The first four minutes of the second half put almost gave the game away

[BNich]

The blend of minutes between Carlton and Whaley is entirely dependent on opposing team's physical size.

Whaley can't handle the bigger players.

My problem is Hurley integrated Josh in to offense with high screen hand offs and being a passer. I want him down on the blocks and only shooting put backs.

I commented on this from my seat a number of times during the game. He spent a lot of time way up at the top of the key, way too far from the basket for him to be affective. He can't put the ball on the floor and drive the line. Too dicey. I agree he needs to be down low. Akok and Whaley are more suited for the high screen hand offs, etc.

 

[Kenny11]

Carlton says to EAD!

 

[HuskyHawk]

The blend of minutes between Carlton and Whaley is entirely dependent on opposing team's physical size.

Whaley can't handle the bigger players.

My problem is Hurley integrated Josh in to offense with high screen hand offs and being a passer. I want him down on the blocks and only shooting put backs.

Yes. I wish they would stop with the screens and I wish to hell Hurley would stop asking Josh to chase other 5s when they are setting screens. Ignore them unless they can hit 3's.

 

[uconnyankee]

Yes. But the margin was much more slim than it had to be. Josh was awful early in the 2nd half and shouldn’t have been on the floor. Yes we needed him later and he was serviceable. But let’s not lose sight of the fact that we wouldn’t have needed OT if DH has a quicker hook for Josh early in the half.

You are about 2 seasons premature. Right now it’s competing and winning. Next year it will become winning and becoming dominant. The year after that, start worrying about why we didn’t win by more points.

We haven’t been to dance in a couple years, haven’t been competitive in about as long. Team has come up blank on close games against tough opponents. Finally finish a game in OT with a W, and we have people complaining.

accept the process. Learning to win and exert your will is as much a part of the process as the physical aspect.

 

[UConnSwag11]

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[/QUOTE]
We’ve had several crappy seasons and people

A good heart. Why rag on the players? There's no reason for it. If you can't be positive I don't want you around me. In every sport I played I was always the loud positive one. Just who I am. Not to say everything Carlton does is great, but he's had some great moments this season and has contributed in ways in their big wins. Can't fret on the bad, it just brings everyone else down.

and that’s why for the past several seasons we’ve sucked. Everyone is content with just being ok and getting by. Josh was great at the end of last season and he needs to get back to playing like that but being happy that he allows his man to continue to pick and get a clear run to the basket will not advance us. And it’s not all on Josh, Hurley should either put Whaley in or have a different defensive scheme.

Vogt didn’t get his buckets by backing anyone of our bigs down. He got his buckets by setting a screen and running to the basket. Akok didn’t play well either, his man was draining threes in his face. Whaley is better at guarding the pick and roll and that’s what they did when Carlton was in. And like the title says, I said the first four minutes

we won bc we hit 11 threes and only had 14 turnovers. Not to mention bouknight taking over.

 

[jibsey]

What happens with Carlton in many games is exasperating but Hurley really has no choice but to use both players. The main question is who is used at what time and how much playing time each player gets. He's in position understand who to play when, and we as fans are in position to second-guess everything that he does. That's our job and we are well not paid to do it.

 

[mauconnfan]

This again? He was on the court because CInci has a 7'1" 265 pound center who eats Whaley alive. In the prior game, Carlton got early foul trouble and Vogt put up 19 points on us (on 8-10 shooting). Carlton is the only guy on the roster that can guard him. When Whaley played well in the first half, it was when Vogt went to the bench. We saw it in the second half when Carlton sat, Vogt scored easily on consecutive possessions. Hurley wanted to get Whaley in so played him with Carlton for a stretch.

Carlton's defense is one of the main reasons we won yesterday and everybody is complaining about him. He had 10 rebounds and 2 blocks. He missed too many shots, especially his annoying tip back attempts. But Vogt was 5-8 for 10 points and I think 3 of his made baskets were against Whaley.

Very happy and impressed how good of a game DH coached overall. He put the minutes into the guys who would be the best match ups as well as the "toughest" match ups down the stretch especially. As good as Whaley has been playing Carlton was a better match up against Vogt due to size and the 3 guards that took it home CV, Adams and Bouk were the right answer also. Didn't try to make any happy with substitutions and saw what was working. Excellent job yesterday!

Oh by the way Cinc gets away with murder as their label of "toughness" burns through the refs. Not sure how many Hogt had for fouls but he was never in foul trouble yet he's a human moving pick and moves people under the basket all the time. Complete hack never in foul trouble don't understand it? The 3 by Bouk he walked under him and though him as Bouk came down, nothing!

 

[UConnSwag11]

What happens with Carlton in many games is exasperating but Hurley really has no choice but to use both players. The main question is who is used at what time and how much playing time each player gets. He's in position understand who to play when, and we as fans are in position to second-guess everything that he does. That's our job and we are well not paid to do it.

 

[Kathy]

Guess I dont understand why people can't enjoy watching this team - they are improving, enjoying themselves and working their butts off. Sit back and see where they take us. As long as it is the best they can do- that should be enough.

 

[UConnSwag11]

Guess I dont understand why people can't enjoy watching this team - they are improving, enjoying themselves and working their butts off. Sit back and see where they take us. As long as it is the best they can do- that should be enough.

I’m ecstatic at how we’ve played since WSU. I think we can catch fire. We’ve had unlucky breaks and very close losses, but there are reoccurring themes that keep coming up that need to be addressed to get us over that hump.

 

[Edward Sargent]

The blend of minutes between Carlton and Whaley is entirely dependent on opposing team's physical size.

Whaley can't handle the bigger players.

My problem is Hurley integrated Josh in to offense with high screen hand offs and being a passer. I want him down on the blocks and only shooting put backs.

Whaley can't handle the bigger players AND Josh has trouble with the smaller faster players....

 

[RF79]

Carlton messed up in the beginning of the second half but stepped up and became aggressive by the end of the game. Hey... just like with CV we have to take the good with bad with Josh.

 

[Kathy]

I’m ecstatic at how we’ve played since WSU. I think we can catch fire. We’ve had unlucky breaks and very close losses, but there are reoccurring themes that keep coming up that need to be addressed to get us over that hump.

But even if we don't get over that hump this year - sit back and enjoy the ride. I remember the 15 years before 'The Dream Season'. Were there frustrating times - sure, but when they finally got there it was sweeter because you know how hard they worked for it.

 

[imno1]

Guess I dont understand why people can't enjoy watching this team - they are improving, enjoying themselves and working their butts off. Sit back and see where they take us. As long as it is the best they can do- that should be enough.

And after a great win the op chooses to start this thread. I’m not going to change minds but dogging JC in every thread is annoying.

 

[BNich]

And after a great win the op chooses to start this thread. I’m not going to change minds but dogging JC in every thread is annoying.

I just went back and rewatched the first FOUR minutes of the second half since so many want to say Carlton tried to throw the game away. It's a different vantage with commentary from watching from my seat. He fumbled an entry pass to the low block and had the hook and hold flagrant 1. Aside from that, what is so bad about his play to start the second half? You people are reaching on this one seriously. He sent Vogt to the line, who quite frankly, has the ugliest free throw form I have EVER seen. He almost shoots from his hip. He sent a message of physicality. Please enlighten me. Better yet, don't even try because I don't care.

 

[UConnSwag11]

But even if we don't get over that hump this year - sit back and enjoy the ride. I remember the 15 years before 'The Dream Season'. Were there frustrating times - sure, but when they finally got there it was sweeter because you know how hard they worked for it.

That breeds complacency. We’re 6 years removed from a 4th NC and we haven’t done anything in these 6 years. We can still enjoy these games and cheer on the team it we should ignore any deficiencies or horrible reoccurring tendencies.

 

[Husky68]

Guess I dont understand why people can't enjoy watching this team - they are improving, enjoying themselves and working their butts off. Sit back and see where they take us. As long as it is the best they can do- that should be enough.

And how do you judge it's the best they can do? Was the St. Joe's game the best they could do, if not how did you determine that? How about Villanova, was that the best they could do? Is it ok for Josh to be a 50% foul shooter because that is the best he can do, or how about practice your damn foul shots so you don't cost the team a bunch of games. Adams seems to be practicing all the time (per his comments), is Josh next to him practicing foul shots and post moves? Why was Sid out of the line up for a while, seems like Hurley had an issue with his practice "effort", was that ok?
Josh played terrible at the beginning of the 2nd half and saying so didn't make it so, playing bad made it so. Should Hurley point that out to Josh or would that also be inappropriate?
You make a judgement that associates calling out bad play with not enjoying the games, wrong, having no ability to see and comment on the bad makes the good play meaningless as in either case it's "the best they can do".

 

[BlueDogs]

Carlton was in a street fight yesterday and hung in there, and we would not have won that game without him, and that’s with all the things that he didn’t do. Hurley had to use them both yesterday. Whaley had 2 rebounds Carlton 10.

He contributed positive plays. He also made some disastrous plays that hurt the team badly at key points. Missed foul shots, turnovers, missed put backs that allowed cinci to creep back and take a lead instead of extending the lead. He’a a banger and got used at the end precisely how he should be used.

 

[mauconnfan]

He contributed positive plays. He also made some disastrous plays that hurt the team badly at key points. Missed foul shots, turnovers, missed put backs that allowed cinci to creep back and take a lead instead of extending the lead. He’a a banger and got used at the end precisely how he should be used.

"He also made some disastrous plays...." I mean isn't that almost every kid on this team right? I mean he made up for it and helped us win a game. He was awful first few minutes but DH saw the positive he brought and stuck with it. Good for JC and coach on this one.

 

[jibsey]

"He also made some disastrous plays...." I mean isn't that almost every kid on this team right? I mean he made up for it and helped us win a game. He was awful first few minutes but DH saw the positive he brought and stuck with it. Good for JC and coach on this one.

I agree and I’ve gotten to the point of accepting that these players are not perfect and sometimes don’t learn from their mistakes. Like Carlton missing 1 foot bunnies or Gilbert getting stuffed and stripped in the lane. Folks here’s big news: This is what we’ve got to work with. These guys are not top 10 McD’s like Duke has. Shocker, huh? But even with the mistakes yesterday they gave me a better Sunday.

 

[Palatine]

Watch the first four minutes of the second half again and tell me why Carlton was on the court. There is no reason he should be on the court for those several possessions unless Whaley is exhausted

Carlton had a bad four minutes. So no one else had a bad stretch?

Carlton had 10 rebounds and played a very good defensive game. His late put back made a huge difference in the outcome. Hurley singled him out during his post game presser. That is why he was on the court.

 

[Kathy]

And how do you judge it's the best they can do? Was the St. Joe's game the best they could do, if not how did you determine that? How about Villanova, was that the best they could do? Is it ok for Josh to be a 50% foul shooter because that is the best he can do, or how about practice your damn foul shots so you don't cost the team a bunch of games. Adams seems to be practicing all the time (per his comments), is Josh next to him practicing foul shots and post moves? Why was Sid out of the line up for a while, seems like Hurley had an issue with his practice "effort", was that ok?
Josh played terrible at the beginning of the 2nd half and saying so didn't make it so, playing bad made it so. Should Hurley point that out to Josh or would that also be inappropriate?
You make a judgement that associates calling out bad play with not enjoying the games, wrong, having no ability to see and comment on the bad makes the good play meaningless as in either case it's "the best they can do".

Accept limitations and take the good with the bad - they are who are - enjoy them.

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

Would be a pretty boring board if we ignored all the negatives and only talked about winning. Winning is great but always things to improve on

Holy ____ I think we have a ways to go before we run the risk of "ignoring the negatives." Are you kidding?

 

[BlueDogs]

"He also made some disastrous plays...." I mean isn't that almost every kid on this team right? I mean he made up for it and helped us win a game. He was awful first few minutes but DH saw the positive he brought and stuck with it. Good for JC and coach on this one.

Look, his play was particularly odious in the early second half. Remarkably, so, beyond anyone else on the floor. I’m also glad he was able to find a few ways to contribute at the end. I’d much rather see kids succeed than fail.

 

[mauconnfan]

Look, his play was particularly odious in the early second half. Remarkably, so, beyond anyone else on the floor. I’m also glad he was able to find a few ways to contribute at the end. I’d much rather see kids succeed than fail.

Oh I said it above I was wondering how DH kept with him it was that bad as well as obvious. But as usual this team fights back it's amazing how resilient they actually are, all of them.