Xavier Post Game Thread

[scotty0330]

I feel like we have said this for three years now.

We have. It was bouk than Hawkins now castle

 

[AdamaNation]

Were back! That second half is UConn baby! This game will be a springboard for us!

With 2 zine schemes and the presses back. Yes!!! Newton to me was the big one as he kept us unit as best he could by going hard. Exactly what we needed. 10 turnovers as a team I think? Or close. Anyway. The entire plan in the 2nd was great and sanogo and Dre played as leaders from the back. Smartly

 

[JMick]

When the game is close they are simply unable to perform.

all of Hurley's teams have been bad in the last minute. it needs to get better.

 

[woofwoofL]

I don't think you can fairly say Hawkins is the "best" player in the conference, but he 100% is the player that needs to be game planned for more than anyone. His shooting absolutely changes the geometry of the game.

souley boum winning big east POY no player on UConn gonna win cuz a) even though they were good to start off the year--they're washed and cant defend & sanogo is overrated and he is a 6 foot 9 center. at least draymond green can pass--this guy cant pass at all. andre jackson throwing lobs he is magic johnson more like tragic brunson bruh.

 

[JMick]

People are happy with his result? With the coaching and play?

a lot of people are still in the bargaining phase.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

This may be an unpopular opinion but I believe that this game will pay dividends down the road.

I remember the 2008-2009 team seemed to be missing something, up through the BET. That squad was immensely talented and when things went well (which for that team was most of the time) they would roll the opponent. Where they had trouble was when games were tight, when grit, desire and basically will to fight as much as necessary in order to win was needed and in those games they would fall short. The six OT loss to Cuse toughened them up and showed them how hard they needed to play and how deep they needed to dig in order to win those games. If we won that game in regulation, I don't think we get to the final four that year.

The team could have easily mailed in the second half. Yes, we threw away a number of big offensive possessions over the last few minutes of this game but the team should now be far better for what they did tonight. I doubt they'll wilt the next time they get punched in the mouth.

 

[woofwoofL]

s

all of Hurley's teams have been bad in the last minute. it needs to get better.

Samson needs to develop into the next "Kevin durant or jayson tatum" I want it rn this team makes me sick. cant wait till stephon castle comes..

 

[HuskyFich]

Nah, I’m just done seeing the same thing happen every game. That 9-0 start Xavier had without Hurley taking a timeout or telling Jackson to stop shooting buried us.

Every. Team. Since GTown has played us the same and he refuses to change anything up. I’m sorry if I don’t like be content with being below seton hall

Done seeing it happen means You have blinders on. He changed it up, and Xavier had no answer in the second half outside of a 10-0 run in 1:30 of game clock. Which he did take the time out, but needed to get Newton and hawk some rest.

Blame foul shooting, blame Andres shooting, blame Sanogos defense.

Blame 1-13 on threes.

Maybe change up your narrative

 

[UCFan1513]

This team is good not great. Win 1 or 2 games in the tourney and it was at least a baby step in the right direction

 

[Palatine]

Hurley ran a perfect play against Seton Hall and Karaban got a wide open three. Nobody near him. He misses.

We cut it to one and then have two successive TOs. The moment has been too big for them.

 

[USNavyDog]

Also, Dan Hurley what was he thinking??? He call a timeout with 20 seconds to go...just half a second prior to Hawkins hitting a 2 poibt jumper that would've made the game 80-79....and giving them better odds of putting Xavier on yhe hook.

Also, nice free throw Newton. Hit the first one...fails to miss the second one to potentially tie the game on a Clingan or Sanogo put back.

 

[navery12]

We have. It was bouk than Hawkins now castle

And if you watched the game tonight, Hawkins is pretty special

 

[Hoophound]

Nah, I’m just done seeing the same thing happen every game. That 9-0 start Xavier had without Hurley taking a timeout or telling Jackson to stop shooting buried us.

Every. Team. Since GTown has played us the same and he refuses to change anything up. I’m sorry if I don’t like be content with being below seton hall

This is fair. I hope Dan takes some lessons from this game though. A little zone, more pressure and more use of his depth will pay dividends. We’ve got to use Alleyne, Calcaterra, Diarra etc. I don’t recall seeing Samson at all and I’d still even like to see Richie for a minute or two now and then. We have guys to play a very intense and rugged style but he’s got to deploy it and use those guys. We’ve got to wear people down.

 

[freshler40]

Hawkins charge,
Tristan travel.
Hurley calls a time out after a made basket.
Newton doesn't miss the second foul shot.

It just never ends!

Yes, some strange late game problems that hang around us. At least we were competitive and played hard. Nothing to hang our heads about.

 

[Milo65]

Better get us now, cause we’re coming

 

[MJKI]

Choosing to focus only on the second half. Newton is the answer at PG playing like that. Keep Hawk constantly moving. Press all game long. I left that game more confident in the team than before, loss be damnwd

 

[woofwoofL]

This may be an unpopular opinion but I believe that this game will pay dividends down the road.

I remember the 2008-2009 team seemed to be missing something, up through the BET. That squad was immensely talented and when things went well (which for that team was most of the time) they would roll the opponent. Where they had trouble was when games were tight, when grit, desire and basically will to fight as much as necessary in order to win was needed and in those games they would fall short. The six OT loss to Cuse toughened them up and showed them how hard they needed to play and how deep they needed to dig in order to win those games. If we won that game in regulation, I don't think we get to the final four that year.

The team could have easily mailed in the second half. Yes, we threw away a number of big offensive possessions over the last few minutes of this game but the team should now be far better for what they did tonight. I doubt they'll wilt the next time they get punched in the mouth.

Compare our team right now to the other teams in the NCAA Top 25. Our starters and bench aren't even close to depth and skill such as Ohio State, TCU, Alabama (how did we beat Alabama by almost 20?)

 

[NowInStorrs]

I don't really have anything to say. On to the next one I guess.

 

[Madmannsucks]

Here is what I have learned. The team is good. When they were winning they were winning big. No pressure. Tonight whe they could come back seemed like no one wathed the shot to tie or pull them ahead. Just my observation.

 

[1999GoodSon]

Hurley's teams can not close.

 

[NJHusky]

That didn't matter at the end. Our inability to play well when the game is one the line mattered.

How many times do we have to cut the lead to one only to freeze up?

If he is 1/7 we are up not down At the end. Having to erase a 15 pt deficit is a bit much to ask. If Hurley makes the second half adjustments at the first TO maybe we have a chance

 

[UConnSwag11]

Done seeing it happen means You have blinders on. He changed it up, and Xavier had no answer in the second half outside of a 10-0 run in 1:30 of game clock. Which he did take the time out, but needed to get Newton and hawk some rest.

Blame foul shooting, blame Andres shooting, blame Sanogos defense.

Blame 1-13 on threes.

Maybe change up your narrative

He buries us ever game and we have to fight our way back, and then people like you are content with it. It’s why UCONN hasn’t won any big games in over 5 years. The losing is exciting

 

[Tfoyle]

This team is dr jekyll mr hyde. Its frustrating to watch. Hoping they can put it all together soon.

 

[auror]

Hawk brought us back. He's a special, special shooter.

Jackson is the opposite of that. His inability to make a completely wide open 3 (on multiple attempts)... or a floater with a cushion... or a post up over a 6'4" unathletic guard. It puts us in such a bind on offense. It was paralyzing to the team. A completely wide open 3 by a wing/guard is a 1.3-1.5 expected point value shot. That's a legendary offense shot. You have to make at least 1 of 3. It's a practice gym shot.

Hurley's pre-adjustment was Jackson posting up Kunkel. He expected the sag, we had a counter, we've been working on it (it was the first play of the game vs. Butler, too). It's a very good matchup on paper. Jackson just doesn't have the skill to make it happen.

Eventually we just resorted to making Jackson a screener and letting Hawkins shoot off the screen or attack off the curl with no threat of a hedge or switch. That worked. We went at it like the Remember the Titans playbook, only 6 plays, keep running the same ones.

To Jackson's credit, he played well at the top of the zone in the 2nd half.

But everytime we got back into the game, we made a completely boneheaded play. The Jackson goaltend. The Hawkins shooting foul on a baseline midrange 2pt jumper. Newton travel. Hawkins charge. That's not coaching (unless you consider overactive defense/shot challenging mentality). If we make a few more plays, we win, despite them shooting 50% from 3 and Jackson