We got to make adjustments post-Atlantis…

[MexicoHusky]

Prepare to be upset. 7 minutes if that.

I'd be very happy to see 7 minutes.

 

[AntG168]

Prepare to be upset. 7 minutes if that.

Yea I’m very prepared to be upset. I just feel we know who gaff is. Give Diggins some run as the back up pg against a cupcake like UMES

 

[jibsey]

Yea I’m very prepared to be upset. I just feel we know who gaff is. Give Diggins some run as the back up pg against a cupcake like UMES

I agree but we have seen Gaffney much much better which is kind of a tease.

 

[Chin Diesel]

I agree but we have seen Gaffney much much better which is kind of a tease.

As a person who wanted to see Gaff step up and believes a Gaff playing at his 90 percentile or better is really good for the team.............................

You don't want a third year player to be a "tease" when it comes to filling his role.

 

[ucawn]

Yea I’m very prepared to be upset. I just feel we know who gaff is. Give Diggins some run as the back up pg against a cupcake like UMES

Gaff should be playing more at sg than pg

 

[uconngb]

Gaff should be playing more at sg than pg

And in that case our point guard would be……

 

[PAHusky]

Diggins is not the answer as another ballhandler this year. Love the kid, think he's going to be a huge part of the team in the next few years, but he looked ok not great against the cupcakes at the beginning of the year and he would have been eaten alive by the press down in the Bahamas. I have more faith in Gaffney pulling it together again or even Jackson realizing more of his pg potential than in Diggins contributing in meaningful ways in games that matter this year. Again, I think starting next year he's a huge component of this team, but this board is delusional to think that he is going to contribute huge minutes in 2021/22 barring injury.

Hawkins, on the other hands, needs more minutes for sure.

 

[superjohn]

Prepare to be upset. 7 minutes if that.

That's what he got in garbage minutes in our blowouts. If Hurley just gives him those garbage minutes again in these next two after what we saw from Gaff in Atlantis we'll have a reason to be upset. He needs real minutes.

 

[Improviser]

If you are asked to pick one of out five as being the highest priority, then by definition they are mutually exclusive.

As you framed it, you are correct.

Frankly, I like the multiple choice question options of All of the above, or None of the Above. As many multiple choice tests as I have taken in my life, nearly all seem to have this option. Then again, they do so because the test makers have only one correct answer to a question.

Maybe those are not options for the Polling Feature, but I wish they were because all of the choices seem to be equally necessary here.

Maybe, the Monitors could consider adding this as a feature?

 

[Chin Diesel]

Gaff should be playing more at sg than pg

And in that case our point guard would be……

Right. that's the answer and the problem. Cole and Gaff have had several good stretches together on the floor. Problem is Gaff is supposed to be giving Cole a rest when Gaff is in the game. Playing alongside Cole, even if Hurley has Gaff, Jackson or someone else handling the ball, doesn't give Cole the rest he needs.

Maybe try some Diggins and Gaff next two games????

 

[RobDauster]

I posted this is a different thread as well, but I spent 35 minutes on today's show discussing exactly this topic.

 

[the Q]

Better ball movement in general is the correct answer

 

[gtcam]

If Sanogo keeps playing hero ball and Hurley allows it - the season is going down hill real fast

 

[Chin Diesel]

If Sanogo keeps playing hero ball and Hurley allows it - the season is going down hill real fast

Only time Sanogo has done anything resembling hero ball is when the ball gets dumped to him with 5-7 seconds left on shot clock.

He's fine for a second year post player learning how to recognize double teams, where its coming from and what is the right pass to beat it.

 

[jibsey]

Only time Sanogo has done anything resembling hero ball is when the ball gets dumped to him with 5-7 seconds left on shot clock.

He's fine for a second year post player learning how to recognize double teams, where its coming from and what is the right pass to beat it.

He was BE player of the week, he's a few games into year 2, he's not the biggest issue. The team is in a good spot, but Sanogo should kick it to someone who can make a 3. Cole is one and Hawkins the other.

 

[MexicoHusky]

If Sanogo keeps playing hero ball and Hurley allows it - the season is going down hill real fast

Understand what you are saying. Like others, I kinda want to parse the phrase "hero ball", but what's the point. I know what you mean. Everyone knows what you mean. He doesn't pass a ton.

As far as getting Sanogo to change his game, I don't think it's an easy fix. Just find the open shooter. It sounds easy, but I don't think it is. It just seems like that's something NBA bigs do (or did). College bigs, not as much. Not sure if Sanogo will obtain those skills in the near future. I will be happy if he does.

 

[HuskyHawk]

We need to do a lot of things, but I am shocked that the last two things are listed as priorities. Especially Diggins. He won't solve the problems we face against the press. Iverson wouldn't solve those problems.

• Sanogo has started passing out of double teams more often. So I'm not worried. He's been coached, it's about recognizing the double, which tends to be to his blind side.
• This is a huge problem, but one we showed some attempts to solve by passing behind the D in the 2nd half vs VCU. Too much dribbling. Half court, full court, all over the court. The ball moves much faster through the air. This is very much an issue coaches must address.
• Inbounds plays or execution of them? Not sure the issue. It's not critical.
• Diggins isn't an answer to what we need. He can play a bit against weak teams.
• Hawkins is going to play more, but while I love his skill level and he defends with effort he has some issues. His ball handling isn't up to his footspeed. He needs to look to pass more. His team defense/positioning hasn't been great. I loved that he was moving without the ball...then he stopped and like most of our players, just stood around.

Related to point #2, I think off the ball movement along with passing is our most pressing issue. Defending anybody on the team who doesn't have the ball (except Sanogo) is like defending a chair. Have to move more. Have to make defenders chase. If some guy is in your face 6 ft behind the 3 pt line, run him to the baseline, then across, then cut sideways, then back up. Wear people out if they are going to defend you that way (like VCU does). They all need to watch tape of Rip. All that motion needs to come with the ball moving without touching the floor as often as possible.

 

[BuffaloHusky]

If we could add another part to the equation... we need better half court offense at the end of halves. We struggled last year and this year is not much better as Gaffney's heave against MSU attests.

 

[Doctor Hoop]

Avoid playing three tough teams in a 60 hour window

Develop Diggins

You mean like the Big East Tournament?

 

[CTFAN4LIFE]

Here's a bit of insight pertaining to Diggins (and assessment of team ball handling):

Dan Hurley on what UConn needs to do better vs. full court pressure.

Trending News & Rumors for Football, Basketball, Baseball, Hockey, Soccer & More

www.thescore.com

 

[MexicoHusky]

Here's a bit of insight pertaining to Diggins (and assessment of team ball handling):

Dan Hurley on what UConn needs to do better vs. full court pressure.

Trending News & Rumors for Football, Basketball, Baseball, Hockey, Soccer & More

www.thescore.com

Good insight and interesting comments. Doesnt sound like Hurley has a ton of confidence in Diggins. More specifically, his ability to break the press. Based on these comments, I would expect more of the same as far as Diggins minutes are concerned.

What is the deal with the neck wound. DH seems like a slow healer. Or he had a real nasty boil that needed lancing.

 

[HooperScooper]

Here's a bit of insight pertaining to Diggins (and assessment of team ball handling):

Dan Hurley on what UConn needs to do better vs. full court pressure.

Trending News & Rumors for Football, Basketball, Baseball, Hockey, Soccer & More

www.thescore.com

“We probably don’t have the type of overall handlers at guard,” Hurley said. “We are playing bigger, we don’t have a lot of natural, gifted dribblers and ballhandlers and passers.”

Of course, sitting on the bench for all three games was Rahsool Diggins, a freshman four-star recruit out of Philadelphia. Diggins only played sparingly in UConn’s first four games against low-majors, scoring just four points on 25-percent shooting and turning the ball over two times against just one assist.

Clearly, Hurley doesn’t believe Diggins is ready for more run.

“Potentially, down the line,” Hurley said. “He’s got to fight his way into the rotation. I’m not gonna put a guy in the rotation because you think he’s just a press-breaking specialist.”

Free access article:

UConn, back from Bahamas, needs to work on press-breaking, passing out of post over next week

Back from the Bahamas, UConn is looking to fix some things — press-breaking, passing...

www.nhregister.com

 

[nelsonmuntz]

I think UConn's biggest problem is not the press, but the slow response we always have to junk defenses. If I was an inferior opponent like Depaul or Providence, I would throw a defense that I had never played before at UConn because it will tie up the Huskies for 20 minutes. Providence's half-assed 3/4 court press last year is an example.

First thing I would do if I was Hurley is put one of the assistants in charge of offense during the game. This assistant would be responsible for tracking what offense they were in, what defense they faced, and what the result was possession by possession. High school teams do this on an iPad with $20 apps, so hopefully someone is already doing this on the bench. Hurley needs this information in real time.

That assistant should be solely focused on the offense, feeding Hurley what defense the opponent is before Hurley sees it, and providing suggestions based on response UConn worked out weeks in advance. Hurley can take the suggestions or ignore them. If the opponent throws something weird at UConn, the assistant is ready with the response from UConn's existing game plan in the first TV timeout. Either this is not getting done, or not getting done well, but Hurley needs assistants who are more than just cheerleaders during games. He has a lot on his plate being the Head Coach.

 

[CTFAN4LIFE]

I think UConn's biggest problem is not the press, but the slow response we always have to junk defenses. If I was an inferior opponent like Depaul or Providence, I would throw a defense that I had never played before at UConn because it will tie up the Huskies for 20 minutes. Providence's half-assed 3/4 court press last year is an example.

First thing I would do if I was Hurley is put one of the assistants in charge of offense during the game. This assistant would be responsible for tracking what offense they were in, what defense they faced, and what the result was possession by possession. High school teams do this on an iPad with $20 apps, so hopefully someone is already doing this on the bench. Hurley needs this information in real time.

That assistant should be solely focused on the offense, feeding Hurley what defense the opponent is before Hurley sees it, and providing suggestions based on response UConn worked out weeks in advance. Hurley can take the suggestions or ignore them. If the opponent throws something weird at UConn, the assistant is ready with the response from UConn's existing game plan in the first TV timeout. Either this is not getting done, or not getting done well, but Hurley needs assistants who are more than just cheerleaders during games. He has a lot on his plate being the Head Coach.

I am quietly hoping Calhoun, now that he is retired, will be a bit more able to provide some wisdom to the program.

 

[MexicoHusky]

Here's a bit of insight pertaining to Diggins (and assessment of team ball handling):

Dan Hurley on what UConn needs to do better vs. full court pressure.

Trending News & Rumors for Football, Basketball, Baseball, Hockey, Soccer & More

www.thescore.com

We probably don’t have the type of overall handlers at guard - DH

These comments are a bit unsettling. As if the guard situation is something outside DH's control.

The makeup of the team is entirely DH's responsibility. Furthermore, we have 3 pgs on the team. One senior who does a bunch of things well. Breaking ball pressure is not one of them. One junior who still struggles to secure the ball. One freshman who DH is uncomfortable playing. 3 scholarships utilized on PGs. Yet none of them are that "type of overall ball handler".

This is a pretty significant f&**-up. I hope some lessons are being learned by DH and crew.