41 days later, and the second half of the NC game still gets me

[alexrgct]

I don't mean to beat a dead horse here, but this is an offseason to celebrate, after all...

I am still completely ecstatic by the second half of the national championship game. UConn took the same eight point lead to the locker room at halftime against ND that the Huskies did on December 6. However, unlike the second half of the December 6 matchup (where the Huskies pretty much put the game away and won by 18), the Irish tried to mount furious comeback after furious comeback on April 7. On nearly countless occasions, ND drew within five or six points, but the poise our girls showed was something I'll never forget. Morgan Tuck, Kia Nurse, and Mo Jefferson, kept stepping up, hitting shots, and extending the lead back to 9+. Meanwhile, Breanna Stewart was an absolute machine on the defensive glass, and when we needed a rebound, she delivered one.

Finally, it was KML who delivered the final seven points of UConn's season, extending the lead from six to a by-then-insurmountable 13 points. KML was clutch in many instances throughout her college career, but both the Maryland game and the NC game had been tough for her. However, when UConn needed KML to do KML stuff, she scored on an open trey, a nice spinning fadeaway, and a perfect post play.

All of that still delights me for two reasons:

• I'll miss the heck out of KML, but she went out the right way. In other words, her absence will be palpable next season, but her performance in the waning minutes of the NC game was gestalt personified. KML will have left UConn, but she left nothing on the table. I've adored her since 2011, and I'll always adore her for what she did for our beloved program.
• That aforementioned poise has got to be something our girls will bottle up and store for future use next year, doesn't it? I mean, the stakes were as high as could be, and Moriah, Morgan, Kia, and Stewie responded. On a not-unrelated note, they're playing for UConn next year! Add to that returning quartet to the imminently-arriving quartet, not to mention being patient and seeing what Saniya, Gabby, and Courtney can do, and outlook for next season is as auspicious as I can fathom.

In summary, that second half was a microcosm of how well this group of young women can respond to pressure. And if they did so in the NC game, just imagine what next season will look like.

November is a long way away. And UConn will only be better by the time November arrives.

 

[Kaizen]

I will never forget KML's two straight-7 points (3 pts in each) in first and second half.

 

[baggerbob]

I don't mean to beat a dead horse here, but this is an offseason to celebrate, after all...

I am still completely ecstatic by the second half of the national championship game. UConn took the same eight point lead to the locker room at halftime against ND that the Huskies did on December 6. However, unlike the second half of the December 6 matchup (where the Huskies pretty much put the game away and won by 18), the Irish tried to mount furious comeback after furious comeback on April 7. On nearly countless occasions, ND drew within five or six points, but the poise our girls showed was something I'll never forget. Morgan Tuck, Kia Nurse, and Mo Jefferson, kept stepping up, hitting shots, and extending the lead back to 9+. Meanwhile, Breanna Stewart was an absolute machine on the defensive glass, and when we needed a rebound, she delivered one.

Finally, it was KML who delivered the final seven points of UConn's season, extending the lead from six to a by-then-insurmountable 13 points. KML was clutch in many instances throughout her college career, but both the Maryland game and the NC game had been tough for her. However, when UConn needed KML to do KML stuff, she scored on an open trey, a nice spinning fadeaway, and a perfect post play.

All of that still delights me for two reasons:

• I'll miss the heck out of KML, but she went out the right way. In other words, her absence will be palpable next season, but her performance in the waning minutes of the NC game was gestalt personified. KML will have left UConn, but she left nothing on the table. I've adored her since 2011, and I'll always adore her for what she did for our beloved program.
• That aforementioned poise has got to be something our girls will bottle up and store for future use next year, doesn't it? I mean, the stakes were as high as could be, and Moriah, Morgan, Kia, and Stewie responded. On a not-unrelated note, they're playing for UConn next year! Add to that returning quartet to the imminently-arriving quartet, not to mention being patient and seeing what Saniya, Gabby, and Courtney can do, and outlook for next season is as auspicious as I can fathom.

In summary, that second half was a microcosm of how well this group of young women can respond to pressure. And if they did so in the NC game, just imagine what next season will look like.

November is a long way away. And UConn will only be better by the time November arrives.

And in reality Stewie was playing on one leg in the 2nd half, after turning her ankle at the end of the 1st half.

 

[NVUConnFan]

Our girls showed big HEART in that game -- as did ND, actually, just not as much.

 

[Sonny44]

Yep, another classic.

 

[CL82]

I take no pleasure in saying this, but I respect ND as a program and Muffet as coach. Think about it, but for us they'd likely have at least three national championships. They are among a handful of programs that have taken up the gauntlet to raise the level of their game to UConn's. It's good for WBB.

 

[meyers7]

Our girls showed big HEART in that game -- as did ND, actually, just not as much.

Yea, our girls probably just "wanted it more".

 

[Kibitzer]

Our girls showed big HEART in that game -- as did ND, actually, just not as much.

"Never underestimate the heart of a champion!"

I take no pleasure in saying this, but I respect ND as a program and Muffet as coach. Think about, but for us they'd likely have at least three national championships. They are among a handful of programs that have taken up the gauntlet to raise the level of their game to UConn's. It's good for WBB.

Geno has been quoted as saying that "Tennessee has 8 national championships. They would have 12 if we had not beat them four times."

(Or words to that effect.)

 

[RockyMTblue2]

KML has served a role like DT and Maya before her. Early came reassurance/settle down points and "anytime" daggers to the heart. She delivered a few of the later against SC in February. The team has several candidates for that role now. Part of what allowed KML such a role is the excellent offensive spacing (and passing) of the Huskies, but her unshakeable nerve and dead eye long range skills will be missed.

 

[CL82]

@RockyMTblue2 - as great a college player and KML was, I think she may be missed less than than one would think. Nurse and Jefferson have the ability to knock down the open three at a decent KML-like pace.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

@RockyMTblue2 - as great a college player and KML was, I think she may be missed less than than one would think. Nurse and Jefferson have the ability to knock down the open three at a decent KML-like pace.

They had and used that ability this year. But KML-like pace?? I think not. Can that happen? Sure, but KML's don't grow on trees. She was and is a great Husky. Don't need to make her more or less than she is. KLS may slip into that role in the future. Don't think I want my point guard in that role, though it was sweet to watch Mo pop one in now and then with great efficiency. Like to see Nurse increase her midrange work too.

 

[EricLA]

Just as a side note, we always talk about "replacing" players who have graduated - great ones and great role players - but the reality is that no one comes in and is a replica of the kids who left. Just over the past few years, we had to replace Dolson and Hartley, and after an early season blip with Stanford, UCONN went out and ran the table. One thing that UCONN did NOT replace was the incredible post passing of Dolson and the absolute fierceness of Hartley (altho I think Jefferson pretty much took that on).

Next season we have to "replace" Kiah and KML. But there is no one with the guard skills, savvy, and 3 point shooting that KML had. And also no one with the defensive prowess Kiah had. So what we do, which is one of things that Geno does best IMHO, is morph a new team into a champion. Lose 2 players with unique skill sets, add in 4 new ones, and see the improvement of everyone else coming back. Was this seasons team better than last seasons? Probably not - because Dolson and Hartley brought so much to the table, some of which was not replaced, and in Geno's own words, he didn't "trust" this team till the 2nd half of the year.

Will next years team be better? Maybe - I think we add even more than we did last year, and with Morgan, Moriah and Breanna leading the team, the upper class leadership and chemistry should be sensational.

 

[meyers7]

Sure, but KML's don't grow on trees.

Duh, they grow on Mater Dei's.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Duh, they grow on Mater Dei's.

LMAO!

 

[bruinbball]

The defensive pressure Moriah applied to Jewell was breathtaking, literally!

 

[CL82]

They had and used that ability this year. But KML-like pace?? I think not. Can that happen? Sure, but KML's don't grow on trees. She was and is a great Husky. Don't need to make her more or less than she is. KLS may slip into that role in the future. Don't think I want my point guard in that role, though it was sweet to watch Mo pop one in now and then with great efficiency. Like to see Nurse increase her midrange work too.

Check their shooting percentages from last year. They are very impressive.

Just as a side note, we always talk about "replacing" players who have graduated - great ones and great role players - but the reality is that no one comes in and is a replica of the kids who left.

Agree. We replace points, or defense, or rebounding but not the kids themselves. Good point.

 

[Paul1969]

My favorite moment of the entire season is when KML gave Tiffany Mitchell the shake off and they nailed the 3 as TM lay on the court. I could watch that play over and over again.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Check their shooting percentages from last year. They are very impressive.

Did not say they weren't, just don't see either one being the team's 3 machine.

 

[alexrgct]

My favorite moment of the entire season is when KML gave Tiffany Mitchell the shake off and they nailed the 3 as TM lay on the court. I could watch that play over and over again.

You could watch it right here

 

[alexrgct]

My favorite moment of the entire season is when KML gave Tiffany Mitchell the shake off and they nailed the 3 as TM lay on the court. I could watch that play over and over again.

You could watch it right here

 

[Kaizen]

You could watch it right here

Thanks, I was looking for this replay. KML is awesome...

 

[CL82]

Did not say they weren't, just don't see either one being the team's 3 machine.

They don't need to be. They just need to generate enough to keep defenses honest and keep them from packing in the paint. They can meet that standard easily if they perform like last year.

We agree that KML is an extraordinary marksman who isn't easily replaced. We are fortunate to have two superb perimeter shooters to take up some of that slack. FWIW, I think that the Huskies will score more of their points in the paint next year, not because of a lack of perimeter shooting but because Stewart, Tuck and Butler are going to be very difficult to contain in the paint. Add to that Jefferson's jaw dropping speed, and Nurse's mature all around game and we things are looking pretty good in Storrs....even though we're doomed.

 

[MJL243]

You could watch it right here[/QUOTE
There hasn't been a week since the end of the season that I haven't watched the highlights of this game. It's the best game they played all year, and it's nice to show a pretender who the boss is.

 

[Sonny44]

Yes. Yes and yes.
But IMO the win over SCU was even more impressive and enjoyable to watch.

 

[Geno-ista]

My favorite moment of the entire season is when KML gave Tiffany Mitchell the shake off and they nailed the 3 as TM lay on the court. I could watch that play over and over again.

Play of the year- like she was swatting a fly!