UConn-New Hampshire Game

[KhalidShockedTheWorld]

It was kind of a mixed bag first half but UConn faced an extended zone defense and unlike last year when UConn often looked impotent against zone defenses, this year you can see that when Gibbs is left open he will make zone defenses pay. Actually the UNH zone wasn't the best because they left Gibbs open repeatedly, which was absolutely moronic. I mean hello! - this is the one guy that will bury 3s if left open, so they leave him open.

UConn did what it had to do against the defense played by UNH but Brimah and Hamilton have to be smarter with their fouls and Omar Calhoun is jacking too many 3s and not making any. If Omar can't make a 3 he has very little value as a player which I think he knows and that is why he keeps shooting, he figures he has to make some to justify being out on the floor.

Kentan Facey and Phil Nolan both played okay and had decent minutes but I would have liked to see Enoch out there some.

 

[KhalidShockedTheWorld]

UConn shot 46% in the first half and UNH 29%. UConn 8-15 on 3s

 

[KhalidShockedTheWorld]

This game was a mixed bag. UConn put up 85 points and Buffalo Wild Wings may think about stopping their free wings promo because it's been 82+ and free wings given out every game this year- UConn now 4 for 4 on free wings at BWW. UConn was 13-27 on 3 pointers but gave up 10 and did not play good defense tonight especially on the perimeter. UConn had 18 assists and ruled the boards, Some other positives: 9 points from Nolan; solid play from Facey as backup 4; and Purvis quietly had a very good game, scoring 20 points and hitting 5-9 3s while not making a bad decision the whole game from what I saw. I don't remember a game last year where Purvis didn't have a few crazy out of control TOs but it didn't happen tonight.

Some lowlights were dumb fouls and bad defense by Hamilton and Brimah, who both need to play smarter on defense. Hamilton was a huge factor on offense though and 13 points, 11 boards and 6 assists seem like totals he will put up every game.

I think it's a mixed bag type game but it's encouraging to see the offensive improvement of the team. The defensive lapses have to be cleaned up and I think they will be cleaned up.

 

[CaNOLEE]

85 points against a zone is great. Hamilton has to play the foul line.

Disappointed with the defense and first half rebounding. We didn't contest enough shots and should have held them in the 50's. We were +8 on the boards in the second half, which is good, but only +2 in the first half,

The thing I'd like to see out of the Second unit is a few defensive stoppers. If you want to want impress Kevin Ollie, look at his career. Grind, kill yourself on defense and help anyway you can. Adams has the ability to harass the ball. We know Facey can board, but how about his passing tonight? And Nolan gave us 9 and 6. It was also nice to see Cassell knock down a couple shots.

 

[KhalidShockedTheWorld]

I agree that putting up 85 points against a zone defense is great, but UNH isn't really playing a great zone defense and UConn will see a better one against Michigan next week in the Battle of Atlantis opener. UNH played a kind of soft zone and UConn was able to beat it with 3 point shots and, in the second half, playing Hamilton as a point power forward to get passes behind the zone to the bigs. I think that it's a good sign that UConn will be much more proficient against zone defenses this year, but that wasn't really a very good zone defense by UNH. Boeheim would laugh if he watched some of that tape.

 

[the Blades]

David Borges ‏@DaveBorges 15m15 minutes ago
Sterling Gibbs: “I love zone. I love zone. It’s pretty much just like practice shots.” #uconn

 

[the Blades]

Other AAC games:
Tulsa knocks off No. 9 Wichita State 77-67
No. 8 Oklahoma Beats Memphis 84-78

 

[KhalidShockedTheWorld]

This report indicates UNH Coach Bill Herrion felt "forced" to play zone defense due to the suspensions of two players which left the team shorthanded and his other players vulnerable to foul trouble, and that normally UNH is a "great" man-to-man defensive team:

http://espn.go.com/ncb/recap?gameId=400816802

 

[the Blades]

I like how they got through the first half with alot of 3 guard sets ( though Omar and Sam thinking they are 3 pt marksmen scares me, ) Uconn would normally get alot more minutes from Brimah (18)and Miller(21, the starters) than Facey (22) but didn't because of all the fouls and Hamilton didn't play much more than half a game( at 24 mins). But I thought Kentan did a good job as a "glue guy" with 6 rebs, 2 blks and 3 assists. Also I was kind of surprised KO didn't use Enoch in the first half with Brimah, Miller and Nolan all in foul trouble.

 

[anon_65nwv98c2idwc]

Oz - Any idea why Enoch didnt get in the game ? Coach said it was a " decision " and just wondering if he did anything that you know of or maybe it was just that Phil was more ready against the zone?

 

[KhalidShockedTheWorld]

With Brimah and Nolan both in foul trouble I was very surprised as well that Enoch didn't get a look at the end of the first half. I don't think he played a single minute and it makes me wonder as well whether something happened on or off the practice court that led to this "decision." I think that kid needs some minutes in order to get developed. That being said, Facey was effective in his minutes.

The other positive I take from this game beside the effective play of Nolan and Facey in relief of Brimah and Miller (who also had foul trouble covering Leissner of UNH who is a good player!) is that I saw signs that between Gibbs, Purvis and Hamilton, the 3 point shooting will be effective against zones and Hamilton can be used as a point forward against zones in the same manner as Olander against the Syracuse zone a couple years ago. UNH didn't extend their zone out to play Gibbs and Purvis but when that happens Hamilton will be used to either get the ball behind the zones or, if there is a crease in the middle of the zone, to shoot mid range jumpers. These were all positives but the sloppy defensive play was very disappointing. Especially Hamilton completely ignoring McNamara and allowing 4 straight buried 3s which could have been 5.

 

[the Blades]

Oz - Any idea why Enoch didnt get in the game ? Coach said it was a " decision " and just wondering if he did anything that you know of or maybe it was just that Phil was more ready against the zone?

I was surprised with the DNP because even Phil picked up 2 first half fouls. Maybe it was just KO wanting more outside shooting because of the zone... but this is from:

David Borges ‏@DaveBorges 12h12 hours ago
" Steve Enoch didn't play tonight. "Coach's decision," according to Kevin Ollie."

 

[the Blades]

 

[Ozzie3178]

Oz - Any idea why Enoch didnt get in the game ? Coach said it was a " decision " and just wondering if he did anything that you know of or maybe it was just that Phil was more ready against the zone?

Just a coaches decision bro because... He did not go hard enough in practice and with Phil healthy playing didn't have to put him in there. But he will be fine no big issue or anything

 

[KhalidShockedTheWorld]

Since Nolan and Facey both were effective no harm done but it would have been a good game for Enoch to get some minutes. I would expect a game like Maine against Furman Saturday and Steve should get the opportunity for a lot of minutes if he can clean up his practice habits.

 

[TRUCONN76]

I was at the game. What I really like about this team is the versatility. They can and will go 11 deep most games. They also have a big upside in my opinion. Jalen Adams is still adjusting to the Division 1 game. I expect a breakout game from him before December is done which will make the team a lot more dangerous. I also think we will see more threes falling from Calhoun and Cassell. I haven't seen enough of Enoch to know if he will be much of a factor this year but hopefully he comes along as well. With all the fouls being called and a faster paced game due to the 30 second clock depth is more important than it has been in the past.

 

[northdakotahusky]

I heard our staff had not prepped for a zone at all. It sounds like NH didn't prep that much either, but 80+ points on no prep is pretty good. Better than last year.

 

[anon_65nwv98c2idwc]

Good write up on this from William Paxton:

https://connecticut.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1827309

This jumped at me:

UNSUNG HEROES
The UConn bench did a solid job, led by Nolan with nine points and six rebounds, and finished with a combined 22 points. Sam Cassell Jr. (six points) and Omar Calhoun each hit 3-pointers and Kentan Facey added six rebounds and three assists.


Love that bench punch.

 

[KhalidShockedTheWorld]

TruConn,

I agree with your point on the bench being more important with fouls/shot clock changes. In fact during the game Tim Welsh noted that UConn's superior depth and throwing waves of bodies at UNH created a "slow death."

NDH I did have the sense that UConn's overall execution against the zone was rusty although when you make 3s and connect on some passes you can overcome some of the technical deficiencies. The bottom line is that UNH did not play a very good zone, as they did not extend it with longer or quick athletes and therefore UConn was able to take advantage and hit some 3s. UConn will face better zones which will extend and the first one might be Michigan in the first game of the BOA next week. And if UConn plays Syracuse they will again see zone by its acknowledged master practitioner, Jim Boeheim, although his team this year appears to be substandard.

 

[Dominicfrank]

I just cant believe how Nolan has regressed over the years. How can you have 4 years with our coaches and have your hands get worse!

 

[the Blades]

I just cant believe how Nolan has regressed over the years. How can you have 4 years with our coaches and have your hands get worse!

Really, SMH.... did you even watch the game ?.... I'm no fan of how Nolan hasn't improved much, but this is a weird comment, after one of the better games I thought he's ever had and especially since KO was really happy with him and Facey vs. UNH....From the HC:

" Phil Nolan, back from his foot injury, had nine points and six rebounds in 18 productive minutes " ......"They were huge for us," Ollie said. "To have the bench we have, a senior and a junior, allows us to really be a good defensive team off the bench."
UConn Struggles Early Against New Hampshire's Zone, Pulls Out 85-66 Win

 

[KhalidShockedTheWorld]

I thought Nolan was very effective in his minutes.

 

[Dominicfrank]

I did watch the game and saw an awkward oop dunk that he nearly missed and one rebound where he literally could stand there and not move, instead he fell over and lost the ball out of bounds.

I have nothing against Nolan just an overall thought on how he has not gotten better. I actually called him the break out guy two years ago so I guess I feel it more than others.

 

[the Blades]

I agree Dom, I thought Nolan got worse last year. I did see that screw-up where Facey bumped him after the rebound & caused a walk, but a made dunk instead of all the missed bunnies we saw from him last year is a step in the right direction. There was some talk in this pre-season article( below) from the NHR, that the extra weight he put on after the championship season to bulk up, was a bad Idea, and it sure didn't help his D or explosiveness, because what ever athleticism he did have got worse.

"In the few weeks he spent back in Milwaukee this summer, Nolan worked out at former NBA strength and conditioning coach Steve Becker’s Athlete Performance gym, with Tokoto and numerous other Division 1 athletes, working on his agility and explosiveness. He’s also shed some of the weight he put on last season — not all “good weight,” he reported — that hampered his athleticism on the floor."

The jury is still out if the work over the summer will help, but I'll take a 9pt /6 reb, in less than half a game....all day..... compared to what we saw last year. And if Enoch steps up Phil seems to be a good team guy too: “I’m not saying that I don’t want to play,” he said, “but anybody that knows me knows that I’m all for the team, what’s best for the team. Bringing in guys like that, it’s just Coach Ollie telling us to step up our game. We’ve got to get in the gym more, work out more. At the end of the day, it’s only gonna benefit us.”

Full read: UConn's Phil Nolan ready to charge into his senior season