Husky Hoops: UW vs Utah Valley (Dec 21)

Where are the fans at??? Very few people are turning out to watch this Mike Hopkins created shit show...

The UW Athletics YouTube channel still hasn't uploaded the post game presser from the game...wow. A partial post game presser video is available to watch on the above Husky Maven link.


247 Sports https://247sports.com/college/washington/Article/Washington-Huskies-UW-Mens-Basketball-Terrell-Brown-Mike-Hopkins-its-like-a-slow-drip--178936678/

Mike Hopkins: "It's like a slow drip"

Senior guard Terrell Brown, Jr. and Head Coach Mike Hopkins spoke to the media Tuesday night after Washington lost to Utah Valley 68-52. Despite missing a starter (Jamal Bey) and three assistant coaches (Wyking Jones, Will Conroy, Quincy Pondexter), Hopkins said it was the slow start that put the Huskies behind the 8-ball and gave UVU the impetus they needed to push ahead.

Missing foul shots and three-pointers was akin to a 'slow drip', according to Hopkins. Adding to their problems was getting out-rebounded by 18 and poor offense bleeding over to the defensive side of the ball. Below is the full media session with Brown and Hopkins, as well as selected quotes.


Terrell Brown, Jr.

On the offense without Jamal Bey...

"It's definitely more challenging. We depend on Jamal's scoring, but the opportunity goes to the next person. It's kind of like next man up. It's how we prepare all the time. No matter what, we knew whatever he was going through, he was going through. But we always prepare ourselves for next man up, everybody can be able to produce."


On the offensive issues in general...

"They played better than us, to be honest. They played together, they moved the ball. They changed some defenses at one point. They went 1-3-1 and then to a man-to-man. It was different. They were pressing a little bit, then back off. Give credit to them guys. The beauty of basketball is that you learn from your losses and make your adjustment going into Pac-12 play."


How hard has it been on you to be the sole scorer at times?

"Nobody likes to lose. We're getting the stops that we need and sometimes the ball's just not rolling in for us right now. I know our group of guys are workers. They're going to figure it out. We missed 12 free throws and didn't make any threes. I think these dudes are upset in the locker room right now by the way we played, but I also know that them guys want to work hard. We want to be good. It is what it is; we've just got to be better."


On the state of the program heading into Pac-12 play...

"Throughout the season you learn that there's always work to be done. You can always get better. We didn't have the best non-conference, but I know that we can persevere through a lot of stuff. And the players that we have are really good players. I'm excited, they're excited, even though we took this loss. You can see the potential is there. We just need to reach it."


Mike Hopkins

How did the absences affect the performance?

"I don't think they affected it at all. We just didn't come out and play how hard we have to play. We started out the game just like 90 percent of the season; a little lackadaisical. They picked us apart, they scored 10 quick points. There's a time out, we started locking in, and then they don't score for 8-9 minutes. And then we're fighting back. So we have to have better starts. We have to play like it's our last game all the time, and it's just been in spurts."


To get better starts, does that mean change the starters?

"Could be. We're going to have to evaluate. The bottom line is, we've just got to have more of an energy boost. It's got to be more of a pop. We've had one game this year at South Dakota State where we came out really good at the beginning of the game. A lot of these other games we've gotten behind. We just haven't played with the pop that we need to."


On getting outrebounded 44-26...

"It impacted us. We tried to play a little bigger lineup without Jamal. We were able to play two guards, and at one point I even had Langston (Wilson) at the three just to try and have the length and athleticism in there, especially in the second half when the big kid was playing. And we got out-rebounded. It's a mindset, it's a willing-to mindset, and it's obviously an area we've got to get better at."


On Terrell Brown's ability to play through anything...

"He's one of the toughest guys I've ever been around. Mentally, physically. He's a really good leader. He's got the ability to score as well as make plays for others. When he feels like the other guys aren't as engaged like he is, he looks to put us on his back. The other guys, we've got to step up in a lot of different positions. A lot of guys got opportunities; they've got to play better. That's just the bottom line."


Is there a way to scheme things to make it easier for them right now?

"The threes we got tonight were pretty open. We're going to have to watch tape but out of the 11 I'd say 7 or 8 were probably really good looks. You've got to knock those down. Foul shots, it's not necessarily the number it's when you make 'em. If you're going down and they score and you come down and make 1 of 2, they score and you come down and it's 1-1 and you miss the front end, those add up. So it's not necessarily the runs; you've got to be able to score during those times. And it just felt like it was a slow drip. Add another one. And then we had to start to press and get the pressure. The one kid made a big three and we got him to shoot early and he hit the three in the corner. It all starts with how you come out and play at the beginning. And I felt like we just didn't have the pop that we needed."

Go UVU https://gouvu.com/news/2021/12/21/mens-basketball-wolverines-take-down-washington-68-52-on-the-road.aspx

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lTQV_eIf_Q4
Washington vs Utah Valley (Full Game Highlights)