4th game in Trieste against Celje (Slovenian professional team)

[Carnac]

Perfect ending for Geno. Lots of work to do.

Yeah. He got that "good and hard ass kicking" he was hoping for last year. Now as you said, he's got some work to do, and something to use as motivation everyday until the season starts.

 

[Fairfield Fan]

How good is that league compared with the Spanish or French or Italian leagues? Did Cilje compete for the European title? Are they on a par with the Russian teams?

We get far too little information about the overseas pro leagues.

 

[Fairfield Fan]

Celje won the Adriatic League (WABA) title in 2016-17. The league has teams from Serbia, Slovenia, Bulgaria, Bosnia, Montenegro, Macedonia.

Without knowing about the teams, the NBA has certainly drawn heavily on players from the Balkans, and there've been some great ones.

 

[CajunHusky]

Let's see, four freshmen and two transfers who have no UConn game experience; just eleven practices before their first game; no practices between games, and they lose by 20 points to a professional team that has been together for years.

I think they had a very successful Italian tour ..... ben fatto!

 

[BroadwayVa]

what happened??

Uconn lost!!
Seriously--didn't see the game--so I have questions. My question before was about the starting line up and the use of Z as forward. Some games that works, in game where rebound is required (this one) Z's height is required for basket defense and rebounding (like this one). Would Collier (healthy) made up 20 points? Nice to see Walker made up for her scoring by rebounding--Geno likes that.
How about Kyla--she likes to mix it up under the hoop! How about the other frosh?

 

[BroadwayVa]

Let's see, four freshmen and two transfers who have no UConn game experience; just eleven practices before their first game; no practices between games, and they lose by 20 points to a professional team that has been together for years.

I think they had a very successful Italian tour ..... ben fatto!

Great positive spin on a 20 point loss. You are correct the tour was successful--it did everything needed except Colliers ankle--the loss gives Geno talking points and a carrot at the end of the stick---victories. But since I haven't met Ben---I have no way to judge whether this trip made him FATTO--obese is a nicer term--Ben Obese!

 

[Carnac]

Let's see, four freshmen and two transfers who have no UConn game experience; just eleven practices before their first game; no practices between games, and they lose by 20 points to a professional team that has been together for years.

I think they had a very successful Italian tour ..... ben fatto!

Cajun, I echo your sentiments completely. It's just one observer's opinion, but I think this loss will serve them well in the same fashion the Mississippi State loss will serve them, in that it will allow them to return home WITHOUT a false sense of bravado, and because UConn tends not to take losses lightly, regardless of the circumstances, the staff and the players will have something concrete to work and build on between now and that first game in November.

The freshmen had their eyes opened w-i-d-e on this trip. Welcome to D-1 women's college basketball ladies. From this point forward, no one needs to tell them how it's going to be, or what they need to do to get better to be able to play and compete at this level. It is said that "experience is the best teacher".

This program will return home a little better than they left. They're a little closer, a little wiser. They now have 4 games under their belt that they didn't have when they left. They know that they need to get better, and what they need to work on to get to the place they need to be. I'd say that was a trip worth while. One they'll not soon forget.

 

[TitleTown]

Uconn lost!!
Seriously--didn't see the game--so I have questions. My question before was about the starting line up and the use of Z as forward. Some games that works, in game where rebound is required (this one) Z's height is required for basket defense and rebounding (like this one). Would Collier (healthy) made up 20 points? Nice to see Walker made up for her scoring by rebounding--Geno likes that.
How about Kyla--she likes to mix it up under the hoop! How about the other frosh?

Hard to say exactly what happened, but judging by the box score it looks like Coach Auriemma played the youngsters quite a bit in hopes of receiving the "old fashioned ass kicking" he likes his teams to experience. This will serve as a great teaching tool for Auriemma and UConn will only get better because of it. Celje is no slouch either. As I previously mentioned they are the reigning champions of the international Adriatic League and have won the Slovenian First League the past 6 consecutive years.

 

[BroadwayVa]

[QUOTE="TitleTown, post:gpast 6 years, and is the reigning Champion of the international Adriatic League.[/QUOTE]

Since I don't know the quality of this "pro team" I am a poor judge. But the term Pro Team brings up images of a top team--thinking along that line--with or with out Collier/Precious a 20 point loss is a close game---loads of learning from all but 4 players---this is a team that barely knows each other in REAL game circumstances.
As another post said: Great tour! Of that there is no doubt. The kids had fun. Won 3 games. Had fun. Visited historical sites--had fun. Eat great real Italian food in great places--had fun. Created team chemistry, created long term friendships, blended frosh with seniors--had fun. Great trip.

 

[Vowelguy]

Does anyone know how many minutes Z played? Hope she is OK.

what happened??

Uconn lost!!

I was not commenting on the loss; I was responding to a post which implied that Azura was injured.

 

[BroadwayVa]

I was not commenting on the loss; I was responding to a post which implied that Azura was injured.

Ok --what happened---I assumed Z just didn't have a great game---I don't like to think in terms of injuries , any time during the year.
But thanks for clearing up the fuzz from a fuzzy brain.

 

[Carnac]

Hard to say exactly what happened, but judging by the box score it looks like Coach Auriemma played the youngsters quite a bit in hopes of receiving the "old fashioned ass kicking" he likes his teams to experience. This will serve as a great teaching tool for Auriemma and UConn will only get better because of it. Celje is no slouch either. As I previously mentioned they are the reigning champions of the international Adriatic League and have won the Slovenian First League the past 6 consecutive years.

"it looks like Coach Auriemma played the youngsters quite a bit in hopes of receiving the "old fashioned ass kicking" he likes his teams to experience. This will serve as a great teaching tool for Auriemma and UConn will only get better because of it. Celje is no slouch either".

There's a lot of truth in that observation. I said the same thing in another post. I would not put it past Geno to take full advantage of the opportunity to humble his team in their last game before November. Geno is wile like that!!!

He saw what he needed to see over those 4 games, and no doubt knows exactly were they are at this point.