I think it's a big reason we lost, Bouknight was forcing everything and was a net negative on offense.This. Our best offense was Bouk going on 1 on 5 since the rest of the guys were complete non-threats in the half court. Now with him gone, we have pretty much 0 returning players who can be triple threats with the ball.
I think it's a big reason we lost, Bouknight was forcing everything and was a net negative on offense.
Our style of play makes zero sense with the abilities our players have, that's on the coach.I don't blame him though. Our sets and lack of anything in the half court forced us to rely on him to make a play. The only other guy who was even adequate was Gaff and he's still not a guy you can rely upon.
Cole could not beat anyone off the dribble or get us into an offense, Polley is beyond one-dimensional, Jackson is not an offensive threat, and Martin was horrendous. Until we get multiple guys who can handle, pass, and shoot, we are going to have to rely on just going iso all the time. And our total lack of spacing just played right into Maryland's pack-line style D. The game was over from the opening possession and we never made a single adjustment or make a concerted effort to play inside/out.
I don't blame him though. Our sets and lack of anything in the half court forced us to rely on him to make a play. The only other guy who was even adequate was Gaff and he's still not a guy you can rely upon.
Cole could not beat anyone off the dribble or get us into an offense, Polley is beyond one-dimensional, Jackson is not an offensive threat, and Martin was horrendous. Until we get multiple guys who can handle, pass, and shoot, we are going to have to rely on just going iso all the time. And our total lack of spacing just played right into Maryland's pack-line style D. The game was over from the opening possession and we never made a single adjustment or make a concerted effort to play inside/out.
Our style of play makes zero sense with the abilities our players have, that's on the coach.
Guys we have 3 open scholarships in what will be perhaps the biggest, best transfer market ever, in history. We're going to add at least one impact guy on the wing. We're a team on the rise and some guy is going to see that he's a missing piece. We'll be fine next season. We're going to have SOOO many options. As teams get eliminated and as the tournament ends, the market is about to get crazy. Also don't count out a guy like Polley or Whaley coming back(and they still wouldnt even count towards our scholly total) lol. There is a greater chance that we are loaded next season, than there is that we won't have enough. We are a prime transfer destination right now. Sit back and be patient
Except I'm not sure what we are supposed to do. We are/were very flawed offensively and when forced to play half court offense, our weaknesses were consistently exposed; especially against good comp. If you are a team that can't shoot (which we were), then you need guys who can penetrate and get hoops (which we didn't have.) So we just would try to grind out most games.
Run, our whole team is built to run. Jackson's abilities are completely wasted playing the slow halfcourt style we play, Tyrese is largely wasted. It will be even more pronounced next season Jackson, Cole, Gaffney, Diggins all have the handles and vision for transition basketball. Hawkins is another super athletic wing, Samson a big who runs. We don't have the knock down shooting to play most of the game in the halfcourt.Except I'm not sure what we are supposed to do. We are/were very flawed offensively and when forced to play half court offense, our weaknesses were consistently exposed; especially against good comp. If you are a team that can't shoot (which we were), then you need guys who can penetrate and get hoops (which we didn't have.) So we just would try to grind out most games.
Run, our whole team is built to run. Jackson's abilities are completely wasted playing the slow halfcourt style we play, Tyrese is largely wasted. It will be even more pronounced next season Jackson, Cole, Gaffney, Diggins all have the handles and vision for transition basketball. Hawkins is another super athletic wing, Samson a big who runs. We don't have the knock down shooting to play most of the game in the halfcourt.
Look at the teams winning in the tournament Oregon, Arkansas, Oral Roberts, Alabama. They all run, they aren't playing 40 minutes of hell but they are always pushing off of make or miss, they mix in traps to speed things up. None of these teams have more talent and athletes than UConn. We don't have the knock down shooters and offensive execution to be great in the halfcourt, we also have a couple of players the defense doesn't even have to account for as an outside threat so teams can sag off and then double our couple of scoring threats. Hurley let less athletic and less deep teams than us dictate how we play.
Again, you are confusing athleticism with height. We were certainly longer up front but I certainly wouldnt suggest our backcourt was more athletic than theirs. They went 6'5, 6'5, 6'6 and bullied our guys around. This narrative that UConn was far more athletic is comical. In fact, that was a big part of the problem. Our guards were undersized and less athletic. Sure, we should have played faster. In order to do so, you need the guards to play fast. Your boy Cole is not that type.Run, our whole team is built to run. Jackson's abilities are completely wasted playing the slow halfcourt style we play, Tyrese is largely wasted. It will be even more pronounced next season Jackson, Cole, Gaffney, Diggins all have the handles and vision for transition basketball. Hawkins is another super athletic wing, Samson a big who runs. We don't have the knock down shooting to play most of the game in the halfcourt.
Look at the teams winning in the tournament Oregon, Arkansas, Oral Roberts, Alabama. They all run, they aren't playing 40 minutes of hell but they are always pushing off of make or miss, they mix in traps to speed things up. None of these teams have more talent and athletes than UConn. We don't have the knock down shooters and offensive execution to be great in the halfcourt, we also have a couple of players the defense doesn't even have to account for as an outside threat so teams can sag off and then double our couple of scoring threats. Hurley let less athletic and less deep teams than us dictate how we play.
Spot on. In order to play fast, you need to personnel to do so. A back court of Cole or Gaffney isn't that.Not disagreeing but I don't think our plan is to play half court offense. You need guys who can board and outlet. I feel like our bigs (for years now) grab a board and look around awkwardly for a guard. Guys who can move the ball either with the dribble or pass and then have guys who can actually make a play. Our top two defensive rebounders (Martin and Bouk) were also our best finishers. So something has to shift a bit where those guys can be out on the wings more. But I think the biggest issue (and this has been an issue for a few years) is that we just lack ballhandlers every year. It's been years since we had 3 guys who could handle well on the court at any time. Even this year, our "point guards" (neither of which were point guards) are not guys who are great ballhandlers or passers. The roster has to be improved so we can play the way I think we all want us to play.
And let's be honest, we haven't been an effective "running" team since like 09. I just looked. In that time, our highest average scoring team was Hurley's first year and we were under 500 and averaged 73 a game. We've been a half-court team for over 10 years with coaches (JC included) who were not great half-court O guys.
I'm not confusing anything. Jackson, Bouknight, and Martin are probably the most athletic wing trio in the country. We aren't particularly tall/long. Defenders just sag off Jackson and Martin in the hakfcourt. You don't know what you're watching.Again, you are confusing athleticism with height. We were certainly longer up front but I certainly wouldnt suggest our backcourt was more athletic than theirs. They went 6'5, 6'5, 6'6 and bullied our guys around. This narrative that UConn was far more athletic is comical. In fact, that was a big part of the problem. Our guards were undersized and less athletic. Sure, we should have played faster. In order to do so, you need the guards to play fast. Your boy Cole is not that type.
Not only are you dellusional but you are flat out wrong. I know exactly what I am watching. Just an fyi, Jackson played a total of 8 minutes. He also looked like he had no clue on what he was doing. Seriously, what were you watching? You want to run the ball. You need an athletic back court to facilitate that. Advantage Maryland.I'm not confusing anything. Jackson, Bouknight, and Martin are probably the most athletic wing trio in the country. We aren't particularly tall/long. Defenders just sag off Jackson and Martin in the hakfcourt. You don't know what you're watching.
Everything you're saying points to the problem with Hurley never pushing the pace of play and having less athletic teams dictate how we play, Jackson should never be playing only 8 minutes. I never noticed you as a poster before recently, now I see why. Yikes.Not only are you dellusional but you are flat out wrong. I know exactly what I am watching. Just an fyi, Jackson played a total of 8 minutes. Seriously, what were you watching?
Lol. To use your words from last week, you have been exposed. Do me a favor and continue to not notice me(which is another lie). Its not even that you are often wrong in what you are spewing on here, its that you are insufferable to match.Everything you're saying points to the problem with Hurley never pushing the pace of play and having less athletic teams dictate how we play, Jackson should never be playing only 8 minutes. I never noticed you as a poster before recently, now I see why. Yikes.
Hurley says he's the most athletic player he's ever seen live and he'll be an NBA point guard yet Hurley has made it where he's almost unplayable and this genius thinks it's a good thing he only played 8 minutes.Lol. To use your words from last week, you have been exposed. Do me a favor and continue to not notice me(which is another lie). Its not even that you are often wrong in what you are spewing on here, its that you are insufferable to match.
I forgot. When you are exposed, you pathetically try to twist words. I never said how many minutes Jackson should play. All I said, is he played 8 minutes. In those 8 minutes, he shot a ridiculous 3, had an unchareteristically bad pass to Bouknight, and amassed 4 fouls. Just so you know, I cringe every time you post.Hurley says he's the most athletic player he's ever seen live and he'll be an NBA point guard yet Hurley has made it where he's almost unplayable and this genius thinks it's a good thing he only played 8 minutes.
Fatts Russell.Spot on. In order to play fast, you need to personnel to do so. A back court of Cole or Gaffney isn't that.
Instead of Cole, sure. A backcourt of Fatts and Cole is a hard pass.Fatts Russell.
Not as weird as thinking that they were more athletic than Maryland's back court.The idea that this team was unable to play fast because of Cole and Gaffney is a pretty weird one.
Why not run waves of both at teams? Fatts is better as the off guard anyway. They can absolutely play together. Fatts gives me so much Boatright vibes. Cole is so much more Shabazz(in play style). They can play together in spurtsInstead of Cole, sure. A backcourt of Fatts and Cole is a hard pass.
Not as weird as thinking that they were more athletic than Maryland's back court.
So after watching the game on Sat, you want to go smaller in the back court? I haven't seen enough of Fatts to call him Boat. I don't see any Bazz in Cole.Why not run waves of both at teams? Fatts is better as the off guard anyway. They can absolutely play together. Fatts gives me so much Boatright vibes. Cole is so much more Shabazz(in play style). They can play together in spurts
Yeah, ok. Guy.No, guy, it's far weirder than that. But tell me again that the only reason we lost was some sort of statistical anomaly and not the same thing that has plagued them in every loss this season.
You're the guy for whom the key to the team's success is the incoming recruit, until he gets on campus and you think he's a disaster and it's the next guy who's critical.
Fatts and boat are faternal twins. Cole is Bazz like in where he likes to get his points from and his tempo of play. Again, I don’t feel like our size in the back court lost us the gameSo after watching the game on Sat, you want to go smaller in the back court? I haven't seen enough of Fatts to call him Boat. I don't see any Bazz in Cole.