RJ just not good enough | Page 2 | The Boneyard

RJ just not good enough

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I disagree with most of this but at end of game and half. Cole is just not the guy. I agree with that. When the original play hurley calls go bust he gets lost and can’t create.but he’s who we have and no one else can make a layup.
 
Can't criticize Hurley because guys who know more than you (ask them) will give you flak
 
NDakotaHusky said:
There's no point calling out Cole. The team lost and the team is not good enough. I could replace Cole's name with 3 or 4 different names.
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The other 3-4 names aren’t praised as “the next great UConn player/PG” or lauded as all Big East caliber guys.

If we agree RJ is just another piece on this team okay, but that’s not how he’s treated so he gets the blame.
 
Cole missed a lot of good looks tonight that he usually makes. I’ll give him a pass on everything except for the fact this is not the first game he’s missed key FTs down the stretch

For a 90% FT shooter that’s cause for concern. Especially come March
 
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campcalhoun2009 said:
The other 3-4 names aren’t praised as “the next great UConn player/PG” or lauded as all Big East caliber guys.

If we agree RJ is just another piece on this team okay, but that’s not how he’s treated so he gets the blame.
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Can't speak for the board but I've never considered Cole as the next great UCONN pg. For about 25% of his UCONN career I didn't even consider him a PG.

Things Cole should be praised for. Turning himself into a pg is the first thing. Recognizing situations he handles well and doing his best to put himself in those situations is something Cole should be praised for. Next great UCONN PG ia something I've never considered or frankly heard or read.
 
campcalhoun2009 said:
Common denominator in all these disappointments and late game droughts is the fact that RJ just is not good enough to pull out a W in these situations.

When he’s in hero mode and things are falling, sure we all love him. But he’s the DEFINITION of a ball stopper. He sits around and dribbles for 3/4 of the shot clock and we get up some hot potato shot.

On top of that, missing key free throws is just to be expected from him.

We need a new philosophy late game. The ball just can’t go through him anymore.
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You really want to blame Cole for this loss? Did you see anyone getting open on offense or even able to make and outside shot besides Whaley? Polley was being played tight off screens and Sanogo was being double teamed in the post and became a black hole. I don't even want to talk about Martin as he was a big time disappointment for a SR.
 
mrl2016 said:
Cole missed a lot of good looks tonight that he usually makes. I’ll give him a pass on everything except for the fact this is not the first game he’s missed key FTs down the stretch

For a 90% FT shooter that’s cause for concern. Especially come March
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I will agree those FT's hurt. Cole was tired. We really need someone decent who could give him a blow.
 
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campcalhoun2009 said:
Common denominator in all these disappointments and late game droughts is the fact that RJ just is not good enough to pull out a W in these situations.

When he’s in hero mode and things are falling, sure we all love him. But he’s the DEFINITION of a ball stopper. He sits around and dribbles for 3/4 of the shot clock and we get up some hot potato shot.

On top of that, missing key free throws is just to be expected from him.

We need a new philosophy late game. The ball just can’t go through him anymore.
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Post/handle
 
campcalhoun2009 said:
Common denominator in all these disappointments and late game droughts is the fact that RJ just is not good enough to pull out a W in these situations.

When he’s in hero mode and things are falling, sure we all love him. But he’s the DEFINITION of a ball stopper. He sits around and dribbles for 3/4 of the shot clock and we get up some hot potato shot.

On top of that, missing key free throws is just to be expected from him.

We need a new philosophy late game. The ball just can’t go through him anymore.
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Hahahagaha. This guy.
 
He had an off night at the same time as everyone else aside from Whaley. It happens.
 
Kathy said:
Yeah they did - the announcers commented on the 2 hour shoot around this afternoon
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Was at game so didn’t hear this- I really know nothing about Division 1 preparation but do a lot of teams do this the day of a game? Anyone know or have an idea?
 
Palatine said:
Another 0-7 for Hawkins/Polley didn't help.
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The lack of help from the bench is really a problem. I’d say we need a combination of 15 points a game from Polley and Hawkins or we are not getting to the 2nd weekend in March. Cole isn’t the problem. Sanogo and Martin need some help to unclog the paint. We may be able to get by with one guy having a great offensive game against Depaul and Butler but it’s not going to work against anyone over .500 in the Big East.
 
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Without RJ - this team is toast - Dan Hurley relies on him so much and RJ has carried the team to quite a few wins
They need another combo guard who has some length
 
Everything is fine. We’re back in the big east. That’s all

if you’ve never been to the BE tournament @ the garden yoooooo
 
Palatine said:
Cole had a tough game. 5-16 with 0 threes. It happens.

What surprised me is that he was gassed in the first half. Bent over, hands on his hips, he didn't look conditioned. In fact, in the first half, Creighton was clearly the better conditioned team. Their defense had a ton of energy and they killed us on the boards. It showed with a 10 point half time lead.
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I noticed that too - he was huffing and barely able to play D. Also shots were short or just didn’t look able to get by anyone.

But overall, the rest of the team was brutal. I’m not sure where the idea comes from that this team can shoot, that starting lineup and most of the bench can’t consistently knock down Js and for some reason tonight Cole wasn’t even taking them.

I was watching but not studying every play, so I can’t be sure what the issue was, but Hurley seemed frustrated. Until Hawkins can develop, we have no one to really create their own shot. If we don’t pound it in the post like it’s 1988 or get out and run (which we don’t try to do much), our O is ugly.
 
Palatine said:
Cole had a tough game. 5-16 with 0 threes. It happens.

What surprised me is that he was gassed in the first half. Bent over, hands on his hips, he didn't look conditioned. In fact, in the first half, Creighton was clearly the better conditioned team. Their defense had a ton of energy and they killed us on the boards. It showed with a 10 point half time lead.
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They had an insane stretch of 7 minutes straight with 0 timeouts, subs, free throw attempts, and minimal stoppage. Both teams were beat. Shouldn't read into that.
 
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husky429 said:
How about...

Sanogo 3/10
Jackson 2/11
Martin 2/9

This was a collective failure of our leadership, including our coaches.

Cole played bad. The idea that he's the only problem here is ludicrous.
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I don't think anyone is suggesting Cole is the only problem. However he is arguably the most important player as far as getting our offensive rhythm going and for leadership so when he is not playing a smart game it ends up putting an inordinate amount of pressure on the rest of the squad.

Certainly much of this abysmal, uninspired, unenthusiastic performance can be blamed squarely on the coaching staff. Clearly this team is not mature enough collectively to be able to avoid this kind of performance at home with a nice crowd and seize on the opportunity not only on getting their first win against Creighton, but also a big east win along with necessary momentum heading into Saturdays game with Villanova. We cannot drop these kinds of games and expect to be in the mix for a Big East Regular season or tournament title.

This team cannot afford a bad. undisciplined game by Cole. He is the key on the floor and the rest of the team follows.

Extremely disappointed with this performance.
 
DMIL said:
I don't think anyone is suggesting Cole is the only problem. However he is arguably the most important player as far as getting our offensive rhythm going and for leadership so when he is not playing a smart game it ends up putting an inordinate amount of pressure on the rest of the squad.

Certainly much of this abysmal, uninspired, unenthusiastic performance can be blamed squarely on the coaching staff. Clearly this team is not mature enough collectively to be able to avoid this kind of performance at home with a nice crowd and seize on the opportunity not only on getting their first win against Creighton, but also a big east win along with necessary momentum heading into Saturdays game with Villanova. We cannot drop these kinds of games and expect to be in the mix for a Big East Regular season or tournament title.

This team cannot afford a bad. undisciplined game by Cole. He is the key on the floor and the rest of the team follows.

Extremely disappointed with this performance.
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Cole looked tired and Chreighton had a great game plan on him. They tired Cole out throwing multiple defenders guardlng him as there was always someone fresh. Cole looked tired by his shots. Unfortunately Cole can't do it game in and game out as he needs help. Cole was good against Depaul but unfortunately he had a bad game this time. Martin needs to step up his game as he is a Sr.
 
CV1 said:
The lack of help from the bench is really a problem. I’d say we need a combination of 15 points a game from Polley and Hawkins or we are not getting to the 2nd weekend in March. Cole isn’t the problem. Sanogo and Martin need some help to unclog the paint. We may be able to get by with one guy having a great offensive game against Depaul and Butler but it’s not going to work against anyone over .500 in the Big East.
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Cole is only a problem because there is no other option.

I've said it many times, Cole at 28-30 mpg where he plays about around 20-22 as the PG and the rest as the SG would be ideal. Unfortunately, Gaff has completely gone astray and Diggins isn't ready so Cole is forced in to a 35 mpg PG role.

If he has an off night, like he did last night, and every guard has had, UConn has no one to pick up the slack and take the reigns from him.

Cole was off from the get go, short arming and front rimming everything. He wasn't even looking for his 3 point shot. The two starting wing players, both of whom are 40% 3 point shooters for the season, didn't help out. The two shooters off the bench, Hawkins and Polley, didn't help out. Gaff fell over crossing the court. Again.

Hawkins, Polley, Martin and Jackson combined to shoot 4-27 from the field and 1-10 from 3. They combined for 14 points. They played 96 of the 200 available minutes in a game. I'll go on a limb and suggest UConn loses almost every game going forward if those numbers stay consistent.
 
Something was clearly off with Cole last night. He would get by their pg at ease and have a clear lane to the hoop countless times but for some reason chose to pull the ball back.
 
W/O Cole they are an 8 win team maybe...this team is 5.5 players deep. You can X/O argue to death, but they are thin. I don't think the staff thought they'd be this thin at this point in season. Hawkins is a deer in headlights, Akok obviously not in it, Gaffney regressed and Polley helps at times. This could be going sideways and too bad I hope that's not the case because I like the mentality of these kids and Hurley.
 
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