The rest of the season going forward

[UConnSwag11]

will be dependent on how purvis plays on both ends of the court and mentally. He can't be uninvolved or uninterested in the game. If his shot isn't going in he can't keep jacking shots or void the ball (which he constantly does when jalen needs help in the backcourt). He needs to be aggressive on the defensive end which translates to him aggressive on the offensive end.

Besides purvis, turnovers and foul trouble are my only concerns going forward. We need jalen to play like we know he can not like he did against SMU. I don't care about the freshmen mistakes

 

[HungryHuskies]

I liked seeing the big men get more touches and being more aggressive on offense. While it isn't the prettiest, I enjoyed watching Brimah try to show off some post moves. An offensive presence in the front court will open up high percentage looks for the guards and may lead to Jalen showing less fatigue during games.

Need Brimah to be present mentally at all times as well, no more dumb fouls. This team fuels off his energy, which Facey has said in a post game interview. They will not win games with him on the bench. We will miss Brimah next year.

 

[ctchamps]

The only difference for Rodney in the ECU game compared to any other game this season has been his ability to finish his aggressive plays and to make his shots at a decent clip. Outside of the SMU game in which he let the refs get into his head, his play during the game on the offensive and defensive end has been the same.

He's the guys whose been the workhorse of this team (close second goes to Jalen and Kentan) and his effort has always been above and beyond. He just couldn't get the ball to go through the hoop. He's constantly running curls on offense to get open and plays the guy on the perimeter who is the opponents team's most active player. I would bet any amount that the mileage he's put on the court this year is significantly higher than anyone in college bb.

 

[August_West]

We all said it weeks ago in a thread. The season hinges on consistency from purvis and brimah

 

[Matrim55]

The only difference for Rodney in the ECU game compared to any other game this season has been his ability to finish his aggressive plays and to make his shots at a decent clip.

I mean, this is a pretty big difference. If Rodney was shooting 43% overall and 36% from 3, there'd still be some complaints but it wouldn't be like what we've heard this year (lots of which has been warranted).

Even with yesterday's good showing he's shooting 34% from the year. If he was a freshman or even a sophomore we'd live with it, but as a 5th-year senior it's beyond perplexing.

 

[ctchamps]

I mean, this is a pretty big difference. If Rodney was shooting 43% overall and 36% from 3, there'd still be some complaints but it wouldn't be like what we've heard this year (lots of which has been warranted).

Even with yesterday's good showing he's shooting 34% from the year. If he was a freshman or even a sophomore we'd live with it, but as a 5th-year senior it's beyond perplexing.

Of course it's the difference, most salient by far. But somehow people imply or even flat out state that he played differently this game from others. They state that he's lackadaisical, doesn't play within himself etc. His defense hasn't changed (overall best defender game in and game out on the team) his exhaustive constant running in KO's offensive schemes are the same, he's taking the same type of shots and so on.

He's a below average passer that never would have been asked to do that aspect of the game if Alterique didn't get hurt. That's circumstances and not on Rodney or KO. And his assist to TO ratio is still better than 1 which is second best on the team. You would never have guessed that with people screaming about his mistakes.

Ever since his first year at UConn when he went down hard on that attempted dunk and sprained his ankle he's been more cautious with his dunk attempts. That hasn't helped him, but I can understand why he does this even if I wished he didn't.

The shooting is not beyond perplexing. Pros go through seasons with just as extreme deviations to their skill sets as Rodney has gone through. He was a .435% fg shooter the prior three seasons. This season he's .340 % fg shooter. 3p% went from average of .372% to .278%, He was never an outstanding shooter but if he just shot his averages this season might have had a different outcome. Lost in all those who can't find a way to complement a player who they want to hate is his FT% is significantly improved. It's best on the team. If they can make a run in the tournament Rodney, Christian, Kentan and Jalen have decent FT% to be the difference in that run.

With the influx of so many new pieces we needed Rodney to not have a bad season right from the beginning. That became even more critical with the injuries. In the best seasons other players would step up when one of the players would go through a slump. This season did not afford that luxury. So Rodney's performance gets magnified.

 

[Matrim55]

Of course it's the difference, most salient by far. But somehow people imply or even flat out state that he played differently this game from others. They state that he's lackadaisical, doesn't play within himself etc. His defense hasn't changed (overall best defender game in and game out on the team) his exhaustive constant running in KO's offensive schemes are the same, he's taking the same type of shots and so on.

I agree with part of this, but other parts I just don't. Rodney has spent good chunks of this season un-ready to take shots that the offense was designed to get him. Those little curls, mostly open 3s, etc -- he's regularly passed those up this year in favor of contested crap or low-percentage drives. It's been baffling because it's the type of low-IQ play you don't expect from a kid who's spent his whole life in the game, and what it does is put Jalen in a situation where he has to play hero-ball at the end of the shot clock.

With the influx of so many new pieces we needed Rodney to not have a bad season right from the beginning. That became even more critical with the injuries. In the best seasons other players would step up when one of the players would go through a slump. This season did not afford that luxury. So Rodney's performance gets magnified.

I mean, yeah. And I've praised him for both his improved ball handling and free throw-shooting, as well as when he had a couple of good rebounding performances. Circumstances have been unfair to Rodney in that he's clearly been asked to do more than he's capable of.

But the mistakes he's making are freshman or sophomore mistakes. That's where the frustration comes from, and why it won't be going away.

 

[ctchamps]

I agree with part of this, but other parts I just don't. Rodney has spent good chunks of this season un-ready to take shots that the offense was designed to get him. Those little curls, mostly open 3s, etc -- he's regularly passed those up this year in favor of contested crap or low-percentage drives. It's been baffling because it's the type of low-IQ play you don't expect from a kid who's spent his whole life in the game, and what it does is put Jalen in a situation where he has to play hero-ball at the end of the shot clock.


I mean, yeah. And I've praised him for both his improved ball handling and free throw-shooting, as well as when he had a couple of good rebounding performances. Circumstances have been unfair to Rodney in that he's clearly been asked to do more than he's capable of.

But the mistakes he's making are freshman or sophomore mistakes. That's where the frustration comes from, and why it won't be going away.

My perspective is you are low on the totem pole with regards to fans who insist on expectations.

I guess I don't hold credence to the factor of experience or seniority when it comes to optimum performance. As I stated pros go through cycles. It's not always a linear progression.

Those mistakes bother me as well. Yesterday he did not pass up those shots. And when they started falling his confidence was elevated and he continued. When he misses shots he starts to question himself resulting in the types of play you are pointing out. Vance did that yesterday. His threes weren't falling so he abandoned that shot. He had wide open shots for threes that he chose to drive to the basket when ECU was clogging the lane. That's normal. Rodney just still falls pray to it. The pressure of the team needing him more than ever exacerbates his lack of confidence.

 

[BFieldHusky]

Call me crazy (and I know I probably am) but I am just hoping to get a bye into the conference tournament. This team hasn't played well on the road, but they won't have to in order to win their conference tournament. 3 games in 3 days in Hartford. Yes tough, with the odds they will have to go through both Cincy and SMU. But at home this team has played better lately. I throw the Houston game out, and I'm convinced we would have beaten Auburn had Adams not gotten hurt in the 2nd half.

I'm not saying UConn would be the favorites, but they will have a shot on their home floor. Plus I can see our fans really rallying around them after such a frustrating year.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

We all said it weeks ago in a thread. The season hinges on consistency from purvis and brimah

Very true but that is the one thing neither has ever been able to offer.

 

[ctchamps]

Call me crazy (and I know I probably am) but I am just hoping to get a bye into the conference tournament. This team hasn't played well on the road, but they won't have to in order to win their conference tournament. 3 games in 3 days in Hartford. Yes tough, with the odds they will have to go through both Cincy and SMU. But at home this team has played better lately. I throw the Houston game out, and I'm convinced we would have beaten Auburn had Adams not gotten hurt in the 2nd half.

I'm not saying UConn would be the favorites, but they will have a shot on their home floor. Plus I can see our fans really rallying around them after such a frustrating year.

Tulsa as well.

 

[pnow15]

The Purvis story is really simple. In his first year as a player he played along Boat.
He got lots of good looks and Boat had the ball when it counted. When Boat did not have it, then DHam had it. Purvis was able to hide his flaws. The next year DHam and Gibbs controlled the ball. DHam with his tosses to Brimah and Gibbs with some really clutch three. Purvis again could hide his flaws.
This year there are Boats, no Gibbs and no DHams, only a 2nd year two guard learning the point. There is no place to hide. The results are obvious.

 

[JSM1970]

Exactly, kind of like saying if my Aunt had....

Very true but that is the one thing neither has ever been able to offer.

 

[August_West]

Very true but that is the one thing neither has ever been able to offer.

No it hasn't. Which is why the rest of the season is more about being satisfied with watching growth from Adams and the frosh than it is about any kind of hope for a run.

We don't need brimah or purvis to be spectacular, ever. just solid. Just limited mistakes and playing within themselves. Both of them being solid and consistent EVERY GAME is required for this team to be good. That is not too much too ask from 2 very experienced seniors.

Unfortunately as you point out that has never happened. And this late into their career I don't expect it to change. When they are both solid in the same game we will look very good, when they're not we won't.

I feel bad for it not because it has had a hand in a miserable performance season, but because they are two of the most excellent kids to ever wear national flag blue and I so wanted them to succeed and fulfill their dreams. They deserve it.

 

[Storrs South]

The Purvis story is really simple. In his first year as a player he played along Boat.
He got lots of good looks and Boat had the ball when it counted. When Boat did not have it, then DHam had it. Purvis was able to hide his flaws. The next year DHam and Gibbs controlled the ball. DHam with his tosses to Brimah and Gibbs with some really clutch three. Purvis again could hide his flaws.
This year there are Boats, no Gibbs and no DHams, only a 2nd year two guard learning the point. There is no place to hide. The results are obvious.

I agree with this generally, but he was also garbage in the first 3 games of the season when we had a full roster. Sure he was asked to do more than his first two years, but he couldn't buy a shot then either (2-16 from the floor in first 3 games).

 

[QDOG5]

Call me crazy (and I know I probably am) but I am just hoping to get a bye into the conference tournament. This team hasn't played well on the road, but they won't have to in order to win their conference tournament. 3 games in 3 days in Hartford. Yes tough, with the odds they will have to go through both Cincy and SMU. But at home this team has played better lately. I throw the Houston game out, and I'm convinced we would have beaten Auburn had Adams not gotten hurt in the 2nd half.

I'm not saying UConn would be the favorites, but they will have a shot on their home floor. Plus I can see our fans really rallying around them after such a frustrating year.

You're crazy.

 

[aceboon]

The Purvis story is really simple. In his first year as a player he played along Boat.
He got lots of good looks and Boat had the ball when it counted. When Boat did not have it, then DHam had it. Purvis was able to hide his flaws. The next year DHam and Gibbs controlled the ball. DHam with his tosses to Brimah and Gibbs with some really clutch three. Purvis again could hide his flaws.
This year there are Boats, no Gibbs and no DHams, only a 2nd year two guard learning the point. There is no place to hide. The results are obvious.

Not buying any of this, Purvis was the worst player on the court the first 3 games against Wagner/Northeastern/LMU when they had a full roster, that's not on any of his teammates or him having more heaped on his shoulders, its just on him period. Adams is also a better table setter and better at creating shots for others right now than Boat was at any point in his career imo and Purvis is still playing awful, and lets not act like Purvis was even all that good his first year so I'm not even sure what bringing up that year in comparison to this one is supposed to even prove. Dude is just playing horribly, not sure why people can't just admit that without bringing up all of these other outside factors.

 

[UConnSwag11]

I still have faith we can win multiple games in a row and win the AAC tourney regardless of how we've looked... Mainly bc of the the conference we're in, the tourney being in hartford and the fact that I still think the talent on this team can come together. Purvis and brimah are the biggest questions going forward but need jalen to be a stud every game and vance to play a full 40 with the perfomances he has had as of late. If we come out aggressive on defense and maintain it, it benefits the offense

 

[joober jones]

For what it's worth, Purvis finished the ECU game without committing a turnover.

 

[gtcam]

I still have faith we can win multiple games in a row and win the AAC tourney regardless of how we've looked... Mainly bc of the the conference we're in, the tourney being in hartford and the fact that I still think the talent on this team can come together. Purvis and brimah are the biggest questions going forward but need jalen to be a stud every game and vance to play a full 40 with the perfomances he has had as of late. If we come out aggressive on defense and maintain it, it benefits the offense

agreed
BUT the one big factor is that Kelis Fisher has to continue to play at the same level or higher for the rest of the season
Not that I doubt he won't but him doing so is vital (CV also has to pick up his game - sorry play on words there!)

 

[The Funster]

Maybe we have a chance at running the table in the AACT but with only 7 scholarship players we have to have everything break our way before that AACT even starts. Then we have to win 3 straight with the same 7 guys. I want to see the underclassmen hone their game and strengthen their on court chemistry. I want to see Purvis and Brimah suck it up and go out with a bang the way Facey is.

 

[Waquoit]

I don't think we can put three good games in a row.

 

[mauconnfan]

I don't think we can put three good games in a row.

I don't have any problem with anyone thinking this way, hell I agree. Good news is we can dream even when it's in full blown doubt Waq!

 

[mauconnfan]

For what it's worth, Purvis finished the ECU game without committing a turnover.

Thats good news although his run to the hoop last minute and the brick he laid may as well have been

 

[Waquoit]

I don't have any problem with anyone thinking this way, hell I agree. Good news is we can dream even when it's in full blown doubt Waq!

Right, there's still enough "what if's" you some hope when the time comes.

 

[Matt1010]

Judging by his snapchats and instagram posts RP is a very emotional kid. I know this has been discussed, but his best friend who lived with his family and he called a "brother" passed away right before the season...I don't have any similar experiences to draw on but can only assume that it will take a lot of time to get right mentally and focus on basketball after such an ordeal.