Things just make you scratch your head…

[HailUConn]

Throw in NDPOY candidate Ajax, sensational freshmen Karaban and Clingan, how on the green earth we are at where we are?

 

[Letsgohuskies11]

Throw in NDPOY candidate Ajax, sensational freshmen Karaban and Clingan, how on the green earth we are at where we are?

Because our defense tanked.

 

[navery12]

Throw in NDPOY candidate Ajax, sensational freshmen Karaban and Clingan, how on the green earth we are at where we are?

Because despite the doomsday approach of a vocal minority of this board, where we are is not nearly as bad as people like to claim. Top 25 team with a legitimate shot at a top 4 seed in March

 

[AuRevoirAAC]

I hear you but we’re still pretty good. AP Top 25, Kenpom 6, NET 8, projected 4/5 seed. If we take advantage of the upcoming Big East schedule we’re very much in the conversation for Top 10 and potential 2-seed again.

 

[AzHusky]

I don't believe the defense has tanked, I think it's a case of Big East officials calling fouls that were let go in OOC play. Those close calls have shut down our defense.

 

[NJHusky]

I don't believe the defense has tanked, I think it's a case of Big East officials calling fouls that were let go in OOC play. Those close calls have shut down our defense.

Why dont the calls impact the team we r playing? Do BE refs call a lot of handsy fouls but let the body stuff slide…

 

[ucp990411]

People need to stop blaming the referees for us not playing well. If they have an attitude towards us it is well deserved.

 

[Umami Zen]

The season is not over.. A marathon not a sprint.

 

[businesslawyer]

I hear you but we’re still pretty good. AP Top 25, Kenpom 6, NET 8, projected 4/5 seed. If we take advantage of the upcoming Big East schedule we’re very much in the conversation for Top 10 and potential 2-seed again.

There is not a single poster here who, before the season started, wouldn't have thanked the stars if at this point in the season we were ranked 6 and 8 on major computer sites. We played like the best team in the country through the non-conference part of the schedule, totally unexpectedly, and since then have both not played nearly as well and lost almost every close game we've been in. That has, justifiably, caused both consternation and confusion.

We are not the best team in the country, even though we played that way for a month and a half, nor are we a only win 3 out of 9 major conference team. We need to win a close game against a decent team, have shooting revert to the norm and, most importantly, figure out a way not to have Andre totally destroy our ability to run an effective offense (or, failing that, figuring out how we create a more effective offensive unit with him on the bench).

 

[CL82]

Things just make you scratch your head…​

Lice,
Not bathing,
A wool cap….

 

[imno1]

Things just make you scratch your head…​

Lice,
Not bathing,
A wool cap….

and OP

 

[CardiacAndre7]

I don't believe the defense has tanked, I think it's a case of Big East officials calling fouls that were let go in OOC play. Those close calls have shut down our defense.

The defense has absolutely tanked.

 

[Billy Jack]

Because our defense tanked.

The numbers don’t support that theory. Our guys are holding conference opponents to 43% FG shooting, 3rd lowest in the league and 30% 3-point shooting, 2nd lowest in the league.

What does stick out is that we’ve committed the most fouls and our opponents are cleaning up by hitting 77% of their FTs, 2nd highest opponent rate in the conference (a bit of bad luck there).the result is that our opponents have scored 18 ppg on FTs, most in the conference.

 

[sdglast]

Frankly, I think it's really turnovers that have hurt us just as much as bad defense. In many of our losses, we had 15+ turnovers, several illegal screens and charges, but also silly passes and foolish plays like stepping on the sideline/endline. I agree that the defense has to better, and Hurley has to consider using more zone mixed with man to keep teams off balance. That said, the silly turnovers/illegal screens/charges have to reconciled. You look at Xaiver and Providence, they played an OT game--Providence had 8 turnovers and Xavier 5, while Marquette turned it over 7 times against Villanova (they turned it over 19 times). That's high level offensive execution and limiting fastbreak opportunities to other teams. Even in the loss to Xavier, UConn turned it over 12 times (7 in the first have with 2 critical turnovers late in the 2nd half on offensive fouls). The only reason UConn got back in the game was they turned Xavier over 15 times, I believe 11 in the 2nd half. Giving those teams extra possessions, especially on silly passes that lead to fast breaks for other teams or the inability to covert on 3-1 breaks because of a bad alleyoop pass (see Jackson against Xavier) are killers. UConn was great early in the season because they passed well and limited turnovers. It masked defensive deficiencies, because our offense ran at a high level. Take care of the basketball better, and that should lead to much better play on both ends of the floor.

 

[Candyman]

Because despite the doomsday approach of a vocal minority of this board, where we are is not nearly as bad as people like to claim. Top 25 team with a legitimate shot at a top 4 seed in March

I think the OP means how are we 6th in the BE and losing 6 of our last 9 and are 1-5 against the top half of the conference.

 

[navery12]

I think the OP means how are we 6th in the BE and losing 6 of our last 9 and are 1-5 against the top half of the conference.

Yes, precisely what I was responding to with the doomsday comment. We had a bad stretch, but despite that are still a very good basketball team

 

[imno1]

Dandruff?

 

[Friarsnoop]

Throw in NDPOY candidate Ajax, sensational freshmen Karaban and Clingan, how on the green earth we are at where we are?

You're a top 5 team in an elite conference, and a top 25 overall team, with a chance to move higher.

The talk of having a second unit that could win the Big East was ridiculous, just like the talk of being an NIT team now are ridiculous.

Connecticut is a solid NCAA team with the potential to make a deep run in March.

 

[August_West]

Because our defense tanked.

And it has, and that blows my mind. I can only think it was because of press clippings when we were #2 and undefeated. Well that, and league scouts. But D is effort and connectedness. Offense is talent 1st. And then connectedness.

 

[Billy Jack]

Frankly, I think it's really turnovers that have hurt us just as much as bad defense. In many of our losses, we had 15+ turnovers, several illegal screens and charges, but also silly passes and foolish plays like stepping on the sideline/endline. I agree that the defense has to better, and Hurley has to consider using more zone mixed with man to keep teams off balance. That said, the silly turnovers/illegal screens/charges have to reconciled. You look at Xaiver and Providence, they played an OT game--Providence had 8 turnovers and Xavier 5, while Marquette turned it over 7 times against Villanova (they turned it over 19 times). That's high level offensive execution and limiting fastbreak opportunities to other teams. Even in the loss to Xavier, UConn turned it over 12 times (7 in the first have with 2 critical turnovers late in the 2nd half on offensive fouls). The only reason UConn got back in the game was they turned Xavier over 15 times, I believe 11 in the 2nd half. Giving those teams extra possessions, especially on silly passes that lead to fast breaks for other teams or the inability to covert on 3-1 breaks because of a bad alleyoop pass (see Jackson against Xavier) are killers. UConn was great early in the season because they passed well and limited turnovers. It masked defensive deficiencies, because our offense ran at a high level. Take care of the basketball better, and that should lead to much better play on both ends of the floor.

This deserves a second read. Spot on.

 

[ClifSpliffy]

we really hand foul a lot. i guess that the stats now point out the obvious.
not really sure why as we seem to have good speed.
'team reach in' i call it.
somebody please fix that. jc prolly would be yelling 'move ur butt, not ur hands!' after he was done saving the world, again.

 

[Palatine]

All these games were lost in the defensive lane. And as boring as it sounds, much of it was the result of overplaying to stop the three point shot. As Hurley has adjusted his defense, the free pass to the basket or to the foul line has diminished and our defense has improved.

 

[HuskyHawk]

And it has, and that blows my mind. I can only think it was because of press clippings when we were #2 and undefeated. Well that, and league scouts. But D is effort and connectedness. Offense is talent 1st. And then connectedness.

These Big East coaches absolutely know how to exploit Hurley's defense, and for several years he was unwilling to adjust. He's finally made some changes, so let's see how that works. They did probably believe their poop didn't stink for a bit, but there was definitely a scheme problem as well.

 

[Jay-Bone]

You can have a lot of good individual pieces, that doesn't mean they'll always mesh.

 

[Billy Jack]

All these games were lost in the defensive lane. And as boring as it sounds, much of it was the result of overplaying to stop the three point shot. As Hurley has adjusted his defense, the free pass to the basket or to the foul line has diminished and our defense has improved.

16 turnovers vs Xavier
16 turnovers vs Marquette
21 turnovers vs St. John’s
18 turnovers vs Seton Hall

So, turnovers had nothing to do with these losses?