A Wake up Call

[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.