So Hurley was right - team plays better in OOC than the BE

[Marat]

Hurley kept saying once we get out of conference is when we play better, and he has proven that in the last 4 tournaments. Expectations are higher in the NCAAs than the Big East for how he structures the UConn teams.

Is it the physicality of the Big East that helps prepare them vs OOC ? Is it the refs ? Is it the familiarity of the opponent that hurts us in the BE ? Is it the bright lights that helps motivate them ?

 

[uconnfan68]

Hurley kept saying once we get out of conference is when we play better, and he has proven that in the last 4 tournaments. Expectations are higher in the NCAAs than the Big East for how he structures the UConn teams.

Is it the physicality of the Big East that helps prepare them vs OOC ? Is it the refs ? Is it the familiarity of the opponent that hurts us in the BE ? Is it the bright lights that helps motivate them ?

I think it's been a combination of familiarity by opponents and bias by refs. The lack of calls we get trying to run offense is a huge issue.

 

[RashadRay11]

Definitely all three, the physicality, the reffing, and the opponent (COACHING) familiarity.

 

[Kemba15]

Also hoping that if we do great in the non-conference to start next season, but have some WTF Big East moments, people will recognize that the sky isn't falling and appreciate that the non-conference games are likely more predictive than the conference ones. (cough cough, St. John's).

 

[businesslawyer]

Also hoping that if we do great in the non-conference to start next season, but have some WTF Big East moments, people will recognize that the sky isn't falling and appreciate that the non-conference games are likely more predictive than the conference ones. (cough cough, St. John's).

I hope for world peace. I have a better chance than you. LOL

 

[upstater]

Hurley kept saying once we get out of conference is when we play better, and he has proven that in the last 4 tournaments. Expectations are higher in the NCAAs than the Big East for how he structures the UConn teams.

Is it the physicality of the Big East that helps prepare them vs OOC ? Is it the refs ? Is it the familiarity of the opponent that hurts us in the BE ? Is it the bright lights that helps motivate them ?

It's the refs. Your offensive sets depend on timing. That screen is choreographed. What happens when you get a 2 hand push in the back and you can't get there? What happens when cutters are grabbed and they gum up the works?

 

[imno1]

I didn’t see much better officiating in the tournament. I just think for whatever reason we played up or down to the competition this past season.

 

[uconngb]

Also hoping that if we do great in the non-conference to start next season, but have some WTF Big East moments, people will recognize that the sky isn't falling and appreciate that the non-conference games are likely more predictive than the conference ones. (cough cough, St. John's).

Great point and one I've definitely been guilty of

 

[kobebeanbryant]

Also hoping that if we do great in the non-conference to start next season, but have some WTF Big East moments, people will recognize that the sky isn't falling and appreciate that the non-conference games are likely more predictive than the conference ones. (cough cough, St. John's).

based on our recent track record I find myself caring less and less about our in conference performance.

 

[upstater]

Also hoping that if we do great in the non-conference to start next season, but have some WTF Big East moments, people will recognize that the sky isn't falling and appreciate that the non-conference games are likely more predictive than the conference ones. (cough cough, St. John's).

The really weird thing about all the St. John's discourse in the national media is that they seemed to think UConn played 2 games against them and UConn lost both. I heard commentators on the networks say, "UConn was blown out by St. John's 2x in 2 weeks."

These knuckleheads associated going 17 minutes without a point with UConn and not St. John's.

 

[aceboon]

I didn’t see much better officiating in the tournament. I just think for whatever reason we played up or down to the competition this past season.

our guys still got held offball a ton, especially AK. During the Duke game Dame Sarr was grabbing and holding all game

 

[prankster]

It's the refs. Your offensive sets depend on timing. That screen is choreographed. What happens when you get a 2 hand push in the back and you can't get there? What happens when cutters are grabbed and they gum up the works?

Michigan wins.

THAT is what happens.

 

[Tenspro2002]

I didn’t see much better officiating in the tournament. I just think for whatever reason we played up or down to the competition this past season.

There was definitely some of that -- we generally played within 10 points of everybody whether we were 20 point favorites or 7 point underdogs. But I think there's also something to our style of play being better suited to OOC and degraded in the BE.

It's partially familiarity, it's a lot to do with the officiating -- both generally how games are called and bias against us in particular.

More than both of those, it's our opponents knowing how the games will be called and tailoring their strategy to it.

St. John's clutches and grabs us on all of our off-ball action because they know they'll get away with it. In the Tournament, opponents either:
A) can't get away with it, or
B) don't know they can get away with it and therefore play us straight up

Unfortunately, both of those fell apart against Michigan.

 

[upstater]

I hope for world peace. I have a better chance than you. LOL

Multiple times this team has had some struggles in the BE ('09, '11, '14, '23, '26) and made it to the Final 4, so you're right: clearly, we're never going to learn.

 

[CL82]

We were doing great until we got Breeding. It's the refs.

I wonder if Benedict reaches out to Ackerman on this. Literally this guy cost the conference another championship. Why are we still employing him?

 

[JB75]

Think about this glass half full mentality- and I’m not really reaching either- in the last four years. we won two Nattys and lost to both national champions. You could make the case. . We probably should’ve /could’ve beat Michigan if we didn’t shoot so poorly and the refs weren’t so horrible-(still right there in end if solo gets “and 1” there or Karaban bangs that Trey. then the Florida game , we easily gave them their toughest test of the tourney and Walter Clayton went nuts late. We probably should’ve won that game too —-so technically , we should be undefeated last four years of the tournament. That’s insane. Maybe a slight reach but maybe not. That wud make us 24-0 in tourney games last 4 years. So yeah, I do think we play better in ooc. lol

 

[Travelman6]

Also hoping that if we do great in the non-conference to start next season, but have some WTF Big East moments, people will recognize that the sky isn't falling and appreciate that the non-conference games are likely more predictive than the conference ones. (cough cough, St. John's).

If people didn't see that by the end of 2023, not sure they ever will.

Creighton and Marquette were odd losses, sure, but not the end of the world.

 

[businesslawyer]

Multiple times this team has had some struggles in the BE ('09, '11, '14, '23, '26) and made it to the Final 4, so you're right: clearly, we're never going to learn.

Some struggles? In ‘11 we finished NINTH in the Big East regular season. Ninth. With fan reaction triggering the Makers Muppet post of all time.

(Upstater said I was right in words of one syllable. I really should be smart enough to exit the coversation right there.)

 

[homunculus]

Think about this glass half full mentality- and I’m not really reaching either- in the last four years. we won two Nattys and lost to both national champions. You could make the case. . We probably should’ve /could’ve beat Michigan if we didn’t shoot so poorly and the refs weren’t so horrible-(still right there in end if solo gets “and 1” there or Karaban bangs that Trey. then the Florida game , we easily gave them their toughest test of the tourney and Walter Clayton went nuts late. We probably should’ve won that game too —-so technically , we should be undefeated last four years of the tournament. That’s insane. Maybe a slight reach but maybe not. That wud make us 24-0 in tourney games last 4 years. So yeah, I do think we play better in ooc. lol

If I recall, Condon also got away with a foul on Karaban in a critical moment late.

 

[stick]

We were doing great until we got Breeding. It's the refs.

I wonder if Benedict reaches out to Ackerman on this. Literally this guy cost the conference another championship. Why are we still employing him?

Pretty much this. We actually look fantastic even during some BE games and then just awful in a select bunch of BE games esp. when Breeding is the official.

 

[Travelman6]

Think about this glass half full mentality- and I’m not really reaching either- in the last four years. we won two Nattys and lost to both national champions. You could make the case. . We probably should’ve /could’ve beat Michigan if we didn’t shoot so poorly and the refs weren’t so horrible-(still right there in end if solo gets “and 1” there or Karaban bangs that Trey. then the Florida game , we easily gave them their toughest test of the tourney and Walter Clayton went nuts late. We probably should’ve won that game too —-so technically , we should be undefeated last four years of the tournament. That’s insane. Maybe a slight reach but maybe not. That wud make us 24-0 in tourney games last 4 years. So yeah, I do think we play better in ooc. lol

I can't stop thinking about that Karaban 3. I did last night. He was short, but if he knocked that down, UConn would be within 1 with decent time left, and then who knows. I just wish that had gone down, regardless of what else would have happened after.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

Creighton, St. Johns and Marquette were better than our OOC opponents.

 

[NIT88]

The really weird thing about all the St. John's discourse in the national media is that they seemed to think UConn played 2 games against them and UConn lost both. I heard commentators on the networks say, "UConn was blown out by St. John's 2x in 2 weeks."

These knuckleheads associated going 17 minutes without a point with UConn and not St. John's.

It was shocking how lazy some commentators cab be! It takes two minutes to check the schedule before making a comment like that.

 

[bendm]

Creighton, St. Johns and Marquette were better than our OOC opponents.

Illinois and Arizona both made the final 4 but were somehow worse than Creighton and Marquette?

 

[MexicoHusky]

Our play outside the BE is as curious as the rest of the BE's play outside the conference. They have been horrible. Jay Wright's Nova teams and us have been the only bright spots. Seems like the BE is only allowed to have 1 good team at a time.

 

[HooperScooper]

Illinois and Arizona both made the final 4 but were somehow worse than Creighton and Marquette?

 

[Steve85]

It was shocking how lazy some commentators cab be! It takes two minutes to check the schedule before making a comment like that.

we played St John’s 3x: one single digit loss on the road before we each had a home blowout victory. our blowout was much more devastating and complete from the tip than SJU’s (I know theirs was BE tourney). 3 game total: UConn 196 SJU 193…

yes, they were a very difficult matchup for us this past season but I suspect in an NBA-style 7 game playoff series the winner may well have been whomever had the home court in game 7.

 

[REB1094]

I think we all know the answer to this by now

 

[RuffRuff]

I'm a full believer in this after this year.

It's going to make me care less about BE play.

 

[homunculus]

I'm a full believer in this after this year.

It's going to make me care less about BE play.

It’s like a boot camp that breaks us down and remakes us into the machine we need to be for March. Only in the middle/later end of service instead of at the beginning.