Thoughts from yesterday…….

[mauconnfan]

Houston is 2-0 in the league and UConn is 0-2!

Memphis was out toughed by Cincy, imagine how our guys will be vs the Bearcats?

If Deandre Daniels refuses to toughen up in the low block on FT's any more for all I care he can sit all day. He didn't box out ever yesterday on FT's with the advantage to him!

Bazz lost about 6-8 assists on beautiful looks to people, cross court passes, looking the defenders away all kinds of stuff but no one attacked or shot the ball immediately. Ashame…….

If the other team has a guy/big who leaves the low block Tyler Olander can not be on the court. He cannot guard away from the basket at all…….Thomas from Houston maybe, Kennedy yesterday no shot…too slow and doesn't move his feet well at all or anticipate worth a damn.

How many times did our Huskies have 2-3 guys on a rebound at the same time and never come up with one?

I don't think it's the fact Brimah doesn't have good hands I believe it's just instincts and feel for the game. He doesn't expect passes and his hands are down and not ready all too often. He did some decent things though yesterday……

Boats mid range jumper is looking good the last couple needs to use it more. Still needs to stay between his man and the basket better on defense but he's playing hard…….

Kromah was real good……a little DePriest-like yesterday holding Nic Young to 5 in the 2nd half…….lucky to have him despite what Coack K thinks…….

Giffey = Enigma….for those who want to blame KO for his demise watch him….at times lately wandering a little aimlessly on both ends……need him to be aggressive especially on the defensive end and both boards. Still need to get him more than 2 shots

Deandre Daniels - finish like a man once please. He is so weak with the ball again it's frustrating as hell. So much talent but soft as a baby's a**…….like many of our bigs afraid to get fouled would rather double pump, get smaller and throw up BS rather than go hard, shoulder in and get fouled and hopefully an "and 1"…..

I'll be honest as I possibly can - thought yesterday's game was almost a must win for this team. And this for many reasons as they seem to be frustrated with each other…….I know for SURE Harvard at home IS……we'll see who has the to represent the National Flag and Blue Wednesday that's for sure!

 

[boog204]

Agree on everything... The other thing is for the love of God, KO needs to put some sort of wrinkle into our half court offense. You cannot just do ball screens for 40 minutes and expect to have any flow in the offense. There is so much pressure on Bazz and Boat to create for themselves and others. On top of that, if you are going to ball screen all game, you cannot have the primary screener be a non-threat. Having Brimah/TO screening 25 feet from the hoop is an instant double team for the ball handler and creates a clusterduck of an offense. I know KO played in the NBA for 13 years, but he has shown very little semblance of how to install, instill, and coach a half court offense. It's Bazz or Boat or bust.

The issue is that this is an incredibly flawed team. Even when we were winning it was obvious that there were major issues. Most people took the "survive and advance" mentality but it was obvious that there were major issues brewing. We only have two guys who can handle the ball. We have not one but two very small guards who are a liability defensively. We have little toughness, no interior players, and a low basketball IQ in regards to basic fundamentals of shot selection and boxing out. On top of that, I don't think our coaching is helping in the least bit.

We can be a solid team, just need to gain some composure, some confidence, and begin executing the simple things. That's on KO to right the ship.

 

[mauconnfan]

Well stated boog…….KO needs to definitely add the wrinkles, they have good minds next to him use them…….

Also agree and laugh at the people who actually believed this team would go 16-2 in this league….while I respect their faith in the team you weren't watching all of the OOC games closely if you thought this was going to be easy. I didn't think they would lose both of these but 1-1 was more than likely from what I was thinking. Now they will need to get their big boy pants on to gain on the pack………..and KO and staff has some work to do in order to help them regain that confidence and swagger they need so desperately……..

 

[Huskybass]

At this point I think we should just uptempo every game and run on every possession. It beats the hell out of scoring 60ish points and minimizes the impact of our problems at the 4 and 5. Run all game... the results would be better.

 

[GlastonTim]

A lot is said about the lack of offense, but the D really needs to step up. Houston 49% fg and 50% 3pt fg, SMU 47% fg and 43% 3pt fg. Not gonna win by letting teams score like that. These numbers are uncharacteristic of this team, have to get closer to the average of 39% and 32%. Need to go to zone if you're going to play such weak man to man.

 

[mauconnfan]

A lot is said about the lack of offense, but the D really needs to step up. Houston 49% fg and 50% 3pt fg, SMU 47% fg and 43% 3pt fg. Not gonna win by letting teams score like that. These numbers are uncharacteristic of this team, have to get closer to the average of 39% and 32%. Need to go to zone if you're going to play such weak man to man.

Agreed and it will need to start with Bazz and Boat who both need to buckle down and take less chances……..there's no wall behind them anymore like in the past so they need to play their guys through most plays rather than any "ole'' " tactics, it starts with them…….you saw what Kromah did to Young with hard nosed man……….

 

[mauconnfan]

The same people who thought that Boat and DD would follow Bazz into the NBA this year.
European ball would be a real stretch for these guys right now.

No doubt……have to give Boat credit though he's been one of the better players the last 2 though far from NBA game…….DD? Yikes……..

 

[huskiesnyc]

Not sure why we are so content to walk the ball up and run our dreadful half court offense. There has to be some more plays than just on the ball screens. I'd love to see some more backdoor cuts. We also need to play to our strengths and get out and run in transition. Although it might be wise to occasionally pass to teammate when they've got a 2 on 1! Boatright and Kromah are the only players on the team right now that are competing. Everyone else is way too content losing. I was sick to my stomach watching these guys lose to Houston, and to come out flat right after says a lot about these guys unfortunately.

 

[willie99]

when watching the Cinci vs Memphis game I was thinking how the Bearcats were playing tough physical Big East basketball. The stuff I love

then it hit me like a brick, we're not that team anymore

 

[mauconnfan]

when watching the Cinci vs Memphis game I was thinking how the Bearcats were playing tough physical Big East basketball. The stuff I love

then it hit me like a brick, we're not that team anymore

I hear ya willie and that's scary huh? It will be tough for this team to split with them as we see them now!

 

[UC Billy]

Games are won with great DDDDDDD. This team has lacked the intensity necessary in order to win. Its all about heart, desire and the willingness to win. This group of Huskies has yet to exhibit these core ingredients.

And many of us were talking about now being in a sub par AAC. We are 0-2 and now on to Harvard.

 

[uconnfan68]

At this point I think we should just uptempo every game and run on every possession. It beats the hell out of scoring 60ish points and minimizes the impact of our problems at the 4 and 5. Run all game... the results would be better.

We can't. The game slows down because of SN and RB. They can't keep that pace.

 

[mauconnfan]

We can't. The game slows down because of SN and RB. They can't keep that pace.

And we can't rebound…….can't ruin without the ball. And how many clean rebounds do we actually get where you could throw an outlet? Half the time we're running down rebounds in the corner………they could run but our guards are our best rebounders so that's all we need to know!

 

[boog204]

And we can't rebound…….can't ruin without the ball. And how many clean rebounds do we actually get where you could throw an outlet? Half the time we're running down rebounds in the corner………they could run but our guards are our best rebounders so that's all we need to know!

it is really ridiculous to consider that our best rebounder for the past two years has been a marginally athletic 6-0 point guard.

 

[mauconnfan]

it is really ridiculous to consider that our best rebounder for the past two years has been a marginally athletic 6-0 point guard.[/quote
If i were Tyler or Deandre I would be ashamed of myself………really not kidding!! I could get more rebounds than Tyler…...Oh crap he played 25 minutes yesterday and I was at a bar watching it and he only out rebounded me by 1 anyway…….that's plain awful.

 

[huskiesnyc]

Even though he's playing soft as hell at least Daniels got some rebounds. Phil Nolan finished the abysmal road trip with a whopping 1 rebound.

 

[Huskygamble19]

I know what you are saying about going for the ball. I saw 3 UCONN players grab the ball simultaneously, only to have it squirt out to aan SMU player for an easy layup. Maddening, but consistent with this team.

 

[mauconnfan]

Even though he's playing soft as hell at least Daniels got some rebounds. Phil Nolan finished the abysmal road trip with a whopping 1 rebound.

Nolan was sick and his minutes were very few though not a good comparison……maybe Tyler with 25 minutes and 1 board would be better suited for that…...

 

[husky91]

Play like a mid major with a pseudo 4 perimeter players. Don't run any plays or a sets with an expectation that any of the 4 interior players can make a play or will have any consistency.

Hopefully this changes into next year, but won't this season.

 

[mauconnfan]

Play like a mid major with a pseudo 4 perimeter players. Don't run any plays or a sets with an expectation that any of the 4 interior players can make a play or will have any consistency.

Hopefully this changes into next year, but won't this season.

At least you can watch Tiger Woods in some tourney's soon since you jumped off the bandwagon!! lol

 

[huskiesnyc]

Nolan was sick and his minutes were very few though not a good comparison……maybe Tyler with 25 minutes and 1 board would be better suited for that…...

I agree 1 rebound in 25 minutes is a disgrace. Nolan should still be able to play with a sore throat

 

[mauconnfan]

Tyler really had me riled up about 5-6 times at least yesterday as another SMU player would be driving on their guy and he would jump over to be the secondary shot blocker….are you shi**in me Tyler - trying to block shots? Can you just stay on your guy and box him the fk out so he doesn't get the weak side rebound PLEASE - once!

 

[Huskygamble19]

We don't realize how much we miss Wolf. He was a real presence in the middle and could actually make some shots. they have no one like him now. Brimah could be the guy, but he is very raw right now.

 

[huskiesnyc]

Tyler really had me riled up about 5-6 times at least yesterday as another SMU player would be driving on their guy and he would jump over to be the secondary shot blocker….are you shi**in me Tyler - trying to block shots? Can you just stay on your guy and box him the fk out so he doesn't get the weak side rebound PLEASE - once!

The one time he actually did "sort of" box out there was a long rebound opportunity and he decided he didn't feel like going for it. Of course one of SMU's guards swooped in and grabbed it like a man. But hey, congrats one the 1 rebound Tyler!

 

[huskiesnyc]

We don't realize how much we miss Wolf. He was a real presence in the middle and could actually make some shots. they have no one like him now. Brimah could be the guy, but he is very raw right now.

I am guilty of not realizing just how big Wolf's loss really was at the time. He was at least a competent big man.