UCLA Post Game Thread

[KingAG]

I'll admit this Solo slump is deep and mystifying but we go through some version of this nearly every year. Three-point shooting is volatile. There are wild ups and downs. Since he's getting good looks and not missing badly it's easy to imagine he'll shoot fine this weekend. People writing him off make no sense.

The problem is this isn't up and down. I used the same logic 20 games ago. We now have a 36 game sample size. This is a issue that will have to be fixed with Solo in the summer. There must be something off with his mechanics. Or he needs to see a shrink. But the days of this season where we can hope he regains his form are over.

 

[husky98]

The defense is giving Solo the three shot because he's in a rut. I hope he starts the game by aggressively attacking the rim, which will build confidence for his three shot.

 

[willstafa24]

I'll admit this Solo slump is deep and mystifying but we go through some version of this nearly every year. Three-point shooting is volatile. There are wild ups and downs. Since he's getting good looks and not missing badly it's easy to imagine he'll shoot fine this weekend. People writing him off make no sense.

He is now at 29.6% from 3 on the year. That doesn't represent volatility it represents consistency in missing. We should not be surprised if he goes 1-6 on Friday with 3 tos. That is more consistent with almost every game he's played.

I think we can critique his play while still loving him as an ambassador for this program.

 

[NickDanger]

He is now at 29.6% from 3 on the year. That doesn't represent volatility it represents consistency in missing. We should not be surprised if he goes 1-6 on Friday with 3 tos. That is more consistent with almost every game he's played.

I think we can critique his play while still loving him as an ambassador for this program.

If you want to determine if his shooting is volatile, you need to look at the standard deviation, not the mean.

 

[Inyatkin]

He is now at 29.6% from 3 on the year. That doesn't represent volatility it represents consistency in missing. We should not be surprised if he goes 1-6 on Friday with 3 tos. That is more consistent with almost every game he's played.

I think we can critique his play while still loving him as an ambassador for this program.

He's a career 35 percent three point shooter. If Hurley thought he shouldn't be shooting, he wouldn't be

 

[tzznandrew]

I'll admit this Solo slump is deep and mystifying but we go through some version of this nearly every year. Three-point shooting is volatile. There are wild ups and downs. Since he's getting good looks and not missing badly it's easy to imagine he'll shoot fine this weekend. People writing him off make no sense.

He shot 41.4% last year on 6.8 attempts a game.
He's shooting 29.6% this year on 6.7 attempts a game.

Starting at the Creighton loss, he's shooting 28.3% on 5.9 attempts.

 

[Gurleyman]

There is a large degree of variance in shooting - our best ever shooter once broke an NBA finals record for threes in a game in one game and then shot 0-12 the next. If shots aren’t falling, your value can come in other things. There’s the obvious (defense, rebounding, passing). But also it’s important to continue being a threat so the floor opens up. Nobody wants to see the cold shooter suddenly heat up against them. So if we run a good set and you pop open, shoot. Or cut like you want the ball and you can force a switch and get a mismatch somewhere else. Once that happens, Tarris can get a guard on him and the defense may collapse and someone else gets open. But if you’re not cutting like you want the ball, or not shooting if you do break open, the defense won’t account for you and get out of formation. This happened with AK last year in his slump. He’d make lazy cuts and his man would be in help defense instead of trying to fight around screens. Everyone else’s job got harder.

The guys setting screens and making passes are doing work to get you open, and (Geno had a point about this recently) the players off the ball are anticipating a shot and maybe getting inside position while the defense is focused on help. The one sort of unfortunate thing about his slump is that Solo is really good at cutting hard, using screens and getting himself square for good looks. It’s sort of his A+ skill. He’s almost always going to get his shots. Mullins is not - he is frustratingly poor at getting open off a screen and squaring up. He cuts and his momentum is usually taking him sideways and he usually ends up putting it on the floor (he badly needs an offseason of drills with traffic cones if we can have him as a sophomore). AK can do it better as a secondary option - if he’s the primary one, he’s usually going to be covered since he’s not super quick. Silas doesn’t necessarily break down defenses off the bounce consistently either.

So a dangerous Solo - or Tarris drawing doubles - are typically our two best options at unlocking defenses. If you go 0-4 and get a quick hook, so be it. But if you get cleans looks, take them … or you’re going to force someone else to do something without a clean look.

 

[Deepster]

All these %'s floating around are worthless.

He's taken 230+ 3 pters this season. We have 4 games left. Is there a chance he finds the stroke for one of those games and shoots something like 4 of 6 and helps us? Sure, but we cannot count on that happening and the likelihood of it is slim.

To win a title, he's just not going to be a big piece of the puzzle from here on out.

 

[Waquoit]

If you want to determine if his shooting is volatile, you need to look at the standard deviation, not the mean.

So what's the standard deviation? I misplaced my index cards with all of the formulas.

 

[willstafa24]

He's a career 35 percent three point shooter. If Hurley thought he shouldn't be shooting, he wouldn't be

Hurley is crazy loyal to those guys who are loyal to him and the program and, frankly, I prefer to be that program instead of a Duke or Kentucky, but 233 attempts this year tell us that 29.6% is what he is right now.

 

[tzznandrew]

All these %'s floating around are worthless.

He's taken 230+ 3 pters this season. We have 4 games left. Is there a chance he finds the stroke for one of those games and shoots something like 4 of 6 and helps us? Sure, but we cannot count on that happening and the likelihood of it is slim.

To win a title, he's just not going to be a big piece of the puzzle from here on out.

I agree that he is who he is this year.

The issue is that against elite defenses, the team really needs (ideally) a high volume reliable shooter in the Ball spot and a healthy Demary. They aren't really getting a healthy Demary. So there is a benefit in starting Ball, see if he can get out of the funk, and then move on to Ross (who should get big minutes regardless, but has only taken 61 3s the whole. year) if and when he doesn't.

 

[inWV]

All these %'s floating around are worthless.

He's taken 230+ 3 pters this season. We have 4 games left. Is there a chance he finds the stroke for one of those games and shoots something like 4 of 6 and helps us? Sure, but we cannot count on that happening and the likelihood of it is slim.

To win a title, he's just not going to be a big piece of the puzzle from here on out.

When Mullins is cold from beyond the arc, he works for midrange shots and they usually go in. Ball has a decent offensive game that includes more than just 24 foot jump shots. He should work more for those aspects of his game.

 

[willstafa24]

If you want to determine if his shooting is volatile, you need to look at the standard deviation, not the mean.

Certainly he doesn't just go 2/6 every game and he has shot 40% or better a 8 times this season but you can't honestly tell me that there's volatility here to suggest he could go 4-7 on Friday.

 

[Scrappy3]

Our best 5 is with Jaden Ross in it I posted this 2 months ago solo ball should be 6 man

 

[Valleyfan]

The Huskies showed the heart of a champion last night with the grit needed to advance. It’s easy to see their love of each other just how Alex answered the questions postgame on ensuring everyone gets involved. Love the way he stepped up knowing the team needed him to do just what he did. Just about everyone made a meaningful contribution last night, well done!

 

[dalydosehoops]

Demary guts out 22 minutes and plus-22 rating to help UConn reach Sweet 16: “I had to be out there”

PHILADELPHIA — He scored only two points Sunday, both at the free throw line, yet wound up ending his night as the most efficient player on...

dalydoseofhoops.blogspot.com

 

[aceboon]

I'll admit this Solo slump is deep and mystifying but we go through some version of this nearly every year. Three-point shooting is volatile. There are wild ups and downs. Since he's getting good looks and not missing badly it's easy to imagine he'll shoot fine this weekend. People writing him off make no sense.

This has been all year though, this isn't some recent slump it was literally right from the jump in the exhibitions vs BC and Mich St. Early in the year he was still able to mask the 3 point issues with improved finishing at the basket and that midrange was looking automatic, now he can't finish at the rim anymore and he's pretty much stopped shooting the midrange jumpers.

 

[Donyell 360]

I was ready to give up on Mullins after another poor shooting slump. I went crazy when Hurley pulled Ross with 5 to go in the first half and Ross had scored our last 9 points. What was that about? Thankfully Hurley was right to stick with Mullins as he turned it around after the slow start.

 

[Donyell 360]

I don't have time to read through all the posts so not sure how much this is being discussed, but Malachi played pretty well for the second game in a row where we needed him. Honestly, he was better than Silas last night. I'm not saying Smith was great but considering how bad he has been I thought he did an admirable job running the offense and stepping up for Silas when we needed him. Credit Smith for being ready and putting his past struggles behind him. I always had a feeling we would need our backup PG at some point which was my greatest concern about this team's ceiling. Smith stepping up gave me hope. Still not convinced we can win it all with Smith as our starting PG but definitely feeling better after those two gutty performances by Smith.

 

[uconn_jack]

Jaylin Stewart

That's as close as we have, but not sure I would call him a bruizer.

 

[Henry]

I wonder how much the wrist is still an issue for Solo. He no longer tapes it, but that doesn't mean it's still not affecting his shot or that he didn't tweak his form to deal with the wrist. I feel bad for the kid that he's not having the success he and everyone else expected.

 

[Umami Zen]

If Solo can give us solid D/energy/no TOs.. And 8-10 points on FTs and layups/mid-range jumpers vs MSU- It would be awesome. Anything over and above that is gravy. It's a team sport-We've got other guys peaking to lighten his load. Forget about his minutes-Just be productive in the minutes you have. As Hurley has said multiple times-Deciding on PT for him as a coach is easy when guys are productive in their minutes.

 

[superjohn]

If Solo can give us solid D/energy/no TOs.. And 8-10 points on FTs and layups/mid-range jumpers vs MSU- It would be awesome. Anything over and above that is gravy. It's a team sport-We've got other guys peaking to lighten his load. Forget about his minutes-Just be productive in the minutes you have. As Hurley has said multiple times-Deciding on PT for him as a coach is easy when guys are productive in their minutes.

It's all between the ears for Solo right now. Staff needs to sit down with him and tell him to get into the lane for some mid-range shots/floaters. He desperately needs to see the ball go in on a couple closer shots.

 

[freshler40]

That Furman game was an awesome setup for the rest of the tournament, IF we can shoot it somewhat decent. Tarris put such a target on his back that it will give the rest of the team more open looks, if we can capitalize on that, we will be in good shape.

I don't see another center in the remaining field that can control the boards like Reed. He is playing at another level.

 

[Excalibur]

I think the same thing of the phrase "jack up threes."

We shoot a lot of threes. Most teams do. When they're not falling, people use the word "jack" as a way to mean they're bad shots. We get good shots, nearly always, they just don't always go in.

We are middle of the pack nationally in terms of the % of our shots that are taken from behind the arc.