UConn-Tulsa
- Thread starter KhalidShockedTheWorld
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Enoch has not learned how to cover the back door play. He gets back-doored consistently and I do not understand it.
Worst zone I've ever seen especially in the first half... now D-Ham still struggles so he thinks and end to end dribble into 4 players is a good play ...SMH !
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Also all the bigs in foul trouble due to bad defense, Nolan 4 fouls, Miller 4, Facey 3, Enoch lots of minutes...........not good........Amida where are you??????????
Gibbs and Miller the two best players on floor by UConn by far, will likely be the case in all road games.........
4 points in the last 11 minutes,,,,,,,brick after brick........19-4 run........just the weakest ass finish I have seen in years. UConn totally worn down by a mediocre team. This team just is not that good.
Without Gibbs and Miller we are a below .500 team. We might be a below .500 in the conference with them.
The coaching staff is not maximizing the potential of this team for the second consecutive year. No tourney this year should equal no jobs next.
The coaching staff is not maximizing the potential of this team for the second consecutive year. No tourney this year should equal no jobs next.
Gibbs
Correct you have 2 guys that play like veterans and to their strengths... and when Purvis and Hamilton are lost offensively (3- 21 on FG's) they try to force more... KO just has to many low IQ players that he doesn't know how to turn around and very few answers off the bench...NIT here we come....SMH !
Correct you have 2 guys that play like veterans and to their strengths... and when Purvis and Hamilton are lost offensively (3- 21 on FG's) they try to force more... KO just has to many low IQ players that he doesn't know how to turn around and very few answers off the bench...NIT here we come....SMH !
Remember when we had a coach who went ballistic at ever little mistake early in the year, then eased off them as the team got better going into March !!!! looks like those days are gone...what do these assistants do anyway ?
Under 31% FGs (30.9%) and outrebounded. You shoot 31% and get outrebounded, you lose, it's that simple. Not only was UConn 8-29 on 3s, most of those misses were not even close. It was brick city, baby. Something does not look right with the team and I am starting to question the coaching, the IQ of the players, and the conditioning of the players. Nolan was really bad tonight, Enoch was really bad as well. All of the bigs except Miller were really bad. Just a putrid performance after a bad performance in the close win at home over Memphis. Hamilton, in case anyone is wondering, was 2-12 FGs tonight and is 6 for his last 36 from the field in stringing together 4 unbelievably bad games in a row. I am stupefied at how bad he has been.
I thought UConn was in trouble up 6 when Adams and Enoch were both in the game with 12 minutes to go, but that last 5 minutes was one of the weakest finishes I have ever seen by a supposedly good UConn team.
I thought UConn was in trouble up 6 when Adams and Enoch were both in the game with 12 minutes to go, but that last 5 minutes was one of the weakest finishes I have ever seen by a supposedly good UConn team.
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Blades, did you hear Elmore say that Ollie is so calm and encouraging doing practice/the walk through even when they make mistakes? Well it's time to break these kids down and at the very least develop some grit. I wasn't a fan of Calhoun throwing a tantrum and turning his back on his young players during timeouts in crunch time when they needed some confidence. But this powder puff basketball isn't working either. Did he even call a timeout late in the game? Has he ever even got off his seat during a game?
At the current pace,Hamilton will be a walk on by his senior year because it appears the longer he's here, the worse he gets.
At the current pace,Hamilton will be a walk on by his senior year because it appears the longer he's here, the worse he gets.
It is clear now that Brimah is very important to get back. The way Enoch is playing has to make you wonder if he knows his position as he appears clueless and merely taking up space.
The biggest problem is the one player capable of making his own shot Hamilton, makes his shot too difficult to hit consistently,
I thought that the addition of Gibbs and Miller would transition us to the terrific recruiting class coming next year. Miller has played as expected but Gibbs does not have the skills to take charge of the team.
Purvis is great as a third scoring option but doesn't have the skill set to be the go to guy.
Adams has the skill set but not the experience.
Conclusion I don't see them in the tournament. Too much damage will be done before Brimah returns.
The biggest problem is the one player capable of making his own shot Hamilton, makes his shot too difficult to hit consistently,
I thought that the addition of Gibbs and Miller would transition us to the terrific recruiting class coming next year. Miller has played as expected but Gibbs does not have the skills to take charge of the team.
Purvis is great as a third scoring option but doesn't have the skill set to be the go to guy.
Adams has the skill set but not the experience.
Conclusion I don't see them in the tournament. Too much damage will be done before Brimah returns.
I agree with Canolee and TrUConn's posts. The lack of a timeout during that run, just to give the team a blow and catch their breath, was inexplicable. I wonder if Ollie was in a state of shock and not thinking. It is so disappointing to me. The team is virtually unwatchable right now. I really dislike watching bad, low IQ basketball and that is what this team is playing consistently.
I truly believe the talent is there. Temple game they were up 9 up 10 yesterday up a bunch on Memphis and tulane. The run usually ends with Purvis taking a bad 3. The coaching has been awful. Finally with about 1:30 left he put Calhoun in for Purvis after his 7th bad 3 of the game. Uconn on a run let's kill it by putting in Cassell and Nolan wtf was that. And then Cassell do sent play the rest of the game makes zero sense. Time to get tougher on the players with a quick hook on bad plays.
+1...Yes I did and I'm sure that's KO's approach ...I'm at every home game and I have been for years, I know what winning looks like from the bench, stuff you can't see on TV alot of times. This lettin' guys play through their mistake filled low IQ BB, when they give up 10 point swings is not working, at least not with this group. Sometimes it looks like there are nothing but assistants on the bench. To many guys have to many holes in their game. They keep making the same mistakes over and over, for 2 years now.. Small lack of mental toughness things, but they all add up. Purvis when he dribbles out of control because he has no body control or finesse to his game, Hamilton when he wants to go end to end and loves to rush forced shots...Calhoun whenever he plays and like Nolan they've both never gotten any better as players. Would either of these guys ever gotten off the bench on most of JC's teams the way they've stagnated or regressed ( Calhoun didn't in the 2014 NCAA's and they won the whole thing) ....Remember when guys used to get better at Uconn over the years ? ( and can we find a real big mans coach, because small ball might work when your Golden State....but )....... I don't know.... I've hoped for the best...........glad KO is a great recruiter and I look forward to the 2016 class, but with this group and a lifeless bench it may be to late to change the ( overall) softness of this team.....this year.....AGAIN.
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Yeah, I agree Blades. By the way Elmore also defended Frank Haith and essentially made him out to be a scapegoat. Elmore (who is an attorney) is correct that the existing NCAA enforcement rules essentially place a dartboard on the backs of coaches.
Like Blades I do not chalk last night's game up to a bad night. The team has been very consistent in the low basketball IQ plays and bad decisions. I thought the team would be deep but it isn't deep and many guys have not only not gotten better but look like they have gotten worse, Hamilton in particular. I had thought Purvis improved somewhat but he has had two very poor games in a row.
Ollie needs to change his approach because this season is right now on the brink. They could lose a bunch of games if they keep playing like this and then by the time Brimah is back it will be too late to salvage the season unless UConn wins the AAC tournament. I agree with McGoo that the team has better talent than their record or the final results, but they are just a collection of talent and unrealized potential right now.
Like Blades I do not chalk last night's game up to a bad night. The team has been very consistent in the low basketball IQ plays and bad decisions. I thought the team would be deep but it isn't deep and many guys have not only not gotten better but look like they have gotten worse, Hamilton in particular. I had thought Purvis improved somewhat but he has had two very poor games in a row.
Ollie needs to change his approach because this season is right now on the brink. They could lose a bunch of games if they keep playing like this and then by the time Brimah is back it will be too late to salvage the season unless UConn wins the AAC tournament. I agree with McGoo that the team has better talent than their record or the final results, but they are just a collection of talent and unrealized potential right now.
KO Quotes: "Daniel's struggling. The last four games have been a struggle for him," Ollie said, "but when it's a struggle, you don't take seven three-pointers. You don't do that. You know, that's my bad. I can't leave him out there. I can't leave Rodney out there. So that's my fault."
But that's the problem, who's he gonna bring in ? Calhoun who can't dribble, can't play D or can't rebound ? Sam Cassell ?... He's gotta coach guys like Purvis and D-Ham to play their strengths when the the team put up gaudy 60% shooting numbers...but were still making the same low IQ plays that you can get away with vs. a bunch of cupcakes and yank guys then... or else it comes back to hurt you later in the season....
"We had leads in both halves," Ollie said. "We just squandered them because of our reluctance to attack the rim and not get to the paint. … We had a seven-point lead, and [Purvis] takes a three on the fastbreak. I think that's just not being tough, not getting to the basket, not playing aggressively. Then we had [17] fouls, and they had [10] — because they were aggressive."
"We've got to do a better job of rebounding. We've got to do a better job of executing," coach Kevin Ollie said, "and I've got to do a better job of coaching this group."
But that's the problem, who's he gonna bring in ? Calhoun who can't dribble, can't play D or can't rebound ? Sam Cassell ?... He's gotta coach guys like Purvis and D-Ham to play their strengths when the the team put up gaudy 60% shooting numbers...but were still making the same low IQ plays that you can get away with vs. a bunch of cupcakes and yank guys then... or else it comes back to hurt you later in the season....
"We had leads in both halves," Ollie said. "We just squandered them because of our reluctance to attack the rim and not get to the paint. … We had a seven-point lead, and [Purvis] takes a three on the fastbreak. I think that's just not being tough, not getting to the basket, not playing aggressively. Then we had [17] fouls, and they had [10] — because they were aggressive."
"We've got to do a better job of rebounding. We've got to do a better job of executing," coach Kevin Ollie said, "and I've got to do a better job of coaching this group."
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With all omar's shortcomings you can't say he doesn't play defense. He has been one of the most consistent perimeter defenders on the team this year. That's why he has been getting the minutes he has because he brings energy, passion and works his ass off on defense. His offensive contributions are icing on the cake.
It's the opposite with Enoch. Ollie wants him to play more and is giving him the opportunity but he is clueless on the defensive end and too much of a liability that he has to be pulled.
This team has become a 3 point shooting team and that spells disaster. They need to be the bully, tough guy and attack attack attack. That will lead to fouls and getting to the line. Wear out the other team and put their guys in foul trouble and then that will open up the outside for open in rhythm shots. There no one on this team who is the bad guy (maybe Phil) and they need that to set the tone and build off that
It's the opposite with Enoch. Ollie wants him to play more and is giving him the opportunity but he is clueless on the defensive end and too much of a liability that he has to be pulled.
This team has become a 3 point shooting team and that spells disaster. They need to be the bully, tough guy and attack attack attack. That will lead to fouls and getting to the line. Wear out the other team and put their guys in foul trouble and then that will open up the outside for open in rhythm shots. There no one on this team who is the bad guy (maybe Phil) and they need that to set the tone and build off that
It's a mixed bag... I'm at the games.... he gets beat off the dribble constantly.... the Temple game he let his guy go by him about 3 times in a row and KO pulled him immediately
( benched him for Cassell) and yelled at him all the way to the bench while Omar was just ignoring KO and giving him a smirk ( just like he did vs. Memphis when he threw up a 17 ft prayer with 20 second left in the first half shot clock...come on !.. your a 4 year SR and you don't know you hold it for the last shot) The kids an inferior athlete ( maybe because of the double hip surgery) but he doesn't belong at this level with the lack of positives he brings to the team. Earlier in the year he looked better on D but again consider the competition
.....Do I love the kid for staying with the program through all the BS, yes...but if you look back at the Uconn wings over the years and his offensive inconsistency, he doesn't stack up at any level.
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He's not a wing though. He is forced into that role. To say he doesn't belong at this level either is ridiculous. Every team has glue/bench guys and that what he is for uconn. Yes he hasn't become the guy most thought be would become but that has a lot to do with his unfortunate injuries.
I like how you mention his bone head shot in Memphis (inexcusable) and completely ignore his defensive contributions during that game. He has been no worse than Hamilton Gibbs or purvis in the defensive end. A lot of these shortcomings come from Brimah being out. It's difficult to change a whole defensive philosophy of funnel funnel funnel to playing straight up keep your man in front of you defense
This whole team has been having mental lapses the entire season. That falls on the coaches at this point in the year. They aren't the ones demanding perfection and benching guys who aren't doing what's asked to be done. They need a Jim C type authoritarian to get them to be more focused. Ollie had coddled this team and it shows in their play on the court because just like with any team or organization the team is just an extension of the leadership. You would think with all the head coaches in the staff and Calhoun disciples the team would have a different attitude. Gotta get that fixed
I like how you mention his bone head shot in Memphis (inexcusable) and completely ignore his defensive contributions during that game. He has been no worse than Hamilton Gibbs or purvis in the defensive end. A lot of these shortcomings come from Brimah being out. It's difficult to change a whole defensive philosophy of funnel funnel funnel to playing straight up keep your man in front of you defense
This whole team has been having mental lapses the entire season. That falls on the coaches at this point in the year. They aren't the ones demanding perfection and benching guys who aren't doing what's asked to be done. They need a Jim C type authoritarian to get them to be more focused. Ollie had coddled this team and it shows in their play on the court because just like with any team or organization the team is just an extension of the leadership. You would think with all the head coaches in the staff and Calhoun disciples the team would have a different attitude. Gotta get that fixed
Well what is he then ? He's certainly not a guard with his lack of handle. But really Mr. Calhoun ....most consistent perimeter defender, better than Adams and Purvis, not even close. Gibbs and Hamilton do a ton of other stuff that keep em' on the court and Omar is a push on D on his best day..I could just see Omar trying to run the point like either of those guys, jeez.. talk about a horror show.
I was hoping he would at least be a version of Rashamel Jones, who had the same Uconn career path, double digit scorer as a FR, then got recruited over, but he became a complete lock down defender on a national championship team. And yes I'll give you the injury stuff, Omar despite his effort may have lost some quickness and lateral movement... but it's been so long that he was an effective player, I can't remember..and he did have the 2 games (Ohio St./ UM-L) that his set shot was on fire, but what can he do for your team when that goes away ??? ...there's a reason Uconn won the NC when KO finally realized Omar was a net zero, played Giffey and Kromah ( and even T-Sam) for all the minutes instead and benched him for the entire NCAA tourney....because that's what winning looks like...
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You guys are all correct. Omar is not Rashamael Jones. Rash was a very good defender and an explosive finisher in transition. Fact is the perimeter defense isn't good and that is magnified by Brimah's absence. Not much that can be done on that. You cannot expect that these guys are going to suddenly become Ricky Moore or even Rashamael Jones on defense. It amazes me that Ricky Moore sits on the bench and watches this perimeter defense and doesn't vomit right on the court.
That was one of the worst losses I can remember as a UConn fan. We have no business of losing to the University of Tulsa (no disrespect) but that was just hard to watch. Purvis and Hamilton played one of the worst games of their career and the offense did not gel whatsoever. There is no consistency and people are just standing around waiting for something to happen. The talent is there but there is no rhythm and no continuity. They are letting other teams dictate the pace and we are suffering greatly from it. I have not lost hope yet in this team but with the upcoming conference schedule and @ Houston this weekend, the road is only going to get tougher from here on out.
I'm at the point where If we lose one more game we have no business losing(and in this conference, that's all of them), I'd demote Ollie and have Calhoun pull a Bill Snyder and coach the team the rest of the year. Ollie talked about sitting down Hamilton and Purvis when they aren't playing well, which makes sense. But maybe it's the coach that needs to ride the pine alongside them and realize what he's doing wrong.
And we've turned into a zone team defensively, so I don't want to hear about Omar and Cassell's inability to play defense. No one on this charmin basketball teams play defense or rebounds anyway. It's disgusting. I'll watch the girls instead, at least they have balls and play hard. All you have to do is watch the last minute where Tulsa's player comes out of nowhere and dives on the floor in attempt to save the ball from going out of bounds while our guys are standing around like they payed admission. This is not uconn basketball. 4 championships in 16 years and now we celebrate when we make the NIT?
And we've turned into a zone team defensively, so I don't want to hear about Omar and Cassell's inability to play defense. No one on this charmin basketball teams play defense or rebounds anyway. It's disgusting. I'll watch the girls instead, at least they have balls and play hard. All you have to do is watch the last minute where Tulsa's player comes out of nowhere and dives on the floor in attempt to save the ball from going out of bounds while our guys are standing around like they payed admission. This is not uconn basketball. 4 championships in 16 years and now we celebrate when we make the NIT?
What is scary to think about is what that loss would have been like without the graduate transfer rule and no Gibbs and Miller on the floor.
CaNOLEE, I agree on the girls, they play hard, and if there is lackadaisical play, the player is yanked and Geno is in her face. Geno coaches the girls exactly like Calhoun used to coach the boys - zero tolerance on mental mistakes, low IQ plays and poor hustle. A week or two ago Ekmark, who is a deep bench player, made a bonehead play. She came right out of the game and Geno was on her like a bad rash. When I watch Geno in these situations it looks like he is personally offended by bad basketball plays, like it is an insult and disrespect. That is how I feel when I watch bad basketball by the men, as a fan. I yell at the TV, "what the f___ are you doing?" I wave my arms in dismay. I behave like Geno behaves when he sees bad basketball - with disgust.
The women have brilliant runs usually every game. I have noticed that Stewart is for the women a lot like what Brimah is for the men. In a recent game where Chong's defensive shortcomings were repeatedly exposed (point guard repeatedly and easily going by her) Stewart was there on several occasions to block the shot and start a break going the other way. Chong is the one girl in their top 7 or 8 players who cannot play any D at all.
CaNOLEE, I agree on the girls, they play hard, and if there is lackadaisical play, the player is yanked and Geno is in her face. Geno coaches the girls exactly like Calhoun used to coach the boys - zero tolerance on mental mistakes, low IQ plays and poor hustle. A week or two ago Ekmark, who is a deep bench player, made a bonehead play. She came right out of the game and Geno was on her like a bad rash. When I watch Geno in these situations it looks like he is personally offended by bad basketball plays, like it is an insult and disrespect. That is how I feel when I watch bad basketball by the men, as a fan. I yell at the TV, "what the f___ are you doing?" I wave my arms in dismay. I behave like Geno behaves when he sees bad basketball - with disgust.
The women have brilliant runs usually every game. I have noticed that Stewart is for the women a lot like what Brimah is for the men. In a recent game where Chong's defensive shortcomings were repeatedly exposed (point guard repeatedly and easily going by her) Stewart was there on several occasions to block the shot and start a break going the other way. Chong is the one girl in their top 7 or 8 players who cannot play any D at all.
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It's not fair to compare to the girls, they've been so dominant for so long no. But I'm with you Khalid, effort, toughness and intelligence should be required of every team. I thought Calhoun had too quick of a hook for a mistake on the offensive end and as a result, guys played tight at times. But what's happening now is embarrassing. There is no pride whatsoever. When you have Daniel Hamilton at the 3, we should be dominating the boards. We should be holding teams to 50 and 60 points a game. Defense and rebounding is effort based. The coach is not getting these kids to play hard at the very least and he certainly isn't getting them to play smart.
The reason the women are dominant and have the 3 longest winning streaks in women's CBB history is that great talent PLUS great coaching is an unbeatable combination. To get a team of very highly rated recruits to function together as a team and not great individual parts is not easy. But note that Geno only recruits great girls who are also coachable. Every girl on that team is very very coachable.
Talented men's college players are harder to coach. They think of their own games more because of the lure of pro basketball and have the opportunity to leave early whereas the women do not and are usually 4 year players, even the Stewarts and she will be the #1 overall WNBA pick this year. This is not to give KO a pass at all but his job is harder because of these issues.
Honestly I do not think I will watch the game at Houston this weekend as I feel like it will be painful for me to do so.
Talented men's college players are harder to coach. They think of their own games more because of the lure of pro basketball and have the opportunity to leave early whereas the women do not and are usually 4 year players, even the Stewarts and she will be the #1 overall WNBA pick this year. This is not to give KO a pass at all but his job is harder because of these issues.
Honestly I do not think I will watch the game at Houston this weekend as I feel like it will be painful for me to do so.
