VCU UConn thoughts

[KingAG]

That would surprise me, I'd expect to see us drop a few spots but probably stay in at 24 or 25

We beat a top 20 team in the CBB game of the year to date. We aren’t dropping

 

[SixRings]

We beat a top 20 team in the CBB game of the year to date. We aren’t dropping

I agree. We did lose to an unranked team the next day but without a key player. Think we’ll be ~20.

 

[navery12]

We beat a top 20 team in the CBB game of the year to date. We aren’t dropping

I guess it depends how voters view beating Auburn versus losing to an unranked Michigan State team. We know Michigan State is good but half of the voters don't look any further than loss to a team with no number next to their name

 

[ThabeetDown]

My keys to the game were offensive rebound, force turnovers and fast break points:

O boards: 19 for 17 second chance points. We had 14 for 18 vs Auburn and 12 for 15 vs MSU. Lack of second chance points looms large but did enough work on the glass.

Turnovers: 14 for 18 points. Same as Auburn game and MSU was 12/12. Good but not great vs a team that was 346/358 in turnover % coming into today.

Fast break points: 8. 18 and 15 the other two games. Unacceptable. Let VCU dictate pace.

 

[KingAG]

I guess it depends how voters view beating Auburn versus losing to an unranked Michigan State team. We know Michigan State is good but half of the voters don't look any further than loss to a team with no number next to their name

Without the guy arguably responsible for today’s win as well. CBSSports moved us up 5 spots today. The perception around the country is we proved something in the Bahamas. I’d be shocked if we moved down

 

[drayenob]

Top 5 kenpom sorted by defense

 

[Huskybass]

Severe overreaction. VCU was a bad draw for a team who had the toughest draw in Atlantis and was playing there 3rd game in 3 days one being a double overtime dog fight. Our guys were physically and mentally exhausted. Sloppy play, tired legs, and poor decisions. But we aren’t mediocre

That's the thing. This team can be terrific and terrible in the same game. The number of mistakes at crunch time is mind boggling. I really think we need a second ballhandler to help Cole. Diggins needs minutes asap.

 

[JMick]

Top 5 kenpom sorted by defense

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well yeah, they both played us

I'm kidding. partly. If that holds until the end of the year then we can have a different conversation

 

[navery12]

Without the guy arguably responsible for today’s win as well. CBSSports moved us up 5 spots today. The perception around the country is we proved something in the Bahamas. I’d be shocked if we moved down

Yes but you're missing my point, voters don't care about missing players because they don't even take the time to look at stuff like that. I hope you're right and enough care about missing Whaley.

Where do you see CBS moving us up? I see us at 15 which is where we were after beating Auburn (and 16 before that)

 

[hardcorehusky]

The reason we look out of sync against pressure is we are 1 ballhandler away from getting people in the right spots. Martin can't start 20 feet from the basket. Jackson still can't shoot but now teams can slump off him and play him for the pass. Hawkins doesn't have a good enough handle and Gaffney is NOT a PG.

To me, if Diggins can emerge as a ball handler to lighten the load off Cole AND be another ball handler to penetrate and dish, now the pieces fit right. I think back to the Calhoun years of 2 point guards and how difficult we were to play.

 

[KingAG]

well yeah, they both played us

I'm kidding. partly. If that holds until the end of the year then we can have a different conversation

No team scored more than us against VCU this season. They’re elite defensively

 

[8893]

If it hasn’t been said anywhere, huge props to the whole @RJScootin family again for their energy at the game today.

My daughter and I were among the few in the midcourt UConn fan section who stood for the whole game. He and his boy tried to urge people on the whole game, definitely dodging security much of the time. These guys left it all on the court there.

 

[KingAG]

Yes but you're missing my point, voters don't care about missing players because they don't even take the time to look at stuff like that. I hope you're right and enough care about missing Whaley.

Where do you see CBS moving us up? I see us at 15 which is where we were after beating Auburn (and 16 before that)

Normally I’d agree. But that was a nationally relevant and recognized game. It’s going to give a more of a boost than you are thinking.

Side note: that’s what I was referring to. I thought they moved us up to 15 from 20. That’s my mistake

 

[Improviser]

Cole is by far the most important player on this team, don't even want to think of what happens to them if he can't play but it can't continue like this. We've seen for three years now what Gaffney brings and it isn't good enough. He'll give us some open threes and an occasional drive but he doesn't help at all at point guard. Diggins needs minutes going forward.

Not saying we should burn his redshirt year now, but only asking a question.

Is Corey Floyd a point guard who can handle the ball and pass? If Cole does not come back next year for a fifth year, and Floyd does not have PG skills, aren't we relying on hope that Diggins can take over? Gaffney doesn't seem to be an answer.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Hurley said we played “mostly horrible”. We still won. I don’t think the sky is falling. We are too reliant on creating off the dribble and on bringing the ball up via the dribble. We just don’t move well enough without the ball to be a good passing team. Too many guys standing around waiting for whoever has the ball to do something. Doesn’t matter of it is Cole, Sanogo or somebody else, the whole team watches them.

Hawkins showed some life running off the ball early, then he stopped and stood like a garden gnome same as the others. I want 3 guys moving at all times with only Sanogo camping near the rim. Never liked Hurley’s offense at URI and I still don’t.

These were good learning experiences if we can learn. There is plenty of talent and I still remain optimistic. Gaff needs to hit from outside or he isn’t mulch help. Same with Polley. Akok should be in more and we need to look for him in the post. He isn’t a 5, he is a good complement to Sanogo who can score off lobs. Hurley playing 4 out with a team that doesn’t shoot is going to mean we have no offense but dribble penetration. That’s a losing formula most games.

 

[navery12]

Not saying we should burn his redshirt year now, but only asking a question.

Is Corey Floyd a point guard who can handle the ball and pass? If Cole does not come back next year for a fifth year, and Floyd does not have PG skills, aren't we relying on hope that Diggins can take over? Gaffney doesn't seem to be an answer.

Floyd is a big guard who's gonna play the 2/3, not a PG. If Cole isn't back I don't expect us to go into next year with only Gaffney and Diggins, I assume we'd be adding a transfer PG

 

[auror]

No team scored more than us against VCU this season. They’re elite defensively

Well we only had 56 at the end of regulation, which is 2 less than Wagner, but 1 more than Syracuse lol (and obviously have to factor in pace).

 

[Ts5034]

From some of the post game quotes Ive read from the guys, It seems like they were down about yesterday’s loss, and upset they were not playing Baylor for the Championship. Maybe today was more the product of a let down, especially after the way the last 2 games went, and losing like they did vs MSU.

 

[Waquoit]

We won by 7 and Baylor only won by 8.

 

[UConnSwag11]

I agree. We did lose to an unranked team the next day but without a key player. Think we’ll be ~20.

agreed. 20-22

 

[upstater]

Severe overreaction. VCU was a bad draw for a team who had the toughest draw in Atlantis and was playing there 3rd game in 3 days one being a double overtime dog fight. Our guys were physically and mentally exhausted. Sloppy play, tired legs, and poor decisions. But we aren’t mediocre

VCU may not have a winning record at the end of the year. They already lost by double digits to Wagner and also lost to Chattanooga. It’s a team that will finish with 40+ points in multiple games this year. In other words, they are not very good. There were a ton of different ways to exploit them.

 

[CardiacAndre7]

It would be a travesty if we don’t learn from these games. If we see the awful execution on out of bounds plays continue then we should be worried. If we see terrible half court turnovers pile up, we should be worried. If we see poor execution on offense continue we should be worried. It’s early in the season, but if Hurley and co. don’t iron this out, we’re gonna be in dogfights all season.

 

[bendm]

we’re a top 20-25 team hoping for a 6 seed in the tourney. That’s what the expectation was going into the season and that’s what it is now. Beating auburn didn’t make us a final 4 contender and losing to MSU doesn’t mean we’re missing the tourney. Outlooks can’t change with each win or loss it’s a long season.

 

[navery12]

The negatives have been beaten to death, but I think there's some positives to take away from these early games:

- I still wouldn't say we're a good 3 point shooting team but we needed Whaley/Akok/Martin/Jackson to take a step forward and they're shooting 18/38 right now. Even if that regresses a bit that'll be more than good enough.

- The offense leaves a lot to be desired and late game playcalling too, but that OOB play to get Cole a 3 is great. Would be nice to have a 2nd play that works as well though

 

[djct1999]

People need to relax. We played 3 games in 48 hours and the first game went to double overtime. We were undermanned yesterday and gassed today. Under normal circumstances and rest we beat Mich State and destroy VCU. The scheduling of this tournament made no sense and UConn was probably impacted more than anyone. It will be ok. We played as bad as we could today and still won. We are a good team.

 

[upstater]

My big gripe is that we don’t pass to the open man when the passing lanes are open. We play a lot of hero ball. And practically every one is guilty of this except Whaley. He is the only one who knows the importance of moving the ball. Gaffney, Sanogo, Martin, and even Cole pass on giving it to the open man. Cole doesn’t trust Sanogo with it, Martin never trusts Gaffney, forget about Sanogo looking to pass out ( tho I suspect Hurley is telling him not to pass if he’s one on one)

 

[TheChamps990411]

They won a crapfest....a loss would have been a disaster.

Over the 3 days we learned how important Cole & Whaley are.

Yeah, maybe itll shut up their critics already.

 

[jibsey]

We probably will be very close to top 15 on Monday. We’re moving up in the rankings. But agreed we have a lot to work on. They’re easy things to fix though

Nope. Top 15? You joking? We have to integrate a shooter into this lineup The Hawk, if we can then we'll talk about near top 15. Akok was exposed this weekend and it wasn't good, very weak player.

 

[Hankster]

Somebody needs to take Gaffney’s minutes

Then the next game Gaff does great. That's the problem with the whole team.

 

[Hankster]

They won a crapfest....a loss would have been a disaster.

Over the 3 days we learned how important Cole & Whaley are.

Whaley especially. I found myself doing the same thing as last year. Jumping of of the recliner yelling at Whalley to SHOOT!!!! Again today. He finally did...twice.