"The UConn women are ruthless"

[CMC'72]

Couch: The UConn women are ruthless; Michigan State - and everyone else - has no shot

"You don’t drop your head when you play against Connecticut’s women’s basketball team. There’s no time for dejection, no matter how quickly and thoroughly the defeat. You’re in a fight for your dignity."

"This team is like a machine.”

 

[JordyG]

One thing that's not being acknowledged is Crystal's defense. She's been keeping her man in front of her, jumping the lanes well, and bringing help from the weak side on post entries like heck. Her defensive improvement from last year is night and day. This all in addition to being the captain this ship needs. Crystal is the real diamond.

 

[JustinesGuy]

One thing that's not being acknowledged is Crystal's defense. She's been keeping her man in front of her, jumping the lanes well, and bringing help from the weak side on post entries like heck. Her defensive improvement from last year is night and day. This all in addition to being the captain this ship needs. Crystal is the real diamond.

Yep. We knew how important she was going to be to this team and how imperative it would be for her to start.

 

[Huskie78]

Some nice pics to go with the article! Love the unis!

 

[JordyG]

Love to see the pressers if there are any.

 

[j66kicker]

“I think there are times during the game when the pace of the game gets to the other team, you can see it,” UConn coach Geno Auriemma said. “Sometimes it happens early. Sometimes it happens in the middle. Sometimes it happens late. We try to look for that time, we try to look for when does it show itself that the pace is too much for them to handle. And we try to go at it another gear a little bit more and see if we can end it right there.”

 

[mbr33ct]

That’s all there is to do — fight the good fight, tip your cap and play for second place. Someday, when this dynasty dies, women’s basketball can take off. Parity is waiting.

At least he didn't say, UConn Women's Basketball is bad for the sport?

 

[veryolddog]

You know, during the Michigan State game, there was a time when I thought that this was UConn against another American Athletic Conference game. I was wondering how one of the better AAC teams would do against Michigan State.

 

[Siestakeyfan]

Couch: The UConn women are ruthless; Michigan State - and everyone else - has no shot

"You don’t drop your head when you play against Connecticut’s women’s basketball team. There’s no time for dejection, no matter how quickly and thoroughly the defeat. You’re in a fight for your dignity."

"This team is like a machine.”

We have developed an "ENTITLEMENT" problem that is GROWING ! MANY college players only care about "WHAT CAN YOU GIVE ME"
Where did WORK HARD go ? Mostly UCONN and a few other schools UCONN CREATES Great players they Work at getting skilled !

 

[Charliebball]

Typical snarky comment about UConn recruiting.........if it's so easy for them why aren't Lauren Cox, Charli Collier, Nalyssa Smith, Shakira Austin, etc not UConn players?

Raoul‏ @Raoul_000
Interesting anecdote from MSU WBB coach Suzy Merchant: proof positive of just how difficult recruiting is for the UConn staff http://www.lansingstatejournal.com/story/sports/columnists/graham-couch/2017/11/25/michigan-state-uconn-women-basketball-couch-column/894366001/ …

 

[bags27]

That’s all there is to do — fight the good fight, tip your cap and play for second place. Someday, when this dynasty dies, women’s basketball can take off. Parity is waiting.
At least he didn't say, UConn Women's Basketball is bad for the sport?

Well, actually, he most certainly did. It's an astonishing dumb argument. Here's what's written:

That’s all there is to do — fight the good fight, tip your cap and play for second place. Someday, when this dynasty dies, women’s basketball can take off. Parity is waiting.
“The first couple possessions, you kind of get a feel of that speed and that length, of how hard they play,” MSU sophomore point guard Taryn McCutcheon said. “For the rest of the game, you know it’s going to be like that. This team is like a machine.”

The author says that WCBB will improve because of parity. Then he quotes McCutcheon as saying that UConn just plays harder and better. So, what he's really saying is that once the dynasty is over, there won't be a team trying to play harder and better and that (somehow!!) WCBB will "take off". You just have to shake you head at this crap.

 

[bags27]

Typical snarky comment about UConn recruiting....if it's so easy for them why aren't Lauren Cox, Charli Collier, Nalyssa Smith, Shakira Austin, etc not UConn players?

Raoul‏ @Raoul_000
Interesting anecdote from MSU WBB coach Suzy Merchant: proof positive of just how difficult recruiting is for the UConn staff http://www.lansingstatejournal.com/story/sports/columnists/graham-couch/2017/11/25/michigan-state-uconn-women-basketball-couch-column/894366001/ …

I heard the same thing from a coach who was sure she had another player locked up before UConn spotted her. Even if it were (it isn't!) true that Geno gets all the best players, opposing coaches have to ask themselves: why? It ain't the balmy winters in Storrs. IT'S BECAUSE HE'S THE BEST COACH.

 

[Adesmar123]

Just wait until Ruth gets cleared to play and they aren't Ruthless any more.

 

[Intpseeker]

 

[BostonCanuck]

One thing that's not being acknowledged is Crystal's defense. She's been keeping her man in front of her, jumping the lanes well, and bringing help from the weak side on post entries like heck. Her defensive improvement from last year is night and day. This all in addition to being the captain this ship needs. Crystal is the real diamond.

I completely agree about Crystal's defense. And this is an area where Z and especially Megan are going to grow by leaps and bounds too.

 

[BostonCanuck]

View attachment 26433

Love that pic and hadn't seen it before. And I think Crystal has pretty much played her way into this foursome now too.

 

[BroadwayVa]

“I think there are times during the game when the pace of the game gets to the other team, you can see it,” UConn coach Geno Auriemma said. “Sometimes it happens early. Sometimes it happens in the middle. Sometimes it happens late. We try to look for that time, we try to look for when does it show itself that the pace is too much for them to handle. And we try to go at it another gear a little bit more and see if we can end it right there.”

The KILLER instinct! Geno with past teams complained --they have no killer instinct, i.e. when you have them down--keep them down. This terrible team has it! They look for it.
The pace, due to dedicated conditioning, has won more games for Geno than all the talent on the opponents. We have seen superb talent on top teams that scored less, we have seen times when the top talent went off on Uconn but the other four did nothing. Geno picks and chooses his mode of attack, it's not always the same. Who can prepare for that??

 

[BroadwayVa]

View attachment 26433

What struck me with the picture: 3 had very stern faces, mean. But Napheesa as stern as she could look---looked lovable. Not a thing about that face could scare anyone!!

 

[BroadwayVa]

I heard the same thing from a coach who was sure she had another player locked up before UConn spotted her. Even if it were (it isn't!) true that Geno gets all the best players, opposing coaches have to ask themselves: why? It ain't the balmy winters in Storrs. IT'S BECAUSE HE'S THE BEST COACH.

Preface: I believed sports was about sportsmanship.
Believing that; It makes me wonder about the coach(es) that put their heart and soul into recruiting a player (like Maya, Stewie) and those coaches take the low road about playing the team the recruit chose or try to find some means to discredit the receiving team. I understand companies and Countries being petty--I don't accept it. But GAMES, just games, with kids playing--being petty--is a pretty poor learning tool, isn't it. Colleges are about education, what message does this send??

 

[mbr33ct]

You know, during the Michigan State game, there was a time when I thought that this was UConn against another American Athletic Conference game. I was wondering how one of the better AAC teams would do against Michigan State.

We will actually see that when USF plays this same Michigan State team on Dec. 21st.

 

[BroadwayVa]

Well, actually, he most certainly did. It's an astonishing dumb argument. Here's what's written:

That’s all there is to do — fight the good fight, tip your cap and play for second place. Someday, when this dynasty dies, women’s basketball can take off. Parity is waiting.
“The first couple possessions, you kind of get a feel of that speed and that length, of how hard they play,” MSU sophomore point guard Taryn McCutcheon said. “For the rest of the game, you know it’s going to be like that. This team is like a machine.”

The author says that WCBB will improve because of parity. Then he quotes McCutcheon as saying that UConn just plays harder and better. So, what he's really saying is that once the dynasty is over, there won't be a team trying to play harder and better and that (somehow!!) WCBB will "take off". You just have to shake you head at this crap.

Thanks Bags:

The point most writers, coaches and some players miss is: The Uconn method/mystique is simple to replicate, it isn't easy; if it were everyone would be doing it. Here is the simple easy approach to winning: Conditioning to the ultimate, play defense for 4o minutes no let up, demand perfection, practice,practice,practice and of course have a good to better coach. There are some good coaches out there. Some recruit high talent and expect talent alone to win. If they fully buy into the Geno system, Geno will have competition. It's not easy it takes dedication from players and assistant coaches--it's work. All to many coaches, players, assistants can't sustain the year in year out dedication to perfection--it's work. MACHINES are made not born.

 

[Bigboote]

“I think there are times during the game when the pace of the game gets to the other team, you can see it,” UConn coach Geno Auriemma said. “Sometimes it happens early. Sometimes it happens in the middle. Sometimes it happens late. We try to look for that time, we try to look for when does it show itself that the pace is too much for them to handle. And we try to go at it another gear a little bit more and see if we can end it right there.”

At one point during the broadcast, Meg was saying that MSU needed to slow the game down. But a team scoring 100 points a game doesn’t want to slow down, even if that’s what they need to do. But it was so obvious they couldn’t run with UConn — I rewound a few of the fast breaks, and while MSU obviously has the speed, they weren’t organized. There was one where they had the numbers down the court, but Reimer didn’t mark Z, who just ran by her, got the pass, and made the layup uncontested. Another when they had a 2-on-1, and Crystal intercepted a sloppy pass.

 

[mbr33ct]

Well, actually, he most certainly did. It's an astonishing dumb argument. Here's what's written:

That’s all there is to do — fight the good fight, tip your cap and play for second place. Someday, when this dynasty dies, women’s basketball can take off. Parity is waiting.
“The first couple possessions, you kind of get a feel of that speed and that length, of how hard they play,” MSU sophomore point guard Taryn McCutcheon said. “For the rest of the game, you know it’s going to be like that. This team is like a machine.”

The author says that WCBB will improve because of parity. Then he quotes McCutcheon as saying that UConn just plays harder and better. So, what he's really saying is that once the dynasty is over, there won't be a team trying to play harder and better and that (somehow!!) WCBB will "take off". You just have to shake you head at this crap.

All waiting for time these 3 words are no longer spoken, "there's UConn and", "......then everybody else"!

Finally some may finally get the parity they long for...others will say it's just mediocrity.

 

[my2cents]

Typical snarky responses from a team that just got drilled.
UConn only wins because they get the best players. They have no clue as to WHY they get the best players.
Geno and staff makes these players the best they can be, through hard work, motivations and self sacrifice.

 

[BostonCanuck]

Typical snarky responses from a team that just got drilled.
UConn only wins because they get the best players. They have no clue as to WHY they get the best players.
Geno and staff makes these players the best they can be, through hard work, motivations and self sacrifice.

Exactly. Take our two seniors, for example. Wasn't Gabby something like #17 and Kia #33 in the hoopsgurlz rankings when they were recruited?

Come on, stop it with all your whining. UConn doesn't get the best players, UConn makes the best players.