We are who we are and the sky isn't falling

[RuffRuff]

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.

It was fine to get super pumped for the concept of a 3peat, as it would anoint the program as the only one to do it in the modern era. History was on the line, a rare opportunity. Hurley ran it back with two unique rosters and seemed to have some secret sauce working, of which we were all curious as to how secret it was. Just happens it’s only as great as the players in the sauce.

Once that lofty dream became pipe, no way to get down on this year. The B2B has elevated the program to new heights, got the recruiting wheels in motion and we’ll be a better program going forward. We were due to have a hangover at some point as is the natural ying and yang or how this works. Learning season after a wildly entertaining summer. Excited to see where we go next and into DHs most fascinating portal season to date. That’s the luxury in having a smart, hyper competitive coach - it’s always exciting to see what he does next, especially in a rebound year.

 

[August_West]

Why would he overhaul an offensive system that won 2 championships and doesn’t require multiple lottery picks to be effective?

Well because it turns out that it kinda does require multiple NBA players to be effective.

 

[superjohn]

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.

Yeah, I don't get his premise. Tristen was only here 2 seasons, Cam was here 1 season, Steph 1 season, Alex 2 seasons of playing but came in earlier as a practice player, Donovan 2 seasons and that was the best starting 5 I've ever seen in college hoops.

Sure, you need talented and smart players to run the system but you need smart and talented players to win anything in any system.

We're clearly not close to as talented as we were last season and we have major flaws but the sum is still less than the parts with this team for whatever reasons.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Well because it turns out that it kinda does require multiple NBA players to be effective.

Not necessarily NBA players, but it requires almost everyone other than the 5:

• is A + passer facilitator
• has size to pass over players and to set those off ball screens.
• is a real threat to shoot that needs to be guarded.
• is smart and can pick up the complex reads and cuts

We aren't even trying to run that offense right now. We're running the offense from the 21-22 team with Diarra as Cole, Liam as Martin, Alex as Alex, Ball as Hawkins, Reed as freshman Sanogo, SJ as SJ (improved). This team reminds me a lot of that team.

 

[uconnric]

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?

Solo Ball is not "glacial", in fact he looks pretty fast. Liam has decent speed as well. Ball is also very athletic. AK is not going the win any sprints, but has enough speed and smarts to make up for it. Mahaney has not worked out, he looked better against us in Albany in the "23 NCAA Tournament than he does now. That has been a big problem this year. We got lucky with Cam, not so much with Aidan.

Hurley and the staff are certainly aware what's needed to succeed at this level. The game has become more physical and every coach is looking for the right mix. Pitino had a boatload of NIL money and was able to being in some impressive transfers, and he doesn't even want to recruit freshman this year because they aren't physically mature enough.

 

[Inyatkin]

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!

Is this something that people think? Do people remember the later Ollie years? We couldn't even swing a winning record, let alone a likely tournament bid.

 

[August_West]

Is this something that people think? Do people remember the later Ollie years? We couldn't even swing a winning record, let alone a likely tournament bid.

Sure. And thats fine, and that's all great. We are in an incredible spot and have had a wonderful 2 year ride thanks to Coach Hurley and staff and players. That buys a ton of goodwill with me. Down years are fine, and happen, but I think the guy you are replying to makes a decent point too. This wasn't a season where we were looking to rebuild after our title runs, at least not according to Hurley. Hurley was crying about disrespect to everyone who would listen before the season that we were ranked #3 in the country and not #1. Probably wasn't a smart idea because it looks foolish now. Hurley told everyone we were the top team in the country going into the season. He is the one that set the expectations, not the fans. And by his measurements this season has far from lived up to expectations.

 

[dennismenace]

a" You dont need a Point Guard in todays College Basketball" - Dan Hurley

I bet he changes that thinking. If he doesn't he should.

We are going to be looking at an entirely new roster next season. I dont know if that is a good thing or bad. If we get one or two back that will be more than I am expecting. I absolutely love our recruits coming in next year.Already one of my favorite classes ever, but Im a little wary about talent besides Solo not developing and getting no return on any of those players before they move on.

If we don't add a good portion of "beef" in the portal (ala Reed) we will continue to be manhandled by the brawling Big East. Long is fine but no more long and skinny.

 

[dennismenace]

The sky isn't falling, but I unfortunately don't think there's any real hope for a run this season. We just don't have any ball handling guards, other than a hobbled Diarra. Nearly impossible to beat any top team without that. When we went on unexpected runs in 2011 and 2014, we had excellent ball-handling guards (Kemba/Lamb, Napier/Boatright).

I didn't expect a three-peat before the season, but I was hopeful that we'd be a top 15, or at least a top 25, team all season. A season like this, where we're not really in the national conversation anymore, hurts us. With our coaching staff, I was expecting to be nationally relevant, even in a down year. Clearly, I was expecting too much.

Excellent indeed.

 

[Inyatkin]

Sure. And thats fine, and that's all great. We are in an incredible spot and have had a wonderful 2 year ride thanks to Coach Hurley and staff and players. That buys a ton of goodwill with me. Down years are fine, and happen, but I think the guy you are replying to makes a decent point too. This wasn't a season where we were looking to rebuild after our title runs, at least not according to Hurley. Hurley was crying about disrespect to everyone who would listen before the season that we were ranked #3 in the country and not #1. Probably wasn't a smart idea because it looks foolish now. Hurley told everyone we were the top team in the country going into the season. He is the one that set the expectations, not the fans. And by his measurements this season has far from lived up to expectations.

Not being No. 1 but still likely making the tournament (and the season is far from over) is not in the same galaxy as 2017-18.

Comparing the two is dumb. And entitled beyond belief.

 

[caw]

It's like all the bad luck that could happen this year, did happen. Two questionnable calls in Maui destroyed that trip completely. Then health issues (McNeeley, Diarra, and Nowell) curbed the growth of all three of UConn's best playmakers. Karaban has his issue which is very strange (though not unheard of, see Anderson, Nick).

UConn needed to have a perfectly healthy and lucky season to be anywhere close to 2023. UConn basically has gotten the worst of that instead. As the end of the season comes up, I do think there is still some potential though, if healthy and if Karaban can get out of his funk. I am 50/50 on if either of those two things are possible.

 

[boog204]

Not being No. 1 but still likely making the tournament (and the season is far from over) is not in the same galaxy as 2017-18.

Comparing the two is dumb. And entitled beyond belief.

It's not comparable in terms of performance. But the level of disappointment, I'd wager, is more this year than in the latter Ollie years. We sucked. We knew we sucked. The league we were in sucked. The team knew we sucked. Our coach might've known we sucked but then again he was busy doing other things. As a fan, I was becoming completely apathetic with those last KO years. I expected us to be .500.

I didn't think we would three-peat, but I did think we'd be a top 10-15 team who wouldn't be worrying about being on the bubble or getting a crappy seed. I didn't expect us to be a sieve defensively, be incapable of inbounding a basketball, or have multiple guys consistently getting picked 30+ feet from the hoop because we can't dribble. I didn't expect our coaching staff, for better or worse, to be commenting in season about how the team was not coachable and that major systemic changes are necessary

We've had issues in coaching, execution, and bickering on the court. I don't think it's entitled to be disappointed/frustrated with this year. But I'd think everyone involved - coaches, players, fans - is pretty surprised we are 19-9 and have had the lapses like we've had.

 

[Inyatkin]

It's not comparable in terms of performance. But the level of disappointment, I'd wager, is more this year than in the latter Ollie years. We sucked. We knew we sucked. The league we were in sucked. The team knew we sucked. Our coach might've known we sucked but then again he was busy doing other things. As a fan, I was becoming completely apathetic with those last KO years. I expected us to be .500.

I didn't think we would three-peat, but I did think we'd be a top 10-15 team who wouldn't be worrying about being on the bubble or getting a crappy seed. I didn't expect us to be a sieve defensively, be incapable of inbounding a basketball, or have multiple guys consistently getting picked 30+ feet from the hoop because we can't dribble. I didn't expect our coaching staff, for better or worse, to be commenting in season about how the team was not coachable and that major systemic changes are necessary

We've had issues in coaching, execution, and bickering on the court. I don't think it's entitled to be disappointed/frustrated with this year. But I'd think everyone involved - coaches, players, fans - is pretty surprised we are 19-9 and have had the lapses like we've had.

I can't tell you how to react to things. My view is despite all that you mentioned we're a few bounces here and there away from being exactly what you described -- a top 15 team. It's not hard at all to see a 22-6 team here.

But we're not. So what? We're still a good team that can get hot and compete with anyone.

Why people choose to be miserable about sports when there's so much else in the world to be miserable about is just beyond me.

 

[homunculus]

It's not comparable in terms of performance. But the level of disappointment, I'd wager, is more this year than in the latter Ollie years. We sucked. We knew we sucked. The league we were in sucked. The team knew we sucked. Our coach might've known we sucked but then again he was busy doing other things. As a fan, I was becoming completely apathetic with those last KO years. I expected us to be .500.

I didn't think we would three-peat, but I did think we'd be a top 10-15 team who wouldn't be worrying about being on the bubble or getting a crappy seed. I didn't expect us to be a sieve defensively, be incapable of inbounding a basketball, or have multiple guys consistently getting picked 30+ feet from the hoop because we can't dribble. I didn't expect our coaching staff, for better or worse, to be commenting in season about how the team was not coachable and that major systemic changes are necessary

We've had issues in coaching, execution, and bickering on the court. I don't think it's entitled to be disappointed/frustrated with this year. But I'd think everyone involved - coaches, players, fans - is pretty surprised we are 19-9 and have had the lapses like we've had.

Even with all of the valid points you make about our weaknesses - change the results of a couple free throws, one or two bad calls, one or two missed shots, and one sprained ankle, we would in fact be a top 10-15 team, maybe even conceivably 5-10, with the exact same makeup. Maybe a paper tiger, sure, but does that really matter in the long run, when people look back at this season in a couple years? And I know the whole refrain about “if my aunt had b@lls…”

 

[boog204]

I can't tell you how to react to things. My view is despite all that you mentioned we're a few bounces here and there away from being exactly what you described -- a top 15 team. It's not hard at all to see a 22-6 team here.

But we're not. So what? We're still a good team that can get hot and compete with anyone.

Why people choose to be miserable about sports when there's so much else in the world to be miserable about is just beyond me.

I'm not miserable. Just disappointed at the product/season. I don't think it's entitled to feel that way or have criticisms. It doesn't negate the championships or question your fandom.

I get the "few" bounces theory, but I feel like we could say the same for a couple of games we've won, and I believe our record is indicative of how we've played. 22-6 and ranked in the top 15 would be a mirage to me.

Regardless, I'm with you that I legitimately think we could beat any team in the country. Think we could pretty much lose to anyone, too. I'm in for the ride.

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

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!

Hilarious.