Thoughts on Texas

[BFieldHusky]

I know it is 6 days away, but it's not too early to talk about this game. Obviously, this is a huge game with Texas being a borderline Top 25 team in the rankings and the RPI right now. Interesting that this will be the first game in 10 days for Texas, and that the students are on break. Maybe minor things, but they could work in our favor.

Seen them play a couple of times. They looked like a different team against North Carolina. They hit 50% of their shots from 3, and if they didn't struggle from the free throw line, they would have won that game by 10 points. They really struggled against Michigan in the Battle 4 Atlantis. I think we are much quicker than they are, but Taylor (their PG) is going to give us fits like Trimble did.

 

[mauconnfan]

Taylor is a problem no doubt. He is with everyone but people will need to help and rotate. They looked really good against UNC, if they shoot like that we will have some major issues. They seem to love Shaka's style and have bought in and they are talented, big and deep. The good news is they don't always shoot like that but bad news is they have a coach now!

Wished we had OBJ for this one - I do know I hate that it's a week away again.

 

[UconnFanDC]

This wil be a tough game but we have the weapons even without Brimah to win! If our big men stay out of foul trouble, we limit turnovers and play defense like we are capable of doing, we got this! Uconn 83 Texas 77

 

[ConnZag3]

Keeping Ridley off the boards is gonna be huge in this game too. He takes up so much space and we don't have anyone nearly big and strong enough to match up well with him. Felix has been on fire lately too at the point. Our ball pressure will have to be strong to prevent the easy passes into the post and the straight drives to the goal. This game concerns me a lot more now than it did watching Texas in China and the Bahamas.

 

[BLUEDOGHOUSE]

Texas (-3) for the line? Kenpom has Texas by 2.

Before the season started I had this as a hard fought W. Statistically Texas is one of the worse free throw shooting teams in the country. They still have the ability to close out games though at the line with Taylor, Felix and Lammert. Ridley is a horrendous FT shooter. You have to play physical with Texas to beat them. NO LAYUPS inside.

Javon Felix must be a marked man because he can kill you from behind the arc. I think this is a game where Adams will be needed to step up defensively. He is the guy (JA) that could use his length to disrupt Taylor on the perimeter. Coaching will be big in this game. We will need to make quick adjustments with our lineups. If Adams just limits turnovers and defends well that could be the difference. Texas has 11 players that play 8 minutes or more. Guys like Yancy and Ibeh are not scrubs either. I don't like any MtoM with Gibbs guarding Taylor. Gibbs is still a key piece to the puzzle in beating Texas though.

It may make sense to play some zone defense with MtoM principles in the form of a match-up zone for periods of the game.

 

[James]

We should win this game

they don't have holmes or turner anymore, miller is going to be the best 6'7+ guy on the floor. I'd like to see purvis guard taylor and hound him on pnrs. this is an 'identity' sort of game similar to maryland, all the cards will be on the table to show if uconn is an threat in the ncaas.

 

[BLUEDOGHOUSE]

^^^^^^^^^^^^

Purvis is the best option to guard Taylor to start the game (agreed). That would move Gibbs over to Felix who has hit his last 8-14 from 3pt land. I would prefer Omar get the same 26 minutes (at least) that he got against Ohio State.

 

[Hankster]

This will be a barn burner. I also watched the UNC game. Home crowd going wild. Felix bomb from downtown with 0 time on the clock. He misses the shot, UNC wins. Remember that is how they beat us last year. Corner three no time. I know the pups want serious revenge. Omar comes off the bench even semi on fire we win. When he contributes its huge. Ridley takes up all the space. I saw Enoch in Atlantis. He has a huge wing span while in the paint. He does cover a huge area. This will be interesting for sure.

 

[UConnSwag11]

Haven't really watched them much so can't say anything about them. But if we come out flat we'll be blown out again. If we come out with energy for a full game especially on the defensive end we'll be good. We can play with anyone in the nation if we have the energy. Maybe Larrier can give them some tips. Do they still play the way Shaka coached at vcu? I couldn't stand watching those games

 

[4in16]

Not sold out yet according to this tweet yesterday.


Texas Basketball– ‏@TexasMBB
FANS: Several thousand tix still avail for Tues vs. UConn at 8. Get YOURS now. #HolidayBreak http://ev9.evenue.net/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/SEGetEventInfo?ticketCode=GS%3AAMTX%3AMB15%3AMB07%3A&linkID=tex-ath&shopperContext=&pc=&caller=&appCode=&groupCode=&cgc= …
12:03 PM - 23 Dec 2015

 

[InKembaITrust]

Keeping Ridley off the boards is gonna be huge in this game too. He takes up so much space and we don't have anyone nearly big and strong enough to match up well with him. Felix has been on fire lately too at the point. Our ball pressure will have to be strong to prevent the easy passes into the post and the straight drives to the goal. This game concerns me a lot more now than it did watching Texas in China and the Bahamas.

I completely agree about Ridley. I've already posted a thread on this but will maintain the idea that our job containing him will be the game changer. I'm not too too worried about containing their guards, I think we have the speed and athleticism to do so, but Ridley's 280 pound presence down low is going to be scary. We're going to have some serious match up issues, going to have to rotate a number of guys on him, and double team every now and then. If we get beat in the rebounding game against this team we will lose. Going to need some serious defensive rebounds from Nolan/Shonn/Hamilton/Facey.

 

[aceboon]

Need the perimeter players to play well, plain and simple. No Brimah for 99% of the board to blame if they lose, time for Purvis and DHam to answer the bell for a big game on the road, and answer it early, not when they're down 15-20 pts to pretty up the final score.