UConn Is Still The Better Team

[VAUConnFan]

1. Admittedly, Baylor is not an ideal matchup for UConn.
2. Baylor, to their credit, defended well, jammed cutters, and dictated pace of play.
3. UConn shot less than 30%. They might beat AAC teams shooting under 30, but not an elite team.
4. Despite shooting under 30%, it was a 4 point game with less than 3 minutes to play.
5. Key sequence: UConn has just cut their deficit to 4 when Collier blocks a shot along the baseline with about 2:30 to play. In the ensuing scramble, Baylor's 5th year senior graduate transfer from LSU after struggling offensively most of the evening, hustles to the ball and nails the jumper. On the other end, Baylor deflects the ball out of Collier's hands, the ensuing steal leads to a layup; Ballgame.
6. The final tally is not indicative of how the game went. Games tend to get out of hand in desperation mode.
7. Many of the comments directed at a few of the players appear to be totally unwarranted. Again, UConn, with a C minus offensive performance, kept this game close. That takes effort and perseverance.
8. UConn is still the team to beat.
9. NaLyssa Smith is the best first impression player I have seen in WBB since seeing Maya Moore against Purdue in 2008(Beth Mowins and Debbie Antonelli had the call in that game). My all first impression team consists of Lucia Harris, Cheryl Miller, Clarissa Davis, Nykesha Sales, Jackie Stiles, Diana Taurasi, Maya Moore, and now Ms Smith.

 

[veryolddog]

One of the facts that you state is that UConn shot poorly at 29 per cent. Did the women shoot poorly because of a long layoff between games or did they shoot poorly because Baylor played an excellent defensive game against UConn?

 

[CTrefugee]

good defense.

 

[npignatjr]

One of the facts that you state is that UConn shot poorly at 29 per cent. Did the women shoot poorly because of a long layoff between games or did they shoot poorly because Baylor played an excellent defensive game against UConn?

One of the facts that you state is that UConn shot poorly at 29 per cent. Did the women shoot poorly because of a long layoff between games or did they shoot poorly because Baylor played an excellent defensive game against UConn?

Probably some of both, missed open shots early

 

[Tonyc]

When your having an awful nite in any sport, it seems never to get better only worse. The poor shooting had alot to do with alot of different things. How do you change a bad nite shooting to a good nite shooting? Sometimes it get worse before it gets better . Sometimes you just have to wait til tomorrow. In most cases there is no answer .

 

[luckyhusky7]

No UCONN was not the better team right now and that’s okay. It’s still a long way to March. Give credit to Baylor and their bigs...they won the game.

 

[SVCBeercats]

No UCONN was not the better team right now and that’s okay. It’s still a long way to March. Give credit to Baylor and their bigs...they won the game.

You are right. It is all about the NCAA finals. Be ready then. This the goal. Last season UCONN beat Notre Dame in the regular season but lost to them in NCAA semi-finals. Hopefully Olivia and at least one other bench player will develop into a contributor before the finals. Also remember Louisville thrashed Notre Dame in the regular season by 40+ points only to lose a close game to ND in the ACC tourney. They righted the ship, best UCONN in the semis and won the NCAA championship. I hope UCONN's fans believe UCONN can do this. Is the ND coaching staff better? Is the ND program better?

 

[SVCBeercats]

When your having an awful nite in any sport, it seems never to get better only worse. The poor shooting had a lot to do with alot of different things. How do you change a bad nite shooting to a good nite shooting? Sometimes it get worse before it gets better . Sometimes you just have to wait til tomorrow. In most cases there is no answer .

Sometimes it is tension. I saw a couple of videos of Collier making shot after shot inside and outside the arc in practice in CA. However, I didn't see that in this game. Was she tense? Were Lou and CD too tense for this game? Sometimes good defense actually impacts open shots because the shooter rushes the shot knowing the defense is closing quickly.

 

[Cornell Lt]

When a team is outmatched athletically, like UConn was that night, then one would expect a lower percentage of shots to be made. Baylors quickness advantage was very evident at the guard spot and their wing defense forced KLS and others into difficult shots. On top of that you could see that KLS was gassed in the 2nd half, especially getting back on defense.

 

[BroadwayVa]

Probably some of both, missed open shots early

Would you care to list the number of reasons for missing shots they normally make??

 

[BroadwayVa]

Sometimes it is tension. I saw a couple of videos of Collier making shot after shot inside and outside the arc in practice in CA. However, I didn't see that in this game. Was she tense? Were Lou and CD too tense for this game? Sometimes good defense actually impacts open shots because the shooter rushes the shot knowing the defense is closing quickly.

Intelligence flows all over this posting. Kudo's. Sometimes folks forget there are 2 teams playing the game and neither want's the other to shoot well.

 

[VAUConnFan]

One of the facts that you state is that UConn shot poorly at 29 per cent. Did the women shoot poorly because of a long layoff between games or did they shoot poorly because Baylor played an excellent defensive game against UConn?

Play the game enough and there are going to be days when you cannot hit anything and there will be days when everything, even the most ridiculous shots find their way though the hoop.

The layoff was not that long, but it cannot be discounted. However, I do not recall a UConn team experiencing a shooting aberration following a layoff similar to Thursday's. Baylor was focused on defense. It surprised me how effective Cox was guarding Samuelson. I still believe that is a mismatch in our favor. Baylor's defense, more than anything, caused a level of impatience and apprehension for UConn running their offense. At no point did they look poised, comfortable, and confident. Shots not falling will do that.

 

[VAUConnFan]

When a team is outmatched athletically, like UConn was that night, then one would expect a lower percentage of shots to be made. Baylors quickness advantage was very evident at the guard spot and their wing defense forced KLS and others into difficult shots. On top of that you could see that KLS was gassed in the 2nd half, especially getting back on defense.

The only mismatch in athleticism that I saw was #1 for Baylor, Ms Smith. If she can also handle the ball, superstardom awaits her.

 

[Shenandoah]

One of the facts that you state is that UConn shot poorly at 29 per cent. Did the women shoot poorly because of a long layoff between games or did they shoot poorly because Baylor played an excellent defensive game against UConn?

Both. You can't simulate game conditions in 3 practices after a long layoff.

 

[UConnCat]

I would be upset if UConn were to play Baylor again in the NCAA tournament.

 

[BackBay]

I dont know. I'd say Baylor is the better team now, on a neutral court. It might be different in March/April.

 

[PAHuskeyFan]

Play the game enough and there are going to be days when you cannot hit anything and there will be days when everything, even the most ridiculous shots find their way though the hoop.

The layoff was not that long, but it cannot be discounted. However, I do not recall a UConn team experiencing a shooting aberration following a layoff similar to Thursday's. Baylor was focused on defense. It surprised me how effective Cox was guarding Samuelson. I still believe that is a mismatch in our favor. Baylor's defense, more than anything, caused a level of impatience and apprehension for UConn running their offense. At no point did they look poised, comfortable, and confident. Shots not falling will do that.

Agree with almost all of your comments... there are days in all sport when things don't go right. Some days the Cy Young award winning pitcher doesn't have his curve or slider or what ever, some days the best quarterback can't complete passes, some days the best golfers can't keep the ball in the fairway or make a putt, and some days the best shooters can't hit the outside shots. In his post game comments Geno said they knew they wouldn't beat Baylor in the paint and knew they would score those baskets...the plan was to trade 3s for 2s...but then the shots don't fall, it doesn't work.
The area of "disagreement"... Cox was focused on Pheesa and DD Richards face guarded KLS. The Baylor defensive plan was to put their 2 best defenders, Cox and Richards, on UCONN's best offensive players....and leave Brown "hanging out" in the lane to clean up any rebounds or block any attempts to drive the lane.

 

[BostonCanuck]

To borrow a soccer analogy, Baylor "parked the bus," exactly as Geno had predicted. There is a pathway to victory against that, namely take 'em and make 'em, and there really is no plan B. Unfortunately, the Huskies would/could not successfully travel that pathway, so they were not the better team that night.

 

[Orangutan]

No UCONN was not the better team right now and that’s okay. It’s still a long way to March. Give credit to Baylor and their bigs...they won the game.

If this was a 7 game series with Baylor up 1-0, I'd still have my money on UConn.

 

[Sluconn Husky]

If this was a 7 game series with Baylor up 1-0, I'd still have my money on UConn.

That UConn held their own on the boards and still never had the lead is a bad sign. KLS and Collier have to work so hard to defend out of position and rebound against much larger players. I wouldn't like UConn's chances a whole lot in a long series. Had Stevens stuck around.....perhaps.

 

[luckyhusky7]

If this was a 7 game series with Baylor up 1-0, I'd still have my money on UConn.

Me too but to some we won’t even make it to the tournament with this loss.

 

[willtalk]

Cox could not guard MLS. When she was on her for a period of time in the 3rd Q was when MLS scored her points. She is to fast for Cox When they switched DiDi Richards back on to her she got shut down. Richards is Baylors best defender and her D on Sam. made the difference. MLS tried hard to get free of Richards but she usually guards parameter players but at 6'1" she is fully capable of guarding forwards. Richards is just a night mare match up for Katie. They needed to help her out with some screens.

 

[Roger G]

Did anyone else notice how dead the rims seemed to sound? That may have been strategic and it may have helped Baylor's offense. The crowd also was a huge factor. I think that's why Geno was saying he would love to take them home. They are loud in Texas. And the layoff certainly left UConn rusty. There were a mountain of reasons why this game was going to go against the Huskies. And maybe the Maestro took all of that into consideration. Maybe he set it up that way. When the military wants to improve their fighters, they make the challenges more difficult in training. Maybe this was in our coach's mind a training exercise. And maybe he is going to use this to make these players better. It could be that the players will find new wellsprings of something, talent, grit, determination, something that brings them to new heights and depths and they will discover what they need to go all the way and win another national championship. That could be fun to watch.

 

[HopJim]

One of the facts that you state is that UConn shot poorly at 29 per cent. Did the women shoot poorly because of a long layoff between games or did they shoot poorly because Baylor played an excellent defensive game against UConn?

Agree that most of the credit should go to Baylor for their defensive execution AND strategy (pushed UConn out further than they normally shoot), but a minor part goes to UConn's lack of adjustment. When you play tall competition, you have to run them INTO picks. Baylor took advantage of UConn's sloppy cuts as Geno mentioned (I believe at halftime). Suspect this is easy to fix but we will see.

 

[tomcat]

Right now, Baylor is better because Baylor is bigger. That equation may change if the two meet again, but the matchup really is a lot worse than a lot of us figured it would be. It would (maybe will) be interesting to see what kind of a strategy Geno coaches will employ next time.