Sick and tired

[James]

i think enoch needs to lose 20-30 pounds in the offseason. he is just too bulky and has no lift or mobility. vance too, they both look like they are playing in timbs.

 

[Sonova]

Our talent sucks this year. Our big guys are pathetic. We can't win without good guards which we only have one this year.

That's your point of view. We had 8 players today. ALL 8 of those players were ranked higher than anyone on Tulsa coming into college (I'm guessing here). And if we aren't deep enough in the backcourt after losing 1 guard (albeit a very good one), that's on the coaches. Our talent doesn't suck. It isn't used well and perhaps it hasn't been developed or assembled with the whole in mind. But, I'm in such disagreement with the sentiment that we haven't had the talent to win (more) in the AAC these last few years. God, the apologists and the lowering of the expectation bar just might be sadder and more ridiculous than the results.

 

[UConnSwag11]

 

[pj]

That's your point of view. We had 8 players today. ALL 8 of those players were ranked higher than anyone on Tulsa coming into college (I'm guessing here). And if we aren't deep enough in the backcourt after losing 1 guard (albeit a very good one), that's on the coaches. Our talent doesn't suck. It isn't used well and perhaps it hasn't been developed or assembled with the whole in mind. But, I'm in such disagreement with the sentiment that we haven't had the talent to win (more) in the AAC these last few years. God, the apologists and the lowering of the expectation bar just might be sadder and more ridiculous than the results.

We just don't have enough guards. Jalen is the only ballhandler, only creator, and almost the only scorer. All the other defects of this team grow out of that deficiency.

Alterique will make a huge difference when he gets back, so will MAL, so will Hamidou if he comes. Things could be totally different in a year with 4 top perimeter players plus Vital and Jackson in spot minutes backing them up.

I'm optimistic about next year's frontcourt of Larrier, Enoch, Josh Carlton, Durham, and Polley also. If Enoch or Carlton can emerge as a capable starting center then the team will be very solid. If KO could have reeled in Bamba or Richards, this team would be spectacular.

 

[huskymagic]

So what that still doesn't excuse the fact that Vital is taking the ball up court at the moment and it doesn't excuse Vital for being so weak minded to throw that pass, Honestly to be a D-1 player and to look so scared and tentative against Tulsa? its not like we were going up against Kentucky or Duke or Nova etc. This is not the first time this has happened either meaning the players are doing whatever they feel like and Ollie doesnt have a handle on them? Vance Jackson should go on a diet and stop moving around like a piece of wood out there and start shooting with some lift off the ground. Vital should also get his eyes checked as his shots are all over the place as well. I have never seen so many airballs and shots hit the side of the backboard from "shooters" let alone at UCONN. What the heck were they recruited for and what the heck are they doing in practice to simulate game shots and shooting. The athletic department better have some psychologists come have individual talks with some of the guys as its concerning to say the least. Let's hope for better in the new year with a new year's gift coming as well.

 

[Huskyforlife]

Vital even handling the ball at the end of any game is a travesty. In the last two min, Adams should not relinquish the ball to anybody.

This video basically sums up how I feel about our team in the 4th quarter. Just sub lebron for adams, and the rest of his team with ours.

 

[mauconnfan]

The kid picked up his dribble just over half court can't happen. Shouldn't have been in his hands I agree, not a good coaching move there at all. But they had so many more chances to win the game let's not make this the only reason.

He also hit a huge 3 which we won't hear about from those who prefer to hammer Vital, who I then is doing a decent job considering the expectations were to play about 5-10 minutes a game at the most preseason. They make their FT's after his 3 we win.

 

[jibsey]

We just don't have enough guards. Jalen is the only ballhandler, only creator, and almost the only scorer. All the other defects of this team grow out of that deficiency.

Alterique will make a huge difference when he gets back, so will MAL, so will Hamidou if he comes. Things could be totally different in a year with 4 top perimeter players plus Vital and Jackson in spot minutes backing them up.

I'm optimistic about next year's frontcourt of Larrier, Enoch, Josh Carlton, Durham, and Polley also. If Enoch or Carlton can emerge as a capable starting center then the team will be very solid. If KO could have reeled in Bamba or Richards, this team would be spectacular.

No pj, Larrier OK, but I need to see more strength and talent down there. Could our front court be worse than Brimah and Facey? maybe.

 

[Chief00]

That's how I saw it too.

It was off Tulsa

 

[Chief00]

I didn't see that foul, our shotblockers went straight up and any contact was initiated by the offensive player. Adams foul was as clear as day. He didn't come close to making the layup because the scrub raked right across his arm. There is a reason it's always supposed to be called when someone rakes your arm on a jump shot or layup, you can't make the shot.

I think it's at the point that you complain to the league office.

 

[intlzncster]

i think enoch needs to lose 20-30 pounds in the offseason. he is just too bulky and has no lift or mobility. vance too, they both look like they are playing in timbs.

Chief's head is on a swivel right now.

 

[intlzncster]

That's your point of view. We had 8 players today. ALL 8 of those players were ranked higher than anyone on Tulsa coming into college (I'm guessing here). And if we aren't deep enough in the backcourt after losing 1 guard (albeit a very good one), that's on the coaches. Our talent doesn't suck. It isn't used well and perhaps it hasn't been developed or assembled with the whole in mind. But, I'm in such disagreement with the sentiment that we haven't had the talent to win (more) in the AAC these last few years. God, the apologists and the lowering of the expectation bar just might be sadder and more ridiculous than the results.

When you don't have enough guards, especially ballhandlers, you lose. One of UCONN's greatest collection of talents ever lost to George Mason, largely because they didn't have a second PG/Ballhandler.

 

[jayteeman]

Adams was hacked across the arm on what would have been the game winning layup. I don't normally blame the refs but it's gotten ridiculous. It was a blatant foul and the game should be over.

This was one of the first games where everyone....except Durham...had at least one un-explainable momentary collapse of basketball skill...some had more than one. The dreaded turnover icing was plastered across all of their faces....not to mention corner shots that either hit the backboard or shots pushed into the rim uncontested.

Take back just one of these (17 TO or uncontested events) and we win a freekin' game against a no-name team in a no-name conference with no-name refs.

 

[InKembaITrust]

They could have correctly called a foul at the other end on the make - and UConn may have been down one and never would have gotten that look.

Agreed, the refs had little to no control over this game. I remember 1 call that got me out of my seat was the Tulsa kid trying to drive past Purvis from the top of the key in the 2nd half, I think Purvis' knee GRAZED him and he got the call. Incidental contact if you even want to call it contact, but other then that Purvis didn't even touch the guy. That one got me heated.

But you're right, the Tulsa kid who made that ridiculous layup at the end to tie the game was absolutely fouled, so we got off easy there. Sure Adams got fouled too but I view it as the refs evening the playing field after not calling the And-1 on the previous play.

As far as the game was concerned, the entire time all I was thinking was "man, couldn't get two more mediocre teams making each other look better than they really are 'cause they're so evenly matched." I chose the wrong year to buy season tickets for the first time....

Vital throwing the ball away, whatever, freshman mistake. Call it bad coaching, whatever scape goat you wanna throw at it. At the end of the day it'll tie back into the narrative that these freshman are getting valuable extra playing time this season that should pay off with the following seasons to come. These game deciding mistakes early in their careers should haunt them into never making them again.

 

[InKembaITrust]

This was one of the first games where everyone....except Durham...had at least one un-explainable momentary collapse of basketball skill...some had more than one. The dreaded turnover icing was plastered across all of their faces....not to mention corner shots that either hit the backboard or shots pushed into the rim uncontested.

Take back just one of these (17 TO or uncontested events) and we win a freekin' game against a no-name team in a no-name conference with no-name refs.

and YES...the Achilles heel of this team once again is TOs!!

WE HAVE A DECENT TEAM. The TOs make us a below average team. Can't stay consistent with taking care of the ball

 

[upstater]

I don't care what people say but even down to 8 players we shouldn't be losing to this Tulsa team! If KO has another bad year he will be fired.

And that will be the end of UConn athletics.

 

[upstater]

i think enoch needs to lose 20-30 pounds in the offseason. he is just too bulky and has no lift or mobility. vance too, they both look like they are playing in timbs.

But, isn't this the opposite of what we say with Brimah and Facey? Put on some pounds, we say. Not saying you're wrong, but it seems we need one guy on the team to bring the beef.

 

[upstater]

When you don't have enough guards, especially ballhandlers, you lose. One of UCONN's greatest collection of talents ever lost to George Mason, largely because they didn't have a second PG/Ballhandler.

Also important to remember that UConn lost to San Diego when AJ Price went down.

This was the year before Kemba Walker showed up.

I can't even remember who took over for AJ when he tore his ACL. Was it Craig Austrie? Funny that people are saying Austrie would be a huge improvement over Vital, since UConn had no business losing that big game to San Diego (this is a U. San Diego the Catholic school, not San Diego State).

 

[upstater]

So what that still doesn't excuse the fact that Vital is taking the ball up court at the moment and it doesn't excuse Vital for being so weak minded to throw that pass, Honestly to be a D-1 player and to look so scared and tentative against Tulsa? its not like we were going up against Kentucky or Duke or Nova etc. This is not the first time this has happened either meaning the players are doing whatever they feel like and Ollie doesnt have a handle on them? Vance Jackson should go on a diet and stop moving around like a piece of wood out there and start shooting with some lift off the ground. Vital should also get his eyes checked as his shots are all over the place as well. I have never seen so many airballs and shots hit the side of the backboard from "shooters" let alone at UCONN. What the heck were they recruited for and what the heck are they doing in practice to simulate game shots and shooting. The athletic department better have some psychologists come have individual talks with some of the guys as its concerning to say the least. Let's hope for better in the new year with a new year's gift coming as well.

How long have you been watching UConn bball? You act like this "weak-mindedness" as you put it is somehow beneath UConn. Yet we saw what Shabazz did late in the 2011 national championship game when he had a temporary moment of "what the hell!" Things like this happen with 19 year olds. And then they come back and become players of the year.

 

[upstater]

We just don't have enough guards. Jalen is the only ballhandler, only creator, and almost the only scorer. All the other defects of this team grow out of that deficiency.

Alterique will make a huge difference when he gets back, so will MAL, so will Hamidou if he comes. Things could be totally different in a year with 4 top perimeter players plus Vital and Jackson in spot minutes backing them up.

I'm optimistic about next year's frontcourt of Larrier, Enoch, Josh Carlton, Durham, and Polley also. If Enoch or Carlton can emerge as a capable starting center then the team will be very solid. If KO could have reeled in Bamba or Richards, this team would be spectacular.

Clearly, UConn will go small next year, especially if Diallo comes. Guard heavy, with Larrier at the PF.

 

[UCweCONN]

We've been saying "wait until next year" for a few years now.

 

[SouthBayHusky]

How long have you been watching UConn bball? You act like this "weak-mindedness" as you put it is somehow beneath UConn. Yet we saw what Shabazz did late in the 2011 national championship game when he had a temporary moment of "what the hell!" Things like this happen with 19 year olds. And then they come back and become players of the year.

I like your optimism, but this isn't an isolated weak minded play or even a weak Season. You have to go back to the 60s to find such consistent weakness. And the quality of players then versus now is not even close which makes it even more puzzling. We are now on the third season, in a row, with very weak play. I wish I could spin this better, but facts are facts. You can't isolate one game and compare against an isolated weak game during Kemba's years and say it's no different. There's a huge difference

 

[HuskyHawk]

The only thing miserable than watching these games is reading you guy reliving the misery. This team is just sucking a lot of joy out of life and they find new and creative ways to lose each game. It's not just that they are undermanned. They clearly should have beaten Tulsa with the players they had.

 

[upstater]

I like your optimism, but this isn't an isolated weak minded play or even a weak Season. You have to go back to the 60s to find such consistent weakness. And the quality of players then versus now is not even close which makes it even more puzzling. We are now on the third season, in a row, with very weak play. I wish I could spin this better, but facts are facts. You can't isolate one game and compare against an isolated weak game during Kemba's years and say it's no different. There's a huge difference

I don't agree. Obviously. I think these players are strong, tough, and will develop.

I think Vital is going to come back and become a vital (heh) cog for us. I think Jalen will be an all-time great. I am not sure what will happen with Vance, but I see this team coming together strong. It needs a ballhandler like Alterique. Or MAL. Luckily, they are coming.

The kid who is being raked over the coals here is actually on the tougher side, not the weak-minded side. I like Vital a lot.

Come back to this post in a year, you'll see what I mean.

 

[SouthBayHusky]

I don't agree. Obviously. I think these players are strong, tough, and will develop.

I think Vital is going to come back and become a vital (heh) cog for us. I think Jalen will be an all-time great. I am not sure what will happen with Vance, but I see this team coming together strong. It needs a ballhandler like Alterique. Or MAL. Luckily, they are coming.

The kid who is being raked over the coals here is actually on the tougher side, not the weak-minded side. I like Vital a lot.

Come back to this post in a year, you'll see what I mean.

I don't agree. Obviously. I think these players are strong, tough, and will develop.

I think Vital is going to come back and become a vital (heh) cog for us. I think Jalen will be an all-time great. I am not sure what will happen with Vance, but I see this team coming together strong. It needs a ballhandler like Alterique. Or MAL. Luckily, they are coming.

The kid who is being raked over the coals here is actually on the tougher side, not the weak-minded side. I like Vital a lot.

Come back to this post in a year, you'll see what I mean.

I do

I don't agree. Obviously. I think these players are strong, tough, and will develop.

I think Vital is going to come back and become a vital (heh) cog for us. I think Jalen will be an all-time great. I am not sure what will happen with Vance, but I see this team coming together strong. It needs a ballhandler like Alterique. Or MAL. Luckily, they are coming.

The kid who is being raked over the coals here is actually on the tougher side, not the weak-minded side. I like Vital a lot.

Come back to this post in a year, you'll see what I mean.

I do not disagree, that next year if our talent returns, we will be good. My problem is that the talent we still have, should not be placing us as a top 150 or worse team. But yes, next year I have no doubt we're going to be a much different team.