UConn's motion offense ha been impressive

[DogMania]

Just a few games in and this team's motion and multi-screen offense has been outstanding. I'm not sure I've seen much better from prior Husky teams late in their seasons. I've found myself frustrated at times in the past where we'd see too much standing around.

Note that when teams play zone against us, UConn goes into a more spacing, quick back-screen, split the gaps, inside-out type offense. Without Castle, we lack that power dribble penetration player who can split the zone or power past the defender doing damage in the paint, adding another dimension to an already dangerous offensive team.

So far I like what I'm seeing.

 

[uh-no]

it's a breath of fresh air in a world of 1-on-1 hero ball.

 

[TheChamps990411]

it's a breath of fresh air in a world of 1-on-1 hero ball.

Yeah i absolutely hate that. Its just horrible to watch. This team is so much fun to watch offensively. Cam seems to have taken to it like a fish to water. My mouth waters at the thought of what this team could look like by mid February. I truly believe this team is playing at a B level right now which is pretty darn good but at some point we should see A and possibly A+ level.

 

[caw]

it's a breath of fresh air in a world of 1-on-1 hero ball.

This is why I don't trust MSU right now. Last year they were playing a lot of hero ball.

 

[willie99]

Towards the end of last season, I said "dare I say, it looks like they're running Geno's offense"

Whatever they're running, it's pretty darn good. And with Newton and Karraban as their nucleus, it's carrying over pretty darn good

 

[runner11]

I was drinking some Syracuse tears last night and one of their posters was bemoaning a total lack of off-ball screens and cutting. Couldn’t be us!

I would love an origin story, e.g., how did we go from running some bland DHO, or high ball screen offense without much off-ball action to This. Multiple analysts have mentioned us having the most intricate offense around. Sure, Dan Hurley said the offense wasn’t good until AK arrived. But there is much more to it than that.

 

[husky429]

I was drinking some Syracuse tears last night and one of their posters was bemoaning a total lack of off-ball screens and cutting. Couldn’t be us!

I would love an origin story, e.g., how did we go from running some bland DHO, or high ball screen offense without much off-ball action to This. Multiple analysts have mentioned us having the most intricate offense around. Sure, Dan Hurley said the offense wasn’t good until AK arrived. But there is much more to it than that.

I think we've always had those sets in our playbook, but just have higher IQ guys on the team now and put more emphasis on offense. Hurley has mentioned meeding to change his practice philosophy with offense.

 

[AdamaNation]

Just a few games in and this team's motion and multi-screen offense has been outstanding. I'm not sure I've seen much better from prior Husky teams late in their seasons. I've found myself frustrated at times in the past where we'd see too much standing around.

Note that when teams play zone against us, UConn goes into a more spacing, quick back-screen, split the gaps, inside-out type offense. Without Castle, we lack that power dribble penetration player who can split the zone or power past the defender doing damage in the paint, adding another dimension to an already dangerous offensive team.

So far I like what I'm seeing.

True. But newt is also a power dribble type big guard hence the penalties. He drew 10 last game.

 

[aceboon]

have any beat writers done a story on the changes within the UConn offense since last year? If they haven't there's an easy article there but our beat writers are pretty much abc/ guys and don't get in-depth like that compared to the younger writers coming up that like to get heavy on play detail/X's & O's.

 

[UCFan1513]

It seemed that the motion stalled a bit in the second half versus Texas - more one-on-one play at the end of the shot clock from Karaban and Newton. Anyone know what Texas did in particular to muck things up?

 

[Waquoit]

We didn't have the guys that shot well enough to reap the benefits of the offense a couple of years ago.

 

[ctchamps]

Hurley doesn’t bs. He stated he made a change in his philosophy and he brought in players to fit that philosophy. So yes we now have those players as opposed to earlier but it was based on his rethinking the game.

And it doesn’t hurt that he confides in two hall of fame coaches to learn from and bounce ideas off of.

 

[Palatine]

Texas hammered the heck out of Newton and mostly got away with it. They did every short of shooting Newton with a gun. The fact he kept going back in the lane is a testimony to his toughness.

 

[HooperScooper]

Yeah i absolutely hate that. Its just horrible to watch. This team is so much fun to watch offensively. Cam seems to have taken to it like a fish to water. My mouth waters at the thought of what this team could look like by mid February. I truly believe this team is playing at a B level right now which is pretty darn good but at some point we should see A and possibly A+ level.

That's what Hurley said also.

“We’ve got great potential to be much better than we are right now,” Hurley said. “We’ve got a lot of new pieces, Steph’s a huge piece that’s not in the mix, he brings a dimension that we don’t have right now… But even players like Alex and Donovan – Jordan Hawkins, (at the) beginning of his sophomore year, was a much different player than he was at the end of his sophomore year. This team will continue to get better.”