Post Game Thoughts on Temple Game

[huskymagic]

This game was very ugly throughout and not many positives to take from this game except for Omar who was very good out there today. Our guards including Purvis, T-Sam, and Sam Casell are very weak with the handle. Their decision making, loose and weak handle, and seeming inability to play well against good competition is concerning to say the least. Daniel Hamilton's handle was not good either he needs to work on his handle. The decision making of Hamilton and Purvis in overtime was very bad even tough we were in a double bonus. You cannot have that from two of your more talented guards. Hamilton cannot miss three free throws at the end of overtime with a chance to win the game. This team's guards lack basketball iq and intangibles. The game was there for the taking and our guards couldn't win it.

Our big men(Amida and Kentan) were fantastic and are the reason we had a close game. They controlled the paint. We need to play through our bigs if we have any chance of making the NCAA tournament. Kentan and Amida are the future and the only chance we make the tournament now is to win the AAC tournament.

 

[uchusky32]

RP is terrible.
Tsam is bad and limited.
SCJR is 100% on misses.
Brimah has to stay in the game and rebound
Facey is getting better and we will need him to step up
Dham has to get better at the line and smarter.

 

[EricLA]

Bummer of a way to end the year...

 

[johnhuskies95]

Are people just going to ignore the fact we were without a top 20 player out there?

 

[uchusky32]

Are people just going to ignore the fact we were without a top 20 player out there?

Yup not sure we would have won anyway. Boat needs help. He won't make it the whole season pounding the ball for 40 minutes.

 

[NC_Uconn_Fan]

Looks like a NIT bound team. This has to be the worst early season record I can remember.

 

[johnhuskies95]

Yup not sure we would have won anyway. Boat needs help. He won't make it the whole season pounding the ball for 40 minutes.

They beat Temple at home with a healthy Boatright.

 

[zls44]

This team will still easily make the tournament. Jesus. Boat was out and Temple is good.

 

[NC_Uconn_Fan]

This team will still easily make the tournament. Jesus. Boat was out and Temple is good.

Easily?? No.

 

[PAHusky]

TSam is painful to watch at this point. He was a huge contributor last year but this year he's brought.....what to the table exactly? His defense has slipped, he still can't shoot, he can't get to the rim, he can't pass. He brings the ball up the court and then we play 4 v 5. Sam Cassell hasn't done anything for us. Hamilton has been great but for a guy with a shooting stroke as nice as his, those free throws were just brutal. While I think him being a freshman mitigates some of the awfulness of those FT misses, it doesn't excuse it either. Brimah played pretty well but he can't carry an offense. Facey was good again and I wanted that 12 footer in OT to drop for him in the worst way. Purvis is confusing to watch; it seems he's got the talent but his basketball IQ is lagging right now. Calhoun is playing better than I honestly expected at this point.

Some of this falls on KO. For as fantastic of a job as he's done here the last two years, this year's team often seems unprepared and totally apathetic. It's pretty clear that our ceiling this year is making it to the tourney, but I'm most worried about next year at this point. Where is the offense going to come from? Who's going to handle the ball? Growing pains were obviously expected for this year, and much of this doom and gloom talk is the inevitable product of a tough loss like this one, but there are some serious issues with the team both as it stands and going forward

 

[Gurleyman]

This team will still easily make the tournament. Jesus. Boat was out and Temple is good.

I think we are already at the point that we have to win the AAC Tourney to get in. I mean, not if we run the table, but I don't think this team is capable of running a table - there will be days we can't shoot and lose 55-50. Based on nothing but my recollection of Rip's recovery from a deep thigh bruise, there's a risk of Boat being out this weekend. Or at least hobbled.

The key is to not go into the AAC Tourney with only one guy who wants the ball late. We need to keep developing DHam and live with his mistakes here and there, even if it costs us another game or two. There are defensive specialists at places like Cincy and Temple that can make Boat's life difficult.

 

[mauconnfan]

Are people just going to ignore the fact we were without a top 20 player out there?

I'm afraid we have to. The game was ours to win, without Boatright so why harp on what wasn't john? Make FT's, make "smart plays" with the basketball and you win, simple. No reason to worry about Boat in this one - it was there for the taking and our limitations proved to be the reason., not Temple, not Boat juts the guys we had out there.

 

[templefan1]

Hey Guys. Just want to say good game. I expect a better game from both teams in March. Temple should not have won shooting 31% and letting the game slip away like that in regulation.

I thought the refs were horrible all game...and if boatwright plays Uconn wins with how bad Temple looked. credit to Uconn D.

I expect Temple to play much better next time against Uconn

 

[zls44]

Anyone who thinks they're even close to HAVING to win the tournament clearly hasn't watched any CBB this year.

They'll win 15+ in the AAC and one of the OOC games.

 

[mauconnfan]

TSam is painful to watch at this point. He was a huge contributor last year but this year he's brought.....what to the table exactly? His defense has slipped, he still can't shoot, he can't get to the rim, he can't pass. He brings the ball up the court and then we play 4 v 5. Sam Cassell hasn't done anything for us. Hamilton has been great but for a guy with a shooting stroke as nice as his, those free throws were just brutal. While I think him being a freshman mitigates some of the awfulness of those FT misses, it doesn't excuse it either. Brimah played pretty well but he can't carry an offense. Facey was good again and I wanted that 12 footer in OT to drop for him in the worst way. Purvis is confusing to watch; it seems he's got the talent but his basketball IQ is lagging right now. Calhoun is playing better than I honestly expected at this point.

Some of this falls on KO. For as fantastic of a job as he's done here the last two years, this year's team often seems unprepared and totally apathetic. It's pretty clear that our ceiling this year is making it to the tourney, but I'm most worried about next year at this point. Where is the offense going to come from? Who's going to handle the ball? Growing pains were obviously expected for this year, and much of this doom and gloom talk is the inevitable product of a tough loss like this one, but there are some serious issues with the team both as it stands and going forward

I agree to a point on KO, they are his players and his team. They have limitations in many areas which are the result of their own inabilities as well as his recruiting. They play really really fn hard though and this was the same team who beat Kansas by almost 30 and we had a chance despite our inability to put the ball in the hole never mind hold onto it. The defense made Temple work their butts off. That is the key for all games here forward.

 

[johnhuskies95]

I think we are already at the point that we have to win the AAC Tourney to get in. I mean, not if we run the table, but I don't think this team is capable of running a table - there will be days we can't shoot and lose 55-50. Based on nothing but my recollection of Rip's recovery from a deep thigh bruise, there's a risk of Boat being out this weekend. Or at least hobbled.

The key is to not go into the AAC Tourney with only one guy who wants the ball late. We need to keep developing DHam and live with his mistakes here and there, even if it costs us another game or two. There are defensive specialists at places like Cincy and Temple that can make Boat's life difficult.

They may have 6 or 7 more games against RPI top 50 teams. They'd probably have to win 4 of those and then hope Dayton stays pretty good to have an at large. It'll be tough, but certainly doable.

 

[mauconnfan]

Hey Guys. Just want to say good game. I expect a better game from both teams in March. Temple should not have won shooting 31% and letting the game slip away like that in regulation.

I thought the refs were horrible all game...and if boatwright plays Uconn wins with how bad Temple looked. credit to Uconn D.

I expect Temple to play much better next time against Uconn

Nice win for you. Class coach and teams playing better. Best of luck until the next one.

 

[UCONNfan1]

Looks like a NIT bound team. This has to be the worst early season record I can remember.

I was going to ask the same question... if we are at best a NIT team. Hope nto but...

 

[mauconnfan]

Anyone who thinks they're even close to HAVING to win the tournament clearly hasn't watched any CBB this year.

They'll win 15+ in the AAC and one of the OOC games.

Wow I'm not sure what UConn team you've been watching xls. Love ya man but 13-5 would be unbelievable I'm thinking 11-7 in conference. The margin for error despite the great defense is so little even against lesser teams it's going to be a real rough ride.

 

[zls44]

Uconn is 2-5 without the full team. They're 4-1 with them. This isnt freaking complicated

 

[TforTempleU]

Good game UConn. Lots of respect for playing half the game without your best player, hope he gets better soon. Really ugly/hard fought game on both ends I'm already looking forward to our second matchup. Good luck the rest of the way you guys will be fine!

 

[ASweet3781]

Uconn is 2-5 without the full team. They're 4-1 with them. This isnt freaking complicated

This team has shown absolutely no ability to stay healthy so far so we will probably be the 2-5 team a couple more times this year.

Unless they start winning, nothing will help that 83rd ranked RPI.

 

[Husky Dad]

This is about what to we have next year.

 

[johnhuskies95]

I'm afraid we have to. The game was ours to win, without Boatright so why harp on what wasn't john? Make FT's, make "smart plays" with the basketball and you win, simple. No reason to worry about Boat in this one - it was there for the taking and our limitations proved to be the reason., not Temple, not Boat juts the guys we had out there.

I agree, but I just don't get the rationale of making declarative statements about the long term success of the team without Boatright. We're not going to, and we shouldn't, "play through the bigs" this year. If they don't play through Boatright something is wrong.

 

[mauconnfan]

Uconn is 2-5 without the full team. They're 4-1 with them. This isnt freaking complicated

They're not very good with all of them, that's not complicated either! Hope you're right but I've been watching, not impressed and a lot of missing pieces. Like the team as painful as it is, but it has to be better at keeping the errors down and so far, it's not. 15 wins? I will take a video of myself eating the crow!