Too Many Deficiencies- NIT

[jibsey]

There are some good moments coming as we have seen in recent past games against decent teams but even though this team has more talent than the last couple of years our key players have too many faults and limitations. True we won’t have the blowout losses we saw at 1 year ago but when you see 48 turnovers in the last 2 games what else can one say? I see a .500 record in the AAC with many ugly games and Hurley pressers like we saw last night. I predict some breakout performances from all of the starters on various nights (and new players Bouk, Akok) which will give false hope to making the NCAA but overall when this season is done we are a few games over .500 total and in the NIT.

 

[UConNation]

There are some good moments coming as we have seen in recent past games against decent teams but even though this team has more talent than the last couple of years our key players have too many faults and limitations. True we won’t have the blowout losses we saw at 1 year ago but when you see 48 turnovers in the last 2 games what else can one say? I see a .500 record in the AAC with many ugly games and Hurley pressers like we saw last night. I predict some breakout performances from all of the starters on various nights (and new players Bouk, Akok) which will give false hope to making the NCAA but overall when this season is done we are a few games over .500 total and in the NIT.

I disagree. I can't say, nor can anyone else, that we'll be a NCAA team, but I don't think we'll just be a few games over .500. There are 2 things that need to be worked out, from my perspective, to give this team a very real shot at somewhere between a 12-6 and a 14-4 conference record. Those 2 things being ball security and consistent play from CV and AG. Those 2 things happen to be very closely intertwined. We've seen flashes from both those players, and I trust Hurley to help them figure it out, as well as their own motors/work ethics. We'll be a bubble team, and with a few key wins (Memphis/Wichita/Houston) we can make it to the dance.

 

[Kenny11]

We need to upgrade talent level still but we are actually much more talented than most of the teams we will play. A lot of teams suck this year in every conference. Every team is beatable. I think we should make the tournament. It doesn't mean we are very good though.

 

[my2cents]

Too sloppy at this point to be optimistic about anything

 

[jibsey]

Believe me I hate even thinking this but Vital, Gilbert and Carlton are upper class men and look at their lines against a crap St. Peters team last night. And I think Akok and Bouknight will be incredible in the future, but guards are the game.

 

[uconngb]

I disagree. I can't say, nor can anyone else, that we'll be a NCAA team, but I don't think we'll just be a few games over .500. There are 2 things that need to be worked out, from my perspective, to give this team a very real shot at somewhere between a 12-6 and a 14-4 conference record. Those 2 things being ball security and consistent play from CV and AG. Those 2 things happen to be very closely intertwined. We've seen flashes from both those players, and I trust Hurley to help them figure it out, as well as their own motors/work ethics. We'll be a bubble team, and with a few key wins (Memphis/Wichita/Houston) we can make it to the dance.

Totally agree, but what gives you even a sliver of hope we'll get it?? They were our two worst players once again last night. They have been consistent so far......consistently bad. I don't know why we should expect that to change with a 4th year senior and a 4th year program participant. The light switch should have went on a long time ago.

 

[businesslawyer]

Totally agree, but what gives you even a sliver of hope we'll get it?? They were our two worst players once again last night. They have been consistent so far......consistently bad. I don't know why we should expect that to change with a 4th year senior and a 4th year program participant. The light switch should have went on a long time ago.

If you think they were are two worst players last night you need to drink less when watching. The primary reason we had the game won by halftime was because of Gilbert's on ball defense. And Vitale did what we were all begging him to do which was to let the game come to him more on offense.

 

[uconngb]

First of all, for the millionth time, it's VITAL, not VITALE. Maybe you should drink less when typing. Or at least know the players on your team.

Secondly, we went on the run with the young pups in the game. Yes, AG played great D last night. But he continued to make the same mistakes he's been making all year on offense. So tell me who was worse? Particularly when compared to their expectations. Maybe Josh, he didn't have his best game. But it's awfully hard for him to catch entry passes that repeatedly come at his ankles or when he's triple-teamed. We need these two guys to get better. If you can't see that, maybe you should wake up and smell the coffee. It's blatantly obvious.

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

I disagree. I can't say, nor can anyone else, that we'll be a NCAA team,

Why? Look around college basketball. No one's all that good. Consigning this team, given the potential they've flashed, to the NIT in December is ridiculous.

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

The thing is, we play ELITE defense. It’s much easier for an offense to improve or catch fire.

 

[Sphinx]

We are a limited team in a universe of limited teams. A limited team won the NC in 2014. Watch the highlights of last night's game, and you have a measure at what our point guards can do. We are not short on talent in that position; we are short on harnessing that talent.

"We all have our limitations, but when we listen to our critics, we also have theirs" ~~ Short Thoughts For The Long Haul.

 

[Waquoit]

Seems to me the OP is a NIT picker.

 

[UConnSwag11]

If we limit turnovers to around 10-12 we’ll be fine. We also need to stop playing hero ball and shooting ourselves out of games

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

Year 2 of a rebuild, 10 games in.

The pre-season consensus here was, arguably, NIT, maybe NCAA.

I haven't seen enough to change that assessment, which means it would be nonsensical for me to have any disappointment attached to thoughts that there won't be an NCAA bid.

Other than wanting to claim, "I said it first," I can't see the point in anyone making a revised prediction prior to a single conference game.

 

[CTBasketball]

Whew at least we don’t have to play the rest of the season.

 

[ucawn]

1 game at a time. As long as we keep improving and hopefully after one game it will finally click and everything will be smooth. Right now it looks like there’s too many pieces and Hurley doesn’t know how to fit em together to make it work. Obviously he needs these next 2 games to keep experimenting. But 1 game when we click, we’ll be dangerous

 

[BLUEDOGHOUSE]

Believe me I hate even thinking this but Vital, Gilbert and Carlton are upper class men and look at their lines against a crap St. Peters team last night. And I think Akok and Bouknight will be incredible in the future, but guards are the game.

Anything can happen on any given night as you know. It is still early to project how things will play out.

This a season where we lose to St. Joes and beat Fla.

We could lose one of the next two and then fight to finish Top 2 in AAC...

Anarchy?

No college basketball!

hehehe he de he he he....

 

[freescooter]

Our big win was over a very average Florida team. Our big loss was to a very weak St Joes. I’m not a huge NIT fan but that will be an accomplishment for a team with eh guards and little bench depth

 

[Huskybass]

Our big win was over a very average Florida team. Our big loss was to a very weak St Joes. I’m not a huge NIT fan but that will be an accomplishment for a team with eh guards and little bench depth

Florida is not an average team and UConn has plenty of bench depth. Not sure where you draw your conclusions from, but our bench is pretty strong relative to most other teams.

 

[dennismenace]

Believe me I hate even thinking this but Vital, Gilbert and Carlton are upper class men and look at their lines against a crap St. Peters team last night. And I think Akok and Bouknight will be incredible in the future, but guards are the game.

Not many teams play the kind of pressure defense that St Peters brings. Uconn is another team. There is an old expression "the best defense against a pressing team is to press them". Everyone not fully prepared had/has problems playing that kind of team because it is not the norm and requires special pre game preparation. The coach of St Peter's reminded me more of JC than any other coach I have ever seen. He was literally exploding in the faces of his team at timeout's. I loved it as long as there is legitimate care and not just anger. A team who has as much talent as Uconn can go a long way if they play as a team and give 100%. They will not go anywhere if they are not coachable. Everyone (coach and team) has to give all and become more than the sum of their individual "pieces". There has to be trust in unity and unselfishness. The jury is still out on Uconn. They have to believe and will themselves into winning. Got to bring it everyday. Heard a quote attributed to Belichick or someone who played for him the other day. "there are no days off". Quote by Bear Bryant. "The will to win is not enough; everyone has that. What is necessary is the will to plan to win." When I see kids like Akok I believe the will to win is "contagious". Have faith in DH. Have faith in 10 Huskies. Relentless pursuit.

 

[HuskylnSC]

Not many teams play the kind of pressure defense that St Peters brings.

St. Peter's was expected to finish 9th in the MAC. They should not have caused a problem for us. Not one of our players stepped up and dominated. It was a poor game played with little energy on our part.

There is another coach at UConn who knows basketball. He is on record that there are two reasons for high turnovers; laziness and exhaustion. Many of the turnovers were the result of school yard flip passes off the dribble. Many more were soft telegraphed passes that gave the opportunity of opponents hands getting in the path. One hand catches must be stopped.

The talent on the team can produce a better product. Perhaps it is a recruiting issue. Perhaps it is a coaching issue. But, two missing ingredients, IMO, are discipline and hard work.

 

[HuskyBoi]

I find it funny that people are concerned over not blowing out St Peters. The point is not to blow these cupcake Peacocks or New Hampshire or NJIT out to be honest because at this stage, Hurley uses these games to build big leads and then throw on the freshman and different lineups to see what works. I can care less about blowout wins because that won't be deciding factor come Selection Sunday, it will be how the lineups that coach tries to integrate in conference play and who we beat with the lineups being figured out.

Do you guys remember when we would crush Maine by 50 or something and then drop games to Cincinnati or Memphis when it really mattered? Build the lineups with these games.

Oh yeah, AT LEAST WE DIDN'T LOSE THE GAME LIKE WAGNER OR NORTHEASTERN...

In Hurley we trust.

 

[UConNation]

Why? Look around college basketball. No one's all that good. Consigning this team, given the potential they've flashed, to the NIT in December is ridiculous.

I guess the remainder of my post didn't make it clear, but I agree with you. My first 2 words said "I disagree" (with the OP) and think that we can, and likely will, make the NCAA tournament. The part that you quoted was just meant to point out the obvious, that at this point no one can know, with 100% certainty, that we will make the tournament.

 

[imno1]

St. Peter's was expected to finish 9th in the MAC. They should not have caused a problem for us. Not one of our players stepped up and dominated. It was a poor game played with little energy on our part.

There is another coach at UConn who knows basketball. He is on record that there are two reasons for high turnovers; laziness and exhaustion. Many of the turnovers were the result of school yard flip passes off the dribble. Many more were soft telegraphed passes that gave the opportunity of opponents hands getting in the path. One hand catches must be stopped.

The talent on the team can produce a better product. Perhaps it is a recruiting issue. Perhaps it is a coaching issue. But, two missing ingredients, IMO, are discipline and hard work.

Our offense was sloppy but was anyone worried at any time we would lose that game? And you don't think our guys work hard? This is the best defense UConn has played in years. I think we have a decent chance of improving and making the NCAAs. I'm bullish on our Huskies

 

[upstater]

I see a lot of people noting Vital and Gilbert's poorer shooting %s than previous years, but left out of the analysis is the fact that Jalen Adams drew so much attention in the previous 2 years that many of their past shots were wide open. The dropoff was expected. At least by me. The team lacks a primary offensive scorer.