We passed another Mid Term exam | The Boneyard

We passed another Mid Term exam

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Tonyc

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Beating ND at ND last nite was huge. Alot of great posts and threads. I received alot of phone calls last nite and a big question will UConn go undefeated? They do have the team to do it and if they do what will happen over the next 5 seasons as we get better? Hey we still have @KState and @MD to end this year. Both huge games.

What I saw last nite was discipline, poise and relentless defense that never let up. Both in the Depaul game and the ND game both teams seemed flustered and out of sync. They couldnt get it going for a long time and when they did UConn turned it up a knoch. I saw the frustration in Muffets post game interview. Both Muffet and her players were disappointed and frustrated. They were shell shocked. Ogunbowale tried to take over one on one and that didnt work very well. When you play defense like UConn plays you cant seem to get anything going and then revert back to playing to quick and desperate. When you look at our first game against FL State and look at this team now there is a huge difference. We are playing as a unit and our execution is getting better each game.

So Sunday this UConn machine plays KState. KState beat Auburn ranked 23 by 5. KState hasnt really played any other tuff competition yet but they do have a 6'5 post player who is shooting over 60%. It will be interesting to see how UConn handles her . Im looking for a double diget win Sunday. It will be a tuff game as I expect KState to slow the game down to keep the score in the 50's-60's. At some point UConns defense will take over and when that happens I expect UConn to run away. So the streak continues and the schedule is brutal for the rest of December. What this team has already accomplished on paper and in the news has placed doubt in opponents minds. So the streak continues......
 
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A press piece mentioned how the Huskies acted very calm in victory last night. my wife couldn't handle the pressure of the second quarter and so only watched the end with me in replay. She thought - if the Irish had won they would have celebrated like there was no tomorrow.

Reasonably, looking back to before the season began, I hoped we might come into South Bend with only one or two losses, and I would have been ecstatic if they eked out a win over ND. Instead this team has gritted out a season of victories in games that could have gotten away. I have to say it's more fun to watch than blowout years, and really great to see the accolades spread around the team!
 
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Sorry I hadn't seen the So Proud Of This team thread. Everyone there already said what I did above more eloquently!
 

MilfordHusky

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Looking at the schedule when it was released, I thought the two toughest games were at Notre Dame (which I thought could be a loss) and Baylor (which I thought we would win). We still have OSU (though they play little defense) and at Maryland this month, followed by hosting South Carolina. I don't see us losing within the conference. I still think that we make the Final Four, barring injury, partly because the Regionals are in Bridgeport and Tony's Army will ensure victory.
 

oldude

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Beating ND at ND last nite was huge. Alot of great posts and threads. I received alot of phone calls last nite and a big question will UConn go undefeated? They do have the team to do it and if they do what will happen over the next 5 seasons as we get better? Hey we still have @KState and @MD to end this year. Both huge games.

What I saw last nite was discipline, poise and relentless defense that never let up. Both in the Depaul game and the ND game both teams seemed flustered and out of sync. They couldnt get it going for a long time and when they did UConn turned it up a knoch. I saw the frustration in Muffets post game interview. Both Muffet and her players were disappointed and frustrated. They were shell shocked. Ogunbowale tried to take over one on one and that didnt work very well. When you play defense like UConn plays you cant seem to get anything going and then revert back to playing to quick and desperate. When you look at our first game against FL State and look at this team now there is a huge difference. We are playing as a unit and our execution is getting better each game.

So Sunday this UConn machine plays KState. KState beat Auburn ranked 23 by 5. KState hasnt really played any other tuff competition yet but they do have a 6'5 post player who is shooting over 60%. It will be interesting to see how UConn handles her . Im looking for a double diget win Sunday. It will be a tuff game as I expect KState to slow the game down to keep the score in the 50's-60's. At some point UConns defense will take over and when that happens I expect UConn to run away. So the streak continues and the schedule is brutal for the rest of December. What this team has already accomplished on paper and in the news has placed doubt in opponents minds. So the streak continues.
I agree that MD will be tough, but if last night was any indication, KSU will not be able to get the ball in to their 6'5" post against UConn's swarming defense. Huskies by 20+ in Manhattan, KS.
 
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A press piece mentioned how the Huskies acted very calm in victory last night. my wife couldn't handle the pressure of the second quarter and so only watched the end with me in replay. She thought - if the Irish had won they would have celebrated like there was no tomorrow.

Reasonably, looking back to before the season began, I hoped we might come into South Bend with only one or two losses, and I would have been ecstatic if they eked out a win over ND. Instead this team has gritted out a season of victories in games that could have gotten away. I have to say it's more fun to watch than blowout years, and really great to see the accolades spread around the team!
Great point about ND victory celebrations after beating us at home. I hate them even more than having my ancient teeth removed! What a relief it was.
 

UcMiami

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On K-State - they played last night against UT-Arlington (?) and won 62 - 49, but they had 26 turnovers and only 14 assists and they gave up 11 offensive rebounds. No idea about this team and people seem to like their post player, but I honestly don't think they are going to know what hit them if they are giving up that many TOs and O-Boards against what cannot be a very good team. This could be a DePaul kind of situation where the turnovers get uconn running free.

I was impressed with Allen's demeanor in the post game - though she gave thoughtful answers with an eye to the changes that ND has to made, and took responsibility for not leading her charges well - something that I thought was over generous to her teammates even if Geno's mantra is everything that happen's on the floor is the PG's fault.
 

Kibitzer

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Sorry I hadn't seen the So Proud Of This team thread. Everyone there already said what I did above more eloquently!

More exuberantly, perhaps. Not necessarily more eloquently.;)
 

UcMiami

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Looking at the schedule when it was released, I thought the two toughest games were at Notre Dame (which I thought could be a loss) and Baylor (which I thought we would win). We still have OSU (though they play little defense) and at Maryland this month, followed by hosting South Carolina. I don't see us losing within the conference. I still think that we make the Final Four, barring injury, partly because the Regionals are in Bridgeport and Tony's Army will ensure victory.
I am beginning to think it might be a good idea to lose the second USF game in conference or maybe the second Temple game if we get through to that point without a loss. I know these ladies are tough, but it might just ease the tension a little for the tournaments, refocus the team at the same it sort of relaxes them. And of any teams that might beat us I prefer a conference mate which would help their ranking immensely.
 

Kibitzer

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I am beginning to think it might be a good idea to lose the second USF game in conference or maybe the second Temple game if we get through to that point without a loss. I know these ladies are tough, but it might just ease the tension a little for the tournaments, refocus the team at the same it sort of relaxes them. And of any teams that might beat us I prefer a conference mate which would help their ranking immensely.

WTF?:eek:
 
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I knew all along that nd would struggle since they only played cupcakes up until last night. There's no way to prepare for the smothering defense uconn plays when you are playing teams like Fordham or the team they scored 114 points against their last game. DePaul scored 118 the game before they played uconn.
 

UcMiami

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WTF?:eek:
I'm channeling my inner 2003 team ethos - if they don't lose in the BE tournament, they would not have won the NCAA. If this team were to get into January undefeated and then get through Feb, by March they may begin to think they are pretty invincible no matter how humbling the coaches try to make practices. An infusion of fire and anger might be just the right thing at that point.
 

Kibitzer

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I'm channeling my inner 2003 team ethos - if they don't lose in the BE tournament, they would not have won the NCAA. If this team were to get into January undefeated and then get through Feb, by March they may begin to think they are pretty invincible no matter how humbling the coaches try to make practices. An infusion of fire and anger might be just the right thing at that point.

Nice try. :rolleyes:
 

Zorro

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I don't think that anyone on this team is likely to get complacent.
 
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I knew all along that nd would struggle since they only played cupcakes up until last night. There's no way to prepare for the smothering defense uconn plays when you are playing teams like Fordham or the team they scored 114 points against their last game. DePaul scored 118 the game before they played uconn.

ND lost because Muffet lost control of her team, letting the younger players fire at will, the formula that up until then had worked against the cupcakes. Agunbowale and Mabrey had green lights leaving Allen to clean up their messes.
 
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I am beginning to think it might be a good idea to lose the second USF game in conference or maybe the second Temple game if we get through to that point without a loss. I know these ladies are tough, but it might just ease the tension a little for the tournaments, refocus the team at the same it sort of relaxes them. And of any teams that might beat us I prefer a conference mate which would help their ranking immensely.
UcM, I really enjoy your posts, but this one is totally ludicrous.:eek:
 

UcMiami

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UcM, I really enjoy your posts, but this one is totally ludicrous.:eek:
Sooo - just a hypothetical:
Choice A - enter the NCAA undefeated and make the FF but not the NC.
Choice B - enter the NCAA with one or two losses and win the NC.

Uconn has had six undefeated seasons:
1995 - new territory and a dream team with Lobo, Jen, Kara, Nykesha, Jamelle, Carla - three POY winners.
2002 - the new dream team with Bird, DT, Swin, Asjha, Tamika - two POY winners
2009 - Renee, Tina, and Maya - two POY winners
2010 - Tina, Maya - two POY winners
2014 - Stewie, Morgan, Moriah, KML - one POY
2016 - Stewie, Morgan, Moriah - one POY

I love this team, but it just doesn't feel quiet the same as those teams above. 1995 everything was new, but wow what a loaded team. The others, you could basically hand the trophy out in Nov. They were dominant, and it was shocking when they didn't win by 20 points in any game.

The other NC teams were learning on the go and had a few blips that they learned from. Even 2015 which was pretty dominant sort of needed that Stanford game to focus the new leadership on just how hard it really was.

We all think this team is 'handling pressure' really well or 'immune to it', and that is true, but there hasn't actually been a lot of real pressure - no non-Uconn fan really believed they were going to beat Baylor by 11, everyone thought ND would handle them. They have exceeded everyone's expectations to date so there hasn't really been 'pressure' - even Geno didn't think they would be undefeated at this point. Well that is going to start changing now. Monday and Tuesdays polls will come out and Uconn should be unanimous #1. OSU, of course they are going to blitz them, MD, yeah, yeah, undefeated but this is Uconn, piece of cake, USF - come on, they are a mid major playing in that weak AAC, and SC ... one word 'Duke'! and on and on. And that isn't even counting 'THE STREAK' - a few more questions when the get to 88, lots of hoopla and quotes from Maya and Tina when they get to 90, headlines when they get to 91, and 95, and 100.

It is not the individual moments, but the cumulative effect of every day having a friend or a reporter mention it, or ask what it feels like - for four months 120+ days, day after day. The great DT succumbed against Villanova of all teams in the 71st game (32nd game of the year) - Villanova who hadn't beaten Uconn in 18 games in the previous decade, and would close out the series with another 10 consecutive loses over the following decade.

So yeah, I would really like Uconn to get to 91 wins and over 100 wins, but ... I think our chances in the NCAA tournament this year would be higher if the pressure that will build over the coming months had a release point before the NCAAs. A chance for everyone to get angry and really look to the coaching staff for help, and for Geno to come in the next day and say - 'Well, that sucked. How about we get down to business now and figure out how to keep that from happening again! OK, drill one, lets go!

And of course I will be devastated and go around going 'Temple! Really, Temple - you have got to be kidding me!' but I'll also feel a release of tension and a refocus on eating the right foods, and wearing the proper clothes, and sitting in the right chair for the next game! It was all my fault, and I need to do penance for letting my focus wander. :eek::rolleyes::)
 
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