Another point of view

[ABCDFE]

Amari DeBerry is an athletic 6'5" forward/post with plenty of offensive weapons..............unlikely Geno will be looking for another big body with such a packed bench but with the current transfer situation who knows what talented players may pop up.......

I have not watched enough of her to know how she will fare against tough defenses or strong bigs. What I’ve heard here is she likes to face up more than have her back to the basket and she’s more like. Liv. What I was referring to is someone that has savvy moves around the basket, like the big from Iowa.

 

[npignatjr]

It was so strange to watch Liv miss so many shots underneath. It felt like she was expecting her shots to be blocked when she had the height advantage. I don't think she will ever be a physical player like AE,

AE missed many also.

 

[Willowglen]

I think Baylor could make a claim to be the best team in the tourney - certainly the most physical. Uconn did not expect Arizona to play as physical as Baylor, and was disoriented and maybe flat and tired. Such is the vagaries of the tournament. UConn comes back with the best player in the nation - with a chip on her shoulder. Have to like the future. One thing, too, the play is so physical in the Final Four that it takes getting used to - the refs don’t get it right. A lesson learned.

 

[faithfulfan]

I think some here are missing the fact that UCONN had 11 less free throws, you're not gonna win many games against tournament final 4 teams with that big a difference! Why that big a difference, why did the refs call 14 more fouls in this game then the slugfest against Baylor,,,,,I'll leave that up to everyone's opinion!

 

[jaydee602]

The Huskies are young and this is an emotional team. It needed a kick in the pants to get past Baylor and it took just about everything to do it. It’s not unusual for a team, any team, to have a letdown after an emotional win like the Baylor game and this UConn team seems more susceptible to a letdown than other Husky squads. We’ve never seen a UConn team this young and inexperienced in big games. I wasn’t at all surprised that they lost last night.

I remember years ago Shea talking about a game where the team had to come back and win. Her quote was something like, “we got punched in the mouth last year and fell apart. This year we got punched and we punched them back”. Unfortunately, it takes experience to learn how to punch back. They will learn.

For the literalists in our group- it was a metaphorical punch.

As usual, you summed it perfectly. At the start of the season, we would have given anything for this young team to go far in the tournament. They had to overcome pandemic obstacles, inexperience, lack of depth and no senior leadership. The biggest reaxson that this stings is because UCONN was heavily favored to win last night. But just getting to that point was an admirable feat!

 

[topogigio]

I waited a day to post about the game because it took me a while to get over it. I have justified the loss this way, "it's a covid year, it doesn't really count". Maybe if I keep saying that I might sleep tonight.

 

[Aluminny69]

The ability to punch back comes from training and practice. This team is not trained that way. They are coached to run a very clean and choreographed offense and a disciplined defense with no contact and minimum fouls called against them. This team will always come in second in a street fight. Last night they had no plan B. They continued to play a losing plan and never adjusted. Was it a failure in coaching? Partly. Was it the players not being able to see and adjust to what was happening on the floor? Partly.

I’m less inclined to chalk it up to “ a young team” or “immature” as Geno said in the post game presser. But more inclined to both credit Arizona for a great game plan, especially on defense. And the inability to adjust. This game wasn’t only lost on the floor. It was lost in the coach’s chair.

I remember a sequence in the 4th Quarter with UCONN still close enough to catch up and both of Arizona’s bigs with 4 fouls each. UCONN with the ball and both ONO and AE were hanging out around the 3 point line rather than being underneath to draw a foul or have an uncontested bunny. I Know they probably would have missed the bunny but you can’t abandon that strategy since the guards had been rendered all but useless.

The game has changed since Geno had his string on NC’s. The players are bigger, stronger and more talented. Better teams can bully their way to success now. Geno needs to adjust to that and have his team able move to a different plan when They are getting beaten up. If you are fortunate enough to have someone like Paige on your team, let her take over by doing what AM did last night against them. Give her the damn ball and let her make it happen. Last night, Paige must have ran 100 miles without the ball trying to get open based on the same offensive scheme they use against Butler and Sister Mary’s School for Wayward Girls ( they’re in the BIG EAST right?) . The game has changed. Change with it or perish.

I share many of the same thoughts. I was thinking of the male practice players. I always wonder how they are coached, what they are told to do, and not do. I was thinking to best way to practice bunnies is for the male practice players to provide as much resistance as necessary for game like conditions.

Also, I was never a big fan of AE or ONO setting up at the top of the key.

 

[Charliebball]

I have not watched enough of her to know how she will fare against tough defenses or strong bigs. What I’ve heard here is she likes to face up more than have her back to the basket and she’s more like. Liv. What I was referring to is someone that has savvy moves around the basket, like the big from Iowa.

I get your point..........time will tell

 

[Jmsdawg]

Unfortunately, we don’t get enough experience in competitive games against teams with different styles of play in our weak conference. Missing what probably would have been competitive games in the regular season against Louisville and Baylor to covid didn’t help.
This team certainly gave us a lot of enjoyment this season. As Nan said they will learn and we can look forward to an exciting future for our favorite team.

I thought UConn was the best team in the tournament and would win the whole thing but sometimes the ball just not fall for you. UConn missed shots they normally make and Arizona was on, the result was UConn got anxious and shots got even harder. I dare say beating Baylor was harder than beating Arizona. Truth is the ball just did not go UConn’s way.

 

[Rixxx]

I think the trip to the zoo was ill-advised...

 

[John]

Would you prefer they AAC? Comparatively the Big East is a heck of a lot better. Also I would hope they schedule some strong non-conference games. This season was still odd due to COVID.

Best option for the university athletic department as a whole is the Big East is temporary holding place until we move to a real conference.

 

[ConnMotors]

No post presence and when we shot in the paint the bunnies didn't drop.

 

[huskies29]

It was so strange to watch Liv miss so many shots underneath. It felt like she was expecting her shots to be blocked when she had the height advantage. I don't think she will ever be a physical player like AE,

So strange? She’s been missing those shots all year!

 

[hoopsfan22]

Best option for the university athletic department as a whole is the Big East is temporary holding place until we move to a real conference.

We're not moving to a real conference, whatever that is. This is going to be our home. Sure I'd rather be in the ACC or B1G, but that's not happening in our lifetimes.

 

[Huskyfan63]

Ari MacDonald was playing with a chip on her shoulder for being snubbed for accolades probably due her to her performance in this year's tournament. I think she is a fifth-year senior. A tremendously quick defense player. She is the only player to keep up with Paige around the picks set for her this year. She fronted Paige when they tried to Post her up. She was the MVP in all ways. It's true we were out muscled and the Arizona intensity level we could not match. Let's get them next year, girls!!!!

I saw Paige try to post McDonald up once, got trapped in the lane and lost the ball. I think they should have pushed more attempts at exploiting that size advantage, and to find something repeatable that would make Arizona change their approach to stop it.

 

[jcoton56]

The Huskies are young and this is an emotional team. It needed a kick in the pants to get past Baylor and it took just about everything to do it. It’s not unusual for a team, any team, to have a letdown after an emotional win like the Baylor game and this UConn team seems more susceptible to a letdown than other Husky squads. We’ve never seen a UConn team this young and inexperienced in big games. I wasn’t at all surprised that they lost last night.

I remember years ago Shea talking about a game where the team had to come back and win. Her quote was something like, “we got punched in the mouth last year and fell apart. This year we got punched and we punched them back”. Unfortunately, it takes experience to learn how to punch back. They will learn.

For the literalists in our group- it was a metaphorical punch.

There are a few hundred teams who wish they had a 28-2 season.

 

[LoboDays]

On a positive note for the sport. The number 1 or 2 team in the country was totally outplayed by a #16 team. Good for the sport but also a message to Geno. It’s not the best players that win. It’s what you coach them to do when they run up against a team that shuts you down, or beats you up.

 

[Dokey]

The conference has little to do with it. This season we still beat Baylor, South Carolina, Tennessee on the road, and Iowa. Sure it would have been nice to play Louisville as well, but I'm not sure what else people are looking for. Geno tries to schedule the top teams in different conferences. South Carolina plays in the vaunted SEC and still couldn't find a way to get past the semi-final. No ACC teams made it to the final four. No B1G teams made it to the final four. No Big 12 teams made it to the final four.

Well, the PAC-12 is playing for NC, so, yes, strength of conference is extremely important. Stanford and Arizona learned not to look past anyone.

 

[Plebe]

Well, the PAC-12 is playing for NC, so, yes, strength of conference is extremely important. Stanford and Arizona learned not to look past anyone.

Really? How many Pac-12 teams reached the Final Four in 2017-2019? How many reached the national championship game during that time? Did the Pac-12 conference go from horrible to outstanding in the short period of time between then and now? Why didn't it help UCLA (fresh off a dominant win over none other than Arizona) get past Texas?

I don't understand why people love reaching for such irrational tribalist thinking. Stanford is a great team. Arizona is a great team (though they waited until March to really show it). It's two separate and distinct great teams that played well enough to win five games in a row. Being in the same conference as Washington and Cal and Utah had nothing to do with it, I assure you.

 

[ed4ourgirls]

I just want to take this opportunity, as I always do, to say thank you to our players
and coaching staff for all the hard work they have done under difficult conditions to
provide us with a wonderfully entertaining season

At the beginning of the year I thought it would be a terrific season if this team could make
it to the final four, and I still think so. Thank you girls, and we look forward to seeing you
back on the court next season.

 

[faithfulfan]

Thought of something that can be a subject of conversation,,,UCONN lost their 2 games this year to teams with at least 1 starting red shirt senior, I believe Arkansas had 2, and Arizona had 1, and all these players were the 'best players on their teams'!
So is it fair to have 23 yr old girls playing against 18 yr olds,,,,the difference in women's basketball of that 5 years physically might be a lot!

 

[Plebe]

Thought of something that can be a subject of conversation,,,UCONN lost their 2 games this year to teams with at least 1 starting red shirt senior, I believe Arkansas had 2, and Arizona had 1, and all these players were the 'best players on their teams'!
So is it fair to have 23 yr old girls playing against 18 yr olds,,,,the difference in women's basketball of that 5 years physically might be a lot!

My goodness. The desperate need to cast about for excuses shall not be denied ...

No one forced Geno to play his freshmen.

 

[Gurleyman]

My goodness. The desperate need to cast about for excuses shall not be denied ...

No one forced Geno to play his freshmen.

Once Anna got hurt, he had to play at least one - unless he chose to put four out there like Gene Hackman and say “my team is on the floor”

 

[stormsurge]

we suffered from not playing enough top teams this year

blame our conference or covid

but we need to play more top teams next year

 

[RedStickHusky]

1. Congrats and good luck to Zona. It wasn't a fluke and it wasn't a late run. They executed their plan to a tee for 40 minutes. Senior leadership and good coaching.
2. Congrats to the Huskies for a season, that although ended in disappointment, was really better than we should have expected going in. Future looks bright - we're not going away.
3. What happened? Shooting was inconsistent all year, so shouldn't be a surprise that when our paint advantage failed to materialize we had problems. Our usual fallback is to push pace and transition for easy buckets but Zona was committed to not letting that happen.
4. You can make a case that the Huskies didn't play well but I'm choosing to credit the Wildcats for winning rather than trying to fix blame.
5. Officiating throughout this tournament has been atrocious to a dangerous level and needs to be cleaned up. You can't have a different set of rules for the last minute.

 

[HuskylnSC]

Dare I watch the replay?
When playing with one big why have them positioned at top of the key?

Because we have two excellent slashers and Liv is a very good passer from out there. Her move to the top coincided with her improved shooting form 15-17. With the middle open CW and PB can slash to the rim or to the mid range and Aaliyah (and Aubrey) will not have to fight their post for offensive boards but the other teams 4 where she dominates. It is a sound offensive strategy based upon our strengths and our poor 3 point shooting from everyone except paige.

 

[HuskylnSC]

Seeing as how we lost the game due to ineffective post play, I would say no. The stats from 1-3 were pretty even; 4-5 was a disaster.

But at that our 1-3 play was some of the worst of the season. We are not a good perimeter offense. Most of our scoring during the year is from midrange and CW slashing to the hoop.

 

[Plebe]

we suffered from not playing enough top teams this year

blame our conference or covid

but we need to play more top teams next year

Wrong. We suffered from playing a bad game at the wrong time. You play bad, you lose.

Playing more top teams would have ensured nothing except probably a few more losses. It does nothing to immunize against a bad performance. Ask UCLA about that. Ask all the SEC teams that bombed out before their expected time (including Arkansas).

So to summarize:

Reasons we lost:
—played poorly
—showed inexperience and youth
—Arizona was great! (the opponent does also influence the outcome, right?)

Not reasons we lost:
—the refs
—the conference
—the NCAA
—Covid, global warming, the Illuminati, etc.

 

[stormsurge]

my point is that you get better by playing top level teams

we didn't play enough of them til the tourney thereby not gaining the needed experience

play top teams and you learn these lessons

that's it

not difficult to understand

 

[Gurleyman]

my point is that you get better by playing top level teams

we didn't play enough of them til the tourney

play top teams and you learn these lessons

that's it

We always play top teams. The covid schedule this year maybe hurt a little, but Syracuse playing in a tougher league and giving NC State a good game didn’t stop us from crushing them into a fine powder.

The opposite can happen too. Nobody in the country played a tougher schedule than Arkansas, which added us, Maryland and Baylor to their SEC slate. When the postseason came, though, they were a puddle of mush. They lost to Ole Miss in the SEC outbracket, and then lost to Wright State. Maybe they learned too many lessons and couldn't keep them all straight.