STORRS – UConn went through its practice for the Syracuse game, and obviously the need to recalibrate for the loss of Enosch Wolf was a big part of the day.
Donny Marshall was in, helping out during practice, and he spent some time working one-on-one with Phil Nolan, the freshman who will now have to absorb some of the 13.7 minutes per game Wolf was playing.
“No more waiting, no more seeing,” Kevin Ollie said. “Phil’s going to learn by experience. We expect him to give us a spark, give us effort and energy. … Next man up.”
If Tyler Olander and Nolan get into foul trouble, Ollie will have to go with a smaller lineup that has Niels Giffey and DeAndre Daniels in together. It’s a look that worked in spots against Providence, when both Olander and Wolf fouled out.
“We play with the guys we have on the bench,” Ollie said.
*******
Players were told not to comment on Wolf, who will appear at Rockville Superior Court today in connection with his arrest Monday morning. “It is what it is, man,” Ryan Boatright said. Ollie did not want to comment, beyond his statement released by the school on Monday.
“We’re going to let the legal process take care of itself,” he said.
Asked if he anticipated Wolf playing again this year, Ollie said, tersely, “He is suspended indefinitely.”
Asked if that meant Wolf could not be around the team at all, Ollie said, “You don’t see him here, so draw your own conclusion.”
*****
Tyler Olander has been starting and playing most of the minutes, though Wolf has often appeared more effective in games.
“My role really doesn’t change,” Olander said. “… I need to be more involved, put more on the stat sheet.”
Ollie: “Tyler needs to get himself more involved. He needs to get rebounds, score. We want him to get double-doubles, and we believe he can do it. And he believes he can do it.”
The closest he came was 16 points, 7 rebounds at ND. Olander has scored only 18 points in seven games since.
Now, vs. Syracuse and beyond, Olander will have to try to be more aggressive – without getting into foul trouble. That may not be possible.
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This will be last call for UConn-Syracuse as Big East rivals, as conference realignment breaks up another wonderful match-up. “I grew up watching Syracuse and UConn,” Ollie said.
“Man, it’s crazy,” Boatright said. “DeAndre Daniels and I were talking about that today.”
Olander: “Every [UConn-Syracuse game] is an instant classic.”
*****
UConn will see a lot of zone defense, as it often does, but Syracuse’s brand of zone is different, more extended. “They’re long,” Boatright said. “They play their wings back deeper, take away the jump shot.”
The key, Ollie says, is move the ball size to size with extra crispness.
*****
Bob Knight was to do the game with Brent Musburger for ESPN, but he is having a medical procedure. Jimmy Dykes will work with Musburger.
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11 Responses to UConn Adjusting To Playing Without Enosch Wolf: Notes, Quotes From Practice
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just when we thought UCONN men were over all the criminal crap along come someone silly who acts the fool. maybe they treat women differently in Germany but he sure screwed up. Kevin won’t put up with any nonsense and am sure that recuiting will take a different tone now.
Hello….last time I checked there was still a presumption of innocence until guilt is proven in America.
Your “criminal crap” comment demonstrates your ignorance (kindest word I could come up with to describe your dumb ass stupidity). There have been hundreds of student athletes come through the Men’s Basketball program at Uconn in the last 20 years. Whether these young men made basketball a profession or not, the vast majority have become productive adults making positive contributions to society. Stop with the unsubstantiated , untrue , negative characterizations….you show your foolishness to freely.
All true. But the facts stacking up against Wolf seem overwhelming. Can’t imagine he’ll wear UConn uniform ever again. Maybe he’ll go back and play pro ball in Europe. Good luck to him. He made one mistake but seemingly a very very bad mistake.
I don’t agree with just sending a message and kicking the kid off the team as Jeff Jacobs has suggested. When you recruit a kid it’s not just about basketball, it’s also about teaching the kid life lessons. You kick the kid off the team after multiple infractions, not after the first one. If guilty you could suspend the kid the rest of the year, make sure he attends and completes some kind of abuse against woman’s program. You are basically the kids father for four years and you don’t just quit on him. You have an obligation to do everything possible to make sure the kid never does this again, kicking him off the team will ensure he does this in the future. When or if he plays again should be the last thing the coach thinks about. The message should be to all the players, that the coach will never abandon the kid but that basketball will be the last thing you ever get back. You make the kid prove he’s worthy of playing again at UConn but you don’t quit on him.
Let’s see how it shakes out in court today. Not knowing details makes it hard to judge, but I am in agreement with the comments about keeping him with the program and working it out in a responsible manor. We have to remember that these players are kids that make mistakes good or bad. Where were you when you were 18-21 years old. We put a lot of pressure on these kids and they have to grow up very fast. There is no excuse for violence against women or anyone for that matter. Sit Wolf out and let him think about everything he did. Make him contribute back to society in a positive way so he learns and understands right from wrong. Don’t give up on him or he will continue to make mistakes. I hope and believe that Kevin will handle this in a positive forward way. It’s not just a test for Enosch, but for Coach Ollie too.
Wow! A great post! You are right on the money with this. I’m sure Ollie is thinking the same way about this. Wolf, apparently, made a bad mistake. Do you abandon someone just because he made a bad mistake? Even if Wolf never plays another minute at UConn, I’m sure Ollie wants to make sure that the rest of his life is not determined by his having done something stupid when he was 22.
if hes allowed return,he will take unrelenting harrasment
in opposing arenas.
Wolf supposedly may be deported, so we may not have to worry about whether or not he they decide to kick him off the team.
Well, yes and no. Much will depend on what happens on and after March 20.
So if on March 20th he goes back and there is lack of evidence or in any other way is exonerated, the team looks the part of the fool for banning him before his hearing.
I agree , some real good comments regarding a obligation to the players…waiting to see what plays out and all the facts come out..
I was thinking if I was a parent of a recruit of a college or University , I would be interested in seeing if the coach, administration would have the the back of my son / daughter when a problem arises..stand with him, her. Especially when it seems this is the first incident of nastiness in the childs stay here..
If they just cut all contact with him , I think of it as along the actions of the Presidents of these Big East schools..very little loyalty , basically hypicrits as they make sure they position them selves for the big bucks of conference switching and yet turn their back on one of the founding memebers of their league who have proved they are doing all the right things now yet still wouldn’t give them a break..and these are supposed to be people of integrity, scholorship and a superior standing in the world…not a 22 year old student astill getting into things that sometimes might over whelm him as many kids do.
Plus we don’t know all the facts either..
If Ollie just cuts him off and abandons him ..to embarressing for him to handle , it will definitly be a dissapointment for me..hope fully we don’t see that.
When you recruit a player to come to your school you do have a obligation toward him , to help him, guide him, even when he might do something that is wrong..part of education…