The little things need work

[UConn990411]

First off, this was a really nice road win against an okay conference opponent. The press wore them down, but they didn't fold when UCF cut it to 5 with lots of time left.

With that said, they made it so hard on themselves after they essentially regained control late. UCF goes into foul mode, and they inbounds it to Brimah. On the other end, a Purvis foul gives them a 3-point play. A few more missed free throws and Brimah throwing an inbounds outta bounds (why does Ollie have him inboundsing the ball?), and they kept the door way too open.

I suspect we'll see a lotta these things cleaned up next year when they have more experience and more than 2.5 ballhandlers. But they'll need to clean them up sooner if they want to have a chance in the AAC tourney.

 

[freescooter]

Poor coaching is one of the issues. You don't make that many dumb plays if you are well prepared. That is coaching

 

[tykurez]

Poor coaching is one of the issues. You don't make that many dumb plays if you are well prepared. That is coaching

Go home

 

[Palatine]

Poor coaching is one of the issues. You don't make that many dumb plays if you are well prepared. That is coaching

This is true. They didn't seem prepared for the situation.

 

[methodology]

Seems like the freshman scoreboard watch and start playing lax when up a bunch. Start taking bad shots and don't fully grasp that just because you're up 15+ doesn't mean you let up or take shots out of the offensive flow

 

[UConn990411]

Poor coaching is one of the issues. You don't make that many dumb plays if you are well prepared. That is coaching

I'm not the biggest Ollie defender, but they had 2.5 ballhandlers going against a press for 15 minutes. Some of the mistakes were coaching (Brimah inbounding the ball?), but some could have been tired mistakes too.

 

[aceboon]

KO just simply needs to stop taking the air out of the ball and let them continue to play, this was almost basically the Temple game from last year all over again. How many times over the last few years have we've seen UConn have a lead and control of the game and then either give away the game or damn near give it away by spreading it out and going stall ball mode before starting the offense with <10 seconds left? I know KO isn't the only one who does it(JC did the same) but just keep playing, its infuriating to see this over and over again.

 

[AfgHusky15]

First off, this was a really nice road win against an okay conference opponent. The press wore them down, but they didn't fold when UCF cut it to 5 with lots of time left.

With that said, they made it so hard on themselves after they essentially regained control late. UCF goes into foul mode, and they inbounds it to Brimah. On the other end, a Purvis foul gives them a 3-point play. A few more missed free throws and Brimah throwing an inbounds outta bounds (why does Ollie have him inboundsing the ball?), and they kept the door way too open.

I suspect we'll see a lotta these things cleaned up next year when they have more experience and more than 2.5 ballhandlers. But they'll need to clean them up sooner if they want to have a chance in the AAC tourney.

Ollie didn't want Amida to inbound the ball. They know well before the game even starts who should and should not be inbounding the ball. Amida should never be inbounding in late game situations under pressure he knows that. Players got caught up in the moment.

But while the ending was a barely avoided disaster, it will help the players the next time they are in a similar situation.

Lessons learned:

- Be aware of who is inbounding the ball in certain situations.

- Be aware of who you are inbounding the ball to during 1-1s.

- Jalen needs to come to his bigs and get the ball from them when they have it at the perimeter. He can't put up his hands asking his bigs to pass him the ball under pressure.

- only 3 guys should have the ball in their hands during end of game situations. Jalen, Purvis, and Vital.

 

[Vuce]

Hitting FTs and that isn't a nail biter at all. Secondly, any close game for us will magnify the fact that we only have one true ball handler. Not having Gilbert REALLY hurts in these types of games. With Jalen, Gilbert and MAL next year we should be in better shape closing out tight games

 

[Mr. Wonderful]

Poor coaching is one of the issues. You don't make that many dumb plays if you are well prepared. That is coaching

Since you've had an anti-Ollie agenda from the day he was hired, no comments you make regarding coaching will ever be taken seriously, and rightfully so.

 

[Matrim55]

I'm not the biggest Ollie defender, but they had 2.5 ballhandlers going against a press for 15 minutes. Some of the mistakes were coaching (Brimah inbounding the ball?), but some could have been tired mistakes too.

That wasn't coaching, that was Amida reflexively grabbing the ball after an opponent's made basket as he usually does during the flow of play.

Look at literally every other inbound play we ran over the final 5 minutes. This team was well-drilled, and if we hit our FTs we would've won by double digits.

Trying to analyze the entire game when going by one anomalous play is bad form.

 

[aceboon]

Ollie didn't want Amida to inbound the ball. They know well before the game even starts who should and should not be inbounding the ball. Amida should never be inbounding in late game situations under pressure he knows that. Players got caught up in the moment.

But while the ending was a barely avoided disaster, it will help the players the next time they are in a similar situation.

Lessons learned:

- Be aware of who is inbounding the ball in certain situations.

- Be aware of who you are inbounding the ball to during 1-1s.

- Jalen needs to come to his bigs and get the ball from them when they have it at the perimeter. He can't put up his hands asking his bigs to pass him the ball under pressure.

- only 3 guys should have the ball in their hands during end of game situations. Jalen, Purvis, and Vital.

I'm not KO basher by any means but it was 100% on him having Amida in the game to catch that inbounds pass when he should have known his team was finally in the 1 and 1 after UCF was catching up on fouls. You gotta take him out after the 6th foul and put Jackson in before Amida even gets to throw that inbounds on the next possession.

 

[Matrim55]

I'm not KO basher by any means but it was 100% on him having Amida in the game to catch that inbounds pass when he should have known his team was finally in the 1 and 1 after UCF was catching up on fouls. You gotta take him out after the 6th foul and put Jackson in before Amida even gets to throw that inbounds on the next possession.

Amida has a better FT% than Vance over the past month. He's also hit some pretty big foul shots in his career, IIRC...

 

[UConn990411]

That wasn't coaching, that was Amida reflexively grabbing the ball after an opponent's made basket as he usually does during the flow of play.

Look at literally every other inbound play we ran over the final 5 minutes. This team was well-drilled, and if we hit our FTs we would've won by double digits.

Trying to analyze the entire game when going by one anomalous play is bad form.

That's not at all what I was doing, and I suspect you know that. But if a poster says something that goes against your vision of everything being sunshine and rainbows, you always seem to attack them.

 

[aceboon]

Amida has a better FT% than Vance over the past month. He's also hit some pretty big foul shots in his career, IIRC..

Well aware, and Vance certainly didn't help my argument with him looking shook at the line when he got his opportunity, but I definitely wouldn't have had Amida catching that inbounds pass in that situation with the risk of him possibly turning it over.

 

[Bryan Lord]

The coaching seems pretty awful,
Not sure I've ever felt this way before.

 

[imno1]

We were a 4 pt dog on the road and won the game. So I thought well executed, well coached by our side. Gotta make your free throws though

 

[AfgHusky15]

The coaching seems pretty awful,
Not sure I've ever felt this way before.

The coaching has led to Amida grabbing 12 rebounds today against a big UCF team.

The coaching has led to Purvis shooting roughly 50% on free throws a few years ago to close to 80% this year.

The coaching has led to UConn having the 7th highest points per possession out of timeouts (facts matter).

The coaching has led to Kentan being a double double threat on any given night.

The coaching has led to Jalens progression as a point guard from having 9 turnovers in a half at the beginning of the season to being one of the leaders nationwide in assists.

The coaching has leading to UConn starting 5-9 while losing 2 of their best players to then going 7-3 while having as few as 6 scholarship guys.

I could go on, but at this point I hope you get the point.

 

[UofCT]

The coaching has led to Amida grabbing 12 rebounds today against a big UCF team.

The coaching has led to Purvis shooting roughly 50% on free throws a few years ago to close to 80% this year.

The coaching has led to UConn having the 7th highest points per possession out of timeouts (facts matter).

The coaching has led to Kentan being a double double threat on any given night.

The coaching has led to Jalens progression as a point guard from having 9 turnovers in a half at the beginning of the season to being one of the leaders nationwide in assists.

The coaching has leading to UConn starting 5-9 while losing 2 of their best players to then going 7-3 while having as few as 6 scholarship guys.

I could go on, but at this point I hope you get the point.

What is your point? We will be lucky to get into the NIT.

 

[UConnDan97]

The coaching has led to Amida grabbing 12 rebounds today against a big UCF team.

The coaching has led to Purvis shooting roughly 50% on free throws a few years ago to close to 80% this year.

The coaching has led to UConn having the 7th highest points per possession out of timeouts (facts matter).

The coaching has led to Kentan being a double double threat on any given night.

The coaching has led to Jalens progression as a point guard from having 9 turnovers in a half at the beginning of the season to being one of the leaders nationwide in assists.

The coaching has leading to UConn starting 5-9 while losing 2 of their best players to then going 7-3 while having as few as 6 scholarship guys.

I could go on, but at this point I hope you get the point.

Great post. Unfortunately, there are some on the board who will not be slowed down by such silly things as facts and logic...

 

[selles]

What is your point? We will be lucky to get into the NIT.

His point is that in the face of adversity the individual players have improved and the team has improved.

They could have sulked and packed it in like a certain element of the fanbase, but instead they've fought and gotten better.

The coaching hasn't been perfect - I agree with the op and ace about the last 2 minutes. But overall since Maui, it's been pretty darn good.

 

[Chin Diesel]

Hitting FTs and that isn't a nail biter at all. Secondly, any close game for us will magnify the fact that we only have one true ball handler. Not having Gilbert REALLY hurts in these types of games. With Jalen, Gilbert and MAL next year we should be in better shape closing out tight games

Dawkins' strategy to extend the defense with about 12 minutes to go and then going with the press was more about wearing down UConn's players than it was for turnovers. It worked great. UConn's players were gassed.

Not only will UConn have 4 ball handlers next year in Adams, Gilbert, MAL and Vital, but those ball handlers will be more fresh at the end of the game too.

Those missed FT's at the end can be attributed to legs being jelly from exhaustion.

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

What is your point? We will be lucky to get into the NIT.

Why do you even watch the games? Watch the news if you need something to whine about.

 

[Waquoit]

I agree with the OP. Little things need work. But this team looks so much better than a month ago. That's good coaching.

 

[Chin Diesel]

I agree with the OP. Little things need work. But this team looks so much better than a month ago. That's good coaching.

The offensive sets they are executing (yep, I used that word) are plays they couldn't run a month ago.

I commented in the game thread about using the C/PF to set a screen at the top of the key for the PG and running shooters to the corners for open 3's. That play has worked great for the past 5-6 games. Jackson, Vital and Purvis are getting wide open looks as the defense has to adjust to the PG getting downhill pressure towards the hoop leaving the corners open.