Around the Big East

dk423 said:
He'll be back but he won't change the character of the team. Hurley said it in a presser. They don't have that defensive intensity or constant motor you'd expect from a Hurley/UConn team.
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It’s not the defensive intensity or motor that is why their defense isn’t as good as it used to be. It’s the lack of a 25-30 min per game 7’2 big that swats every shot thrown up in the vicinity of the basket
 
MugCostanza said:
It’s not the defensive intensity or motor that is why their defense isn’t as good as it used to be. It’s the lack of a 25-30 min per game 7’2 big that swats every shot thrown up in the vicinity of the basket
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I don't really agree. Johnson is a big drop off defensively, and Reed is even worse in that regard. But they're also #1 in blocks in the country. Their issue is that teams can routinely get into the paint in the first place and guys can be found standing around. DePaul is not athletic at all, and guys were blowing by their guards who are much more faster and bigger. That's what leads to UConn fouling so much.
 
dk423 said:
I don't really agree. Johnson is a big drop off defensively, and Reed is even worse in that regard. But they're also #1 in blocks in the country. Their issue is that teams can routinely get into the paint in the first place and guys can be found standing around. DePaul is not athletic at all, and guys were blowing by their guards who are much more faster and bigger. That's what leads to UConn fouling so much.
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UConn has a massive target on its back, and it does not have nearly the talent it had the last two years.

Also, after winning consecutive titles — especially last year when they blew out the entire field in the tournament — complacency around the program probably set in. It is normal.

Watching UConn struggle is the second most fun thing about this season. I would find nothing more satisfying than for SJU to make a big run and UConn being left out of the tournament all together.

Their fans need to be humiliated (not humbled, because that will never happen) and be forced to remember the days and records when they languished in the AAC were real.
 
dk423 said:
I don't really agree. Johnson is a big drop off defensively, and Reed is even worse in that regard. But they're also #1 in blocks in the country. Their issue is that teams can routinely get into the paint in the first place and guys can be found standing around. DePaul is not athletic at all, and guys were blowing by their guards who are much more faster and bigger. That's what leads to UConn fouling so much.
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I am with Mug. What made U Conn different the last 2 years was that you had to devote additional resources to the paint to deal with their centers (unless you could successfully pull off the SJU approach of trying to run them and get them into foul trouble). And if you did that the pieces around them could all kill you.

This team does not have the gravitational pull in the middle AND the surrounding pieces (except for Flagg McNeely) are not as good as the ones they had the last two years. They're just another team. Well coached, have talent, but without McNeely on the floor there is nothing exceptional about them. And even with McNeely on the floor they aren't remotely a special team.
 
lawmanfan said:
I am with Mug. What made U Conn different the last 2 years was that you had to devote additional resources to the paint to deal with their centers (unless you could successfully pull off the SJU approach of trying to run them and get them into foul trouble). And if you did that the pieces around them could all kill you.

This team does not have the gravitational pull in the middle AND the surrounding pieces (except for Flagg McNeely) are not as good as the ones they had the last two years. They're just another team. Well coached, have talent, but without McNeely on the floor there is nothing exceptional about them. And even with McNeely on the floor they aren't remotely a special team.
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But it really helped to also have Andre Jackson, Stephon Castle, Tristen Newton, etc. Those teams were loaded with athletic guards/wings with super high motors and great defense. Spencer wasn't a plus athlete but a great defender. Diarra is the one guy that still shows that.
 
These are arguably UConn's most telling/different defensive stats.

Last year, opponents shot 31% from 3pt. This year, opponents are shooting 37%.
Last year, opponents had 23 free throw attempts per game. This year, opponents have 17 free throw attempts per game.
 
lawmanfan said:
Maybe it's a "guys who have names beginning with the letter K" thing
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Without playing amateur shrink, Karaban appears to be living proof of the difference when you’re a role player vs. a mainstay; it is just different.
For old Dodger fans, think Billy Loes, who famously stated he never wanted to win 20 games because then it would be expected every year. Not everyone is cut out to be a star.
 
dk423 said:
I don't really agree. Johnson is a big drop off defensively, and Reed is even worse in that regard. But they're also #1 in blocks in the country. Their issue is that teams can routinely get into the paint in the first place and guys can be found standing around. DePaul is not athletic at all, and guys were blowing by their guards who are much more faster and bigger. That's what leads to UConn fouling so much.
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A local hoops guy noted to me that their three guards last season were uber solid defenders to begin with and their seven footer was so good guarding the hoop, that those three enjoyed even more latitude to cheat occasionally to generate steals, turnovers. The current UConn bigs are notch below Clingan and agree their guards are well below last year’s threesome.
 
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