Villanova post game thread

[Deleted at users request]

I like the versatility that the incoming class looks to provide on paper. Reibe is a 5. Adams is a CG, who I think the staff will be looking to primarily focus on playing PG, Mullins is a SG/SF, and Furphy is a SF/SG. I think that gives some nice potential versatility with Adams, Mullins, and Furphy sliding in at multiple positions depending on matchups.

I have serious questions on Adams playing PG for us. This staff does not have a great track record with developing guard skills for players who don’t already have those skills coming in.

I’d be a lot more comfortable if we had a true PG recruit. But I’m in ill believe it when I see it as far as a guy coming in and the staff teaching him the necessary skills to play the position.

Year 8 and the current chance to develop our own PG in Nowell is not going well after board experts spent the recruiting process praising how ready he was.

 

[ctbro1999]

Still see lots of mocks with him late first, which is mind bending. Not sure how an NBA team drafts a kid who’s primarily skill is 3 point shooting, and is on a 6-47 ripper. Top that off with form that heaves the ball on a rotational axis similar to earth. I guess he’s tall.

He has decent length too to go with his height.

 

[RuffRuff]

Against Villanova, Johnson got 13 minutes while Reed got 27. Whether he’s starting or not, we are seeing a lot of of him.

Team has struggled offensively and the half court actions are generating nothing of late. The book is out on our actions/personnel. With our lack of dribble penetration one of the few remaining options is to play inside out basketball with Tarris (like we did with Sanogo). Samson is just a mannequin out there taking passes at the 3 point line pointlessly. He literally provides nothing and is fully dependent on cut/slips for points, scored 4 or less in 6 of his last 7 games. Has he had a put back all year? I mean the kid cannot generate offense at all, and our offense is struggling.

 

[aceboon]

Tarris struggles w guys taller than him. He has slow feet defensively and tends to foul to compensate. Just rewatch the creighton game and tell me he is a five. He was great last night because for some reason they wanted Dixon to play down low in the second half. That’s a great matchup for Tarris and he showed it. That’s not every game.

Yea because he struggled vs a near 7"2, 5th year guy who is one of the best centers in cbb means Tarris isn't a 5 . College centers look a whole lot more like Tarris than they do Kalkbrenner, he's perfectly suited as a college center.

 

[ctbro1999]

Yea because he struggled vs a near 7"2, 5th year guy means Tarris isn't a 5 . College centers look a whole lot more like Tarris than they do Kalkbrenner, he's perfectly suited as a college center.

Gonna be tough for Tarris to get/stay on an NBA roster in the future as either an undersized 5 or a 4 that can't shoot the 3. I see him having a similar fate as Sanogo. Hope I'm wrong though.

 

[RuffRuff]

What has plagued UConn in its quest for a three-peat; can Huskies right the ship? | FOX Sports

A lack of depth, consistency and desperation has led to UConn's roller-coaster season, but will the Huskies' win over Villanova help propel them to a strong finish heading into the NCAA Tournament?

www.foxsports.com

 

[boog204]

wasn't AK sitting for a good portion of our run?

Stew replaced AK at 53-41. AK subbed in it was 58-52. So for sure Jaylin brought some nice energy to start swinging things. But we surged ahead once AK came back. AK is shooting hideously but brings so much more to the table that people don't get.

 

[Hunt for 7]

Team has struggled offensively and the half court actions are generating nothing of late. The book is out on our actions/personnel. With our lack of dribble penetration one of the few remaining options is to play inside out basketball with Tarris (like we did with Sanogo). Samson is just a mannequin out there taking passes at the 3 point line pointlessly. He literally provides nothing and is fully dependent on cut/slips for points, scored 4 or less in 6 of his last 7 games. Has he had a put back all year? I mean the kid cannot generate offense at all, and our offense is struggling.

I like the idea of playing some inside out. I think we even tried but we do not have great passers. I think the two man game with McNeeley and Reed has some potential. If Alex was shooting they could do it with him as well. Ball just telegraphs his entry passes. But he is getting better.

Only thing is I don’t think it is a coincidence that the only sophomore improving is the one playing the most minutes just like the freshman who took the biggest leap from year1 to 2 is the one who played the most minutes in year 1.

Everything is connected. I am hoping we see a great junior year from Ball and a very good junior year from Stewart. Not going to comment on anyone else but every underclassman on this team will get better with more game minutes. Just don’t think all of them will get that opportunity.

 

[Deleted at users request]

I like the idea of playing some inside out. I think we even tried but we do not have great passers. I think the two man game with McNeeley and Reed has some potential. If Alex was shooting they could do it with him as well. Ball just telegraphs his entry passes. But he is getting better.

Only thing is I don’t think it is a coincidence that the only sophomore improving is the one playing the most minutes just like the freshman who took the biggest leap from year1 to 2 is the one who played the most minutes in year 1.

Everything is connected. I am hoping we see a great junior year from Ball and a very good junior year from Stewart. Not going to comment on anyone else but every underclassman on this team will get better with more game minutes. Just don’t think all of them will get that opportunity.

Ball is also the only guy who has the rope to go out and try new things and fail at them.

Like you said he’s getting better in areas even this board thought he wasn’t capable of with the assists. Still has to continue working on drives to the rim but I’m happy he’s doing it more to learn.

Wish Stewart and Ross were given the same rope and direction to learn earlier but our season is in do or die mode at this point.

I hope next year we have a better plan heading into the season on how to get the most out of the guys we have and developing them for the now and long term. This season has been a mess.

 

[superjohn]

Stew replaced AK at 53-41. AK subbed in it was 58-52. So for sure Jaylin brought some nice energy to start swinging things. But we surged ahead once AK came back. AK is shooting hideously but brings so much more to the table that people don't get.

I didn't see much from AK last night so I went back to look and he had a block in the second half. That's all he contributed to the boxscore other than getting the final defensive rebound of the game with 6 seconds left when the game was already over.

 

[ctbro1999]

I like the idea of playing some inside out. I think we even tried but we do not have great passers. I think the two man game with McNeeley and Reed has some potential. If Alex was shooting they could do it with him as well. Ball just telegraphs his entry passes. But he is getting better.

Only thing is I don’t think it is a coincidence that the only sophomore improving is the one playing the most minutes just like the freshman who took the biggest leap from year1 to 2 is the one who played the most minutes in year 1.

Everything is connected. I am hoping we see a great junior year from Ball and a very good junior year from Stewart. Not going to comment on anyone else but every underclassman on this team will get better with more game minutes. Just don’t think all of them will get that opportunity.

I know Ball had a good game stats-wise dishing the ball (6 assists), but there was 1 fast break where if he gets Reed the ball properly, it's an easy dunk/layup, but Solo waited too long to feed Reed, and he ended up catching the ball almost under the basket. Got hacked and went to the FT line (made 1 of 2), but I was like "Man, that should have been an easy alley-opp/dunk". But I'm more nitpicking...the fact Ball had 6 assists is very good for him.

 

[Conndog]

I know Ball had a good game stats-wise dishing the ball (6 assists), but there was 1 fast break where if he gets Reed the ball properly, it's an easy dunk/layup, but Solo waited too long to feed Reed, and he ended up catching the ball almost under the basket. Got hacked and went to the FT line (made 1 of 2), but I was like "Man, that should have been an easy alley-opp/dunk". But I'm more nitpicking...the fact Ball had 6 assists is very good for him.

Solo made a great defensive play after Reed layed it in with 22 seconds to go and UConn was up 64-59. Villanova guard got the inbound and raced up court for layup and possible and-1 (such is UConn’s luck late in games), but Solo kept up with him and made a great defensive contest without fouling, and UConn got the rebound. Nice hustle Solo!

 

[RuffRuff]

I didn't see much from AK last night so I went back to look and he had a block in the second half. That's all he contributed to the boxscore other than getting the final defensive rebound of the game with 6 seconds left when the game was already over.

He looks exhausted both mentally and physically. Between all the minutes and the slump, kid looks like he needs a week in Cancun.

Stewart averaged around 26 minutes/game the majority of games Liam was out, plenty of run. He also had 3 games at 14plus points in that run, 60% from field over 7 games. He's definitely earned more reps, in particular AK's reps. We don't need to keep forcing AK to shoot as we have options. I know there is the school of thought to let him "shoot out of it", well it's late February, find alternatives. Not sure why we keep over-using him when he's playing poorly. I get it he's a leader, but it's not like we are clicking out there right now. You reach a point where it's like, try something new. The team had life when he sat down the stretch - maybe they're tired of someone that looks tired.

When it comes to talented kids like Reed and Stewart, I get they make mistakes, but we have a very limited ceiling with the binkies, and they're not even playing that well.

 

[boog204]

I didn't see much from AK last night so I went back to look and he had a block in the second half. That's all he contributed to the boxscore other than getting the final defensive rebound of the game with 6 seconds left when the game was already over.

He does more out there than the box score shows. His understanding of spacing and how the offense flows is important. Dan Hurley has said for years that he was the brains/glue of the system.

Despite not shooting it well at all, I can virtually guarantee opposing defenses are focusing on him, and defensively he has been very solid most of the year. Coincidence or not, when he came back in the game we went on a 14-1 run to close it out.

 

[Gurleyman]

That play was in the second half where there was a loose ball and Alex bent over to get it and the Nova player dove for the ball and k locked it loose. Eventually was OOB on Stewie but Alex absolutely mailed in that play.
It just required someone whose first instinct is to get possession of the ball at all costs.

We ended up with two fouls on that possession after we lost it o/b (Reed and Ball). Could have meant Reed had to sit late with 4 or 5 because we didn’t come up with that possession. That Hurley “inside the huddle” moment a couple games ago when he said “how, after everything that has happened this year, are they more desperate than us?” was actually after AK was beaten to a loose ball on the perimeter.

I love AK and I admit I have been critical of him a lot lately, mainly because I want to see more from him. I don’t even care about the shooting slump - it’s that he hasn’t impacted games in other ways enough. Four rebounds in 35 minutes from your 4 man isn’t good, and he averages 5 so that isn’t an outlier. He has played too much basketball to only have 14 steals this entire season. You‘d like to think he could make defensive reads and earn us extra possessions once in a while. Some of it is AK does lack a little bit of foot speed, which limits his bag offensively and means other people get to the ball quicker … and it also means there are times when maybe he just looks too casual even if he’s trying. There are points in games and seasons when you have to treat loose balls like they are the last rife raft on the Titanic.

This team has lots of flaws - but having Samson (who does have foot speed but has bad hands), and AK in the frontcourt results in a lot of 50-50 balls going the other direction. Liam’s return helps mask that - we’ve always had an Andre Jackson or Stephon Castle or Tristen Newton to get defensive boards (as well as Clingan and Sanogo).

I’ve said it often, but AK’s legacy is secure, and if he goes down fighting in March and leads us in those games, he’ll become even more legendary. But he’s already drinking free for life in Storrs. This has been a frustrating stretch watching him, because he has allowed himself to become an ordinary player when we really need a good one. But the bigger games are ahead.

 

[NickDanger]

I’m still processing this possibility.

I don’t think our staff was planning for AK to be a part of next years roster. I’m not sure if it’s a good/bad thing at this point. And I’m not throwing shade at AK with that…it’s just that the recruiting and roster building was being done with the assumption that he’d be a Pro next year.

And that is looking less and less likely

 

[NickDanger]

Where's he going?

Europe

 

[Dibbie]

Against Villanova, Johnson got 13 minutes while Reed got 27. Whether he’s starting or not, we are seeing a lot of of him.

It’s one game, which is the point. Minutes were completely flipped on Saturday

 

[djct1999]

Yea because he struggled vs a near 7"2, 5th year guy who is one of the best centers in cbb means Tarris isn't a 5 . College centers look a whole lot more like Tarris than they do Kalkbrenner, he's perfectly suited as a college center.

Go back and look. He struggled far more than that. That was just a recent example. Stop micro analyzing every moment. He had an amazing second half. He was one of two reasons why we won. Awesome. That doesn’t absolve him for past games. There is a lot to like. There were also plenty of reasons why he hasn’t played more. Again, I trust the staff over any of you. This has become insufferable.

 

[superjohn]

He does more out there than the box score shows. His understanding of spacing and how the offense flows is important. Dan Hurley has said for years that he was the brains/glue of the system.

Despite not shooting it well at all, I can virtually guarantee opposing defenses are focusing on him, and defensively he has been very solid most of the year. Coincidence or not, when he came back in the game we went on a 14-1 run to close it out.

And we were down 14 with him playing the entire game until he hit the bench.

I love AK but the way he's been talked up doesn't match his performance on the court IMO.

 

[aceboon]

Go back and look. He struggled far more than that. That was just a recent example. Stop micro analyzing every moment. He had an amazing second half. He was one of two reasons why we won. Awesome. That doesn’t absolve him for past games. There is a lot to like. There were also plenty of reasons why he hasn’t played more. Again, I trust the staff over any of you. This has become insufferable.

I was responding to the specific game you mentioned, now you're just combining every other posters' response about Reed not getting playing time over Samson with mine, which I haven't even commented on. Don't quote me crying about a bunch of stuff I haven't even said. You're the one being insufferable here and now you're annoying me so I'm gonna leave it alone.

 

[freshler40]

I know everyone is excited about the way Tarris played last night but we have to look at it the right way. It’s about the matchup more than anything Nova was a good matchup for him and he played well and got the bulk of the minutes. Go back a game and seton hall was a bad matchup he was getting beat on the P&R constantly. This weekend he should see the bulk of the minutes because SJU is a better matchup for him and they are gonna try to bully UConn.

One of the other key things is he avoided silly cheap fouls like the hip checks on screens or reaching on a guy on the 3point line.

I think another key part of this team down the stretch will be finding a way to rest Hass even when he is on the floor. Having McNeeley or solo bring the ball up the floor, Ahmad spelling him even if it is just 5 minutes could make a world of difference.

Finally we have to get into the offense quicker. The book is out make UConn “waste” time just getting the ball up the floor means you have to defend all the movement less on defense. Nova light pressed in the backcourt all night forcing UConn up the floor slower. Getting the ball into the front court at 8 or 9 seconds then taking another 4 or 5 seconds to set up means teams are really only defending the offense for maybe 15 second at most but it’s more like 12 or less. Get the ball up the floor faster and set up make them defend for 18 seconds and you will see more lapses and wide open layup and cutters and better looks.

Great points, but they also apply to the teams we play for a second time in this conference. Playing to our inside strength seems to be a change for us in the late second half with the nice run we had. If we don't rebound like the combo of Reed and McNeeley we don't win this game and others to come. McNeeley sparks off of Reed and benefits from him being on the floor. One and one become three. These two have a chemistry that helps both.

 

[boog204]

And we were down 14 with him playing the entire game until he hit the bench.

I love AK but the way he's been talked up doesn't match his performance on the court IMO.

Oh for sure... He has not been great for quite a bit now. Difference is that he's proven that he can play and be trusted in the biggest of spots.

But I could say the same thing about how Stew/Nowell/Ross is drooled over in the talk vs. performance sitch.

 

[husky429]

I love AK but the way he's been talked up doesn't match his performance on the court IMO.

Very good player, and we will be a better team with him returning... that's for sure. When he's treated like a 3rd or 4th option on offense and paired with some good defensive players, he looks absolutely brilliant. His IQ and connectedness shines. If he's asked to create for himself and others, and is drawing the opponents best wing defense, he struggles.

Get some talent back on the roster so AK can settle into a 3rd option role, and He'll be the guy we know and love.

 

[Gurleyman]

And we were down 14 with him playing the entire game until he hit the bench.

I love AK but the way he's been talked up doesn't match his performance on the court IMO.

It wasn’t so much the +/- thing as just the vibe of the game changed. When AK went to the bench I was thinking “uh-oh, danger time. We’re desperate.” And then we pressed a little, turned up the defensive intensity, starting punching back. The whole vibe picked up a bit and we got it down to 3 on the Liam three. Poplar hit a 3 and then Alex checked in and we kept it going. Liam hit 4 foul shots, Solo found Tarris on the slip to tie it - and AK was almost certainly a cog in our closing run with intangibles (spacing, defensive communication, etc.).

It won’t be like this every time. AK’s value will always be there and there will be days he checks out and it all goes to crap. On this particular day, though, he was just kinda flat. No other way to say it. And we raised our level when he was out. He’s a veteran and can perhaps learn something that the shots may or may not fall, but the energy level can’t drop.