Seton Hall Game and Roster Update

[KhalidShockedTheWorld]

This blog update from Ian indicates Cole and Martin are a go today (although Cole may have Covid legs) and Sanogo may not be due to a new hamstring injury suffered against Marquette that has limited him in practice:

What will UConn men’s basketball’s roster look like against Seton Hall?

www.theuconnblog.com

Apart from that it is not known what the depth will be for today's game. It's a lot to overcome on the road against a very good team.

 

[CaNOLEE]

We just hate playing from ahead. Get a 8/9 point lead and then immediately always give it back. Silly unforced turnovers, poor defense, etc…

That gets you beat on the road against a good team with a home whistle.

 

[CaNOLEE]

And Gaffney needs to learn that defense will get him critical minutes. He’s not Ja Morant. We need more Ricky Moore.

He has the size, it comes down to will. This little guard with Uconn parents is getting anything he wants. And Cole has to drive the bus offensively. We need a stopper.

 

[the Blades]

And there we have it......the game is lost with a typical dumb as a sack of rocks offensiveness set. Give the ball to a player (Martin) 25 feet from the hoop who won't use, can't or picks up his dribble. Instead of going to the hoop to get the D back on their heels, he gets double teamed, nobody even comes to the ball to bail him out except Sanogo who just wants to screen & brings nothing but more traffic to him to create a steal... game set and match......... Nice play Dan.....

It's the same BS every time they play hot potato 25 feet from the hoop, with the ball in the wrong guys hands, they create huge swings for the other team...this time it cost them a game.
(PS SETON HALL had no problem attacking the hoop....over and over and over......)

 

[KhalidShockedTheWorld]

UConn lost this game on defense. Seton Hall shot 56%, probably over 60% second half and Kadary Richmond and Bryce Aiken penetrated and scored at will. Richmond I think had 25 second half points and lit up everyone UConn put on him. I think UConn had Covid legs late especially on D. There were some very bad halfcourt sets late in the game, for sure, but the first half I thought UConn played their best offensive half of the year- their halfcourt offense was excellent. Basically terrible D second half lost this game. SHU guards lit UConn up plain and simple.

 

[the Blades]

Yep...holding the ball 25 feet away with the clock running down is clueless ball.

“With Ike fronting him, there’s an opportunity to drive it, with the shot-blocker now out of position to contest at the rim,” Hurley explained. “I think Tyrese stayed with it a little bit longer, then pass-faked. That created another lane for him to drive it. I think maybe a little bit of fatigue there, with the decision-making by ‘Rese.”

 

[KhalidShockedTheWorld]

I think that Hurley's comment that Tyrese got fatigued with his decision-making is somewhat on point. If you watch this replay, Tyrese had an open driving lane initially, but looked like he wanted to get the ball to Sanogo, who was not open. But Tyrese delayed on what to do and dribbled too much, and by the time Sanogo saw he was in trouble and came over to screen, Martin was already trapped and had nowhere to go. The time to drive was at the beginning of this sequence- he just dawdled too long with the ball, sort of like a football QB in the pocket who does not get rid of the ball quickly- only bad things are going to happen when the defense sees an indecisive player hanging on to the ball:

 

[KhalidShockedTheWorld]

Tyrese in that sequence above is an experienced enough player to know that the first option is likely to be taken away and he had to go to the hole as soon as he recognized that.

 

[CaNOLEE]

The last play of regulation and OT we’re inexcusable, Blades. But I’m with KEA on this one. You can’t let the team dribble drive at will and shoot 60%.

That’s not winning or Uconn basketball. It’s why we give up leads so easily. We let other teams score quickly in bunches.

You keep seeing signs to be optimistic, but at some point you are what you are. Barring a hot streak in March.

I would have tried Jackson on their little guard to attempt to slow him down..Since we don’t have a small stopper. We could have used BAdams in a few of these games this year.

 

[the Blades]

All good points by both of you guys, my post was just the frustration of setting up a final play that sucked. And they become so challenged they can't even get a shot off when they need to. And how the offense can get stalled in DH's sets, so far from the hoop. But outside of that it isn't the only issue as you guys mention.

It's just sad to see to this team keep blowing ( now 4) games by a few points. What seems to happen in all these crunch time loses is exactly what the pre season narrative was. Uconn has no one they can clear out for at the end and be the big shot maker. Therefore they look like a ship without a rudder when they need a hoop.

 

[KhalidShockedTheWorld]

Register report:

UConn falls to Seton Hall in overtime: ‘Proud of way we played, but we’ve got to stop losing’

UConn played hard and well in its first game in 17 days, but it ended with another...

www.nhregister.com

 

[the Blades]

sort of like a football QB in the pocket who does not get rid of the ball quickly- only bad things are going to happen when the defense sees an indecisive player hanging on to the ball:

This happens alot in DH's motion offense, because it's like an offensive lineman getting stuck with the ball
15 yards behind the line of scrimmage, because that's part of the play, by design in his offense. When the O is working like in the first half the ball is moving quick, towards the hoop and off the dribble. But give it to a QB and everyone else clear out in crunch time ! At least they'd get the pass/shot off !

SMH, all this team would need is a Jalen Adams and they would've been undefeated with a playmaker like him. To bad JA got stuck and frustrated wasting his college career with a clown like KO, a bunch of clueless shot chuckers like Larrier / Gilbert and the Eric Cobb /David Onuorah's of the world as bigs.

 

[the Blades]

I think that Hurley's comment that Tyrese got fatigued with his decision-making is somewhat on point.

BTW, I call BS on DH's fatigue nonsense. They just came out of a 2 minute timeout and rest. They only had one play to run and now he's fatigued ? All I think that statement from Hurley was... came down to a CYA on a terrible set and not throwing his player completly under the bus because it was such pathetic execution and obviously communication after having a whole TO to set something up.

 

[KhalidShockedTheWorld]

If Cole had not fouled out of the game, Martin would not have had the ball in his hands in that stituation. Cole would have had the ball, and he would have given UConn a better chance for non-fatigued decision making and a possible foul going to the hole. Although not dynamic in the mold of Jalen Adams, Cole is crafty and can use his body to draw fouls.

I think there is no denying that the late game "winning time" situations have not looked good in the 4 losses, but they did not get enough stops in the second half to win that game. The last Seton Hall possession in which Richmond scored on Whaley, who was not playing bad defense, kind of summarized the whole second half. Some of it was bad defense, a lot of it was Aiken and Richmond making outstanding one on one moves and drives to the hole.

 

[KhalidShockedTheWorld]

BTW, I call BS on DH's fatigue nonsense. They just came out of a 2 minute timeout and rest. They only had one play to run and now he's fatigued ? All I think that statement from Hurley was... came down to a CYA on a terrible set and not throwing his player completly under the bus because it was such pathetic execution and obviously communication after having a whole TO to set something up.

I think they did set up a play for Sanogo who was covered and when the first option was taken away Martin had to go to the hole but in his head he stalled on what to do. Tyrese has had some TOs at critical times in some of the other losses as well and I think he was concerned about that and it led to momentary indecision. He had to make a quick decision, pass to Sanogo or drive, and did not do it. I am not going to kill the kid for it because I love him as a player. But he should not have had the ball in his hands. Cole who was fouled out on the bench, should have been the QB on that play. Look at Martin's assist totals and they tell you he is not the guy to make a winning time entry pass, but Cole had fouled out, so it is what it is. The coaches probably do not trust AJ's decision making in that situation because he tends to take wild drives that leave him open to getting stripped, or making French pastry passes that get picked off.

Could they have come up with a less predictable play? Yeah................maybe they could have tried to run Polley through a few screens for a winning 3?

 

[the Blades]

they did not get enough stops in the second half to win that game. The last Seton Hall possession in which Richmond scored on Whaley, who was not playing bad defense, kind of summarized the whole second half. Some of it was bad defense, a lot of it was Aiken and Richmond making outstanding one on one moves and drives to the hole.

Yep, Uconn made Richmond look like an All-american, which is pretty pathetic. I've watched him numerous times rooting for Seton Hall as a BE team in OOC games. And for Cuse last year. He was such a terrible decision maker and would shoot his team out of games. But yesterday Uconn made him the epitome of what I'm talking about, give him the ball and clear out so he can beat his man off the dribble. Uconn seems to allow that to alot of teams while they don't have the offensive mind set in DH's offense to do it theirself, when they'd rather play hot potato 25 ft from the hoop. OR when they bring out bigs to screen 25 feet away and all it does is set up traps to the advantage of the opponents D.

 

[KhalidShockedTheWorld]

Speaking of coaches throwing their players under the bus, Boeheim did this to Kadary Richmond after he transferred to Seton Hall:

“Kadary never worked hard at the game. He never had coming in, and didn’t work hard last year. He played 21 minutes a game, and that’s really all about he could play. He was hurt a lot. Had a lot of setbacks. Joe was more consistent,” Boeheim said. “Seton Hall, they have five guards. So, we’ll see how many minutes he’s going to play there.”

The Recruiting Ripple Effects of Boeheim’s Richmond Remark – Orange Fizz – Daily Syracuse Recruiting News & Team Coverage

No program in the nation knows that recruiting reputation is a valuable and delicate thing better than Syracuse. The Orange went from household name and National Championship contender in 2013 to NIT loser four years later. Now, it seems like the recruiting stream is back on the up and up. Jim...

orangefizz.net

Although not reported in that article, Richmond claimed Boeheim placed too many "restrictions" on him and that is why he transferred. Responding to that comment, Boeheim said the only restriction he placed on Richmond was to not shoot any 3s.

Boeheim also praised Richmond, stating that if he worked on his game it was "100%" that he would play in the NBA. So possibly Kevin Willard got Richmond to work a little harder on his game.

 

[the Blades]

So possibly Kevin Willard got Richmond to work a little harder on his game.

I don't think so, he had lost his starting role and was shooting 30% in his last 3 games including a 1-9 night vs. Nova. He only had double digits 4 times and had a bunch of clunkers this year.

I give all the credit to Uconn !

 

[victorio1234]

I don't think so, he had lost his starting role and was shooting 30% in his last 3 games including a 1-9 night vs. Nova. He only had double digits 4 times and had a bunch of clunkers this year.

I give all the credit to Uconn !

It seems that every now and then, some people have career nights against the Huskies. I'm at a loss as to why?!

 

[the Blades]

It seems that every now and then, some people have career nights against the Huskies. I'm at a loss as to why?!

Yep, almost like Uconn becomes the anti- Tyler Polley vs. Marquette last year.

 

[KhalidShockedTheWorld]

Richmond's performance was pretty impressive even if he had not done much so far this year. He looks like a pretty good one on one player although according to Boeheim he can't shoot 3s. So if a guy can't shoot you should be able to play off him and let him beat you with jumpers which UConn didn't do. UConn was repeatedly beaten with drives. By Richmond and Aiken.

Regarding individual great games against UConn I recall Steve Novak dropping 40 when he was at Marquette against a UConn team that was ranked number 1 at that time. Novak later played with the NY Knicks and was a very effective 3 point shooter but could not do anything else.

I can remember several games early 1980s when Chris Mullin went off on UConn but that was not really an embarrassment in hindsight.

Late 1980s I personally saw Dana Barros of BC drop 42 on UConn at the old field house. Barros was a small quick guard with a great outside shot. I believe UConn later player BC in the NIT that year and Lyman DePriest who was essentially a 6'6" power forward with extremely versatile defensive skills was asked by Calhoun to shut down Barros and did so.

In the 1999 Elite 8 Gonzaga had a small guard who was 5'8" or 5'9" and despite Rickey Moore being on that team UConn could not stop that kid and that game went down to the wire because of that kid's drives. But in final 2 Minutes Jake and Kevin crashed the boards and Gonzaga didn't have the quality of big men then that they had recently, and the late pounding on the boards put UConn in the Final 4.

In 2010 Jeremy Lin dropped 30 on UConn while being covered by Jerome Dyson who was generally a very good defender although a reckless player offensively. He was similar to Rodney Purvis but better defensively.

Those are the main ones that come to mind. However UConn defensively was really lit up by the Hall. Because of the Covid legs I think we have to give them a pass on that aspect of the performance. It cannot happen again and when Seton Hall comes to UConn they cannot allow those penetrations again.

 

[the Blades]

Richmond's performance was pretty impressive even if he had not done much so far this year.

I'd have to add this, what makes it less impressive is Hurley's blatant stubbornness of refusing to go to a zone or a match up zone, like Pitino. Anyone who's ever played even HS ball should now that's the one way to slow up penetration off the dribble. Yet stubborn Dan continues to get taken to the well by small ball teams and with his lousy defenders who pretty much suck at stopping any player who's decent off the bounce...Adjust Dan... in game Adjustments...when your D isn't working !!! and stop being so proud with your weak ass man to man.