Vital and Gilbert

[Shine33]

When you have guys who continue to make the same losing no IQ bball plays over and over and don't hold them accountable you know the result and it sets a bad example. Unfortunately we don't have a backup for Gilbert right now so he has to play. If Hurley's coaching for next year and is sitting Bouknight for any mistake that's one thing but it's just weird Vital is allowed to make a dozen or so mistakes and hardly ever sits. Looks like Hurley is going to live and die with him, it seems fairly obvious that will kill any NCAA chances.

I don’t understand why people on here defend Vital so religiously when he’s proven over and over again that he can’t get it done. His hustle is great but we can find guys who can hustle just as much and perform better when it matters. We need to start playing Bouk more minutes. So what if he starts off slow some games. Can’t be worse than what Vital does out there

 

[superjohn]

Vital got subbed after a couple stupid plays Hurley stuck his hand out vital side stepped him to avoid it and then Hurley did his hand gesture when the refs make a bad call. He was clearly pissed about it.

Geeze, that's great.

 

[youseethat]

Bouk is the most talented guard and playmaker on the team (and most talented we’ve seen in years). He also commits suspects fouls, thus can’t stay on the floor. Learn / trust in your coaches, commit to strength training, and you’re a lottery pick in two years (fingers crossed not one).

BA is a solid defender and has proven to be a very solid man off the bench. Not necessarily a starter or difference maker, however UConn has seen amazing 6th men. BA looks the part and, if he continues to take similar strides, has a bright future. Grow from tonight.

CV is a hard worker, passionate, and wants to win at all cost. Unfortunately, his idea of how to win doesn’t cut it at this level. He loves and bleeds UConn, but has been put into an unrealistic position. Great player, great Husky, just not in the role he’s been forced to play. Not a slight, just realistic.

AG is a warrior. He’s suffered and worked through more than I will ever understand. He’s at his best when’s he’s a facilitator. Tonight, he was not a facilitator.

We let this one slip, but the talent and excitement is back.

Trust in the process, trust in Hurley. Let’s go, UConn!

 

[superjohn]

I don’t understand why people on here defend Vital so religiously when he’s proven over and over again that he can’t get it done. His hustle is great but we can find guys who can hustle just as much and perform better when it matters. We need to start playing Bouk more minutes. So what if he starts off slow some games. Can’t be worse than what Vital does out there

It's weird. I feel a bit badly for the guy because he never should have been a starting player at UConn but there really is no excuse for him still doing all this crazy stuff. You can see his bad decisions from a mile away, you can see he's going to either dribble it right into his defender at the end of halves and the end of games and he still does it over and over. It's four years of this, maybe stop letting him do it.

 

[Bulldog]

What happened? I'm not following along here.

Backcourt cost the game. No brainer here. Have to get Bouknight his minutes with plays designed to get him the ball. If he’s the real deal, and I think he is, you have to play him. You don’t want him to still be a freshman in March. Minutes come from AG, CV and Tyler Phommachanh.
Don’t like it when DH has a completely different team on the court and momentum is completely lost.

 

[Tenspro2002]

I don’t understand why people on here defend Vital so religiously when he’s proven over and over again that he can’t get it done. His hustle is great but we can find guys who can hustle just as much and perform better when it matters. We need to start playing Bouk more minutes. So what if he starts off slow some games. Can’t be worse than what Vital does out there

Vital was necessary before because he was basically the only Ollie guy with any toughness or heart.

Now with Hurley we've moved beyond that. Hustle isn't enough, we need players with basketball IQ.

 

[PAHusky]

They’re both awful in their own way. They play hard and with heart but neither are D1 caliber great and after multiple years it’s obvious. Zero B.B. IQ between the two of them

 

[PAHusky]

So don’t watch then.

Solid response. Guy posts his valid complaint with the team and you tell him not to watch

 

[Okafour rings]

Sorry, but UConn will not win anything meaningful with Vital on the team...no AAC regular season title, no conference tournament title. He will never have 'IT.'

 

[DaveHuskiesFan]

@DaveHuskiesFan have you seem enough yet man?
How many times do we have to watch Vital play selfish ball and throw away games before you guys get it?
He won’t be here next year, Bouk needs to to start taking more of his minutes.

The same Bouk that did absolutely nothing last night? Is 0-3, 1 rebound, 0 assists, and 3 TO's in 15 minutes good? He had more turnovers per 40 than Vital did last night.

Vital, Gilbert, Adams, the entire bench, all played awful last night. When you score 54 points, that usually is the reason.

But for everyone pining for Bouk, he wasn't the answer last night, he was just as awful as everyone else.

 

[jibsey]

Vital cutting in front of Gilbert to intercept the pass, then fumbling the ball away to lose the game, is the least surprising thing I've ever seen on a basketball court.

He never looked to pass the ball as he was double teamed.

 

[UConn2SF]

a game is won with an accumulation of winning plays. we have some key players that cannot accumulate more winning plays than our opponents,

 

[DaveHuskiesFan]

He never looked to pass the ball as he was double teamed.

That's just not true, he was trying to pass the ball when he lost it.

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

Some day we’ll look back and be like “damn we Akok Akok and James Bouknight on the same team and still stunk.”

 

[jayteeman]

Let's face it, there is no real go to man in these situations. There seems to be no trust in other teammates. They are the most predictable and easily scoutable team when the game is on the line. Who are you really comfortable with the ball?....a senior or giving that chance to the future?

 

[polycom]

That's just not true, he was trying to pass the ball when he lost it.

But it started with an intercepting the pass intended for AG, then dribbling into a double team. Whatever he was trying to do after that point didn't really matter.

 

[bendm]

Cole- Gaffney
Bouk-Adams
Polley-Jackson
Akok-Springs
Carlton-Brown

gilbert and vital nowhere to be seen

 

[superjohn]

The same Bouk that did absolutely nothing last night? Is 0-3, 1 rebound, 0 assists, and 3 TO's in 15 minutes good? He had more turnovers per 40 than Vital did last night.

Vital, Gilbert, Adams, the entire bench, all played awful last night. When you score 54 points, that usually is the reason.

But for everyone pining for Bouk, he wasn't the answer last night, he was just as awful as everyone else.

Vital hasn't been the answer for 4 years. You let Bouknight play through some mistakes because of his upside. Vital is what he is through no fault of his own. He was never brought in here to be a starter and now that we have some more talented players he should be coming off the bench. Gilbert is also killing us but he obviously needs to start.

Vital killed us last night just like he killed us in the other two losses, it is what it is.

 

[DaveHuskiesFan]

Vital hasn't been the answer for 4 years. You let Bouknight play through some mistakes because of his upside. Vital is what he is through no fault of his own. He was never brought in here to be a starter and now that we have some more talented players he should be coming off the bench. Gilbert is also killing us but he obviously needs to start.

Vital killed us last night just like he killed us in the other two losses, it is what it is.

I don't hate the idea of bringing CV off the bench and pairing Bouk with Al more often. I just think last night, Bouk had an awful game and benching CV for him wasn't the answer (replacing one awful performance for another). Then again, I'm not really sure what the answer was last night. (Mostly) Everybody played terribly.

 

[UCfor3]

Vital hasn't been the answer for 4 years. You let Bouknight play through some mistakes because of his upside. Vital is what he is through no fault of his own. He was never brought in here to be a starter and now that we have some more talented players he should be coming off the bench. Gilbert is also killing us but he obviously needs to start.

Vital killed us last night just like he killed us in the other two losses, it is what it is.

This. Start thinking beyond last night. People are obsessed about Bouknights lackluster showing last night as evidence he shouldn't play more, but he has also showed a talent and upside that is huge at other times. We have 4 years of evidence what the alternative is. If you want a tall glass of that twice a week go for it. Btw, I am not advocating that Vital is benched or doesn't start. He can however have his minutes slightly reduced and be sat when he gets out of control.

 

[LIuconn]

So did CV cut off Al getting the ball for the last possession?

 

[Shine33]

He can however have his minutes slightly reduced and be sat when he gets out of control.

Exactly. That’s all most of us really want to see. He can still start and he will still get plenty of minutes. But he needs to have less of a green light and be held accountable for his mistakes more often.

I think Vital is an emotional guy and Hurley doesn’t want to cause any more issues between them, especially since he’s leaving soon anyway.

But Vital may leave Hurley no choice but to sit him more.

 

[Shine33]

So did CV cut off Al getting the ball for the last possession?

Yeah I want to know if this is true. Would love to see the last possession again. If it is true I’m even more disappointed in Vital than I was before, and that’s saying a lot.

 

[superjohn]

Yeah I want to know if this is true. Would love to see the last possession again. If it is true I’m even more disappointed in Vital than I was before, and that’s saying a lot.

22:00 minute mark
Watch "UConn vs Indiana Basketball Game Highlights 12 10 2019" on YouTube

 

[ctchamps]

It’s gotten beyond criticism IMO.

It's not accurate, in many cases not realistic and it's derisive. It's every bit as out of control as the players being criticized. Classic case of I despise what I am.