Georgia Tech Postgame Thread [Merged Thread]

[D J B]

What a weird take to think answering meaningless questions from the media somehow teaches young athletes about accepting defeat and accountability. So they'll feel less bad about the loss if they don't answer questions from the media? They won't be accountable to their coaches and teammates (all that matters btw) unless they answer a question from Alexa Phillippou? Seriously?

Yes, seriously. They signed up for this by accepting a basketball scholarship from UConn for being one of the best basketball players in the country, which brings with it the the responsibility of taking credit for the outcome of their performance, good or bad, If a question from someone like Alexa Phillippou (whoever that is) or anyone else in the sports media is too much to handle, how are they going to handle what real life (outside of what sports throws at them, since that doesn't seem to be real life) throws at them?

 

[meyers7]

Some thoughts.

Some good

We rebounded...Ok. Not great but ok. Even total and got more offensive rebounds (but there were a lot of offensive rebounds to get)
Defensively we were pretty good. Only gave up 57 points. 38%/28% isn't bad. (even the FT defense was pretty good)
Deberry got some minutes and looked good offensively and rebounding
Double double for Nelson-Ododa
ONO, Williams, Westbrook all scored in double figures

One of the worst offensive games we've seen in many years. Soooo, it probably can't get any worse. And will probably get better with more time to adjust. (Hopefully)

Some bad

The biggest was shooting 31%/13%. If we just shoot our normal 48%/32% we win. (67 or 66 to 57)
2 pts 1-10 from two starters doesn't get it done.
6 pts from bench doesn't help much either.
16 TOs isn't horrible (not good either) but a 0.69 A/TO ratio......not good
Deberry defensively. Now I think we see why her minutes have been limited. But if she can get some points and rebound, might be worth it for what we are getting offensively from Edwards/Juhasz right now.
Losing to an unranked team. Always bad.

Honestly think they will play better against UCLA on Saturday. Not sure they will win. But I think they'll at least shoot better.

 

[Heytherego]

If you think forcing two sobbing players to face a room full of reporters somehow makes them better people or players, I guess we’ll just have to agree to disagree

Were they sobbing? Teams lose all the time and have to face reporters, this shouldn’t be any different and is kind of ridiculous they weren’t expected to do just because what? They aren’t use to losing and played bad?

 

[pvdoggy]

My thought re: the shirking of their postgame presser responsibilities is: if you revel in the confetti and the trophies and caps, etc., when things are going your way, you should face the music when they aren't. It was a poor choice, imo.

Here's hoping tonight was rock bottom.

I have seen Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy and other top-ranked professional golfers skipped out of their post-round press OBLIGATION after a terrible round of golf. Sometimes you just have to flush it down the toilet and move on to the next game.

 

[LwrcasefaN]

Before the UCLA game I wouldn't bombard the team with...oh, there's so much to fix. Quite honestly, I don't see this huge hill to climb. It comes down to running an offense that exposes your strengths. I would focus on spacing in the half court. Driving is difficult because the preceding passes between players are too close. That means the defenders are also close and the driving lane is clogged. Or recovery on a shooter is a short distance. Longer passes...create more room to operate. And you can't fix all these injuries...so it's simply gut it out time.

 

[ccwarrior]

This is a team playing its first game since losing its starting point guard and backup point guard (who started at PG half their games last year). When a team is missing its point guards, I expect a lot of turnovers and a lot of crappy shots. Turnovers weren't much worse than usual. There were more possessions than usual, though, with prayers lofted or players shooting threes just because they couldn't think of anything else to do.

The outcome was worse than I expected, but the flow was about what I expected. What I didn't expect was all the missed bunnies. I agree with Rebecca that something has gotten inside Edwards's head.

I thought Ducharme played pretty well other than not shooting well. I liked the little bit of DeBerry that we saw.

The problems are far deeper thab this and have been brewing for years.

 

[STLCardinal]

The announcers were pretty good tonight, except for their obsession over UCONN losing to an unranked team. ESPN drowns itself in stats without context.

Glad they were good. For me, they are always a distraction, like people talking in a movie theater.

 

[Aluminny69]

So when did the Germans bomb Pearl Harbor?

I believe that's a line from Animal House

 

[cohenzone]

By that time when Bueckers gets back and that a big "if" the season is over. Bueckers will be too rusty to help for what little time is left to the season.

I don’t think players at her extremely high level are too bothered by rust assuming she gets to shoot some before she plays in a game. Her other skills won’t disappear.

 

[Vowelguy]

lol. The BY never disappoints. At 9:01, who would've guessed that the main complaint/criticism would be "the players aren't facing their loss."

 

[Littlemin]

No real comment on the game, poor by the players, poor by the coaches.

But I will comment on the players not talking to the media after the game; after all the times opposing teams had to face the media after getting thrashed by Uconn, and those times are measured in YEARS, I think it is a horrible decision, whoever made it. It is a GAME and you lost, face it and move on. And no I don’t think it will build character, etc., etc.; it is just the right and standup thing to do.

 

[Happydad745]

I've done hundreds of Lasik pre- and post-op exams. Give me your reasons why she needs Lasik

1-8 3 pt range...missed the rim 3 or more times.

 

[UcMiami]

Yes.
Kim Barnes Arico

That would be 350 games between losses to unranked teams - though I suspect, GT may be ranked soon as they have beaten two ranked teams in a row. I believe St John's ended ranked as well. St. John's moved to 20 after the win and to 14 in the last AP poll on Mar 12th and were a 3 seed in the NCAA.

 

[D J B]

The problems are far deeper thab this and have been brewing for years.

So, please fill us in. Or are you just 'drive-bying' to stir something up?

 

[ccwarrior]

Maybe they need a moment to focus their energy elsewhere. Maybe they want to focus forward. I'm sure they have a good reason. I'm reading these comments from "fans" and I probably wouldn't do a presser either. Tough loss. Move on. Not the time to lose their confidence.

How many times have we absolutely destoyed other teams and seen them address the media? It certainly isn’t a good look.

 

[uconnfan68]

away from home and not able to watch. Checked score occasionally. UConn is down the number 1 player in the college game who is also the primary ball handler, not to mention scorer. It’s only been a few days to adjust. The second ball handler type I suppose is Evina then Nika who is more of a ball handler than Evina. And of course Anna left. That’s 3 of 4 possible ball handlers GA recruited not available right now. Missing Aubrey the best on ball defender and Nika also a pest on D. Not to forget what Paige brings to D. Not too hard to project issues with those absences from the backcourt where O and D are usually generated. Based on my look at the box, throw in horrible shooting by Aliyah, Caroline and Dorka and Azzi also unavailable and it becomes near impossible to win against decent competition. I don’t care what rank the recruits have been in high school, it matters a lot what their individual skills are. The D wasn’t that bad but we are what we are right now and it’s unlikely to be easy when several players aren’t shooting well. Getting some of the wounded back should help.

“Not able to watch” was the best outcome. The box score won’t do it justice.

 

[LwrcasefaN]

How many times have we absolutely destoyed other teams and seen them address the media? It certainly isn’t a good look.

And who has kept track of how many of those teams didn't show up? I haven't. I don't even look at pressers. Don't see the need. If it's what the TEAM needed...I'm good.

 

[victor64]

I just read ESPN's review of the game. It included Geno's post game comments. I thought they were honest and right on target.

One comment of note and I am paraphrasing: "I get really good players that normally get better and better. That has not happened with this group."

As disappointed as he with his team, he is most certainly beating himself up too. His quotes indicate full ownership.

 

[uconnever]

Wow AE, what is up with her. She has a mental thing going on but she looks out of shape to me also. Slow and sluggish. Dorka really stood out to me when we played Ohio state, but she looks so awkward out there and doesn’t even look like the same player. She runs weird and looks uncoordinated like she isn’t cut out for this level of basketball. This surprises me a lot. I hope Geno works his magic and we grow into the team we all expected to be and these are growing pains, but I don’t think it’s in the cards this year. These seniors just aren’t good enough. I’ve stood by them and believed that this was their year and it still may be, but Geno should go young and get the youngins ready for the tourney and let the seniors play their role but not expect much anymore. I think it’s an awkward year because our young girls are the better players but it’s hard to bench the seniors. The biggest thing as Geno said is this is one of his worst shooting teams and it shows. They can’t shoot so they aren’t as difficult to defend. On our best night we can beat anyone, but unlike past UConn teams those nights are rare and I believe it’s because we can’t shoot consistently enough.

 

[Boreifs]

Can ANYONE make a shot?

Rhetorical question

 

[Longtime fan]

Some thoughts on the Georgia Tech game:

• This was a tough game to watch tonight, but not completely unexpected with UConn shorthanded against a good GT team. UConn is going to be a work-in-progress for a while as new players step in, injured players return, and everyone adjusts to their new roles on this team.
• UConn has had their fair share of injuries through the years, but I cannot remember another game when the Huskies took the court down four key players.
• It appeared that Paige did not make the trip, which I expected. Traveling on planes and through airports on a pair of crutches is not particularly easy or safe.
• This was “Liv’s Home Coming Game” and she played very well until Geno was forced to sit her in the 3rd qtr after a questionable foul call on what appeared to be a clear block.
• Rebecca described Aaliyah’s shooting woes as the yips. I guess that’s as good an explanation as any.
• I didn’t even realize Amari had entered the game until she scored. She gave UConn some quality minutes in her very first PT with the Huskies.
• I know this one hurts. Everyone needs to hang in there until the cavalry arrives.

This is the first time memory where I feel it is justified to criticize the coaching. I think UCONN showed up with nothing. The team was rudderless, had no clear offensive plan, and lacked passion. The coaches don't seem yet to have recognized who can do what. It is clear that Dorka cannot shoot, and isn't much of an inside presence. She has poor hands and is slow as a turtle, It is clear that Edwards has collapsed. This is the most shocking element of the year. We all expected her to elevate her game and become star. But she should not be on the court. She throws the ball away. She misses put backs and lay-ups, and her outside shot is a waste of time. Williams cannot be turned loose as the new Paige. She can do certain things well, but she can be out of control when she believes, " it is all on her." And Westbrook is a capable, but limited guard who cannot play 40 minutes. Anyone who thinks she will be selected in the WNBA draft is daft. I do give the coaches credit for letting DeBerry play, and she showed some skills. Is she ailing or weak, somehow, because she was our best player and yet limited to about 5 minutes ? Mir should either be given a chance or not appear. She gives a look of a person who has zero confidence in herself or what she can do. Is this what the coaches have done for her in the past year plus? Everything was predictable, dog slow, and unimaginative. We have no outside shooters at all. I know that Caroline can be, but she cannot create her shot yet. And when she rushes...she misses. This group has no chance of beating anyone. I expected the coaches to come up with something exciting, imaginative and aggressive. They get an "F". Maybe they are out of ideas. We are going to lose a lot of games. This was not a game to encourage top recruits to sign on. We'll see how they respond. But everyone could see, that this group has nothing.

 

[Huskyfan63]

If we play like tonight? We could lose to any team. There is no excuse for the way they played. Can’t blame it on youth or lack of talent. They played tight. The shooting was atrocious. They looked poorly coached.

You're right. What you can blame it on is a group of players who haven't played much as a unit, especially without one very important court general. Not all that surprising, but time to start developing cohesive execution without Paige the security blanket in the mix.

 

[Stymie]

Biggest problem was offense. No creativity, few if any player screening, turnovers galore, even when open many shots didn't even hit iron. Where were offensive plays run by UConn? GT looked like a good team that knew what to do, and they could execute as well. Not sure Geno can create some basic offensive plays in short amount of time but that is what's needed.

 

[Cornell Lt]

Does UConn have a psychologist on staff ? If they don't they should get one. This team is completely lost right now.

 

[Longtime fan]

the starting line up is not the move. Dorka is not consistent with her outside shot. Aaliyah has only made one 3 (that I can remember) since she arrived. The way Aaliyah and Dorka are playing, they don't deserve to start either.
CD on wing needs to start. Amari was good today. I hate that she was pulled so quickly. She got lost on defense a few times but she was rebounding.
I made a comment last week that losing Shea may be bigger than expected. Some have even made the same claim too. Only for us to be mocked as if Shea was a player and could score from the bench. But after today's guard play, don't tell me these are typical UConn guards on the floor. Especially when our guards (E and C) are the most experienced on the team.

After today's play, i hope they don't try to rush anyone back. In spite of how badly the team looks. Depending on how they do the next few weeks, if it continues to be a total disaster, i think you rest Paige and Azzi until next year. So they can fully heal and recover. It's clearly South Carolina's year.

Dorka is " not consistent with her outside shot?" She has yet to make one at UCONN. That is the ultimate in consistency.