Why UConn needs to take step in NCAA Tournament

[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

 

[Deleted at users request]

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.

 

[Deleted at users request]

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.

Dan Hurley 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.

Dan Hurley 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.

Dan Hurley 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 Dan Hurley's.. At about Dan Hurley's age --JC began to deliver NCs.. Just like players. Coaches evolve.

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

 

[mauconnfan]

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.

I’m not fighting just talking UConn hoops and expectations. When people assume things are asinine or constantly obnoxious because it’s not in agreement with their thoughts, I just stray a little. Plus I think we need to just get basketball started our discussions will lean more towards the players soon.

 

[PAHusky]

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?

Huh?

 

[auror]

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

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

Dan has another 8 years to get to the same age as Calhoun's first title. But he's about the same age as dream season JC.

 

[mauconnfan]

Huh?

You wouldn’t understand. No worries lol

 

[PAHusky]

You wouldn’t understand. No worries lol

Oh no I got it, just thought that was the only appropriate response to your unnecessary white knight defense of KO, who I mentioned in passing simply to reference the start of Hurley’s tenure and didn’t attack at all. Lol

 

[freescooter]

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.

Dan Hurley 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

That’s it exactly. You can’t lose game 1 in the tournament to a worse seed every year and be a great coach. My biggest concern about Hurley is that my URI friend (former player who remains very involved) said in big time spots he spits the bit. My second is that he has a Seton Hall world view…the NCAA tournament is good enough. I can tell you that from his first day on campus Calhoun was trying to figure out how to win it all. I doubt Hurley even considers it.

 

[husky429]

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??

Because it's a different skill he didn't develop at any early age on his own.

 

[BlueMAB]

I can tell you that from his first day on campus Calhoun was trying to figure out how to win it all. I doubt Hurley even considers it.

 

[Waquoit]

Shooting practice is a lot more fun than dribbling practice.

 

[superjohn]

That’s it exactly. You can’t lose game 1 in the tournament to a worse seed every year and be a great coach. My biggest concern about Hurley is that my URI friend (former player who remains very involved) said in big time spots he spits the bit. My second is that he has a Seton Hall world view…the NCAA tournament is good enough. I can tell you that from his first day on campus Calhoun was trying to figure out how to win it all. I doubt Hurley even considers it.

You could fuel the Hudson with all your verbal diarrhea.

 

[Umami Zen]

You could fuel the Hudson with all your verbal diarrhea.

Yo. .Easy SJ.. Hudson River is a prominent river that has a lot of strong history(commerce) in the Northeast .. Don't need any additional "stuff" standing in the way of progress.

 

[freescooter]

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

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

FWIW, Calhoun took Northeastern to the 2nd round of the tournament in their 1st year of eligibility. They just transitioned to D1 and we’re ineligible under the rules at the time their firs D1 year. Won their league though. He won as many NCAA tournament games at Northeastern than Hurley has won In his career. Went to the Elite Eight in his 4th year. Plus won an NIT in his second. Please don’t compare a guy who to date has been a pretty good coach to one of the all time greats in the sport.

 

[Psolo12]

Please don’t compare a guy who to date has been a pretty good coach to one of the all time greats in the sport.

You're literally the only one who compares Hurley to Calhoun. We know Hurley isn't Calhoun, basically no one is or ever could be. Just appreciate that he's a very good coach who could be great.

 

[Umami Zen]

FWIW, Calhoun took Northeastern to the 2nd round of the tournament in their 1st year of eligibility. They just transitioned to D1 and we’re ineligible under the rules at the time their firs D1 year. Won their league though. He won as many NCAA tournament games at Northeastern than Hurley has won In his career. Went to the Elite Eight in his 4th year. Plus won an NIT in his second. Please don’t compare a guy who to date has been a pretty good coach to one of the all time greats in the sport.

The comment was made relative to Dan Hurley's age at this time ..Still "young" .. And the relative age of JC as his career began to take off.. It would be silly to compare their careers at this point.. Strictly an age comment

 

[freescooter]

You're literally the only one who compares Hurley to Calhoun. We know Hurley isn't Calhoun, basically no one is or ever could be. Just appreciate that he's a very good coach who could be great.

So far Hurley has shown himself to be a solid mid-major coach who has been pretty ordinary at the major level. Highest finish in the league has been 3rd. New Big East Tournament best finish semi finals. NCAA two bids: 0-2. You could probably replace him with 25 other pretty good major conference coaches and end up with a similar result. Or just accept that he is going to be Herb Sendek.