Some X’s and O’s stuff

[HuskyNan]

The below video is of the UConn men. Stay with me, women’s team-only fans. This clip is of the same play over and over with different players. I know I’ll mangle this and our resident coaches will chime in (please do!) but it’s basically pass-pass-pass on the perimeter, a screener comes out to set a pick (aka screen), then the screener rolls to the basket in a classic pick & roll (P&R). The man with the ball can pass to the roller or another player or shoot, depending on what the defense does. In the first couple plays, the screener is 7-2 Donovan Clingan (#32). The women run this play, too.

Hopefully this clip will encourage women’s team-only fans to check out some UConn men’s games. The team plays an awful lot like the classic women’s teams, the healthy ones. The men are a likable bunch, too, that say how much they like the team atmosphere and family vibes.

 

[LwrcasefaN]

Cappy and Carrill must be proud. I'm always impressed when I see this at the HS level. It's hard to maintain the rotations and reads even in a single offensive set...let alone an entire game with subs. Takes a lot of practice and team chemistry.

 

[yhun89]

Y'all should absolutely watch the men. Hurley's strategic brain is unmatched by any other men's coach right now.

 

[yhun89]

He's also entertaining. Watching him have to be warned by a ref not to push his players into their positions was funny. Sixth man on the court. Passionate. Similar to Mulkey but without the major controversy.

 

[Bone Dog]

Similar to Mulkey but without the major controversy.

… and better hair?

 

[Pharos]

The below video is of the UConn men. Stay with me, women’s team-only fans. This clip is of the same play over and over with different players. I know I’ll mangle this and our resident coaches will chime in (please do!) but it’s basically pass-pass-pass on the perimeter, a screener comes out to set a pick (aka screen), then the screener rolls to the basket in a classic pick & roll (P&R). The man with the ball can pass to the roller or another player or shoot, depending on what the defense does. In the first couple plays, the screener is 7-2 Donovan Clingan (#32). The women run this play, too.

Hopefully this clip will encourage women’s team-only fans to check out some UConn men’s games. The team plays an awful lot like the classic women’s teams, the healthy ones. The men are a likable bunch, too, that say how much they like the team atmosphere and family vibes.

"the healthy ones" strongly agree... It's almost as thought "healthy" equals true "Xs" and "Os"... A lot of teams just drive and heave.

 

[LwrcasefaN]

… and better hair?

But can he squat in heels? She gets my vote. That aint easy.

 

[CL82]

There is a good interview of Dan Hurley with JJ Reddick in which they discuss what's happening in pretty good detail. Hurley essentially runs 10 different sets and each of those has four or five different variations to it so it is impossible for the opposing team to know what's coming.

Add to that that the last two championship teams have had different looks at center available to them, first Sanogo and Clingan, which forced defenders to battle against a 6'9" 245 lb physical center in the paint only to have to face a 7' 2" mobile giant when the starting center went out. Last year it was Clingan and Samson Johnson so you had to be ready to face the 7'2" mobile monster and then face 6'10" Johnson's speed and leaping ability. That depth at center has been a big part of our success. This year it's Johnson and 6'10" 265 lb Reed who is a big boy in the mold of Sanogo.

But, yes I absolutely agree that the motion offense reminds me a lot of the best UConn women's basketball teams.

 

[uconnfan68]

There is a good interview of Dan Hurley with JJ Reddick in which they discuss what's happening in pretty good detail. Hurley essentially runs 10 different sets and each of those has four or five different variations to it so it is impossible for the opposing team to know what's coming.

Add to that that the last two championship teams have had different looks at center available to them, first Sanogo and Clingan, which forced defenders to battle against a 6'9" 245 lb physical center in the paint only to have to face a 7' 2" mobile giant when the starting center went out. Last year it was Clingan and Samson Johnson so you had to be ready to face the 7'2" mobile monster and then face 6'10" Johnson's speed and leaping ability. That depth at center has been a big part of our success. This year it's Johnson and 6'10" 265 lb Reed who is a big boy in the mold of Sanogo.

But, yes I absolutely agree that the motion offense reminds me a lot of the best UConn women's basketball teams.

Just want the women to dunk those P&R tosses.

 

[meyers7]

There is a good interview of Dan Hurley with JJ Reddick in which they discuss what's happening in pretty good detail. Hurley essentially runs 10 different sets and each of those has four or five different variations to it so it is impossible for the opposing team to know what's coming.

Add to that that the last two championship teams have had different looks at center available to them, first Sanogo and Clingan, which forced defenders to battle against a 6'9" 245 lb physical center in the paint only to have to face a 7' 2" mobile giant when the starting center went out. Last year it was Clingan and Samson Johnson so you had to be ready to face the 7'2" mobile monster and then face 6'10" Johnson's speed and leaping ability. That depth at center has been a big part of our success. This year it's Johnson and 6'10" 265 lb Reed who is a big boy in the mold of Sanogo.

But, yes I absolutely agree that the motion offense reminds me a lot of the best UConn women's basketball teams.

To me, it sounds like you're saying the women's team needs a "big".

 

[Centerstream]

Thanks for the video and encouraging us WBB only fans to check out the UConn Men's game but unfortunately they are playing other men's teams.
I gave up watching the men's game in the early 90s when IMO it became a game of dunks. When almost every player on the court could dunk, it was no longer the same game.

 

[CL82]

Just want the women to dunk those P&R tosses.

Patterson, when healthy, actually has a functional dunk, so who knows, it could happen.

 

[CL82]

To me, it sounds like you're saying the women's team needs a "big".

Yeah, I guess I could've avoided the whole center situation, but that is part of what makes the men's team so devastating, having that change up at center. It keeps the opposing teams defense off balance.

For what it's worth, Jana was on one heck of a run last year. Had she been healthy, the women's team probably would have had that one /two punch.

 

[HuskyNan]

Thanks for the video and encouraging us WBB only fans to check out the UConn Men's game but unfortunately they are playing other men's teams.
I gave up watching the men's game in the early 90s when IMO it became a game of dunks. When almost every player on the court could dunk, it was no longer the same game.

Not true at the college level. There are dunks but only because it’s a high percentage shot against an equally big defender. It's not one "look at me" dunk after another the way some people seem to think.

You are criticizing a game you, admittedly, don't watch and are passing judgement without having all the facts.

 

[snowkot]

Danny Hurley's offense is/was groundbreaking in it's intricacies. I live in the "X's and O's"as a former coach, and for me, it features the most uniquely effective sets I've ever seen, surpassing John Wooden's UCLA in the early 1970's. In terms specifically of the beautiful game, watching the basketball on display during this year's championship run was the most fun I've had watching since the early 1970-1973 Knicks.

This extraordinary video does a deep dive into just how well-conceived it was: Why This Offense is Basketball Poetry.

 

[HuskyNan]

Just want the women to dunk those P&R tosses.

They would if they knew they'd make the shot - Geno wouldn't care. It would be pine time if they missed the open dunk, though.

 

[Centerstream]

Not true at the college level. There are dunks but only because it’s a high percentage shot against an equally big defender. It's not one "look at me" dunk after another the way some people seem to think.

You are criticizing a game you, admittedly, don't watch and are passing judgement without having all the facts.

I stated the reason why I stopped watching the men's game. That is the only fact I needed, except as I posted, it's my opinion.
I thanked you for posting the video and gave my reason why I wasn't really excited to watch it.
Please delete my posts in this thread.

 

[WiseWillie]

The below video is of the UConn men. Stay with me, women’s team-only fans. This clip is of the same play over and over with different players. I know I’ll mangle this and our resident coaches will chime in (please do!) but it’s basically pass-pass-pass on the perimeter, a screener comes out to set a pick (aka screen), then the screener rolls to the basket in a classic pick & roll (P&R). The man with the ball can pass to the roller or another player or shoot, depending on what the defense does. In the first couple plays, the screener is 7-2 Donovan Clingan (#32). The women run this play, too.

Hopefully this clip will encourage women’s team-only fans to check out some UConn men’s games. The team plays an awful lot like the classic women’s teams, the healthy ones. The men are a likable bunch, too, that say how much they like the team atmosphere and family vibes.

HuskyNan didn't have to say it so I will: Storrs is The Basketball Capitol Of The World for a reason because it applies to both womens' and men's. I bet there are many WBB BY'ers, like me, who are both women's and men's basketball fans. Who could not enjoy watching Clingan, Newton, Castle, Karaban, Spencer, Johnson, Diarra and the rest of the talented men's players these past two years. We are fortunate to be coached by two of the best who demand the best and instill in their players completely unselfish basketball (PB notwithstanding) that when clicking flows seamlessly. I recall in an interview Geno once said when played and executed well basketball reminds him of a jazz quintet that starts off all playing the medley together then break off into solos by one or two then back together again as a group for the finale. Whatever you want to call it, to me as a fan when it's clicking it is something beautiful to watch, whether played by the women or men.

 

[Bald Husky]

Watching the men the last 2 years was just as fun as watching the women. Hurleys style resembles Genos style, with a lot of ball movement, looking for the best shot. They also are great at sharing the ball which is uncommon with most mens teams. If you haven't watched them, just go on to YouTube and watch their tournament run. Last two years, beat all 12 teams in the tournament by double digits. Sound familiar? Great coach, like Geno and Calhoun. If you get bored this summer watching womens reruns, check out the men. Rooting for two great teams is better than rooting for only one.

 

[snowkot]

Watching the men the last 2 years was just as fun as watching the women. Hurleys style resembles Genos style, with a lot of ball movement, looking for the best shot.

Blasphemy perhaps, but Hurley's offense is more complicated than Auriemma's, or anyone else's for that matter (as per video posted prior). But, the greater point is they both embrace the best part of basketball: playing as a team, maximizing ball movement, efficiency, where each player's role is well defined and critical for success.

 

[Jim]

Blasphemy perhaps, but Hurley's offense is more complicated than Auriemma's, or anyone else's for that matter (as per video posted prior).

Yes and no. When Geno had full teams with healthy bodies, his offense ran much the same way with a finite number of basic sets but with players jointly reading the defense and running variations depending upon what the defense was giving up or taking away. Tweaks were done based upon who was on the floor. His teams ran stuff just as complicated as Danny’s schemes. Unfortunately, with the Women’s teams injury situation over the last several years and with the need to play freshman and newcomers, Geno was forced to simplify the playbook, so the parallels to the Men’s team are better remembered by folks who remember watching the 90 and 111 game winning streaks (nearly all of which were by double digits.)

 

[BBallF]

Well, I can see why some posters think that the man's game has devolved into dribble-drive, shoot the 3 and try to dunk. it's because for many, many men's teams that is exactly what they do and that's what many, many players in high school and AAU were trained to do. Not in Storrs though. Their offense is the most complex in the country and it is real basketball with pick and rolls, back doors, slip screens, and multiple low block picks. It is very similar to the women's offense here . If you want to know if that style works, since 2016 there have been 8 NCAA titles (2020 cancelled). Of those 8 , UCONN won 2, Nova won 2, and Virginia won 1. I would include Baylor in there as well as an "Old School" offense.. So you have 5-6 "Old School" coached teams winning the brass ring. Need more proof? Watch the Villanova Knicks.

 

[HuskylnSC]

You mean there are women's fans who don't watch the men and men's fans who don't watch the women????? I thought we were all UConn fans above all else? Sad, sad thoughts

 

[itsasport]

Yes and no. When Geno had full teams with healthy bodies, his offense ran much the same way with a finite number of basic sets but with players jointly reading the defense and running variations depending upon what the defense was giving up or taking away. Tweaks were done based upon who was on the floor. His teams ran stuff just as complicated as Danny’s schemes. Unfortunately, with the Women’s teams injury situation over the last several years and with the need to play freshman and newcomers, Geno was forced to simplify the playbook, so the parallels to the Men’s team are better remembered by folks who remember watching the 90 and 111 game winning streaks (nearly all of which were by double digits.)

That is exactly what I was going to say. I remember a number of years ago another woman's coach said that he had tried to teach Geno's system but that his players couldn't do it.

It takes a lot of energy to play that way for 40 minutes, UConn didn't have enough legs to do it over the past Few years- not so this coming year.

This team has the depth to play that way offensively AND apply a full court defense.

My one hope is that Azzi can remain healthy from now on. The basketball world has largely forgotten about her, but I believe that a healthy Azzi would be the best woman's player of all time. She does not exhibit the fire or charisma of Paige or Diana. She is more like Maya. They both move smoothly around the court like untouchable, ethereal puffs of smoke.

Neither boasts many foul shots from contact. No one can foul a ghost.

Unlike Maya, Azzi can guard a chair.

 

[uconnfan68]

They would if they knew they'd make the shot - Geno wouldn't care. It would be pine time if they missed the open dunk, though.

As it should be with the guys too. The difference is that some guys should have been dunking instead of missing bunnies.