Things to look for tonight

[Jaydumo20]

Tonight's game should provide some answers to some of our more recent questions. Though a W is the real important metric here, there are a few other things I'd like to see.

• This can be Castles game. He has had 2 big east games and a week to work on things. I think we are all keying on him.
• Karaban finds his rhythm
• SJ gets close to a dbl-dbl (dbl digit points more important)

What else are you looking forward to as a sign of progress?

 

[Letsgohuskies11]

Better ball movement and pushing the ball and tempo. Felt like the last 2 games we slowed things down and had a tougher time scoring

 

[HailUConn]

Really want Hurley to give decent amount of playing time to young pups not named Castle or Ball.

 

[JustbrewitMan]

Quality minutes from Stewart and Ross

 

[CardiacAndre7]

Quicker, more decisive ball movement. The last two games there’s been too much of Tristen and Cam tossing the ball around and struggling because their lack of burst. Steph needs to penetrate/sit in the pockets. Cam and Tristen need to draw fouls if they can’t get by their men consistently.

 

[gtcam]

Just win
W's most important while DC heals.

 

[gtcam]

Quality minutes from Stewart and Ross

Is this comedy???!!!!

 

[bluestreak]

Back to a high assist number. Domination on the glass.

 

[ThabeetDown]

Tonight's game should provide some answers to some of our more recent questions. Though a W is the real important metric here, there are a few other things I'd like to see.

• This can be Castles game. He has had 2 big east games and a week to work on things. I think we are all keying on him.
• Karaban finds his rhythm
• SJ gets close to a dbl-dbl (dbl digit points more important)

What else are you looking forward to as a sign of progress?

I think these are the three biggest ones (in order too) but in general just want some consistency and build off the 2H of last game.

 

[HailUConn]

is it too much a wish for a Singare moment or highlight?

 

[UCLJ0211]

Is this comedy???!!!!

Well, it would likely mean that we’re up by a bunch of points so that would be a good thing

 

[UConn3432]

Hard hedges!!!

 

[AllHusky]

Nasty defense
Don't get beat off the dribble
Contest perimeter
Create turnovers
38-40% 3 point for moderate # attempts

 

[Solo Castle]

Kind of expecting every team to throw a 2-3 zone at us at this point. Hope to see ball movement into successful made open 3’s

 

[Chin Diesel]

Tonight's game should provide some answers to some of our more recent questions. Though a W is the real important metric here, there are a few other things I'd like to see.

• This can be Castles game. He has had 2 big east games and a week to work on things. I think we are all keying on him.
• Karaban finds his rhythm
• SJ gets close to a dbl-dbl (dbl digit points more important)

What else are you looking forward to as a sign of progress?

Better ball movement and pushing the ball and tempo. Felt like the last 2 games we slowed things down and had a tougher time scoring

Quicker, more decisive ball movement. The last two games there’s been too much of Tristen and Cam tossing the ball around and struggling because their lack of burst. Steph needs to penetrate/sit in the pockets. Cam and Tristen need to draw fouls if they can’t get by their men consistently.

These three.

Hurley has been going to Clingan early and often in games to get DC going. He tried that for one and a half seasons with Adama before abandoning it midway through last season. It's slow and it's predictable.

With DC out, run the offense, keep it quick with passing and cutting. No need to worry about getting SJ comfortable in the post like they were doing with DC.

Beyond that. Get Castle going as the focal point of ball movement and get Netwon and Spencer open for 3's and drives.

Get in to a good rhythm with Spencer and Newton shooting, get Castle facilitating and keep Johnson on the floor. Karaban will figure out how to be effective.

As for bench, Diarra as a change of pace guard, get Ball driving more and less shooting set shot 3's. And Singare has to figure out how to be a 6-10 a game guy.


If all that gets straightened out then you can worry about Stewart and Ross.

 

[GlastonTim]

Want to see new wrinkles to the offense now that Castle and Johnson are starting. Lots of assists. Lockdown D.

 

[Captbluefin]

Better ball movement and pushing the ball and tempo. Felt like the last 2 games we slowed things down and had a tougher time scoring

I feel that things seem to slow down when Castle gets the ball.

Hopefully this week has been productive getting everyone back on the same page

 

[PAHusky]

1. They just need to win until DC gets back
2. Karaban needs to wake up a little on both sides of the floor. Offensively he needs to adjust to being a second or third option rather than a fourth of fifth, catch and shoot option. Defensively he needs to figure out how to guard more physical forwards. He's a very smart kid and I know Dan Hurley isn't worried about him but he has not taken the jump this year this team needs
3. Castle needs to start hitting jump shots, or at least taking them without hesitating, and he needs to make quicker decisions/play within the flow of the offense
4. Would be nice to see Singare keep progressing
5. Solo continues to let it fly from 3 when open and driving and kicking when not

 

[Kemba'sYogurt]

I really just want to see us execute at a higher level and otherwise be sharper. It's something Hurley talked about as one of the positives about the 10 day or so layoff we've had since St Johns. A chance for the team to get some rest and reset. We played a monster OOC schedule and that can catch up to a team pretty easily.

That can include "small" things like:
-Communicating better/clearly on screens
-Cutting and screening with purpose
-Boxing out on rebounds

Those are things that sound simple, but when they aren't done can cripple a team.

 

[Huskybass]

Back to a high assist number. Domination on the glass.

2 ingredients that always mean a W. Great post.

 

[freshler40]

Quickly establish a lead.
Karaban needs to look for his shot more and drive as well
Solo needs to be more aggressive. He is much too passive on offense

 

[husky429]

Lots of good stuff here. I'll add that I want to see us adapting on both ends to the new reality of tough, physical conference play. It took us about 4 games too long last year to figure it out, and I would like to see us adapt faster. We shouldn't run the same offense or defense with Johnson and Castle starting.

 

[EricLA]

I love reading threads like this - with insights from fans who have better basketball minds than I do. Bottom line for me - a convincing win using all the weapons we have, including the bench. And everyone playing well and showing improvement.

Side note - first game in over a week. I look for us to come out slow and rusty. Fans hopefully allow for that in expectations. The women played yesterday after a similar layoff. Got blown out in the first 5 minutes and were down 17-7 before they blew the doors off and destroyed #18 Marquette by 30 in the end.

Hoping for similar from the men (altho not necessarily the slow start - just sort of mentally expecting it)...

 

[CardiacAndre7]

Also would like to see us get some scoring in transition. With the aforementioned limitations in the half court from Cam and Tristen, we really should look more to push and get easy buckets for them. Also, we have a gazelle at center who will beat most, if not all 5s down the court.

 

[Travelman6]

Blow out depaul. 5 minutes into the game their spirit should be crushed, keep the foot on the pedal.