We Look Different.... Significantly Different

[7774]

Disagree strongly, we played terribly against Providence. The main difference was Providence played a weak press from the opening tip and UConn walked it up the court often not starting the offense until there was near 10 seconds left on the shot clock. Against Xavier UConn played fast and got good looks right away. Making shots helps and they tend to go down when you play fast and free.

I agree we played terrible against Providence. We didn’t really play that well yesterday either, people just say we did because the 3s went in and we won. Cole made some huge, huge 3s late to keep that margin comfortable.

The “walk it up the court and not start the offense until there were 10 seconds left” got us 62 shots against Providence. We took 63 shots against Xavier with the “fast” offense. Per Kenpom our pace was quicker, but nothing crazy. It wasn’t our quickest pace of the year or anything.

We won because we got 20 more points from 3s on the same basic quality of shots. People are acting like we didn’t get good shots against Providence but Polley was WIDE OPEN 5-6 times and just missed.

 

[HuskyHawk]

The other point is that we are such a good offensive rebounding team that we can afford some misses early in the shot clock because we can frequently get another shot or two out of the possession.

Yes, if we aren’t playing 5 out. I hate seeing outside shots go up while the bigs are out screening and handing off.

 

[superjohn]

I agree we played terrible against Providence. We didn’t really play that well yesterday either, people just say we did because the 3s went in and we won. Cole made some huge, huge 3s late to keep that margin comfortable.

The “walk it up the court and not start the offense until there were 10 seconds left” got us 62 shots against Providence. We took 63 shots against Xavier with the “fast” offense. Per Kenpom our pace was quicker, but nothing crazy. It wasn’t our quickest pace of the year or anything.

We won because we got 20 more points from 3s on the same basic quality of shots. People are acting like we didn’t get good shots against Providence but Polley was WIDE OPEN 5-6 times and just missed.

I thought we played well yesterday, maybe the best we've played for the 31 middle minutes all season long, we outscored them by 24 points in those minutes. UConn played fast and got good looks early in the shot clock. Polley missed a lot of open looks against Providence but we played a slow stagnant game, we got shots late in the clock and even had shot clock turnovers. UConn had 9 assists and 11 turnovers in Providence game. UConn had 21 assists and 11 turnovers against Xavier. Against Providence we lost the rebounding battle by 4. Against Xavier we won the rebounding battle by 5.

 

[7774]

I thought we played well yesterday, maybe the best we've played for the 31 middle minutes all season long, we outscored them by 24 points in those minutes. UConn played fast and got good looks early in the shot clock. Polley missed a lot of open looks against Providence but we played a slow stagnant game, we got shots late in the clock and even had shot clock turnovers. UConn had 9 assists and 11 turnovers in Providence game. UConn had 21 assists and 11 turnovers against Xavier. Against Providence we lost the rebounding battle by 4. Against Xavier we won the rebounding battle by 5.

Yeah I agree we played better, and don’t get me wrong, I‘m way happier with where this team is at than most people on this board. But we didn’t play so much better that we could have shot 3s at the level we did against Providence, Seton Hall, St Johns, or Creighton and still won. If we shot like those games this would have been a loss and the board would be destroying Hurley for letting Jackson shoot so much from the perimeter. It would be killing Gaffney, who played fairly awful yesterday. There would be tons of posts about free throws since Whaley missed the front end of a 1:1; then Gaffney missed the front end of a 1:1, then Martin went 0-2, then Cole went 1-2.

But none of that is really happening, because we made 3s.

 

[MuchoDogYears]

I agree we played terrible against Providence. We didn’t really play that well yesterday either, people just say we did because the 3s went in and we won. Cole made some huge, huge 3s late to keep that margin comfortable.

The “walk it up the court and not start the offense until there were 10 seconds left” got us 62 shots against Providence. We took 63 shots against Xavier with the “fast” offense. Per Kenpom our pace was quicker, but nothing crazy. It wasn’t our quickest pace of the year or anything.

We won because we got 20 more points from 3s on the same basic quality of shots. People are acting like we didn’t get good shots against Providence but Polley was WIDE OPEN 5-6 times and just missed.

I have to agree with this analysis. Everything appears better when we make shots. I did feel like we ran a little better and hit the boards better, and we brought better toughness. , But at the end of the day it was that 3 pt shots were falling that made the difference.

let’s face it, we still ran that weave outside the 3 pt line. But the guys hit 3 pt shots as the clock wound down. If we don’t hit shots against PC it’ll be a struggle.

That said, I think PC shot better than they typically do in that game. I’m looking for us to pull out a W.

 

[RayRay]

I think Dan also had an epiphany that this “grind the clock and hold teams to under 70” strategy just doesn’t work in the big east when we aren’t a consistent defensive powerhouse. We can score better than he gave us credit for. This Xavier result is the best thing that could have happened for us for Dan to realize the correct strategy going forward.
Like he has said, this season it seems like it’s taking longer to learn the teams strengths and weaknesses because normally we are just getting into Big East play by the 14th game, never mind being able to practice 5-6x a week consistently.
We are getting there, yesterday was HUGE.

 

[ClifSpliffy]

us, made 3's, etc.
'Defensively, Steele said the plan was to try and play the odds on guys like Akok Akok, Andre Jackson and Isaiah Whaley, "those guys who probably don't shoot it as well, they're good players, but they don't shoot it as well and they made us pay on some 3's tonight."
Xavier loses at home to UConn, falls to 11-3 on the season (cincinnati.com)
sooooooooo, and obvious to at least one other by poster by my count (i forget who, but big props to you), x gameplanned to go soft on 3d, according to x's coach.
bad plan, coach x. you listened to the wrong oddsmakers. fail.
me? if whaley, akok, or ajax get an open look at a 3, a calm and unforced look, let it fly. as far as ajax, well, he's just starting out with no track record of, umm, anything yet, so him, too.

 

[mauconnfan]

Nice win but who else was scared crapless about how "different" we looked at the end of the game. I mean from relaxed in the recliner to edge of the seat unnecessary theatrics. My wife who had left the room up 12 said "I thought this one was over, hat's going on in there?" LOL. And while we did put it away there were some lucky passes that could have been picked. Gaff looked like he was crapping his pants, they were throwing it to Cole in corners where the pressure and traps are the toughest to get out, it was a total cluster which other teams will remember. We will see more of that earlier in some games, hope we gain some confidence in breaking it with more ease. Of course we are less susceptible to it if Bouk is back.

 

[superjohn]

Nice win but who else was scared crapless about how "different" we looked at the end of the game. I mean from relaxed in the recliner to edge of the seat unnecessary theatrics. My wife who had left the room up 12 said "I thought this one was over, hat's going on in there?" LOL. And while we did put it away there were some lucky passes that could have been picked. Gaff looked like he was crapping his pants, they were throwing it to Cole in corners where the pressure and traps are the toughest to get out, it was a total cluster which other teams will remember. We will see more of that earlier in some games, hope we gain some confidence in breaking it with more ease. Of course we are less susceptible to it if Bouk is back.

I don't understand why we have so much trouble getting it into the best ft shooters at the end of the game. From now on when we are up at the end of games give the inbounds duties to Jackson and look to get it into Bouknight, Gaffney, and Polley.

 

[HooperScooper]

Of course we are less susceptible to it if Bouk is back.

I said that in a thread after the game yesterday. Another ball handler and a guy who can hit free throws. Even though Polley is a good free throw shooter, his handle isn't great so I'd prefer to keep it out of his hands when breaking pressure.

 

[Watchdog]

It’s amazing how much the rhetoric can change since Wednesday.

But, as Chief would say, wait until tomorrow..........

 

[Chin Diesel]

Yeah I agree we played better, and don’t get me wrong, I‘m way happier with where this team is at than most people on this board. But we didn’t play so much better that we could have shot 3s at the level we did against Providence, Seton Hall, St Johns, or Creighton and still won. If we shot like those games this would have been a loss and the board would be destroying Hurley for letting Jackson shoot so much from the perimeter. It would be killing Gaffney, who played fairly awful yesterday. There would be tons of posts about free throws since Whaley missed the front end of a 1:1; then Gaffney missed the front end of a 1:1, then Martin went 0-2, then Cole went 1-2.

But none of that is really happening, because we made 3s.

Spot on. Kinda.

Several posters, myself included, brought up Gaff's turd of a game. Good thing was, Gaff was the only player who played worse than a B/C+. Sanogo was only other player who "struggled" with some catches but he was still a presence overall.
I want Jackson to shoot 3's. His 3 reminds me of a Rochester, NY kid who went to Syracuse, Tony Scott. I was living up in Rochester at the time and got to watch some HS and pick up games with him. Tony would shoot the same percentage in warm ups, wide open in a game and contested shots in a game. He could bury a few in a row and then have one hit the side of the backboard like Jackson did on Saturday. All I know is I want Jackson taking those shots and getting comfortable taking those shots. Same with Whaley. Whaley had a game earlier this year where one of his 3's wedged between the rim and backboard. I've never seen a shot do that from the angle Whaley shot. He also had one hit the back of the rim and just die in to the basket. No bounce, no nothing. It was like a sack of potatoes. Anyway, I want him shooting too.
Front end 1-1 misses was another area I too noticed (I'm sure all of us noticed since we went from feet up on the leg rest of the sofa to sweating out the last 30 seconds). And true to form, Gaff who had been lights out all year with his FT's blows it and Cole who has been a roller coaster, sinks all or almost all his.

In the end, yes, making 3's always makes a game easier than missing 3's. I'm still not convinced the early afternoon game in Providence with all the light coming in from the windows doesn't make for a funky shooting envivonment if you are not used to it.