Louisville Postgame Thread

[tower1]

I find it distasteful to see so much negativity around CW. Can't you see she's doing everything she can to contribute? She's trying her best. It's not a situation where she isn't trying. Her game is just not suited for playing against zone defenses. She's certainly trying and in some environments she would be more suited. She's still a great player. Not every game is going to be an all star performance for any player.

CW was a #1 recruit and a senior. I do expect her to contribute more. She can't shoot she seems lost out there. Evina plays a little too fast and makes too many mistakes.

 

[hart2hart]

For me, the seniors needed to step up and they did not. Seriously, not good. CD and Dorka kept the game close. After the break let’s hope Fudd and Muhl are back. Geno needs to also let Deberry play a little more..,,,,Seriously. Also, Geno needs to re-group the kids better at timeouts. Here’s to the next game! Go UCONN love these girls!!

 

[tchalla1]

I have my own criticisms of CW's style of play, but I don't see any signs that she doesn't care and doesn't try, doesn't give full effort. That is a serious kind of criticism.

I agree--that's a criticism of one's character. I think what he is mistaking for a "doesn't care" attitude is CW's unresponsiveness at times with Geno's directives. She's heard it so many times over four years, the same thing and I think it gets a bit nauseating for both her and Geno...

 

[tower1]

For me, the seniors needed to step up and they did not. Seriously, not good. CD and Dorka kept the game close. After the break let’s hope Fudd and Muhl are back. Geno needs to also let Deberry play a little more..,,,,Seriously. Also, Geno needs to re-group the kids better at timeouts. Here’s to the next game! Go UCONN love these girls!!

Why do other teams come out after halftime and play better? They adjust better than we do.

 

[KY Card Fan]

Good game between two really good teams. I had not seen Ducharme before. She was very impressive. If Fudd is better than Ducharme....

Proud of my Cardinals for hanging in there through that abysmal first quarter and for surviving the first half without Engstler. And for knocking down the key shots late.

 

[HuskyNan]

I don’t consider this game a moral victory. If our seniors showed up and played well but lost to a better team, then I would call it moral victory. But if they showed up today against a good not great Louisville team, it would have been an outright victory.

How does CW just disappear like this?

We don’t take advantage of opponents weaknesses. When Louisville puts 4 short players, why not get our 3 bigs in there and get the ball inside? That’s where our mismatches were.

In the second half , Geno had Aaliyah, Olivia, Dorka, Caroline, and Christyn in. That is a big team.

 

[TeamFirst!]

Caroline highlights:

 

[Fairfield Fan]

The problem is not the loss. the problem is the abysmal performances from the seniors. Williams doesn't even attempt a 3-point shot in the entire game? that's a complete loss of self-confidence. And ONO's performance wasn't "OK", or anything close to it. For the starting center to total just five points and five rebounds, while playing with so little aggression that she gets to the free throw line a grand total of- once? Awful. And what in the world has happened to Edwards? She is a shadow of the player we saw a year ago. Even the player we saw in the Olympics! It just doesn't make sense.

These are the players who are supposed to step up. The ones who are supposed to at least try to improve. Instead, the team is being carried by a freshman and a transfer, while the veterans are lost in space. It's not the loss, it's the way the players counted upon have given up.

 

[tchalla1]

When they get healthy, time to hand the ball to all the youngsters.

Geno makes a very meaningful statement at 6:45 mark: "I say the same thing to Caroline that I say to everyone else--Caroline takes it heart and others don't" ...I won't name names but I know exactly who he is referring to--tells them the same thing coming out a time out and they go and do the same dumb thing he told them not to. Yes, the difference between this team and past teams, the talent is there but not the basketball I.Q.--it's not there. Plus unlike Caroline, some apparently refuse to listen to Geno....

 

[Fairfield Fan]

On Amari.
Coach touts her after practices.
Great footwork- great back to basket player- incredible potential.
Game time - he ghosts her.
Is he blowing smoke?
Can she swim?
Throw her in the damn pool.

Exactly. She has to be better than ONO. And a no-show Edwards. Put her in the game, for goodness sake!!!!! What's going on?

 

[Fairfield Fan]

Each game since Paige’s injury, the team has gotten better. If they played GT the way they played Louisville, it would have been a smooth victory (conversely, if they played Louisville the way they played GT they would have lost by at least 20).

As long as they continue to improve as a unit, I’m pleased with it.

I don't think it's "the team" which has gotten better. Williams hasn't; ONO hasn't; Edwards hasn't. CD has stepped up, as has Dorka. But the "team" has not improved its overall play.

 

[Woof 101]

Wow I have not seen so much negativity here in quite some time. How quickly the tide turns, this after a heck of a good game against a very formidable opponent. Louisville played tenacious defense the entire game and obviously had the deeper bench.

Not attacking anyone personally here but for years UConn fans have been considered very knowledgeable of the game. Hard to understand the bashing in this thread of the players and the coaching staff. The game has changed before our eyes but some seem to miss the fact there are other teams out there with the same or better talent.
The speed at which the game is played at is way beyond just a couple decades ago. Right now UConn is playing wounded and I think they did a good job of almost pulling of an upset today with what we have for players playing out of position.

Now I know why this site is called the "Boneyard".

By the time , we fans, dissect and chop up ONE game, all the meat is gone and we are just left with bones.

This is worth waaaaaay more than 2 cents!

Your right but because of their rankings theyre playing and not sitting.

@Tonyc No attack but who would you have played today different than the coaching staff did? Very surprised with the discontent with Geno and the staff.

 

[LoboDays]

In the second half , Geno had Aaliyah, Olivia, Dorka, Caroline, and Christyn in. That is a big team.

It is but it lasted all of 2 minutes. Then EW returned and a big went out. She should have replaced CW and let the 3 bigs pound underneath….easier points against a team that was limiting CW and EW.

 

[EdSaid]

I sat across from the Louisville bench on the 30 yard line about 20 rows up. Between whistles in the third, CW and EW were gassed. You could see it in their faces. Geno had no where to go, he played 5 1/2 players, Walz played 10. I don't think you can beat a good team with 5 1/2 players. If the 4 injured players are back and playing well you chew them up and spit them out.

Caroline is going to be a good one. She has the chance of a lifetime, starting as a freshman, and shes making the most of it.

 

[Florida Fan]

Van Lith the player of the game? I guess they feel a need to give it to the winning team, but quite clear who the best player on the floor was, at least IMHO.

Van Lith is as advertised. They had at least two gun slingers. We didn't have the gas to stay in their faces four quarterss. Ono had room to drive from the foul line; all it would have taken was one maybe two giant steps and she's there for the layup. That would have opened up the wings. Couch coaches notice these things.

 

[Boreifs]

Without CD this would have been a drubbing… she just hustles so much love this kid

She should be a starter for the rest of her UConn career. Her upside is frighteningly good.

 

[HuskyNan]

I don't think it's "the team" which has gotten better. Williams hasn't; ONO hasn't; Edwards hasn't. CD has stepped up, as has Dorka. But the "team" has not improved its overall play.

Geez did you bet on UConn and lose or something?

 

[tchalla1]

During the press conference I believe Geno did a little dish on CW when asked about Caroline's hustling in today's game.

I got the same vibe--and also when he mentioned Caroline listens to him and others don't--he definitely had CW in mind,,,

 

[Sam.the.Man]

I also said that the game would be most important for Caroline who was fantastic...better and better as the game went on...does she not remind me of Dave Debusschere (perhaps some of you are too young to remember his game)
She is always looking to get to the basket...can't remember in recent times a UConn player who does that. D improving, rebounds, not afraid.

Loved the Debusschere reference and analogy.

 

[Vowelguy]

Wow I have not seen so much negativity here in quite some time.

Were you not here after the GaT game?

 

[TeamFirst!]

She should be a starter for the rest of her UConn career. Her upside is frighteningly good.

Why was that so hard to see earlier? So many people doubted her after 4 minutes of PT. This was projectable from her play in high school. Caroline was obviously a great prospect from day one. She just needed adequate opportunity.

 

[jaundicedeye]

It's not the loss, it's the way the players counted upon have given up.

Are you serious in accusing the seniors of giving up? That is not the make-up of these young women. It is entirely possible that they failed because they simply did not know how to play together to win this game. I think your disappointment has taken your judgement to a wrong, and rather harsh, conclusion.

 

[Hoops66]

I don't think it has been talked about that much, but what bothered me as much as anything was the number of times rebounds were taken away from us. We make the rebound only to bring it down and have it snatched away. Dorka, Liv and Caroline all had the ball stolen. Maybe more work in the weight room would help. Louisville played full court defense the whole game and contested every play, everywhere. Aggressive rebounding would be a good thing to practice.

 

[TeamFirst!]

Even Geno was too negative after this game. They made their 3 pointers. We didn't. End of game right there. We should have played Edwards more and given our guards more rest. If you look at South Carolina, not a single player has played more than 28 minutes a game on average. We have 4 players averaging around 30-37 minutes. Our players are gassed in the 4th quarter. Their bench outscored ours because our bench didn't play. They are all trying their best. Van Lith played behind Azzi and Caitlan Clark in USA basketball. She's a talent. It's not like Louisville were slouches.