getting this win was palpable.

 

[Penfield]

So Ollie could have been better. Everyone else could have been too. I think the pressure of getting this win was palpable.

Good point that I don't think had been taken into consideration. Seems in line with what the kids were saying post game. Knew how important the W was and probably overplayed on defense.

 

[jdb50]

On the coast to coast play at the end no one could get in position so that the lane for a layup drill was filled? Really, just stand on the arc so that they aren't able to sail in unobstucted, a guard , center, somebody!

 

[Penfield]

Or underplayed...

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

. I think the pressure of getting this win was palpable.

"You could see, we played like, if we lost, we were all going to die or something," Shabazz Napier said.

 

[ctchamps]

Don't you think at this level, when a coach says "DON'T FOUL" the players are supposed to know what to do? You don't think Ollie told them "Don't foul and let them go straight to the basket"

I think they should have showed more composure. I think Ollie should have had a better in bounds play, especially the second time.

I also don't think Ollie coached them to foul a 3 point shot and follow that up with a foul on a 2-pointer and then a travel. Also, when you go to the foul line, miss!

So Ollie could have been better. Everyone else could have been too. I think the pressure of getting this win was palpable.

Not a major criticism of KO and yes the players should have distinguished between not fouling and playing defense. I just didn't see KO screaming at the kids to guard their players during this last minute. Perhaps he was and the camera didn't show it. Not a biggie imo.

 

[freescooter]

Goes to show you that experience does count for something. Ollie will get it in time.

the question is how much damage will he do to the UConn brand before he "gets it?" I guess a second question is what other power program would agree to hire someone with such a high learning curve? I've never hated Ollie. I've never loved him for the UConn job. Always felt he should have gone to Buffalo or Fairfield and gained actual coaching experience.

 

[ctchamps]

the question is how much damage will he do to the UConn brand before he "gets it?" I guess a second question is what other power program would agree to hire someone with such a high learning curve? I've never hated Ollie. I've never loved him for the UConn job. Always felt he should have gone to Buffalo or Fairfield and gained actual coaching experience.

Probably less damage than Uncle Roy is doing for UNC this year.

 

[freescooter]

Probably less damage than Uncle Roy is doing for UNC this year.

Yeah, you're probably right. They are almost equal. If Roy hadn't coached 2 national championships and 7 Final Fours, and been elected to the Hall of Fame, it would be easy to confuse the two. Except for those differences, oh and that Roy has won over 700 of the games he's coached. Sheesh!