Rebounding, Defense, Toughness

[bmayuc]

These were the hallmarks of UConn from 1990- 2014. During the transition from Calhoun --> Ollie it lapsed for whatever reason(player turnover, identity, etc). Clearly, there was an emphasis on bringing in this type of player again. And it feels really, really good for an announcer to laud our focus, intensity, and toughness after a few years in the wilderness. Shots hit and miss. Skill comes and goes. Effort, toughness are constants.

A few other notes:

1. Carlton is going to be really, really good in college. Great touch, great strength, great positioning, heady player. He is basically a Gary Clark clone. We've needed a player like that for a while.

2. Vital - Oh my god kid. Dude has such a unique set of skills. If someone can get in his head and convince him that he needs to sit in the corner and just shoot open 3's on offense, and then contribute on the crunch-time line-up with his crazy Defense/Instincts/Toughness combo he'd be a perfect player. But he absolutely cannot dribble, pass, or finish in the paint. He's gotta know his limitations and be a 3&D guy. If he can do that, what a weapon.

3. I appreciate you, Antoine Anderson. All he does is make smart, tough plays, play tough defense, rebound the ball like a guy 5 inches taller, and make his FTs. He is the guy I want at the stripe if the game depends on it.

4. That 4 guard line-up can actually work, maybe, in spots! Because basically all of the G's play bigger than they are, have good strength, and can board. Although, I really worry with Larrier playing the 5, he's fragile(though he did grab a tough rebound yesterday to seal that win).

On to MSU.

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

Oregon hit 1 FT when Carlton fouled out with what...3 min left? Then didn’t score again vs our outrageously short 4 guard lineup. Usually with a 4 guard lineup you have guys 6’3-6’5 and a 7 ft rim protector. We had....not that.

 

[Waquoit]

They worked hard and really hit the boards. Tough team defense.

 

[Guapo]

These were the hallmarks of UConn from 1990- 2014. During the transition from Calhoun --> Ollie it lapsed for whatever reason(player turnover, identity, etc). Clearly, there was an emphasis on bringing in this type of player again. And it feels really, really good for an announcer to laud our focus, intensity, and toughness after a few years in the wilderness. Shots hit and miss. Skill comes and goes. Effort, toughness are constants.

A few other notes:

1. Carlton is going to be really, really good in college. Great touch, great strength, great positioning, heady player. He is basically a Gary Clark clone. We've needed a player like that for a while.

2. Vital - Oh my god kid. Dude has such a unique set of skills. If someone can get in his head and convince him that he needs to sit in the corner and just shoot open 3's on offense, and then contribute on the crunch-time line-up with his crazy Defense/Instincts/Toughness combo he'd be a perfect player. But he absolutely cannot dribble, pass, or finish in the paint. He's gotta know his limitations and be a 3&D guy. If he can do that, what a weapon.

3. I appreciate you, Antoine Anderson. All he does is make smart, tough plays, play tough defense, rebound the ball like a guy 5 inches taller, and make his FTs. He is the guy I want at the stripe if the game depends on it.

4. That 4 guard line-up can actually work, maybe, in spots! Because basically all of the G's play bigger than they are, have good strength, and can board. Although, I really worry with Larrier playing the 5, he's fragile(though he did grab a tough rebound yesterday to seal that win).

On to MSU.

Agree with all this except I would prefer Vital slash to the basket instead of looking for corner 3's

 

[businesslawyer]

I didn't think the 4 guard would worse, and couldn't fathom why we didn't see Polley come in to finish the game. But KO made the tough call and got it done.

 

[HawkHusky]

They worked hard and really hit the boards. Tough team defense.

UCONN currently #41 in scoring defense with 62.7 points allowed per game.

 

[Stinger92860]

Agree with all this except I would prefer Vital slash to the basket instead of looking for corner 3's

He is effective, but he is not smooth, when shooting or driving. I don't care how he gets it done, but he makes us better.

 

[Guapo]

He is effective, but he is not smooth, when shooting or driving. I don't care how he gets it done, but he makes us better.

1000% agree.

And just in general this team has a lot of players that actively make us better when they are on the court.

A major departure from last year.

 

[Travelman6]

The best thing about this team, other than the obvious fact that they are better than last years team, with more solid fundementals is this: They look like they can be (and want to be) taught. They look like they can improve compared to most of the players last year who just looked so...Stagnant.

 

[bmayuc]

I didn't think the 4 guard would worse, and couldn't fathom why we didn't see Polley come in to finish the game. But KO made the tough call and got it done.

Polley did nothing all game. This was one of those streetfights where young players were not going to do well. That 5-star for Oregon looked lost, Polley looked lost too.

Looked kinda deer in headlights. That Oregon team was full of rugged wing players. Polley was not on their level of intensity or toughness.

I like his skill set, but he does nothing for me on the competitiveness front, yet. He'll be good, but when it got down to nitty gritty, KO diagnosed it right. He went with his 5 best warriors, regardless of size. I also doubted it in real time, but definitely the right call.