UConn, Gilbert still waiting for their big moment
PHILADELPHIA — Somewhere between Dan Hurley’s almost threatening words to future opponents and the lingering, sour smell of three losing seasons is the present of UConn basketball.
Year 2, Game 17, as Hurley would say of his regime.
The present is excruciating losses. The present is Alterique Gilbert.
The present is doubleovertime losses to Xavier and Wichita State. The present is a three-point loss to Indiana and a four-point lead on No. 14 Villanova with under five minutes left Saturday at Wells Fargo Center.
Final score Villanova 61, UConn 55.
Yes, the present is excruciating losses. The present is Alterique, the Excruciating Kid, in a long, tight embrace with his coach outside the locker room afterward.
There are winning plays in college basketball. There are losing plays. They are the difference between
UConn’s first victory on the road against a ranked team in six years and another “almost” that makes a 10-7 midseason team. When those plays occur in the closing moments of tight games, the kind of game and atmosphere that make you salivate for next season’s return to the Big East, those plays determine postseason appearance and no postseason appearance. They inflate hopes. They pop bubbles.
“We’ve got to be better down the stretch,” Gilbert said. “I don’t know how many turnovers we had (17), but we’ve got to take better care of the ball.”
There are two plays that should stick in the gut of UConn coaches, players and fans. With 2:07 left and Villanova ahead, 52-51, Collin Gillespie missed a jumper. Jeremiah Robinson-Earl beat Josh Carlton for an offensive rebound. Now, don’t get this wrong. Carlton finished with 12 points, six rebounds, two blocks and played better Saturday than he had. The 6-11 junior must get that rebound. Instead, Carlton ended up fouling Robinson-Earl and the two free throws put the Wildcats up three.
Gilbert sliced the lead to
one with a clutch jumper with 1:41 left, and when Gillespie missed another shot, Gilbert grabbed the rebound. This was UConn’s golden chance to retake the lead. This was the precious possession. It turned to be fool’s gold. Again. Gilbert’s pass intended for Akok Akok was stolen by Justin Moore. A three by Jermaine Samuels and this game was decided.
“A bad decision,” Gilbert said. “I just hesitated, really, made a bad play. Obviously, that was a tough play for us. I’ll learn from it. Definitely.”
This isn’t meant to sound cruel, but we have heard that one before. Gilbert has become the Einstein of learning from late-game mistakes.
“They were kind of scrambling and there were a couple of guys who potentially could have gotten kind of a quick, easy score there,” Hurley said. “Right at the moment where you want to go timeout, Al just kind of fired it. That’s a little of where we’re at right now.
“Good teams, winning teams like Villanova and Houston and Wichita State don’t make those passes. They’re a lot more solid at that point in the game.”
We can pull back and play the clinician. Certainly, the difference was in the 3-point shooting. Villanova hit 11-of-23. UConn hit 2of-15. The loss of Tyler Polley in that area cannot be diminished. UConn contained Villanova’s top sharpshooters. So what happens? Samuels hit a season-high 4-of-6 outside the arc. The 17 turnovers were poison, of course, and Jay Wright’s adjustment to a zone in the second half stifled much of the dribble penetration.
We can play the perspiration card, too. The Huskies played hard. Villanova had embarrassed UConn the last two years. Not Saturday. The Huskies earned respect. They just didn’t earn a victory, like the one Shabazz Napier gave them the last time here in 2012 with a magical 29-foot shot in overtime. This game, as Hurley said, was on the table for his team. The Huskies pushed it back in the closing moments and said no thanks. Not ready yet.
“We’ve got to stay together,’” Gilbert said. “I thought we’re doing a great job of recognizing and staying with the game plan. We’ve got to make plays down the stretch. That one turnover was very critical in the game. It could have gone either way.”
Afterward in the locker room, Gilbert said Hurley talked about the team getting close, still building and that there will be a breakthrough day.
“Things to keep us in a positive mindset,” Gilbert said.
And what was in the little guard’s gut?
“Definitely wanted to
win that game,” Gilbert said. “You just got to know Villanova has a great team, great program won two (national) championships. We got to take a positive. We know we’re close, but it’s not good enough.”
Hurley is in a tight spot in one respect. His freshman guards James Bouknight and Jalen Gaffney and sophomore Brendan Adams have great promise. They also haven’t proven they can do all the heavylifting night after night. Christian Vital and Gilbert still bring plenty to the table, yet at the same time they haven’t pushed the scoreboard from excruciating to exhilarating in the most important games.
“I just want to keep playing,” Gilbert said. “I can’t wait for the next one.”
You think about it. All that Gilbert has gone through with injuries, surgeries, despite the excruciating losses, there must be a certain joy in just playing.
“That’s my No. 1 thing each and every day,” Gilbert said. “As long as I’m just able to step on the floor it is a blessing.”
Still, he has to be itching for The Moment, one like Napier had against Villanova, to push the UConn program back to its glory.
“We’re close,” Gilbert said. “I really think we are a possession or two away, a rebound of two away from that breakthrough game.”
Gilbert still has another year of eligibility. There’s almost an assumption by the Husky vox populi that he’ll graduate and move on.
Has he finalized any plans?
“Nah,” said Gilbert, an urban and community studies major.
Would you like to return?
“Of course, man,” he said. “I want to be on the winning side, whether it’s this year or next year. I’m just keeping everything open. I haven’t gotten that far down the line. I’m thinking about graduating and classes. I think we’re going to have a great end of the year.”
So Hurley pushes the older players to keep their heads up. He hugs them. He encourages them. After Wichita State, it was Vital. After Villanova, it was Alterique.
“If our older guys don’t take the, ‘here we go’ mindset and ‘just another brutal season in my time here,’ if they stay after it and our younger guys don’t start wearing losing like a shirt … the wins will be out there in the next 14.”
Moments later he talked again about rebuilding a proud program and before he got up to leave, Hurley said, “We’re on our way back. People get us now. That’s all. You better get us now. It’s coming.”
It’s not here yet.
And it’s excruciating.