St Johns Postgame Thread

[JellyBean]

Azzi herself publicly stated that she will be back before March. This was said before Caroline returned to play in the Creighton game. So....

I appreciate Azzi wanting to get back out there.

 

[BRS24]

Last night was interesting.

Parity - everyone wanted better competition until it's here. It's here.
St. John's played a better game, and their shots fell.
Then we come here and assign blame.

I'm looking forward to seeing if this team can truly bounce back and make a run in the postseason.
Either way their health is more important.

100% this. The whole parity thing was rolling around in my head post-game last night. Everyone wants parity in the women's game, however when it comes, then sometimes not so much. Gotta wonder if Geno & staff are quietly relieved that some of the streaks are over - back to back losses, league losses, etc. A lot of streaks are not realistic these days, and as the game progresses, we'll probably never see the likes of them again.

Gosh we've been lucky to see this program climb to the top, get back there, stay there. We've been blessed with some amazing players come through. And now? We are experiencing similar to a lot of other fan bases over the last few years, with "dominant" teams that are perennially at the top and come close to winning it all.

Over the next potential 3-11 games, I'm really gonna try to enjoy the ride.

 

[JellyBean]

100% this. The whole parity thing was rolling around in my head post-game last night. Everyone wants parity in the women's game, however when it comes, then sometimes not so much. Gotta wonder if Geno & staff are quietly relieved that some of the streaks are over - back to back losses, league losses, etc. A lot of streaks are not realistic these days, and as the game progresses, we'll probably never see the likes of them again.

Gosh we've been lucky to see this program climb to the top, get back there, stay there. We've been blessed with some amazing players come through. And now? We are experiencing similar to a lot of other fan bases over the last few years, with "dominant" teams that are perennially at the top and come close to winning it all.

Over the next potential 3-11 games, I'm really gonna try to enjoy the ride.

Well said by you and @GoUconn7961

 

[rmast11]

For him, or the players?

"You are what you are.." , basically saying not much we can do about it at this point. Really? Players deserve a bit more from their coach. He was even a nice guy in the handshake line. He looks strangely subdued.

The players are exhausted. No other team plays their starters to whole game. The bench needs more minutes, let them play and this will help them develop. St John's just did it. I blame Geno.

 

[Fossil]

St John's is an NIT team.

This UConn team is cooked, just a shell of themselves at this point. Easy to defend. In a funk offensively. Mental mistakes. Turnovers. Stand around as the other team grabs rebounds.

Most, if honest, knew this team is not a top 4 team, barely top 10.

Only Azzi's return will make this team a threat in the post-season and it's looking less likely that will happen.

Even if Azzi returns, she may not find her rhythm for a bunch of games and at that point it might be too late. I think we should just try to enjoy the rest of this season. Looking forward to next season.

 

[Kat]

The rest of the women's basketball world has caught up. While Geno and UConn were dominating the game, others took note and improved their teams. For me, it's all good as I want to watch competitive BB, not 30-point blowouts against over-matched teams. UConn has always stressed body language and in the old days you could see the difference between the Huskies and their opponents. No more. St. Johns players went into that place with confidence, feeling that they would compete. Good coaching and clutch playing. Let's give the other guys some props once in a while.

 

[Fossil]

Totally agree what have you got to lose when all your other players are exhausted Geno is very stubborn. Deberry came in for 2 productive minutes never came in again.

Deberry had a couple nice blocks, but then threw up an air ball from 6 feet away. At that point I think Geno was looking for more offense

 

[sun]

My humble opinion is that against St. John's, UConn's mid-range game was absent.
UConn seemed to take either inside or outside shots which they struggled to make down the stretch.
That St. John's made some pull up jumpers when they needed to made the difference.
UConn tends to live by the 3 or die by the 3, or it's an inside layup or nothing.
UConn is missing the whole 2nd level of scoring.
UConn has a lot of athleticism but when it comes to shot selection and making a simple pull up jumper, no one accepts that assignment nearly enough.
St. John's proves that a player doesn't need to be an All American to make a pull up jumper or a mid-range shot.
Any unranked player should be able to do it, but UConn seems to be stuck in layup mode.
When they struggle to make enough layups then they're not adjusting to take more mid-range shots.

 

[Blond D.]

A comment on UConn's play, and not picking out any particular player. UConn is a poor passing team. You can see it in the stat sheet (TO's), but also by how they miss open cutters to the basket. Frequently some great cuts to the basket go unrewarded. The risk of the TO has something to do with that. But, IMO, passing to a cutter is essential and worth the risk. Our passers are too anchored and the passes they try to make, predictable. BTW, assists have more to do with making shots than pass quality, IMO.

I agree but also the player cutting has to know the proper time to cut. There has to be a timing thing between the passer and cutter. Carolyn used to have it but didnt show it in this game and neither did Aubrey.
This game and a few in the last 3rd of the season the timing was off. The cutter cut too soon or too late, didnt get rid of their defender or didnt have the "eye" of the ball handler.
You can see it when its working. Its a thing of beauty. Lately its been kinda ugly.

 

[Fossil]

The same way Caroline missed the rim and Dorka clanked a layup off the backboard without hitting the rim. It happens to everyone!

The difference is two of them have built up equity with the coach and one hasn’t. Some of that may be the coach his own fault for not playing his bench more often but that’s the way he’s been doing it for 30 years.

 

[uconnfan68]

Despite missing the little short jumper, I thought Deberry played well. She isn't the only player to shoot an airball. Someone put a Twitter link of the warmups on here yesterday. Deberry has a beautiful midrange jumper. She couldn't miss. Tells me she needs to relax and get out of her own head.

If she hadn't airballed it from 8', she might have stayed in. She definitely changes the defense, both good and bad.

 

[PAHuskeyFan]

You watched a different Nika last night than I did... I saw the St. John's players driving by her with regularity and, other than hitting three 3s, her offense was ineffectual.

Much of her touted 'high energy' seems to be directed more often at the officials than her own performance.

OMG!!

 

[tchalla1]

I asked this question in the Chat but didn't see any reply...if a player has their shot blocked, is it a TO in addition to being a missed shot? (This ? is not directed at tchalla1 specifically.)

Good question, Centerstream--my guess is that technically speaking, a TO is a possession when a shot on goal does not occur. Since a blocked shot is considered a shot on goal, I believe technically, it does not count as a TO--but I could be wrong...

 

[Geesworld]

I haven't posted in post game threads in awhile. I usually give some time to breathe after the game so I'm not a prisoner of the moment. Especially after a loss.

So, before I start, I know we are down two players who are worth a bunch of points and other intangibles that would sway things heavily back to our favor. But the cupboards aren't completely bare that we should be playing this poorly.

I'm noticing some things I haven't seen from a UCONN team in a very long time. Excuses! Starting with coach and it seems to be permeating down to the players. I'm noticing UCONN being out coached. I know that's not a popular things to say in critiquing UCONN but it is so easy to see as of late.

Aliyah and Dorka great season. But as of late Luke warm performances and it's the little thing they seem to have neglected to do that got them the bad ass award early season.

Nika has been a head scratcher for me. I'm her biggest fan. But as of late she hasn't ran the team efficiently and it's costing team flow the last few games. I'm sure she is fatigued, being that she's played most minutes on the team and has started every single game this season. Geno has to find her more rest come tourney time.

This team has over achieved which is crazy because we still have two ALL AMERICAN high school athletes on the bench who can't get any game time.
Last night lossi was
Not mad, just FRUSTRATED.

 

[hoopsnloops32]

If she hadn't airballed it from 8', she might have stayed in. She definitely changes the defense, both good and bad.

There was already as sub in for her at the table before she even shot the ball.

 

[Fossil]

UConn recruits the kids that usually can handle the pressure. We got lucky on a grad transfer or we could have been a 500 team this year. We may have ( I hope not ) missed on some recruits - Ayanna - Amari and Ines.
They could not really perform when it was next player up. Top 25 players can be hit or miss in the UConn program.

In every program that recruits at the level Connecticut does There are misses you could probably pull up the top 10 teams in the country and look at the recruiting classes and go where did that girl go what happened to that girl where is this one? Many girls don’t reach their potential so it’s not like UConn is any different than most other programs that way. And you can’t count the freshman to be a big part being that they are so green And inexperienced

 

[maple]

Kim Mulkey has just as short a bench at LSU, she's making it work. Geno needs to step it up and coach this team.

Mulkey wouldn't be doing any better with the current situation we have, neither would Dawn, Pat, Tara, or anyone else.

 

[SLY63]

Agree. AE and Dorka seem to struggle with reacting to the double and triple team. Even though SC has great post, they were 1 on 1, which I think was easier for them to handle.

 

[baggerbob]

Agree. AE and Dorka seem to struggle with reacting to the double and triple team. Even though SC has great post, they were 1 on 1, which I think was easier for them to handle.

Losing Azzi hurt. Since then you have 1 shooter on Lou and every team focusses on her. If Caroline gets back in rhythm it will help.

 

[LwrcasefaN]

If she hadn't airballed it from 8', she might have stayed in. She definitely changes the defense, both good and bad.

People short arm point blank layups. It happens. I didn't think she got yanked because of the missed shot. She was put in to give Dorka a rest.

 

[Hist-teacher]

You called it. Was looking for a stress free break (Finally )
They need our support more than ever
We have to be careful
l love Meg but There were times when she was annoying me and she was just doing her job

I agree about Meg. I know she's supposed to be pro-UConn but she's way over the top. I would prefer more objective game analysis. I just mute the game.

 

[Rowdy831]

Geno's not the one missing bunnies and tossing the ball to the other team.

Not Geno's fault but his responsibility

 

[BBallF]

This was only a blip of parity because St. John's started 4 post graduates due to the Covid year. That ends with the class that came in the fall of 2020. It really wasn't a parity game. It was about being exhausted, mentally and physically, a ridiculously conceived OOC schedule dating back to November that would have been taxing for a full team, poor execution, injuries that have eliminated our 2 best shooters and best sub underneath, lack of depth, the failure of the bench to develop, the failure to make adjustments and changes, and not enough rest ever for only 5 players, and now 6 with the 6th being questionable. Azzi coming back should help but will it be enough to keep the FF streak alive?

I would only note that Marquette and SJU are very much alike in certain respects. Upper classmen, athletic players that can all drive, an open lane dribble drive offense, good 3 point shooters and foul shooters who handle the ball and a hot hand on the night of the game. We have to score underneath to win a game like that and when we don't we have to get scoring from Lou, CD and Aubrey as well as some from Nika. Aubrey has been passing up 3s for years now. It's a shame. She has a nice shot. If she goes 2-6 from the arc it's the same as going 50% from the field. You can't be tentative when the other team isn't.

 

[uconnfan68]

There was already as sub in for her at the table before she even shot the ball.

I know, but the coach can always pull them back. I was rooting for her, but she just seems so unsure of herself out there.