I am a firm believer that if you expect the worst, you can never be disappointed. It's just the way I have become after being hurt so many times by Esherick. Thus, I am probably a lot more excited with this victory than the knuckleheads that expected us to march up to Hartford and kick the crap out of the unbeaten Huskies. There, I said it.
I said that the only way we could win this game was if we limited the use of our bench and shot over 40% from three point land. Well, our bench players averaged less than 10 minutes in this game, whereas the UConn bench averaged over 17 minutes of playing time. In our eleven games this season, we utilized the bench the least in this game, only three players got on court and they saw the least amount of combined time than in any other prevous game. We shot 46% from beyond the arc, which is tied for third highest percentage this season (the average margin in those three other games is 41 points). We also hit our free throws, going 18-19 in the second half.
We want our bench to be neutral on the court, not contribute anything positive while not doing anything stupid. This game was a perfect example of how they should play as role players. Past games the bench has taken it upon themselves to shoot (ahem, Wattad) and drive (ahem, Clark) which just ends up in quick transition buckets for the other team and turnovers.
Some other random observations:
- Jay Bilas loves Greg Monroe, and rightfully so. The freshman had an incredible game and absolutely outplayed Thabeet
- 31 NBA scouts and execs in the stands for this game, kinda wish Monroe didn't have such a great game...
- Monroe gave me a great idea, the fake timeout. Instead of wasting a timeout, just pretend your contact fell out and stall the game for 5 minutes.
- Georgetown centers are now 3-3 from beyond the arc against UConn in the JT3 era
- Henry Sims shouldn't get any ideas by this fact
- Balance scoring continues, 8th time in 11 games that we have had at least four starters in double digits
- Amazingly, in those 8 games, the difference between the high double digit scorer and the low double digit scorer has never been more than 10
- Freeman is having a very quiet all Big East year
- Wright is starting to get much deserved attention, Jimmy Dykes said he could end up being the best PG in the nation come his senior year
- Summers continues to prove me wrong, the attempted dunk on Thabeet was a great idea
- JT3 won this game with his mixed man/zone D and off/def substitutions with Monroe in the second half
- ESPN incorrectly (as usual) applied a JT3 quote regarding Wattad starting over Sapp in their pre-game analysis but maybe they were on to something...
- Sapp has completely disappeared in the last four games averaging 5 points and shooting less than 24% from the field and 23% from beyond the arc
- Clark should see more playing time as the season goes on, he is shooting 95% from the stripe which will be critical come crunch time in some of the upcoming games
- This was the lowest the UConn has scored in a loss since we beat them in '06'-07 season
Big matchup against Pitt at Verizon this Saturday. Georgetown puts its 29-game home winning streak on the line.
Good talk.
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3 comments:
"I'm in a state of shock, I really am. To have a home game in the conference opener against a rival like Georgetown and not be excited -- there was no reason not to be excited. I don't know what team I was coaching tonight."
-Jim Calhoun
Classic Calhoun -
Whose job is it to make sure the players are ready to play?
Whose job is it to scout the other team to know what type of defense they will come out and play.
Whose job is it to remind the players that guarding too tightly around the perimeter will lead to easy backdoor baskets for G'town?
Certainly not the head coach accordingly to Saint Calhoun.
B^2,
Good work, as usual. May my 2008 legacy conclude with the following comments:
1) Yes, Sapp is disappearing, though would you say he is playing bad? To me, its more that Summers, Freeman and Wright are all improving. Sapp was never going to take a game over anyway, so if he can play good D, take a charge or 2, hit a clutch 3 and not turn the ball over, I'll take it.
2) Right now, who could we NOT beat? I just hope our starting 5 have their legs under them come late March.
3) Monroe's game reminded me of one of those 06-07 dominant Jeff Green games, where he gets 13 pts, 6 boards, 5 assists: none of the numbers stand out, but you look back and say wow, Jeff Green dominated that game.
4) Jay Bilas was a LITTLE too much into Monroe. Don't turn Dickie V/Duke on me, Bilas - you're too good.
Manly, and 40,
T^3
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