Roscoe Smith was the hero of this game

Discussion in 'UConn Men's Basketball' started by huskymagic, Feb 20, 2012.



  1. champs99and04 Popular Poster

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    I would argue that the hero of the game was the kid who scored 32 for a team struggling on offense.

    That said, there is a reason Roscoe played 40 minutes tonight. He was huge. Did you notice Pinkson went 5-17 from the floor? There is a reason for that as well.

    He grabbed 5 boards, blocked three shots, and even knocked down a contested three, which I hadn't seen him do in over 14 months.

    If Roscoe doesn't start the game on Kris Joseph Saturday something is seriously wrong.

    Our offense might not be as good when Roscoe is playing the three, but with Roscoe, Alex, and Drummond in there at once, this team becomes very difficult to score on.
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  2. jorge34 Popular Poster

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    He needs to be on the floor. The 3 guard lineup does not play to their strengths. Start Smith going forward, bring Boatright off the bench
  3. huskymagic Popular Poster

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    Roscoe was the unsung hero and savior of this game without him no way we would have won this game. Lamb was fantastic nonetheless and he stepped up for he first time this season like we thought he would. However, Roscoe needs to guard CJ Fair because that guy is their most dangerous player and the x factor of that Syracuse team.Lamb can guard Kris Josephs. Roscoe needs to always play the small forward spot alongside with Oriakhi and Drummond in the post. Lamb at the 2 spot and Boatright as the point guard. Napier off the bench suits him better and takes some of the pressure off him.
  4. huskymagic Popular Poster

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    No way you can play 2 little guard lineup against good teams if we want to play to our potential and beat good teams. Our strength is to play big with boat at the 1 lamb at the 2 roscoe at the 3, alex at the 4, drummond at the 5.
    Napier i still believe is better suited off the bench where he doesnt have the pressure ad burden of having to carry the team. He plays better when he comes off the bench.
  5. champs99and04 Popular Poster

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    I actually like the idea of putting Roscoe on CJ Fair. Good call. Fair was the guy who killed us in the last game, and poses the biggest matchup problem. Olander got abused by him, and Oriakhi really can't guard him on the perimeter.

    Bottom line is that Roscoe is one of the most important players on our basketball team, and he's one of the guys who forces those around him to play harder. You might have been onto something when you said Roscoe should have been playing more minutes all along.
  6. Burnsbros23 Popular Poster

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    Well Cj Fair plays the 4.... So with the lineup ur suggesting Roscoe prolly wouldnt guard him. Considering that would leave AO on Joseph or one of there guards. Expect Roscoe to be used at the 4 vs Cuse. Pinkston was giving us problems so we needed Roscoe to play the three, to me he struggle to guard him some.

    I like Roscoe but our offense sucks with him at the 3 we made the run in the first half with the three guards in and Roscoe at the 4. And to call him the hero of the game is just wrong. The 3 he made was a horrible shot. I like Roscoe at the 4 giving us energy and toughness while shooting some midrange jumpers. If a team has a SF who is killing us then he should play there but not on a regular basis to me.

    And I believe you said no way we can play two little guards vs good teams............ We forget last year quite quick no?
  7. mauconnfan Popular Poster

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    The Roscoe who came to play yesterday can and should guard Fair........much more of the old Roscoe last night, great job on Pinkston despite the refs allowing this guys to back in 2 steps at a time with the ball in his hand not dribbling it (awful advantage for the offensive guy). Great job on the offensive boards, need the same more on the defensive end where he as boxed out a few too many times. He hit a couple big shots and that's all we need from him on that end.

    As far as Bazz off the bench NO, as long as his foot is healthy needs to be the PG or we're in trouble. He has been for 5-6 games our best guard, he handles the team much better than Boat as far as running the show. Boat is still a bit out of control and needs to come off the bench and find seams and look to pull up and score vs the Cuse. Don't do too much or get too deep in the zone. Love Boats potential but he can prove very dangerous still but will get it eventually.

    Jeremy was the MVP and noone else.......that was a Superman game and quite honestly there's no talk of Bazz having "onions" and making that bomb, or Roscoe giving us 40 minutes of toughness, none of it without the game Lamb provided at crunchtime. He did it all...............
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  8. Dogbreath2U Popular Poster

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    I agree, Boat should be the one coming in off the bench unless Napier is not healthy. Boat has had a lot of opportunities to show that he is ready to take the leadership at the point and has not been able to do it as yet. He's a freshman and playing like it pretty often. Choked badly on 2 free throws and not getting his shot off. He will get better, but Napier has been consistently better when reasonably healthy. Napier looked to be limping after the game, so that may tell the tale.

    Roscoe gave us some good play, but is just a liability when we need the 3 to be a good passer/decision-maker. He cannot be inbounding the ball....I cannot believe he got the opportunity to throw it away twice.
  9. mauconnfan Popular Poster

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    In Roscoes defense on the long mid-court in bounds it was an awful play call by the coaches, awful. Noone picked for each other instead all 3 ballhandlers moved towards Roscoe in separate alleys without a move to work through each other....it was really dreadful by George and the staff. But you're totally right, Roscoe is downright scary witht he ball when he needs to pass it so he cannot be that guy!!
  10. huskymagic Popular Poster

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    Mauconn you commented lol. Your right Lamb was great but without all the little plays, blocks, rebounds, great defense on Pinkston, the steal at the end of the game, there is no way we win that game despite Lambs great night. That is why I said Roscoe was the hero of this game. Roscoe is a very good player who should always start and his value is indispensable. If CJ Fair and Jpseph are on the floor at the same time I would rater Scoe defend CJ Fair because he is better and more dangerous than anyone else syracuse has. Never mess with the scoe or you will be perpetually cursed lol;)
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  11. mauconnfan Popular Poster

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    Roscoe "should always start" when he plays like yesterday......but whether you like it or not this is possibly the first Roscoe sighting of the year....he's been pretty bad for the most part, no signs of last years player until now. You can't play a guy who shows nothing when he gets in at UConn, you earn time. He didn't until Nova and now we all hope he's here to stay for the remainder of the year as he is obviously a key contributor, starting or coming off the bench. Having said that 40 minutes can't and won't happen vs Cuse because we're going to need to score and pass the ball vs the zone so I expect a 25-30 this weekend. He looked like he was having fun.............and that's a great thing. Even caught him smiling talking with a ref while lining up for Nova FT's late in OT.....all good!
  12. aceboon Popular Poster

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    Roscoe needs to be committed to playing D like he did yesterday against Cuse, whether it be Joseph or Fair. The reason he didn't play as much in the earlier matchup was because he was biting on Joseph pumpfakes and he lost Fair 2x in transition for easy baskets and bit on another pumpfake for an easy basket. Loved what I saw out of him last night against Pinkston but Cuse is a different animal.
  13. Matt (Chicago) Popular Poster

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    please do NOT encourage this guy.
  14. BrassBonanza New Member

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    Free throw shooting was terrible as a team. In overtime, Bazz missed the front end of a one and one and even Lamb who shot well, missed a front end of a one and one. It was painful to watch.
  15. huskymagic Popular Poster

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    we cant have boat inbounding the ball he doesnt look comfortable doing it and our guys dont seem to get open quick enough. I would rather have Oriakhi or Napier inbounding the ball.

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