Remember 2011?

[3rdbass]

Donnell Beverly ain’t walkin through that door

and Charles Okwandu.

 

[3rdbass]

Who's Kemba on this team?

I guess the OP is hoping that McNeeley is that but I don't see it.

 

[Scott2Tate]

I guess the OP is hoping that McNeeley is that but I don't see it.

Nope- I know enough to say there is no Kemba on this team, but we have players that can have great success if they get their together. Just imagine if Karaban, McNeeley, and Ball put a string of games together when they are all playing at or near their peak. That’s the magic I’m hoping we see (however unrealistic it may seem to others…we’ve seen crazier things happen as Uconn fans).

 

[CONN78SEJ]

Nope- I know enough to say there is no Kemba on this team, but we have players that can have great success if they get their together. Just imagine if Karaban, McNeeley, and Ball put a string of games together when they are all playing at or near their peak. That’s the magic I’m hoping we see (however unrealistic it may seem to others…we’ve seen crazier things happen as Uconn fans).

Let’s hope we see something like what you’re saying, in March. I would add Diarra and Mahaney to that list also. If Mahaney can have a 17 or 20 pt game like he did earlier in the season, that helps us a lot and if Diarra’s knee heals in time then we have improve 100%.

 

[Hoophound]

The real question is whether or not Liam McNeeley can pull a Carmelo Anthony. I don't think so, but I'll watch him give it a shot.

 

[RuffRuff]

The real question is whether or not Liam McNeeley can pull a Carmelo Anthony. I don't think so, but I'll watch him give it a shot.

There is a scenario where:

AK finds himself
Solo gets back to shooting 44% from three
Liam settles into the player he was pre-injury, balanced scorer/passer
Hass gets healthy
Our 5's are productive and not nitwits

We get decent minutes from our bench, and figure out a way to play reasonable defense.

The player that I think needs to get hot is Karaban. The way I see it is that Hurley is already fed up with this team and he's going to let his guy go out winning/losing it for us. He's also the team leader and needs to show b@lls when it matters.

This isn't a one man team. We aren't riding the back of anyone to make a run, would have to be collective. I am not expecting another Creighton game from Liam again this season, unique situation.

 

[PAHusky]

Let’s hope we see something like what you’re saying, in March. I would add Diarra and Mahaney to that list also. If Mahaney can have a 17 or 20 pt game like he did earlier in the season, that helps us a lot and if Diarra’s knee heals in time then we have improve 100%.

Mahaney has scored 16 points total in the last five games, I'm not holding my breath. Diarra is a gamer but he's down to one leg at this point. Are these things possible? Sure. Likely? Not at all.

The two major flaws of this team are the same as they've been since Maui - they suck on defense (terrible perimeter defense and no Clingan-like presence at the rim to cover for that) and there's no one on offense whose strength is getting a bucket out of nothing. Liam is probably the closest but I think he's just an extremely good complimentary piece like AK rather than a primary scorer. AK tried to assume the mantle but he can't drive at all and his shot has abandoned him, so paradoxically the more he presses the more he gets away from the things like cutting etc that made him as good as he can be on offense the last few years. His cuts - and the offense in general - don't really work right now though because no one is afraid of a UConn playing taking them off the dribble or hitting big shots in their face, so they can stick like glue to their man. At this point Dan Hurley's sets are useless motion and empty cardio - everyone is running to the same spot but no one can score, so they run through the motion until the shot clock winds down and something gets jacked up.

 

[Superhuskies]

N.I.T.

 

[CONN78SEJ]

Mahaney has scored 16 points total in the last five games, I'm not holding my breath. Diarra is a gamer but he's down to one leg at this point. Are these things possible? Sure. Likely? Not at all.

The two major flaws of this team are the same as they've been since Maui - they suck on defense (terrible perimeter defense and no Clingan-like presence at the rim to cover for that) and there's no one on offense whose strength is getting a bucket out of nothing. Liam is probably the closest but I think he's just an extremely good complimentary piece like AK rather than a primary scorer. AK tried to assume the mantle but he can't drive at all and his shot has abandoned him, so paradoxically the more he presses the more he gets away from the things like cutting etc that made him as good as he can be on offense the last few years. His cuts - and the offense in general - don't really work right now though because no one is afraid of a UConn playing taking them off the dribble or hitting big shots in their face, so they can stick like glue to their man. At this point Dan Hurley's sets are useless motion and empty cardio - everyone is running to the same spot but no one can score, so they run through the motion until the shot clock winds down and something gets jacked up.

Well you’re partially right, but are missing the fact that lately our bigs, Reed and Johnson have been invisible. Two games ago they both scored a combined 7 points and last game scored a combined 2 points. Earlier in the season, both contributed, but lately they have been terrible. Opposing coaches see that and focus there defense on our perimeter scorers.

 

[jibsey]

N.I.T.

You think Hurley accepts an NiT bid?

 

[WiseWillie]

Hear me out. Yes, this loss to SH was horrendous. As a Xennial, I remember the 2011 Kemba season miraculous run to the NC (They had 9 losses that season, and as I recall only got into the tournament bc they won the BE tournament). Do I think this team can do the same and win the NC? Realistically not, but who knows? I’ve been shocked before (the first time literally is the reason behind my name). Do I think they are as terrible as so many have posted since the game? No!
Perhaps I’m a glass half full kinda person, but this is when our team needs our support, not a total dragging. Bright spot for all of the AK haters? He started hitting his 3s again. I’ll take that as a win. (And will now brace for all the BYers who will inevitably tell me what an idiot I am…)

You are not an idiot, Scott2Tate.

Borrowing from that fellow, Henry Wadsworth: "Behind the clouds is the sun still shining."

This team has gone through some bad losses but there is talent there. AK needs to climb out of his shooting slump. LMcN can take over a game, literally, and can bring it, Samson Johnson and TR need to control the lane to stop penetration and rebound, rebound, rebound, HD hopefully not hobbled after some rest can move the offense, Stu and others need to step up both on offense and defense and others have to contribute when called upon. The rest of the season now revolves around their will and determination to win. They need to forget about the losses and concentrate only on the next game and then the one after that - one game at a time. They need to play unselfish, team ball like we know they can and close out with wins for the remainder of the regular season. They can do it.

 

[Greedo]

The 2011 team won the Maui Invitational and was undefeated out of conference. These two teams are not even remotely the same.

 

[GotNets?]

Remember 2012. This team is 2012.

That was a horrible season… I still can’t stand Iowa State