Now look at UConn

[Tonyc]

With the preseason expectations of winning it all to all the injuries and many were hopeless thinking we may lose 10 or more games and now look at us. We will be facing Duke this weekend. They are young and very good. Kara is a great teacher and coach. They've come a long way too. I noticed and it seemed that alot of fouls were called in alot of games. We can not get in foul trouble. If we do, just like Nika fouling out in the last game our defense is vulnerable. I think we have enough offense to over come alot but not having starters on the floor could hurt us.

Paige and Aaliyah should be fine. I expect Dukes defense to key on Ash Paige and Aaliyah which means Nika and KK need to find ways to score. Paige and Aaliyah's experience should carry them. Alot of their opportunities to score will come from Paige penetrating and dishing off to her team mates.

This is the time when Paige does her thing. Dukes youth will not be able imo to control Paige shes one of a kind and not since DT have I seen a player like Paige. I believe it all comes down to staying out of foul trouble and creating turnovers. We will get our steals and I expect we will rebound better then we did against Cuse. Paige and Aaliyah will carry us through this game. This game will depend on UConn forcing turnovers which is Dukes weakness and UConn staying out of foul trouble.

I like UConn in this game. I believe Dukes turnovers will kill them. I also believe if Uconn gets in foul trouble this game will be very close. Paige will shine bright and that will be the difference. We've come along way this season and we aint finished yet.

 

[Inthepaint]

Reports of our demise have been greatly exaggerated

 

[Zarathustra]

With the preseason expectations of winning it all to all the injuries and many were hopeless thinking we may lose 10 or more games and now look at us. We will be facing Duke this weekend. They are young and very good. Kara is a great teacher and coach. They've come a long way too. I noticed and it seemed that alot of fouls were called in alot of games. We can not get in foul trouble. If we do, just like Nika fouling out in the last game our defense is vulnerable. I think we have enough offense to over come alot but not having starters on the floor could hurt us.

Paige and Aaliyah should be fine. I expect Dukes defense to key on Ash Paige and Aaliyah which means Nika and KK need to find ways to score. Paige and Aaliyah's experience should carry them. Alot of their opportunities to score will come from Paige penetrating and dishing off to her team mates.

This is the time when Paige does her thing. Dukes youth will not be able imo to control Paige shes one of a kind and not since DT have I seen a player like Paige. I believe it all comes down to staying out of foul trouble and creating turnovers. We will get our steals and I expect we will rebound better then we did against Cuse. Paige and Aaliyah will carry us through this game. This game will depend on UConn forcing turnovers which is Dukes weakness and UConn staying out of foul trouble.

I like UConn in this game. I believe Dukes turnovers will kill them. I also believe if Uconn gets in foul trouble this game will be very close. Paige will shine bright and that will be the difference. We've come along way this season and we aint finished yet.

I checked out Duke's last two games: against Richmond they hit 9 of 9 free throws, against
Ohio State they hit 24 of 29 free throws. That's 33 of 37 or 86.84 %. For the regular season
Richardson # 24, a 5'11" guard (Transfer from Georgia) had an
82 % FT percentage, Mair #22, a 5'9" guard (Transfer from B.C.) had an 87.5 FT %, and
Brown # 24, the 6'6" center (Transfer from Oregon State U.) had an 87.5 FT %. As the
Buckeyes found out... this is not a team that you want to foul and put on the charity strip!

 

[AmeriConn]

I don’t know if I can emotionally go through another game like Syracuse.

 

[MSGRET]

Over their last 4 games they play on average 7 players, almost like UConn. I don't think that they will be able to keep up with the Huskies, but we will see.

 

[Inthepaint]

I don’t know if I can emotionally go through another game like Syracuse.

Yeah, well, guess we’re stuck with it

 

[Husky fanatic]

Azzi’s old high school friend Delaney Thomas getting some good minutes.

 

[Longtime fan]

I don’t know if I can emotionally go through another game like Syracuse.

I cannot. I could not watch the Syracuse game " live." I taped it and turned it on ( the beginning) at half time. Since I knew UCONN was up by 10 at the half, I could watch it without a heart attack. Then, it got really tough. I think I will feel better watching us play Duke. This isn't new for me, by the way. I had to lay on the floor, behind our couch, when the Giants beat Buffalo in the Super Bowl ( " wide right."). I just cannot endure watching UCONN lose. And I had seen how good SU was. What a win.

 

[huskeynut]

I don’t know if I can emotionally go through another game like Syracuse.

Time to buckle up for the ride.

I doubt from this point on that there will be a blow out, though I prefer one. Easier on the nevers and less stress.

I would confidently say we have the best coach and staff in Geno and company and we have Paige and Ash, and Nika and Aaliyah and KK and Ice and Q and they don't.

 

[DefenseBB]

Wait, I need to have someone do a wellfare check on @Tonyc as this low key rational expectation post has me highly concerned. Look, 30 straight years of Sweet 16s is impressive but hey, WE ARE UCONN, we expect this from our GOAT Coach and two All-American players.

I have no idea what the game will tell on Saturday except that if we play our A or B+ game, we win regardless of Duke's efforts. Yes, they are a good defensive team but they are challenged offensively and we have Paige!

If Nika and Ice can get out of their own heads and just play, we should be fine. Come on TonyC, send me some of the much needed positivity!

Go UCONN!

 

[Skeets]

Does anyone think Paige and the rest of the UConn roster are going to be threatened by Duke? I'd like that dookie food guy to weigh in on this...

 

[GoUconn7961]

After what they just went through with Syracuse I think they'll be ready.

 

[Bone Dog]

I find myself trying to understand the psychology of Ice’s low confidence. It’s a fool’s errand, I know, but this is what fans do, speculate absurdly.

Ice was great in the last two games of the BE tournament. But that confidence didn’t seem to carry over to the NCAAs. Could the JSU game have been a shock given how hard they competed? They took the intensity to a higher level than Ice saw in the BE. Perhaps she was taken aback by this. The Syracuse game was even more fiercely contested and she seemed even less confident. She even reverted to making too many shot fakes in the low post, a sure sign of nerves.

I wonder if she hasn’t gotten it out of her system. The team survived two rock fights in a row. Ice can compete at this level and I hope she’s seen it. She’s as big and strong as anyone she’ll encounter on Duke.

 

[ERWUC65]

I find myself trying to understand the psychology of Ice’s low confidence. It’s a fool’s errand, I know, but this is what fans do, speculate absurdly.

Ice was great in the last two games of the BE tournament. But that confidence didn’t seem to carry over to the NCAAs. Could the JSU game have been a shock given how hard they competed? They took the intensity to a higher level than Ice saw in the BE. Perhaps she was taken aback by this. The Syracuse game was even more fiercely contested and she seemed even less confident. She even reverted to making too many shot fakes in the low post, a sure sign of nerves.

I wonder if she hasn’t gotten it out of her system. The team survived two rock fights in a row. Ice can compete at this level and I hope she’s seen it. She’s as big and strong as anyone she’ll encounter on Duke.

With Aaliyah back in the lineup, Ice has retreated back to her old self. Seems like now she defers to Aaliyah in pressure moments and/or looses her concentration and aggressiveness. It has to be difficult for them to coordinate their play together now in the tournament as it was minimally successful in the regular season.

 

[Rowdy831]

I find myself trying to understand the psychology of Ice’s low confidence. It’s a fool’s errand, I know, but this is what fans do, speculate absurdly.

Ice was great in the last two games of the BE tournament. But that confidence didn’t seem to carry over to the NCAAs. Could the JSU game have been a shock given how hard they competed? They took the intensity to a higher level than Ice saw in the BE. Perhaps she was taken aback by this. The Syracuse game was even more fiercely contested and she seemed even less confident. She even reverted to making too many shot fakes in the low post, a sure sign of nerves.

I wonder if she hasn’t gotten it out of her system. The team survived two rock fights in a row. Ice can compete at this level and I hope she’s seen it. She’s as big and strong as anyone she’ll encounter on Duke.

Ice was playing a completely different position against a zone defense and she didn't have a clue. To me she needs to be decisive and not play like she is afraid to make a mistake. I would also consider putting her where AE is on offense and have AE be the decision maker and AE can shoot from 15ft with confidence.

 

[msf22b]

I absolutely can't remember whom it was and what were the circumstances, but several years ago, there was a similar situ where one of our younger subs (a guard?) had to fill in as a starter, the result of an injury...

And she did just fine...except that when the starter came back, the youngster reverted to being unaggressive, ultimately ineffective...

Wish I could remember the precise circumstances

 

[WiseWillie]

After watching several games one problem with Ice is she seems to have a hard time grasping the ball with her feet and lower body in the right position in order to shoot. Whether that's a case of nerves who knows but she seems to have difficulty catching passes cleanly ready to shoot. When she gets the ball she seems uncertain what to do with it. Confidence thing? With rebounding if there are other players near her she has the tendency to not cradle the ball and with the ball in her hands extended have it swatted away. However, have noticed in the last two games she does a much better job of boxing out. Anyway, all of the problems are pretty easily corrected things that they definitely must be concentrating on in practice. Geno said in a post game interview (after the SJU game?) that they had to find a way to give Ice more consistent playing time instead of putting her in and out. That could be part of the solution. Ice needs to play knowing she is as good or better than others on the floor and can do it. Let's hope Geno and the coaches have found something because we'll need her in the best form the rest of the way.

 

[MSGRET]

I absolutely can't remember whom it was and what were the circumstances, but several years ago, there was a similar situ where one of our younger subs (a guard?) had to fill in as a starter, the result of an injury...

And she did just fine...except that when the starter came back, the youngster reverted to being unaggressive, ultimately ineffective...

Wish I could remember the precise circumstances

I just have to look back at last year when Ines had to come in the Princeton game for Nika and then play the Maryland game. She did great both games, now sometimes she seems to be regressing.

 

[PacoSwede]

ice, on 2nd review (i rewatched the game), didn't have the game v. syracuse we hoped for, but she was not as dreadful as i first thought. she was much better than in the bulk of the regular season.

she reverted some against the orange, particularly when she came anywhere near to touching the ball, but otherwise she contributed more than she used to and seemed more confident. she totally blew a couple of shots that were very makeable, yes -- however, it was a charged game and she's an inexperienced freshman, so that's at least understandable ... and her positive minutes were very much needed.

i think what i focused on -- her crazy giveaways after nika was gone -- give her the biggest black mark. i think there's a chance she'll be much better as uconn marches forward if she bests the jitters. if that transpires, she could end up being a hero(ine).

 

[msf22b]

A team that I characterized as not great, a few weeks ago has certainly morphed through grit, great coaching and Paige into an important contender.

There are few, if any, perfect teams out there (S Carolina struggled against Tennessee for goodness sakes). so...anything could happen.

But, as noted by some in my age group; the possible effect on our collective blood pressure makes the next fortnight perilous.

 

[connboy77]

Ice looked like a totally different player from the one that played in the Big East tournament. Next year in all probability she will be the starting center, so she better get her act together.

 

[cancontent]

Does anyone think Paige and the rest of the UConn roster are going to be threatened by Duke? I'd like that dookie food guy to weigh in on this...

Threatened? Doubt it. Have a high level of respect for what this team can do? Yes.

This team gave Stanford fits and they weren't playing at the level they are now when that game happened. UConn is going to be confident in what they can do, but they won't be looking past anyone at this point of the tournament.

 

[WiseWillie]

Ice looked like a totally different player from the one that played in the Big East tournament. Next year in all probability she will be the starting center, so she better get her act together.

Good points but doubtful Geno will put Ice in the 5 or C position. That position will be Jana's with help side in the 4 or F position alternately by Ice and Ayanna (and/or Sarah S if she ultimately commits to UConn).

 

[Bone Dog]

Good points but doubtful Geno will put Ice in the 5 or C position. That position will be Jana's with help side in the 4 or F position alternately by Ice and Ayanna (and/or Sarah S if she ultimately commits to UConn).

Yup, and I expect Geno will use both big and small units on the court. Flexibility will be one of UConn’s great strengths next season.

The big unit: three guards and Jana plus one of Ayanna or Ice or even Sarah or Aubrey or Morgan or Caroline. Might even play Paige at the 4 next to Jana.

And the small units might be Ice and Ayanna (or Sarah) and the speedy guards.

Geno also regularly plays a 4-out set. Next year he’ll have a lot of options for that style of play.

And a 5-out set could be really interesting if it consisted of Paige Azzi Ash Allie and Aubrey or Morgan. I could see that being a major pressing unit. I really want to see a squad like that on the floor next fall.