VCU UConn thoughts

[superjohn]

Cole and Whaley saved us. Hurley has so much to work on. Too many things to list. Hurley needs to give the freshmen minutes going forward. They're not deep right now and they're really not deep in the backcourt. Too much burden is being placed on Cole, it simply can't continue like this. Diggins needs minutes.

Ugly as hell but still went 2-1. Never want UConn in this event again, never want to see the Bahamas again, and most of all never want to see these refs again. When refs are that inept I start to question if they're dirty.

 

[JMick]

Yesterday I thought we were a good team that had a bad game against MSU. Now I'm worried we're a mediocre team that had a good game against Auburn. Way too many mistakes all around. Everyone involved with this team has to do better.

 

[Psolo12]

Somebody needs to take Gaffney’s minutes

 

[Hi-Low]

They won a crapfest....a loss would have been a disaster.

Over the 3 days we learned how important Cole & Whaley are.

 

[Jumpman62114]

Our guard play has been exposed, and our lack of decision making and dumb turnovers in crunch time has added up to a season’s worth already. West Virginia and st johns are prob licking their chops right now.

 

[superjohn]

They won a crapfest....a loss would have been a disaster.

Over the 3 days we learned how important Cole & Whaley are.

Cole is by far the most important player on this team, don't even want to think of what happens to them if he can't play but it can't continue like this. We've seen for three years now what Gaffney brings and it isn't good enough. He'll give us some open threes and an occasional drive but he doesn't help at all at point guard. Diggins needs minutes going forward.

 

[jibsey]

Our guard play has been exposed, and our lack of decision making and dumb turnovers in crunch time has added up to a season’s worth already. West Virginia and st johns are prob licking their chops right now.

Cole was not exposed, he’s the only reason we won. Yeah he got trapped, and yeah no one helped him.

 

[AntG168]

Yesterday I thought we were a good team that had a bad game against MSU. Now I'm worried we're a mediocre team that had a good game against Auburn. Way too many mistakes all around. Everyone involved with this team has to do better.

Severe overreaction. VCU was a bad draw for a team who had the toughest draw in Atlantis and was playing there 3rd game in 3 days one being a double overtime dog fight. Our guys were physically and mentally exhausted. Sloppy play, tired legs, and poor decisions. But we aren’t mediocre

 

[superjohn]

Cole was not exposed, he’s the only reason we won. Yeah he got trapped, and yeah no one helped him.

Cole was great, that's not what he was saying with his post.

 

[Kitaman]

Seems like we're still a bunch of moving parts.

Just saying, the team does not look they are in synch. Sure its early but to me, that will be Hurley's biggest task (i.e. creating a kick ass machine).

 

[Dabutlerdidit]

This trip, going 2-1, with the painful loss to MSU, was a small price to pay for the invaluable lessons that Hurley needs to teach and capitalize on game film. It’s only a crime if we don’t learn from our mistakes

 

[ucp990411]

Cole and Whaley saved us. Hurley has so much to work on. Too many things to list. Hurley needs to give the freshmen minutes going forward. They're not deep right now and they're really not deep in the backcourt. Too much burden is being placed on Cole, it simply can't continue like this. Diggins needs minutes.

Ugly as hell but still went 2-1. Never want UConn in this event again, never want to see the Bahamas again, and most of all never want to see these refs again. When refs are that inept I start to question if they're dirty.

Isn't Jamie Lucky a ref from the AAC?

 

[JMick]

Severe overreaction. VCU was a bad draw for a team who had the toughest draw in Atlantis and was playing there 3rd game in 3 days one being a double overtime dog fight. Our guys were physically and mentally exhausted. Sloppy play, tired legs, and poor decisions. But we aren’t mediocre

they played like they were allergic to winning all week.

This tournament can definitely be a positive overall for the team. I'm not saying the sky is falling. But I definitely don't have the same kind of hope for the season that I had 3 days ago

 

[navery12]

Yesterday I thought we were a good team that had a bad game against MSU. Now I'm worried we're a mediocre team that had a good game against Auburn. Way too many mistakes all around. Everyone involved with this team has to do better.

I wouldn't go as far as mediocre but this week really just reinforced what I thought preseason. This is a borderline top 25 team who's going to struggle for large stretches offensively and probably has a ceiling of the S16

 

[husky429]

Isn't Jamie Lucky a ref from the AAC?

ACC. Virginia fans hate the guy.

 

[SeattleHoop]

Our guard play has been exposed, and our lack of decision making and dumb turnovers in crunch time has added up to a season’s worth already. West Virginia and st johns are prob licking their chops right now.

I have to admit Gaffney and Jackson aren’t where I thought they would be in terms of their scoring contribution. I never expected much from Polley in most games.

We are going to have to get Hawkins more minutes if we want to go deep and I expect we will

 

[CL82]

Seems like we're still a bunch of moving parts.

Just saying, the team does not look they are in synch. Sure its early but to me, that will be Hurley's biggest task (i.e. creating a kick ass machine).

Sort of agree. We have pieces, but they haven’t really all come together yet.

 

[FlockOfLambs]

Cole and Whaley saved us. Hurley has so much to work on. Too many things to list. Hurley needs to give the freshmen minutes going forward. They're not deep right now and they're really not deep in the backcourt. Too much burden is being placed on Cole, it simply can't continue like this. Diggins needs minutes.

Agree. Our depth is constantly touted as one of our strengths but to not leverage that in a tournament where the first game goes to double OT and the final game has 45 fouls is bizarre. I’m fine with giving freshman a quick hook if they mess up but they need to be on the floor in some capacity. I find it hard to believe that Rahsool offers significantly less than Gaffney right now.

 

[JMick]

I wouldn't go as far as mediocre but this week really just reinforced what I thought preseason. This is a borderline top 25 team who's going to struggle for large stretches offensively and probably has a ceiling of the S16

Idk man. We played really bad the last two days. Really, really bad. We can't pass the ball in. We can't hold a lead. We run into traps. It's like we have a team full of freshman.

 

[3rdbass]

Cole and Whaley saved us. Hurley has so much to work on. Too many things to list. Hurley needs to give the freshmen minutes going forward. They're not deep right now and they're really not deep in the backcourt. Too much burden is being placed on Cole, it simply can't continue like this. Diggins needs minutes.

Ugly as hell but still went 2-1. Never want UConn in this event again, never want to see the Bahamas again, and most of all never want to see these refs again. When refs are that inept I start to question if they're dirty.

Yeah I was talking to my Uncle before the game that Diggins and Samson need to get on the court in the next couple games. We can't rely on Gaffney(as a PG) and Akok to give us much.

 

[80shusky]

Anybody still want Akok to start over Whaley?
Also, Diggins could really use some minutes. At least a few a game to give Cole and Gaffney a rest.

 

[gwhuskyfan]

Russ Steinberg of A Dime Back and I went live with our post-game thoughts. Catch the replay:

 

[UCFan1513]

Yesterday I thought we were a good team that had a bad game against MSU. Now I'm worried we're a mediocre team that had a good game against Auburn. Way too many mistakes all around. Everyone involved with this team has to do better.

Even that game wasn’t great. Auburn missing their best player, and tons of blown leads

 

[navery12]

Idk man. We played really bad the last two days. Really, really bad. We can't pass the ball in. We can't hold a lead. We run into traps. It's like we have a team full of freshman.

I guess that's what gives me a lot of optimism. We played really really bad and still should have been 2-0 in these 2 games (though we'd have gotten run out of the gym by Baylor if we did win yesterday). I think the recipe to beating UConn is out and we'll need to adjust, but it's also a recipe very few inferior teams can pull off

 

[JMick]

Even that game wasn’t great. Auburn missing their best player, and tons of blown leads

it wasn't a perfect game, but if we played like we did against Auburn the other 2 days we wouldn't be having these conversations. But yeah, not being able to hold onto leads is really worrisome.