Same script

[Doctor Hoop]

In watching the game yesterday what I noticed other than that UConn was not assisting many baskets and seemed to be turning the ball over was the following:

1. The team didn't make a concerted effort it seemed to get the ball inside to the bigs. I'm not sure why given that we had a size advantage across the front line. I would have been pounding it inside the whole game. We never seem to do that anymore. I understand our bigs aren't great offensive weapons but if we don't ever get them the ball in the paint they will rarely score baskets for us.
2. The three guard lineup with Alterique in and Larrier at the 4 seems to leave Purvis out in a cold a little bit. While I can see this lineup being explosive when we want to run it seemed to sort of push him out of his normal spots in the half court offense.
3. If we were trying to run I would have thought we would have pressed and trapped more to try to get some turnovers to push the tempo.
4. Again the offensive execution was...offensive. Nobody seemed to know what they should be doing.
5. Larrier plays a little out of control at times but he is a stud.
6. Gilbert had a really nice floor game and is great driving the basket.

Not a great start to be sure, but I'm not ready to order my NIT tickets just yet.

My thoughts on a couple of your points, with which I mostly agree:

1. The bigs seem to be limited in their ability to hold their man off in postups. We end up with a lot of deflected passes, if the guards don't just give up on trying to dump it in. I would like to see them get it inside against smaller teams, but that'll require interior screening and movement across and up-down the paint.
2. Purvis doesn't do enough to see the open spot and get to it ready to shoot. If he would do that he'd have a lot more open threes off penetration by Adams and Gilbert (in that lineup you mention), or he'd have a defender charging out at him, and he could then go by for his floater. That seems to be a better shot for him than getting all the way to the hoop.
3. The offensive execution with this offense requires NBA skills. We have two players right now with those skills - Larrier and Gilbert - and they are even marginal for that characterization. Adams needs better outside shooting and to improve finishing or drawing contact at the hoop to get there. Wagner got open shots working side to side and inside out. We ought to be able to do it.

 

[80shusky]

So, because I am an idiot I just watched the replay of the game (thanks @tcf15 ) and looked for every time that UConn passed the ball into the paint. I eliminated hand offs between guards and stuff like that which happened to be in the paint but weren't a real entry pass. The team made as far as I could see exactly 12 passes into the paint in the entire game.
1st Half.
Lob to Brimah.
Pass into Brimah he failed to secure.
Pass into Enoch no shot.
Pass into Enoch missed shot.
Pass into Brimah who was fouled (but this was really on a stalled drive by Larrier who had nowhere else to go).
Pass into Brimah no shot (but this was really a stalled drive by Purvis and Brimah was far from the basket).
Lob to Brimah.
2nd Half.
Pass into Enoch missed jump hook.
Pass into Brimah missed jump hook.
Pass into Larrier who missed turnaround jumpshot and was fouled.
Pass into Larrier who made short jumper.
Gilbert dumps to Larrier during drive.

I was looking at the offensive sets as I looked for the passes and noticed in many cases the bigs (excluding Larrier) were mostly not presenting themselves for a pass but setting screens away from the basket for the guards or Brimah lurking the baseline to set up a lob/dunk. Rather than actually presenting themselves as a target for an entry pass they were more often trying to free the guards or Larrier to score. I do understand that this is an important part of their function but it seems like that is all KO has them doing. In many cases the bigs weren't even close to the basket. I do understand that you don't want to repeat something that isn't successful but I think we should have a little more commitment to it than this.

 

[Palatine]

Team can't shoot. A team that plays zone will love playing...oh carp!!!!!!!

Lots of UConn teams couldn't shoot and wold still beat Wagner.

I'm more concerned with Ollies' body language and lack of fire.

 

[mauconnfan]

So, because I am an idiot I just watched the replay of the game (thanks @tcf15 ) and looked for every time that UConn passed the ball into the paint. I eliminated hand offs between guards and stuff like that which happened to be in the paint but weren't a real entry pass. The team made as far as I could see exactly 12 passes into the paint in the entire game.
1st Half.
Lob to Brimah.
Pass into Brimah he failed to secure.
Pass into Enoch no shot.
Pass into Enoch missed shot.
Pass into Brimah who was fouled (but this was really on a stalled drive by Larrier who had nowhere else to go).
Pass into Brimah no shot (but this was really a stalled drive by Purvis and Brimah was far from the basket).
Lob to Brimah.
2nd Half.
Pass into Enoch missed jump hook.
Pass into Brimah missed jump hook.
Pass into Larrier who missed turnaround jumpshot and was fouled.
Pass into Larrier who made short jumper.
Gilbert dumps to Larrier during drive.

I was looking at the offensive sets as I looked for the passes and noticed in many cases the bigs (excluding Larrier) were mostly not presenting themselves for a pass but setting screens away from the basket for the guards or Brimah lurking the baseline to set up a lob/dunk. Rather than actually presenting themselves as a target for an entry pass they were more often trying to free the guards or Larrier to score. I do understand that this is an important part of their function but it seems like that is all KO has them doing. In many cases the bigs weren't even close to the basket. I do understand that you don't want to repeat something that isn't successful but I think we should have a little more commitment to it than this.

But you can't throw it to someone who won't make a play and then to top it off, can't pass the ball back out without us the fans having a heart attack. I hear what you're saying we need to be able to play inside-out for sure but don't have the horses. The one horse we do have is Enoch and he needs to earn more minutes but I do believe he can help us on the block, make teams play him to open up space, much needed space. Without people who can catch and make plays with their back to the basket, teams won't double down or give the opportunity to make this type of game available their too smart. We need Steve to get better so we can see the improvement you are talking about. And I agree it's an essential piece of a half court offense.

 

[tennmike]

1) Team isn't ready to play to start the half. Went down 11-4 in the first. Took five minutes to score in the second and gave up a 11-2 run along the way. Love the bizarre mix and match lineups that never, ever work.

2) We still have a couple of seven-footers who can't rebound a basketball or get in the way of someone who can.

3) The offense is still dysfunctional.

Numbers one and three are entirely on the coaching staff - not sure what these guys are doing in practice, but we're into years now where this seems to be an issue.

Number two is on the coaching staff as well; if you can't develop a prospect in the front court, start recruiting ready-made players.

 

[tennmike]

1) Team isn't ready to play to start the half. Went down 11-4 in the first. Took five minutes to score in the second and gave up a 11-2 run along the way. Love the bizarre mix and match lineups that never, ever work.

2) We still have a couple of seven-footers who can't rebound a basketball or get in the way of someone who can.

3) The offense is still dysfunctional.

Numbers one and three are entirely on the coaching staff - not sure what these guys are doing in practice, but we're into years now where this seems to be an issue.

Number two is on the coaching staff as well; if you can't develop a prospect in the front court, start recruiting ready-made players.

We are watching a steady march to irrelevance. At this point you would have to say that KO's in-game coaching is below average; better on paper, substandard results. And then there is the lack of player development. We all see it, why is it that the staff seems so oblivious to it when determining playing time?

 

[Kitaman]

I like him too. But my point was if the wagner coach had our guys the last month they would have blown out Ollie with Wagners players

I think Wagner treated UConn as a huge game against the best opponent they will face. They were hungry and wanted to prove they could beat a team like ours.

It seemed we treated Wagner with little respect and possibly overlooked them. We were outplayed, out-hustled, outfought and in a sense punked. Tomorrow night will be telling and will say a little more about our squad. Hopefully they will sense some desperation because this was a bad loss at home and could be damaging come Selection Sunday.

 

[UC990411]

I must admit that the old me would have been completely worked up over this loss. The effort was that pathetic. The result was that embarrassing. Sadly, though, I am not surprised by last nights game. Even worse, I am not even upset. Instead, I am numb. Realignment and life as an outsider emptied the remaining passion I had for college sports. Last night was not just an unbelievable loss to a school like Wagner. Last night was foreshadowing of a new norm. UConn was left out of the P5. The discussion of UConn Mens Basketball as a national brand, a "blue blood", or best yet, the college basketball capital of the world, is a thing of the past. Be thankful you were a diehard fan during that run. The magic created during those 25 years should last most of us a lifetime. It was that special. Last night, last year, last whatever, looked nothing like the UConn I was so passionate about.

This is the most real thing ever written on here. UConn as we knew it will never be the same, it's a cold and hard truth but the sooner we accept it the easier the mediocrity will be to handle.

 

[NielsisGood]

Problem is that when he went away from Brimah, Enoch was a bigger disaster. Gave us nothing more than Brimah with the added bonus of less defense.

Not even sure I'd say that at this point. Aside from that ball that he swatted out of bounds, when else did he challenge a shot or body anyone up? At least Enoch still has some theoretical upside, I'd rather continue taking a chance on that than going with a guy we already know is extremely limited.