Will Cooley have a surprise for Hurley on Thursday?

[navery12]

Be proactive, Hurley needs to throw something new at Cooley. Put Sanogo at the 4, and Clingan at the 5, along with Newton, Hawkins and Jackson or Karaban. I don’t think Cooley would solve this puzzle until UConn was up by 15.

We tried this against Providence in the 1st matchup and got outscored in those minutes and lost

 

[RayIsTheGOAT]

Experimenting with a 9 mpg bench player in the biggest game of the season? Sign me up

If that’s Cooley’s big surprise answer to us, then he has thrown in the towel.

Or, rather, is about to put the towel around his shoulder (if you know what I mean).

 

[huskiemix]

Cooley is the most overrated coach in the big east and possibly the country, no worries!

 

[gtcam]

When a team is against a do or die situation there are a ton of variables a good coach (Cooley) will have in his back pocket. He knew going into the last match-up it was not do or die but the Seton Hall loss changed everything for PC. IF PC is healthy and game this is not the match up UConn wants as its initial NBE test.
Carter or Hopkins can go on a scoring binge. They have proven they can pressure and we all have to be honest and admit that this UConn team doesn’t react well when hurried.
On the flip side UConn has some mojo and PC may not. UConn has the size and has some talent advantages. IF UConn grabs a nice 15 plus point lead, PC is not really a comeback type team. UConn defense is the most important factor of this game. Also UConn has to take advantage of the size advantages it has.
If UConn wins it will be by a minimum 9 points. If PC wins it will be less than 4 pts and could be an overtime game. Win this and I see a great post season run.
Let’s go UConn

 

[prankster]

I want to like this post, but then I remember Toriano Walker dominating against Georgetown in the '90 Big East tourney when we won for the first time. Or Samuel having the game of his life when we upset 'Nova on the way to our '14 'ship.

IMHO, Toraino dominated for 2 reasons.

1. He had been handed the opportunity of his college bball career, responsibility to fill in for an injured teammate, against Georgetown, in the BET.

2. He was a completely unknown quantity that JC threw at JT. No film. No opportunity to plan against. Just this superbly strong and well conditioned power forward, suddenly unleashed and playing like an absolute maniac.

Unlikely to have happened then. Just as unlikely to happen now.

 

[huskyjawz]

I want to like this post, but then I remember Toriano Walker dominating against Georgetown in the '90 Big East tourney when we won for the first time. Or Samuel having the game of his life when we upset 'Nova on the way to our '14 'ship.

Toraino dominated against Cuse in the final too.

 

[August_West]

If that’s Cooley’s big surprise answer to us, then he has thrown in the towel.

Or, rather, is about to put the towel around his shoulder (if you know what I mean).

Cooley is the most overrated coach in the big east and possibly the country, no worries!

I see we never learn. This was the kind of prattle we had going here when we were 14-1 heading into the Dunk and then got whopped.

 

[ElGreco]

If I remember correctly Cooley called UConn fans “arrogant and spoiled” and there will be a different outcome if we meet in MSG. Hope those actual quotes are on the bulletin board

 

[gsmooth]

The only possible change might be Floyd Jr starting in place of Locke. As many PeeCee fans are alluding to I’m hoping they are mentally and physically fatigued and perhaps there is some friction within the team and they don’t fully recover quickly. We may be in their heads too. I think we ran them ragged last game and remember their top 2 guards wearing down chasing Hawkins while being well guarded by our taller guards. In Hurley and staff we trust.

LMFAO. If they do that I will breathe a sigh of relief especially if it means Locke's minutes go down dramatically. Noah Locke can absolutely get on fire and change the outcomes of games, he worries me a lot. Floyd Jr cannot at this point in his career, not even close.

 

[gsmooth]

I dunno, it may be an upgrade, seriously. Their defense has been in the dumpster at the guard position. Locke and Bynum cant guard anyone.

Locke's defense isn't all that great, but his offense is way better than Floyd's. I would be absolutely relieved if Locke's minutes go way down. It's the same thing with Bynum and Alyn Breed. Breed is the better defender, but he is no where near the offensive threat that Bynum is. Bynum can absolutely take over games (i.e. win at Nova's home court in early Feb).

 

[WhereistheDove?]

We tried this against Providence in the 1st matchup and got outscored in those minutes and lost

Hopkins is just a terrible matchup for Sanogo.

 

[gsmooth]

No way. Providences' defensive woes are at the guard spots all are weak. especially Bynum and Locke. except for Carter who is exceptional. Hopkins is not defending well either, make him guard dont gift him with a 4 who doesnt play 4.

Hopkins isn't a good defender at all and I am sure the scouting report on Jerome Hunter (Xavier) and KC Ndefo (Seton Hall) was for him to leave those guys to shoot from outside for fear of their dribble penetration. He overreacts to that and doesn't stand within 7 feet of them and they make their outside shots a 2 times. If UConn can design some plays early for Karaban to drive, not really his game I know, and Karaban scores or draws fouls on Hopkins this will open up Karaban's outside shot for the rest of the game-Hopkins won't play tight D on Karaban on the perimeter.

 

[HailUConn]

The key for us to win is Hurley and Andre don’t lose their head. Hurley is head of dog and Andre is the glue guy. No disrespect to Cooley and his team, they don’t matter.

UConn goes as they go.

 

[August_West]

The key for us to win is Hurley and Andre don’t lose their head. Hurley is head of dog and Andre is the glue guy. No disrespect to Cooley and his team, they don’t matter.

UConn goes as they go.

Add Newton to that. He doesnt have to be a rockstar but he cannot be a ghost. Those are the 3.

 

[prankster]

If I remember correctly Cooley called UConn fans “arrogant and spoiled” and there will be a different outcome if we meet in MSG. Hope those actual quotes are on the bulletin board

One thing to remember.....

Cooley is coaching against Coach Hurley and the Huskies team.

He is not coaching against the fans.

 

[Kembacity]

Hopkins isn't a good defender at all and I am sure the scouting report on Jerome Hunter (Xavier) and KC Ndefo (Seton Hall) was for him to leave those guys to shoot from outside for fear of their dribble penetration. He overreacts to that and doesn't stand within 7 feet of them and they make their outside shots a 2 times. If UConn can design some plays early for Karaban to drive, not really his game I know, and Karaban scores or draws fouls on Hopkins this will open up Karaban's outside shot for the rest of the game-Hopkins won't play tight D on Karaban on the perimeter.

Watch the highlights of our last game, Karaban definitely made drives on Hopkins and I’m guessing it was a coaching strategy to try to get fouls on him or just wear him out, make sure he’s working.

I’ve felt like Hurley has been coaching his ass off lately so I’m expecting us to come out crisp and hungry. If our shots don’t fall it’s anyone’s game but if we play like we have as of late, and hit shots, sorry PC but it’s over

 

[Fishy]

I think there is a good chance we see a ton of Floyd, that is an Ed move. Spring a kid who has added motivation against former team.

He’s hit one basket in 26 minutes against us so far.

Go ahead and spring that on us again.

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

They are going to be a desperate desperate team. They will push, they will grab, they will flop, they will talk, they will whine, they will bark at Jonathon. We need to be mentally tough more so than anything they’ll do basketball wise to us.

 

[HooperScooper]

Del's Lemonade?

Just better not be that disgusting Rhode Island tomato pizza. Giving a CT guy that stuff is really disrespectful.

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

The OP is a head fake, and more than half the comments are people leaving their feet.

 

[ElGreco]

They are going to be a desperate desperate team. They will push, they will grab, they will flop, they will talk, they will whine, they will bark at Jonathon. We need to be mentally tough more so than anything they’ll do basketball wise to us.

I expect us to be ready. PC has many issues at this point plus we are a matchup problem for them. In Hurley we trust. “We are New York” and we will have a new legend

 

[alphasigko]

Corey Floyd. Jr will start!

 

[FfldCntyFan]

The way I see it the best thing we can do is play an uptempo game early (as long as we maintain balance on defense) as we should start building a lead in the first half. Viewing how their past few games have gone, I can see them completely unraveling at some point if a) they are trailing and b) they start believing they are overmatched.

 

[ElGreco]

Hopkins is just a terrible matchup for Sanogo.

We have figured it out from the first meeting. Things have changed.

 

[Rico444]

They are going to be a desperate desperate team. They will push, they will grab, they will flop, they will talk, they will whine, they will bark at Jonathon. We need to be mentally tough more so than anything they’ll do basketball wise to us.

This 100%. Bottom line is, we're better, and this will be a great barometer for the NCAAs.