(After the Feb. 1st loss @ Georgetown)
(all scores and stats can be found on http://www.cbssports.com/collegebasketball/teams/schedule/CT/connecticut-huskies)
(My apologizes for not creating a blog during the season, it never crossed my mind as I was writing just for the fun of it. These articles have not been altered for content after having been written.)
The new year has not been kind to Storrs and the Huskies of UConn...then again, they haven't been kind to themselves. UConn has dropped now six of their last eight games, notching only two wins within the first calendar year of 2012. Their play hasn't been that great in the only two wins either, a home win against a depleted St. Jon's team, and a comeback at Notre Dame (I did savor this win because ND was the bane of the Huskies season last year, winning both games by a combined 6 points, and Ben Hansbrough winning Big East PotY when Kemba had a much better season, and was more critical to his team). At this point I'm wishing Kemba Walker was still on the team. The wouldn't be undefeated, but the flow of the team would be much better than it is right now. Enough wasting time, I'll get into what has been good so far, what has been bad, and what has been ugly.
Good
Andre Drummond. I have to start off with the man who has weathered the hype, as well as Big East play so far. He has been consistent with his shots and has scored points and brought down rebounds for Connecticut. Thirteen games in double figures, fifty-two blocks on the year, and seven games with over ten rebounds. I expected him to average ten points a game, and that's what he's doing. He's playing his role perfectly.
Before 2012- Huskies were 12-1, the only loss being a surprising loss to Central Florida (16-6 as of 2/1), in the second round of the Battle for Atlantis tournament, a tournament I viewed as UConn's to lose despite teams like Harvard and Florida State being there. UConn in 2011 had wins against FSU, Wagner (17-4, win @ Pitt which is turning into a good team after a horrible start), Arkansas (16-6) and Harvard.
Ryan Boatright- I've watched this guy since finding out that UConn recruited him (this was back in April or so, if not even before then. Yes, I was looking into the recruiting as UConn got ready for their great run). After the FSU game (his first time on the court after the six game suspension, I knew he would be a contributor, and a key piece to the puzzle that was the UConn team. He's played in eleven games (should be more, shame on the NCAA), averaging just under ten points. His quickness, ball-handling, and playing ability has been refreshing at the PG position, which has shown to have its flaws when he's been off the court.
Tyler Olander- I hoped for the guy to have sharpened his skills over the summer break, and he looks like he has. He does his job, he knows his role on the team, and doesn't deviate from that plan. I compare him with Gavin Edwards from a few years ago, because Edwards was the same way. Edwards went on to be the best player from that team. Jerome Dyson and Stanley Robinson who?
Bad
Losses to UCF, SH, RUG, CIN, TEN, ND
UCF- In a tournament that was again, in my opinion there's to lose, UConn let up a 17-point lead with 16 minutes left...in 10 minutes!?!? Not only that, but to go on another drought with the game on the line, going cold and scoring only two points in six of the final seven minutes of the game? That is unacceptable,
SH- This isn't a bad loss, it was bad the way it happened for UConn. Jordan Theodore and Herb Pope I expected to have typical games, if not one of them to get above 20 points. But to let four players get into double figures? 6:15 left in the first half, with the score 19-19, that was the closest it got for the Huskies. They did shoot over ninty percent from the free throw line (11-12 made).
RUG- The Scarlet Knights were supposed to be the game where UConn would get back on track. Their coach was back, Rutgers wasn't that scary of a team, should've been a UConn win and things get straightened out. Instead, the Huskies go 4-19 from the 3-point line, and though out rebounded the Knights, lost by seven. Twenty turnovers and a conference loss that should've been a win couldn't have left a good taste in Calhoun's mouth.
CIN- Again, Cincinnati isn't a bad team. UConn allowed four of the five Bearcat starters to get into double figures, allowed an 11-26 night behind the 3-point arc, and though they tried, couldn't stop Kilpatrick from hitting the game-winning three with Lamb doing his best to make Kilpatrick shoot blind. UConn shot good, out-rebounded the Bearcats, and shot 75% from the charity stripe, but couldn't hold on. Another cold stretch of four minutes in the final seven didn't help their chances as well.
TEN- On the road, against a decent team, but only a decent team at (8-10) before the game. Napier and Lamb took most of the shots, which I believe was part of the problem. Drummond should've been getting more touches in these games. He took less than 10 shots in the losses to SH, RUG, CIN, and TEN, and though he did miss a lot of the shots he took, I think continued pressure inside would've done some good against Tennessee. Drummond had at least 20 pounds and roughly two inches on the tallest players Tennessee had to offer, he could've continued to bang away and the Volunteers may have caved. UConn shot terrible from the 3-point line (6-18) and let Jarnell Stokes go off for 16 points and 12 rebounds in just his third collegiate game. Props though to the young man, who graduated high school a semester early, and though not practicing much with the team, stepped up big after having played against a giant task in Kentucky.
ND-At home against a team that'd just knocked off the #1 team in the country, it screams “LET DOWN!” for Notre Dame. Down three at half, the Fighting Irish went on a 13-0 run to open the 2nd half, not allowing the Huskies to score until eight minutes into the half. Napier was cold, missing every one of the seven shots he took, and UConn went 3-13 from behind the arc. The Huskies scored a season-low 48 points, at home none the less, and with three seconds left, and a possible chance to win the game if someone can get a good enough look and launch a three-pointer, UConn puts the rock in Shabazz Napier's hands, the guy who hadn't made a shot all day was going to hit a half-court runner to win? That would've been cool, but I would've given the ball to Boatright or Lamb. Yes, Boatright had just came back from having to serve another suspension for further investigation regarding details about the first suspension, but he'd made 3-6. Let's not forget Lamb, who was 6-9 for the game. Either of those two over Napier, and I like Napier.
Ugly
Georgetown- Having just watched parts of the game, highlights, and checked through the stats, I am appalled at how UConn played (and that's saying something considering their now 4-game losing streak). They played with no enthusiasm, no defense, and couldn't shoot to save their lives. Lamb, Boatright, and Napier combined to go 4-31, all the shots being made by Lamb. The one bright moment in this game was that Lamb made all four of his free throws he attempted, while the team went a total 6-13 from the line. The Huskies played uninspired, and when they continued to miss shots, they let up shots on defense. This can't continue.
Play of the veterans- Oriahki, Napier, Lamb, the guys that have the ring from last year, the veterans. These guys should be playing much better than they are. Oriahki was miffed early on because of his lack of playing time. Drummond coming into the mix and playing better as the season has progressed has indeed cut into Oriahki's playing time at Center, but he's also able to play Power Forward. Oriahki has had just four games with 10 or more points, and only in the UCF game did he secure 10 or more rebounds this season (10). Oriahki should be AVERAGING 10 and 10 a game. If he wants more playing time, he has to show that he deserves it, wants it.
Napier reminds me of Kemba Walker in his first two years: potential, but rough around the edges. Shabazz has tried throughout the year to be what Kemba was last year, and that just isn't him. He is a great defensive guard who should stick to pressing the other teams guards until they are out of their rhythm, taking shots when he gets them, but not too many. He has shot decently better than last year, but there have been three games where he hasn't made a shot, but attempted close to ten shots. Bottom line, he can't be the player taking the most shots on the team, it's not who he is.
Lamb. If there was to be a new leader of the Husky Nation, it was Jeremy Lamb. He worked hard over the summer just like Kemba Walker had, both competing in FIBA tournaments during their off-seasons. Lamb would be the guy to take the final shot this year when it would come to that, he should know that. 19 of 21 games Lamb has gotten into double figures, but they haven't always been pretty. If confidence in his shot is something he is lacking, who better to talk to than Kemba Walker? I will admit that I hated to see Kemba shooting back when he was a sophomore and freshmen, but look at what he turned into.
Shooting- I'll be blunt...STOP SHOOTING SO MANY THREE-POINTERS! ALSO, FREE-THROWS WIN GAMES! Not counting the Georgetown game into these statistics, UConn is shooting 69.2% from the free-throw line and 34.9% from beyond the arc. One of Drummond's flaws is his free throw shooting, shooting only 35.4%...that is terrible, even for a freshman, a Big East player, a big man. In the NCAA tournament they won games because they took far less threes than other teams and developed an inside game to match their rebounding. College basketball often becomes a glorified three-point contest, but unless you make the threes consistently, don't take so many! Set up shots off screens and picks, drive to the hoop, lay it in and get the foul call and convert from the line.
So, do I have any advice, constructive, blunt, truthful advice for the Huskies? Yes, yes I do.
Practice free throws- Take time in practice to develop and reinforce correct free throw technique with each player, especially Drummond.
Get Lamb's shooting stroke back.
New position strategy. This is only a thought, but last year Napier came off the bench to play point guard, while Kemba, who started at point, moved to shooting guard. UConn could try the same thing, using Boatright at PG and Napier at SG. Lamb could play SG until the move, then go to SF. Olander comes out from SF for Lamb being moved over. Smith can stay in at PF, or bench him for Danials or move Oriahki from C to PF. Bring Drummond in at center. This is a team, there is no one star that can carry the team. Last year the Huskies had players playing their roles well, as well as a leader, they were a team above all else.
UConn's season isn't over yet. They are about to begin a hell stretch: 9 games, 5 at home, 2 games against Syracuse who just got Fab Mello back. Seaton Hall goes to Storrs (revenge game for Conn.), @ Louisville (a good test of how they will fair against zone defense), @ Syracuse (here we go), then DePaul at Storrs (this game can't happen quick enough for the Huskies), Marquette in Connecticut (can't wait to see this game), at Villanova (Don't sleep on this team because it's the game before Syracuse), Syracuse in Storrs (rematch), at Providence (stay alert, any Big East game is dangerous), and finishing against Pittsburgh in Storrs (Pitt. has begun to play like they used to, watch out for them). What they do in their final 9 games, as well as however many they get in the Big East Tournament is up to them. GO HUSKIES!
