Perspective

[jfuchs91]

• Texas is ranked #7 in the country. They are as big and talented as anyone out there.
• We were without Rodney Purvis, arguably a top 3 talent on our squad, and Omar Calhoun. This left our rotation to about 7 players (save a couple ineffective first half minutes from Lubin).
• UConn shot 18.8% (3-16) from 3. I'd venture to say they didn't have much more than 10 points in the paint, tops.
• Boatright, our unquestioned leader and best player, played much of the second half on a gimpy ankle.
• We played 3 first year players, 3 second year players, Nolan, and Boatright.
• It took a last second desperation 3 to beat us by 1.

This game was an ugly dogfight from the tip. It's impossible not to be disappointed with the ending, but the bottom line is this: UConn, more than any other program in the country, has shown that the regular season is a tool to get prepared for the postseason.

We're a young team that played shorthanded against a top 7 team. Our offense was ugly, but it's amazing we were even in this game (and should have won) with our inability to finish at the rim and shoot the 3 ball. Ollie, like Calhoun before him, has built this program on our elite, disruptive defense. Texas had the bigs to eat us alive inside, and we stymied their offense throughout the entire second half. The old adage that defense wins championships often rings true, and our defense will keep us in games that we have no business winning.

There are obviously negatives to this game: the offense is still struggling to consistently knock down jumpers, we don't seem to have a reliable ball-handler outside of Boatright, we're still getting little offense from our bigs, and these are the kinds of games we need to win given our current conference situation. That all being said, I have no doubt that Ollie is going to have this team playing its best ball come March. We're going to have one of the best defenses in the country, and we have talented offensive players. This team certainly has its flaws, but I do trust that with more time to work out the kinks on offense we'll be much more efficient as the season wears on.

We lost a ton from last year. Basketball is a team sport and it takes time to incorporate so many new pieces, and find out how everyone fits into their new roles. This loss is supremely disappointing, but I can't preach patience enough. It may fall upon deaf ears on the Boneyard after a loss, but there's still reason for optimism with this team. The talent is in place and we boast a tenacious defense. It's a long season, and this is just a speedbump along the way.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

Texas was missing their best or second best player today. There are no excuses for this loss.

 

[uconnsouth]

It's about moving forward. And we gon move forward.

And we have enough. Right here in this room, we have enough

 

[kansashusky]

I completely agree with this train of thought. I think a lot of the worry here (with myself included) is that playing in the AAC really hurts us in the fact that we don't have a ton of error when we play a tough OOC slate. We boasted, in my opinion, a strong OOC resume last year and were smacked with a 7 seed. Yes everything ended alright for us, but seeing as we will play a depleted conference this year, (no Louisville, Memphis, Cincinnati, and SMU are significantly down) We are severely hurting our chances of a good seed in the tournament. I would feel much b better finishing the year strong beating ranked teams on the road than playing Tulane and East Carolina and beating them.

 

[NC_Uconn_Fan]

If we were still in the old big east with opportunities to play good teams I would feel better about this loss.

 

[Hoophound]

Texas was missing their best or second best player today. There are no excuses for this loss.

We simply can't shoot. I also felt the refs were a little strict on some fouls on rebounds. Cassell, Facey and Boat all got called for fouls that were marginal in such a tough played game. Those added up to a big problem when we couldn't make one shot to counter their free throws.

 

[huskyniner]

Texas was missing their best or second best player today. There are no excuses for this loss.

And you don't think Purvis would've made a difference for UConn?

 

[scrappy2.0]

We played hard all day and blew it in the last two minutes capping it off with a missed FT and a game winning 3. It was a big game for us and there is no getting it back. It mightve well be a 50 pt loss as it will look that way end of the year.

Last year when we had a lead with 3-4 minutes to go it was money.

 

[zls44]

Texas was missing their best or second best player today. There are no excuses for this loss.

REALLY? They lost at the buzzer to a top-10 team. No excuses? None?

 

[Hi-Low]

Come on man...a brutal loss period. We have to play Duke @Fla @Stanford...this was our best chance for good OOC win...pissed it away. No Silver Lining...come Selection Sunday we're 0-2 vs high quality non-conference opponents & staring 0-5 in the face. If our best OOC win ends up being Dayton we've got a problem. Thankfully AAC tourney in Hartford this year.

 

[kansashusky]

This needs to be a level headed message board. No complaining or being negative!!!!

I kid I kid.

 

[Cheeky]

UConn, more than any other program in the country, has shown that the regular season is a tool to get prepared for the postseason.

Of course, you've gotta get there, or "to get prepared for the postseason" becomes "wasting away in the NIT." So your point is well received, but we're by no means a lock at this point.

 

[huskymagic]

REALLY? They lost at the buzzer to a top-10 team. No excuses? None?

no there is no excuse because we had command of the game against the number 7 team in the country and we blew it. We play in a terrible conference with no team ranked after today. Out of conference wins are absolutely essential. Imagine going 0-5 which is a possibility with this team that means we have to win the AAC tournament to guarantee a spot in March.

Kevin Ollie has to take some of the blame here with some bad substitutions and not having the team prepared to D up last possession especially on Holmes who we all knew was going to get the ball. The only positive is that Kevin Ollie needs to let everybody on the team know starting from Cassell Jr that their roles are to do the dirty work if they want to play and getting the ball to Hamilton and Boatright.

 

[ConnHuskBask]

Just a brutal loss in a game that was ours to win and one that will haunt us come selection Sunday.

In the Big East I think you could take this loss and move on and work toward a top seed, but given our conference I have a hard time seeing us getting enough quality OOC wins to get us over the hump.

 

[zls44]

Just a brutal loss in a game that was ours to win and one that will haunt us come selection Sunday. In the Big East I think you could take this loss and move on and work toward a top seed, but given our conference I have a hard time seeing us getting enough quality OOC wins to get us over the hump.

So I'm clear, your position is that UConn is out?

 

[Palatine]

It works both ways, Texas was on the road and missing a key piece.

But this is one game, it's a long season and come March it is unlikely to make much difference.

My perspective is that we need to shoot better from the arc. That will make a difference all year long.

 

[ConnHuskBask]

So I'm clear, your position is that UConn is out?

No - I should've worded that better.

I meant that our chances for a high seed (say 4 seed or above) may be done unless we get unlikely wins against duke or at Florida. Where as the past we would probably have ten or more shots at ranked teams at this time.

 

[zls44]

No - I should've worded that better.

I meant that our chances for a high seed (say 4 seed or above) may be done unless we get unlikely wins against duke or at Florida. Where as the past we would probably have ten or more shots at ranked teams at this time.

Ok. That's fair.

But after 2011 and 2014, screw the seed...its all about matchups.

 

[BoatShow]

This team is more 2010 than 2011.

 

[zls44]

This seems like a good anecdote for a thread titled "Perspective"...post game was talking to a friend who is a big Indiana fan...mentioned that UConn always struggles the year after winning a NC and itd be nice to see them not do so-

At this point he loudly told me to off.

 

[Gurleyman]

This seems like a good anecdote for a thread titled "Perspective"...post game was talking to a friend who is a big Indiana fan...mentioned that UConn always struggles the year after winning a NC and itd be nice to see them not do so- At this point he loudly told me to off.

Hahaha. That's awesome.

How did Indiana do in 1988?

 

[Gurleyman]

Someday I'm going to hang a map on my wall, and put in a pin next to all the places I've been. But first I have to travel to the top corners of the Earth, so the map doesn't fall down.

- Mitch Hedberg

 

[Woof 101]

We simply can't shoot. I also felt the refs were a little strict on some fouls on rebounds. Cassell, Facey and Boat all got called for fouls that were marginal in such a tough played game. Those added up to a big problem when we couldn't make one shot to counter their free throws.

Shooting from 2 just over 30% shooting from three just under 19% not good. Ugly shot day, a couple of our so called lock down jump shooters are only locking down the front of the rim. My guess is this will improve I just wish we could have seen it against this type of competition.