Only positive

[8893]

“Some people might say, ‘He needs to be more solid,’ other people might try to cover it up for me and say, ‘Oh, he’s a freshman, he’s learning,’” Vital said. “I want to take that second part out of there and be as solid as a senior or a junior. That play didn’t really help us win the game, so I want to be able to make plays at the end of the game that are going to help us win.”

Struggles continue for UConn men’s basketball team despite win

 

[JimHurley]

Love this kid and what he brings to the team. Tight defense, outside shooting, and confidence. Couldn't ask for much more out of a guy I expected to be the 11th man before the season started.

 

[Mr. French]

Taylor Rooks?

I'm no local, living in Buffalo, and I MAY have seen her before because the name sounded familiar, but man I was very intrigued today...that was 100% the highlight of the game today.

 

[CTBasketball]

 

[4in16]

More like BU couldn't hid the broad side of a barn.

Neither could we.

 

[pepband99]

We won a game where purvis and Adams combined to shoot 7 out of 77,908. You could have bet a million dollars on odds of that happening.

Brimah asserted himself offensively in a game he should have, and vital saved our bacon.

I'm most happy about the passing, though. We finally managed to make a zone not look like hyroglyphics.

 

[UCONN in OKC]

Agree 1000%

I agree 10000% and slitly better than the game with Tulsa I went to see. That was awful!!!!!!!!

 

[Huskybass]

51 points at home against BU. Adams and Purvis were a combined 5 for 25 from the floor.

Its like a bad dream.

That keeps getting worse. Vital and Facey were the only bright spots.

 

[mauconnfan]

He has been a nice surprise, but Austrie was very big for us and solid in ways that we will have to see if Vital can reach. But having said that, I agree that Vital's ceiling looks higher than Austrie's after a few games. Thank goodness for him.

Craig was solid, mostly offering a calmness required but when he came in he was nowhere near the potential of this kid. While CV does still need to collect himself a little at times and slow down, this kid has a chance to be alone more special than your typical "low ranked" recruit who wasn't on the radar all that much. Ceiling is much much higher it will be fin to watch him grow and earn his time while doing so. Thank God for him, really!

 

[mauconnfan]

View attachment 17286

If I actually cared about her eyes I would think she was evil but...

 

[UConnStats]

51 points at home against BU. Adams and Purvis were a combined 5 for 25 from the floor.

Its like a bad dream.

That keeps getting worse. Vital and Facey were the only bright spots.

I'll take a win where we shoot 32% from the floor. Usually you'd have lost right there. A loss to BU right now would have been catastrophic.

Vital and Facey were both good last night, and Enoch looked a bit better too.

I just feel bad for Purvis at this point. The guy has completely lost his touch, but he hustled his ass off last night. He was the only person fighting for every rebound and led the team in assists. We need him to start shooting well from the floor, but at least his isn't playing like he's giving up.

 

[Greathusky]

I could feel the heat between Rooks and Ollie during the post game interview.

 

[UCweCONN]

Christian Vital is a good player. Austrie and Beverly were two nice low ranked 4 year guards that contributed well and were good leaders. Some people were thinking Vital could grow into a good player in his upperclassmen years and be like them. Well he's going to be a lot better than them, he's already better than them. You can just tell when a kid is a leader and Vital carries himself that way. He isn't scared of anything, plays a solid floor game and can shoot the ball. . . . . . .As gross as the current team looks, a backcourt of Alterique, Jalen and Vital is very exciting. Throw in MAL and hopefully Hamidou and we will have so many different looks we can throw at teams from the backcourt. . . . . . .I'm trying to find some sort of positive after watching the ugliest basketball game I think I've ever seen.

That missed dunk by Brimah in the closing minutes was the icing on the ugliest cake I've seen in a long time.

 

[Huskybass]

IF AG recovers fully and Diallo somehow still puts on a UConn uniform, we would have a fantastic backcourt next year. A backcourt of AG, JA, HD, CV and MAL would be phenomenal.

CV has really been a pleasant surprise thus far. The mid range jump shot he hit near the baseline last night was really nice.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Christian Vital is a good player. Austrie and Beverly were two nice low ranked 4 year guards that contributed well and were good leaders. Some people were thinking Vital could grow into a good player in his upperclassmen years and be like them. Well he's going to be a lot better than them, he's already better than them. You can just tell when a kid is a leader and Vital carries himself that way. He isn't scared of anything, plays a solid floor game and can shoot the ball. . . . . . .As gross as the current team looks, a backcourt of Alterique, Jalen and Vital is very exciting. Throw in MAL and hopefully Hamidou and we will have so many different looks we can throw at teams from the backcourt. . . . . . .I'm trying to find some sort of positive after watching the ugliest basketball game I think I've ever seen.

He does look solid. I think we'll see him have some wtf Freshman games as well, but he has poise. His game reminds me a little of AJ Price (not that I'm saying he will be as good). Just an all around solid player with few obvious holes in his game.

 

[HuskyHawk]

That missed dunk by Brimah in the closing minutes was the icing on the ugliest cake I've seen in a long time.

And he was laughing about it. I wonder if these guys understand what it takes to win games. Not missing uncontested dunks down the stretch of close games is one of those things. Along with not missing FTs in that situation, which the whole team also did.

 

[UCweCONN]

And he was laughing about it. I wonder if these guys understand what it takes to win games. Not missing uncontested dunks down the stretch of close games is one of those things. Along with not missing FTs in that situation, which the whole team also did.

Nearly snatched defeat from the jaws of victory. Ollie is stressing the positives but a fairly veteran team nearly pissed the game away.

 

[Bagel&Cheese]

Christian Vital is a good player. Austrie and Beverly were two nice low ranked 4 year guards that contributed well and were good leaders. Some people were thinking Vital could grow into a good player in his upperclassmen years and be like them. Well he's going to be a lot better than them, he's already better than them. You can just tell when a kid is a leader and Vital carries himself that way. He isn't scared of anything, plays a solid floor game and can shoot the ball. . . . . . .As gross as the current team looks, a backcourt of Alterique, Jalen and Vital is very exciting. Throw in MAL and hopefully Hamidou and we will have so many different looks we can throw at teams from the backcourt. . . . . . .I'm trying to find some sort of positive after watching the ugliest basketball game I think I've ever seen.

Vital has "moxie". Something that can't be said for many of the players on this team.

 

[Mr. French]

I'll take a win where we shoot 32% from the floor. Usually you'd have lost right there. A loss to BU right now would have been catastrophic.

Vital and Facey were both good last night, and Enoch looked a bit better too.

I just feel bad for Purvis at this point. The guy has completely lost his touch, but he hustled his ass off last night. He was the only person fighting for every rebound and led the team in assists. We need him to start shooting well from the floor, but at least his isn't playing like he's giving up.

I agree about Purvis, and it's SO frustrating because I genuinely think he's the least "basketball intelligent" player maybe since I can remember at UConn, but man he cares, he plays hard, he loves his teammates... But he almost never makes the right bball play, and it's driving me bonkers in his 5th year, 3rd here...

 

[Pudge]

really?

You actually think Craig Austrie will end up having a better career in Storrs than Christian Vital? I am flummoxed.

 

[businesslawyer]

I wasn't trying to but I've seen others do it. Beverly was a great leader for us but never contributed like Austrie did on the court. I was only trying to stress how Vital is already better than them since I've seen his name associated with those two.

Oh please. Vital is not already better than Austrie was. We won Maui with Austrie playing the point 30 minutes a game as a frosh. As a Sr., he started and played over 20 minutes a game for a Final Four team. There were scores of things Austrie did on the court that Vital is nowhere near showing us.

Can Vital develop into a better scorer and shooter than Craig? Yes, I think he has that potential. But frosh Vital wouldn't even be getting minutes on teams that Austrie played for and helped.