Why UConn needs to take step in NCAA Tournament

[RichZ]

The lack of optimism and doomer mentality of this board annoys me. Hurley took a team of Ollie era 3* recruits in Whaley & Polley, a low major recruit in Cole, and another 3* mid major recruit in Martin and had them in the top 25 nearly the entire season. This staff has proven time and time again that they can develop talent. And now that Hurley has an entire roster full of 4* recruits, multiple projected NBA picks, and the BE Preseason POY (who is also a top 5 center in all of college basketball) people are still doubting? It's ridiculous. This team is going to be really freaking good

So YOU'RE the one who stole my National Flag Blue glasses. Please send them back to me, as I'm in need of a dose of optimism.

 

[HuskyWarrior611]

Yes you did, I circled it to make it easy for you to find

View attachment 80098

Haven’t been too glowly from reports = everything has been negative. Gotcha

I’m having a hard time getting something off this shelf, can you help reach up and get it for me?

 

[imno1]

I don’t understand a guards inability to ‘put the ball on the deck’ at this level. If you can shoot like Hawkins how can he not learn to effectively dribble??

While he’s not going to be Shabazz you will see a much more confident and competent Hawkins this season

 

[Umami Zen]

While he’s not going to be Shabazz you will see a much more confident and competent Hawkins this season

He knows what he's got to do.. Bring his A game to the court that he's been workin' on all summer. He'll do it..

AJ (our best defender) has been in his grille all summer in practice.. Gotta put it on the floor to get around that wingspan

 

[HuskyWarrior611]

He knows what he's got to do.. Bring his A game to the court that he's been workin' on all summer. He'll do it..

AJ (our best defender) has been in his grille all summer in practice.. Gotta put it on the floor to get around that wingspan

I’m hoping we have the best scorer, best defender, and best big in the conference this year.

 

[Waquoit]

Haven’t been too glowly from reports = everything has been negative.

I have to say, you do seem to give extra worth to slights while ignoring the good reports. Now is not the time for that mindset.

 

[shizzle787]

What I don't want to be is Purdue: a team that wins 24 games in the regular season every year, loses in the B1G semis, and gets bounced in the 4/13 game.

 

[metsfan2323]

Lets not forget that Hurley's three most talented recruits to date (Bouknight, Akok, Hawkins) did nothing in the tournament because of injuries or that RJ Cole was concussed before the Maryland game.

If we make the tournament this year and get bounced out in the first round Hurley will not get fired, sorry haters. No way do we risk losing that recruiting class we have coming in just to start over with whatever coach is behind door number three. Thankfully the people in charge aren't that stupid.

 

[shizzle787]

Lets not forget that Hurley's three best recruits to date (Bouknight, Akok, Hawkins) did nothing in the tournament because of injuries or that RJ Cole was concussed before the Maryland game.

If we make the tournament this year and get bounced out in the first round Hurley will not get fired, sorry. No way do we risk losing that recruiting class we have coming in.

No, but if we do get bounced in the first round again, Hurley will get blown out if we don't win a tourney game in 23/24.

 

[BGesus4]

Same. On a few occasions I've considered trying to register under a new name but it ends up being more effort than I'm willing to expend.

Would love to hear what your and @8893 ’s handles were… no shortage of great options

 

[RayRay]

They all played outside of Akok against Maryland, everyone is banged up by the end of the season.

Are people in this thread talking about Hurley being fired? Maybe the mods put certain posters on ignore for me.

Hold up, I think he’s right, I remember Hawkins missing the NCAA tourney game last year. Pretty sure that could have made a difference for us…

 

[superjohn]

Hold up, I think he’s right, I remember Hawkins missing the NCAA tourney game last year. Pretty sure that could have made a difference for us…

You guys are right, my oversight. Hawkins didn't play against NMSU but UConn was still a 6.5 point favorite and lost by 7. Bouknight and Cole played against Maryland.

 

[NJHoops]

Hold up, I think he’s right, I remember Hawkins missing the NCAA tourney game last year. Pretty sure that could have made a difference for us…

Yep. Hawkins missed the Big East tournament and the NCAA tournament, as well as the last regular season game (DePaul) last season. He only played 5 minutes the game before that (Creighton) because that’s when he got hurt.

 

[freescooter]

I’d like to take this chance to plant my anti-transfer flag and say if we don’t have a good season then getting rid of our guys would’ve been for nothing and we should’ve did the program building Hurley loves to do instead.

If Hurley can’t get it done with this roster then serious questions need to be asked.

My view is that if we don’t make a pretty deep run this year, we need to be looking at up and coming young coaches to see who might be on our list for 24-25. Hurley gets credit for improving the team he inherited from he who shall not be named, but to date he hasn’t done much that any pretty good coach would have done. At some point the excuses need to end and he needs to actually produce. And no, being in the lower end of the top 25 isn’t producing. Not a soul remembers you were 24th in February. To paraphrase the late George Steinbrenner, so far Hurley has shown himself to be Mr. January.

 

[imno1]

My view is that if we don’t make a pretty deep run this year, we need to be looking at up and coming young coaches to see who might be on our list for 24-25. Hurley gets credit for improving the team he inherited from he who shall not be named, but to date he hasn’t done much that any pretty good coach would have done. At some point the excuses need to end and he needs to actually produce. And no, being in the lower end of the top 25 isn’t producing. Not a soul remembers you were 24th in February. To paraphrase the late George Steinbrenner, so far Hurley has shown himself to be Mr. January.

And if we have a good season you will disappear because I can’t remember one post of yours with a positive spin about UConn bb

 

[HuskyWarrior611]

Yep. Hawkins missed the Big East tournament and the NCAA tournament, as well as the last regular season game (DePaul) last season. He only played 5 minutes the game before that (Creighton) because that’s when he got hurt.

It’s not like he was getting that much playing time to make a big impact. He barely got 20 mins a game most nights. Sometimes not even 15.

 

[HooperScooper]

And if we have a good season you will disappear because I can’t remember one post of yours with a positive spin about UConn bb

UConn could win the national championship and he would find something to complain about!

Seriously, I have never experienced a more miserable fan of any team in any sport. I can't imagine what his life is like.

 

[HuskyWarrior611]

My view is that if we don’t make a pretty deep run this year, we need to be looking at up and coming young coaches to see who might be on our list for 24-25. Hurley gets credit for improving the team he inherited from he who shall not be named, but to date he hasn’t done much that any pretty good coach would have done. At some point the excuses need to end and he needs to actually produce. And no, being in the lower end of the top 25 isn’t producing. Not a soul remembers you were 24th in February. To paraphrase the late George Steinbrenner, so far Hurley has shown himself to be Mr. January.

I don’t want to write Hurley off right now, but if it did come down to it. KY is a great recruiter and showed some really good in game coaching chops against Villanova. I really really hope we can hold onto him as long as possible.

 

[mauconnfan]

Lets not forget that Hurley's three most talented recruits to date (Bouknight, Akok, Hawkins) did nothing in the tournament because of injuries or that RJ Cole was concussed before the Maryland game.

If we make the tournament this year and get bounced out in the first round Hurley will not get fired, sorry haters. No way do we risk losing that recruiting class we have coming in just to start over with whatever coach is behind door number three. Thankfully the people in charge aren't that stupid.

Hate those who feel fans are haters because they expect us to win a game. 2 years 1 and out, promise you won’t like me if it happens again. We are UConn fans after all right?

 

[PAHusky]

Hate those who feel fans are haters because they expect us to win a game. 2 years 1 and out, promise you won’t like me if it happens again. We are UConn fans after all right?

Yep this is a consistently obnoxious take from a few on this board. No one is a doomer for stating that Hurley has done a great job with rousing the program out of its post-KO malaise, but that if his performance in the post season doesn’t improve (or heck, even to be consistently ranked and highly at that, which would make forgiving the losses in a single elimination tournament easier to bear) then it’s fair to question if he’s the best long term option at coach.

DH has gotten our program back to where it’s recruiting pretty well and winning a lot of the games it should. The next step is to be consistently ranked and to win BE and NCAA tourney games. He’s had his recruiting classes come in now. Clock is ticking

 

[navery12]

Yep this is a consistently obnoxious take from a few on this board. No one is a doomer for stating that Hurley has done a great job with rousing the program out of its post-KO malaise, but that if his performance in the post season doesn’t improve (or heck, even to be consistently ranked and highly at that, which would make forgiving the losses in a single elimination tournament easier to bear) then it’s fair to question if he’s the best long term option at coach.

DH has gotten our program back to where it’s recruiting pretty well and winning a lot of the games it should. The next step is to be consistently ranked and to win BE and NCAA tourney games. He’s had his recruiting classes come in now. Clock is ticking

We were ranked 14 of 18 weeks last year, is that not consistently ranked? We definitely need to start winning in March, but the regular season part is not a concern with Hurley

 

[mauconnfan]

Yep this is a consistently obnoxious take from a few on this board. No one is a doomer for stating that Hurley has done a great job with rousing the program out of its post-KO malaise, but that if his performance in the post season doesn’t improve (or heck, even to be consistently ranked and highly at that, which would make forgiving the losses in a single elimination tournament easier to bear) then it’s fair to question if he’s the best long term option at coach.

DH has gotten our program back to where it’s recruiting pretty well and winning a lot of the games it should. The next step is to be consistently ranked and to win BE and NCAA tourney games. He’s had his recruiting classes come in now. Clock is ticking

Consistently obnoxious? You know what else is making sure you get an Ollie mention in post 5-6 years later. He won a National title so why not ask our coach to make sure he doesn’t go one and out again?

 

[Waquoit]

When we were getting grief for never getting to the Final Four, we could always say we never lost in the first round. Until we didn't...to a 14th seed. Maybe it's not fair or healthy to think about, but winning the first tourney game is all this season is about. We could win the BET and everyone here will be talking about the next game.

 

[NJHoops]

It’s weird when y’all fight with each other and bring coaches who have nothing to do with your lil personal grudges into it. Like, really weird.

 

[Umami Zen]

FWIW.. If you followed JC's career growth and DH's.. At about DH's age --JC began to deliver NCs.. Just like players. Coaches evolve.

Perhaps DH is starting to get it figured out as he upgrades the talent on his roster