Queens College

[KhalidShockedTheWorld]

They were 13-13 last year, 10-8 in the Eastern Coast Conference, but they graduated 4 starters and have 6 freshmen and 4 sophomores on their team, and are very young.

This game preview from the Courant indicates Onuorah is injured and will not play, Wilson's status still is undetermined, and Ollie will continue to experiment with small ball, although the caveat to many of KO's comments in this article is you need guys to make 3 pointers for this theory of basketball to work on the court:

http://www.courant.com/sports/uconn-mens-basketball/hc-sp-uconn-men-advance-queens-1105-story.html

 

[KhalidShockedTheWorld]

KO mentions the OKC Thunder in that article and the one problem they have is that although Russell Westbrook is the best transition point guard in NBA history with the possible exception of Magic Johnson, he is a terrible 3 point shooter. A couple of years ago OKC, when they still had Durant, has a chance to beat Golden State and in the critical game in that series Westbrook sucked monkey balls and couldn’t hit any big shots, while Stephon Curry and Klay Thompson drained big 3 after big 3. This is the main difference between Curry and Westbrook. Curry is the best deep shooting point guard in NBA history and Westbrook is the best transition point guard in NBA history. Which one do you take? You take Curry of course. He is the one who has two championships and probably will win 2 or 3 more. Westbrook hasn’t won anything. I don’t know if he ever will. In big games in the NBA playoffs he has never been able to hit big shots when needed.

Small ball means you must have guys who can make 3s. Although OKC is very good I don’t think they make it past the western conference finals for this reason. I like the Houston Rockets more than OKC.

 

[the Blades]

I know you only care about offense ..... but small ball also means you can get destroyed down the other end of the court... both trying to defend normal size teams and on the boards.

 

[KhalidShockedTheWorld]

My point is that for the small ball theory of basketball to work for a team, the team has to make 3s. It works for the Warriors because they have the “Splash Brothers” who are the best pair of 3 point shooting guards the NBA has ever seen. Now lots of teams are trying to imitate them while doing so with guards that do not shoot as well and it’s not a recipe for success. On the college level you can win with size as North Carolina did last year, or you can win with small ball and/or great shooting as Villanova did 2 years ago when they shot the lights out for an entire NCAA tournament. If you don’t shoot well playing small ball then the defensive issues become a problem especially rebounding.

It’s onlh going to work for this UConn team if they shoot 37% or better on 3s as a team and also defend the 3 well. I don’t see the UConn team being good enough defensively to compensate for any shooting deficiencies (like the 2011 team was).

 

[KhalidShockedTheWorld]

I can't believe how many minutes Mike Noyes has played tonight. He has played rotation guy minutes.

 

[KhalidShockedTheWorld]

Big win for UConn 100-43, 20 Points for Carlton (Blades you wanted offense from the 5 and you got it), but 20 turnovers which is kind of sloppy against an opponent like this.

 

[KhalidShockedTheWorld]

Game summary and link to box score:

http://www.uconnhuskies.com/sports/m-baskbl/recaps/110517aaa.html

http://www.uconnhuskies.com/sports/m-baskbl/stats/2017-2018/exh1105.html

Only 7-21 on 3s, but UConn crushed Queens on the Boards 54-25 and forced 28 TOs, which are nice stats to see against a decidedly inferior opponent.

 

[the Blades]

Game summary and link to box score:

http://www.uconnhuskies.com/sports/m-baskbl/recaps/110517aaa.html

http://www.uconnhuskies.com/sports/m-baskbl/stats/2017-2018/exh1105.html

Only 7-21 on 3s, but UConn crushed Queens on the Boards 54-25 and forced 28 TOs, which are nice stats to see against a decidedly inferior opponent.

And that's putting it kindly...don't think there was much to gain from this game, accept maybe some of the new guys getting a little confidence... and that Larrier is still a rogue gunner and TO machine with his weak handle, who's gonna hurt this team at some point vs. a real opponent ( but KO did yank him out, I think on 2 occasions, after his cancerous play that had other guys start with the quick shot / gunning too) I noticed once he was out the ball movement got alot better..not that it mattered playin' that bunch of Queens( I mean from), LOL !

 

[the Blades]

One other note on the 2 Uconn home exhibition games...attendance was absolutely dismal .....3861 @ the XL and 3277 @ Gampel. This tells me last years suckfest has officially destroyed the season ticket holder fan base. Because season ticket holders have to buy these tickets whether they go or not... Pre KO Uconn pulling in over 10,000 for even an exhibition game wasn't unusual... Just for recent comparison these are the "mandatory purchase required" exhibition games attendance for the last 3 years @ each venue:
............................2016 / 2015 / 2014
GP- Attendance: 6305 / 7153 / 7129
XL- Attendance: 5826 / 7518 / 7109

 

[andersonfro]

70 points is mount Everest to this offense. People don't feel good about paying for the privilege apparently

 

[KhalidShockedTheWorld]

It all has to do with winning. Win some games and look promising doing it, and the attendance numbers will spike. UConn fans want to see a winner. I also note that the current team is largely a bunch of new guys who the fans do not yet identify with. I wouldn’t put too much stock into exhibition game numbers. This can turn around quickly if the fans get excited by a few wins.

The same thing happens even with well established professional teams. The NY Yankees attendance lagged the past few years but this year things turned around with a playoff team and the Home crowds were the most electric they have had since the mid 1990s or so. The same kind of turnaround can happen with UConn, although admittedly it could go in the other direction if the team sucks.

 

[the Blades]

It all has to do with winning. Win some games and look promising doing it, and the attendance numbers will spike. UConn fans want to see a winner. I also note that the current team is largely a bunch of new guys who the fans do not yet identify with. I wouldn’t put too much stock into exhibition game numbers. This can turn around quickly if the fans get excited by a few wins.

I would..... and take it from someone who knows because I'm there every year, every game........like I said this has everything to do with fans not buying season tickets at a record low. That's what going on. That base is the entire backbone of everything the Uconn AD does. The biggest promoter of any event is someone who has already spent their money on a ticket and who paid to go. I've already seen it in football and even in fair seasons the hoops team has been tanking too... but it also has to do with playing in the AAC with none of the local rivalries left... then add in losing and it's a double whammy...I can tell you the entire Uconn fan base is tanking at record levels across the board, including hockey.... so KO better turn this around fast, someone needs to do it ....

Calhoun's last 3 years:
2009-10 - 11685
2010-11 - 11569
2011-12 - 12640

KO's last 3 year's:
2014-15 -10957
2015-16 -10413
2016-17 - 8505

Also--- UConn Closes Rentschler Doors For 2017 With Record-Low Attendance Average