UC has the tools, sometimes they just lose focus.

I like the D for the most part. Never seen them playing the passing lane like this in a while. If they gamble for steals, they need to find a shotblocker to erase those missed steals.

their offense flows through gates. when they can't get it to gates, they struggle.

this teams problems are the from the neck up.

Hard to draw too many conclusions after the fourth unheard of opponent in a row. Has to feel like exhibition season to the players.

First big test against Dayton this weekend.

I don't really expect them to look fantastic against their 4th straight lame opponent (not even counting the exhibitions). It's hard to get up for a game when you're playing a fourth straight bad opponent in front of a crowd that's at 25% capacity.

Gates and Thomas were way too soft tonight. The combined to miss 14 out of 22 shots and only went to the line 5 times against a really small team. Far too often the bigs avoid contact in the paint and end up taking more difficult shots as a result. There should have been a bevy of and-1 plays against this team.

Definitely give them credit for playing very hard on defense. Couldn't buy a basket on offense, but it was never much of a game because of the defense. Savannah State didn't break the 30 point barrier until 4 minutes left in the game. Weak opponent, but that's still impressive.

yup, loved the hustle on defense. trapping, getting steals, and ruffling opponent's feathers.

offense is terrible. our "bigs" still play like pansies. looked like ron allen was out there playing.

One thing that I really loved tonight (and all year so far) is the number of tipped passes we've gotten on defense. With our quickness, those are going to bounce our way more than half the time. It gave me some warm and fuzzies, thinking about some of our best defensive teams over the years.

(11-24-2010 10:29 PM)Tymanh99 Wrote:  yup, loved the hustle on defense. trapping, getting steals, and ruffling opponent's feathers.

offense is terrible. our "bigs" still play like pansies. looked like ron allen was out there playing.

Agreed. Yancy looked good for first ten minutes and then faded. He's obviously not ready to play 30 minutes every other day. Thomas had a rough game. Dunk the damn ball, dude!!! Drives me crazy.

Yancy did not fade as much as the guards stopped looking for him and I think he became frustrated. He posted up and they never passed into the post

Time for all to face it. Thomas will never take the ball to the rim with authority. It is not in him. What we see is what we get. He is better than last year, and is continuing to improve.

My big complaint is that we played the opposition's game instead of making them play ours. This was not a power team we were playing, and it is not good that we can't take control of a game against SSU.

It is also not a good sign that we continue to have stretches of mental inactivity.

There is a major difference between our play and the play of the tournament teams I am watching on ESPN.

Why is Mick doing the NHL thing with player substitutions?

(11-24-2010 10:01 PM)Bearcat04 Wrote:  Gates and Thomas were way too soft tonight. .

Exactly. If these two can man-up this team might have a
good season. But if they can't do it against guys they have
tremendous physical advantages against how are they going
to do it against their physical equals?

is it ironic that the shorter bigs we've had were always the tougher ones (Hicks, Maxiell, Fortson)? Definitely need Gates and Thomas to play stronger. Also, need to get in transition faster. After we rebound the ball on the defensive end, we need to outlet quick and try and score in transition. This is especially crucial since teams are going to zone us constantly as we've shown we aren't particularly proficient at long range shooting and really don't have much zone offense. Let's try and beat them down the court before the opposition has a chance to organize and set up their zone.

No doubt, fast break offense is particularly concerning.

UConn 84
pUKe 67

Ibrahima Thomas played maybe the worst half of basketball I have ever seen in that 2nd half. If he hits half of those layups he missed then UC wins by 25. He was absolutely pathetic finishing the ball.

I said last week this team has a 0% chance of making NCAA tourney,I actually think it could make the tourney,there is some talent now Mick has got to use it.I think he has to play kilpatrick WAY MORE,and IMO he has to get a combination of Jackson and Wilks more time over Thomas,those 2 I know have their shortcomings but they both at least battle and scrap for rebounds and loose balls,I dont like that Bishop and Dixon are getting SK's minutes,to me Bishop and Dixon our basically the same player,play one of them with Sean the majority of the time.If this all were to happen I dont think it would be all that shocking for them to make the tourney.

(11-25-2010 12:21 AM)ctipton Wrote:  UConn 84
pUKe 67

Just shows you, with exceptions, there needs to be a strong point guard at the helm.

I had us beating UConn in our home game with them, but after watching UConn for a couple of games, I don't think that is going to happen.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, UC fans are concerned about our teams ability to beat Dayton.

Has Thomas added any muscle in the off-season?

(11-24-2010 09:32 PM)bearcats23 Wrote:  I don't really expect them to look fantastic against their 4th straight lame opponent (not even counting the exhibitions). It's hard to get up for a game when you're playing a fourth straight bad opponent in front of a crowd that's at 25% capacity.

I think UC should be way past the excuse making at this point. It was a mismatch in talent and size. UC just can't make baskets.

We'll have to see if they are ready to step up a little in competitioon.

(11-25-2010 03:25 AM)JFlight21 Wrote:  Ibrahima Thomas played maybe the worst half of basketball I have ever seen in that 2nd half. If he hits half of those layups he missed then UC wins by 25. He was absolutely pathetic finishing the ball.

If I were Mick or whoever (whomever?) coaches the big guys, I'd have Thomas spend half of practice every day going up as high and as strong as he can against two defenders pounding on him while he does it.

(11-25-2010 08:10 AM)converrl Wrote:  Has Thomas added any muscle in the off-season?

Last year he was really skinny. This year he is just Skinny. Maybe a couple of pounds, but he is kinda of tall, so he may have put on more.