UConn's Offense

[USNA90]

Not to keep beating a dead horse, but I had read someplace a while back that a scout who watched UConn stated that they are the easiest team in college basketball to scout. I thought that was a bit of hyperbole, but it's still doesn't speak well of what the coaching staff has put in place for UConn's offense. Then I read this quote in the CT Post after the Wichita State game:

"Reaves credited the scouting report.

'Whatever they did, we knew what was coming,' he said. 'And we knew their tendencies, which way they liked to go and how they liked to shoot it.'"

At this point, I'm thinking this is more about UConn being predictable than Wichita State having a great scouting crew. This team is challenged enough offensively, and they certainly don't need to make it easier for opposing teams to stop them. Unfortunately, I don't see that changing any time in the near future. This is squarely on the coaching staff, but I don't know if they have any idea how to fix it.

 

[Shaggydog84]

Not to keep beating a dead horse, but I had read someplace a while back that a scout who watched UConn stated that they are the easiest team in college basketball to scout. I thought that was a bit of hyperbole, but it's still doesn't speak well of what the coaching staff has put in place for UConn's offense. Then I read this quote in the CT Post after the Wichita State game:

"Reaves credited the scouting report.

'Whatever they did, we knew what was coming,' he said. 'And we knew their tendencies, which way they liked to go and how they liked to shoot it.'"

At this point, I'm thinking this is more about UConn being predictable than Wichita State having a great scouting crew. This team is challenged enough offensively, and they certainly don't need to make it easier for opposing teams to stop them. Unfortunately, I don't see that changing any time in the near future. This is squarely on the coaching staff, but I don't know if they have any idea how to fix it.

Good stuff US, thx. i’d like to think it’s not as simple as that...but at this point i really don’t have any other explanation. It is downright awful to watch. I would love to know what the players think. I also thought switching up defenses was a good idea but was waiting for any type of change as imho it got long in the tooth. My son was yelling st me that it was working...but nothing works forever & WS HC GM adjusted by keeping his best 2 long range shooters in way longer that i think he normally does together. The 3’s weren’t a surprise after awhile. Anyway, until i see or hear otherwise, their O is as simple as it gets & there’s only 1 person who can answer to it & he makes over $8k per day...if he worked every day of the year. Again, love the guy, but if this were a non husky family HC he’d be gone IMHO. Hate to say it but i have no more excuses for him.

Now, i’m s dreamer & if everyone stays next year with the incoming talent, which is prob hit or miss but i love what i’m seeing from JO, & AG comes back at full strength....but if the ship takes on more water, it’s every man for himself and the G league becomes a better option for some...

 

[KhalidShockedTheWorld]

The end of the Wichita State was all hero ball offense. No purposeful offense was being run, it was just one on one stuff by Larrier and Adams. It’s extremely easy to defend hero ball offense. Nobody has to worry about passing lanes as with the UConn women. Look at this team’s pathetic assist totals. It’s easy to defend when the ball is not moving and is static.

 

[Russ Wood]

Not to keep beating a dead horse, but I had read someplace a while back that a scout who watched UConn stated that they are the easiest team in college basketball to scout. I thought that was a bit of hyperbole, but it's still doesn't speak well of what the coaching staff has put in place for UConn's offense. Then I read this quote in the CT Post after the Wichita State game:

"Reaves credited the scouting report.

'Whatever they did, we knew what was coming,' he said. 'And we knew their tendencies, which way they liked to go and how they liked to shoot it.'"

At this point, I'm thinking this is more about UConn being predictable than Wichita State having a great scouting crew. This team is challenged enough offensively, and they certainly don't need to make it easier for opposing teams to stop them. Unfortunately, I don't see that changing any time in the near future. This is squarely on the coaching staff, but I don't know if they have any idea how to fix it.

I wouldn't read too much into that comment.

Synergy Sports breaks down tendencies, what players typically do when they go right what they typically do when they go left. What big men typically do when they get the ball on the right block and what a teen's big man typically do when they get the ball on the left block.

The kids just had a full week to read those reports and probably practice twice a day in preparation.

 

[Shaggydog84]

The end of the Wichita State was all hero ball offense. No purposeful offense was being run, it was just one on one stuff by Larrier and Adams. It’s extremely easy to defend hero ball offense. Nobody has to worry about passing lanes as with the UConn women. Look at this team’s pathetic assist totals. It’s easy to defend when the ball is not moving and is static.

Agreed
I think they had 5 assets with 6 minutes to go in the 1st half, then end up with 9 i think. that's almost impossible. And, u can actually tell which shots TL has a chance of making. When he forces, like you said playing hero ball, it can get ugly.

Just think JC had a much better feel for projecting out players than the current staff. Not sure if anyone watched the ESPN documentary Baltimore Boys but it's a must see IMO. JC made a guest appearance when the subject of Reggie Lewis came up. You'll have to watch but the point is, JC knew talent when others might not have. Sure, he took maybe low IQ kids while building HIS program or needed to fill a roster, but his starters for the most part were high IQ players...how to set a pick or run off a pick, not just the action itself but timing, tightness of the player coming off the pick ala Rip, or other options than simply going thru the motions like this team does.

 

[KhalidShockedTheWorld]

It also goes without saying that when you are #325 out of 351 D-1 teams in 3 point %, it's going to be harder to run any offense as teams will collapse and favor cutting off driving lanes in favor of allowing UConn's woeful 30.2% 3 point shooting to continue. The 3 point shooting has been poor for several straight seasons now and has not at all been addressed in the recruiting the past few years, except to get Vance Jackson, who transferred out. You cannot function at this level of basketball shooting 30% from 3s. UConn just does not have any natural 3 point guys like we have seen in the past, the Brian Fairs, the Albert Mourings, the Rashad Andersons and Ben Gordons. The 2014 team was the last one that had a bunch of guys who could easily make 3s and that was one reason why they won it all.

Combine the 30.2 % 3 point shooting with no natural low post scorers, and it's not a recipe for good offense. The offense is Adams and Larrier who are basically one on one, mid range shooters who take contested shots and do not shoot a great %. Adams' assists are way down this year because there is more pressure on him to be a primary scorer rather than a distributor.

 

[Shaggydog84]

Agreed KSTW but i would counter that the majority of 3 point shots are not off sets where they are open, rather dribbling around them taking a contested shot. Larrier is not a bad 3 pt shooter when he gets squared and has some light to shoot. i guess that’s somewhat obvious of all players but my point is if they ran better sets they would get better shots and their pct goes up.

 

[KhalidShockedTheWorld]

You are probably right that some of the 3s they take are contested, but it's very easy in college basketball to get open 3s. In transition there are open looks at a 3 and even with limited sets UConn has at times gotten open looks and has not canned 3s. In the Syracuse game and in other games teams have zoned UConn and you hardly need to do anything to get clean looks at 3s against a packed zone, almost any team can do it.

Honestly I don't think the shooting talent at UConn is that good. Larrier is at best an okay 3 point shooter, he is more of a midrange shooter and Adams is midrange and a driver. Neither one is a premium 3 point shooter. UConn does not have a premium 3 point shooter on the roster and that is why they are shooting 30.2% as a team from 3 point land. Look at what some of the better teams are shooting. A lot of teams are over 40%, in fact 28 D-1 college teams are shooting over 40% from 3 as a team:

http://www.ncaa.com/stats/basketball-men/d1/current/team/152

 

[Shaggydog84]

some valid points but we can agree to disagree on how many open look 3’s they actually get. i agree neither are great 3 point shooters but to ur point about teams shooting 40%...larrier is shooting 39% from 3 this year. not sure that makes him a bad 3 point shooter. and saying 28 out of 350+ D1 teams are shooting over 40% from 3 isn’t really alot of teams. .that’s like 12% of all teams. part of the problem is they only have 3 guys who can actually score. anyway, i’ve forgotten what my point was so i’ll digress...