Only 2 negatives this season

[scrappy2.0]

1. We seem to have energy letdowns--we play so easy and well that we let down--3 times so far and we do it multiple times in games. Need to play hard 40 minutes whether we win by 60 or not

2. Interior players rebounding---pretty cut and dry--not good enough.

 

[Inyatkin]

No. 2 gets no argument, but No. 1 you see at every level. Our ups and downs have been dramatic, but it's just not realistic to think it'll be all-out for 40 minutes every time, much as we'd like it to be.

 

[CL82]

I think #1 is a valid concern. It has the potential to bite us in the butt. Still, I think they figure it out by March.

 

[Tenspro2002]

I think #1 is a valid concern. It has the potential to bite us in the butt. Still, I think they figure it out by March.

I agree with you and OP that it is a significant concern. Most teams go through stretches where they let a 20-point lead get cut to 10, but then they get their act together and complete the rout.

Within the first four games, we've allowed a 17-point lead to be cut to 1 (and if the game were 2 minutes longer we probably would have lost) and a 19-point lead to be erased entirely. That's not random; that's a pattern.

I think both Ollie and Shabazz need to be a lot less laissez faire during these stretches, in terms of calling timeouts and regaining focus.

 

[scrappy2.0]

I agree with you and OP that it is a significant concern. Most teams go through stretches where they let a 20-point lead get cut to 10, but then they get their act together and complete the rout.

Within the first four games, we've allowed a 17-point lead to be cut to 1 (and if the game were 2 minutes longer we probably would have lost) and a 19-point lead to be erased entirely. That's not random; that's a pattern.

I think both Ollie and Shabazz need to be a lot less laissez faire during these stretches, in terms of calling timeouts and regaining focus.

Agree mainly with Shabazz--I love that he is trying to be a facilitator--but he can score 20+ easy and I think he's the best scorer on the team--I think he needs to stay aggressive shooting. I think hes a scoring PG first and his FGAs needs to move up

 

[David 76]

They need to, and will, improve.

 

[jleves]

Agree mainly with Shabazz--I love that he is trying to be a facilitator--but he can score 20+ easy and I think he's the best scorer on the team--I think he needs to stay aggressive shooting. I think hes a scoring PG first and his FGAs needs to move up

His FGA per game are exactly where they should be right now. Unlike Kemba, he's got a lot of weapons around him and he's really smart to get them looks during this part of the season. What he must do is make sure he does not get into foul trouble like he did against Maryland. Nothing hurts us more than that. As long as he is available, he can take over the game anytime he wants to (as he did today). It's best that he defers now to get other guys confident and productive when he has the luxury of not having to carry the team on his back.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

The lapses that we've had in three of our four games bother the hell out of me. The only potential positive is that as it is happenning this early in the year there should be sufficient time to correct this problem.

 

[UConn990411]

I think #1 could be mitigated if someone teaches Ollie the concept of a timeout. He watched BU close a 19-point deficit to 5 in minutes, and did nothing about it.

I understand letting your team play through some of those runs, especially early in the season, but that's taking it to the extreme.

 

[Chin Diesel]

Ollie has been developing different rotations and groups. One group he need to figure out is the group that can close ou games. A group that knows how to step on a throat and choke out an opponent. Right now they get lackadaisical.

 

[Gurleyman]

I think #1 could be mitigated if someone teaches Ollie the concept of a timeout. He watched BU close a 19-point deficit to 5 in minutes, and did nothing about it.

I understand letting your team play through some of those runs, especially early in the season, but that's taking it to the extreme.

It all happened in the last 2 minutes of the half. Once you've used up your one "use it or lose it" 30 second TO, which we did when they cut our 19-4 lead to 19-11, you aren't going to use another one at the end of the half. You just have to trust your veteran guards to get you good possessions, which they didn't.

 

[champs99and04]

I don't really think #1 is a matter of them not playing hard. They just tend to lose focus from time to time. People forget, the 2011 team was prone to lapses as well where the other team would rip off a 10-2 run. It happened in pretty much every game of the NCAA tournament. But just as you're able to find a second gear when you need it, you'll be ok.

 

[OklahomaUconn]

There are two inevitables with Uconn hoops if you have been a fan long enough...
1. We play to the competition and blowouts are not a common sight.
2. We win championships on par with some of the major programs

We had a bad 90 seconds today ..other than the maryland game i think we have seen some of our better complete games than i have seen in past years....win is a win ...its difficult for any team to go a full 40 without some sort of let up.

 

[AtlHusky]

We had a bad 90 seconds today ..other than the maryland game...

BU called a timeout after a Boat trey with 6:16 left in the 1st half down 32-13. At the 15:00 minute mark in the 2nd half, the score was tied at 46. We were outscored 33-14 over an 11:16 stretch. I'm not sure how anyone can say we only played 90 seconds of bad bball yesterday. In fact, IIRC, it was about the same length as the MD unraveling.

 

[willie99]

I'm kinda happy with the way they're playing, but I'm weird like that

 

[Hume]

BU called a timeout after a Boat trey with 6:16 left in the 1st half down 32-13. At the 15:00 minute mark in the 2nd half, the score was tied at 46. We were outscored 33-14 over an 11:16 stretch. I'm not sure how anyone can say we only played 90 seconds of bad bball yesterday. In fact, IIRC, it was about the same length as the MD unraveling.

That sounds worse then it was as the score was 37-20 with 3:42 left so 2 and half minutes of that time they traded baskets. Over the next 3:42 minutes of the half they played terrible being outcored 12-0. BU got the ball first in the second half and scored a 3 making it 37-35 meaning they outscored us in a 3:56 period 15-0. Over the next 2:13 they outscored us 7-5 to take their only lead. So to say they had 90 seconds of bad basketball is incorrect, it was 4 minutes of bad basketball.

 

[Hume]

One more thing, according to the play by play, the period of bad basketball involved two missed shots by Bazz, a missed 3 pointer by Giffey, a missed front end of a 1and1 by Giffey and a missed 3 by Olander. Outside of the three by Olander, you can't really complain about who took the shots, they just didn't go in. There was one turnover by Uconn during that period. BU hit 4 three pointers a two and one free throw. They gave up no offensive rebounds during that time. So basically the bad play consisted of two of our best shooters missing shots, and us not guarding the three pointer well enough during that period.

 

[scrappy2.0]

His FGA per game are exactly where they should be right now. Unlike Kemba, he's got a lot of weapons around him and he's really smart to get them looks during this part of the season. What he must do is make sure he does not get into foul trouble like he did against Maryland. Nothing hurts us more than that. As long as he is available, he can take over the game anytime he wants to (as he did today). It's best that he defers now to get other guys confident and productive when he has the luxury of not having to carry the team on his back.

jl--I respectfully dont think he is taking near enough. His 3 point attempts are below 2--last year they were at 6. I think he needs to take atleast 4 3's a game--why--he opens up the court because of his range. As some may have noticed--the defense can lock down inside the 3 pt line and has given us some trouble we shouldnt be having by expanding that zone via Napier expanding his 3 pt shot--this will open up bigger lanes for us to exploit. Shabazz needs to take 10-13 shots a game and 3-4 3's at a MINIMUM>

 

[bear]

1. We seem to have energy letdowns--we play so easy and well that we let down--3 times so far and we do it multiple times in games. Need to play hard 40 minutes whether we win by 60 or not

2. Interior players rebounding---pretty cut and dry--not good enough.

#1 is a trait of the early season. This happens almost frequently in November and we've all seen it before. Good teams learn quickly to keep the pedal down and close games out. If this is happening in January/February then I'll be concerned about it.

 

[patrick]

#1 Is also happening because of the inconsistencies of the line up thats being put on the floor. what I mean is we are a deep team so KO is seeing what works, and now is the time to tinker. Maybe I'm wrong but when you come off the bench and your up 15 you might not be playing balls to the wall basketball!!!

 

[Gurleyman]

That sounds worse then it was as the score was 37-20 with 3:42 left so 2 and half minutes of that time they traded baskets. Over the next 3:42 minutes of the half they played terrible being outcored 12-0. BU got the ball first in the second half and scored a 3 making it 37-35 meaning they outscored us in a 3:56 period 15-0. Over the next 2:13 they outscored us 7-5 to take their only lead. So to say they had 90 seconds of bad basketball is incorrect, it was 4 minutes of bad basketball.

They hit a 3 with 3:14 left to make it 37-23 - then Olander missed, we got a stop, Bazz missed, and Giffey got the offensive rebound and missed a front end. We're still not really playing poorly at this point. Just didn't extend the lead - particularly with a chance at the line.

At 1:45 we gave up an offensive rebound and one foul shot to make it 37-24. And the last 3 possessions of the half for us were terrible: worst case scenario each way (Giffey miss, Giffey TO, Bazz miss - while they hit two threes and a fast break layup).

There were other segments where BU put quick runs together (7-0 run in 60 seconds to turn 19-4 into 19-11, 8-0 in 60 seconds to turn 42-35 into a 43-42 lead). Over the course of a game, those mini-runs will usually happen at some point. I think the end of the half was problematic - you'd like a veteran team to close out the half and keep the lead around 15. You work hard for 17 minutes to build a nice working margin and then give it almost all back with a couple minutes of headupyourassness before the break.

The quick 60 second spurts are hard to stop entirely, though. After the first one cut it to 19-11, we answered with a 13-2 run. After the second one gave them the lead, we clamped down and forced 6 BU turnovers in the next 8 minutes and built our lead back up to 15 (a 22-6 run). That's just sort of the ebb and flow of a game - we took a quick punch and responded with a harder one. The end of the half was really our biggest issue. If we were still up by 15 or so and they started the second half on an 11-5 run to cut it to nine, meh.

 

[James]

the stigma of being a ball hog has clouded napier for years, unfairly. Now that he's finally efficient, you want him to jack up more threes? Even though we're winning ? He is doing what's best for the team

 

[Dogdeacon]

After the second one gave them the lead, we clamped down and forced 6 BU turnovers in the next 8 minutes and built our lead back up to 15 (a 22-6 run). That's just sort of the ebb and flow of a game - we took a quick punch and responded with a harder one.

Great points.
Bazz is obviously the key and took control of the game in the 2nd half, but boy did Brimah have an impact. Not quite sure if you could tie BU's first half run to Brimah picking up his second foul, but no question UConn's defense relaxed from that point forward. Then DEFINITELY in the 2nd half Brimah came in and it was abundantly clear that BU was afraid to shoot. Gave the momentum back to UConn.

Ultimately BU proved an experienced team and all of their runs reflected that. And to their credit after Brimah's 2nd half game changing impact BU lost the fear a bit and converted a number of opportunities when both guards and bigs took it right at the Ghana Goliath (needs work I know).

 

[Tenspro2002]

I don't really think #1 is a matter of them not playing hard. They just tend to lose focus from time to time. People forget, the 2011 team was prone to lapses as well where the other team would rip off a 10-2 run. It happened in pretty much every game of the NCAA tournament. But just as you're able to find a second gear when you need it, you'll be ok.

The differences between this team and 2011 are:
1) In 2011, we tended to blow 6-9 point leads coming out of halftime; this year, we're blowing 20-point leads
2) In 2011, that was still happening in March, though we managed to survive it; this year, it's only November

So on the one hand it's more disconcerting because we can't seem to right the ship as quickly. On the other hand, it's early in the season with tons of time to correct it.

 

[ctchamps]

Usually this early in the season their are five to ten negative things we are going crazy about. But the season is young.

 

[Huskyforlife]

if ollie can't motivate these kids they have issues.