A Wake up Call

[BroadwayVa]

I hope it was a wake up call for Geno on when to call a timeout.

I convinced my wife to finally watch a UConn game. (She loves Men's College Basketball. Watches more than me.). When ND scored 10 or 12 points in a row to go up 4, she looked over at me and said, "Is he ever going to call a timeout?" I didn't have an answer for her. Muffet used timeouts to stop UConn's momentum twice. The men's coaches do it all of the time. I thought back to the Miss St game. I don't recall him calling a timeout when Miss St was running their lead up to 16 early.
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There is no doubt in my mind that Geno is the best "prepare for game day" coach, but I have a lot of doubt that he is actually the best in-game coach. To his credit, he hasn't had to do it much lately. What is his record when the game is decided by 5 points or less? I know his OT record is not good.

You may be right, Geno MAY not be the best --"in Game"- coach. Allow me to seek a different view on that: In game corrections happen in 2 places: Timeouts or halftime. In timeouts, only minor corrections can be made--true???
Geno over the years has been so masterful in fixing the issues of the first half, it was almost uncanny--IMO.
Some times the other coach, who knows you like a brother, has a game plan to change things up to counter your adjustments.
My take on his PP OT record is this: When your starting 6 have run their legs off and are frustrated by the other team to do your normal functions--it gets into the body, mind and soul--and it takes more than a 1 minute time out to fix.
I think in the Miss St game had Geno known what to do with the personnel he had, he would have fixed --in game.
When you need a big and you don't have an effective one--not much a time out will do.

 

[Suebird10fan]

I want to address all the folks who pooh-poohed the worry warts who noted UCONN's lackluster performances against inferior opponents this season. We got to see that front and center vs. ND.

Mea culpa.

 

[VaConnFan11]

You may be right, Geno MAY not be the best --"in Game"- coach. Allow me to seek a different view on that: In game corrections happen in 2 places: Timeouts or halftime. In timeouts, only minor corrections can be made--true???
Geno over the years has been so masterful in fixing the issues of the first half, it was almost uncanny--IMO.
Some times the other coach, who knows you like a brother, has a game plan to change things up to counter your adjustments.
My take on his PP OT record is this: When your starting 6 have run their legs off and are frustrated by the other team to do your normal functions--it gets into the body, mind and soul--and it takes more than a 1 minute time out to fix.
I think in the Miss St game had Geno known what to do with the personnel he had, he would have fixed --in game.
When you need a big and you don't have an effective one--not much a time out will do.

In reference to the Miss St. game, a timeout(s) would have taken the crowd out of it some and given the "starting 6" a breather. Knowing that a TV timeout, which are 2-3 minutes long, happens at the 5 minute mark, you call a timeout with 5:30 or less left to give your team a "double" break.

In the Nevada game this year, everyone could see UConn was dragging in the 4th. IMO A "double" break there would have helped a lot. UConn wasn't going to lose, but it would have given the players a chance to get their second wind.

You don't get extra points for not using your time outs, so why not use them, especially if you know you are only going to use 6 or 7 players?

 

[BroadwayVa]

In reference to the Miss St. game, a timeout(s) would have taken the crowd out of it some and given the "starting 6" a breather. Knowing that a TV timeout, which are 2-3 minutes long, happens at the 5 minute mark, you call a timeout with 5:30 or less left to give your team a "double" break.

In the Nevada game this year, everyone could see UConn was dragging in the 4th. IMO A "double" break there would have helped a lot. UConn wasn't going to lose, but it would have given the players a chance to get their second wind.

You don't get extra points for not using your time outs, so why not use them, especially if you know you are only going to use 6 or 7 players?

Some of what you say is probably true, and correct. I don't know. I have no knowledge of what was in Geno's mind in either game. My BS was just speculation. I'm not so certain REST timeouts would have help in the Ms St game. Everyone seems to forget Ms had a great game plan and that team played the game of school history.
Just because your team loses isn't always a factor of what your coach does or didn't do. Some times it's circumstances or the players each team has at that moment --or just on this one day, in this one condition the other team was better. That's not an insult to anyone--as all to often is said and stupid me is repeating--Defecation occurs..

While I speak often of what Geno had done in the past in many games with many players--I don't have the authority to speak to his actions within the Miss St game. My conclusions are speculation based upon that which I saw. If you require more specific/Factual reasons for what Geno did--you could send him an email, or phone him. I can't answer your questions.

 

[warbler1055]

@PhillyCoach, 15000+, full house, national tv, big game, I just don't think it's time for testing his team. "But what do I know". Geno is a smart coach that nobody can deny, but couldn't it be simply that UConn was just outplayed by ND in the 3/4 of the game, AS and Walker downlow, rebounding and all others played their hearts out and won the game. Coaches don't play, players do.

 

[HuskyBandDad]

In reference to the Miss St. game, a timeout(s) would have taken the crowd out of it some and given the "starting 6" a breather. Knowing that a TV timeout, which are 2-3 minutes long, happens at the 5 minute mark, you call a timeout with 5:30 or less left to give your team a "double" break.

In the Nevada game this year, everyone could see UConn was dragging in the 4th. IMO A "double" break there would have helped a lot. UConn wasn't going to lose, but it would have given the players a chance to get their second wind.

You don't get extra points for not using your time outs, so why not use them, especially if you know you are only going to use 6 or 7 players?

They lost the Miss ST game because they missed shots. A lot of shots. Not because they were tired or due to Miss St game plan. Yes Miss played great.
He is not calling a time out up 20 in the 4th Qt against Nevada in December. Not happening. He is testing his players.
Watch Huskies All Access and The Geno shows on SNY. listen to him during practice. He preaches that no one gets tired. Ever. Never an excuse.

 

[meyers7]

Let me ask you. What is UConn's best defense? I believe most would say (including me) that the zone defense with great switch help is the best defense. Isn't that what UConn played in the last quarter?

Ummm, no. UCONN's best defense is man to man. However it's only best when you have the players to play it. When Stevens and Walker are both out there, they usually have to go to the zone (2-3) because they are not up to the standards of UCONN's man to man. Hence the 4th quarter zone.

A zone is tough to do with Dangerfield, because she is easy to shoot over. She's got the quickness, but not the length. Luckily ND's shots were off in the 4th quarter (used up all their makes in the first 3 quarters . Actually they are not a very good 3 pt shooting team. e.g. Mabry was only averaging 1 3pt per game....she made 4, go figure??).

A couple of years ago they ran a 3-2 (or 1-2-2) zone that worked real well. Mixing man to man and zone is probably the best, as it catches the offense offguard a little.

 

[PhillyCoach]

@PhillyCoach, 15000+, full house, national tv, big game, I just don't think it's time for testing his team. "But what do I know". Geno is a smart coach that nobody can deny, but couldn't it be simply that UConn was just outplayed by ND in the 3/4 of the game, AS and Walker downlow, rebounding and all others played their hearts out and won the game. Coaches don't play, players do.

I really enjoy this blog. Lots & lots of smart people. I agree with Warbler13 that the players play, not the coaches. That's why Geno is testing them at all times. These big games are the perfect time to see how they will react. Big game, big pressure, big test, learn about it early and repair for the playoffs. Remember in the past when Lou got a 4th foul in a big game and she came over to Geno. He looks at her and says, "you figure it out." He wants smart, hustling, conditioned players to solve the problem. Geno puts the stress test on in every practice to prepare them for the battle. Geno feels he did his part. Why doesn't Geno call time outs like many of us are screaming for? IMHO he is testing the players. Geno is old school. He has his system. Can he be rigid at times? I think so. Has he been rigid in those tough losses. Maybe.
This blog is interesting to me because I can speculate--just like everybody else. I say, "but what do I know" because I am speculating like all the others. I just look at the evidence and draw a conclusion.
Geno is always testing his players--that's a fact. He then watches for desired outcomes so he can TRUST his players under the stress of all the really big games.
Hey, in high school, I was the smartest one in the dumb class.

 

[wallman]

You are right some great points here. You cannot overlook the fact that you came out with the win. The defensive issues seem to be that it is difficult to adjust when your usual great switching man has to be changed with the addition of Dangerfield to avoid mismatches in the post. Some of your players have not figured out when they can't switch yet. Stevens clearly is not up to Uconn level yet so that is another cog that has to be adjusted for.

 

[VaConnFan11]

They lost the Miss ST game because they missed shots. A lot of shots. Not because they were tired or due to Miss St game plan. Yes Miss played great.
He is not calling a time out up 20 in the 4th Qt against Nevada in December. Not happening. He is testing his players.
Watch Huskies All Access and The Geno shows on SNY. listen to him during practice. He preaches that no one gets tired. Ever. Never an excuse.

Fatigue causes missed shots. Free throws included.

IMO you call time outs when they are needed. Score and Quarter are irrelevant.

Just because Geno preaches no one gets tired, doesn't make it so. I've seen tired players in every game so far.

 

[HuskyBandDad]

Fatigue causes missed shots. Free throws included.

IMO you call time outs when they are needed. Score and Quarter are irrelevant.

Just because Geno preaches no one gets tired, doesn't make it so. I've seen tired players in every game so far.

Agree in the Final Four. Not in a December game up 20.