The next three games are important

[sirjames]

I'm thinking the next three games are really important
1. play Adams, Bouk and Gaffney A LOT = over 50% of the available minutes. Let them get some experience playing together and college ball experience without a lot of pressure and worry about making a mistake. I think Dan was protecting them against Indiana - he would know best if they were ready. But let's get them ready for the rest of the season now.
2. hopefully Dan can use the down time for Christian and Alterique to explain to them what the team needs from them and to play within themselves - they have to learn to use their teammates. Good for them for trying to step up in the big games and carry the burden but it hasn't worked - so adjust and change - time for Plan B.

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

Absolutely catastrophic if we lose any of them

 

[uconngb]

I'm thinking the next three games are really important
1. play Adams, Bouk and Gaffney A LOT = over 50% of the available minutes. Let them get some experience playing together and college ball experience without a lot of pressure and worry about making a mistake. I think Dan was protecting them against Indiana - he would know best if they were ready. But let's get them ready for the rest of the season now.
2. hopefully Dan can use the down time for Christian and Alterique to explain to them what the team needs from them and to play within themselves - they have to learn to use their teammates. Good for them for trying to step up in the big games and carry the burden but it hasn't worked - so adjust and change - time for Plan B.

Agree. But let's make sure we win first.

 

[Stainmaster]

I dunno. I predict there will be plenty of AG and CV the next few games. We shall see.

 

[gtcam]

I'm thinking the next three games are really important
1. play Adams, Bouk and Gaffney A LOT = over 50% of the available minutes. Let them get some experience playing together and college ball experience without a lot of pressure and worry about making a mistake. I think Dan was protecting them against Indiana - he would know best if they were ready. But let's get them ready for the rest of the season now.
2. hopefully Dan can use the down time for Christian and Alterique to explain to them what the team needs from them and to play within themselves - they have to learn to use their teammates. Good for them for trying to step up in the big games and carry the burden but it hasn't worked - so adjust and change - time for Plan B.

Don't think CV, AG and DH need to use sitting time during a game to "explain" - Good for them for trying to step up in the big games? Who else were the guards going to give the ball to when JC stopped looking for the ball in the 2nd half and everyone else was ineffective and hiding on offense?- Plan B - what exactly is that? You think that the 3 kids who looked like deer in the headlights are going to all of a sudden have the mojo in the next big game because they played against some lessor teams? Did all the PT that Adams and JB get before the UI game payoff at MSG?
All 3 will be good players, especially JB, as they mature but all you guys who think that they are better than the 2 seasoned veterans right now are fooling yourselves.
Lets get it out of the way - AG and CV are KO's guys and aren't anywhere near the players that DH can bring in, fine.
Sitting CV and AG for classroom time during games won't work and I am betting that DH knows that also. JB and the other 2 should get plenty of PT if the next 3 games come out as they should.

 

[Jaker]

the sky could fall if we lose any of them!

 

[HuskyHawk]

Don't think CV, AG and DH need to use sitting time during a game to "explain" - Good for them for trying to step up in the big games? Who else were the guards going to give the ball to when JC stopped looking for the ball in the 2nd half and everyone else was ineffective and hiding on offense?- Plan B - what exactly is that? You think that the 3 kids who looked like deer in the headlights are going to all of a sudden have the mojo in the next big game because they played against some lessor teams? Did all the PT that Adams and JB get before the UI game payoff at MSG?
All 3 will be good players, especially JB, as they mature but all you guys who think that they are better than the 2 seasoned veterans right now are fooling yourselves.
Lets get it out of the way - AG and CV are KO's guys and aren't anywhere near the players that DH can bring in, fine.
Sitting CV and AG for classroom time during games won't work and I am betting that DH knows that also. JB and the other 2 should get plenty of PT if the next 3 games come out as they should.

And Sid. Wilson needs more time to play.

 

[peyton1211]

every game important shall be

 

[HuskyHawk]

every game important shall be

baby yoda baby yoda

 

[freescooter]

And Sid. Wilson needs more time to play.

Nah he doesn’t. Sid is a player with limited skills. Guys like that have occasional games where they get hot but generally are best in limited “high energy” roles. Too much time and 5heir limitations come through

 

[CL82]

baby yoda baby yoda

Haha, When that show got buzz I figured I would take a look at it. It’s actually pretty good.

 

[Inyatkin]

I dunno. I predict there will be plenty of AG and CV the next few games. We shall see.

You think our starting backcourt is going to play a lot? That's crazy talk

 

[HuskyBoi]

Going 9-3 into Cincinnati would be good signs.
Understandably these next 3 are cupcakes but we want to figure out some rotations, like Bouknight being integrated and Brendan Adams as well.

 

[tower1]

I'm thinking the next three games are really important
1. play Adams, Bouk and Gaffney A LOT = over 50% of the available minutes. Let them get some experience playing together and college ball experience without a lot of pressure and worry about making a mistake. I think Dan was protecting them against Indiana - he would know best if they were ready. But let's get them ready for the rest of the season now.
2. hopefully Dan can use the down time for Christian and Alterique to explain to them what the team needs from them and to play within themselves - they have to learn to use their teammates. Good for them for trying to step up in the big games and carry the burden but it hasn't worked - so adjust and change - time for Plan B.

If a coach is afraid to tell a couple of players what they are doing wrong and hurting the team then he shouldn't be coaching at this level.

 

[superjohn]

I'm thinking the next three games are really important
1. play Adams, Bouk and Gaffney A LOT = over 50% of the available minutes. Let them get some experience playing together and college ball experience without a lot of pressure and worry about making a mistake. I think Dan was protecting them against Indiana - he would know best if they were ready. But let's get them ready for the rest of the season now.
2. hopefully Dan can use the down time for Christian and Alterique to explain to them what the team needs from them and to play within themselves - they have to learn to use their teammates. Good for them for trying to step up in the big games and carry the burden but it hasn't worked - so adjust and change - time for Plan B.

No, no more hockey line changes. Have Bouknight play with Alterique. We don't want all the bench players playing together anymore, it won't work against good teams.

 

[Storrs South]

These were the kinds of games last year that having a guy like Jalen Adams was nice. He played as well as you would expect of a senior guard against an inferior opponent and they ran every cupcake out of the gym last year from the tip.

We have yet to see one game this year where they dominate for 40 minutes v. a mid major. Sacred Heart was a bad first half, St. Joe's they forgot to play defense for 40 minutes, Maine they were inept on offense and sloppy in transition, Iona was another choppy first half.

These are three layups they need to win by 20 plus and look formidable out of the gate to correct some of their ineptness early on that has hurt their NET and also get rotations & roles polished up for Cincy on New Year's day and conference play.

Experiment with lineups, less shot attempts and more passing for AG, more shots for Bouk, more looks for Polley, more run for Sid. Continue feeding Carlton but maybe not quite as much.

 

[jibsey]

No, no more hockey line changes. Have Bouknight play with Alterique. We don't want all the bench players playing together anymore, it won't work against good teams.

When the season starts Hurley wants to get everyone minutes but that time is over. He needs a real rotation and some players will not be happy. Gilbert and Vital are main cogs and they’re not going to get used less, no way. They’re essentially seniors who we are stuck with good and bad. Coaches don’t abandon seniors, but they often get in trouble trying to keep everyone happy.

 

[superjohn]

When the season starts Hurley wants to get everyone minutes but that time is over. He needs a real rotation and some players will not be happy. Gilbert and Vital are main cogs and they’re not going to get used less, no way. They’re essentially seniors who we are stuck with good and bad. Coaches don’t abandon seniors, but they often get in trouble trying to keep everyone happy.

It's not about abandoning anyone, you give yourself the best chance to get better and win. Vital hasn't proven this season he can reel in his low bball IQ play and it's played a large role in all 3 losses. He shouldn't be our #1 option on offense anymore. If he can cut this low bball IQ play out and play his normal great rebounding, good defense role while taking what the defense gives him his minutes should stay the same, if not they should be reduced. He needs to be shooting less and Bouknight, Akok, and Polley need to be shooting more.

There is no benefit to Vital feasting on cupcakes these next three games. These games should be about getting more on offense for those other guys we need going forward

 

[B1GEast]

What game isn't important?

 

[HuskyHawk]

When the season starts Hurley wants to get everyone minutes but that time is over. He needs a real rotation and some players will not be happy. Gilbert and Vital are main cogs and they’re not going to get used less, no way. They’re essentially seniors who we are stuck with good and bad. Coaches don’t abandon seniors, but they often get in trouble trying to keep everyone happy.

Abandon? No. But if Vital plays PG this team loses. Period. If he's out there 25+ minutes our chances of winning go down. These three games are a low risk opportunity to work Bouknight in with the starters, to gain confidence Gaffney can run the point and to get Adams and Sid more chances to play.

 

[jibsey]

It's not about abandoning anyone, you give yourself the best chance to get better and win. Vital hasn't proven this season he can reel in his low bball IQ play and it's played a large role in all 3 losses. He shouldn't be our #1 option on offense anymore. If he can cut this low bball IQ play out and play his normal great rebounding, good defense role while taking what the defense gives him his minutes should stay the same, if not they should be reduced. He needs to be shooting less and Bouknight, Akok, and Polley need to be shooting more.

There is no benefit to Vital feasting on cupcakes these next three games. These games should be about getting more on offense for those other guys we need going forward

Agree he should do this, just don’t think he will.

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

If a coach is afraid to tell a couple of players what they are doing wrong and hurting the team then he shouldn't be coaching at this level.

I think that's a true statement, though inapplicable to the situation. Such fear isn't a factor for this coaching staff.

These next three games are to consolidate lessons learned and set the table for 2020. Some of the most objectionable stuff we've seen has been experimental in nature, and should drop off.

I'm hopeful that the team will be focused and motivated to make the most of these three games.

 

[buddy]

I hope the guys enjoy the experience of playing big time college basketball and can appreciate how they have been blessed with such talent. We can hope that the coach will be able to extract that talent and translate it to excellent play on the court. The best one can ask of them is to do the best that they can. The rest is gravy.

 

[RF79]

Absolutely catastrophic if we lose any of them

I know anything’s possible but we can’t even think like that. These games are tune-ups for conference play.

 

[JB75]

Vital is the least important player who shud get run the next 3 games. It’s not important at all if he plays 15 mins or 30. Everyone else needs to get in there and get some minutes in.