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.
Click to expand...
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
Click to expand...
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.
Click to expand...
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.
Click to expand...
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.
Click to expand...
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
Click to expand...
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.
Click to expand...
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.
 
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.
Click to expand...
Hurley's defensive scheme is and always has been essentially designed to eliminate the 3 at all costs and funnel teams into the shot blockers, so it's not necessarily an accident when the opposing team is able to dribble the ball into the paint. Last year with Clingan in the middle, teams weren't scoring or getting fouled when getting shots up near the rim. This year, their defensive 2pt% is only 2 percentage worse than last year but Clingan averaged 3.6 fouls committed per 40 while Reed averages 5.3 and Johnson averages 6.0. That's a huge difference.

Another thing that's dragging down their defense this year is that while teams are taking almost the same exact volume of 3 point attempts against UConn, they are making them at a much higher percentage this year. Whether that can be attributed to luck or length on the perimeter or a combination of a bunch of different factors is anyone's guess. I still think UConn is due a healthy amount of beneficial regression in that area. Whether that actually materializes remains to be seen but it's why I'm still somewhat bullish on them having second weekend potential come March.
 
MugCostanza said:
Hurley's defensive scheme is and always has been essentially designed to eliminate the 3 at all costs and funnel teams into the shot blockers, so it's not necessarily an accident when the opposing team is able to dribble the ball into the paint. Last year with Clingan in the middle, teams weren't scoring or getting fouled when getting shots up near the rim. This year, their defensive 2pt% is only 2 percentage worse than last year but Clingan averaged 3.6 fouls committed per 40 while Reed averages 5.3 and Johnson averages 6.0. That's a huge difference.

Another thing that's dragging down their defense this year is that while teams are taking almost the same exact volume of 3 point attempts against UConn, they are making them at a much higher percentage this year. Whether that can be attributed to luck or length on the perimeter or a combination of a bunch of different factors is anyone's guess. I still think UConn is due a healthy amount of beneficial regression in that area. Whether that actually materializes remains to be seen but it's why I'm still somewhat bullish on them having second weekend potential come March.
Click to expand...
Agree to disagree. Hurley's frustrated with his team for a reason.
 
kranmars said:
Hurley is a great coach. No one can or will argue that point. But he is in an environment at UConn that worships him, and winning has masked and allowed Hurley to continue behaving like an a**hole.

And the argument of his competitiveness is poppycock, because every successful coach is highly competitive.

While Hurley is only 50, his personality makes me think he will burnout much younger than most coaches of his stature.

Not to mention, as he comes to grips with with the fact his team his not anywhere near a final four contender, his behavior will only get worse. (Hold on Mullin’s Revenge, you will get your turn. No need to elbow me in order to cut the line).

The worst place for him to go is the NBA, where the pressure is obscenely intense and he has not built any good will. Hurley may even have difficulties coaching the blue bloods if he does not win immediately.

I would not want Hurley as coach here after Pitino (woah, I had to duck an incoming right cross from Mullin’s Revenge there). The school will get a good one when the time comes regardless.
Click to expand...
Him going to the NBA will end up like Carlesimo going to the NBA.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top