Who To Scapegoat?

[David 76]

We've tried almost everyone. Purvis, Gibbs, Brimah, Nolan, Adams, Facey, Sam Jr., KO , the Assistant Coaches and the zebras.
Recently, someone even offered up Miller.

We also tried the "sure" quick fixes including:
More time/start Adams.
Enoch will change the game
It will be fixed when AB returns

Boarders turn on players like sharks after blood. It is hard. We get frustrated. But the problem isn't the pieces, it's the whole, Ham, Purvis, Gibbs, Adams, Shonn and AB etc. is more than enough talent to make the tourney, This turning on one player over another is dumb.

 

[mauconnfan]

We've tried almost everyone. Purvis, Gibbs, Brimah, Nolan, Adams, Facey, Sam Jr., KO , the Assistant Coaches and the zebras.
Recently, someone even offered up Miller.

We also tried the "sure" quick fixes including:
More time/start Adams.
Enoch will change the game
It will be fixed when AB returns

Boarders turn on players like sharks after blood. It is hard. We get frustrated. But the problem isn't the pieces, it's the whole, Ham, Purvis, Gibbs, Adams, Shonn and AB etc. is more than enough talent to make the tourney, This turning on one player over another is dumb.

I know but it's fun

Kidding D76

 

[August_West]

Ollie ( suck on that Jacobs, you hack)

Now, I will preface by saying that it ain't KO missing layups, or making Purvis and Hamilton a combined 4 for 7.1 million (or whatever it is over the last 6 games) but his in game adjustments and his lack of ability to get what he needs out of his players to win these types of games when his game planned method is not working is mystifying.
For example last night we bogged down big time in the last 10 minutes. Multiple shot clock violations and close to shot clock violations (how many times did we inbound the ball last night with under 5 on shot clock, has to be a record) Hamilton and Gibbs were not getting into the paint in any kind of manner that could create a positive advantage. Jalen Adams was. He showed it time and again. IF the offense bogs multiple trips where sterling is still struggling to dribble 25 feet from the hoop with under 5 on the shot clock, you make a change, no? Not a personnel change. But who is heading the attack change. Sterling should have been off ball. You have to go with what is working IN THE MOMENT. Not what you think should be working.
Also it was apparent that on the last play that the team did not run what was designed during the time out. If your players are bucking your plays, do you blame the players or the coach? Purvis was obviously supposed to get the ball back on the inbound. (whether that was a smart thought or not we can debate, but it was obvious by the reactions)... Gibbs went rogue. If that is in fact the case, (and since I wasnt in the huddle I can only speculate) then there are some control issues with this team and some players need to sit. If Im wrong and Ollie was fine with Gibbs (who didnt successfully get in the lane ONCE all game) going like that and expecting a different result, I question that even more because of my original point. So that is a fail BOTH ways.

Finally. The turnover up 4 with 1:05 left was the killer. Jalen and Hamilton should both be flogged. That was lazy, mentally soft play in the most crucial of spots. That aint on KO.

 

[Deepster]

Scapegoat on the season is the team, Ollie included. They simply don't play cohesive basketball at the level of their talent on paper and that falls on the players and on the coaching staff. Part of what makes that easier to accomplish is a great floor general and UConn has had a laundry list of them in the past, so if we're looking at our recipe for success, we are missing a key ingredient.

For last night's game, it's Adams. He has to fall on the sword for that lazy pass. That's inexcusable and let Cincy back when we could have pressed our foot firmly on their throat. Teams that play in March don't make that pass, Fred Brown excluded.

 

[jibsey]

Cincy was just as bad as we were last night trying to score but they had a big man take a high percentage shot when they needed it. Adams played well but for that, mistakes are made but we did plenty wrong as a team to let it get to that pass. It's shared blame, DHam needs to make some shots, one of our centers has to put in a layup......

 

[Vancat]

We're just not that great.

 

[TRest]

Thanks Obama.

 

[4UConn]

Scapegoat on the season is the team, Ollie included. They simply don't play cohesive basketball at the level of their talent on paper and that falls on the players and on the coaching staff. Part of what makes that easier to accomplish is a great floor general and UConn has had a laundry list of them in the past, so if we're looking at our recipe for success, we are missing a key ingredient.

For last night's game, it's Adams. He has to fall on the sword for that lazy pass. That's inexcusable and let Cincy back when we could have pressed our foot firmly on their throat. Teams that play in March don't make that pass, Fred Brown excluded.

A may be a bit harsh this morning, but a big difference in my observation, between JC and KO, is that we saw big INDIVIDUAL improvements through the year with JC's players. He generally made them play much better. Although I see improvement in team defense etc with KO, I don't see the players upping their games. For example, Nolan is basically playing the same game, maybe worse, than he was as a Freshman. He is still unable to make the easiest of layups. Calhoun's project, Thabeet, who I frankly thought was hopeless in his Freshman year, became a very good center by his junior year. Apologize for being hard on KO this morning, but that's appears to be reality. I do not know what or how the coaching staff is doing to improve RP's drives to the baskets, butt I'm just not seeing any improvement in that crucial part of his game.

 

[mauconnfan]

Scapegoat on the season is the team, Ollie included. They simply don't play cohesive basketball at the level of their talent on paper and that falls on the players and on the coaching staff. Part of what makes that easier to accomplish is a great floor general and UConn has had a laundry list of them in the past, so if we're looking at our recipe for success, we are missing a key ingredient.

For last night's game, it's Adams. He has to fall on the sword for that lazy pass. That's inexcusable and let Cincy back when we could have pressed our foot firmly on their throat. Teams that play in March don't make that pass, Fred Brown excluded.

All good except the sword. No doubt bad pass but lot's of basketball after the pass and lot's before the pass. Also DHam can take a third of the blame on the pass. Recognize it's behind you and stop, catch it to assure the possession. he wasn't making a fast hard cut he was in a slow high post move, easily could've made sure we keep the ball. No doubt Adams gets the majority it was being him, but very catchable knowing the situation and how important keeping possession was.

 

[UConnStats]

Hamilton's slump is killing the offense. He needs to become a bit smaller of a factor in my opinion. Too many possessions come down to him taking a low percentage shot.

Aside from that last turnover, Adams looked fantastic last night against a great defense. I think it's time to start letting him run the offense a bit more and giving him a larger role in the offense.

 

[uchusky32]

Look, as Vancat said, we're just not that good. A want to agree Dham is in a funk, but he doesn't take many good shots. When he drives he is leaning left or right, fading away, and throws it hard at the rim or backboard. To me funk is getting good looks, playing within the framework of the offense and the ball just not going down. You cant be a point forward who cant score.

Gibbs is good but cant get his shot off when the clock I running down and doesn't have a tight dribble.

Jalen can get to the rim. But is limited to his right hand at the basket. And isn't confident in his jumper at this time.

RP is our best driver who misses more layups than he makes. Said it many times short arms limits his ability to get above the defenders.

Phil, well is Phil. None athlete, really doesn't have the talent to be playing major minutes.

KT, looks talented but just doesn't know how to play.

SM, monster inside. Need to run the offense thru him until teams adjust. Someone needs to tell KO this isn't a perimeter oriented team. Inside out should be the philosophy.

Major problem right now only Miller plays above the rim. That's why layups aren't guaranteed with this team.

 

[Palatine]

The turning point of the game was Jalen Adams with the ball in his hands and UConn up four. An open floor TO and easy lay up was a monster play in this game.

One play doesn't usually win or lose a game and this one didn't, but it was a freshman making a freshman mistake, being lazy with the ball at crunch time.

 

[NotJDyson11]

There's a lot of people to blame for the losses this year....but to me the biggest problem with this team compared to teams of past is leadership.

Gibbs and Miller are studs, great basketball players, Gibbs can be rusty with the ball sometimes but he can knock down big shots when needed; Miller can be big a strong down low and has done a great job filling the void of Brimah when he's been tasked at playing the 5 spot. But they're both just now getting used to playing with this team, that's the problem you have with these graduate transfers. A guy like Kromah or Evans (ok, he just stunk) fit in so well because it wasn't his team and he wasn't required to do much with the likes of Shabazz and Boatright and Daniels controlling the scoring for the team.

Who is the leader of this UCONN team???
Who's that guy you know is going to hit that shot at the end of a game???

Nobody. Purvis tries and fails. Gibbs tries and fails. Adams is still maturing and adapting to the college game. This is a great squad of players who just came together at the wrong time. It's a shame Miller and Gibbs will be gone after this year, I'd love to see Adams as a Sophomore run the offense and have Gibbs play the 2 guard more consistently with Purvis being a 6th man.

 

[Onions]

A may be a bit harsh this morning, but a big difference in my observation, between JC and KO, is that we saw big INDIVIDUAL improvements through the year with JC's players. He generally made them play much better. Although I see improvement in team defense etc with KO, I don't see the players upping their games. For example, Nolan is basically playing the same game, maybe worse, than he was as a Freshman. He is still unable to make the easiest of layups. Calhoun's project, Thabeet, who I frankly thought was hopeless in his Freshman year, became a very good center by his junior year. Apologize for being hard on KO this morning, but that's appears to be reality. I do not know what or how the coaching staff is doing to improve RP's drives to the baskets, butt I'm just not seeing any improvement in that crucial part of his game.

Not disagreeing with the general line of your argument but if you don't see a difference in Phil between now and his freshman year then either a) you never saw him play his freshman year or b) your suffering dimentia or c) your blind. In his freshman year PN couldn't stay on the floor for more than a minute at a time without either turning the ball over or totally screwing up on defense. He has made huge strides since then, especially on defense, but also on his general understanding of the game. He will never be good down low because he winds up and takes too long to get off the ground for a simple put back, but to say you don't see growth in him as a player is absurd.

 

[Deepster]

All good except the sword. No doubt bad pass but lot's of basketball after the pass and lot's before the pass. Also DHam can take a third of the blame on the pass. Recognize it's behind you and stop, catch it to assure the possession. he wasn't making a fast hard cut he was in a slow high post move, easily could've made sure we keep the ball. No doubt Adams gets the majority it was being him, but very catchable knowing the situation and how important keeping possession was.

Taliek Brown would have never made that pass.

 

[The Funster]

Put it on Ollie. This team doesn't run offensive sets. Hell, we came out of a TO with a full shot clock and we still couldn't get a shot off. Where are the back screens? Where are the multiple screens? Does this team have a offensive philosphy other than "pound the ball on the perimeter and try to take your guy one on one"? We scored 21 points in the 2nd half. I think our last 12 points of the 1st half were 3 straight 3s by Gibbs and 3 by Purvis. Take that streak away and we scored 45 points for the game. It's on Coach, IMO.

 

[Jerry1714]

Scapegoat on the season is the team, Ollie included. They simply don't play cohesive basketball at the level of their talent on paper and that falls on the players and on the coaching staff. Part of what makes that easier to accomplish is a great floor general and UConn has had a laundry list of them in the past, so if we're looking at our recipe for success, we are missing a key ingredient.

For last night's game, it's Adams. He has to fall on the sword for that lazy pass. That's inexcusable and let Cincy back when we could have pressed our foot firmly on their throat. Teams that play in March don't make that pass, Fred Brown excluded.

1 bad pass does not outweigh Purvis 5 missed layups or Nolan's 12 pathetic minuets or Ollie's decision to move away from his most effective lineup on the 2nd half.

 

[gtcam]

Ollie ( suck on that Jacobs, you hack)

Now, I will preface by saying that it ain't KO missing layups, or making Purvis and Hamilton a combined 4 for 7.1 million (or whatever it is over the last 6 games) but his in game adjustments and his lack of ability to get what he needs out of his players to win these types of games when his game planned method is not working is mystifying.
For example last night we bogged down big time in the last 10 minutes. Multiple shot clock violations and close to shot clock violations (how many times did we inbound the ball last night with under 5 on shot clock, has to be a record) Hamilton and Gibbs were not getting into the paint in any kind of manner that could create a positive advantage. Jalen Adams was. He showed it time and again. IF the offense bogs multiple trips where sterling is still struggling to dribble 25 feet from the hoop with under 5 on the shot clock, you make a change, no? Not a personnel change. But who is heading the attack change. Sterling should have been off ball. You have to go with what is working IN THE MOMENT. Not what you think should be working.
Also it was apparent that on the last play that the team did not run what was designed during the time out. If your players are bucking your plays, do you blame the players or the coach? Purvis was obviously supposed to get the ball back on the inbound. (whether that was a smart thought or not we can debate, but it was obvious by the reactions)... Gibbs went rogue. If that is in fact the case, (and since I wasnt in the huddle I can only speculate) then there are some control issues with this team and some players need to sit. If Im wrong and Ollie was fine with Gibbs (who didnt successfully get in the lane ONCE all game) going like that and expecting a different result, I question that even more because of my original point. So that is a fail BOTH ways.

Finally. The turnover up 4 with 1:05 left was the killer. Jalen and Hamilton should both be flogged. That was lazy, mentally soft play in the most crucial of spots. That aint on KO.

UCONN HAS NO LEADER
KO can't just make one

DHam should be flogged for a lazy pass made to him that was telegraphed and allowed someone to step in front? WOW JA yes DHam No

 

[Uconn77Duke74]

Not disagreeing with the general line of your argument but if you don't see a difference in Phil between now and his freshman year then either a) you never saw him play his freshman year or b) your suffering dimentia or c) your blind. In his freshman year PN couldn't stay on the floor for more than a minute at a time without either turning the ball over or totally screwing up on defense. He has made huge strides since then, especially on defense, but also on his general understanding of the game. He will never be good down low because he winds up and takes too long to get off the ground for a simple put back, but to say you don't see growth in him as a player is absurd.

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/player/_/id/61579/phillip-Nolan
His production is still incredibly bad for a starting Big.

 

[donyell34]

All of it. It all sucks.

 

[Vancat]

ah well, maybe next year.

 

[Onions]

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/player/_/id/61579/phillip-Nolan
His production is still incredibly bad for a starting Big.

That's a whole other argument, which should be prefaced by saying he's only a starting big because of injury. As a back-up 5 he's probably slightly below average.

 

[gtcam]

Put it on Ollie. This team doesn't run offensive sets. Hell, we came out of a TO with a full shot clock and we still couldn't get a shot off. Where are the back screens? Where are the multiple screens? Does this team have a offensive philosphy other than "pound the ball on the perimeter and try to take your guy one on one"? We scored 21 points in the 2nd half. I think our last 12 points of the 1st half were 3 straight 3s by Gibbs and 3 by Purvis. Take that streak away and we scored 45 points for the game. It's on Coach, IMO.

Did you hear the commentators last night?
On the last play the ball was designed to get to RP who was open but SG decided it was his time to be the hero
Im not sure if these guys follow directions
Just a thought - not a cure

 

[August_West]

UCONN HAS NO LEADER
KO can't just make one

DHam should be flogged for a lazy pass made to him that was telegraphed and allowed someone to step in front? WOW JA yes DHam No

KO cannot "make" a leader, but he sure as hell should be able to designate who is the player he wants attacking a defense on a given possession.

Jalens pas was the worst of it, yes. Dham presented himself slow, didnt fight to get at the ball. turnover was 75% Jalen 25% Dham .

 

[Tenspro2002]

A may be a bit harsh this morning, but a big difference in my observation, between JC and KO, is that we saw big INDIVIDUAL improvements through the year with JC's players. He generally made them play much better. Although I see improvement in team defense etc with KO, I don't see the players upping their games. For example, Nolan is basically playing the same game, maybe worse, than he was as a Freshman. He is still unable to make the easiest of layups. Calhoun's project, Thabeet, who I frankly thought was hopeless in his Freshman year, became a very good center by his junior year. Apologize for being hard on KO this morning, but that's appears to be reality. I do not know what or how the coaching staff is doing to improve RP's drives to the baskets, butt I'm just not seeing any improvement in that crucial part of his game.

I agree this is becoming a concern, and the sample size is growing. You can argue that KO had a lot less to work with. That may be true.

But we used to see major improvement from lowly-rated bigs under JC. Thabeet is a prime example. Hilton Armstrong too. You can even point to a guy like Gavin Edwards, who was a serviceable starting center his senior year.

The improvement of guys like Facey and Brimah has been incremental at best. They have one more year. If we don't see considerable growth and development of skills and BBIQ, it may be fair to conclude that Ollie and his staff don't have what it takes to develop big men. Enoch will be another case to watch and, eventually, Zach Brown.

On the guard side, we've seen Bazz and Boat make big strides, but they were already on a trajectory towards greatness. The big test for KO in his ability to develop guards will be the Adams/Gilbert tandem (i.e. the new Bazz and Boat).

Hamilton will be another test. So far the returns aren't great, but we'll see what he looks like next year.

JC succeeded because, seemingly regardless of who he recruited, he could develop them, instill toughness, and coach them to play winning basketball. KO, if 2016/17 is any indication, is a better recruiter. But the question about development is still very much in the air, and the in-season and in-game coaching, aside from March 2014 and a few other glimpses, has been lacking.