Providence Post Game Thread

[Edward Sargent]

They showed it on the close up. The heel never crossed completely over.

Yes it did

 

[Edward Sargent]

Just watched on tape:

Really not sure what more evidence Hurley needs to realize we are a better, more balanced team with Tarris on the floor, especially with the loss of Liam’s rebounding. For some reason he sticks with Samson, to a fault. Maybe it doesn’t matter who starts, but I’d rather roll out the guy who makes the team better. We were 20 points better in this one with Tarris on the floor. I’ll be curious to see if he uses Tarris any differently in Liam’s absence. Samson is so limited - he’s fine as a slip to the rim guy but that is 100% dependent on the pass. Tarris can actually create, and draws fouls.

AK was taken on the defensive end a lot in this one, they were attacking him, and he often can’t recoup off the bump down low or off the dribble, unless he has significant size on the offensive player. They were going at him with intention. PC may have something in this frosh Mela, nice player, crafty.

Great spark from AM today - best game of the year.

Solo had one of his better defensive games in this one as didn’t see much at all where his guy had an open shot.

Stew has a decent box at 4 and 4 but felt fairly invisible in his minutes. His body language out there still looks very freshman-like, I know he’s young.

Ross is practically unplayable - he’s just ok on defense, nothing great. He fouls a lot and gets taken off the dribble, occasionally can recoup via length. Overall I don’t see much on that end to overcome his dreadful offensive skillset. Airball 6 foot floater, back rimmed wide open 3, dropped and easy pass for a layup. Just an awkward looking player all around. This has been consistent and I just don’t see it here, at all.

Hassan and Tarris were the catalysts for the comeback.

So much for seeing minutes from Nowell. It can’t be an injury thing much longer.

Nice gritty win and maybe one that will help this team build confidence with Liam out. The next two on the road are going to be tough, especially if we keep rolling Ross out there as a starter. Unless there is a perimeter player that requires a longer defender and to take a couple fouls, I have no idea what his value is on this team. His net is -37 against non tomato cans on the year. It’s a tough watch.

I think the game needs to slow down for Ross - I hope that is all it is

 

[djct1999]

Wow, Hurley finally admitted he was trying to fit a square peg in a round hole with Mahaney. We should see a better Mahaney now that he'll be asked to do what he does, score the ball. Really gotta get Nowell some minutes backing up Hass.

Hurley revealed a lot in the presser. On a larger scale, what really has turned this program around to start this amazing run was Danny’s ability to admit mistakes and pivot. He isn’t as stubborn and defiant as he once was. This season is a microcosm of that. This season is very much a work in progress. It may not be until March and I am not sure where it takes us but my guess is this unit will be peaking at the right time. I believe we know what we can get from Alex, Hass, Samson, and Taris.(and McNeeley)I truly believe this is the coming out party for Mahaney. I still think at some point we will get far more from Stewie. Would love to see Nowell get some run as a third guard. Honestly, I don’t see what the staff sees in Jaylen. I trust them and hope I am wrong.

 

[Edward Sargent]

What is there to learn? Just don't get smoked at the point of attack, and then your help will do the rest. Unfortunately, UConn gets smoked at the point of attack, a lot.

UConn is roughly halfway through its season, and is currently 134 in KenPom's adjusted defensive rating. And the eye test is even worse. English runs a fairly vanilla scheme, and UConn gave up 84 points on 50% shooting to a Providence squad that is missing 2 starters, including its best player. This has to be the worst UConn defense, by far, since the beginning of the Calhoun era.

I am baffled at why UConn is so terrible defensively. This team is fairly athletic, and is skilled offensively so they know what they are doing on some level. I can't figure it out.

Good thing its not your job to figure it out!!

 

[alphasigko]

Thankfully the coaches thought better of playing Ross and Samson in the 2nd half, both of whom appeared totally lost in the 1st half. Mahaney and Reed came to play (so did PC) . Great testy win!

 

[Edward Sargent]

Mahaney is a 2, he's wired to score. Being a catch and shoot guy doesn't make you a natural 2 anymore than a guy who is wired to score by creating his own offense and catching and shooting. Mahaney is not a point guard. Hurley admitted he screwed up the beginning of the season with the point guard position by trying to fit a square peg (Mahaney) into a round hole instead of going with the natural point guard (Diarra.)

Just admitted his mistake again in tonights pressy

 

[Malamute]

Yes it did

 

[RuffRuff]

With Liam hurt, he has only so many options.

In looking at who they played in league so far:

Xavier (could have beaten us, almost took Marquette to OT, beat S Hall and lost a close one @ Georgetown.

@ Butler: Winless in the league. Led Marquette at halftime on the road, lost close ones at home to us and Nova, and once again led St. Johns at halftime on the road, but lost.

@ DePaul. Different team at home. We struggled a bit when Liam went down.

Providence: Beat DePaul on the road, was up big on St. Johns at home. Got destroyed against Marquette. Played us tough.

I don't see a huge difference in teams 4 through 9 this year. That includes Creighton, GTown, Nova, Xavier, Butler, Providence. Even St. Johns is somewhat limited since they cant shoot 3s. With two on the road this week, I think we will be in two more close games. Here's hoping we can continue to pull them out.

BTW, 4-0 is the best start in league play since Hurley was hired. Better than even the last 2 years.

DePaul - lost by 50 to Nova yesterday. No good team loses by 50.

PC - got toasted at home to Marquette by 28 in a game they needed, Quad 3 team.

Butler - has lost last 7. Good teams don’t lose 7 games in a row.

Xavier - ok team I guess, loss at Gtown was Eppsless

Vs

@Nova who is hot(who guards Dixon), a young talented @Gtown and Creighton. I’d definitely call that a material uptick over those first four.

 

[AidanFan20]

Good catch, close as it was, over-and-back it was.

 

[HooperScooper]

It's interesting to me that several of us are looking at the same thing and seeing it differently. I watched the replay on DVR four times and I see his right foot still on the halfcourt line and then he retreats, never having fully established himself in the front court. I'm going to have to go back and watch again. I'm fascinated that half of us see one thing and half see something else.

See post #184 in this thread. It was close as the still picture in post #203 shows. I can see how the refs called what they did. All refs make lots of mistakes. Does anyone ever read the "Last 2 minute Report" from NBA games? I'm always shocked how many wrong calls are made just in the last 2 minutes.

 

[UCONNJACK]

What game did you watch?

I was at the game. Gampel was packed and the crowd was loud.

 

[ucp990411]

I was at the game. Gampel was packed and the crowd was loud.

The announcers mentioned several times how loud the crowd was

 

[JustbrewitMan]

I just think it comes down to a lack of size (not just height) in the backcourt, and to a lesser extent at power forward. Hurley is also so committed to limiting the number of 3-point attempts that we refuse to help off of shooters on penetration and we crowd guys on the catch, inviting them to drive by us.

It’s why our gaudy shot blocking numbers are an illusion. When teams are taking as many shots near the basket as they are against us, even an average block percentage will produce a lot of blocked shots. Along with those blocks comes all of the bad stuff that comes from too much penetration (high shooting percentages, offensive rebounds, dishes for easy dunks, fouls, etc.).

Yet when you look at the metrics, opposing teams also shoot below D1 average around the rim against us. For a shot only worth 2pts vs. 3.

 

[ucp990411]

I thought the backcourt call was correct. A call nobody has mentioned is the out of counts off Reed on the baseline. The ball was at least 3 inches from the baseline

 

[RuffRuff]

Thankfully the coaches thought better of playing Ross and Samson in the 2nd half, both of whom appeared totally lost in the 1st half. Mahaney and Reed came to play (so did PC) . Great testy win!

Samson did have some makes in this one, but also missed a dunk, missed a layup and threw something that looked like a viral convulsion off the backboard. Also had a weird forced double pass attempt into AK on a cut that was stolen. Couple that with an inability to rebound or control the paint, and he’s a hard play while Liam is out. Our starting C is averaging less rebounds a game than our 6’1” PG, think about that. It’s hard to understand how Hurley doesn’t see that Tarris is a more foundational 5. He could play the Adama role if feeding the ball into him later in a shot clock as uses both hands, has touch 5-6 feet out. We don’t use him enough, likely our second most pure talent kid on the floor at any point.

Ross did nothing at all in 12 minutes, 0s in the box score including an airball and 2 fouls. He’s empty calories out there. Shooting 30% from field against non tomatoes, 2-15 from three against those teams. He’s done consistently little against good teams and plays anxious, in a way that makes him not feel ready for this level. He must be an amazing practice player because he’s shown nothing Maui on other than UM Hellen Keller.

Stew has flashes against teams like Gonzaga and Memphis that makes you chomp for more, then goes into doldrums. He’s a hard one to figure out.

Aidan looked more comfortable today - like he’s finally figuring out game speed and calibrating to it. Everything with him had looked a tick slow and deliberate. Hopefully that continues, we are going to need it.

 

[lateralous]

I’ve been critical of how limited his game has been this year and I know he wasn’t raining 3’s today, but this was my favorite game Solo Ball has played so far this year. He did a little bit of everything.

 

[alphasigko]

I’ve been critical of how limited his game has been this year and I know he wasn’t raining 3’s today, but this was my favorite game Solo Ball has played so far this year. He did a little bit of everything.

Including getting beat consistently off the dribble. Hard to believe that here we are, halfway thru the regular season, and he cannot figure out how to solve this defensive issue.

 

[JeannoCT]

I'm being dead serious, but I only tuned into the second half. I'm assuming it was better earlier?

Gampel was almost full and most of us stood for the entire second half. Very loud.

 

[RuffRuff]

Including getting beat consistently off the dribble. Hard to believe that here we are, halfway thru the regular season, and he cannot figure out how to solve this defensive issue.

Watched him pretty closely on D today and most of the open PC shots and runs to the rim were not Solo. Maybe we covered him up a bit, but Solo was not a liability this afternoon.

Loved seeing him on the floor for loose balls, also has a tipped pass that was definitely off PC that was the wrong call.

 

[Brochacho]

Including getting beat consistently off the dribble. Hard to believe that here we are, halfway thru the regular season, and he cannot figure out how to solve this defensive issue.

Its a roster build issue. Diarra is a high quality defender. Except for rebounding from Samson, our center tandem is a plus defensively. Ross, McNeeley and Karaban are average. Stewart subpar. Mahaney and Ball are woeful. 2-4 its just kind of whatever happens happens.

 

[Sibeerian]

It's interesting to me that several of us are looking at the same thing and seeing it differently. I watched the replay on DVR four times and I see his right foot still on the halfcourt line and then he retreats, never having fully established himself in the front court. I'm going to have to go back and watch again. I'm fascinated that half of us see one thing and half see something else.

This is the new "is the dress blue or gold."

 

[RuffRuff]

This is the new "is the dress blue or gold."

And we all know how the BY loves to beat down menusha

 

[Excalibur]

I'm confused. The ball and both feet went into the front court and then he stepped back and part of his foot was on the half court line. I thought that is a back court violation. I'd like to see the replay to see what happened and someone explain why it wasn't a back court violation.

The second foot didn't completely cross the line.

 

[Punkbo]

We are a bad defensive team.

We are so bad we should consider playing zone but we won’t.

We are a below average rebounding team without Liam.

We are a very good offensive team.

We have a ton of character.

We need more from our sophomores.

We did not play very well today.

We dropped 10 spots in one of the most advanced and accurate ratings algos after a freakin win.

Why is there such a negative reaction to this post? It’s 100% accurate. Unless our on-ball defense and defensive rotations get much better, it will continue to be accurate. Reed saved our bacon today on the defensive end.

 

[NickDanger]

Team was a mess the first half, by far our worst half on the mainland. Last 13 minutes or so were beautiful and probably the best we've played all season minus the Hass brainfarts in the last minute and the trouble inbounding the ball.

Hass is the heartbeat of this team, the game turned when he started taking over and then Reed further took over and changed the game. Providence was scoring at will the whole game and we couldn't get a defensive rebound. Reed changed that and we were off to the races.

Mahaney was huge, his layup where he contorted his body wasn't a fluke, that's the type of stuff he did at Gonzaga. I feel strongly that trying to turn him into a point guard badly messed with his game and head. He's a born scorer. Huge second half from him and his buckets are just different, they lift the whole team up.

Reed is a beast and we've yet to fully unleash him on teams. He needs to get the ball more and he has more in his package than Danny has let him go to yet. NBA player.

Solo with a quiet really good game and AK made some plays when it mattered after a bad first half.

Total team win.

“that's the type of stuff he did at Gonzaga”
St. Mary’s?