Arizona Postgame Thread

[hoophuskee]

I agree to have changes but do we have any options? we dont have players like Boston. The fact I don't want to admit that ONO is our best big at the moment.

Exactly!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I agree 1000000000000%%%%%%%%%%%%%%.

To say "dump the ball inside" -- if your inside players aren';t hitting layups why would you even think of continuing of playing with that philosophy and run away from your strength? The idea that UCONN should play against their strength which is NPOY Paige Bueckers and CWill in order to dump the ball to an offensively challenged Liv is a blunder.

What if your center isn't good enough? The philosophy should be to say "So what give her the ball anyway?"

The team is flawed - Geno didn't recruit as well starting in the Dangerfield year as he had in the past. He did well enough -- if Walker had stayed - UCONN would have been much, much stronger. But she left. Very little upperclass leadership in terms of past success. Sometimes you just have ot give credit to other fine basketball teams.

 

[hoophuskee]

Naz Hillmon, Boston, Rhyne Howard, Haley Jones, all are team USA players. UConn gets none of them.

Yet UCONN still goes to the Final Four every year with a chance to win it all. And next year they won't have a low post USA player either?

So what are we going to do-- tell Paige and Azzi and CWill- sorry but you can't shoot because I need to get the ball to the less efficient offensive player -Liv?

 

[hoophuskee]

Yes the coaching staff seemed to get shall we say distracted during the Stewart glory years and the recruiting has not been good. Obviously better now but as you and others have said they really need a dominant true post player. Losing in the semi has now become a pattern which needs to be addressed

But they don't need a dominant post player. Just someone that is "good enough." By the way, in 18-19 he was expecting Stevens back. If Stevens is back - we're not going to get thrashed 54-37 in rebounding vs Notre Dame. Or even if Camara was heathy.

The two teams playing this year for the title -- who is the "dominant" post player? Is Brink "dominant?" And Arizona go to the Finals -- how is their post play?

 

[jaydee602]

Dee should retire if she has any scruples. She’s been bad for years and this going to the monitor and come back enforcing a foul she knew wasn’t there is unforgivable. Retire or be fired!

Dee has too much of an ego to resign. She thinks the game is about her. And her bosses probably congratulated her instead of criticizing her poor job. This is why the officiating continues to deteriorate. No accountability & plenty of cronyism!

 

[Centerstream]

Another positive to look forward to. Every season there seems to be the much anticipated "sophomore jump". Think about that for the next 7 months...

 

[hoopsfan22]

Another positive to look forward to. Every season there seems to be the much anticipated "sophomore jump". Think about that for the next 7 months...

Yep especially Aaliyah and the rate at which she progressed just in the last few months of the season. Then add Azzi to the mix. A lineup of Paige-Azzi-Edwards is not a bad foundation upon which to build a team.

 

[Longtime fan]

Read his other quote about players pouting. I think Paige was complaining about fouls.

There was one time whence was whacked like a piñata and splayed onto the floor and nothing was called. Blatant offensive foul. However, we would all hope to see her transform a bit physically as Crystal Dangerfield did. I was afraid she could break.

 

[Longtime fan]

Over analyze much?
All the layups we missed were not “reasonable” shots? And how was Muhl able to push the ball as she did while looking “slow“? McDonald shot 7-17 while “no one” could stop her and “could score at will from anywhere on the court” but Williams was “well defensed” and affected “mentally” while shooting the same 7-17.
The difference in the game was our missed shots. We shot 15-44 from 2, barely 33%, many from point blank range. Bueckers got few open shots but missed a couple wide open jumpers that all season went in, it happens. Our poor shooting was pretty much the game, pure and simple.

Glad we agree on something.

 

[uconnfan68]

Yes, but God needs Marines to guard the streets of Heaven.

From who?

 

[uconnfan68]

Dee should retire if she has any scruples. She’s been bad for years and this going to the monitor and come back enforcing a foul she knew wasn’t there is unforgivable. Retire or be fired!

I knew we were in trouble when she called a touch foul (#2) in Liv early in the game. She's terrible for UConn basketball. Not sure what her problem is.

 

[Newfie]

I apologize if this has been brought up already, but can you imagine if Geno had been the one to give the big “forget you” at the end of the game? It would have been a front page story on ESPN. If they even mentioned it, I missed it.

 

[Longtime fan]

Either you are being too kind to Olivia or I am being too harsh. Last night, and more than once in big games, Olivia has missed put backs ( or well set up lay-ups due to a pass from the guards ) from under the basket, and turned the ball over. She is inconsistent at the foul line and, similarly, with 8-10 footers. If she were better at that fade away jump shot, she would help us a lot more. As it stands, she is a good defender and rebounder. Period. Not enough to win it all.

 

[Longtime fan]

I know Geno has been quoted saying the Elite Eight game is the hardest to win, but I'd challenge him that the semi-final is the hardest to win. For some reason these teams have had big issues in this round, even when favored.

Great season by a young group. It was a really bright spot among all of this awful covid news. Hopefully the reinforcements we add next year can put this group over the top. That, and lots of layup drills!

But don't lose sight of the fact that other great teams are getting lots of new talent also. The game has changed, as the pool of top players is deeper....and, occasionally, not so obvious. Next year should see this team improve.

 

[Vowelguy]

Who would you prefer they gave the foul to? Keep in mind if the whistle blows someone has to get the foul. It's not like football where you can say there's no foul on the play and continue on like it never happened.

Muhl was bodying her. If anyone, foul on her.

 

[jaydee602]

Geno is a master motivator & I would never criticize his coaching tactics. But just last week, he was praising his players excessively & declared that he was so proud of this young group exceeding expectations. Then after a subpar performance vs. an underrated team, he complains about UCONN's immaturity & lack of toughness. He was critical of Paige "on & off the court" and seemed to hit her while she was down. Not one word about how tough the season was & how hard the players worked. He also seemed to detach himself from the team because of last night's failure. I realize that he always has a method to his madness, but I thought the timing was curious.

 

[Gurleyman]

Muhl was bodying her. If anyone, foul on her.

Alas, they can’t do anything on the review but confirm the number of the person they called the foul on. They called the swipe from CW a foul, thinking she got wrist I guess, so all they could do was confirm that she was the one doing the swiping.

 

[Humbled]

Naz Hillmon, Boston, Rhyne Howard, Haley Jones, all are team USA players. UConn gets none of them.

Boston selecting SC over UConn was a lose-lose for UConn & Boston. She's the physical presence that UConn definitely needs, and well, Boston did not develop this year as many thought she would. Why she played a lot on the perimeter is just a misuse of her talent. Losing Lauren Betts to Stanford is also huge - again the player UConn needs to complement the guard/small forwards. Geno needs to recruit big, physical players or the results will be the same - no more Titles.

Boston selecting SC over Uconn was a lose for Uconn. To sit and say Boston has not developed this year. Let's start with comparing her development to ONO's.

 

[HuskyNan]

As more years go by the more people will appreciate how good Stewie really is. She may never lead a league in rebounding, points, assists, any any other. But she makes all her teammates better on both ends of the floor.
She wins anywhere she goes, a true champion.

Stewie’s teammates from her freshman year (2012-13):
3 Morgan Tuck, Fr
4 Moriah Jefferson, Fr
5 Caroline Doty, R-Sr
13 Brianna Banks, Soph
14 Bria Hartley, Sr
23 Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis, Soph
31 Stefanie Dolson, Jr
32 Heather Buck, R-Sr
34 Kelly Faris, Sr
41 Kiah Stokes, Jr

Powerful scoring in the paint, several long distance shooters including the #1 three point shooter in the country, senior leadership, one of the best defenders in the country in Kelly and one of the best shot blockers in Kiah, speed and size. Yeah, Stewie had to do it all that year.

 

[Rixxx]

If Liv had a hook shot, she wouldn't have to use a fadeway.

 

[Vowelguy]

Alas, they can’t do anything on the review but confirm the number of the person they called the foul on. They called the swipe from CW a foul, thinking she got wrist I guess, so all they could do was confirm that she was the one doing the swiping.

Ahhhh, ok, thanks. So there was nothing they could do. They can't overrule the foul call at that point.

 

[Fossil]

Tough loss. We came out flat after a high stress Baylor win. I'm thinking we were looking past Arizona to the Stanford/SC winner. I know most of us fans were.

I am glad you said most.

 

[hart2hart]

Again, so proud of these kids. Tough game from the start. I thought Geno should have regrouped these kids and calmed them down in the first quarter. Don’t know what he was thinking. He might have thought about adding in some double-screens for Paige that could have thrown Aari off a little. One other thing for me and this is my opinion only is that Ono should have been benched for her poor output. Again, my opinion only. Really can’t wait until next season!! 7 months and counting down........

 

[Mountainous]

As a long suffering WVU fan would you please forward your no account center and your antiquated coach to Morgantown W.V? Congrats on your 13th consecutive final four. How do you tolerate such mediocrity?

 

[oldude]

As a long suffering WVU fan would you please forward your no account center and your antiquated coach to Morgantown W.V? Congrats on your 13th consecutive final four. How do you tolerate such mediocrity?

You have clearly noticed that we are a terribly spoiled group of fans.......