what I loved most about the SMU game

[willie99]

interior toughness

and I'm convinced more now than ever we'd be a lot better today if Brimah didn't miss so much time, he was great

as for a go to guy, it's different every game and I'm OK with that

 

[tzznandrew]

Our perimeter defense has gotten better. I'm convinced part of the reason is that Brimah was out. The guards needed to lose their safety net.

Now that Amida isn't consistently forced to fix messes, maybe he can play tougher on the ball defense and rebound better. He did yesterday.

 

[warbler1055]

Still, SMU had too many 3s which kept them in the game !!!!

 

[papanimmer]

This game had all the likeness of the Big East brawls we would be in with most of the old Big East games. Lots of pounding and lots of LET THE PLAYERS PLAY. The lack of ticky-tack fouls being called allowed the game to evolve into an enjoyable event, and too boot we won couldn't be any better than that.

 

[mauconnfan]

The final score

 

[jibsey]

Really happy for Amida because of the type of kid and team player he is, but his size and position on the floor always will always leave him at risk for those ticky tacks like we have seen this year game in and out, with lousy refs. He's at their mercy.

 

[OkaForPrez]

I think part of the problem for Amida is that he's a rare true center trying to play in a conference that lacks true centers and officiating that doesn't give him the benefit of the doubt. SMU runs a pro style offense that moves the ball side to side, gets deep post position and enters the paint through entry pass rather than dribble drive. Their bigs are really good at sealing and scoring, but against Amida it plays right into his hands. He can play behind the offense even deep in the paint and still block or disrupt the shot. Against the Temples and Tulsa's of the world, Amida has to range on pick and roll a lot more and get out on the perimeter. He has to recover back to the basket while smaller quicker players drive to the hoop or go body searching into him and that causes his foul trouble. Foul trouble doesn't allow him to get into the game flow. The nice part is we are developing interchangeable parts for different needs. Phil is a great solution to that problem. It's nice to know we can play both ways.

 

[mauconnfan]

I think part of the problem for Amida is that he's a rare true center trying to play in a conference that lacks true centers and officiating that doesn't give him the benefit of the doubt. SMU runs a pro style offense that moves the ball side to side, gets deep post position and enters the paint through entry pass rather than dribble drive. Their bigs are really good at sealing and scoring, but against Amida it plays right into his hands. He can play behind the offense even deep in the paint and still block or disrupt the shot. Against the Temples and Tulsa's of the world, Amida has to range on pick and roll a lot more and get out on the perimeter. He has to recover back to the basket while smaller quicker players drive to the hoop or go body searching into him and that causes his foul trouble. Foul trouble doesn't allow him to get into the game flow. The nice part is we are developing interchangeable parts for different needs. Phil is a great solution to that problem. It's nice to know we can play both ways.

I think partly this but the reality is it's up to the stripes with him. Also he doesn't move his feet a lot and this works against him. They let them play underneath often last night, he could easily had been called for 2. The charge call was awful, he got lucky. The refs were good.

Like jibsey said the refs make or break him and quite honestly Miller too, who gets more tricky tack than anyone.

 

[OkaForPrez]

@mauconnfan he also got whistled twice for clean blocks.

 

[2Husky]

I liked that it was a team effort, lots of guys contributed, and they didn't need a heroic effort from one player to carry everyone, lots of guys played well.

 

[Migs]

I loved the fact that the conference player of the year couldn't check Jalen Adams. That was the difference down the stretch.

 

[HuskiesAllDay]

I think part of the problem for Amida is that he's a rare true center trying to play in a conference that lacks true centers and officiating that doesn't give him the benefit of the doubt. SMU runs a pro style offense that moves the ball side to side, gets deep post position and enters the paint through entry pass rather than dribble drive. Their bigs are really good at sealing and scoring, but against Amida it plays right into his hands. He can play behind the offense even deep in the paint and still block or disrupt the shot. Against the Temples and Tulsa's of the world, Amida has to range on pick and roll a lot more and get out on the perimeter. He has to recover back to the basket while smaller quicker players drive to the hoop or go body searching into him and that causes his foul trouble. Foul trouble doesn't allow him to get into the game flow. The nice part is we are developing interchangeable parts for different needs. Phil is a great solution to that problem. It's nice to know we can play both ways.

brimah is about the farthest thing from a "true center" that has ever existed in college basketball.

Agree with the analysis though.

 

[superjohn]

Mayb still found a way to diminish Brimah a bit, lucky? He got all ball of 2 empathic blocks and was whistled. I would never describe Brimah and the Huskies as lucky when it comes to the refs.

 

[gtcam]

I like the fact that UConn won; plain and simple
However what makes it most satisfying is the fact that RP and SG had very sub par games offesively and DHam had a rather poor 1st half and this team still won - who would have thunk that!!!

 

[BlueandOG]

I loved KO's interview at the end of the game. He is a leader with charisma, confidence, and vision.

 

[HuskyFich]

We've lost a lot of close games since AB has been back with us due to giving up open three point shots.
We've been giving up three point shots because our guards are more aggressive on steals knowing AB is there to defend the hoop.
We've started to figure out how aggressive we need to be, and figured things out last night down the stretch.
We've got a big rematch with Cinci tomorrow and I'm PUMPED

 

[August_West]

Still, SMU had too many 3s which kept them in the game !!!!

SMU is the most efficient 3 point shooting team in the country. They dont take a bunch, but when they do they make them. They performed to expectation in that area last night. I would give our D a pass on that for once, for one game. It was pick your poison with them as they did get some good looks because we were collapsing and helping hard. They did what they do in that situation. Purvis really lost Moore on one. That was the glaring one, as Moore is the one guy you stay on ALL the time. But otherwise that was just SMU being SMU and finding an open man working inside out. They are a very good team. Larry Brown is a fantastic X's, O's guy. They weren't ready for our toughness at the rim (and quite frankly neither was I, what a pleasant surprise!)

 

[storrs15]

Brown mentioned that both Brimah and Miller were huge factors.

Jalen being able to get to the rim seemingly at will at points last night is also a big factor. Sure you dont want to put the ball in a freshmans hands in the last minute or so of a game, but I think he could grow into a guy that can hold the ball at that time. Whats really hurt them is not running any offense until under 8 seconds in the shot clock, then having Gibbs take an ugly three. Having a guy who can get to the rim and finish or create quick offense (see the dish to Dan Hurley and the open 10 footer) is huge.

 

[August_West]

Brown mentioned that both Brimah and Miller were huge factors.
.

In the post game handshakes after eveything I saw Larry Brown go back to Miller and give him an extra thumbs up. Obviously like JC, Brown thinks a ton of Miller as a player. He was the only player Brown singled out on our side afterward.

 

[Peacefrog]

Still, SMU had too many 3s which kept them in the game !!!!

They only got 11 of them off, that's pretty good. The problem is they made 7.

 

[Rico444]

They only got 11 of them off, that's pretty good. The problem is they made 7.

And as good a 3-point shooting team SMU is (3rd in the nation going into last night), they still shot 20% higher than their season average. There aren't going to be many teams that hit 3s at that rate against us the rest of the way.

 

[mauconnfan]

Mayb still found a way to diminish Brimah a bit, lucky? He got all ball of 2 empathic blocks and was whistled. I would never describe Brimah and the Huskies as lucky when it comes to the refs.

John the charge was beyond awful, it wasn't close the guy most definitely made the wrong call no 2 ways about it. I agree we and Ab to a point, all deserve some calls, but that's not lucky at all? In no way trying to diminish just stating a damn fact. He was great and maybe his being much more active and less passive helped him get some calls? Either way happy he did because he was the key in the end.