After Game Thoughts

[Tonyc]

KML and Tuck still have a ways to go before they get back to where they were before their injuries. Its right after Christmas a time when over the past few seasons UConn has not looked good. This season is no different. Our execution looks pretty good but making shots isn't there. We're winning by 25+ with defense. Still we're not turning the ball over much. Our guards are doing a good job of handling the ball and making good decisions thus a very low turnover rate. Maybe were in a slump maybe we have a little jet lag after Christmas and being off. What ever it is we're still winning by a lot. When I talk about knowing how to play the game, this is what it is all about. As talented as we are mentally UConn is at a different level then most other teams. To win with KML and Tuck on the bench against top teams on the road then come back and have problems making shots and winning by25+ is knowing how to play the game. For all those people that say UConn is bad for the game because they blow people away. Let me ask this. Where would WCBB be without UConn and without UConn on tv? Who would watch the games and who would notice the womens games or even show and interest?

 

[semper]

Plus the great attendance every where we go.

 

[Bigpetunia]

My main after-game thought is about how much better our offense looks when it goes through Stef, especially down low, as opposed to when we fail to exercise patience and take quick open looks. We're the best passing team in the country, but fail to capitalize on that advantage more often than I'd like...and, of course, one more thought: we continue to win mainly with tenacious defense.

 

[HGN]

I think Once again we proved that we are a defensive - minded team with an inside out offense .

 

[UcMiami]

I have a different thought. I am impressed with the play of our last two opponents on the defensive end. While we are winning by 30 points and missing some bunnies, both Cinci and UCF have been able to disrupt our offensive flow and that has contributed to some of our less than stellar offense. UCF was always going to struggle against Dolson, and they totally lost her on a number of plays, but they did a pretty good job on everyone else. When you consider how easily we were able to run up the score on the ranked teams we played this year, I am beginning to think some of the AAC may be better than advertised. Most of them do not have the talent to truly challenge Uconn, but defense is as much about desire and effort as it is about talent and I think both teams have exhibited that.

On the other OP point about the January doldrums - I was thinking about that the last few days. In the early 2000s that was a constant refrain when the team struggled in games they should have won easily and even lost a few games. I think Geno and the coaches have gotten better at getting the team through those stretches in recent years and that until this year, that hasn't really been a pattern. This year I think it may have more to do with reintegrating KML and Tuck and the whole team and coaches coming to grips with altered roles and substitution patterns.

 

[Striper69]

UCF stayed with them for the first part of the game but right when the female announcer said that UCONN should start "pounding the ball inside" thye got it low to Dolson and UCONN took off from there.

I couldn't watch much after the game got out of hand.

I don't think Dolson will be able to do that against BYU. Jen Hamson is averaging a double-double every game and gets a few shot blocks as well.

 

[Icebear]

UCF stayed with them for the first part of the game but right when the female announcer said that UCONN should start "pounding the ball inside" thye got it low to Dolson and UCONN took off from there.

I couldn't watch much after the game got out of hand.

I don't think Dolson will be able to do that against BYU. Jen Hamson is averaging a double-double every game and gets a few shot blocks as well.

The problem for people who think like this is that Stef passes the ball out of the post so well it causes problems whoever is covering her. Stef will use bounce passes to cutting guards, kick outs to spot up shooters, kick downs to Stewie, Tuck or Kiah depending on who is in the low post with her. And in case that is not enough she will take the elbow jumper or even the three.

It is extremely hard to keep the ball out of Stef's hands completely because she takes numerous positions on the court and the moment you ignore her to maximize perimeter coverage getting the ball to her in the low post still works with either hand.

Often the posts of other teams suffer against UCONN as they are forced to play hard at both ends of the floor. Hamson has approx. the same TOs as Stef while having 1/5 the assists. Plus what has BYU's SOS been something like .4730 with an RPI of .5944 at 42 overall compared to UCONN's #2 rating and SOS of .6714 and RPI of .7313.

 

[huskybill]

UCF stayed with them for the first part of the game but right when the female announcer said that UCONN should start "pounding the ball inside" thye got it low to Dolson and UCONN took off from there.

I couldn't watch much after the game got out of hand.

I don't think Dolson will be able to do that against BYU. Jen Hamson is averaging a double-double every game and gets a few shot blocks as well.

I don't think we have to worry too much against BYU. Don't we play them on a Sunday?