Thoughts…...

[mauconnfan]

Louisville is a horrible match up for us…….Harrell is a man vs woman against us. No one has enough balls to knock the man down, I don't care how skinny or weak you are do something. Do not let someone pose and laugh in your face.

Bazz and Boat were both so careless with the ball they should be embarrassed. A team that reaches as much as they do (and get's away with murder!) you need to just make plays, no trying to squeeze through double teams or take it all the way to the rim….just awful decisions by both and if they're not making shots and throwing it away then we will lose to even a crappy shooting team like Cincy by 30………

Big guys…….Amidah was okay when the 2nd half started, he played tougher and did some things better but still too soft, his first minutes were scaredy cat like……..Tyler is way too slow of their bigs can't move fast enough to play vs LVille……..Phil, okay we like some charges but now he's looking like a Dukie-flop - stand up and play some defense so you can get a rebound, awful passes, bad hands today - he wasn't very good at all. Facey has a long way to go, got pushed off almost every rebound.

Refs - they allowed the pace, they allowed LVille to play the way they like. Amazing thing to me is Chris Jones and Luke (the biggest whiner in the league) Hancock were always crying yet these 2 get away with murder all game. I can name the played which all 3 dopes out there missed but they weren't enough to keep us within 15 anyway so it's not on them……but I feel for teams who play them and the refs fall for their "great defense" BS……it's real good believe me I see that. But to be that good you need to push, pull, hand check and all that and Lord knows they do…….every breath we made that whistle went off though huh?

To me it's not the fact guys aren't shooting the ball as well as they can, it's the fact we're back to square 1 in rebounding and effort gaining position. How many games in a row have we been whacked on the boards therefore we get no run outs and aren't playing UConn basketball. If these guys don't start winning the battles again and keep playing as they do an early exit is looking at them right in the eyes.

These guys just dropped to at least a 6 or 7 with this effort on national TV and a loss vs Memphis next week will get them in the 8-9 game…………

I'd make them run as soon as they got back to campus with the energy they showed today! No doubter there…..back to the basics!

 

[uconnfan68]

Louisville is a horrible match up for us…….Harrell is a man vs woman against us. No one has enough balls to knock the man down, I don't care how skinny or weak you are do something. Do not let someone pose and laugh in your face.

Bazz and Boat were both so careless with the ball they should be embarrassed. A team that reaches as much as they do (and get's away with murder!) you need to just make plays, no trying to squeeze through double teams or take it all the way to the rim….just awful decisions by both and if they're not making shots and throwing it away then we will lose to even a crappy shooting team like Cincy by 30………

Big guys…….Amidah was okay when the 2nd half started, he played tougher and did some things better but still too soft, his first minutes were scaredy cat like……..Tyler is way too slow of their bigs can't move fast enough to play vs LVille……..Phil, okay we like some charges but now he's looking like a Dukie-flop - stand up and play some defense so you can get a rebound, awful passes, bad hands today - he wasn't very good at all. Facey has a long way to go, got pushed off almost every rebound.

Refs - they allowed the pace, they allowed LVille to play the way they like. Amazing thing to me is Chris Jones and Luke (the biggest whiner in the league) Hancock were always crying yet these 2 get away with murder all game. I can name the played which all 3 dopes out there missed but they weren't enough to keep us within 15 anyway so it's not on them……but I feel for teams who play them and the refs fall for their "great defense" BS……it's real good believe me I see that. But to be that good you need to push, pull, hand check and all that and Lord knows they do…….every breath we made that whistle went off though huh?

To me it's not the fact guys aren't shooting the ball as well as they can, it's the fact we're back to square 1 in rebounding and effort gaining position. How many games in a row have we been whacked on the boards therefore we get no run outs and aren't playing UConn basketball. If these guys don't start winning the battles again and keep playing as they do an early exit is looking at them right in the eyes.

These guys just dropped to at least a 6 or 7 with this effort on national TV and a loss vs Memphis next week will get them in the 8-9 game…………

I'd make them run as soon as they got back to campus with the energy they showed today! No doubter there…..back to the basics!

I'd be OK with no more national tv games. Our record is pitiful in them, and sometimes the play has been even worse.

 

[uchusky32]

There's something going on that is in our head when we play ville. But there's more going on. Boat just doesn't make shots. To many missed layups missed jumpers. Today Bazz didn't make shots. Our bigs don't play big.

Maybe there's more to this Boat/Bazz rifted that has been and is affecting this team..

Then again maybe we just aren't that good. Something has been going on the last 10 or so games. Yes we have won most but we haven't looked good winning in awhile.

 

[huskiesnyc]

My biggest concern is Napier yelling/blaming his teammates for every little mishap. Look in the freaking mirror man!! He has had arguably the 3 worst games of his career in the last month @Cincy, SMU and today. I understand he's feeling a lot of pressure with his draft stock, but please don't get in Kromah's face ever again. I'm critical of Shabazz because 1) I have eyes and 2) it pains me to see him self-destruct like this. I just want to see us compete and maintain good attitudes. We've had a solid season no need for the bickering.

 

[mauconnfan]

My biggest concern is Napier yelling/blaming his teammates for every little mishap. Look in the freaking mirror man!! He has had arguably the 3 worst games of his career in the last month @Cincy, SMU and today. I understand he's feeling a lot of pressure with his draft stock, but please don't get in Kromah's face ever again. I'm critical of Shabazz because 1) I have eyes and 2) it pains me to see him self-destruct like this. I just want to see us compete and maintain good attitudes. We've had a solid season no need for the bickering.

No one is having fun anymore……..when they have fun, run, rebound and make shots their a blast but now their all back to that scowl of a team not having fun. Even in some close wins……..they need to get back at it or this will end real soon.

 

[CTBasketball]

I just want to throw this one out. Nothing good can be said.

Ever since the OT Memphis win, we've regressed back to the December/November Huskies that were barely squeeking by below average to mediocre teams. And that's on everyone. The coaches and the players. No improvement at all this year except for Amida. When we play a superior team that doesn't let us run our offense, we resort to jacking 3's and taking wild drive attempts at the bucket. We live and die by the 3 and today we were murdered. This philosophy does not work in March. It never has and it never will.

 

[huskiesnyc]

No one is having fun anymore……..when they have fun, run, rebound and make shots their a blast but now their all back to that scowl of a team not having fun. Even in some close wins……..they need to get back at it or this will end real soon.

I completely agree they need to have fun and it starts and ends with Napier. I think he's really feeling the pressure and the team relies on him big time. It's sad to see him reverting back to his sophomore season ways this late in the season. He played his way out of conference POY today...

 

[mauconnfan]

I just want to throw this one out. Nothing good can be said.

Ever since the OT Memphis win, we've regressed back to the December/November Huskies that were barely squeeking by below average to mediocre teams. And that's on everyone. The coaches and the players. No improvement at all this year except for Amida. When we play a superior team that doesn't let us run our offense, we resort to jacking 3's and taking wild drive attempts at the bucket. We live and die by the 3 and today we were murdered. This philosophy does not work in March. It never has and it never will.

So true but if you think about it that's all we are with this team anyway. When they shot 50% from 3 for the majority of the year they were good, now not so much lately. Again, no wings who can handle so how many offenses can you run if your wings can't pass or dribble? Also both guards have regressed as of late both offensively and decision making. Then you're in real trouble!

 

[huskiesnyc]

I just want to throw this one out. Nothing good can be said.

Ever since the OT Memphis win, we've regressed back to the December/November Huskies that were barely squeeking by below average to mediocre teams. And that's on everyone. The coaches and the players. No improvement at all this year except for Amida. When we play a superior team that doesn't let us run our offense, we resort to jacking 3's and taking wild drive attempts at the bucket. We live and die by the 3 and today we were murdered. This philosophy does not work in March. It never has and it never will.

Today was a disgrace but we've had a solid season at 24-7 with some very good wins. We even beat #11 a week ago. The team has major flaws, so I'm not sure how much better you expected us to perform?

 

[CTBasketball]

So true but if you think about it that's all we are with this team anyway. When they shot 50% from 3 for the majority of the year they were good, now not so much lately. Again, no wings who can handle so how many offenses can you run if your wings can't pass or dribble? Also both guards have regressed as of late both offensively and decision making. Then you're in real trouble!

On point Mau. What can't be said enough is the lack of security whilst dribbling the ball. I'm sorry, but Boatright, as flashy as he may be, is a terrible dribbler in traffic and gets easier flustered. Its sad to see from a junior guard at UConn who's averaged 25min + a game since his freshman year. Napier and Kromah aren't that great of ball handlers either. Shabazz is the best, but even Taliek had better handles than him.

 

[Adios]

I don't even know why people would bother to compare Shabazz and Kemba. Two different playing styles and mindsets. Kemba led to a NC. Shabazz... That certainly is a lot of pressure. Such comparisons should have never happened.

 

[uchusky32]

So true but if you think about it that's all we are with this team anyway. When they shot 50% from 3 for the majority of the year they were good, now not so much lately. Again, no wings who can handle so how many offenses can you run if your wings can't pass or dribble? Also both guards have regressed as of late both offensively and decision making. Then you're in real trouble!

Really what offense can we run with a team that has undersized guards and bigs you can't throw it in to. But our biggest problem is we don't have a true SF. One who can take his man off the dribble. Someone who can make something happen when the play called breaks down.

 

[huskiesnyc]

I'm surprised FriarJ and SeanMc aren't trolling this board right now…Here's your opening guys!!

 

[mauconnfan]

I'm surprised FriarJ and SeanMc aren't trolling this board right now…Here's your opening guys!!

Instead we get Payday from Cincy making them look like Angels…….

 

[Kitaman]

Well our next game will say a lot about our makeup. The team cannot overlook or write off this game, it was too bad of a performance. Not a bright spot today.

Its starts Sunday/Monday at practice. Its up to them where they are headed and how far.

This is not a very good team BUT if they play with 100% effort, hit their shots, play together and execute Ollie's strategy they can beat (or at least play with any team). We have the best guard in the nation, a good coach and a decent supporting cast, more than enough to do some serious damage. I'm still confident, but certainly not in denial.

Let's see their floor response as proof is in the action, which comes in the Tourney.

 

[dsturdy5]

Well our next game will say a lot about our makeup. The team cannot overlook or write off this game, it was too bad of a performance. Not a bright spot today.

Its starts Sunday/Monday at practice. Its up to them where they are headed and how far.

This is not a very good team BUT if they play with 100% effort, hit their shots, play together and execute Ollie's strategy they can beat (or at least play with any team). We have the best guard in the nation, a good coach and a decent supporting cast, more than enough to do some serious damage. I'm still confident, but certainly not in denial.

Let's see their floor response as proof is in the action, which comes in the Tourney.

I agree with this. Between this and the SMU game, I believe a lot of it is correctable. There appears to be a mental block for UConn against Louisville. Offensively, the players are stagnant and/or unsure of where to go. Defensively, they help way too much and leave shooters wide open. That said, I think that UConn can correct a lot of what went wrong today.

They did not play defense with the same intensity or conviction that they did against Cincy. They looked confused. I wonder if the defensive game plan was a. too confusing or b. had them intimidated. Also, they did not hit the boards today the way they have in games against some physical teams since the new year. Those things can be fixed. If you watched the defensive rotations and how they stuck to guys like Kilpatrick in recent weeks, they can slow scorers. Today they were slow and fundamentally horrid. The number of times they let Louisville players get their feet set for several seconds before even receiving the ball and then the close outs with their hands down and/or with no elevation to try and disrupt the shot was astounding. How many times do you not account for the guy on the baseline? Count, can you see 5 guys? No? Where is the other one? Oh, he's scoring.

There are some correctable things from today on the offensive side of the ball as well. For UConn it was either attempt a three or a shot right near the rim. Pulling up 12-15 feet, drawing a defender and letting a post player step into the gap near the rim would have been deadly today with Louisville's rotations.

I think it is no coincidence that UConn's offensive struggles have coincided, in large part, with DD's difficulties. He seemed to get going a bit today. If he can give 12-14 points a game from the post/foul line area, that changes things dramatically.

Are any of these enough to close the gap between UConn-Louisville? No, probably not on their head. Mau has a point that UConn has to "man up" and punch them in the mouth like they did early in the game at Gampel when they withstood a Louisville run.

Offensively, I think Memphis will be a good match up for UConn. They don't really defend all that well and UConn can get their shots. Also, UConn has some confidence in playing those guys and can go out and run with them. It's on to the best part of the season.

 

[Calhoun's Court]

Louisville is a horrible match up for us…….Harrell is a man vs woman against us. No one has enough balls to knock the man down, I don't care how skinny or weak you are do something. Do not let someone pose and laugh in your face.

Bazz and Boat were both so careless with the ball they should be embarrassed. A team that reaches as much as they do (and get's away with murder!) you need to just make plays, no trying to squeeze through double teams or take it all the way to the rim….just awful decisions by both and if they're not making shots and throwing it away then we will lose to even a crappy shooting team like Cincy by 30………

Big guys…….Amidah was okay when the 2nd half started, he played tougher and did some things better but still too soft, his first minutes were scaredy cat like……..Tyler is way too slow of their bigs can't move fast enough to play vs LVille……..Phil, okay we like some charges but now he's looking like a Dukie-flop - stand up and play some defense so you can get a rebound, awful passes, bad hands today - he wasn't very good at all. Facey has a long way to go, got pushed off almost every rebound.

Refs - they allowed the pace, they allowed LVille to play the way they like. Amazing thing to me is Chris Jones and Luke (the biggest whiner in the league) Hancock were always crying yet these 2 get away with murder all game. I can name the played which all 3 dopes out there missed but they weren't enough to keep us within 15 anyway so it's not on them……but I feel for teams who play them and the refs fall for their "great defense" BS……it's real good believe me I see that. But to be that good you need to push, pull, hand check and all that and Lord knows they do…….every breath we made that whistle went off though huh?

To me it's not the fact guys aren't shooting the ball as well as they can, it's the fact we're back to square 1 in rebounding and effort gaining position. How many games in a row have we been whacked on the boards therefore we get no run outs and aren't playing UConn basketball. If these guys don't start winning the battles again and keep playing as they do an early exit is looking at them right in the eyes.

These guys just dropped to at least a 6 or 7 with this effort on national TV and a loss vs Memphis next week will get them in the 8-9 game…………

I'd make them run as soon as they got back to campus with the energy they showed today! No doubter there…..back to the basics!

You know mau we think alike.

I was thinking can one of our bigs just plant an elbow into this guy just to let him know that he can't just do whatever the heck he wants to.

Today Phil looked like he was playing with no hands at all. I think he had 3 turnovers in a row in the second half.

Agree on Bazz and Boat both looked to me like they were trying to hit a 5 run homer everytime they got the ball. Most resulted in missed shots or worse yet turnovers with no shot attempts.

Hope we can just dismiss it as a bad matchup that spun out of control.

KO is going to have to right the ship for the next two tourneys.

In my heart(where UCONN is always undefeated ) I thought we could hang with them but realistically senior day and Louisville was a bad combo. But even still just go down there and play and at least let them know you are going to compete.

 

[60'sfan]

I didn't bother to watch this game and I'm glad I didn't. I did record it just in case but I have since erased the recording. In case no one has noticed, Louisville has our number and have had it for some time. First, this was a home game for them and it was senior day and a win would give them a tie for first place in the conference so they were motivated. Second, they have better players than we do. Their guards are bigger and just as quick. Their front line is bigger and more athletic. And I know that some of you don't want to hear this but they have a hall of fame coach. If we played Louisville on a neutral court 20 times, we'd be fortunate to win one or two games.

The last time we beat Louisville, we had the best player in college basketball and a solid supporting cast. I think we are wasting our time trying to pin this loss and Shabazz or Boatright or Kevin Ollie. If you were able to put Kemba out there instead of Shabazz we still would have lost. If Jim Calhoun coached the game instead of Kevin Ollie, the result would have been the same. The only difference would have been the air would have been a lot bluer. Time to move on.

 

[uchusky32]

We"60'sfan, post: 872359, member: 1155"]I didn't bother to watch this game and I'm glad I didn't. I did record it just in case but I have since erased the recording. In case no one has noticed, Louisville has our number and have had it for some time. First, this was a home game for them and it was senior day and a win would give them a tie for first place in the conference so they were motivated. Second, they have better players than we do. Their guards are bigger and just as quick. Their front line is bigger and more athletic. And I know that some of you don't want to hear this but they have a hall of fame coach. If we played Louisville on a neutral court 20 times, we'd be fortunate to win one or two games.

The last time we beat Louisville, we had the best player in college basketball and a solid supporting cast. I think we are wasting our time trying to pin this loss and Shabazz or Boatright or Kevin Ollie. If you were able to put Kemba out there instead of Shabazz we still would have lost. If Jim Calhoun coached the game instead of Kevin Ollie, the result would have been the same. The only difference would have been the air would have been a lot bluer. Time to move on.[/quote

We all new this was coming, whether we admitted it or not. Its getting worser and worser each time we plays them and this team was showing us for about a month they we're slowing up.

 

[huskyharry]

It is time to put up or shut up. UConn absolutely cannot roll over and collapse like they did tonight. As Coach Ollie said, they did not play together and they did not play tough.
Memphis at Memphis with the AAC Tourney atmosphere is a tough row to hoe, but they need to bring it!

 

[huskyharry]

My biggest concern is Napier yelling/blaming his teammates for every little mishap. Look in the freaking mirror man!! He has had arguably the 3 worst games of his career in the last month @Cincy, SMU and today. I understand he's feeling a lot of pressure with his draft stock, but please don't get in Kromah's face ever again. I'm critical of Shabazz because 1) I have eyes and 2) it pains me to see him self-destruct like this. I just want to see us compete and maintain good attitudes. We've had a solid season no need for the bickering.

Napier's behavior was uncalled for today. He got in his teammates' faces after making mistakes himself. He doesn't communicate well with DD and Nolan and throws the ball away and then yells at them. Then he short arms a pass to Kromah and Kromah actually prevents the turnover by diving and knocking the ball away from the 'Ville player, then Bazz gets in his face?
Napier's play and attitude today was absolutely putrid. Hopefully, he can turn it around.

 

[UConnDad]

This was a bad game that nobody took well. The team is just as unhappy as we are. The only cure for this is to meticulously prepare and then execute Thursday. I think we will.

 

[freescooter]

I agree this was a horrible matchup for us. UConn is pretty much a 1 dimensional team. If you can stop the guards, particularly Napier, we're in trouble. If you have a good big man and can stop the guards, the result is what happened yesterday. The good news is that most teams don't have guards who can stop Napier. So we always have a puncher's chance. The rest of the team is average to below average. We're relying on an A-10 guy as a key component.

 

[djct1999]

Its simple really. If we look back at the season that was, there is a huge divide between team guys and me guys. Think about it. Guys like Giffey and Kromah exceeded expectations. Why? Because they play hard, they play within the system, they put the team first. Guys like Calhoun, Daniels, and Boatright have all showed little to no improvement. As the season progressed, they pressed, played for themselves trying to get on track and achieving individual stats. Well, especially with an undersized team, me first simply doesn't work. This mentality was exposed yesterday. Yesterday was not a team effort. It was players giving up on each other. It was guys forcing things. Napier is the perfect case study because we have seen both sides of this. When he is team first, he plays great, is dominant, and literally makes everyone better. The last few games, his body language has suggested that he is reverting back to his old ways. Yesterday's result was rock bottom.

 

[Strummer]

Man, I know this comes across as lack of appreciation and lack of support, but I can't wait until we don't have the shortest backcourt since Mugsy Bogues and Spud Web got together for a pro-am game a decade ago. Love both Boat and Napier, and Walker showed that very special, shorter guards can do well, but yesterday's game looked like a JV against Varsity matchup, with our guys physically overwhelmed at every position and on every play.

It was painfully obvious yesterday that Napier and Boat's ability to pass over/around taller guards who are as quick as them is extremely limited.

It makes it really tough when it's a challenge to even get the ball to the guys you are trying to pass to who aren't particularly effective at scoring in any event.

 

[mauconnfan]

Hear hear Strummer…….hear hear

 

[freescooter]

Stummer, exactly. UConn goes up against guards who are as good as our guys but bigger we are going to struggle a lot.