Villanova Post Game Thread

[3rdbass]

How? By holding? So that offense had a lifespan, or we just don't have the right guys to run it?

One thing that's been said already is we have zero rim runners on this team for the easy dunks, Tarris just doesn't play above the rim at all.

We have Solo and Ross. I think more of our issue is we don't have enough people who can crate on offense. Demary is hesistant and Mullins is still learning how to play against top competition. They both have the attributes to create and we do need more of it as well as Ball. Having a little ISO ball when our sets break down would be great to have.

 

[Smp7598]

Alex Karaban is an all time great Husky, and I’d like to see him in the Huskies of Honor with his jersey in the rafters at Gampel. I don’t think the guy was 100% healthy last year. We are very lucky to have him in this program.

Win another Championship maybe put his Jersey up there,but no. He is a good player. All time great?No

 

[UConnTrumbull]

We have to remember that every opponent plays like it’s their Super Bowl against us. Especially the top 5 who have any sort of tournament aspirations. For instance, butler on the road will be hell. They’re games we expect to win but the opponent will scout us til their eyes bleed. And their 3 point shots will always fall.

 

[prankster]

Nice to see Ball play better. Karaban really showed up in the 2nd half but why are we calling a play for him to win it in regulation off the dribble. That was just a bad play call. It should of been either Demary or Ball. Glad we won and nice to see us just take it in ovetime. I love what Stewart and Ross bring on defense and hustle but they give us next to nothing on offense including FTs. Our bench for offense is just Reibe as Smith can't even make a layup anymore. I love our starting lineup but we don't have much firepower on the bench when we need some points.

Well, he was being fouled pretty consistently by the one guy for the whole time he was dribbling in. Just couldn't squeeze the shot off before the other guy fouled him going for the ball.

6 or so fouls. None called. Then OT.

UConn won. Nova beat the spread.

Do they have a special portal on betting sites for the corrupt BE officials?

 

[Smp7598]

Alex Karaban needs to be on one of the All-American Teams at the end season.

based on what?

 

[prankster]

He got freaking clocked! You’re 100% wrong here.

Yeah. And clocked in the noodle. I mean, above the shoulders and everything.

Was I the only one looking for the review and the Flagrant call?

 

[Doctor Hoop]

I know Karaban stepped up big time second half, but Solo Ball won the game by keeping us in it in the first half. And don’t discount his D on Perkins when they tried to isolate him in the second half. He got beat once, then forced bad fadeaways the next two or three times.

 

[NickDanger]

Despite their best effort Villanova was unable to steal this one from UConn.

Insert refs in place of Villanova as you see fit

I was waiting for more ref paranoia!

 

[RuffRuff]

We have to remember that every opponent plays like it’s their Super Bowl against us. Especially the top 5 who have any sort of tournament aspirations. For instance, butler on the road will be hell. They’re games we expect to win but the opponent will scout us til their eyes bleed. And their 3 point shots will always fall.

Yeah, seems like we raise or lower ourselves to our competition. Seems like we run a lot of plays that go nowhere. Where are the cuts and alley oops? Where is the hard nose defense that has us in foul trouble constantly? Where is the bench depth?

It just seems like we are regressing and those top 10 victories at the beginning of the season seem so long ago...

Malachi seems almost unplayable right now as Hurley is giving him 5-6 minutes a game max. We had 6 pts off our bench today, 4 from Reibe. This is clearly not a strength anymore. I have no complaints with the D, we kept Nova to 34% shooting.

We may be everyone's SB now, but that won't change in the dance.

 

[Palatine]

We've been everyone's SB for two years. Get used to it.

 

[Scottobot]

Best part of the game:

Solo is back!

Worst part of the game:

The refs were horrendous.

Two of the fouls called on Reed should have been on Brennan. There were two additional fouls on Brennan (including a moving screen on the three very late in regulation) that were not called.

We got the W and showed a tremendous amount of fortitude. Hope Mullins doesn't miss any time.

He charged stewart and that was called a block too

 

[UConnTrumbull]

We've been everyone's SB for two years. Get used to it.

We are used to it. Unlike Michigan or Arizona or Nebraska who waltz through these games because no one really gets that hyped for them.

 

[temery]

Solo with 24. Not bad

Just gotta be an odd coincidence or something but every time I dropped into the chat, somebody was complaining about Solo.

 

[Scottobot]

What do you think it is? Are they just not running it? I feel like there is a lot more iso ball this year.

I think they spent more time working on defense this past offseason and less time working on offense

 

[RuffRuff]

We are used to it. Unlike Michigan or Arizona or Nebraska who waltz through these games because no one really gets that hyped for them.

Sarcasm?

Nebraska is undefeated and top 10, anyone playing them will be hyped. Anyone going up against a top 10 team is going to be hyped up, doesn't matter who it is.

 

[RuffRuff]

I think they spent more time working on defense this past offseason and less time working on offense

But most of these kids are multi year and should know the offense.

 

[IndyLives]

This win should punch our ticket into the Big Dance! Team adjusted well in the 2nd half to losing Mullins. AK & Solo had nice 2nd halves. Hopefully, that will get their confidence going.

Again, some very questionable calls against us. BE conference style of play relies heavily on how the refs are going to call the game. They need to be consistent!

 

[Smp7598]

Malachi seems almost unplayable right now as Hurley is giving him 5-6 minutes a game max. We had 6 pts off our bench today, 4 from Reibe. This is clearly not a strength anymore. I have no complaints with the D, we kept Nova to 34% shooting.

We may be everyone's SB now, but that won't change in the dance.

In all fairness the games all have been close in the second half,so he has been playing his starters more minutes.Ross has no business playing in crunch time. He is a very poor mans Andre Jackson.

 

[Trudy Gay]

Sarcasm?

Nebraska is undefeated and top 10, anyone playing them will be hyped. Anyone going up against a top 10 team is going to be hyped up, doesn't matter who it is.

Yeah seriously. People online are jumping through hoops trying to discredit our wins, let’s not do the same to the other obviously elite teams. Every top 5 team is getting everyone’s best.

 

[NickDanger]

Silas definitely has to get the game ball. He saved us with that turnover at the beginning of OT. He also made two key freethrows. Good job Silas.

Also I hope Braylon is ok.

Refs were against us especially with Tarris' 5th foul.

Good win UConn.

More ref paranoia: that was a clear push by Reed

 

[Frenemy]

Couldn't watch, had to follow intermittently on phone. Apparently your typical BE rock fight. UConn doing what UConn does under Hurley, win. 1-21 from Lewis and Lindsay isn't going to get it done against elite teams.

Lewis is a freshman, he'll learn and get better from this. Lindsay is learning that life in the BE ain't pretty or easy. Williard should have Baker Dunleavy seriously look into another year of eligibility for Brennan and Askew. 😁🤷‍♂️

 

[Minicoop69]

Good news. Kenpom offensive efficiency is up to 35 and defense is up to 4.

 

[bendm]

Dan Hurley:

woulda been funny if Willard had parroted Hurley in his post game remarks w/ a "better get us now because we're comin." Nova is coming and it'll be great for the conference.

 

[WhereistheDove?]

5. Ross may start eating Malachi's minutes. Great D today.

Essentially all of Malachi’s minutes recently are when Silas is on the bench. Ross is getting zero of those minutes.

 

[Hey Adrien!]

UConn's record in games decided by 5 points or less:

2024-25: 6-5
2025-26: 7-1

Boom.

Also, so happy for Karaban for having such a dominant 2nd half/OT after a scoreless first half!