Georgetown Postgame Thread [merged]

[tomcat]

About the game...
Well, the most important thing is Azzi, and we just don't know, do we? Any hurt to that knee is not good at all, I'll just say that.
They were all out of sorts today. Who knows what caused it? Bad passes, particularly from Nika. Aubrey not much of a presence for most of the game. Dorka and Aaliyah had their moments, in both sense of the word. We keep hoping DeBerry will show well, but she was like a statue today.
Maybe we should just chalk it up to a case of playing down to the competition.
As someone else said earlier, this level of play won't cut it in March.

 

[Gus Mahler]

OMG, Bro! [with attribution and apologies to @MilfordHusky ]

 

[SARG 2011]

Georgetown was not going to just roll over and unfortunately physical play has always been a part of the plan to slow us down. Like mentioned Nika probably should have had seat for a little bit. I did see Azzi give a double thumbs up to her parents and she was walking around after the game so hopefully not too bad.

 

[Iluvacc2]

Georgetown was P H Y S I C A L!

Postgame Geno didn't seem too concerned about Fudd, hopefully that optimism is warranted! This poor kid can't seem to catch a break.

Aaliyah remains the one constant for the team this season and if she keeps this up I fully expect her to be named on the WBCA team.

 

[Kat]

As long as this team is playing short-handed, opponents are going to be physical, trying to wear UConn down, getting players into foul trouble, slowing play, and relying on their ability to run fresh players in and out.

 

[Gus Mahler]

About the only positive I can see is Lou maintaining her streak of double-figure scoring in every game. And Aaliyah going 17 and 10, roughly her season average. Here's hoping she makes WBCA All-America.

 

[SLY63]

Few observations...

1. No CD and No Azzi enable defenses to pack the paint and focus on Lou. Lou had an off day and that explains our offense today.

2. Aubrey needs to be on the move, either in transition, cutting or crashing the boards in the half court. When she is out on the perimeter, she is much less effective.

3. Nika's energy is great, but she forces too many passes which lead to TOs.

4. Another solid game by AE

 

[JordyG]

Sometimes you just need to claw out a win, and they did. They can’t all be masterpieces even if a large chunk of the Boneyard thinks so.

The ice is off Azzi’s knee and she seems to be walking ok

Sigh. Me likey.

 

[tomcat]

Oh yeah. One more thing...

I pretty much stopped watching men's soccer because every time it seemed there was contact, the contacted player would fall to the ground, screaming and grabbing his leg as if the other guy had shot him. After the ref made the call, he'd get up and walk away. Job done.

Now, don't get me wrong. I love Nika's game, her aggressiveness court vision, and willingness to take the ball into the tall trees or dive for it when she can take it away from the other team. But this idea of "selling" fouls is getting to be a bit much. She did it at least twice in this game. Once there was real contact, though not to the extent you'd think judging by her reaction. The second there was almost no contact at all. The refs bought it both times.

There's a fine line between making sure the refs see that the other guy plowed into you, and making it seem like the other guy should be arrested for assault and battery. Today at least once, Nika crossed that line, IMHO.

Some might say that as long as she's successful at it, who cares. I disagree. This is the same kind of thing which, if BYers saw it at Notre Dame and a few other places, would be all over it. My point is that it would be a shame if UConn got the reputation for flopping that some other teams have.

 

[JordyG]

Totally don't understand your Lou comment. Thus the dislike.
Seeing how it is a short time before the game in New Jersey, I doubt that Caroline or Ayanna will be cleared.

I love the fact that you gave a sore thumb yet had the straights to say why. That is the point of a discussion. That is the way to disagree with respect. That is the right of it.

 

[HuskyNan]

About the game...
Well, the most important thing is Azzi, and we just don't know, do we? Any hurt to that knee is not good at all, I'll just say that.
They were all out of sorts today. Who knows what caused it? Bad passes, particularly from Nika. Aubrey not much of a presence for most of the game. Dorka and Aaliyah had their moments, in both sense of the word. We keep hoping DeBerry will show well, but she was like a statue today.
Maybe we should just chalk it up to a case of playing down to the competition.
As someone else said earlier, this level of play won't cut it in March.

Say what? Leading scorer Ransom had 3 points because of Aubrey’s defense. Aubrey drove into th paint and almost single handedly got G’town’s posts into foul trouble. She was 6-8 from the line and led the team in FT attempts

 

[tchalla1]

As Joe Louis used to say "Tough fight, glad I won". On to the next.

Jordy, Joe Louis also said after a lackluster fight with Jersey Joe Wolcott: "Only the fans got hurt tonight." Ditto for this game..... I'm just hoping Azzi is alright and just got a jolt of fear after her first hard bump on her injured knee...

 

[LwrcasefaN]

Georgetown, with nothing to lose and like several BE opponents, adopted the Coach Abe style of defense. It is ridiculous how bad UConn is being beat up this season without fouls being called.

I can’t imagine how bad the first half score would have been, if Georgetown shot decently.

Lou seemingly thinks she gets fouled every time she shoots. A little surprised the coaches tolerate her acts of dismay.

I know Cuomo is beloved here but she repeats herself A LOT. She must have said “the game is physical” at least ten times.

Georgetown was never going to shoot well enough to stay with UConn for four quarters.

The drop in turnovers lasted one game.

Nika's occasional sloppy passing probably warranted some time on the bench. To paraphrase Geno, “it is what it is”, he is not going to rotate players like CD does. I just have to accept it. It isn’t going to change.

It wasn’t pretty and potentially costly with another injury but it is still a win. Hopefully, Ayanna and Caroline are ready for the next game.

Lou probably felt if she did that...or less she would have a foul called on her...and I would agree.

 

[JordyG]

A few of the little kids in the crowd were very cute. I didn’t find much else to smile about.

But some of them were very, very cute. The little guy with the dimpled chin comes to mind. I know their parent hug them close every day.

 

[LwrcasefaN]

Say what? Leading scorer Ransom had 3 points and Aubrey drove into th paint and almost single handedly got G’town’s posts into foul trouble. Aubrey was 6-8 from the line and led the team in FT attempts

Some folks only see points...the quarterback and the running back.

 

[dtbtbtb]

Few Thoughts.
*What a disappointing game especially after the good game at SJ...
*Any inferior team will try to manhandle the UConn players and UConn didn't respond well in the first half. Georgetown practically fouled on every play (holding, grabbing, pushing) and there barely any reaction from the refs. Just a terrible job by the officials. In the second half they started calling those fouls and the Georgetown players were shocked that same exact thing they were doing tin the first half is suddenly called.
*With Azzi injured the bench became only Ines and Amari and both were clearly not ready to play. Ines looked like a freshman (didn't know where to go on defense and on offense on the fast break by AE, instead of opening it up by running to the middle of the floor was actually blocking the patch for AE. Amari played like a freshman as well. Her legs were heavy on defense and didn't do much on offense.
*I hope no one complains about the minutes the starters played as today Geno had no other options (see the point above).
*Lou: seemed not as confident as on previous games and i assume it had to do with the physicality of the game and lack of calls by the officials. Still somehow, she scored 12 points and kept her steak of double digit scoring for the season.
*AE: had some up and down but clearly the best player on UConn this game with aggressiveness to match Georgetown.
*Dorka: not a good game by her. While she got a double double, her decisions on offense were not good
*Nika: probably her worst game this season. with some real head scratchers of turnovers. She was tough enough but if Geno would have any options (which he didn't in this game), he would have taken her out for some minutes to cool down and re-focus.
*Aubrey: amazing on defense but clearly got no confidence in her outside shooting and especially in a game where Lou is not hitting and Azzi (and CD) is injured, there is no one who can open the floor for the bigs by hitting from outside.
*When Geno took Lou out and out in Ines and the 5 on the floor were Nika, Ines, Aubrey, Dorka and AE there was no flow whatsoever to the team on offense, due to no-one of that 5 who is a real treat from outside.
*A game to forget. Take the win and move on to the next game.
*Hopefully Azzi is not injured bad and it was only a scare...as this team REALLY REALLY REALLY needs Azzi!

 

[LwrcasefaN]

I'm a glass half full guy. If you can win this game...you can win most.

 

[HuskyNan]

But some of them were very, very cute. The little guy with the dimpled chin comes to mind. I know their parent hug them close every day.

The baby cheering and clapping got a lot f awws in our house

 

[PAHuskeyFan]

Took way too many Mike's Mangos to pull this one out... (closest "smiles" we have to "buzzed")

 

[LwrcasefaN]

A few of the little kids in the crowd were very cute. I didn’t find much else to smile about.

lol. In other words, most weren't cute!

 

[vtcwbuff]

I'm not particularly concerned by this game. GTown roughed us up a bit in the 1st half and knocked us off our game. It's a little disappointing that we could be discombobulated so easily. But these games are inevitable, and we're going to see a lot of similar approaches to playing us later in the season, so we might as well get used to it now.

Some really good indicators: Aaliyah and Dorka each put up double doubles, and we shot 85% on FTs. That last may seem trivial, but it's been a problem in previous years.

Dorka may have put up a double double but for most of the game she couldn't buy a basket. The biggest disappointment for me was LLS. Not only was she not much a of an offensive factor but there was a couple of plays where she really fell asleep.

 

[LarryLegend]

cant keep playing Nika all game every game without expecting some brain farts. She plays flat out every single second and I’ll take that any day.

Sure Dorka had a few miscues but she had 13/10 and came through when it mattered.

If Fudd is injured again, you need to get something, anything, out of Deberry, even for just a few minutes.

Lou had a big 12 points and I wonder if that foot was bothering her again after she had that misstep. Hope not.

 

[msf22b]

Let's consider the defensive scheme from G'Town (and everyone's else point of view).
Faceguard Lou
Pack the paint
Be as physical especially in the paint as the refs allow...push the envelope to straddle the line between legal physical and illegally mugging...

With the UConn bigs slightly reticent in the first half, it worked to a "T"
Whatever happened during half-time, (refs deciding to call the game differently...or Geno giving them a note)...the game was ruined by the constant whistles...not that they were necessarily incorrect...GT had a difficult time adjusting to the changed environment.

Other notes:
-I can't recall Lou passing up open shots before
-Why can't Azzi wear a light brace/protector...My wife...with 2 unoperated ACL's, puts on 2 big braces and skis like a champ.
-Defensive plan: push our bigs away from the hoop and guard Lou closely...no one else really wants to shoot