And so it begins: USA Today says the St. Francis blowout is bad for the sport

[MD#12Fan]

I understand your point about the competition itself, but don't think it's all glitz and glamour for the lower seeded teams like Saint Francis.

A friend of mine played D-I BB for TX Southern. They played Duke one year in the NCAA's as a 16 seed. Duke stayed in a top notch downtown Tampa hotel as a 1 seed. TX Southern stayed at a Rodeway Inn. Saint Francis may have been staying at Motel 6.

There's a definite pecking order to the seeding process, in many more ways than one.

I heard those stories this past week on Maddog's show. Didn't your buddy still get a kick out of the experience.
OK, the NCAA should level out the amenities regardless of seed. Agreed.
My main point is for people not to criticize UConn for their excellence. It's the coach's responsibility to not embarrass his kids. I think he failed. Ever heard of plan B. Plan A should have lasted 3 minutes.

 

[oldude]

A friend of my dad worked on the Manhattan Project. I should have asked him about his feelings on it.

As a college undergrad, I attended Columbia University, where much of the early work was done on the Manhattan project in Low Library. The large Low Library dome is one of the dominant architectural features of the campus.

 

[Carnac]

What you and the reporter for the USA Today both miss is that Geno and the Huskies need to accomplish something in these early round games, regardless of the score.

After losing to MS St last year, when the Bulldogs walked the ball up the court the entire game, Geno blamed himself for not doing anything to speed up the tempo. This year, UConn has been utilizing various presses and traps all season.

I suspect that the plan yesterday was to see if the Huskies could maintain their effectiveness if they pressed the entire qtr. As others pointed out, Geno pulled the press after one qtr.

For the entire 2nd half, Geno had the team walk the ball up the court, even when there were opportunities to fast break. This had nothing to do with trying to take it easy on St Francis. UConn needed to work on their half-court offense, which they did.

In the 4th qtr, Geno cleared the bench, but the Huskies continued to walk the ball up the court, working on their half-court offense, doing an exemplary job.

In some ways, this game was played like a preseason game vs a DII team, where Geno has his team working on things that will be important during the big games against ranked programs that start early in November.

The next two weekends UConn will have some huge games against the best teams in WBB. Geno is doing everything he can to insure that the Huskies are ready for that challenge.

Well said OD. It's not hard to understand what Geno's motives are here. In prior media interviews, he has said exactly where the team needed to be. What we see is him going about his business of getting them there. Regardless of the critics, outside agitators or just folks talking to hear themselves, he has a job to do. Remember what he said about being there when your team needs you. He said "When they look over at you from the floor, you better have something for them. You better not be hiding". He has something for them. We saw it's application yesterday.

It's not hard to see what he's trying to do, or what his end game is. He trying to incorporate a game plan that will help his team win the national championship. He has a specific game plan of how he's going to do it. Basketball purists understand, sports journalists looking for low hanging fruit don't. Instead of complaining how UConn's dominance in WCBB is bad for the sport, why don't flip the script and ask why don't more teams rise to UConn's level of athleticism, physical endurance and execution?

 

[NoelAustin]

So Baylor sucks? ND sucks? Texas sucks? Louisville sucks? Come on man I know it's not your position to call everyone else a crappy team. You really can't judge by these first round games.

All the teams you listed are very good, at least. If anything sucks, it's the NCAA tournament's single-elimination format. Why not select the best 16 teams, and have a double-elimination tournament? Better basketball and fewer blowouts. NCAA baseball does something like that, and I've not heard complaints about it.

 

[cbraarj]

UConn has won 6 of last 9 titles
2009,2010,2013,2014,2015,2016. Lost 2011,2012 and 2017.
Soon 7 of 10 and VERY good for them. It’s how uncompetitive the seasons and championship games are. Have any of the 2009-2016 championship games been less than 15 point margins? Most are 29 or more. In a title game. That sucks

Dont watch than! Its just that simple!

 

[cbraarj]

What you and the reporter for the USA Today both miss is that Geno and the Huskies need to accomplish something in these early round games, regardless of the score.

After losing to MS St last year, when the Bulldogs walked the ball up the court the entire game, Geno blamed himself for not doing anything to speed up the tempo. This year, UConn has been utilizing various presses and traps all season.

I suspect that the plan yesterday was to see if the Huskies could maintain their effectiveness if they pressed the entire qtr. As others pointed out, Geno pulled the press after one qtr.

For the entire 2nd half, Geno had the team walk the ball up the court, even when there were opportunities to fast break. This had nothing to do with trying to take it easy on St Francis. UConn needed to work on their half-court offense, which they did.

In the 4th qtr, Geno cleared the bench, but the Huskies continued to walk the ball up the court, working on their half-court offense, doing an exemplary job.

In some ways, this game was played like a preseason game vs a DII team, where Geno has his team working on things that will be important during the big games against ranked programs that start early in November.

The next two weekends UConn will have some huge games against the best teams in WBB. Geno is doing everything he can to insure that the Huskies are ready for that challenge.

I agree with you after Mississippi State last year. Uconn needs to force the tempo because nobody wants a track meet with them! Uconn controls tempo all 6 games! They will win No.12!

 

[cbraarj]

There is over 300 Division 1 teams. Take the 10-12 best leagues for D1 with between 120-150 schools and that is the 64 team tournament. The rest play in D1-AA and have there own tournament. Will it get rid of the blowouts. No but it might help a little with parity through the division. Also cut the scholarships to 13 instead of 15.

As far as comparing MCBB and WCBB. The mens game is 50 years ahead of the womens game. Womens game still needs time to grow as far as the players are concerned. Most female players have never played pickup while in grade or high school. Most boys are playing between 7-10 and not just an hour or 2.

Remember the Mens Tournament used to be 32 and 48 team tournaments. UCLA was amazing with Coach Wooden! Where was the parity back then? Not in MCBB.

 

[cockhrnleghrn]

I know an engineer from it. His thought process is that "it was interesting work."

Many of them didn't know exactly what they were working on.

 

[MSGRET]

There is over 300 Division 1 teams. Take the 10-12 best leagues for D1 with between 120-150 schools and that is the 64 team tournament. The rest play in D1-AA and have there own tournament. Will it get rid of the blowouts. No but it might help a little with parity through the division. Also cut the scholarships to 13 instead of 15.

As far as comparing MCBB and WCBB. The mens game is 50 years ahead of the womens game. Womens game still needs time to grow as far as the players are concerned. Most female players have never played pickup while in grade or high school. Most boys are playing between 7-10 and not just an hour or 2.

Remember the Mens Tournament used to be 32 and 48 team tournaments. UCLA was amazing with Coach Wooden! Where was the parity back then? Not in MCBB.

Also remember that ONLY the league champions went to the dance, so it wasn't as open as it is now.

 

[Sluconn Husky]

 

[Kevin G]

I, for one, am tired of hearing about these stories by these so-called sports writers who know basketball so well. Yet they crap all over WCBB and UCONN. Anyone who really knows the game of basketball know that the UCONN's women's team plays it like it is supposed to be played. The 1st half of the St Francis' game was poetry. They should be writing about that! How well UCONN plays team defense, their passing, and efficiency all over the court. Maybe just maybe we can lead basketball to be playing the right way instead of all this garbage you see in the men's game.

I love watching MCBB and the NBA but can only tolerate high profile games and even those are a stretch. My point is TRUE basketball fans appreciate basketball on all playing levels as long as it is played the right way. These sports writers are idiots.

 

[Carnac]

UConn has won 6 of last 9 titles
2009,2010,2013,2014,2015,2016. Lost 2011,2012 and 2017.
Soon 7 of 10 and VERY good for them. It’s how uncompetitive the seasons and championship games are. Have any of the 2009-2016 championship games been less than 15 point margins? Most are 29 or more. In a title game. That sucks

OK, what do you suggest?

 

[Carnac]

I, for one, am tired of hearing about these stories by these so-called sports writers who know basketball so well. Yet they crap all over WCBB and UCONN. Anyone who really knows the game of basketball know that the UCONN's women's team plays it like it is supposed to be played. The 1st half of the St Francis' game was poetry. They should be writing about that! How well UCONN plays team defense, their passing, and efficiency all over the court. Maybe just maybe we can lead basketball to be playing the right way instead of all this garbage you see in the men's game.

I love watching MCBB and the NBA but can only tolerate high profile games and even those are a stretch. My point is TRUE basketball fans appreciate basketball on all playing levels as long as it is played the right way. These sports writers are idiots.

There are a lot of reasons why the women's game is not as popular as the men. You just touched on one of them. Very little if any support or adoration for them from the media. There are some isolated pockets of support, but generally, WCBB is not even covered by some media outlets. They look at WCBB with disdain and a jaundiced eye. No wonder WCBB can't grab a decent "toe hold" in the male dominated world of basketball. Too many journalists looking for what's wrong with WCBB, instead of looking for what's right with it. Two years ago this month, Dan Shaunnessey took a moment to try and explain to the world what was wrong with UConn and WCBB. With cheerleaders like him, who needs enemies?

 

[Boxerpups4me]

I read the article and it was full of whining and short on anything of real substance. I had a good laugh at the part where the writer suggests wcbb have some sort of mercy rule, like its junior high bb or something.

Instead of this article bashing geno, why is it not celebrating what he has accomplished in his career at uconn and the way he built the program up from literally nothing. This was a 16 seed matchup, so it ended up in a blowout..big deal. although i will say scoring 94 points in one half is mighty impressive and a record that will be almost impossible to break

One last thought i have on the tournament though..i think wcbb should think about taking the best 64 teams and doing away with the automatic bids.

 

[shizam]

Dont watch than! Its just that simple!

After about a year of little competition UConn games grew repetitive like watching a scrimmage. They are amazing but look like talented, robots playing the Wash Generals. First year it was pretty awesome though just seeing how well they moved the ball.

 

[shizam]

There is a solution to the blowout problem which doesn't have the unfairness of limiting the field to 32 teams.

Keep the field at 64 teams, and institute a double bye system. (Just like the old Big East Conferncen Tournament)

It takes seven rounds by can be completed without major changes to the season calendar.

The top 16 teams (seed 1-4) get two byes, and the next 16 (seeds 5-8) get a single bye.

The initial round pits seeds 9 against 16, 10 against 15 etc.

The initial round games would be much more competitive, with many closer games and many potential upsets.

Because of the ND and Texas games I am hopeful UConn will have at least one team lose within 15 and be within single digits in the 4th quarter. I would consider that respectable for WBB.

 

[shizam]

So Baylor sucks? ND sucks? Texas sucks? Louisville sucks? Come on man I know it's not your position to call everyone else a crappy team. You really can't judge by these first round games.

The second day was much better and more exciting and Louisville Marquette was well played and hard fought. A&M incredible finish . Mid-majors repping well. Feel for DePaul. Love Quinnipiac, C Mich, etc. Getting fun.

 

[shizam]

There are a lot of reasons why the women's game is not as popular as the men. You just touched on one of them. Very little if any support or adoration for them from the media. There are some isolated pockets of support, but generally, WCBB is not even covered by some media outlets. They look at WCBB with disdain and a jaundiced eye. No wonder WCBB can't grab a decent "toe hold" in the male dominated world of basketball. Too many journalists looking for what's wrong with WCBB, instead of looking for what's right with it. Two years ago this month, Dan Shaunnessey took a moment to try and explain to the world what was wrong with UConn and WCBB. With cheerleaders like him, who needs enemies?

Shaughnessy was right. No one wants 30 point mismatches in championship games on a regular basis.

 

[Sluconn Husky]

 

[CL82]

The answer is that young girls need to be empowered to excel in sports in the same manner as young boys. The reason there's such a chasm is that the difference between a top 10 recruit and a 90-100 recruit in WBB is probably 2 or 3 times as large as in MBB because there isn't much depth of talent. If the same number of 7 year old girls played basketball as 7 year old boys and the quality of youth coach was identical, we wouldn't have such a large differential.

I can't speak to your town, but here in NJ girls do compete in a broad array of sports. There is considerable competition for 'select' and travel teams and even more so for AAU teams and school teams. I don't think it is an "opportunity" issue.

I do think that athleticism can mask a lack of fundementals and at the end of the day, boys have more athleticism. I also think that there is the trap of of thinking that if WCBB doesn't look like MCBB then it is flawed. That's just uninformed. It is a different sport.

I suspect that a part of the problem lies in schools accepting a mediocre product as being okay for WCBB. You see that a lot. Coaches who haven't produced but are kept on for far longer than a men's team head coach would be. There the world of WCBB owe Geno and CD a world of thanks for showing us that you can expect excellence from female athletes. They have raised the bar, and some say, well, that's not fair, let's even out all the teams so that it's "fair" or "even." I will submit that that position is inherently misogynistic, in essence dismissing woman's sports as an activity rather than a competition.

 

[paisan]

Uconn does not choose their opponents....their job is to simply play the game to the best of their ability which they did. And it was a thing of beauty to watch.

 

[cabbie191]

Here's my fantasy regarding the attitudes of the USA Today report and others of his ilk:

I wish Geno would offer/dare him to practice with the squad during the pre-season. Full practice, all out. I don't know if the gentleman is physically fit or not, but either way, I wager he would at minimum have some respect for the effort and dedication the women who wear the UConn jersey give to their sport.

This is one aspect of the disrespect shown by these writers that truly riles me - no recognition that the players on our team, and most all other WCBB teams, go through a lot of sweat and tears to play these games.