Quick thoughts from a bad win..

[mauconnfan]

If Jalen can only play the way he played tonight, sit him for the remainder of the year. Not a good effort from him on either end. Mailed it in, and threw "pretty" one handed passes to them too many times for my liking. If you're out there because on one leg you can still lead, then LEAD.

Thank you Rodney, I know you don't want to go home yet and end your career and we do appreciate that. I'm guessing Vance does now too.

If they don't make shots, can we quit throwing it in to the big guys, tell them to offensive rebound and be decoys. Not getting jump hooks off and the other guy missing everything for the last 3 games is killing us.

I know you play hard and you've gotten better Christian but if you're reading this you are NOT good enough to be flexing after a every make freakin' lay up and staring the USF bench down after yo finally make a 3. I'm not a fan of that and you're getting a little too big for your britches my friend, just play basketball and cut the crap. You're on a 15-16 UConn team nothing to be proud of!

That's all crap game, stupid team and I kind of now know 11pm tomorrow night will be our last look at this version of our Huskies. Sucks!!

 

[Jaker]

Couldn't agree more about Jalen, he showed no heart or leadership, kind of makes me concerned for next season.

 

[mauconnfan]

Couldn't agree more about Jalen, he showed no heart or leadership, kind of makes me concerned for next season.

I agree. I mean he was just like "oh well, my bad" when he threw those pitiful passes, not reacting like he should have in disgust with himself. And this is why those who think he will have the ball in his hands more than Alterique will be surprised. I know part of it is his ankle and I get that takes away from his game. But the defenses are still playing him as if he can make a play at any time so he has space to make the right passes, but he's getting too fancy free from what I'm seeing. Just make plays, smart ones for crying out loud - run the offense and the show on that end and go back and guard someone.

 

[Fishy]

Did you guys see what happened the last time we sat Jalen against Houston?

You really want to do that again?

 

[Jaker]

I agree. I mean he was just like "oh well, my bad" when he threw those pitiful passes, not reacting like he should have in disgust with himself. And this is why those who think he will have the ball in his hands more than Alterique will be surprised. I know part of it is his ankle and I get that takes away from his game. But the defenses are still playing him as if he can make a play at any time so he has space to make the right passes, but he's getting too fancy free from what I'm seeing. Just make plays, smart ones for crying out loud - run the offense and the show on that end and go back and guard someone.

Khalid played his gutts out after a severe high ankle sprain 2 days earlier, JA's ankle was not even close to being as bad and he rolled his ankle like 2 weeks ago. AG will need to be a stud next year.

 

[mauconnfan]

Did you guys see what happened the last time we sat Jalen against Houston?

You really want to do that again?

No exaggeration but the way he played tonight Fish was not pretty. There was nothing there and not sure how it can get better overnight. Just having him out there on one leg though is the best of our choices, ad that's downright scary.

 

[King Husky]

Did you guys see what happened the last time we sat Jalen against Houston?

You really want to do that again?

I would have preferred Jalen rested tonight so he is in better shape for Houston. He wasn't helping much out there anyway. 39 mins was a lot.

 

[mauconnfan]

I would have preferred Jalen rested tonight so he is in better shape for Houston. He wasn't helping much out there anyway. 39 mins was a lot.

Agree but the scary thing is there is no Houston without him, even with the subpar game I bet?

 

[blackbird]

Hold on...so we want Jalen to not get too high or too low...but now we're upset that he isn't upset with himself on every bad play?

He's spent, physically and emotionally..and he's injured. The kid has shown he clearly has a lot of heart, and Uconn doesn't have a prayer without him..even if he's only 40%.

 

[nomar]

Gotta say, I don't see where you guys are coming from on Jalen. It's hard to have good body language when you're playing on one leg. He's playing hurt but instead of getting credit for gutting it out he's getting crap for not passing crisply enough.

 

[mauconnfan]

Gotta say, I don't see where you guys are coming from on Jalen. It's hard to have good body language when you're playing on one leg. He's playing hurt but instead of getting credit for gutting it out he's getting crap for not passing crisply enough.

You can't throw 3 or 4 of the passes he threw tonight. The long pass and the one hander out of the middle which were both intercepted were not because of his ankle, they were just plain awful decisions. I love the kid and I know he's on a bad wheel but he can still make the smart plays, now more than ever knowing his limitations he needs to play smarter not get into situations he gets doubled and can't pass out of them.

Not blaming him just pointing out he wasn't the same. My bad for not understanding his frustration knowing he's not able to do stuff, but still need him to play better if they are to even sniff a W tomorrow night, one leg or not.

 

[3rdbass]

Gotta say, I don't see where you guys are coming from on Jalen. It's hard to have good body language when you're playing on one leg. He's playing hurt but instead of getting credit for gutting it out he's getting crap for not passing crisply enough.

He was just lazy with the passes as pointed out and his body language was that he had quit. I don't care how bad your ankle is you can keep you head in the game and pass it to RP.

 

[nomar]

You can't throw 3 or 4 of the passes he threw tonight. The long pass and the one hander out of the middle which were both intercepted were not because of his ankle, they were just plain awful decisions. I love the kid and I know he's on a bad wheel but he can still make the smart plays, now more than ever knowing his limitations he needs to play smarter not get into situations he gets doubled and can't pass out of them.

Not blaming him just pointing out he wasn't the same. My bad for not understanding his frustration knowing he's not able to do stuff, but still need him to play better if they are to even sniff a W tomorrow night, one leg or not.

Yes he had some bad plays tonight (not having his head up when RP hit him in the back) but in the course of a game that happens, especially when you're playing at half-speed. You don't have lift or quickness and end up cheating. It looks lazy on TV but I'm giving him the benefit of the doubt. But yeah he needs to play better if we want to make the semis. Apart from Rodney, who was terrific tonight, the whole team does. (Vital played well, too.)

 

[3rdbass]

He was like half jumping up in the air to try to make a pass a couple times and got caught no where to pass it a few times in the half court set. It was just embarrassing. He should of just went to the bench.

 

[mauconnfan]

He was like half jumping up in the air to try to make a pass a couple times and got caught no where to pass it a few times in the half court set. It was just embarrassing. He should of just went to the bench.

Ok I'm good with that.

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

I watched the second half from like the third row behind USF. Our guys did not say one word on defense the entire half. Guerrero was murdering our guys on screens no one would call out and no one adjusted. Jalen was completely non-exestitant. If he was as OCD about practicing crisp passes as he is about pulling his shorts up he'd be a much better point guard.

 

[joober jones]

I hate the flexing and bench taunting even when a player is doing well. That's one of the things I really miss about Shonn Miller (obviously not the biggest thing I miss) - he could pull off a highlight reel play and be all business from beginning to end.

 

[Devland]

I know it's different circumstances, but in the first game of the 1999 Big East tournament, UConn barely beat a bad Seton Hall team 57-56. There is still hope. Why waste your best games on inferior teams? (excuse me I'm am optimist).

 

[cohenzone]

I often agree with you Mau, but not on this one. What I saw last night was a way too typical KO coached team.

That performance by a hurting kid wasn't the issue. It's the way too typical erratic performance of the team within games and from game to game. The lack of focus and smart decisions is way too common in this era. Low intensity for long stretches. Part time good team D doesn't cut it. Certainly the injuries hurt this team, but the lack of intensity on D and the lack of smart offense starts with the coach.

I am totally with you on the muscle flex thing. We've been in the showboat, camera aware era forever now. Play the damn game.

 

[mauconnfan]

I often agree with you Mau, but not on this one. What I saw last night was a way too typical KO coached team.

That performance by a hurting kid wasn't the issue. It's the way too typical erratic performance of the team within games and from game to game. The lack of focus and smart decisions is way too common in this era. Low intensity for long stretches. Part time good team D doesn't cut it. Certainly the injuries hurt this team, but the lack of intensity on D and the lack of smart offense starts with the coach.

I am totally with you on the muscle flex thing. We've been in the showboat, camera aware era forever now. Play the damn game.

Same here cohen and the lack of offense wasn't because they weren't running offense which they were, it's because you throw it to people who can't do anything with it meaning can't score the ball or pass it. What is Ko and the staff going to do with Kentan Facey bouncing it off his foot twice, missing short shots and the other guy, well I won't continue to offer his inability to get a shot off. Vance jackson was short on everything. I mean if Facey makes 3 shots, just 3, Brimah makes a jump hook or 2 and Jackson makes a 3 and a lay in they score almost 90 then no one bit**es about offense. Problem is you can't count on any of these guys to be consistent. And to even attempt to look at it in any manner with Adams playing like that is ridiculous. Can't go out and play for them sorry, they aren't very smart - it will be different with better players on the court. If I ever grabbed a pad and wrote down the stupid stuff they do throughout the game on both ends of the court, things a basketball player shouldn't do no matter who their coach is, I would make a DogMania post look like a one liner for crying out loud. This year is frustrating and I'm sure it's worst for the staff - but that's me!

 

[Mr. Wonderful]

You can't throw 3 or 4 of the passes he threw tonight. The long pass and the one hander out of the middle which were both intercepted were not because of his ankle, they were just plain awful decisions. I love the kid and I know he's on a bad wheel but he can still make the smart plays, now more than ever knowing his limitations he needs to play smarter not get into situations he gets doubled and can't pass out of them.

Not blaming him just pointing out he wasn't the same. My bad for not understanding his frustration knowing he's not able to do stuff, but still need him to play better if they are to even sniff a W tomorrow night, one leg or not.

Mau, one of the primary effects of continuos pain is the loss of focus; the inability to concentrate on anything but the pain. I would think to someone like you, who's played sports your whole life, and who has probably had to play through pain at least once, this concept would be easy to grasp.

Jalen has been gradually going downhill for about the last month. He's worn out. This season has been a marathon for him, playing nearly 40 every night and being the offensive focus the entire time. I'm afraid he's got little left to give, no matter how much his heart may want it.

I suspect tonight will be it...the last game of the season. Mercifully.

 

[mauconnfan]

Mau, one of the primary effects of continuos pain is the loss of focus; the inability to concentrate on anything but the pain. I would think to someone like you, who's played sports your whole life, and who has probably had to play through pain at least once, this concept would be easy to grasp.

Jalen has been gradually going downhill for about the last month. He's worn out. This season has been a marathon for him, playing nearly 40 every night and being the offensive focus the entire time. I'm afraid he's got little left to give, no matter how much his heart may want it.

I suspect tonight will be it...the last game of the season. Mercifully.

Fair enough, may be too hard on him. But seriously, a couple of those stupid passes can't happen and if the pain is that bad that it makes you throw them, then sit down please can't win with those plays. And he's a chair on defense, not his fault but it hurts everyone. He's playing hurt and I commend him for that but no matter, understand your limitations and only make the plays yo can make or Houston rips us up.

 

[Mr. Wonderful]

Fair enough, may be too hard on him. But seriously, a couple of those stupid passes can't happen and if the pain is that bad that it makes you throw them, then sit down please can't win with those plays. And he's a chair on defense, not his fault but it hurts everyone. He's playing hurt and I commend him for that but no matter, understand your limitations and only make the plays yo can make or Houston rips us up.

They're going to rip us up anyway.

They're playing for an automatic bid, and I guarantee will come confident and energized.

 

[Mr. Wonderful]

If Jalen is worn out, I suggest he gets in way better shape if he wants to sniff the floor at the next level. There are many guys in college who shoulder +30 mins a game.

It's not just the minutes.

It's the fact that he has to shoulder such a large offensive load. His usage numbers this season are insane, especially for a sophomore. You get beat up on offense at this level - there's contact on nearly every drive to the hoop. When you're the only guy on the team who does that? For all of those minutes? He's going to need a full body cast by the time this season is over.

 

[gtcam]

I often agree with you Mau, but not on this one. What I saw last night was a way too typical KO coached team.

That performance by a hurting kid wasn't the issue. It's the way too typical erratic performance of the team within games and from game to game. The lack of focus and smart decisions is way too common in this era. Low intensity for long stretches. Part time good team D doesn't cut it. Certainly the injuries hurt this team, but the lack of intensity on D and the lack of smart offense starts with the coach.

I am totally with you on the muscle flex thing. We've been in the showboat, camera aware era forever now. Play the damn game.

Sorry but don't agree with the KO take. The coach can teach all the X's and O's he wants but if the five on the floor don't execute it don't work. In basketball if 1 doesn't do their job on the court in running set plays it implodes and with 2 frosh and some questionable seniors, the chance for someone screwing up is high. In addition, the lack of bodies do come into play - you can't use the bench as a weapon/threat.