We are Flawed

[Deleted at users request]

Springs would have fouled out in 5 minutes guarding Hopkins. He hasn’t played all year and put him in to guard a beast like Hopkins. Nope.

So be it. Gives us extra fouls to use instead of guys like Karaban and Jackson getting in foul trouble.

 

[Deleted at users request]

This is what I’ll always think of with Cole unfortunately, though I do love him.

He played hard for us which is something to love. He just realistically didn’t win anything here. With the opportunities to do so. Wasn’t a lot of games that mattered where he was the best player on the court.

 

[freshler40]

I mean he made a pretty big change in playing Sanogo and Clingan together, and it wasn't even bad like I expected. The offense has just taken about 10 steps back

Well, it seemed like the two bigs together held their own It was an interesting look at times. If Johnson returns soon, we could play that option, more.

We aren't built for a game that Jackson spends 16 minutes of the first half on the bench. Jackson was baited early, and he bit. Amazing that we were only down 3 points at halftime. The twin towers worked quite well and has to be defined more.

Perhaps we need to clearly give up one scoring aspect to the opponent like this letting them beat us outside but employing a zone from time to time. The crushing second half offensive of PC and all hands on the board rebounding killed us. The swarm did us in. Not only did PC hit outside shots but easily drove the lane and went to the line repeatedly. The refs respected that type of offensive and didn't call charges. All but one late game penetration by PC resulted in them making a layup and also going to the line for more candy. We had zero answers except for the Bristol Tower. Santago needs to stop his dribbling after an offensive rebound and just go hard to the rim. We did a great job in the first half inside but that was flipped in the second half by Coolie's X & O's. Nice job by him adjusting.

Adding to our woes are the poor shooting results in all three major categories. Our picks need to be held a bit longer giving the ball handler a choice of reversing his direction. Donavan does a good job here but other don't hold their pick on enough to free up our three-point shooters.

We have the pieces. Teams had adjusted their offensive schemes. We have to change and will or were toast.

 

[djct1999]

The roster is great. It’s Hurley’s in game coaching that is costing us.

Four games in a row and he hasn’t changed one thing

This is such a tired narrative. We went 14-0 and I suspect Hurley made no in game adjustments during that streak as well? Sure, we are experiencing some growing pains. But Hurley made plenty of adjustments. Its amazing how quickly this board turns at any sign of adversity. Sad, actually. This team was never going 32-0. So we lost 2 consecutive games on the road against two of the most experienced and strongest teams late in second half. Its frustrating but seems logical. To blame Hurley is non sensical but then again, this is the yard and I guess haters are simply going to hate.

 

[djct1999]

Hurley said pregame Hopkins was going to be a tough matchup for Karaban, which everyone knew would be a mismatch and then he stuck to that matchup for most of the game and let him drop 27. I don’t get it.

and with AJ in foul trouble all game and out for the last 16 of first half, who was Hurley supposed to put on him? Rather than blame Hurley, why not ask where the hell was the help side defense?

 

[djct1999]

We need 1) Samson to come back to guard the guys Karaban can’t. And 2) Newton/Joey C to be worth something

Because you know Samson can guard them? Name one thing you have seen Samson do on the court ever.

 

[djct1999]

Danny Hurley is incapable of winning on the road. He hasn’t in 5 years and it doesn’t look like it’s going to happen this year either. Oh well….

Lets see how many good coaches win at Providence and at Xavier this year. Maybe this team has overachieved a bit at the start of the year and they are now experiencing some growing pains in two of the most difficult places to win in Big East. I don't know, maybe its that.

 

[djct1999]

AJ is not too small

AJ was in foul trouble all night and if he guarded Hopkins with thos refs, he would have had 4 by the 16 minute mark in second half. Hurlely literally had to take AJ off Hopkins to protect AJ.

 

[freshler40]

Karaban just needs to learn to fall down. I counted 4 times where he could’ve just dropped and got a charge call on Hopkins

Yes, this is coachable, just watch DUKE!

 

[djct1999]

I don’t think we played that well at Butler either. They just aren’t good

Or vs Nova really. They have been in a a slump for a while now. Legs seem tired. Ball movement has dissolved. Help defense has evaporated. Its been a mess for 2 plus weeks.

 

[djct1999]

I would given Springs a couple minutes with the way Karaban was getting abused

lol. he would get 3 fouls in 30 seconds. come on.

 

[3RingsCT]

What’s everyone mad about? We are still #4 in kenpom! Relax!

More like 12-15 after last night.

If they don’t get their act together against Creighton, it could be worse than that.

 

[CTBasketball]

I fully expect someone on the BY to compile the 2-3 minutes of Clingan/Sanogo together so we can all analyze.

 

[karstenkibbe]

and with AJ in foul trouble all game and out for the last 16 of first half, who was Hurley supposed to put on him? Rather than blame Hurley, why not ask where the hell was the help side defense?

This. Adama caught flat-footed multiple times last night near the basket, as he just stood there and watched Hopkins blow by or blow through Karaban.

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

top recruits let this team down, again I've never been a believer in Hurley. I expect another 1st or 2nd rd exit in tournament

Your other posts are consistent with this overall view. I find that helpful, and the downvotes your comment received showed a similar clarity.

 

[freshler40]

Joey C is in a little shooting slump it happens. Unfortunately a lot of the players are in a shooting slump at the same time.

Our offensive features too much pass first or pass out offensive. Other teams are driving to the rim, picking up a foul and feasting at the line. We don't seem to have the Martin type player that can drive and finish. Who is it????

On the defensive side, we might have to play more zone to prevent the drives or slow them down. Give up the three, now we give up all three options. Shut two of the three scoring options down, especially the high reward drives and easy high percentage foul shots. Our opponents seem much better at the foul line than us recently. Something is wrong here! One of our best foul shooting guards, Newton doesn't drive enough in recent games.















oesn't drive enough against these better teams.

 

[djct1999]

I fully expect someone on the BY to compile the 2-3 minutes of Clingan/Sanogo together so we can all analyze.

Also, I want to see a compilation of all the 50-50 balls Providence beat us to, both teams fouls shots, and all the wide open 3s we missed so we can really further analyze what a bad coach Hurley is.

 

[UConnSwag11]

This is such a tired narrative. We went 14-0 and I suspect Hurley made no in game adjustments during that streak as well? Sure, we are experiencing some growing pains. But Hurley made plenty of adjustments. Its amazing how quickly this board turns at any sign of adversity. Sad, actually. This team was never going 32-0. So we lost 2 consecutive games on the road against two of the most experienced and strongest teams late in second half. Its frustrating but seems logical. To blame Hurley is non sensical but then again, this is the yard and I guess haters are simply going to hate.

It’s not hating. What are you talking about? Four games in a row he’s made no adjustments. This isn’t a young team and this isn’t Hurley’s first year. Thinking that criticizing Hurley means we expected the team to go undefeated is ridiculous. But when a coach refuses to make changes and it’s costing us games, it has to be called out. It doesn’t mean you’re a “hater”. It’s that a fanbase that remembers being a national powerhouse doesn’t settle for this type of nonsense. He’s got his best team since he’s been here and yet we’re talking about the same stuff since year two. It’s not the losses but how we’ve lost. It’s tiresome that people refuse to acknowledge this

 

[1999GoodSon]

We melt like hot butter against the zone. The offense is predictable and easily shut down. Feels almost like someone is leaving the emergency brake on. I love this team, and when we're free wheeling and playing scrappy defense and getting all those offensive boards I see UCONN. But there's an inertia there, like the team is waiting for someone else to make it happen. At 9:35 left we're down 10. It's time to rock n roll. Never happened.

I don't bash anyone, but I just don't see any alphas besides Jackson and Clingan providing leadership and that includes the men in suits.

 

[UConnSwag11]

 

[UConnSwag11]

We melt like hot butter against the zone. The offense is predictable and easily shut down. Feels almost like someone is leaving the emergency brake on. I love this team, and when we're free wheeling and playing scrappy defense and getting all those offensive boards I see UCONN. But there's an inertia there, like the team is waiting for someone else to make it happen. At 9:35 left we're down 10. It's time to rock n roll. Never happened.

I don't bash anyone, but I just don't see any alphas besides Jackson and Clingan providing leadership and that includes the men in suits.

The talent is there, the depth is there, the experience is there. When other teams game plan the same way game after game and we don’t adjust that negates the talent and depth

 

[djct1999]

It’s not hating. What are you talking about? Four games in a row he’s made no adjustments. This isn’t a young team and this isn’t Hurley’s first year. Thinking that criticizing Hurley means we expected the team to go undefeated is ridiculous. But when a coach refuses to make changes and it’s costing us games, it has to be called out. It doesn’t mean you’re a “hater”. It’s that a fanbase that remembers being a national powerhouse doesn’t settle for this type of nonsense. He’s got his best team since he’s been here and yet we’re talking about the same stuff since year two. It’s not the losses but how we’ve lost. It’s tiresome that people refuse to acknowledge this

What adjustments are you looking for? In the last four games, Hurley has made plenty of personal adjustments. Diarra vs Nova wasnt an adjustment? Clingan and Sanogo on the floor last night wasn't an adjustment? Or all you looking for a box and 1 on hopkins? a zone on defense? Hurley will rarely make those adjustments in large part because he doesn't have to. They are gimmicky and are in place to over compensate for deficiencies. To say we lost last night because of Hurley is insane. We lost last night because of poor execution. We lost last night because we lost composure on the court. We lost last night because the refs took us out of our game and rhythm. The foul discrepency alone took one of our strengths into a weakness that cost us the game. None of that is on Hurley.

 

[WhereistheDove?]

Name one call on Jackson that wasn’t a foul. Maybe he should be a little smarter out there??

When did I say they weren’t fouls?

 

[CTBasketball]

What adjustments are you looking for? In the last four games, Hurley has made plenty of personal adjustments. Diarra vs Nova wasnt an adjustment? Clingan and Sanogo on the floor last night wasn't an adjustment? Or all you looking for a box and 1 on hopkins? a zone on defense? Hurley will rarely make those adjustments in large part because he doesn't have to. They are gimmicky and are in place to over compensate for deficiencies. To say we lost last night because of Hurley is insane. We lost last night because of poor execution. We lost last night because we lost composure on the court. We lost last night because the refs took us out of our game and rhythm. The foul discrepency alone took one of our strengths into a weakness that cost us the game. None of that is on Hurley.

We’ve been running the same offensive sets since November 1st.

 

[djct1999]

View attachment 82711

With the how the game was being called, realistically how do you think this would turn out? Either AJax would have to play off Hopkins to not get into more foul trouble (Hopkins is good enough to score on anyone) or AJax would have played up on Hopkins and would have been called for fouls 3 and 4 almost immediately. In theory, of course AJax should have guarded Hopkins. In the context of last nights game, the refs made this impossible.