LIU Sharks

[KhalidShockedTheWorld]

Long Island U, now known as the Sharks, is according to the Ken Pom rankings #274, making them the highest KenPom rated team UConn has faced to date. However, LIU is 0-2 having lost to San Francisco by 34 and Fresno State by 24. They do have a player who can provide the necessary beef to match up with Sanogo in 6'8", 240 pound Isaac Kante, so it the first team Sanogo will have a fair fight against.

There is a part of me that wants to fast forward through this game and Binghamton and go right to the BOA opener against Auburn, because UConn is not threatened with a loss here. If there are some positives in playing this game it will hopefully be to get some game action for Hawkins, possibly playing Gaffney and Cole together for long stretches to see how the team looks, and hoping for some continued progress/development for AJ beyond his rebounding work.

 

[the Blades]

Long Island U, now known as the Sharks, is according to the Ken Pom rankings #274, making them the highest KenPom rated team UConn has faced to date. However, LIU is 0-2 having lost to San Francisco by 34 and Fresno State by 24. They do have a player who can provide the necessary beef to match up with Sanogo in 6'8", 240 pound Isaac Kante, so it the first team Sanogo will have a fair fight against.

Yep, he plays major minutes at the 5 so, it'll be interesting to see someone who can bang with him down low. Other interesting match-up is Flowers 6-9 forward from Sacred Heart in Waterbury, who takes a ton of 3's. Will need Whaley to show his D and versatilty out to the 3pt line. Head Coach is former Umass PG- Derek Kellogg ( who spent a bunch of time on staff with Calipari then went back to be HC of Umass until he was fired in 2017)

...WED--- Nov. 17---6:30pm @ Gampel ----TV: FS2

LIU numbers-( click image)

 

[the Blades]

 

[KhalidShockedTheWorld]

A truly embarrassing first half display of post defense by the UConn bigs against Isaac Kante, but the best half of basketball Andre Jackson has played at UConn. All things considered it wasn't a great half but it wasn't terrible. LIU only scored 22 although about 20 of those seemed to be by Kante. Maybe they should play a triangle and 2 if they can't defend him without fouling.

Kante actually had 16 of 22 points scored by LIU. The rest of the Sharks had very little bite.

 

[KhalidShockedTheWorld]

Someone must have harassed Martin about his 1 assist per game production last year as he has now achieved a second consecutive 2 assist game. He has doubled his assist production so far. Most of his assists have come on bailout passes when his drives were cut off, but it's better than a TO.

 

[KhalidShockedTheWorld]

Richie Springs played his best minutes in a UConn uniform tonight. He is a terror on the O-boards.

 

[KhalidShockedTheWorld]

 

[KhalidShockedTheWorld]

 

[KhalidShockedTheWorld]

 

[CaNOLEE]

We’ve played cupcakes so far, but they are definitely better than last season.

a lot of answers right now and I like the mix of gritty vets and the young talent.

 

[KhalidShockedTheWorld]

One thing I can say is that even in cupcake games, it's been a long time since I have seen a game against a cupcake team where UConn in the second half pulled away as explosively as it did in the second half. The wearing down of the Sharks with UConn's superior depth was evident and the 53 point final margin, apart from being the second of 3 games in which the margin of victory was over 50, was the largest victory margin by UConn in any game since a 56 point win in the 1st round of the 2009 NCAA tournament. That's a long time and many games.

I think the 3 point shooting of this team is still a question mark. Polley's 2 of 8 and his general very slow start shooting the ball is a disappointment. Also disappointing was the post defense first half when Whaley, Sanogo and Akok took turns being abused by Kante. But Kante only scored 1 point second half.

The biggest positive I take from the game is the play of AJ, who had 3 of the 5 ESPN highlight plays from this game (Sanogo's driving dunk and Hawkins' and one were the other two). AJ really looks to me like a potential main man player especially if he makes a few 3s here and there. The only issue with his stat line last night was 1 assist which I think was an aberration.

From the little I saw of Hawkins he looks like a clear rotation player. He has a nice shot and looked aggressive, although I thought he did take one bad shot and I think they will need to coach his shot selections.

I hope the team isn't wanting to fast forward through Saturday's game and mentally check into the Atlantis before they get there, although having stayed at Atlantis I would be doing so if I was on the team. They need to take care of business Saturday and hopefully they will.

 

[KhalidShockedTheWorld]

Hurley: AJ is "Best Athlete I Have Ever Coached"

UConn’s Andre Jackson, ‘the best athlete I’ve ever coached,’ per Dan Hurley, leads blowout victory

Andre Jackson, ‘the best athlete I’ve ever coached,’ per Dan Hurley, did a little...

www.nhregister.com

 

[the Blades]

We’ve played cupcakes so far, but they are definitely better than last season.

a lot of answers right now and I like the mix of gritty vets and the young talent.

+1 CaN, that's what Uconn is supposed to be doing to these teams.. Not losing to teams like Wagner and Northeastern back to back to open the season, Or needing OT to beat Columbia. Or even a team like St, Joes a few years ago when Gilbert and Vital decided to use a skill they learned from that clown KO. And it was OK to shoot their team out of the game.

I'm also happy for games like these to bring along the young pups, they look like they need it.

 

[the Blades]

Yeah KSTW, regarding allowing that one big to do some damage in the first hald. Sanogo seemed to be off a little in the first half, even sleep walking, to the point he wasn't even aware he left him wide open under the basket for a full court pass. Glad they turned that issue around on Kante in the second, when he didn't get squat and it looked like he got double blocked by Sanogo and Akok. They also shut down both their top scorers on 4-17 shooting. But despite the competion, good to see them get different guys going too and allowing everyone to get a feel and a little confidence, before the real games start. Unlike last year with the Covid start and stop.