Where we are, and what we need, your thoughts . . .

[bmayuc]

Everyone has hit the main points:

Pros - 'Bazz, Giffey, Defense
Negs - Rebounding, Post play, stagnation

I think this team is a bit of "you are what you are" at this point. We will play great in an open-court game, are streaky in a half-court game because of our reliance on the 3-ball, and struggle to put any points up in the paint. DeAndre has not taken that "step" we were all looking for, and it has left a humongous gap in our inside offensive game. We can count on Bazz(great) we can count on Boat(good and bad) and we can count on Giffey to be a great glue guy, we can count on the post play(bad).

With regards to the tournament, This team should be a sweet-16 team. I could see us getting past a 12/13/14 and a 4/5/6 riding our guard play. After that its alllll matchups and how hot our shooters are. I don't see us beating a top 8 team unless 'Bazz goes Caron Butler vs. Maryland on somebody, so unless we get an insanely good draw this team tops out at the elite 8 IMO if everything falls right.

 

[Danzz]

The top 3 things we need to do (besides rebound the basketball) to be where we want to be in March are as follows:

1. We used to be a team that converted almost all of our fast break opportunities, we have the horses to run and finish, yet I haven't felt that we've been as dominant at converting our fast breaks as we were in the past. We all know that Boat hasn't been as solid in these situations, but this is one area that even Bazz could improve. Rebounding helps, but we've had teams in the past that could create fast breaks on made baskets by inbounding in a hurry. We have a deep enough team to run and we should.

2. Employ more of a press. We lack size and rebounding. Louisville used to employ 4 guard sets that were effective because of the press. We'll have to be more selective and careful in employing a press. You don't have to press all the time, just bust out a 2-2-1 press at select points to create turnovers and disrupt the other team getting into their half court offense to make up for our lack of size.

3. Find our cornered animal mentality. Some of our best teams felt that it was us-against-the-world. Calhoun always preferred fighting out of the corner. We are undeniably a TOUGH team. These guys need more of a chip on their shoulder to step on other team's throats when we have the lead and create back breaking runs.

If we can do those three things, rebounding be damned - I'd pick us over anybody. Well, I always pick us over everybody regardless, I'd just feel more justified in doing so.

2014 is gonna be a good year. Happy New Years Boneyard

"2. Employ more of a press"
I don't think we have the depth at G to press for extended periods. Boatright and Bazz are probably playing too many minutes as it is and it looks like Samuel isn't going to be ready this season. In fact, PG is my biggest concern for next season. Converting a 2 guard to lead PG has plenty of question marks.
The rebounding is improving some. Half court ball movement against the zone is what beat us against Stanford but then again our perimeter ball movement in the halfcourt has never been very good.
The biggest strengths of this team are heart, confidence and shooting. If a couple of players can improve just a little we could make a serious run in March. This is an easy team to like.

 

[mauconnfan]

A half hearted zone to get the pace going is all this team could be good at, and get back into man or zone………as Danzz said depth at the guard is huge when you press but so is size. As quick as our guards are it's easy as hell to throw the ball over them and see your next pass and that's where you need to start the zaniness…….I think Kromah and Giffey could be real good in the middle of the zone anticipating the next pass if you're at 2-2-1 and of course Brimah in the back of it is a nice stopper but can't be left with too many 3 on 1's……..I wish they could find the magic of 89-90 again but I really believe having a long 6'2" Smitty and 6'5 Tate made it very difficult from the beginning and was the key…….how many lobs did Dove and Scotty pick off in the highlights?

 

[HuskyHawk]

This is just mystifying to me. When he looks to be a distributor, he doesn't shoot enough. When he looks to shoot, he's selfish. He takes "countless" bad shots but his shots are down this year. I don't see it. He's not perfect - none of them are - but I don't know how you watch the kid play this year and not recognize that he's made significant strides.

Also, I love what Giffey's doing, but I don't know that he'd be a "star" on other teams, at least high level teams. He's a great spot up shooter and a classic "do-everything" glue guy. If he was the #1 option on a BCS level team there'd just be endless posts about how he doesn't have the mental makeup to be an alpha dog.

I have no idea what the ceiling for this team is. I think they could lose in the first round with the wrong matchup, or make it all the way to the last weekend with the right draw and some lights out shooting (but I think that's a very long shot). I think they'll probably come out somewhere in the middle. Ultimately, a jump shooting team that relies on a 6-0 guard to carry its offense for long stretches and doesn't get much in the way of paint production is going to run out of luck faster than a team that can throw the ball off the glass and let Joel Embiid and Wiggins go get it.

Agree with the last paragraph. On Boat, I think he's been much worse than he was as a Freshman. What I see is that when we have a critical possession, he turns the ball over or takes a bad shot almost every time. When we have a big lead or are in the middle of a run, he'll make good plays. His instincts are off this year, and he needs to find them, because I do think he is much better than this. The way he is playing, I do not want him on the court in a close game. His overall stats are down a bit, but just a little. It's how he gets them that concerns me. He's been worse against good teams, and in close games. We need him to improve to do any damage.

 

[HawkHusky]

Agree with the last paragraph. On Boat, I think he's been much worse than he was as a Freshman. What I see is that when we have a critical possession, he turns the ball over or takes a bad shot almost every time. When we have a big lead or are in the middle of a run, he'll make good plays. His instincts are off this year, and he needs to find them, because I do think he is much better than this. The way he is playing, I do not want him on the court in a close game. His overall stats are down a bit, but just a little. It's how he gets them that concerns me. He's been worse against good teams, and in close games. We need him to improve to do any damage.

Completely agree. My dad (also a UCONN fan) calls him Showboat. It seems like this year he tries to do too much, which either ends in a TO or a bad shot.

 

[mauconnfan]

Completely agree. My dad (also a UCONN fan) calls him Showboat. It seems like this year he tries to do too much, which either ends in a TO or a bad shot.

Are you "Husky Hawk Jr"?? LOL………

I know if my dad were alive he would say the same, it's the generation. Some of his "showboating" is impressive though I agree he needs to know where and when. What he doesn't sometimes realize is the real basketball fan gets just as excited when he stops and rises to make a 12 footer in the lane as to when he goes up and under for a double pump reverse spin off the backboard (those don't go in enough anyway), these he can flex to the crowd after and the people who don't know think that's the best thing in the world………just take and make shots which are in the realm of the offense and the occasional baseline take under control in which he uses the iron is great. No mustard required!

 

[Dmike]

"2. Employ more of a press"
I don't think we have the depth at G to press for extended periods. Boatright and Bazz are probably playing too many minutes as it is and it looks like Samuel isn't going to be ready this season. In fact, PG is my biggest concern for next season. Converting a 2 guard to lead PG has plenty of question marks.
The rebounding is improving some. Half court ball movement against the zone is what beat us against Stanford but then again our perimeter ball movement in the halfcourt has never been very good.
The biggest strengths of this team are heart, confidence and shooting. If a couple of players can improve just a little we could make a serious run in March. This is an easy team to like.

If we play boat and bazz a little less and give 2 guard minutes to Calhoun and Kromah, we can afford to press. We don't have to do it all the time, just flash it 5-10 possessions a half, maybe more if the other team isn't doing a good job of breaking it. If done right, it can be hugely disruptive to the other team and makes the game more guard-centric, which works to our advantage.

 

[huskyharry]

I rewatched the BCU game. BCU is not a strong team but some UConn weaknesses made them a more challenging opponent. Bazz and Boat both tend to lose the man they are guarding...Bazz provides too much help defense and Boat reaches and gambles for steals too much. This allowed BCU's three point shooters to be wide open after penetration or after an offensive rebound (of which we also give up too many).

Also, we are very vulnerable to a big who has average + bulk and interior skills on offense. Anderson wore us out inside. Potential future opponents with players of this skill set would pose a huge problem (Randall at Kensucky, Meeks at UNC, Ridley at Texas, Hammons at Purdue etc.).

Also taller guards with a good handle, good finishing skills on the drive and the ability to hit pull-up jumpers like Olivier Hanlan are a problem because of their height advantage over Bazz and Boat.

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

What I see is that when we have a critical possession, he turns the ball over or takes a bad shot almost every time.

Not to single you out, but this is pretty reflective of the pseudo-analysis that's rampant with Boatright. He turns the ball over or takes a bad shot on "almost every" critical possession? Do you have any information whatsoever to offer to support that?

 

[arnie3]

Not so much concerns as head scratchers- Bazz the leading rebounder, offensive and defensive, Boat the second leader in defensive rebounding... The combination of our three bigs, TO, PN, and AB have less total rebounds than Bazz. (75/72). Really strange!
On the positive, +16 on steals and + 49 on blocks.

As to Boat, I don't get the hate. He's much better than he was last year- second in defensive rebounding, second in steals and a 1.5 A/T ratio.

They just have to keep at boxing out to lessen the OR's.
We sure will know more after this weekend.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Not to single you out, but this is pretty reflective of the pseudo-analysis that's rampant with Boatright. He turns the ball over or takes a bad shot on "almost every" critical possession? Do you have any information whatsoever to offer to support that?

Just what I see. When the other team is on a run, and we need a great possession with a high quality shot, he doesn't seem to recognize that one of the lowest percentage shot we have, as a team, is him driving and attempting to score over the other team's bigs. Fall-away jumpers aren't much better. He's a good player, but his decision making has been poor. He also really needs a Kemba-like drive and pop midrange shot.

 

[Hugo]

We need a 3/4/swing that can breakdown the other defense off the dribble……we have shooters not slashers and you need to have a slasher. Nothing wrong with having multiple shooters unless you shoot like you did against Stanford!! Then you need to take someone off the dribble on occasion and it's better to have someone over 5'11 doing that!

Mau, surprised that nobody commented on your post. I completely agree with your assessment here. Omar and Giff are set up shooters and can not create their own shots. Much too easy to defend them as there's little chance of either beating their man off the dribble. DD hasn't shown consistency in this area and really none of the three have a good handle. Right now all a team needs to do is loosely (sometimes very loosely leaving a defender available to double team Bazz) guard the 3 pointer from Giff and/or Omar, cover Boat and DD with a decent defender and focus on Bazz. When Bazz isn't offensively minded and running the team the way he should, we are playing into our opponents hands.

We need to open up our offense more and become less predictable. Our lack of rebounding prevents us from running a lot, but we need to push the ball up court when we have an opportunity. The less we rely on our half court sets, the better we play. We need to set better screens to free up our shooters and need to penetrate and kick out to out shooters more. And Giff needs to get himself free and set up for his shot. Kromah has the ability to slash and I would like to see him get more minutes. His D is pretty good also so we don't lose anything there.

There's some work for the staff to do here, but also a commitment from the players to step it a notch and play hard and as a team for 40 minutes a game.

 

[Mr. Wonderful]

The offense goes through scoring lapses, but our most glaring weakness is interior defense.

Going on a run requires you can get stops on defense consistently, and on key possessions. It was Jim Calhoun's favorite stat: how many times in a game did we get three stops in a row?

Every game this year has been closer than it should have been because we don't get enough stops. Our perimeter 'd' seems solid enough (although there are no Ricky Moore's on this team), but close to the basket we're soft as Charmin.

I say put an 11x8 picture of that nobody from Houston (Taylor?) in Nolan, Brimah, Daniels, and Olander's locker, to remind them of the guy who made all of them his b!tch.