Things just make you scratch your head…

[CTFAN4LIFE]

Bad defense includes over-playing your man and committing dumb fouls, playing too soft and having blow-bys occur resulting in help defenders having to commit fouls, allowing certain 1v1 matchups to occur repeatedly that force defenders to commit fouls, etc. etc.

A lot of this has happened in the past month or so and hopefully we see less of this occurring because if we decrease these aspects, we can get back to being a wagon again.

 

[fatlucy]

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.

Our free throw defense is TERRIBLE! We need to fire Hurley!

 

[willie99]

Things just make you scratch your head…​

Lice,
Not bathing,
A wool cap….

I don't think it's very nice to call fellow UConn fans those names

 

[willie99]

Things just make you scratch your head…​

Cuse fans pretending to be UConn fans and posting non stop on this board

I sure hope they're not really UConn fans

 

[CL82]

I don't think it's very nice to call fellow UConn fans those names

Shaddup you wool cap!

 

[1999GoodSon]

I think what happened is the Sports Illustrated cover curse. Remember distinctly Hurley's post game comment after our first loss to Xavier "the guys are pretty upset they could have been #1 Monday". (I hate early polls)

We mostly bricked 37 3s that game, defense broke down, and it wasn't as close as the final score showed. I think it was all too much pressure.

The first month+, all they knew was undefeated/most complete team in the country, and then what happened - has happened. It's no individual player, we just haven't been balling like we're perfectly capable of.

I'm looking forward to a solid, complete game tomorrow and being there front and center Tuesday night against Marquette when we show the basketball world that we're back.

 

[UConnDad]

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

Been to or watched every game. Your optimism hopefully is enough.

 

[giddyup]

The defense has absolutely tanked.

It certainly looks that way. Though, I think our opponents have diagnosed how to beat an over extended man D and our guys have a grand total of about 40 minutes playing zone all season, 35 of which is a 1-3-1 that doesn’t work and about 5 minutes of 2-3 that seems to have some effect.

 

[CTFAN4LIFE]

It certainly looks that way. Though, I think our opponents have diagnosed how to beat an over extended man D and our guys have a grand total of about 40 minutes playing zone all season, 35 of which is a 1-3-1 that doesn’t work and about 5 minutes of 2-3 that seems to have some effect.

Agreed - I think we need to try some more 2-3 zone before the BE tourney so we can use it therein and in the Big dance.

 

[Billy Jack]

Xavier had 15 turnovers to our 12 and still won in latest match so what does your turnover point prove? The opponent still has to score the basket.

Turnovers always put a team in a hole. Can they be overcome? Sure if a team shoots 53% overall and 50% on 3’s as X did in that game you’re referring to. Good luck trying to do that everyday.

And yes, the opponent still has to score the basket, but you’re giving him extra opportunities to do just that. The more extra shots a team gets, the more points they will score. AND the turnovers reduce the number of shots our team gets. You can’t score on the possessions when you don’t even get a shot off. The shooting % on those no-shot is zero.

 

[Letsgohuskies11]

Turnovers always put a team in a hole. Can they be overcome? Sure if a team shoots 53% overall and 50% on 3’s as X did in that game you’re referring to. Good luck trying to do that everyday.

And yes, the opponent still has to score the basket, but you’re giving him extra opportunities to do just that. The more extra shots a team gets, the more points they will score. AND the turnovers reduce the number of shots our team gets. You can’t score on the possessions when you don’t even get a shot off. The shooting % on those no-shot is zero.

Why was Xavier shooting 53% overall and 50% from 3?

 

[Billy Jack]

Why was Xavier shooting 53% overall and 50% from 3?

Good luck trying to blame that on the D. If it was a failure by the defense, then every team on their schedule is failing at defending them. They have the 3rd highest team FG% and 2nd highest 3-point % in the country.

Nit pick on their defense all you want, but this isn’t the opponent you want to use for your case study. Shooting at a high percent is simply what they do. It’s who they are.

 

[Letsgohuskies11]

Good luck trying to blame that on the D. If it was a failure by the defense, then every team on their schedule is failing at defending them. They have the 3rd highest team FG% and 2nd highest 3-point % in the country.

Nit pick on their defense all you want, but this isn’t the opponent you want to use for your case study. Shooting at a high percent is simply what they do. It’s who they are.

When souley boum is shooting wide open 3s, yeah, that's the defense.

 

[UConnSwag11]

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?

When the opposing team gets the ball, do we go on defense or stay on offense?

 

[UConnSwag11]

Been to or watched every game. Your optimism hopefully is enough.

We all can’t live in the real world

 

[UConnSwag11]

Good luck trying to blame that on the D. If it was a failure by the defense, then every team on their schedule is failing at defending them. They have the 3rd highest team FG% and 2nd highest 3-point % in the country.

Nit pick on their defense all you want, but this isn’t the opponent you want to use for your case study. Shooting at a high percent is simply what they do. It’s who they are.

Since Big East play, we’re allowing almost 20 more ppg than prior to Big East play. Would that be the defensive side of the ball or offensive side?

 

[CheshireCat]

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.

Can we stop with the officiating nonsense and blaming our issues on it? I can’t believe this is STILL a thing. This post just takes it full circle - it’s hilarious. We can’t defend yet without fouling - it’s that simple.

What’s funny is you see a post like this and then tomorrow there will be one saying teams like Marquette and Providence won’t get away when their physical brand of defense in the ncaa tournament (but we apparently will). So which is it?

I don’t disagree that the officiating is awful at times, but to take our big East performance thus far and blame it on officiating is so ridiculously absurd.

 

[1999GoodSon]

Can we stop with the officiating nonsense and blaming our issues on it? I can’t believe this is STILL a thing. This post just takes it full circle - it’s hilarious. We can’t defend yet without fouling - it’s that simple.

What’s funny is you see a post like this and then tomorrow there will be one saying teams like Marquette and Providence won’t get away when their physical brand of defense in the ncaa tournament (but we apparently will). So which is it?

I don’t disagree that the officiating is awful at times, but to take our big East performance thus far and blame it on officiating is so ridiculously absurd.

Spot on. That whole blame game on the refs was a huge drag on the season by Hurley. Nothing harder to stomach than a man draped in riches playing the victim.