UCONN-Texas Post Game Thread

[npignatjr]

True she can dribble and pass but with this current
Line up she needs to get by people finish at the rim
Or kick out unfortunately, that’s not your strength

So setting both UConn game and season assist records were made by not passing well?

 

[Cuango]

I am a huge PB fan but agree with this point. In fairness, number of games wise this is like her sophomore year (CD made this point on a radio show last week). Additionally she is coming off injury. Nonetheless, I don't think she can be considered a top 5 player in this country at this point or comparable to Caitlin Clark right now. And 13 points against a top 10 team on the road is not going to cut it, atleast with this roster.

I agree with a lot of these points. I just hate the idea of thinking these losses don't matter because it's not March. These losses definitely matter and impact seeding. I also think finding a way to win games is a skill. They've battled in their losses but haven't really found ways to win.

I think that’s a tad harsh on Paige. I do agree she’s not yet the Paige of her freshman year but she’s still not 100% and she hasn’t played in more than a year! Texas as focusing on her the entire game! I’d be willing to bet Vic structured his entire game plan around not letting Paige do what Azzi did last time they played. Paige might could overcome that kind of attention if she were healthy and if there was the usual UConn offense surrounding her bt right now she can’t. I think, assuming she get’s right physcally, we will see the Paige of old start showing up as the team gets more proficient on offense. Harmon is a stud and I wish we had gotten Booker! That team could make some serious noise come tournament time! I think you have to ask yourself if here are 5 players you would rather have than her? For me, that is a clear no.

 

[jandab]

What a game! Hats off to Texas. They played well and Booker is going to play a huge part for Texas as they march towards Big 12 dominance and NCAA play. She is really good. They just were the better team out there today. As for our beloved Huskies. I thought they played their hearts out. I am riding with this team no matter what. They gave max effort and did not give up. The Freshies are going to be nice. They are only going to get better by just playing and playing through their mistakes and don't give up.

Well said JellyBean !! So proud of our TEAM !!

 

[Cuango]

We have pass first PGs, including Paige. It wouldn't be a problem if not for the injuries. But one of them better start scoring from the jump ball. Arnold getting to the rim and not laying the ball up was hard to watch. And...I'm convinced that the best UCONN TEAM on defense is when two or three (Arnold, Shade and Q) are on the floor. These late game pushes they have been on the floor. Ice starting tells me that Geno is playing the long game. When she's in I wouldn't have her catching the ball in the foul line area. She's skiddish right now. Post her and have Edwards play there. Hate to lose, but I still see growth.

Those are the growing pans most freshmen (and their fans/coaches) have to go through. Next time she will shoot the ball!

 

[Cuango]

Texas took 68 shots from the floor, we took 44.

Yeah, no one can beat a good team with that kind of shot disparity!

 

[TCC Kid]

Crazy that Marquette may start the Big East season ranked higher than us.
My Huskies are built tough and I believe will be a whole lot better come tourney time. We are currently going to be a 4 to 5 seed and who wants to face us that early.
As a fan I say let's be patient as we have had the toughest schedule compared to other teams around the country and we have had a lot of valuable minutes in street clothes.

Why not? In a decent wo

 

[Cuango]

Amari in her time has played way better than #25.

Would you be willing to put some money on who will be the better player in the end?

 

[Cuango]

Paige didn’t look good tonight neither did Nika especially in the first half

I think a better description would be that the offense didn’t look good. She never really had many good looks. They were clearly focusing n not letting Paige get off! She is not physically back to the level that many are judging her by. Give it some time.

 

[Darwin]

Yeah, no one can beat a good team with that kind of shot disparity!

How did that happen?

 

[Zonepress]

I think u missed my point the nature of the team
Has changed
There aren’t the shooters to assist to
The guards are being overplayed due to limited
Outside shooting
Pretty obvious in todays game

 

[ctkaiser]

It could be worse. UConn lost on the road to a top 10 team by 12, 8 really because they gave up 4 points on freebie free throws by fouling to stop the clock. #3 Stanford lost to unranked Gonzaga at home, 78-96.

Stanford is the 12th top 10 team to suffer a loss this season

Brink was sick and only played 11 minutes. Definitely a factor.

 

[BBallF]

Texas is an older, more experienced and more physical team overall with a point guard that was too quick for ours and had a game and a half. Their two guard alone has over 2000 career points and was last year's WCC POY. She is a set up player on this team. This is a much better team than #10 and a legitimate Final Four contender with a very good coach. They are just better than us and the defensive coma we were in to begin the game ala UCLA dug us too deep a hole. We fought back but we were down 8 at the end of the 1st quarter and lost by 12.

We have a reticent All-American as of yet. She needs to shoot 20-25 times a game. We don't have other good shooters from the guard/forward position right now with AE playing center. It's just not enough shots by Paige. Nika has to shoot also and be a part of the game offensively. She has to look to score as everyone else should do especially Aubrey. KK, Ash and Q will likely be getting more playing time. There will be mistakes but that goes with the territory. and they will no longer be freshman by the Spring. As for Ice, her timing is off and she needs more quickness and less nerves out there. 5 turnovers are too many for that position. In short, with our injuries, this looks to be a really difficult year. Hopefully, CD will return and Ayanna as well but you can't play competition like this in November and December with a wounded team and expect to be invincible. We just aren't anymore and the Texas players acted like they just got into the FF because they beat us. Everyone wants to beat UCONN.



I will state again emphatically that the quality and competence of officiating in the women's game is abysmal and downright dangerous. There were at least 10-15 hard fouls by Texas not called. We had some also so I am not playing the favoritism card but they were clearly over their heads in this one. If all you are doing is calling out of bounds then why are you out there? It's sickening and reminds me of the NC game last year.

I can't believe Geno's calm demeanor. I hope he sent a message to the refs at some point that they were not doing a good job and that it is just not okay to put these young women at risk. The game has become decidedly physical and the purity and grace of the sport is being eclipsed. The only thin blue line are the referees and they cannot be relied upon other than to call balls and strikes. Go through this game slowly on replay and you will see a plethora of fouls. Since when is a body to body blow when you are taking a layup not a foul? Since when can you crash and push and shove without being called? We lost this game. The refs and the NCAA are losing the sport.

Someone is going to get seriously injured because the refs are propagating a culture of physicality. As a player, you play to the refs. If I can push and shove underneath, I will all game long.

 

[ctkaiser]

How did that happen?

Turnovers.

 

[tchalla1]

Random Thoughts...

• Early in the game we gave up way too many open looks. Don't know where our D went.
• There is a pattern of teams punching us to start the game and us folding.
• I think it is time to start/play the freshman. Aubrey 0-2, 6 Reb, 4 TOs. I'd like to see KK, Shade, Ice Paige and AE
• So many unforced TOs, terrible entry passes. Ice 5 TOs
• Texas had 24 more shots than us !!!!!!
• We might end the year without a top 20 win given how weak the BE is. I see us as a 4 seed which makes the road to the Final 4 much more difficult.
• This will be controversial, but I think the game is getting past Geno. The type of players we recruit and the in-game coaching. The game is getting much more athletic shot-makers vs disciplined offense

On your last bullet on "the game getting past Geno", I am reminded of what we in corporate organizational development tell businesses: "Be careful that you don't mistake tradition for stagnation." I think when Geno has his full complement of players then we can suitably weigh whether his recruiting of certain players for a motion offense is outdated...

 

[Conndog]

Nika can shoot and Nika can dribble and Nika can pass the ball as well as anyone. The problem is no one gets open under or anywhere close so she has to clear it out again. Nika wasn't open all that much either.

Sorry, I don’t agree. When left completely alone, then Nika can shoot. But anyone who is left completely alone could shoot it. She’s left completely alone because usually she is a nothing on offense & teams ignore her to put extra pressure on UConn’s true threats. Her shooting teammates have to work harder to get an open shot in return. I’d rather have KK in there- KK is faster and quicker than Nika, and I think KK being quicker is actually the better defender. I’d trade KK’s freshman mistakes (such as occasional charge) for the aggressive play she brings. Is Nika going to attack the basket which opens things up for others? No, but KK will and does. I like Aubrey off the bench too unless we need her height. Aubrey really is a fantastic defender, but there just are games when they instead need real offense. If UConn was rebounding well, then Aubrey shines on the fast break. When both Nika and Aubrey start in games against a strong team, then 40% of the team really doesn’t pose an offensive threat, and the team often falls behind. Change it up, Geno!

 

[RoadMaster]

In playing the freshmen so many minutes, Geno was playing for March today. The freshmen were terrific

Agree..
I'm inclined to think that it may be hard not to play them more going forward.
They all aggressively look to score.
More scorers are sorely needed - Greatly helping to open up things for Paige.

 

[Childhood]

Reboundsand TO are killing us.
Rebounds Rebounds Rebounds

 

[Conndog]

I actually think just the opposite for this team to get better Someone has to be able to shoot especially the big players, such as they are teams are conceding to follow my jumpshot to our big players, which is making the impossible for the motion of things to get any back door, cuts, or anything inside unfortunately, ice has not Shotwell
This looks good and the coaches she’s a very good shooter
Right now ice is struggling to adjust to the speed of the college game. And playing against players just has big as she is and not rebounding very well
She will need to figure out how to use her size and
Strength to make up for lack of quickness

My rebuttal is that we need rebounding, Ice is one of our bigs who plays a lot, and she can’t rebound from deep outside. I believe she will be a good threat from outside in future, but right now she is missing them at a high rate. She would be more effective from closer and really needs to work on layups. Let Q or Ash shoot the 3, Paige too of course, and Caroline if she returns to play.

 

[Zonepress]

On your last bullet of the game getting past, Geno, I am reminded of what we in corporate organizational development tell businesses: "be careful that you don't mistake tradition for stagnation." I think when Geno has his full complement of players then we can suitably weigh whether his recruiting of certain players for a motion offense is outdated...

Maybe the question worth asking
Is given the injuries to 2 key shooters
Should the coach adjust his strategy

 

[Cuango]

So setting both UConn game and season assist records were made by not passing well?

? The poster specifically said she can “dribble and pass”!

 

[Mandoo]

Nobody wants to hear this, but this offense won't get better until Nika sits. For a player who is so easy to defend, she has the ball in her hands too much. I say start the freshman, Paige, AE, and play for March.

I felt this way a long time ago. Nika really should sit and let the frosh take over and learn.

 

[The deacon]

Don't want to pick on Nika but if this is correct 0 rebounds in 36 minutes is not a good look. On this team when a 6-3 player is our tallest player guards have to rebound.

Actually, 38 minutes, and just two assists, no steals and 5 TOs... good thing she can shoot!

 

[Darwin]

Actually, 38 minutes, and just two assists, no steals and 5 TOs... good thing she can shoot!

Sarcasm rules today, but if there was ever a question before about this season’s chances of going all the way, well the sarcastic bunch will probably be safe.

 

[Viet Vet]

Points off turnovers: UT 36, UC 8.
Second chance points: UT 15, UC 2.

 

[HuskyNan]

Game was in Spokane. Doesn't change the score, but it was on the road.

I know UConn fans don't want to hear about missing players, but it was a 4 point game at the half and Brink sat on the bench after halftime with an illness.

UConn was within 5 with 7 minutes to go in the game, with 4 players on the bench, against #10 Texas.