Two observations

[Palatine]

Bazz really needs to give Giffey a little more burn. Without Boat they need another scorer and Giffey needs to have a chance to contribute.

Hate to beat up on AO. But the brick laying tonight from in close really hurt. If he could convert anything, it would have been a different game.

 

[ford82]

Drummond didn't look ready to play tonight. His focus wasn't there.

 

[SaeHusky]

definately off night for AD - it happens.

 

[CL82]

It easy to forget just how young this team is. They are going to have up and down nights.

 

[tykurez]

Bazz really needs to give Giffey a little more burn. Without Boat they need another scorer and Giffey needs to have a chance to contribute.

Hate to beat up on AO. But the brick laying tonight from in close really hurt. If he could convert anything, it would have been a different game.

Did you mean AD? Drummond could not put the ball in the hoop. Oriakhi was mostly invisible.

 

[SouthTampaBill]

Are you me?
If you're going anywhere you're winning these games at home at Gampel.

NO EXCUSE

 

[UConner]

Cinci guy took a dumb shot with 5 seconds to go and he hit. Better now than late March

 

[aceboon]

I didn't really notice any instances where Giffey didn't get the ball when he was open, its not like we really run anything to free him up. Giffey gets the ball plenty on the perimeter but he mostly just ball fakes and jab steps until he swings it around to the next player, I understand he's probably apprehensive of committing a turnover and getting yanked but I would like to see him put on the deck more and at least try to create to throw out another dimension other than relying on Bazz to create everything. Either him or Jeremy when they're out there while Boat is out have to be more aggressive. I was shocked to look at the boxscore and see Jeremy put up 16 shots because it didn't feel like it but he has to be even more aggressive out there, even if his shot was off. Move in closer and try to shoot more pullups to get in a rhythm or something, he's disappearing way too much in the halfcourt and putting everything on Bazz's shoulders.

 

[uchusky32]

Yes having a off night happens. AO is having a off year. And I agree AD head wasn't in this game. Yes this is a young team but cmon man besides Bazz no one showed they wanted to win tonight. I'll give Giffey credit he played hard just doesn't have the talent of the rest of them.

 

[aceboon]

Drummond didn't look ready to play tonight. His focus wasn't there.

Missed alley oop and not going for a dunk 1 foot from the basket and missing a layup were huge, reminded me of Hasheem tonight.

 

[61cygni]

This is almost all on the front-court.

 

[Palatine]

Both Giffey and Lamb ran off screens on opposite sides of the court. Lamb was heavily covered and Giffey usually had some room. If nothing else, throwing the ball to Giffey would move the defense. I also think that passing the ball to Giffey early in the shot clock would help to free Lamb later as the D would have to pay attention to Giffey.

 

[blackbird]

Napier was awful tonight as a point guard. He didn't run an offense. He scored a lot. But his decision making wasn't even good enough to call decent. (He just got lucky his shots went in. They were so bad he could have easily missed all of them.)

Our front court didn't play well, mostly because the only guy Napier ever set up was AO. Who can't score.

And Lamb, except for like five minutes, was non existant. Which was even worse. At least Napier tried.

If those two aren't good, we won't win.

Giffey was really the only player who played decent. And yes, I know Shabazz's stats. I also watched the game. Terrible shots and terrible decisions.

 

[jorge34]

Let's not get carried away. Once Uconn took the lead, the game turned for Cincy when Cronin went back to the 4 guard lineup. Nice coaching move, Uconn didn't (or couldn't) adjust. Not a big deal this early in the Big East season, especially without Boatright.

 

[SouthTampaBill]

Just depressing. The whole thing. Far away from getting it

 

[aceboon]

Let's not get carried away. Once Uconn took the lead, the game turned for Cincy when Cronin went back to the 4 guard lineup. Nice coaching move, Uconn didn't (or couldn't) adjust. Not a big deal this early in the Big East season, especially without Boatright.

This is pretty much true

 

[Migs]

Are you ****ting me?
If you're going anywhere you're winning these games at home at Gampel.

NO EXCUSE

Right, last year the last game of the regular season was lost at home and clearly they went nowhere.

Good comeback, Napier showed a type of toughness I didn't know he had, resiliency. That was how a leader responds for his team about to lose by double digits. Boat is needed horribly.

 

[SouthTampaBill]

Napier was into chuck land and not getting the team involved at all

 

[jorge34]

Just depressing. The whole thing. Far away from getting it

It was a bad matchup tonight. Not having Boatright was huge. Uninspired play, yes, but not that big of a deal yet.

Rather have them learn from mistakes now, than in March.

 

[Danzz]

Bazz really needs to give Giffey a little more burn. Without Boat they need another scorer and Giffey needs to have a chance to contribute.

Hate to beat up on AO. But the brick laying tonight from in close really hurt. If he could convert anything, it would have been a different game.

They have to find a way to get Jeremy more shots and Jeremy needs to find a way to get himself more shots.

 

[BUHusky]

Napier was awful tonight as a point guard. He didn't run an offense. He scored a lot. But his decision making wasn't even good enough to call decent. (He just got lucky his shots went in. They were so bad he could have easily missed all of them.)

Our front court didn't play well, mostly because the only guy Napier ever set up was AO. Who can't score.

And Lamb, except for like five minutes, was non existant. Which was even worse. At least Napier tried.

If those two aren't good, we won't win.

Giffey was really the only player who played decent. And yes, I know Shabazz's stats. I also watched the game. Terrible shots and terrible decisions.

What he said.

Napier has too many possessions where there is little to no ball movement, way too much dribbling, and end in off balance hero shots. Those possessions are effectively turnovers.

 

[TheRogers]

Right, last year the last game of the regular season was lost at home and clearly they went nowhere.

Good comeback, Napier showed a type of toughness I didn't know he had, resiliency. That was how a leader responds for his team about to lose by double digits. Boat is needed horribly.

Oh that clears it up. Is this the new UCONN blueprint? Suck in the regular season then win the BET and NC. Last year most likely will not happen again. Can it? Sure - but it won't be the trend I'd bank on. I've seen that they can stick to the perimeter shooters from their play last year. This year, they just don't.

 

[ibleedhuskyblue]

What he said.

Napier has too many possessions where there is little to no ball movement, way too much dribbling, and end in off balance hero shots. Those possessions are effectively turnovers.

if you pay close attention, you will notice that no one is setting good screens, therefore no one is open. this isnt all on bazz. not by a long shot.

 

[Dogbreath2U]

I didn't really notice any instances where Giffey didn't get the ball when he was open, its not like we really run anything to free him up. Giffey gets the ball plenty on the perimeter but he mostly just ball fakes and jab steps until he swings it around to the next player, I understand he's probably apprehensive of committing a turnover and getting yanked but I would like to see him put on the deck more and at least try to create to throw out another dimension other than relying on Bazz to create everything. Either him or Jeremy when they're out there while Boat is out have to be more aggressive. I was shocked to look at the boxscore and see Jeremy put up 16 shots because it didn't feel like it but he has to be even more aggressive out there, even if his shot was off. Move in closer and try to shoot more pullups to get in a rhythm or something, he's disappearing way too much in the halfcourt and putting everything on Bazz's shoulders.

I agree. At this point, I think that Giffey could become more of a threat if he would look to drive the ball. I do think that Bazz does not pass the ball to Giffey when he is reasonably open, like he's mostly waiting to always pass to Jeremy or take it himself. But anyway, the point is that Giffey could be a bigger contributor, but it will never happen if JC does not lay off the ridiculous and continuous screaming at him. He was screaming at Giffey on one play to grab the ball from going out of bounds when it was Roscoe who obviously was the one who should have grabbed it. I just don't get Calhoun's treatment of Giffey at all.

 

[aceboon]

if you pay close attention, you will notice that no one is setting good screens, therefore no one is open. this isnt all on bazz. not by a long shot.

I'm not understanding why people are having a hard time understanding this. If it's not Bazz dribbling out there it would be someone else, he's forced into dribbling the air out on alot of possessions because nothing is happening on offense.