Big East Tournament

[WBR Tom]

Frustrating game, all the moreso in my mind because it wasted what could have been an all-time game for a CU player in a conference tourney game. In the 18-6 run that briefly gave CU the lead, Kalkbrenner had nine points, six rebounds, three blocks and a steal. Completely dominant on both ends, controlling the game for over six minutes.

If they'd won can you imagine how we'd be talking about that stretch of brilliance? Alas. More on that, and other frustrating stuff, in the Morning After (plus highlights, quotes and more):

https://whiteandbluereview.com/morning- ... nce-78-73/

[jaykorver]

Pitino and Hurley were both given technicals one after the other by Breeding. Hurley has been asking for a fan to be ejected.

[jaykorver]

[jaykorver]

Clingan just picked up his third foul in the opening seconds of the 2nd half.

[JacobPadilla]

Frustrating game, all the moreso in my mind because it wasted what could have been an all-time game for a CU player in a conference tourney game. In the 18-6 run that briefly gave CU the lead, Kalkbrenner had nine points, six rebounds, three blocks and a steal. Completely dominant on both ends, controlling the game for over six minutes.

If they'd won can you imagine how we'd be talking about that stretch of brilliance? Alas. More on that, and other frustrating stuff, in the Morning After (plus highlights, quotes and more):

https://whiteandbluereview.com/morning- ... nce-78-73/

I see we both had the same idea. I put a Twitter thread together on that stretch and Kalkbrenner's overall performance as well.

[JacobPadilla]

In games like last night where the 3s aren't falling, they should really get it into Kalk more. He was 7-11. Nembhard used to do 3 or 4 lobs a game to Kalk, but this year they do it much less.

that was kind of my thought, but numbers don't really bear that out. Usage is up this year over last year, both in conference and out

Kalk had 3 games this year with 15 shots or more, but only 1 last year.

Take out the additional 3 PT shots he's taken and he's roughly the same in his shots from last year. But even last year, I think we often wished we'd work inside-out more often, especially when shots aren't falling, and, unfortunately, he was 1/5 in the first half last night

this year
dunks 76/83
at the rim 163/216 / Assisted 77.3%
Other 2 PT - 42/70 / Assisted 64.3%

last year
dunks 73/75
At the rim 184/239 / Assisted 80.4
other 2 PT - 29/57 / Assisted 58.6

some variation there, but it doesn't look to me like we used Kalk substantially more or better last year

I think we all agree about just getting him the ball more, especially when we are struggling from 3 PT range.

What I have seen and feel is there was more chemistry between R2 and Kalk on those lobs to Kalk. This year, whether it is Ash or anyone else, it seems the ball isn’t thrown to Kalk in the right spot for him to handle the ball and shoot right away a lot of times. There is either a bad lob and turnover or Kalk gets it where he has to either throw it back or try to back his man to the basket by dribbling and he is susceptible to the double team steal from his blind side.

There's something to this, but I also think they've improved that throughout the season, and it didn't bear out in dramatically different production as Chicago showed above. Not going to update the numbers, but I looked into this back in January for a Twitter thread.

[jaykorver]

Carter just missed a putback bunny but Providence scrambled to get the loose ball rebound and Carter buried a 3. Maybe it will help give them some momentum back. They're down 7.

[Chicagojayfan]

Fairly close and hard fought game between UConn and SJU, closer than I expected

I think a lot of what we are seeing in the BE is that the top teams showed it over the course of the season, but the middle teams have a lot of talent, and everyone plays hard so by the time the tourney gets here for the BE everyone is absolutely sick of playing each other

[Chicagojayfan]

...

There's something to this, but I also think they've improved that throughout the season, and it didn't bear out in dramatically different production as Chicago showed above. Not going to update the numbers, but I looked into this back in January for a Twitter thread.

I haven't tried to find data to support it, but like you say, to my eyes, they've gotten a lot better at feeding the post. Ashworth in particular has been making at least a couple of great post feed passes a game recently

Some of it might be related to how much better we're moving the ball and spacing things with Alexander/Ashworth in the backcourt. I thought in first Nova game and some of the non-conference games the defenses were clogging things up for us, and they were struggling to to get space and clean ball movement. But now Ashworth's not picking up his dribble as much and is more decisive, and is moving much better without the ball, and Alexander seems to have a much better feel for where he's at

Providence looked to be trying to replicate that formula, but we got more than enough clean shots to have won that game, IMO... just didn't hit them

Sucks that we lost this one, but it doesn't change my thoughts on their chances in the NCAA all that much

[SeattleJay]

Just a quick note on the vibe inside MSG last night.

Obviously U Conn and PC fans dominated the cheering. The PC fans were nuts. They showed a PC fan on the big screen and the PC fans were really enthusiasticly cheering and when they would show an MU fan the booing was really loud. It was comical that they did this for several of the timeouts at the end of the game and there was no relenting on the PC fan fever.

PC definitely has their fare share of jerk fans but you have to respect the zealousness of their fan base.

I have to say that it was extremely depressing the night of and the morning after the CU loss but it was fun watching 2 great games last night.

We had more CU fans than I have seen in 3 years of BET but we are still badly outnumbered by the locals. Fun to make some CU connections and cheer on the alma mater.