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KhalidShockedTheWorld

KhalidShockedTheWorld

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This team was 18-15 and 9-9 in Colonial Conference last year. They have won their opener 87-77 against Boston University, led by 30 points from senior guard TJ Williams and 20 points from senior forward Alex Murphy. This team has 3 players 6'10" or over and only lost by 1 point at Miami last year. So this does not look like an automatic win for UConn. Hopefully UConn will right the ship quickly because it's just over a week until Maui Classic and they can't leave wins on the table.
 
Just watched our replay now.

A lot of talent on the roster. I Just don't like our consistent defensive intensity and overall Bb IQ. The grittier, smarter team won the game last night. I'd like to chalk this one up to it's going to take take some time to gel and Wagner is pretty solid. However, I just don't trust the leadership of the program.

He's a great husky and a good guy, but a very average coach.
 
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I just saw them (Northeastern) today on a NESN replay. Alex Murphy is a 6 year post grad player who was a top 50 prospect in 2011 who who previously committed to Duke, played for 2 years, then 2 more at Florida. The NCAA granted him a waiver for an extra year because of injuries. His pops Jay Murphy was a CT prep star at Maloney in Meriden then played for BC in the early 80's.

NE plays small ball just like Wagner with a 3 guard offense, a wing and 1 big ...... meaning Ollie will be using his confused looking line-ups as he tries to match-up with them instead of using his roster to his own advantage. Oh and NE had it raining 3's at a good clip from what I saw...so unless KO starts tethering his perimeter defenders to the NE shooters with some 6ft rope I see the same defensive problem he had vs. New Haven and Wagner. Uconn losing their men like a bunch of kids chasing the ball playing gang soccer.... as they give up wide open 3's that will kill em'.

Beyond that if I see Ollie sleeping at the wheel, like a statue on the bench as his team falls behind, he needs to start looking into the mirror at himself. These are college kids who are learning on the fly, he needs to be on his feet coaching every possession like it was his last....kinda like he did when he was desperate for this job vs. Michigan St. in Germany...what ever happened to that guy ?....Losing another OOC game like this is not an option in my opinion, especially with an AAC schedule...so he'd better coach like it.
 
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Blades,

Thanks for that info. I remember Jay Murphy, as I recall he was around 6'9", a gangly type guy who shot lefty and was very long and had a nice touch.

Regarding the poor defensive switches and rotations against UNH and Wagner, I tend to think they are fixable issues but they need to get fixed in a hurry because if you do not defend the 3 at all you will lose against teams like this.

While you are upset about the slow defensive switches, and you have every right to be, I am more upset by the fact that UConn has 4 guys over 6'10" on their roster and none of them can get the job done against a team with no player bigger than 6'8". The collective production from our 4 athletic 6'10" or more bigs against Wagner was 4 points and 7 boards. This is a JOKE. It is almost incomprehensible to me that not one of these guys can step up. There is a huge problem with the big men in 2 of the first 3 games and it needs to be fixed or this team is doomed because those stats will absolutely not get it done in D-1 hoops.
 
KhalidShockedTheWorld said:
Regarding the poor defensive switches and rotations against UNH and Wagner, I tend to think they are fixable issues but they need to get fixed in a hurry because if you do not defend the 3 at all you will lose against teams like this.While you are upset about the slow defensive switches, and you have every right to be". .
Click to expand...

It's not even the switches, these guys have been sluffing way to far away into the FT lane because the ball is on the other side of the court....while leaving their own man
(no switches) standing alone on the opposite side court 3pt line, wide open over and over... then when these inferior teams, who are smarter than Uconn,
swing it across the court it's got the entire Uconn D scrambling back to cover for them..... causing everyone to get out of position, including rebounding position.
And I agree with you these bigs are weak enough rebounders as it is, but when you have everyone scrambling or having to run at shooters it creates even more
of a problem not only with the open shots. Everyone needs to just stay with their guy like white on rice between their man and the bucket, especially vs. small ball outside shooting teams. It cuts off passing lanes, forces tougher shots and helps rebounding position.
 
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I think UConn will bounce back from the standpoint of can they really play any worse than they did Friday? Outrebounded at home 37-33 by team with nobody over 6'8", 26% second half shooting, 9 assists and a collective 4 points and 7 rebounds out of the 4 bigs. Can it get any worse than that? This is not to mention the nonexistent perimeter D with wide open looks all game for Wagner.
 
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I guess things can only get better, I hope.......
KhalidShockedTheWorld said:
Outrebounded at home 37-33 by team with nobody over 6'8", 26% second half shooting, 9 assists and a collective 4 points and 7 rebounds out of the 4 bigs. Can it get any worse than that? .
Click to expand...
I guess our talk in the past about Jake and a Bigman coach is reaching fever pitch with Uconn fans over on TOS:
link: A true big man coach
link: Jake Voskuhl
 
the Blades said:
I guess things can only get better, I hope.......

I guess our talk in the past about Jake and a Bigman coach is reaching fever pitch with Uconn fans over on TOS:
link: A true big man coach
link: Jake Voskuhl
Click to expand...

It has to happen. Somebody reported that Jake is living down in Fairfield County, this guy is absolutely without any doubt whatsoever the most fundamentally sound 5 that played at UConn in the last 35 years and I agree with all that is said in those posts. Hire him. He could rebound, he boxed out, he set screens and never got called for these pussy offensive fouls that you see Brimah and Enoch get called for because they are shuffling their feet whereas Jake planted his feet and was a wall. Plus he was always looking upcourt as soon as he ripped down a board and I remember him many times hitting Rickey Moore or Khalid or Rashamael Jones (who was awesome in transition) right on the money and in stride. As I recall Jake's father was a basketball coach and he taught his son to play basketball the proper way. Now Jake can give back that gift to these guys who so badly need to be taught how to play basketball like UConn bigs should play. Someone should just pick up the phone and call him, maybe Freeman or Moore.
 
I've seen Jake at the gym in Norwalk a few years ago.

If it got bad enough, what are the chances Calhoun pulls a Bill Snyder and tries to make a run with this team? Maybe Ollie is better suited for the NBA.
 
Worst case scenario is that Ollie is fired and Calhoun brought back until another successor is groomed, but I am not ready to pull the plug on KO yet. He can't allow the rebounding thing to go on much longer because this team must rebound well to be successful so I feel like if Jake is still in Norwalk, then someone should really be talking to him.

We will see how it goes the next few weeks, it is still early and no reason to push any panic buttons yet.
 
I was ready for a fresh start and I root for Ollie. But whining to Ricky Moore during games is not going to help with winning.
 
There seems to be this notion that if Ollie was yelling and screaming and berating there would have been a different result. I don't think so. What the team needs to do is look a little bit better prepared and play with better effort. Ollie was looking to keep things simple for them. It's a team learning on the fly so let's see what happens the next few weeks.
 
Khalid, I don't want that either(screaming and yelling). But if a guy isn't playing hard or intelligently, sit him down. This is a very deep squad.

And since they don't seem to the brightest group, maybe get off his @$$ and communicate to them what he wants during the game, instead of just sitting there and griping with his assistants. It's great that he treats his players as men, but if he shows some urgency, maybe his kids will too.

It's one game, no need to panic. However, I'd understand if they just showed some rust and they did, but to come out with not enough energy is alarming, especially in the first game.
 
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CaNOLEE said:
Khalid, I don't want that either(screaming and yelling). But if a guy isn't playing hard or intelligently, sit him down. This is a very deep squad.

And since they don't seem to the brightest group, maybe get off his @$$ and communicate to them what he wants during the game, instead of just sitting there and griping with his assistants. It's great that he treats his players as men, but if he shows some urgency, maybe his kids will too.

It's one game, no need to panic. However, I'd understand if they just showed some rust and they did, but to come out with not enough energy is alarming, especially in the first game.
Click to expand...
+1....You nailed it...he continues to sleep on the bench in to many games.....especially for someone like me who's actually seen a different type of energy from about 10 rows away from the Uconn bench for the last 26 years at Gampel....( stuff you don't always see on the TV camera's)....they need him locked in on his feet pulling them through these games, a QB on the sidelines keeping these kids on edge to play the game right because they're still learning, not just sitting there like a frickin' victim until they're down 10 points.

And if they can't respond or don't get it pull them out......He had some very animated conversation with certain guys during time outs vs. Wagner, but it never seemed to
have enough effect....plus the other thing I saw was one ref in particular who seemed to bail out Wagner a bunch of times with late whistles on iffy fouls. But trust me Adams in particular got hit on more than a few drives, he gave the same ref a few words (as I & some fans did too) but there is KO just sitting there sleeping at the wheel.....so KO needs to pick his engagement and energy, these are 18-19 year old college kids that it can have an impact with....he's not coaching grown men like those he played with in the NBA. We all know Calhoun was over the top with this stuff but that's why he's a HOF'er and willed his team through plenty of wins.... but he's not the only one......watch Coach K or a guy like Cronin ( who probably gets more out of his talent than anyone in the AAC) or any great college coach.... they understand that you have to lean, scratch & fight for every call & for every play ( not just recruit players with the most stars) and their teams play like it.
 
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KhalidShockedTheWorld said:
You are right that they are not the brightest group. Anyway, the line for tonight's game is UConn -12 according to VI, which may embolden some money to go on to the Huskies from Boston:
http://www.vegasinsider.com/college-basketball/odds/las-vegas/
Click to expand...
I guess the bettors in Vegas are going the other way and laying the points/taking Uconn.... the line has gone up from the 12 point open to 12.5/ 13 at the reported books....
which means they probably didn't see what we saw......so I hope the money knows more than us...
 
Blades, I totally agree, we get such a shit whistle, especially when you consider we've won 4 rings in the last 17 years. The squeaky wheel gets the oil. Ollie has played at the highest level with guys like Lebron and KD, maybe bickering with American conference refs is beneath him. That must be reserved for sports nerds like Cronin.
 
We are losing again for the EXACT same reason we lost game one.......lack of rebounding, effort, smarts, etc...... How does this happen ?
 
Does he survive 1-6? because that's what we are looking at.

They should make a movie about our last national championship and call it 'weekend at Ollie's'.
 
This is the most disappointing play I have ever witnessed from a UConn basketball team. There is no intensity, no desire, no leadership, no continuity. The basic fundamentals they are not even doing and they are just getting flat out beat. It doesn't matter what you are ranked, if you have UConn on the front of their jersey, it's how you take advantage of every opportunity on the floor and play smart. This team is just so sad to watch and the effort is not even there. Starting 0-2 for the first time in 48 years, losing two straight home games at Gampel for the first time in school history, and it's to Wagner and Northeastern. If you do not rebound the ball and defend, you will not win any games and I do not care who you play. Rodney Purvis should be coming off the bench for the rest of the season and everyone else really needs a reality check.

I am going to be at the game this Thursday in Los Angeles and now all of a sudden I am not even confident we can win that game either until this team proves otherwise. Very tough to be a UConn fan right now.
 
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I'll raise you, id love to see Jim Calhoun coach this team.

Gilbert isn't perfect, but he has heart. Mini Kemba.

Larrier is a 6'8 Rodney purvis. His #'s look good, except the ones in the win-loss column.
 
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Well.......It shouldn't be the talent that gets blamed. Ollie can say what he wants and all this JUICE BS and playing for the name on the front and not on the back but until I see anything with his recruits and not JC's I blame him 100% and he deserves to be on the hot seat.

At least the girls know how to play hard and with pride......big win for them today.
 
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It was a really bad display two straight games, bad rebounding, bad defense, and bad 3 point shooting for 2 games- basically all around bad. I did not see this coming, this team has no chemistry and their offense looks totally disjointed. They will not beat anyone playing like this, home or away.

UConn girls tonight at least redeemed somewhat and played like winners at the end of that game against a great opponent.
 
I have seen far worse games......we can win games scoring that low but the defense is just SAD.

Brimah is a terrible player. I know he had blocks but the absolute digression of his offensive game is incredible really. Enoch plays for a national team and plays big then comes here and is REALLY bad. Facey........what a miss on that 4 star rating......he is terrible with no IQ whatsoever.

I just dont get it and would be totally in favor of playing just freshman and Adams or Larrier. Sit Purvis, Brimah, Facey and Enoch for the rest of the year.
 






KO, you should take a look at yourself on the Bench. You look very comfortable sitting there like an assistant accepting a physically soft, weak minded team without an ounce of BB IQ that will continue to lose.....that's on you coach, this is what you have created, even Shonn Miller and Gibbs who saved your ass plenty of times last year
weren't developed by you and your weak ass staff....so you should be:


 
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Maybe it's time to hire another Northeastern coach......or someone with a pulse.....I think we have an imposter at the head of the bench ...probably a good recruiter and assistant but after 6th place finishes 2 years in a row in this inferior AAC and now this start what has he done with the guys he's recruited?

from CBS :
Ranked #235. Northeastern
Give this program two years and it should be set up to be top-three in the CAA once again. There's not a lot for Bill Coen to work with this season.

 
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So where does UConn go from here?????? How will they address what has been a severe rebounding problem, I mean 17 offensive rebounds is ridiculous???? I would have liked to see Diarra play more but he is hurt. I don't know if Ollie will keep tinkering with the starting lineup but I think Adams and Gilbert and Larrier all have to start and he has tried using the various bigs with nobody really getting the job done. I worry about the team losing its confidence and these losses setting a bad tone for the rest of the season. They could start 1-6 and never be able to recover from it unless they get hot and win the AAC tournament late. They actually may end up needing to do that which I did not think possible. But unfortunately based on what we have seen so far this could be a long and painful season.
 
I would say UConn must seriously consider a coaching change if this season keeps going the way it is. Its looking like once again next year we won't have good bigs and none of these players are really developing like we are used to seeing.
 
I would give it to the end of the semester with Ollie and if there is no improvement seen then a change may have to be made. If you fire KO you fire the whole staff or else make Killings interim coach. If Calhoun is available and is receptive the former option could be the way to go.

They at a minimum should bring on a new big man coach immediately, Jake Voskul or someone who is proven.
 
However, I still have not lost hope. If we can win the Maui invitational it will completely change the season. HAVE to WIN on Thursday to gain confidence and then hope the Basketball Gods smile on us in Hawaii!
 
I haven't given up yet either and I say give it to the end of December and if no improvement fire the coaching staff.
 
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