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Message: [QUOTE="jake14mw, post: 4521735, member: 12344"] Wow, what a great podcast episode. I just listened to 30 minutes about where UConn is that I totally 100% agree with. That is not easy. I really suggest people give it a listen. He touched on two topics that I agree are the main keys for this team to be successful. To me, even more than the Jackson part, the first part was about Newton. I believe the single most important thing that will determine how far this team goes is the play of Newton. This team needs a PG that is a THREAT to get to the rim. If he can make some threes that's a great bonus, but we need a PG that defenses have to worry about stopping. A great point he made was that lately Newton has gotten to line a LOT. In our first four losses, he was 0-0, 0-1, 0-0, 0-2 from the line. In the last 4 games, he's 28-31 from the line. Diarra and Alleyne CAN'T do what Newton can do. They are not options in large doses for a top team. When Newton is playing well, he makes the game easier for everyone on the team. He doesn't need to score 20, but he needs to be the guy that's going to burn teams in the lane if they don't stop him. His second main point was Jackson. His main point was that Jackson's struggles on the offensive end and having teams not guard him is messing with him mentally, and affecting the rest of his game. I completely agree. Andre Jackson does not need to score much for this team to be successful. We just need him to be "Andre Jackson" His confidence is shot right now. Hurley has two choices, 1) Try to work with him and fix him, and 2) bench him a lot more. These two things are necessarily mutually exclusive. Just benching him however can't be an option. The team needs his defense that he can play and all the other intangibles he brings. Imagine the pressure the poor kid must be feeling. He's supposed to be an NBA player and teams are not guarding him. Hurley needs to figure out a way to use him offensively that includes less of him having the ball on the perimeter. I think they will figure it out, and he'll be back. One last great point he made was that it was nice to see them try the two bigs at once. It will be nice for the team to have that in it's arsenal. I don't think it will work in long stretches and in many matchups, but it's good for it to be a threat in the right condition. Great job Rob! [/QUOTE]

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