Why no Oriakhi

[housekeys]

That's funny ......the guy got worst as a junior and it's on Calhoun...what a joke you are!!

He doesn't rebound, play D (who was he going to guard?) and cant finish a post move but let's make sure we blame JC for not putting that guy in...wow

Who exactly rebounds and why were they not in the game? AO was not in the game because of the coaches decision. How is he going to help? I appreciate you defending JC. JC in the past, has inspired and coached many UConn teams to excel beyond their capabilities. JC has been a major factor we have won championships. I truly believe this. But I do not think JC handled the AO situation well. This is one of his low moments in coaching. Hey, it happens.

 

[jorge34]

Yeah,


Your right, the strategy worked. Just like it did in the game right before it. Take long distance shots and play away from what could be a possible strength down low.

I don't get some of you. Drummond has no semblance of a game down low, and they DID open with Oriakhi posting, who brick up shots

 

[mauconnfan]

Who exactly rebounds and why where they not in the game? AO was not in the game because of the coaches decision. How is he going to help? I appreciate you defending JC. JC in the past, has inspired and coached many UConn teams to excel beyond their capabilities. JC has been a major factor we have won championships. I truly believe this. But I do not think JC handled the AO situation well. This is one of his low moments in coaching. Hey, it happens.

What was the "AO situation"?? Do we know or are we all speculating?? Hey we couldn't guard them with athletic smalls and one big who is twice as athletic depsite how awful he played, you throw Alex out there and there would have been more 3's.......I don't know if AO said something or if JC didn't think he was a good matchup but either way I'm okay with whatever JC did!!

 

[caw]

If AO was so bad on defense how did ISU only score 4 points in the final 7 minutes. He was horrendous defending White. I agree on that. He also wasn't great offensively, but he played well on Ejim and helped off of Ejim well. Again he rebounded better than anyone else on UConn, even if it wasn't good it's better than the rebounding they got from everyone else.

UConn cut it from 22 to 10 because they switched to Roscoe defending White and AO on Ejim.

 

[mauconnfan]

Yeah,


Your right, the strategy worked. Just like it did in the game right before it. Take long distance shots and play away from what could be a possible strength down low.

Hey that's yet another hilarious point........"strength down low"???? Hahahaha.....have you even watched a game? One guy who can't catch and when he does delviers a windmill lefty throw 75% of the time and the other a 6'10 monster with a turnaround jumper from his chest which is bloced all the time...yeah nice strength!!

 

[mauconnfan]

jorge34 give up on this thread.....you did the best you can but some don't get it!!

 

[jorge34]

I am not sure what the AO situation refers to. He is worse now and less aggressive as a rebounder than he was as a freshman. His offense is no better, and actually looks like it has regressed.

He is not a coordinated offensive player. His game needs to revolve around his defense and his rebounding, where he can dominate..when he wants to. But he doesn't want to, and instead resorts to tweating about playing time and criticizing his coach.

 

[caw]

jorge34 give up on this thread.....you did the best you can but some don't get it!!

What exactly is wrong. They made their run with Oriakhi out there not Drummond. I think the bigger factor was having Roscoe on White, but to not play Oriakhi at all is just odd.

 

[housekeys]

He was horrendous and didn't earn the right to play any additional minutes in this game. But please, blame the coach.

Really? Who do you put in that was any better? JC has a roster of players. I blame no one, just making an observation and an opinion. And yes, I rather blame the coach than any single player. It is easy to blame players because the coach is never responsible for the what goes wrong on the court.

Also, I rather blame the Iowa State team and what they did right, than blaming anyone from UConn. Congrats to ISU.

 

[husky711]

Definitely think it had to do with his defense/lack of intensity. Not to mention he threw up some awful bricks in the post. There was a play where an ISU player got the ball right behind the 3 point line and AO could've closed in to contest the shot... instead AO backs away (toward the hoop) and lets him take the shot. That's just one example.. there are multiple examples of his lack of defensive effort tonight and this was a game where we HAD to tighten up the defense. Lastly, AD is definitely a better defender outside of the paint than AO simply because of his athleticism. AD's athleticism allows him to play defense out near the 3 point line without looking completely like a fish out of water. AO's athleticism simply does not allow him to play defense far outside of the paint at all... that is a liability with a team who lit us up from the arc in the first half.

 

[aceboon]

If AO was so bad on defense how did ISU only score 4 points in the final 7 minutes. He was horrendous defending White. I agree on that. He also wasn't great offensively, but he played well on Ejim and helped off of Ejim well. Again he rebounded better than anyone else on UConn, even if it wasn't good it's better than the rebounding they got from everyone else.

UConn cut it from 22 to 10 because they switched to Roscoe defending White and AO on Ejim.

They won't address tho, certain guys have dug in on their anti-AO stance and despite the fact that we were able to cut the lead down with AO in and facts being right in their face they can't abandon their agenda. I'm not even really a fan of AO's game but I don't understand how anyone can say AD deserved to play all those minutes in the 2nd half tonight. There is nothing that backs it up.

 

[TheChamps990411]

was i the only one that noticed the exchange between coach and AO on the bench? AO looked like he was jawing back at coach and didnt wanna hear whatever he was being told. he didnt see the court after that.

 

[Bryan Lord]

Odds AO transfers ? I'm saying 40% chance.

 

[huskyniner]

Odds AO transfers ? I'm saying 40% chance.

Higher.

 

[aceboon]

was i the only one that noticed the exchange between coach and AO on the bench? AO looked like he was jawing back at coach and didnt wanna hear whatever he was being told. he didnt see the court after that.

I thought I saw something too but I wasn't sure of it so I didn't comment. AO came back in the game after that sequence tho.

 

[mauconnfan]

They won't address tho, certain guys have dug in on their anti-AO stance and despite the fact that we were able to cut the lead down with AO in and facts being right in their face they can't abandon their agenda. I'm not even really a fan of AO's game but I don't understand how anyone can say AD deserved to play all those minutes in the 2nd half tonight. There is nothing that backs it up.

Explain what he did to make the difference? Watch the game ace, I don't need anything to back it up.....he didn't deserve or earn anything these people want. If he did let me know what he did to make the difference and I'll get off my so-called "stance".....let's hear it!!

 

[aceboon]

Explain what he did to make the difference? Watch the game ace, I don't need anything to back it up.....he didn't deserve or earn anything these people want. If he did let me know what he did to make the difference and I'll get off my so-called "stance".....let's hear it!!

I'll agree with caw in saying that the biggest difference was Roscoe switching to White because it definitely was, but AO was doing a good job on whoever he was guarding(don't know the name). Did he duck up on help D, of course he did, all the bigs did, but he was not killing us when he was out there and the fact that we were able to cut into the lead when AD was spending most of the rest of the 1st half on the bench with 2 fouls attests to that. My question to you is what exactly did AD do in the 2nd half that warranted him playing pretty much the entire 2nd half while AO got crumbs? What was his contribution, where did he excel?

 

[auggie22]

was i the only one that noticed the exchange between coach and AO on the bench? AO looked like he was jawing back at coach and didnt wanna hear whatever he was being told. he didnt see the court after that.

saw that...and just posted a similar question in another thread. i saw him "wave off" coach at one point. i'll say it again...i like ao, or want to like ao, but despite his charisma, and his potential as a player and a leader, he lacks confidence, and that is ultimately his heel.

 

[huskyniner]

@EdDaigneault
#UConn F Alex Oriakhi admitted he will have a decision to make about whether to return. He will sit down with his family to hash things out.

 

[mauconnfan]

I'll agree with caw in saying that the biggest difference was Roscoe switching to White because it definitely was, but AO was doing a good job on whoever he was guarding(don't know the name). Did he duck up on help D, of course he did, all the bigs did, but he was not killing us when he was out there and the fact that we were able to cut into the lead when AD was spending most of the rest of the 1st half on the bench with 2 fouls attests to that. My question to you is what exactly did AD do in the 2nd half that warranted him playing pretty much the entire 2nd half while AO got crumbs? What was his contribution, where did he excel?

Hey AD did basically nothing agreed........as a matter of fact AO deserved some of his minutes because AD was so bad but not because AO did anyting at all. They were both awful, soft and had zero impact on the interior against a very very small ISU team....so whatever the reason JC had I'm fine with it......there would have been no affect either way.....

 

[mauconnfan]

@EdDaigneault
#UConn F Alex Oriakhi admitted he will have a decision to make about whether to return. He will sit down with his family to hash things out.

Coach thanks for getting me a ring but I think I'll go play with my boy Jamal Coombs-McDaniel at Hofstra and get 8 and 6 in the Horizon League or wherever they play........see ya don't let the door hit ya alex............

 

[Tenspro2002]

@EdDaigneault
#UConn F Alex Oriakhi admitted he will have a decision to make about whether to return. He will sit down with his family to hash things out.

I wonder if that's directly related to an anticipated postseason ban, or if he just feels JC and UConn isn't working out for him?

If it's the latter, much more disconcerting.

 

[selles]

Coach thanks for getting me a ring but I think I'll go play with my boy Jamal Coombs-McDaniel at Hofstra and get 8 and 6 in the Horizon League or wherever they play........see ya don't let the door hit ya alex............

We wouldn't have won a championship without him. We did win a championship with him. Show some respect.

 

[jorge34]

I wonder if that's directly related to an anticipated postseason ban, or if he just feels JC and UConn isn't working out for him?

If it's the latter, much more disconcerting.

Probably many factors would go into that decision. On the slim chance Drummond does return, it probably doesn't make much sense for AO to come back, because they didn't fit together well. If the APR does stick, again, it doesn't make sense for him to return. Now, if he thinks somehow coach did him wrong, and he would be better off somewhere else....he needs to grow up.

 

[housekeys]

Hey AD did basically nothing agreed........as a matter of fact AO deserved some of his minutes because AD was so bad but not because AO did anyting at all. They were both awful, soft and had zero impact on the interior against a very very small ISU team....so whatever the reason JC had I'm fine with it......there would have been no affect either way.....

No they were not awful. The whole team was awful up to and including the coaches. ISU was very good. It is not a zero sum game. Players have lapses. As a coach, you get mad. You sit them. You tell them what they did wrong. Then you put them back in. You try one player, then another. You continue this pattern until you get a good outcome. The problem was that AO was not given a chance. Both AO and AD are talented. They both deserve to be coached. Not punished. Yes, I know "you have no problem with this" but there are many fans who do.

 

[mauconnfan]

We wouldn't have won a championship without him. We did win a championship with him. Show some respect.

Respect?? PLease........the kid won a ring under JC and he's considering leaving?? Tell me you're joking........Are you a Husky or not? Proud to wear the uni ot not?? Listen to a stiff like Jamal Coombs-McDaniel or make your own mind up??........respect is AO not even considering jumping ship that's respect!!!

He owes JC after this disaster of a year quite honestly!!

 

[selles]

Respect?? PLease........the kid won a ring under JC and he's considering leaving?? Tell me you're joking........Are you a Husky or not? Proud to wear the uni ot not?? Listen to a stiff like Jamal Coombs-McDaniel or make your own mind up??........respect is AO not even considering jumping ship that's respect!!!

He owes JC after this disaster of a year quite honestly!!

I'm asking you to show respect, not him.

 

[mauconnfan]

I'm asking you to show respect, not him.

I knew that ........ if I didn't according to you too bad don't care. I have my opinion on what he owes the school and the team and I guess you have yours......we don't share the same......don't read mine!!

 

[housekeys]

I'm asking you to show respect, not him.

I appreciate you making this post, and I agree. The game did not go our way, but that happens. The players, both past and present do not need frustrated posters talk crap about them. I have my opinion, but in no way will I ever say anything bad about our players. I will always root for them and give them the benefit of the doubt. Always. Many of them made us proud last year. The freshmen give us hope for the future, and I take them in a heartbeat. And while I am critical of JC for not playing AO, I would not replace him with anyone. Mistakes happen. Players and coaches.

 

[djct1999]

The most difficult thing as a fan to me is that you never get the full story. So much goes on behind the scenes yet all we see is the game. The problem this year was there seemed to be a serious disconnect between the staff and some of our players. Not sure what it was or with who, but something never seemed quite right.