We got punched in the face

[Inyatkin]

Adding my bat into this dead horse conversation

St Johns' entire playstyle is to be hyper aggressive, hyper physical, and to beat you up/wear you down all game. That type of style is especially impactful against UConn, which relies on fluid movement to create openings. Same reason why teams like Seton Hall also give us trouble. That's no surprise, we all know that. This is a conference that rewards that style of play, as it always has been. That won't change. Have to just deal with it and win anyway

These games will always look like Friday did. Last season we didn't have the individual talent to keep it close, this time we did. And in CT, because of that talent, I will feel more confident than I did in last year's games

But just dropping this here - St Johns got called for 20 fouls against Arkansas in the tournament, leading to 27 FTA. There were only 3 times they got called for more fouls that season, and only 2 times an opponent shot more FTs than that. Even this season, 4 of their top 5 games in terms of fouls have been OOC. They are 1-4 in those 5 games

They are definitely a more well rounded team this time (AKA they can shoot much better), but they are playing with fire

Not entirely unsurprising, as predicted on November 26 here (shameless plug since I always get early season predictions wrong, so I need a victory lap when I get one right)

Post in thread 'Big East OOC thread '25/'26'

Nov 26, 2025

So St John’s is just gonna commit 20 fouls a game and lose every OOC then come into the Big East, their fouls will be cut 25%, then they beat everyone

Great can’t wait

• REB1094

• 

What’s crazy is this has been a Big East issue for years, when there were completely different groups of teams. Physical play will go a long way in conference and cause problems for you anywhere else

 

[dog bone]

What’s crazy is this has been a Big East issue for years, when there were completely different groups of teams. Physical play will go a long way in conference and cause problems for you anywhere else

Probably goes all the way back to when Big East experimented with the 6 personal foul rule. That was 1980's

 

[freescooter]

Careful you are going to anger 99% of this board who can’t handle the truth. ABOUT THIS ONE GAME

And you must want us to go back to the American!!

 

[freescooter]

Probably goes all the way back to when Big East experimented with the 6 personal foul rule. That was 1980's

I’ve said for years that this comes from the top. They want to cultivate this image of the Big Bad Big East. Urban thugs. Despite the fact their best teams are from Storrs Ct and one of the wealthiest suburbs in the country.

 

[uconn_jack]

Turnovers and free throws cost us that game. SJU played their A game. Beyond the TOs and FTs, we played our B game. Half the TOs and twice the made FTs and we win.

 

[freescooter]

Im glad im not the only one who thought we looked, maybe scared is the wrong word, but almost like the moment was too big. Or punched in the face and never recovered.

 

[uconngb]

Adding my bat into this dead horse conversation

St Johns' entire playstyle is to be hyper aggressive, hyper physical, and to beat you up/wear you down all game. That type of style is especially impactful against UConn, which relies on fluid movement to create openings. Same reason why teams like Seton Hall also give us trouble. That's no surprise, we all know that. This is a conference that rewards that style of play, as it always has been. That won't change. Have to just deal with it and win anyway

These games will always look like Friday did. Last season we didn't have the individual talent to keep it close, this time we did. And in CT, because of that talent, I will feel more confident than I did in last year's games

But just dropping this here - St Johns got called for 20 fouls against Arkansas in the tournament, leading to 27 FTA. There were only 3 times they got called for more fouls that season, and only 2 times an opponent shot more FTs than that. Even this season, 4 of their top 5 games in terms of fouls have been OOC. They are 1-4 in those 5 games

They are definitely a more well rounded team this time (AKA they can shoot much better), but they are playing with fire

Not entirely unsurprising, as predicted on November 26 here (shameless plug since I always get early season predictions wrong, so I need a victory lap when I get one right)

Post in thread 'Big East OOC thread '25/'26'

Nov 26, 2025

So St John’s is just gonna commit 20 fouls a game and lose every OOC then come into the Big East, their fouls will be cut 25%, then they beat everyone

Great can’t wait

• REB1094

• 

This is a great post

 

[uconngb]

And you must want us to go back to the American!!

What?

 

[Drfla]

If Read can't give a total effort this team will go nowhere.
There are times when I feel the team runs it's offense better with Reibe in there, plus I feel more comfortable with Eric on the free throw line.
Ball is inconsistent at best and he needs to drive to the hoop or pull up at make those middies.
UConn did not look like a team that was ready to come out in their biggest game season to date and make a statement- this one is on the whole team - including Dan Hurley
Men vs boys was the scene at MSG last night
Yes, the poor officiating played a part but stupid mistakes and the deer in the headlight appearance had zero to do with the officials. The fact is that Pitino knows how to work the refs and Dan Hurley knows how to piss them off.
UConn can beat this SJ team but the entire UConn MBB program has to look at themselves in the mirror and discover if they have the stuff to play with fire and tenacity.
They can start with finding a way to get BM at least 20 clean looks at the rim every night. A talent like him is a shame to ignore.
Time to get off the mat, dust off and come out like one of the top 5 programs in the nation every game.

Agree with a lot that you said. No way Reibe was going to play better against Ejifor than Reed. Eric would have fouled out of the game in 10 minutes. Wouldn’t say men vs boys but SJ was more physical…it’s the way they play.
Agree that BM needs more shots and his talent isn’t being used. Some of it is on him. He needs to start attacking not just floating on the perimeter for 3s. He took 7 threes and 1 two against SJ. And his two was a beautiful move and shot. He’s being too nice and accommodating to the upperclassmen.

One other thing I noticed. Love AK but when he does drive he never looks to pass. I watch some other power forwards who drive but sometimes kick it out when the defense collapses on them (Lendeborg, Markovic at Illinois to name a couple). AK is capable of doing the same.

 

[Buzzyboy]

We did not lose because of the refs. We turned the ball over too much and shot 40% free throws. SJU took it to us and we wilted.

Silly turnovers, bad fouls and a huge desparity in free throws were the primary reasons ... definitely a combo of those

 

[Buzzyboy]

So I guess we should all just “no comment” after a loss”” or say “good effort boys??”

Lot of thin skins on this board. I don’t think one person that commented on the game last night is suggesting the rest of the season should be canceled.

I don't think the sky is falling (or fell) but there were definitely some things to be critical and concerned about in their performance ... one thing is that there were more than a few really crazy and reckless turnovers that should never happen, whether you're playing a high school jv team or OKC ... another thing is missing foul shots to the degree that they did ... one more is really dumb fouls to get your opponent to the foul line at a rate two to three times more than you do

 

[Buzzyboy]

I get airing out thoughts, frustrations and all, I do it too, but must every loss be an existential crisis?

I didn't read every response but of the ones that I did, I didn't hear anyone do anything but rightfully critic some things that obviously contributed to this loss ... that's what this site is really all about and no one that I saw suggested it was the end of the world or even close

 

[Buzzyboy]

They were more physical but this is a pretty wild overreaction. It was tied at half and it was a 1 point game with 5 to go

it just didn't seem like that any point was UConn in control or dictating what was happening in the game ... it did seem as if St. Johns was