Relax

[intlzncster]

I agree. I honestly think we have the talent to be a tournament team. Those freshmen bigs, and Cobb, showed a lot of activity and springiness. They looked good!

Anderson hit a very big bucket for us. Tough shot, but the clock was running down, so he had to take it. 12 points and 6 dimes in his debut for us. Pretty nice.

Nice to get that win with Jalen on the pine ("leaving the scene of a scooter accident" is a phrase I never thought I'd read), Gilbert going 2/13, and Vital forgetting to show up.

I think whether or not we make the tourny will come down to coaching. Take from that what you will. I think we have the players. With Adams, Larrier, Gilbert, Vital, and a glut of bigs to plug and play, we're much more talented than last year's squad. It'll be the staff's ability to maximize their skills that will determine how far we go. As a Celtics fan, there's no question in my mind that Brad Stevens would coach this team to the Sweet 16.

Ollie could take us there too. Or we could wind up in the NIT. (I do not see us finishing with a losing record this year, barring a catastrophic wave of injuries.)

Brad Stevens is probably in the top 10 of all basketball coaches in the NBA and NCAA combined. No way Ollie can measure up to that.

Also, I think you're taking way too much onus off of the players here. End of the day, players play.

 

[Wordbomar]

Anderson hit some big shots in the game when Colgate looked to be making little runs. Love the toughness on D as well. He is for sure the 7th-8th guy but still was a good all around game from him.

 

[formerlurker]

They were 10-22 last year and lost to canisius by 18 in the preseason

 

[TheChamps990411]

wait for Oregon before all the visions of grandeur.. Colgate is horrible

You must be great at parties.

 

[TheChamps990411]

Ollie could take us there too. Or we could wind up in the NIT. (I do not see us finishing with a losing record this year, barring a catastrophic wave of injuries.)

Ive seen plenty of Uconn teams over the years look ok against some lesser comp only to turn out to have a great year. The team thats taking the court now is nowhere near what will be come Feb and March. This team will grow over the next few months and it should be really really good barring any unforseen circumstances.

 

[mdkhusky]

You must be great at parties.

Yes that's very equatable being realistic about a win vs Colgate and going to parties!

 

[UConNation]

When you're in a hole, stop digging.

What if you're looking for buried treasure?

 

[JMick]

Ive seen plenty of Uconn teams over the years look ok against some lesser comp only to turn out to have a great year. The team thats taking the court now is nowhere near what will be come Feb and March. This team will grow over the next few months and it should be really really good barring any unforseen circumstances.

We just need to win the games we're supposed to at the start of the year. If we can do that while improving in the second half of the season we'll be ok

 

[Waquoit]

Brad Stevens is probably in the top 10 of all basketball coaches in the NBA and NCAA combined.

True. And JC took him to school in the NCAA Finals.

 

[Travelman6]

I understand, but last years team, absolutely, loses 1 if not both of these games. So that alone shows improvement, SB and Colgate are better than NE/Wagner too. So, fans are finally seeing strides in the right directions...well, baby steps. So it is exciting to see. Maybe it seems like grandeur, but it is not, just happiness to see them doing what they should be doing.

 

[Doctor Hoop]

I posted this in another thread and in other context, but it’s worth repeating.

There shouldn’t be a soul on this board that thinks this team, at this time, is concensus top 10 and a contender for a championship. There also should be no one on this board who thinks we’ve reached our peak, and that we’re already not better off than last year.

What’s better?

• Depth. We have multiple options at every position. It will be up to coaching to decide which combinations are best against which opponents.
• Jalen Adams is a year older, and I suspect more mature, although the scooter episode gives me pause.
• Hands. Guys grab and hold rebounds, and hang onto passes.
• Strength. We have literally more strength at every position, including supposed stringbeans Whaley and Polley. No one will mistake them for Schwarzenegger, but they don’t get knocked down or moved that easily thus far.
• BBall IQ. Polley, Whaley and Anderson are very good anticipating on defense and clogging passing lanes, Onourah knows how to run screen and roll, and the whole team is better at spacing and sliding to the open spot for the shot. (Hitting the shot is another story)
• Free throw shooting.

What needs work?

• Shooting. Mainly by Adams, Gilbert and Vital. 2 of the 3 need to be threats from outside the arc. That will help Larrier and Polley in particular.
• Post game. Onourah, Diarra and Cobb need to get better at establishing position and having a go-to move each direction depending on what the defense shows. And the need to recognize the double and find the open guy.
• Gilbert’s drives. He’s got to keep his head and stop leaving the floor without a plan. He also needs to realize that finishing at the hoop in college is a little different from HS.
• Stopping dribble penetration. Too many are stiff-legged on the perimeter and beat off the dribble. Vital and Anderson are pretty good at this, Adams and Gilbert not so much. Along with this, defending screen and roll needs to improve.
• Tagging 3 point shooters. Need to know where they are and get there early and balanced (see dribble penetration above).

It’s a work in progress. Whether Ollie can get the guys to improve in these areas will determine his, and the team’s fate.

 

[Excalibur]

I understand, but last years team, absolutely, loses 1 if not both of these games. So that alone shows improvement, SB and Colgate are better than NE/Wagner too.

If I'm ranking the four teams, it goes like this:

1) 2017 Stony Brook
2) 2016 Wagner
3) 2017 Colgate
4) 2016 Northeastern

There's a big gap between 2 and 3.

 

[Pmac923]

Keep the guards playing efficiently. We need timely three point shooting. There's no reason with the penetration we get to be shooting more than 20 3's a game. Vital needs to be a 15-20 mpg guy between 4-7 shots. Gilbert needs to be the main facilitator to the bigs and be the orchestrator. Adams needs to play off the ball as much as possible.

 

[beakumhawks]

 

[Waquoit]

View attachment 26211

Folks aren't coming...to games.