A few post-game thoughts

[augustaTC]

Oh jeez, is any other team in any other sport subjected to such judgment? They had a blowout win against a very good, not great, young team. It was the first game, so some nerves at times, and it was against a coach whom Geno respects, so, not only is he rotating players, he's not coaching up his team when they're making mistakes. It's a game. UConn won big. Next game.

And, this IS the first game of the season. I think those who are so disappointed should chill...how else is Geno gonna find out what the new guys can do without giving them minutes? Last thing I want to see is starters having to play 35 min a game like last year.

 

[vtcwbuff]

"Geno and Tara are good friends."

I'm not so sure about that. I do think that they have come to a point where they respect each other.

What I saw today was a devastating beat down of a ranked team, a coach that had his team play a different sort of second half simply to experiment with match ups and lineups and also to not embarrass a fellow coach. Add to that some early season shooting jitters from a couple of newbies and the result is we have a bunch of fans complaining about a poor showing. Look at the score folks!

Some folks will bitch about being hung with a new rope. Same folks would probably complain about being hung with a used rope.

 

[Suebird10fan]

I started watching when it was around 60-23. So I saw a whole lot of ugly.

But let me make a couple of observations.

1. I saw nothing to indicate that Geno was freaked out by the 2nd half play. I'm pretty sure he had the team take their foot off the gas.

2. The huge, huge takeaway is that Crystal's transformation is for real. I went into this game with a pretty damned good idea of what we'll get this year from the core gour. I even have a decent idea of what we'll get from Azura. The big unknown to me was Crystal. And I really, really like the answer I got today. That alone is sufficient to make me extraordinarily optimistic about this team.

 

[tomcat]

I couldn't agree more.

If that was a blowout win, I say let's be saved from any more blowouts. It was a blowout first half and an all-over-the-place second half. And the reason, IMHO, that this game was far, far worse than the first game last season (which I attended), as one of the posters above argues, is that against a fired up FSU team, they played decently -- not great, but decently -- in the second half and figured out a way to win, which carries with it some lessons worth learning. In the Stanford game, the only lesson learned from the game as a whole is that they could hang on to win if they get a big enough first-half lead. That is a very dangerous takeaway, and I'm dead certain the coaching crew will not let it linger in any player's head.

And yes, I know it's a work in progress and that they will work on the weaknesses, so in that kind-of-perverse way, it's good to get these flaws out there in a game where they could not harm the team win-wise. I don't demand blowout wins every time, but when the team, which is capable of so much, delivers so little in the second half, it leaves a bad taste in the mouth.

 

[OldAlum]

We thought Crystal was going to be great last year after the Baylor game, so lets be a little cautious here. What does give me hope that she will continue this year is her reported consistency in practice and her progress on defense. I was at that Baylor game last year. I was also at the Texas game when Geno couldn't keep her on the floor because she was such a liability on defense. From what I have seen this year she is greatly improved - only saw a few times when she obviously messed up.
Lots to look forward to this year!

 

[Sonny44]

Oh jeez, is any other team in any other sport subjected to such judgment? They had a blowout win against a very good, not great, young team. It was the first game, so some nerves at times, and it was against a coach whom Geno respects, so, not only is he rotating players, he's not coaching up his team when they're making mistakes. It's a game. UConn won big. Next game.

A voice in the wilderness bags, amen.

 

[Carnac]

I can't say anything that has not already been said. We all saw the game, and we all saw the same thing. I think the thing we were most disappointed in was that we did not see the UConn women's team that we are use to seeing. I'm going to reserve judgement until I see two more games.

Most importantly, they won, and won handily. Redemption for the 2014 loss has been received, and closure has been achieved. I like everyone else don't know what to think, so I'm not going to. I'm glad the season has begun, I'm glad they won, I'm going to attribute their play today to opening day jitters and nervousness. I assume I won't see this type of play the rest of the season. They have that first game under their belt now, things can return to normal.

On a more positive note - I was very pleased to see Crystal come out today. She looked like the Crystal Dangerfield in her senior year of high school. While I don't expect her to break 20 every game, it was nice to see that the game has in fact slowed down for her (as I predicted it would), and she made the Cardinal pay for laying off of her on defense. Lou had 19 first half points. THAT was amazing.

I have a lot of confidence in this team. They know they did not put forth their best effort today. No doubt that will strenuously be addressed by Geno in practice tomorrow. I'm sure we'll see a different team at home against the Cal-Bears this coming Friday. All of the ingredients will be in place for the Huskies to return to form. Home court, home cooking, and lots of passionate UConn fans in attendance ready to cheer themselves into a frenzy. This was an ugly win to be sure, but I'll take it!!

 

[tomcat]

As negative as my reaction to the game was, several of you have pointed something out that I should have mentioned, because it was obvious to me as it was to you, and that is the emergence of Crystal Dangerfield as an amazing player. No question that she can lead this team.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

"Geno and Tara are good friends."

I'm not so sure about that. I do think that they have come to a point where they respect each other.

What I saw today was a devastating beat down of a ranked team, a coach that had his team play a different sort of second half simply to experiment with match ups and lineups and also to not embarrass a fellow coach. Add to that some early season shooting jitters from a couple of newbies and the result is we have a bunch of fans complaining about a poor showing. Look at the score folks!

Some folks will bitch about being hung with a new rope. Same folks would probably complain about being hung with a used rope.

Here is an article from a couple of years ago - Lou's freshman year - in which Geno and Tara explain their relationship. I do suspect that it sticks in Geno's craw to this day that his Huskies pasted Stanford in the '95 Semifinal and Tara post game said no way the Huskies beat Tennessee. He talked about that remark in Birth of a Dynasty.

 

[Zanzman]

Three minutes in and I could see Crystals floor leadership kick in. she looked more confident then anytime last year think we may see big things from her this year

 

[Carnac]

Three minutes in and I could see Crystals floor leadership kick in. she looked more confident then anytime last year think we may see big things from her this year

I noticed the difference (growth) in her maturity in her media interviews. Geno has given her the keys, and she's driving this bus, and she knows it!!!! SHE is the point guard for this team, and it's floor general. Last year she was out there trying not to make mistakes (and get pulled), while she was figuring things out.

She knows what she's doing now. She knows exactly what Geno wants from her. BIG difference between then and now. She has confidence she didn't have last year. It shows in her conversation and in her play. This is the vision that Geno had for her when he saw her in high school. The man knows talent when he sees it, and knows how to mold it to make it fit his system and style of play. In Geno we trust.

 

[MilfordHusky]

I noticed the difference (growth) in her maturity in her media interviews. Geno has given her the keys, and she's driving this bus, and she knows it!!!! SHE is the point guard for this team, and it's floor general. Last year she was out there trying not to make mistakes (and get pulled), while she was figuring things out.

She knows what she's doing now. She knows exactly what Geno wants from her. BIG difference between then and now. She has confidence she didn't have last year. It shows in her conversation and in her play. This is the vision that Geno had for her when he saw her in high school. The man knows talent when he sees it, and knows how to mold it to make it fit his system and style of play. In Geno we trust.

Yep, in interviews and on the court, Crystal seems 2-3 years more mature. This is why I thought she would start. Even when Crystal was struggling last year, Geno talked about how much talent she has. He sees her as having a future with USA Basketball, perhaps as Moriah’s backup.

 

[Hope]

I thought this was a big, important win. Stanford had the advantage, having already played a game. But I felt that the team fell short in a couple of areas. We were out rebounded 49-40. Now, I would have bet my cat that it was more like 59-30. Okay, so I was wrong. But this game seemed eerily similar to last years FF game in that when we are in our half-court offense there seems to be a reluctance to enter the paint and take a shot. When we are defended at the 3-point line our offense seems a little stagnant. And who is our shooting guard?

 

[geneticrex]

Bottom line.....................

We're doomed.

 

[hoophuskee]

I don't really know why I am reacting as negatively as I am. After all, UConn won, and handily. But in all, that was a most unsatisfying win. So a few thoughts, just my two cents' worth, if they are worth even that.

Especially after the first quarter, in which we were teased with some powerful basketball, it was painful to see them calm down in the second quarter and then fall to pieces in the second half. I did not think that in the second half there was any phase of the game in which UConn looked good.

Granted, Stanford is not going to be as bad in the second half, because their coach, who is a very good coach, won't allow it. But UConn came out with nearly nothing. There were no plays, except individual ones. Players passed because they had to, not because they had an idea of what to do. Stanford made adjustments and UConn could not adapt to them. And more than once, Stanford got their bigs up against UConn's not-so-bigs and made them pay. Like team offense, team defense went out the window.

Speaking of having a clue, the last five minutes, with the rookies in there, was a demonstration of clueless basketball.

As many remarked in the game thread, there will be plenty for Geno to work on. Amen to that. It will be very interesting to see what UConn is like against two other California teams next on the schedule.

OMG I just started to read this thread. It's even worse than the seth thread.

You've got to be kidding? What am I in- the twilight zone? Are you serious? We just annihilated a team in the 1st half -- and we weren't close to being what we will eventually become. Won the game w/o a sweat and you call it unsatisfying?

You realize Geno will also experiment in these games, that it was the 1st game and they are 20 year old kids, right?

I love it that we many of us pretend to be / wanna be Coach Auriemma. Mnay of us do it- but at times got to take a step back. And just enjoy the dominance. Seeing how awesome Danger looks - it was amazing.

I remember years ago Bob Picozzi remarked after an opposing team scored on a fastbreak,though the other team was losing by a lot, Picozzi remarked "Husky fans can't be happy about that." As if we are judging play-by-play like a coach would. It's okay "if I'm not happy" with every single play. Especially game 1.

I just think you are over-analyzing - taking game 1 too far. And as for the freshmen, they are going to struggle a lot early. Other than Danger, Lou and some of Gabby - offensively they didn't do well but they still wiped Stanford off the floor in a game never in doubt. They can win so easily- and you aren't happy about that? It just how pwerful this team is.

We're not the coach here. The bench is extremely inexperienced. This is game 1. No offense- and I mean this respectfully - you are a great poster (I felt bad too with arguing as much with olddude and the other poster on the other thread which is why I stopped). But I mean it- you are good poster. I just think in this case you are spoiled. But still a great poster. These are 20 year old kids- 1st game. We just had a few players play well and we still wiped them out. Well coached teams with some athletes early on are going to put them out of rhythm. And the freshmen - other than Walker- are not rated as highly as Lou/Collier/Danger were. You put them in together, it will not be smooth early.

 

[PAHuskeyFan]

IMO... we need to take a deep breath.... and exhale.

Many were (or may have been) expecting:
(a) machine like efficiency for 40 minutes with no errors, clankety clanks or other hicups while changing parts of the engine (players/schemes/etc) throughout the FIRST game of the season,
(b) a significant blow out with complete domination in all facets of the FIRST game of the season,
(c) superb scoring efficiency from all the returnees (especially the core 4) and many if not most of the new parts of the engine... again in the FIRST game of the season.

I know... not the FIRST Game...they played 2 exhibition games...but those games meant nothing in the big scheme of things, so playing loose and care free was more to be expected. This was the FIRST game that means something ... to (1) the Team and it's rankings, (2) to Geno and Staff to see who they can turn to in key situations (i.e. Trust)...and thus who gets playing time, and (3) to those end of season aspirations i.e. National Championship, rankings, awards, etc.

There were some highlights in this game, Crystal being the biggest of them all. She played great in leading the team and scoring... and so did Lou in showing her diversified game...including battling for rebounds that she may not have gotten, but she was right there in the scrum going for the ball. Gabby played well but obviously not as dominant as in several games last year.
BUT... it's coming along. The Starting 5 plus Z and MW are solid... and Geno and Staff are working on melding the others into UCONN Husky B-Ball Players!!! We all know the multitude of things that Freshman have to deal with when making the jump from HS to D1 College BB... we shouldn't expect that they will be running perfectly from day one. Yes, they had Italy, and they have been practicing, BUT I'd surmise playing your first college game at the site of this years Final 4 (must be a BIG venue!!!) and broadcast Nationally on ESPN is a big deal and significantly different than anything most of our young players have ever experienced. So, let's give them all some "slack"... and some time to complete the transition.

Sure we all want a smooth blow out game in our favor each time... but we need to allow Geno and Staff to work their magic and do what they do best.

I'm excited for the rest of this season!!! GO HUSKIES!!

 

[donalddoowop]

Again, in comparison to last years first game, this was a gem.

The last time Uconn had a blowout in their first game, they had a blowout in their last game that won a national championship. Last season, their first game was very close and their last game was even closer. Maybe a national championship will happen for them this season.

 

[PAHuskeyFan]

OMG I just started to read this thread. It's even worse than the seth thread.

You've got to be kidding? What am I in- the twilight zone? Are you serious? We just annihilated a team in the 1st half -- and we weren't close to being what we will eventually become. Won the game w/o a sweat and you call it unsatisfying?

You realize Geno will also experiment in these games, that it was the 1st game and they are 20 year old kids, right?

I love it that we many of us pretend to be / wanna be Coach Auriemma. Mnay of us do it- but at times got to take a step back. And just enjoy the dominance. Seeing how awesome Danger looks - it was amazing.

I remember years ago Bob Picozzi remarked after an opposing team scored on a fastbreak,though the other team was losing by a lot, Picozzi remarked "Husky fans can't be happy about that." As if we are judging play-by-play like a coach would. It's okay "if I'm not happy" with every single play. Especially game 1.

I just think you are over-analyzing - taking game 1 too far. And as for the freshmen, they are going to struggle a lot early. Other than Danger, Lou and some of Gabby - offensively they didn't do well but they still wiped Stanford off the floor in a game never in doubt. They can win so easily- and you aren't happy about that? It just how pwerful this team is.

We're not the coach here. The bench is extremely inexperienced. This is game 1. No offense- and I mean this respectfully - you are a great poster (I felt bad too with arguing as much with olddude and the other poster on the other thread which is why I stopped). But I mean it- you are good poster. I just think in this case you are spoiled. But still a great poster. These are 20 year old kids- 1st game. We just had a few players play well and we still wiped them out. Well coached teams with some athletes early on are going to put them out of rhythm. And the freshmen - other than Walker- are not rated as highly as Lou/Collier/Danger were. You put them in together, it will not be smooth early.

I believe we were both typing at the same time... your post got up a few minutes before me. BUT, we have similar views. Go Huskies!!

 

[CtQuip]

WOW...tough crowd (in my best Rodney Dangerfield voice)...

We were up 42 with about 12.5 minutes to go in the game...42!!! On a Top 10 team coached by one of the best ever.

Aaron Rogers once said it best....Relax

 

[RSHERMVIKES]

I agree with some of the posters above that I think some of you doom & gloom sayers are looking at this the wrong way!
When the game started I expected a less than perfect performance from the get-go! And I was pleasantly surprised by how the 1st 1/2 went. That the 2nd 1/2 turned out the way I thought the 1st 1/2 would go & it didn't upset me! Would I have liked them to play more consistent basketball? SURE! But having coached for 32 years I always knew you weren't going to start your season like you'd finish it! Remember please that 6 NEW players, 2 transfers (1 hurt), and 4 freshmen were going to be put into the fire for the 1st official time and I don't give a hoot about the Italy trip or the 2 exhibition games this was the 1st punch in the jaw and all 13 players aren't going to react the same way they would after several months of practice with our excellent staff will make them! There were many great things and many NOT SO MUCH as well! But BYers, please remember "a long journey starts with the 1st step!" This was their 1st step, and you can bet the ranch that Geno & staff will have our girls better on Friday and even better on Sunday as everyone gets used to each other!
Great story to end this epistle!
Back in DT's Junior or Senior year UCONN was undefeated going into the Big East Tournament at Rutgers and lost in the Finals to Harry's 'nova team!
The following NCAA Tournament UCONN dominated and won the Title!
At the next season's fan appreciation preseason banquet a fan came up to CD and said, "you had a pretty good season!"
Cd replied "excuse me but we won the National Title!" The gentleman put his index finger in CD's face and said, "yes, but you did lose that 1 game!"
Sometimes a fan doesn't enjoy the journey to get to the highest peak!
Us UCONN fans should drop to our knees in thanks that we've been blessed with a level of near perfection for almost 30 years! No other program has come close to what we've been given, sit back and enjoy the journey!

 

[CL82]

The second half imo was experimental. Alot of different matchups. The pressure was gone to save embarrassment which was the right thing to do. The non starters got alot of playtime in the second half. Collier had 4 fouls. There is alot to work on the second half exposed it.

The first half with 6/7 players seeing action was devastating for Stanford. It wouldve been for most teams. The scary thing about this team is they will get better and alot better as a team. We missed alot of layups and alot of foul shots. I kinda expected the second half as we know Geno is trying to find out where everybody is and what they have to work on. This was a wake up for some of the underclassman. The first half looked easy, the second half was a wake up call. Over all I expect to see bits and pieces of improvement over the next two games (Cal and MD) and then a different team at UCLA which should be a really good game.

This was my take as well our top 6 are pretty good but once you get beyond that chinks develop in the armor. It's not that anyone is bad, they just aren't quite as good, yet.

It will come. Not a bad opening effort, in my opinion.

 

[Nuyoika]

It's like people can't tell Geno clearly had the team back off 25 minutes in.... CLEARLY! This thread is why sometimes I spend more time on other teams boards. They can sometimes appreciate things about us that we can't. If you truly watched that game and couldn't tell he purposely had them ease up then you weren't paying attention. He has the luxury of a longer bench this season and he knows there will be a game when he will need them. I'm glad they spent time trying new options, seeing who they could trust, figuring out who could do what. If Geno wanted them to blitz the Cardinal by 45+ I have no doubt he could have let them keep the pressure on. He likely learned far more and will have significantly more to talk about by having them remove the pressure and letting some other kids play.

 

[ocoandasoc]

LOL!
Better get used to this kind of game, guys. UConn was up 35 at the end of the first half against the #10 team in the country. Wait until you see what happens against the #70 team in the country.
This game was OVER at the half. Geno knew it. Tara knew it. The players on both teams knew it.
Geno turns the second half into a practice. Let's work on some things. Give the bench a shot. Try some new plays and player combinations. Get some lowlight footage that he can bark about to keep his players humble.
Did you really want UConn to win the game by 70?
There were some close games last year. This year's team is better. I couldn't believe the improvement in Crystal!
There might be some tight games again this year. The one's I'll watch until the end.
But there'll be a lot of blowouts. And I usually turn them off at the half or a few minutes into the third quarter, because games ALWAYS get sloppy when they're one-sided. (Stanford looked bad today, right? But they're going to win a lot of games this year.)
There might even be a game this year where the UConn women make every shot, grab every rebound, have no turnovers, and win by 100.
(Nah... there won't be. I was just putting you on.)

 

[Alydar]

Don't be surprised at how you feel, TC. This game was a disappointment for many of us. I couldn't believe that UConn was unable to get the ball inside. Also that Napheesa vanished from the interior and sat outside. Why? Way too many 3s hoisted up (Collier took 3 of her 9 shots from 3-land). Outrebounded? Outscored in second half? Missing bunnies and foul shots? Who are these guys? Playing half a game is enough? Don't think so. Geno should be frying some butts this week. (Lou and Danger were terrific, Gabby good, Kia absent.) Stinker.

Stanford's defense was set up to deny entry passes. Tara is a genius at devising defensive schemes. UConn took their usual number of 3's. The starters were 9-16, not exactly chopped liver. Out-rebounded? meh, mostly in the second half. 40% of Stanfords shots were 3's and that % was higher in the first half. That means long rebounds. And they were sending 5 players to the defensive boards so that explains why UConn didn't get many OB's. Out scored in the second half? Yes, but they led 70-35 early in the 4th period and it was when the bench was on the floor that the scoring stopped. If the freshmen were allowed to play street ball like freshmen on some other teams are allowed to do they would score more. But they are learning to play in Geno's offensive system and that means they look like crap at first. As much as Stanford got destroyed in the first half, they aren't Stetson or E Tenn St.

Stinker? Come on.

 

[mbr33ct]

A thought comes to mind regarding the reaction by some to this game. Would the same reaction have occurred if this same Stanford team did not lose to an Ohio St team that lost in overtime to Louisville...or if this would have been Stanford's first game?

I mean after the first half the score was 49 to 14 (35 pts) and as another poster mentioned, "were up 42 with about 12.5 minutes to go in the game...42!!!"