Too Many Deficiencies- NIT

[3rdbass]

My two guesses on Adams (and they are no more than that):

1. He started the season shooting lights out, on small numbers of shots. As he's now missing his small number of jumpers, I wouldn't be surprised if it's hit his confidence generally.

2. Given how little meaningful time he got last year, in terms of being more consistency with length in the program he's not that much more than a freshman.

To be clear, I'm not confident that we will start playing to our potential consistently. But at least the potential is there, which it hasn't been (at least after injuries) the past three years.

Yeah, B. Adams has reverted back to his chicken with his head cut off look on the court. I think for whatever reason he isn't getting the looks he wants and is forcing stuff that isn't there. I guess a lot of that has to do with his outside shot looking pretty bad lately too. Again maybe that is just because he is forcing things when de doesn't have really good looks. It seems that teams who watched the Charleston game are playing him tighter when he is in as he isn't super quick guard. He needs to learn to use his strength more to score against some guards. He seems though to only go at one speed which isn't good.

 

[businesslawyer]

Good point we played our best during the Charleston tournament especially the 3rd game in 4 days

If I ignore the fact that we can't play 2 games a week from the start of the season until the start of the conference season without exceeding the limit, this would be a great point.

 

[MilliniumPrince]

Seems to me the OP is a NIT picker.

Well played

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

I believe this team has as much talent as anyone in the AAC, possibly save Memphis. Which is even younger than us. Bouknight and Adams have to get back to how they were playing a few weeks ago and Vital and Gilbert have to turn it over less and make a few more shots. That is doable. No guaranty it will be done, but this team is very close to being 9-0. They can make the tournament. They have to learn to do a little bit more so they win close games instead of losing them.

My response is as meaningless as most within this thread: they either will or they won't.

The questions are clear, the answers are not. I believe that the coaching stuff is properly focused on the questions, and a lot of the fans here are improperly focused on the answers.

I hope for the players to respond to the coaches, and not to be affected by the fans, many of whom haven't recognized their game, let alone elevated it.

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

Side note: Next year, we have GOT to get out of this 'play one game a week until New Years' stuff. It's not the REASON we're losing - but take an attention deficit disorder team like this and give them a week to count ceiling tiles and it sure doesn't help, I don't think.

A week between games affects the quality of posts here as well.

 

[Purple Stein]

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.

St. Peter's plays hard and has D1 talent. We showed up to play "St. Peter's" and out of the gate we weren't prepared for their pace or intensity. Once we figured out the shape of the game, we seized the score and kept them out of reach because we're somewhat faster, stronger, taller, and more athletic than they are.

I swear people want us to blow out every team like they're a D3 squad. It's not that easy -- the second half of the Miami game created bad expectations.

 

[HuskylnSC]

St. Peter's plays hard and has D1 talent. We showed up to play "St. Peter's" and out of the gate we weren't prepared for their pace or intensity. Once we figured out the shape of the game, we seized the score and kept them out of reach because we're somewhat faster, stronger, taller, and more athletic than they are.

I swear people want us to blow out every team like they're a D3 squad. It's not that easy -- the second half of the Miami game created bad expectations.

So you think the 9th place team in the MAC should finish within 10 points of this team?

 

[ctchamps]

My response is as meaningless as most within this thread: they either will or they won't.

The questions are clear, the answers are not. I believe that the coaching stuff is properly focused on the questions, and a lot of the fans here are improperly focused on the answers.

I hope for the players to respond to the coaches, and not to be affected by the fans, many of whom haven't recognized their game, let alone elevated it.

It’s so obvious it’s smacking us in the face.

Biggest complaint after Xavier game was Al and CV taking too many shots. The Boneyard creates the narrative that those two players are selfish and that cost UConn the game.

Hurley indicated the coaches had focused the team’s attention on defense. People recognize we’re one of the better defending teams in the country but the recognition is minimal compared to the criticism of the weaknesses

Hurley declares they will begin to work on the offense but the Boneyard criticizes the shot selection by the guards in the Indiana game sticking to the narrative they take too many shots until someone pointed out they reduced their totals and the problem had more to do with turnovers.

Second game in a row with a large number of turnovers and no one has suggested that the increase in both games might be the result of practices designed for the guards to take less shots and create more. The players are working hard to implement that in a real games but becoming decent at something takes time and usually can’t be accomplished without mistakes.

The coaches are trying to fix the problem. We struggle with accepting improvement takes time.

 

[Purple Stein]

So you think the 9th place team in the MAC should finish within 10 points of this team?

I think, in a game like this, points are a variance that's hard to account for. Once we seized control of the game, which I will grant took longer than anyone would like, they never had a chance to win. That's what matters.

 

[ctchamps]

Any thoughts on why the slide? For Bouk I count it as the normal fits and starts of being a freshman. For Adams, I'm not sure. He looked great and was playing smart. I'm not sure why he's struggling a bit.

Pretty normal for players to be inconsistent until their junior year and it’s usually mid junior year where we see development plateau.

 

[Waquoit]

what?...Im just trying to reconcile the reference here.

Sorry, I shouldn't have said whacked. I should have said the time Tony got shot and how Silvio handled being THE man.

 

[businesslawyer]

So you think the 9th place team in the MAC should finish within 10 points of this team?

You're acting (presumably for some unstated reason) as if the final score lives in a vacuum from the game itself. The game was over at halftime, at no point did St Peters ever give themselves a chance to win in the second half and the fact that a 14 point lead went down to 10 instead of up to 18 in the last few minutes of garbage time is just not important.

Would you just make your point please instead of making us all read through these wasted posts before you spring it on us?

 

[pj]

Yeah losing Adams is big loss from last year's team as we have no go to guy. I was hoping Carlton would be that guy inside but a little lack of emotion from him and horrible passes from the guards has limited his effectiveness in games. Bouknight to me is the missing piece. I know I hate to put that much pressure on a freshman but by the middle to the end of the season if he can become our go to scorer we have a real chance to be great. Vital and Gilbert are definitely not go to guys as we have seen. They just need to play within themselves or sit on the bench.

I agree, the best thing that could happen to this team is for Bouknight to advance the way Jeremy Lamb advanced as a freshman, from a gangly talent who didn't know how to play at the college level early in the season, to a guy who could be shut down by physical defense mid-season, to an unstoppable scoring marksman late in the season. Not saying the Alterique-Bouknight pair can match Kemba-Lamb, but give a talented point guard that perimeter shooter to make outside shots and open up passing lanes, and he can make things happen.

Check out some of Jeremy Lamb's games early his freshman season (Jeremy Lamb 2010-11 Game Log | College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com). Early in the season he struggled: game 4, 2 points; game 5, 2 points; game 6, 2 points. As late as game 14, he scored 0 points against Texas, and game 15, 2 points against Rutgers.

In late January and early February, he seemed to hit his stride and showed his scoring talent. But then teams learned how to disrupt him with physical play. He had 0 points against Louisville in mid February.

Finally, in March, he turned it on for good. In the final 11 games he had double-digit points every game.

 

[tennmike]

I agree, the best thing that could happen to this team is for Bouknight to advance the way Jeremy Lamb advanced as a freshman, from a gangly talent who didn't know how to play at the college level early in the season, to a guy who could be shut down by physical defense mid-season, to an unstoppable scoring marksman late in the season. Not saying the Alterique-Bouknight pair can match Kemba-Lamb, but give a talented point guard that perimeter shooter to make outside shots and open up passing lanes, and he can make things happen.

Check out some of Jeremy Lamb's games early his freshman season (Jeremy Lamb 2010-11 Game Log | College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com). Early in the season he struggled: game 4, 2 points; game 5, 2 points; game 6, 2 points. As late as game 14, he scored 0 points against Texas, and game 15, 2 points against Rutgers.

In late January and early February, he seemed to hit his stride and showed his scoring talent. But then teams learned how to disrupt him with physical play. He had 0 points against Louisville in mid February.

Finally, in March, he turned it on for good. In the final 11 games he had double-digit points every game.

Thanks for doing the legwork. Appreciate being reminded that Lamb had some growing pains. The perspective is useful. We just want to win now!

 

[jleves]

I can't say how things will go into next year - I don't have 2020 vision!

 

[HuskylnSC]

I think, in a game like this, points are a variance that's hard to account for. Once we seized control of the game, which I will grant took longer than anyone would like, they never had a chance to win. That's what matters.

I get you. What bugs me about this game is that once we seized control, there was no killer instinct. It seemed as if the team was content to play just hard enough to win. I saw no drive to execute with precision on both ends of the court. I saw no killer instinct and I find it disturbing. My desire is to execute every play as well as you can. Always cut hard, always make crisp passes, always take smart shots, always give forceful block outs, always secure the ball.

Maybe I miss JC too much. I cannot celebrate a win with, IMO, minimal effort.

 

[sledog]

Pretty much, unless ...

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[Martin]

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

Uconn defense certainly keep them in a game but can the offense close out those games when it counts?

 

[soxfan23]

I agree, this is not an NCAA tournament team! Their guard play has been abysmal so far, and I just don't see it getting much better by the end of the season. There is hope for the future though with Bouk, Gaffney, and Cole.

 

[Huskybass]

I get you. What bugs me about this game is that once we seized control, there was no killer instinct. It seemed as if the team was content to play just hard enough to win. I saw no drive to execute with precision on both ends of the court. I saw no killer instinct and I find it disturbing. My desire is to execute every play as well as you can. Always cut hard, always make crisp passes, always take smart shots, always give forceful block outs, always secure the ball.

Maybe I miss JC too much. I cannot celebrate a win with, IMO, minimal effort.

Every UConn player played at least 13 minutes and the freshmen played 27, 20 and 18 minutes respectively. It was the perfect game for Coach Hurley to get everybody some run, tinker with different combinations on the floor, and still win the game by a comfortable margin. Our Freshmen and Sophomores played 96 of the available 200 minutes. I view that as a very good thing, and consider the final margin of victory to be nearly irrelevant.

 

[Waquoit]

Uconn defense certainly keep them in a game but can the offense close out those games when it counts?

I think they can if the coach finds the right combo.

 

[ctchamps]

I can't say how things will go into next year - I don't have 2020 vision!

Awesome!

 

[coachn]

Sick of the years after 2014. Have that 2014 picture on my frig. . Time to put up a new team picture. Good thing I haven't put up this teams team photo yet. They still have a lot of proving to do. See some of the similarities of past good teams. It all starts with defense getting to that level where you can expect to win because it dominates. Let's make the big dance and have some fun for a change.

 

[ctchamps]

I agree, the best thing that could happen to this team is for Bouknight to advance the way Jeremy Lamb advanced as a freshman, from a gangly talent who didn't know how to play at the college level early in the season, to a guy who could be shut down by physical defense mid-season, to an unstoppable scoring marksman late in the season. Not saying the Alterique-Bouknight pair can match Kemba-Lamb, but give a talented point guard that perimeter shooter to make outside shots and open up passing lanes, and he can make things happen.

Check out some of Jeremy Lamb's games early his freshman season (Jeremy Lamb 2010-11 Game Log | College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com). Early in the season he struggled: game 4, 2 points; game 5, 2 points; game 6, 2 points. As late as game 14, he scored 0 points against Texas, and game 15, 2 points against Rutgers.

In late January and early February, he seemed to hit his stride and showed his scoring talent. But then teams learned how to disrupt him with physical play. He had 0 points against Louisville in mid February.

Finally, in March, he turned it on for good. In the final 11 games he had double-digit points every game.

Great job.

People can go back to almost every one of our good to incredible players and observe that development is variable. And the reaction is almost always the same. We make proclamations that may or may not bear out, both on the positive and negative side when they show promise or have a cluster of bad games.

You would think that an exercise you just made would be unnecessary because people would remember the pattern is so variable. I love making proclamations but I understand projecting human outcome is an art as much as science and take those projections with a grain of salt. But it’s obvious many posters don’t do that.

 

[Jaker]

Finish in the top 3 of the American, make to the final in the conference tourney, see what happens.