In their worst showing of the season tonight at Madison Square Garden UCONN was literally run off the court by the St. John's Red Storm. The Johnnies scored 28 fast break points to the Huskies 0( that's right, 0), shredded their interior defense as they drove at will, and shut down Kemba Walker and the UCONN offense.
As the season progresses the UCONN weaknesses are becoming glaring to the tough well coached Big East squads and they seem to be in reverse. This team just has no inside presence; as a result, they cannot break a zone and are completely dependent on the Guards for points. Opponents are taking their cue from Syracuse and playing 2-3 zone defenses; when Walker gets the ball he is immediately surrounded by three defenders and the lane has been taken away. He is forcing bad shots and had another terrible night from the floor, 4-16. The problem starts up front and there are no adjustments that can be made for lack of talent. Not much more to say about tonight's fiasco.
Don't be fooled by Roscoe Smith's 16 points tonight. Most of them came when the came was out of reach and were meaningless- he doesn't score under pressure.
I am just not sure where it goes from here. The Huskies play always tough Providence at Gampel on Sunday.
You Heard it here first
Steve
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3 comments:
It's been a rough couple of weeks, but I'm not ready to be so bearish. I think Jimmy C. is racking his brains right now about how this team can adjust to zone defenses.
It is not so much a tactical issue as it is one of coaxing one or two younger players to verge in their development. Notice that in the last four games, each starting 5 has been different. Only Oriakhi, Walker, and Lamb are fixtures.
Who will emerge? Smith, Okwandu, Giffey, Olander? That other German dude who has totally vanished?
Before his recent breakout, Lamb was invisible, then he broke out. With so many young players, I think there is still hope and I think that Calhoun has still not settled on a starting five.
I actually thought last night's hammering was a good thing for UCONN (it's cliche to say, but in this case I believe it). We're waiting for Superman here and nothing creates opportunity like a vacuum.
Let's not forget the game was at MSG. Tough place to play against the home-town Johnnies.
while you both make good points I come back to the lack of talent up front. Nokwondu, oops I meant Okwandu is Senior and is not going to get much better. Olander is a Frosh and Big men develop slowly so i don't see much from him this hear. Smith could break out but he seems to disappear in big games and he is not the needed power forward or center. Giffey is the most interesting the bunch- I think he has far more talent than he has shown and if he gets some confidence at least they could him at the foul line against the zones.
Also, Huskies have now lost 3 of their lost 4 games and just beat a weak Seton Hall team. The remainder of the schedule is not extraordinarily tough considering they are in the Big East. I think my very first prediction this year, 3 games over .500 in the big East will turn out to be pretty close.
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