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Playing for who?
We are who we are and the sky isn't falling
- Thread starter 05Alum
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No way is Nowell going to be better next year than a healthy Hassan was this year. Kahlid was his height and had a big impact his freshman year. But he was a real confident player. If Nowell was 6'3" maybe he could be the starter. I have felt all season he needed more minutes in case Hassan turned an ankle but the way things are going having a bigger point guard is essential. 6'4" plus to battle St Johns length.
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Go away
He did that well v St. John’s. A little bit Taliek Brown in him which I think we need at this point In time.
We cannot keep playing at 30 MPH when top opponents are at 60 MPH.
I think Nowell gave us some juice - we need more of that…
Dove
Who wouldn't want to be me?
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It was okay, I guess.
Huskyforlife
Akokbouk
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I’d ask Nowell to come back and develop behind a senior point guard transfer next season. There’s no reason he couldn’t play in lineups with this transfer senior that should have Newton/Cam size as well, if he’s too good to keep on the bench. I’m also in the camp that it would be insanely risky to rely on Sophomore Nowell to breakout, but we’ve seen second year Hurley guards do this multiple times, so maybe Dan will go for it.
I still think we have an outstanding foundation to build off of in Solo/Alex/Reed and hopefully a stud in Mullins. It’s obvious what kind of players to surround those guys with, it’s just securing them in a competitive portal environment not coming off back to back titles anymore, but I believe in our NIL and staff to get their targets. If most of Nowell/Ross/Stewart/Abraham/Singare come back, we won’t need that many transfers.
I still think we have an outstanding foundation to build off of in Solo/Alex/Reed and hopefully a stud in Mullins. It’s obvious what kind of players to surround those guys with, it’s just securing them in a competitive portal environment not coming off back to back titles anymore, but I believe in our NIL and staff to get their targets. If most of Nowell/Ross/Stewart/Abraham/Singare come back, we won’t need that many transfers.
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Honestly , I really think we could have used Nowell. Danny again had Chance to play him more in November /December but stuck hard with mahaney hoping he woke up. We really don’t know what he can do because he’s probably played 15 total mins since new years(if that) Don’t get why he doesn’t let him get more minutes knowing we’re gonna need him in March. Mahaneys gotten numerous upon numerous opportunities to show what he can do. Nowells gotten none. Can’t be worse than what we have now for a backup. What’s worst that can happen? It’s house money. I don’t get it
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This would be a gross mis-evaluation of a NC caliber roster. Mullins & returners plus a new PG have zero chance at doing anything significant. If we're ok being Purdue (who's predictably folding like a cheap tent) and that's the bar, then fine. If we want to field a NC caliber roster, that ain't it.
While the Dauster's of the world are already talking Portal, it's premature. Apparently there are players in it already, and they expect 1500 or so to enter. I have my thoughts on what I think we'll need, but will wait till we're there. It's more than a PG is all I'll say.
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So my kids are out. My wife is out. I have a bit of the Husky blues, so I begin to watch the 2023 final four. Immediately, I was surprised to remember that we went NINE deep in both games. I was pleasantly surprised to see how strong Joey C. played D in both games. That was not his forte. I was surprised to see how well the Judas from St. John’s played as well. Then, I watch the 2024 final four. That year’s team was not as deep, but our players were much more mature and overall, more complete players. Alex and Clingan were sophomores, TN was on his second year on the program. Castle was coming into his own and Cam was showing us that he was a different human. That team may be pound for pound the best college team ever. But in comparing the 2023 team with this year’s team, I have some takeaways:
1. Enjoy the last two years. They were awesome
2. This year’s team had to regress. That’s how awesome the last two years were, particularly last year.
3. Finding Joey C. and Cam changed the complexity of both teams. That, in a nutshell, was the biggest difference this year. HOWEVER
4. This coaching staff saw something in Aidan. The same coaching staff that saw something in Joey C and Cam. I am not DOWN on the year. Not yet. I think that Aidan may find a release once we are playing again against non big east opponents. He is the missing piece. This team has enough of everything else to make a run. We need Aidan to play the Joe C and Cam roles. Is it a pipe dream? Maybe. Is it far fetched to believe that Stewart will show up for a weekend or two? Maybe. But I have been dreaming for two straight years, so don’t wake me up yet.
1. Enjoy the last two years. They were awesome
2. This year’s team had to regress. That’s how awesome the last two years were, particularly last year.
3. Finding Joey C. and Cam changed the complexity of both teams. That, in a nutshell, was the biggest difference this year. HOWEVER
4. This coaching staff saw something in Aidan. The same coaching staff that saw something in Joey C and Cam. I am not DOWN on the year. Not yet. I think that Aidan may find a release once we are playing again against non big east opponents. He is the missing piece. This team has enough of everything else to make a run. We need Aidan to play the Joe C and Cam roles. Is it a pipe dream? Maybe. Is it far fetched to believe that Stewart will show up for a weekend or two? Maybe. But I have been dreaming for two straight years, so don’t wake me up yet.
Marat
The Champ Is Here.
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And as Gus likes to say loudly on TV -Its been a frustrating, daunting, and challenging season. But last I heard . . . . . . . .
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"Back to Back CHAMPS !"
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I think many, many times can play the multiple “if” game. We needed an awful lot of things to go really right with the way the team was constructed.
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Enter reality. Have ya watched a game?
The fact is Hurley will learn from this and be better..
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Team just doesn't have an identity outside of having some hot shooting nights. It's a real slow footed team as a whole, multiple players in our rotation are glacial, starting with AK. Solo, Stew, Liam aren't fleet of foot. Combine slow feet with a general lack of physicality, and all you're really left with is shooting.
I will forever be miffed on how that part wasn't recognized when the staff decided on Mahaney, and how he could help. Did they think the team was going to just action teams into submission?
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This is going to look like a different team when the Big East season is over. I don’t care what the computer rankings and metrics say say - the Big East is a pressure cooker and a brutal grind. And we still have the same coaching staff that engineered two dominant championship runs. I’m not throwing in the towel and making plans for next season’s lineups yet.
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The journey is the reward. Part of the reason the back to back titles felt so damn good was the struggle to achieve that success in the years prior and the lessons that had to be learned. This season humbles us for things that we both could and couldnt control. I believe in our coaches to continue to learn and adapt in this NIL era. I think we need to be realistic about expectations in March but you never know, just look at nc state last year. I’ll be in Providence rooting for the team on Sat!
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August_West
Conscience do cost
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The Portal will never be anything more than a Fill in the blanks option unless Hurley totally overhauls the offensive system he and the assistants have installed and fallen in love with. It is plain to see he enjoyed basking in the glow of being seen as a revolutionary offensive mastermind in the offseason. It requires too much time with too big of a learning curve. Recruiting and retention is his aim with this system. Getting hig level Frosh here who will develop and stay.
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Newton, Castle, Spencer all first year guys in the system and you'd argue they were the essence of when we peaked in terms of executing that offense. I disagree with this wholeheartedly. I do think it may take a 5 a little longer to figure it out, as it's a complete change of how you typically use them. The rest of the 4, which are all designed to create space and play out, not so much.
I think finding a smarter mature kid who fits the profile and who've played the college game can adapt to system faster than some freshmen who was likely playing iso ball for 4 years.
I'm am moving more and more off the 3-4 year developmental concept as the days go by. Go grab 1-2 HS players a year that fit that profile that you can stick on the end of the bench and won't hear them squawking for not playing, reserve the rest for portal and freshman who can contribute in their first 1-2 years. The kiss of death is the kid who is highly ranked enough to think he should be playing years 1/2 and is just noise the entire time.
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It's been a very frustrating year, almost as bad as the Ollie years. We all had dreams of the 3-Peat based on what Dan Hurley and the players were telling us on how good they were. Tough to watch the team and coach underperform like this!
gtcam
Diehard since '65
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Maybe, just maybe, Danny may decide to pull his starters and play the rest of the players in the future when the team is facing all those damn cupcakes they schedule in the pre NBE season. Id rather see kids get some on court game experience than blowing teams out by 40+ points.
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nelsonmuntz
Point Center
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Why would he overhaul an offensive system that won 2 championships and doesn’t require multiple lottery picks to be effective?
Radical, interesting, but we’ll never see it.
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Most Ollie teams (after 2014) would be lucky to be over .500 right now.
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Marat
The Champ Is Here.
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We really need to adjust expectations after being so successful. Everyone drank the kool-aid, and now have a bad taste in our mouths. The team is far from being bad like those years. We are not getting smoked by meh teams, and have beaten some good ones as well. Just need to have patience and we will once again rise to the top sooner than later.
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