UConn Role Players Going Off On Opponents

[Chin Diesel]

Seems like 2-3 times a year some role player on the opposing team just goes off on UConn. A player averaging 6 or 7 ppg goes off for 25. A kid averaging 14 -15 ppg goes off for 30.

Long-time fans know the drill. The scar tissue is real. Regular season, NIT, NCAA. You name it, opposing players have done it.

Question I'm struggling with is which UConn role players have had the game of their lives where the numbers were just crazy? I can remember Justin Brown having the game of his life against Arizona but he didn't go for 25.

Maybe Brimah in the game he went for about 40 against UCF? when they refused to defend against the pick and roll lob?

It's way too deep in to December and the end of the year for me to Google this stuff and get factually accurate info so I humbly as the 'yard, what examples do we have of UConn players having the game of their life against opponents??

 

[Deleted at users request]

Only person I can think of currently that had no business going off but could’ve was Jamal Coombs-McDaniel.

After a quick search he had a 3 game stretch of 25, 23, and 16 during Big East play against Georgetown, Louisville, and Providence in 2011.

Jamal Coombs-McDaniel 2010-11 Game Log | College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com

2010-11 Game Log for Jamal Coombs-McDaniel

www.sports-reference.com

Not even like he got hot from 3 either. He made 5 during that stretch

 

[Tyler2Rings]

Joey C vs Georgetown. Saved our butts

 

[HooperScooper]

It's a good question. I'll have to come up with one.

It does seem like UConn gives up a career high to someone a few times a year.

 

[dannyHAM]

Maybe Brimah 10 years ago against Coppin St. I think he had 40?

 

[Excalibur]

Tyler Polley against Marquette in 2021, and Auburn the following season.

 

[Tenspro2002]

I mean, maybe an optimistic take is that:
1) we do a good job of taking away opponents' primary option, so if they're going to hang in the game, an unexpected hero has to do it
2) we do a good job imposing our will on offense and our primary options end up carrying the load

But yes, I don't think it's a cognitive bias or misperception thing, I think it's real that opponent's role players go off for career games against us more than the other way around.

 

[Stew Crew]

Toraino Walker in the Big East Final against Syracuse in 1990.

 

[boog204]

Jamal Coombs-McDaniel is the one that stands out. He was a highly regarded recruit who never really "got" it until that three game stretch where he became our second best player.

Brian Fair used to be good for a couple 20+ games a year (usually when JC got ejected and Howie would give extended minutes).

I think I remember Mike Hayes coming off the bench one game and scoring in double figures out of nowhere in 05.

Toraino in the BET his freshmen year

 

[TheShot1990]

I'll morph 4 players into 1 because they had the game of their lives on that memorable day.
Bench players Albert Mouring, Edmund Saunders, Souleymane Wane and Rashamel Jones combined for 17 points against the other team (can't remember who we played) in the 1999 NCAA national championship game.

 

[UofCT]

D Bev shutting down Eric Gordon in 2007-08 szn.

 

[Scrutineer]

Dan Cyrulik, his actual career game, opening night at Gampel, against St. John's 1990.

 

[Deleted at users request]

Think what makes this interesting is that we usually have deep teams where anybody is liable to go off.

Like would a Denham Brown or Rashad Anderson count here?

Kemba Walker on the 09 team? Anybody else in that starting 5?

I’m sure there’s a lot of guys from our great teams starting 5 that went off that usually don’t.

 

[Kenny11]

David Onuorah had that 36 point game in 2017 when his step back 3 caught fire

 

[Get a Job]

Jamal Coombs-McDaniel is the one that stands out. He was a highly regarded recruit who never really "got" it until that three game stretch where he became our second best player.

Brian Fair used to be good for a couple 20+ games a year (usually when JC got ejected and Howie would give me extended minutes).

I think I remember Mike Hayes coming off the bench one game and scoring in double figures out of nowhere in 05.

Toraino in the BET his freshmen year

Boog204 is Brian Fair!

 

[HuskyFich]

There are a few reasons for this:

1) UConn has been a strong brand for a really long time.... You can tell how hard teams play when they come out to our building....

2) In road games, coaches tend to ride the hot hand more than in home games, allowing more freedom and court time for that player.

3) UConn has had plenty of "role players" have big games...The difference is UConn has thrived for years on 4 guys averaging 12-16 points vs. 1-2 guys averaging 18+... this means role players at UConn won't have as much of an opportunity, as the scoring is spread more evenly over more players. A big game for a UConn role player is 14 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 assists...not 22 points, 2 rebounds, and 1 assist.

Also,
If we were running Xavier's offense last night, the board would have lost their minds over the horrendous shot choices... but hey, they went in. Role players with big games seem to correlate to having fewer scorers on the team (UConn in 2011, 2014, 2018 for example).

A predictable scoring scatterplot is the definition of a strong team. I'm good if UConn continues to be at the bottom of the list in this category lol.

 

[6Nattys4Us]

Jamal Coombs-McDaniel is the one that stands out. He was a highly regarded recruit who never really "got" it until that three game stretch where he became our second best player.

Brian Fair used to be good for a couple 20+ games a year (usually when JC got ejected and Howie would give me extended minutes).

I think I remember Mike Hayes coming off the bench one game and scoring in double figures out of nowhere in 05.

Toraino in the BET his freshmen year

Brian (not sure if you are he) Fair had an amazing night at Syracuse if I recall.

 

[Inyatkin]

Rash Jones in the 98 Big East final maybe

 

[boog204]

Think what makes this interesting is that we usually have deep teams where anybody is liable to go off.

Like would a Denham Brown or Rashad Anderson count here?

Kemba Walker on the 09 team? Anybody else in that starting 5?

I’m sure there’s a lot of guys from our great teams starting 5 that went off that usually don’t.

None of those guys, to me, were role players in the sense of the original thread. Denham and Rash were on/off starters who scored in double figures. Kemba was a McDAA coming off the bench. I'm thinking random guy who generally didn't do much having a big game. I mean we could throw Jaylin last year into the mix for his games against Marquette and St. Johns. He came in averaging under 2/gm and he comes to bench to score 8 and 9 pretty much out of nowhere in our two biggest games (at that point) of the year.

 

[HU5KIES]

David Onuorah had that 36 point game in 2017 when his step back 3 caught fire

He scored 30 all year and definitely was not hitting stepback 3s..now I'm curious who you actually meant here.

 

[Iluvsuebird]

Seems like 2-3 times a year some role player on the opposing team just goes off on UConn. A player averaging 6 or 7 ppg goes off for 25. A kid averaging 14 -15 ppg goes off for 30.

Long-time fans know the drill. The scar tissue is real. Regular season, NIT, NCAA. You name it, opposing players have done it.

Question I'm struggling with is which UConn role players have had the game of their lives where the numbers were just crazy? I can remember Justin Brown having the game of his life against Arizona but he didn't go for 25.

Maybe Brimah in the game he went for about 40 against UCF? when they refused to defend against the pick and roll lob?

It's way too deep in to December and the end of the year for me to Google this stuff and get factually accurate info so I humbly as the 'yard, what examples do we have of UConn players having the game of their life against opponents??

Seems like 2-3 times a year some role player on the opposing team just goes off on UConn. A player averaging 6 or 7 ppg goes off for 25. A kid averaging 14 -15 ppg goes off for 30.

Long-time fans know the drill. The scar tissue is real. Regular season, NIT, NCAA. You name it, opposing players have done it.

Question I'm struggling with is which UConn role players have had the game of their lives where the numbers were just crazy? I can remember Justin Brown having the game of his life against Arizona but he didn't go for 25.

Maybe Brimah in the game he went for about 40 against UCF? when they refused to defend against the pick and roll lob?

It's way too deep in to December and the end of the year for me to Google this stuff and get factually accurate info so I humbly as the 'yard, what examples do we have of UConn players having the game of their life against opponents??

And to your point, what kills me is the marginal players taking contested 3's and hitting nothing but net. I do think that these things even out in the end, but we have seen it a few times this year already.

 

[Excalibur]

He scored 30 all year and definitely was not hitting stepback 3s..now I'm curious who you actually meant here.

Might mean Eric Cobb, who went off for 30 points and 20 boards in two games at MSG in 2018.

 

[Tommyboy]

He scored 30 all year and definitely was not hitting stepback 3s..now I'm curious who you actually meant here.

OK I thought I was going crazy. I was like I completely don't remember that.

 

[WlfdHusky]

Boog204 is Brian Fair!

Or Boo Willingham. Setting those screens for Brian.

 

[Richmondhsky]

It's a good question. I'll have to come up with one.

It does seem like UConn gives up a career high to someone a few times a year.

Agree…started with Miami quite a few years ago. A guard, whose name escapes me went off. Ever since that game Hooper’s point pops In my mind!