After UConn’s 70-68 loss to Marquette in the Big East semifinals last Friday, I had many reasons to be frustrated. The Huskies had lost another one-possession game for the second straight year in the semifinals, continuing a trait that has plagued the program for multiple seasons. The defense had stepped up midway in the second half after switching to zone, allowing UConn to rally from a 10-point deficit to tie the game at 60 with 9:26 remaining. However, this defense was negated by the offense going 3-13 from the field the remainder of the game, preventing the team from ever taking the lead.
After a layup from Adama Sanogo with a little less than three minutes remaining brought his team within two, the Huskies missed the final five shots of the game. Their shot selection during this stretch left a lot to be desired, as UConn focused on scoring from the perimeter instead of trying to get the ball to Adama Sanogo, who was being guarded by bigs in foul trouble, or at least playing inside-out. Joey Calcaterra missed two great looks from deep, and on the last play of the game Jordan Hawkins threw up a prayer after Dan Hurley elected to not call a timeout. Fittingly, Tristen Newton missed a wide-open Sanogo under the basket on the play.
Despite the frustrating loss, I am mostly at peace with the results. Yes, UConn has arguably more talent than anyone else in the Big East, including tournament winner Marquette. However, the team learned a lot of lessons from the game that can hopefully allow it to go on a tournament run.
First, I believe that the loss showed the Huskies that they need to be willing to get the ball inside more, whether for baskets in the paint or shots off of kick-outs and cutting to the rim. This is especially the case if the team is struggling heavily on 3-pointers, as it was in the second half. Despite Sanogo’s dominance inside (he scored 19 points), the junior center took just 11 shots and none in the final minutes as the guards failed to score. Donavon Clinigan was excellent as well with 7 points and 5 rebounds, but curiously played just 10 minutes. With UConn’s guards struggling and Karaban and Andre Jackson limited by fouls in the second half, Dan Hurley should have emphasized to get the ball in the paint and challenge the Marquette players who were in foul trouble (granted, he may have done so and the team just failed to execute). It’s hard to imagine Jackson and most UConn’s guards playing that badly on offense again versus No. 13 Iona Friday in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament, but the team should be able to score effectively inside considering the size, efficiency, and rebounding of Sanogo and Clinigan.
Second, the loss demonstrated that UConn needs to compete hard on defense the entire 4o minutes. None of the guards played strong man-to-man against Marquette and seemed to be unfocused particularly due to their offensive struggles. Jackson’s foul trouble also caused the Huskies defense to be much less dynamic, and Sanogo’s help defense was atrocious, allowing the Golden Eagle guards to score very effectively at the rim. Combine this with Marquette’s success from beyond the arc, and it was the perfect recipe for a loss despite UConn’s effective zone defense. While Iona has strong offensive guards and can score in a variety of ways, I believe the Huskies athleticism and depth should allow them to slow down the offense enough as long as the players are locked in. Hopefully, the semifinal loss will give UConn a lot of t to step up on that end.
Finally, UConn needs to play composed. Against Marquette, the players were visibly frustrated and Hurley was having difficulty communicating with them. As the team has done all year, it seemed to tighten up and show poor shot selection in the final minutes. They will have to avoid this and handle the press effectively against Iona, which is the bread and butter of its defense. As far as individual players, Jackson and Hawkins, who each had two of their worst games of the season, need to play with confidence and intelligence. Jackson needs to be the human dynamo he is capable of, and Hawkins needs to get out of its shooting sleep and start establishing a legacy of postseason success. Finally, Hurley needs to show more smarts as a coach for UConn to go on any sort of March Madness run. He admitted that UConn wasn’t prepared mentally to face Marquette, and struggled to find the right way to communicate to his players as the Golden Eagles executed great on both ends. Harley waited too long to switch to the zone in the second half, and should have played Clinigan more, especially after he was vital in UConn’s comeback to tie the game midway through the second half. Finally, Hurley must do a better job of using his timeouts, and calling ones in the final moments of close games if a play isn’t working effectively. Hurley’s decision to not call one on the final play of the game against Marquette was dumb and put way too much pressure on the offense. This is a make-or-break tourney for Hurley, as he needs to prove he can win at least one game in March and avoid an upset. I think he will, but any criticism he gets if UConn doesn’t is justified.
UConn can make a lot of adjustments to prepare for Iona tomorrow afternoon, based on what they see on tape from Iona’s games and the strengths and weaknesses the team has shown recently. The Huskies have the talent to beat anyone these next few weeks, as we’ve seen at points throughout the season. Starting Friday, it’s now the responsibility of the players and coaching staff starting Friday to play to the team’s strengths against individual opponents and minimize their weaknesses.
HUSKY NATION 