On the coach

[metsfan2323]

2. Calhoun has had more talented teams than this one suffer bad losses and have disappointing seasons.

Yup, the 2011-2012 team started Andre Drummond, Jeremy Lamb and Shabazz Napier and finished a disappointing 20 - 14. Terrible rebounding team. They made the tournament but grossly underachieved relative to their talent.

 

[AdamaNation]

The play he drew up where CV got fouled on the 3 was genius. The whole first half he had the offense got great looks against the zone and just couldn’t hit. He can only do so much

As bad as I feel his X’s and O’s are I agree. Well planned game in regards to that. Remember Kenny smith as the only one taking our guards and Ollie’s offensive approach in 2014 as they are getting the shots they want. They were just not hitting em in the first half against MSU. But they sure did after that. We just don’t have 4 guys in the floor who can shoot

 

[UConnSwag11]

I give coach Hurley tremendous respect for getting us back in many ways
BUT
No way. No way. No way can we lose so many close games with such poor mismanagement I. The last 5 mi utes.
This season has been devastated by the coach not putting the winning touches he should end of game
No way Jim C goes 0-6 in these games
Step up!

Are you in the continue to play Gilbert, vital, and Carlton camp or don’t play them unless necessary?

 

[alphasigko]

Wonder where Gilbert's mind is after the game after riding the bench in crunch time? Will he be motivated or sink into a dark place?

Good question...

 

[alphasigko]

Are you in the continue to play Gilbert, vital, and Carlton camp or don’t play them unless necessary?

I am for starting the younger lineup that played so well today and have JC, AG and CV relegated to sub roles... It cannot get any worse...

Riddle me this: How can guy 6'-10" go scoreless in back-to-back games?

 

[coachn]

Everybody is getting the pt so starting lineup doesn't matter. If your contributing you will play example today.

 

[Jay-Bone]

Gaffney needs to bounce the ball every minute he' not in the weight room during the off-season

Like Omar Epps with the football in the Program.

 

[BigK73]

I give coach Hurley tremendous respect for getting us back in many ways
BUT
No way. No way. No way can we lose so many close games with such poor mismanagement I. The last 5 mi utes.
This season has been devastated by the coach not putting the winning touches he should end of game
No way Jim C goes 0-6 in these games
Step up!

WHY didn't he draw up a play for Temi Aiyegbusi Oh wait they were down by 3 not 2 Nevermind

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

When the same guys make the same dumb plays over and over again. And when guys are no better, maybe even regressed from year 1 and year 2 it is a legitimate question to ask whether Hurley has the right stuff. Unless things change pretty dramatically this will be yet another year without a post season. We really need to see significant progress next year.

This is another one of your posts that reads like it's the product of still-not-there-yet AI.

Playing 3 freshmen and 2 sophomores, with Akok at center during 12-0 run might get loaded into your programming during a weekly or night update and register as a dramatic change. Yes, undone again by the same old same old, but that's no basis for you to showcase your shop worn cliches.

 

[jimva]

I give coach Hurley tremendous respect for getting us back in many ways
BUT
No way. No way. No way can we lose so many close games with such poor mismanagement I. The last 5 mi utes.
This season has been devastated by the coach not putting the winning touches he should end of game
No way Jim C goes 0-6 in these games
Step up!

Its not Hurley. We dont have the players with the experience needed to make the plays to win these games. We have more coming next year and the guys we have now will grow. Have patience.

 

[Vuce]

We had tons of wide open looks from 3 today. Missed a boatload. Guys need to make open shots. In the four games since Polley went down we are shooting less than 25% from beyond the arc. At the same time our "inside game" with JC has disappeared as Josh simply is missing shots and dropping passes/losing the ball. Our first possession today JC had two point blank chances for a dunk - tried to lay both in and missed. He's trying but he needs to play better. Akok and Bouknight were the two best players for us and top two scorers. I liked the way Gaffney played today too for the most part. It's not enough - even without Polley if JC, CV and AG all played the way juniors and seniors are supposed to, we win. They need to keep at it in practice and games because these last handful of games will be the end of their careers. Yet another game where one or two plays are different and this is a win.

 

[freescooter]

He coached this crew last year but didn’t know we lacked a 3 point shooter? Next year I think has to be make or break. If we are still seeing the same old same old you have to wonder if he is one of the guys who is destined for success in the A10. I hope not but he wouldn’t be the first hot mid major coach to flame out at the next level.

 

[BFieldHusky]

He coached this crew last year but didn’t know we lacked a 3 point shooter? Next year I think has to be make or break. If we are still seeing the same old same old you have to wonder if he is one of the guys who is destined for success in the A10. I hope not but he wouldn’t be the first hot mid major coach to flame out at the next level.

It won't be. Keep trying though.

 

[Dove]

No.alpha.dog.

Not yet.

 

[MuchoDogYears]

The middle again will be our weakness unless Akok can gain at least 15-20 lbs without losing his explosiveness.

No no no! No! How did that work out for Josh!? No.

Akok can put on 5 lbs, fine. But never ever ever sacrifice one ounce of a players explosiveness for pounds. Yeah let’s have a fat Akok who no longer can block shots, get boards, or run the floor. But he’s big! So there’s that! Whoopdeedo!

I’m all for strength training. The stronger the better. Poundage gained through larger muscles via strength training is good. Poundage gained through overeating is bad.

 

[BlueDogs]

Its not Hurley. We dont have the players with the experience needed to make the plays to win these games. We have more coming next year and the guys we have now will grow. Have patience.

“Not Hurley” means we get bear by larger margins. You don’t stay in a game to the end against quality teams 6 times and lose all of them when you do that. On Hurley to manage them to success.

 

[YoungFree]

The play he drew up where CV got fouled on the 3 was genius. The whole first half he had the offense got great looks against the zone and just couldn’t hit. He can only do so much

The players' ability to make shots cost us this game, not Hurley. These guys blew Memphis out by 40...we hung with them and had we connected with shots we would have won by 10 or more. Shooting is our Achilles heel.

 

[hardcorehusky]

Name one guy on this team right now that would play on a vintage Calhoun team? Ag, no. CV - while he has the mentality, he isn't physically gifted to play versus some of the great 2 guards of yesteryear. Sid? Akok over a Josh Boone, Hilton Armstrong, Jeff Adrien?

The talent isn't there yet. AG is trying to find his game which is a detriment to the team. CV is playing a little more under control buy can't buy a bucket now.

Also, who on this team is consistent from game to game? Half to half? It is hard to coach when we you don't know who will give you what.

One other point. We really miss Jaylen Adams much more than we all realized. He was the man at the end of games for the last few years - he got the ball to Carlton in good spots and opened up the floor for Vital and guys like Polley.

Hurley will be all right. His in game coaching will improve when he has guys who are consistent and talented.

 

[mussels]

He coached this crew last year but didn’t know we lacked a 3 point shooter? Next year I think has to be make or break. If we are still seeing the same old same old you have to wonder if he is one of the guys who is destined for success in the A10. I hope not but he wouldn’t be the first hot mid major coach to flame out at the next level.

You do realize that last year Christian shot 40.9% from behind the arc, and prior to going down to injury Tyler was at 41.7 this year. Guess he should have gotten one of those 50% guys out there.

 

[jimva]

“Not Hurley” means we get bear by larger margins. You don’t stay in a game to the end against quality teams 6 times and lose all of them when you do that. On Hurley to manage them to success.

You can only go as far as the talent/experience on you team let's you.

 

[HuskylnSC]

Worth noting that Sid is pretty much the only returning player who has over performed expectations. Sid is also the only kid who Hurley seems to challenge; challenging him in press conferences, forcing him to earn minutes, etc. CV and AG can seemingly do no wrong regardless of how many mistakes they make.

Not so - Whalley is playing at a much higher level, BA is playing much better, the improvement in Akok, Bouk and Gaff since day 1 is significant. CV is playing better defense and within the flow but his shot isn't falling. Polly's best and most complete game of his career was his last before injury.

The only guys who haven't improved are AG, who is a dribble first point guard and can't seem to break the habit, and Josh, who is the only 6' 10" player I have ever seen who plays below the rim.

Player improvement is obvious over the last 3 games. If we can get 2 real players (a big and a 3 point shooter) the future gets very bright. Wait until Akok and Bouk, and Gaff are juniors before you pass judgement on Hurley

 

[Stinger92860]

As bad as I feel his X’s and O’s are I agree. Well planned game in regards to that. Remember Kenny smith as the only one taking our guards and Ollie’s offensive approach in 2014 as they are getting the shots they want. They were just not hitting em in the first half against MSU. But they sure did after that. We just don’t have 4 guys in the floor who can shoot

We need shooters

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

Not so - Whalley is playing at a much higher level, BA is playing much better, the improvement in Akok, Bouk and Gaff since day 1 is significant. CV is playing better defense and within the flow but his shot isn't falling. Polly's best and most complete game of his career was his last before injury.

The only guys who haven't improved are AG, who is a dribble first point guard and can't seem to break the habit, and Josh, who is the only 6' 10" player I have ever seen who plays below the rim.

Player improvement is obvious over the last 3 games. If we can get 2 real players (a big and a 3 point shooter) the future gets very bright. Wait until Akok and Bouk, and Gaff are juniors before you pass judgement on Hurley

I pretty much agree with this, and from the post-game interview, Hurley pretty much agrees with the title of this thread.

There's still so much to do, but I keep tuning in and watching start to finish. I'd be happier if they knew how to take a lead and hold it, but they don't, and therefore I don't get too upset about them not doing something they haven't done yet.

 

[HuskylnSC]

I pretty much agree with this, and from the post-game interview, Hurley pretty much agrees with the title of this thread.

There's still so much to do, but I keep tuning in and watching start to finish. I'd be happier if they knew how to take a lead and hold it, but they don't, and therefore I don't get too upset about them not doing something they haven't done yet.

One thing about Hurley is that he doesn't shirk his responsibility. He quickly states that he, and the coaches, have to work harder. Unlike a certain women's coach I recently heard in her post game conference state, "I tell them the right things to do, but they just don't do it." Hurley is quick to say, "I just have to do a better job."

 

[willie99]

I've always said that players decide blowouts and coaches decide close games, in youth sports at least, maybe that does apply here. Or maybe we're only talented enough to keep it close. Maybe he's getting the most he can out of this roster.

If we could make more shots, many of them wide open, we're winning these games

 

[polycom]

This thread doesn’t make much sense given that this was hurleys best coached game. You won’t win many games missing wide open shots and only having 6 players who are positives when they are on the court...

 

[Shine33]

I've always said that players decide blowouts and coaches decide close games, in youth sports at least, maybe that does apply here. Or maybe we're only talented enough to keep it close. Maybe he's getting the most he can out of this roster.

If we could make more shots, many of them wide open, we're winning these games

I feel he his getting the most out of them. Or close to it. Forget their rankings coming out of HS. I don't think our upperclassmen are very good and they make up the majority of our team. It's that simple.

The young pups that HURLEY CHOSE HIMSELF were the ones that brought us back into the game and showed tangible skills that our seniors have never shown in their entire careers here.

 

[back2BE4us]

Didn’t see the game so just checked box score.

At this point it’s a matter of development. Seeing Sid, Gaffney and Akok getting solid minutes and contributing (again, I’m going based on box score) is most interesting to me. We know what we have in Carlton and a few others but players such as the 3 I mentioned are ones that really could capitalize on second half season development.

I’d rather not admonish players like Carlton for not meeting expectations that really weren’t realistic to begin with but instead encourage the guys that have some serious ceiling to work on their weaknesses and use this remaining season to make some sizeable impact come next season.

 

[Towney007]

Guys, we shot under 30%. It's not anymore complicated than that.

 

[Watchdog]

Quick look at the shooting stats on 3's, with Polley, and without Polley:
With Polley: 99/280 or 35.4%
Without Polley: 20/83 or 24.1%
Not many teams win shooting 24.1% OR even stay in games. The team is playing much better than they did the past three years, playing hard and not quitting, so Hurley is doing something right. Three poor games all year whereas the past three years there'd be three (or more) poor games per month.

Overall UConn shooting stats on the season:
FG: 41.9% 266th in D1
3's; 32.8% 209th in D1 (but alas, it doesn't look as if there's any chance of improving on this in 2020)
Points scored: 1270 or 66th in D1
Rebounds: 38.6 per game or 63rd in D1
Major improvement in rebounding compared to the past several years.
Now if only the FT's were better there'd be a couple more wins.