Arkansas Postgame Thread

[NOI33]

Idc what any other BY'er says Geno needs to bench Liv and play Edwards. Aaliyah is so foul prone but hell give Mir those minutes. She was very effective. Liv smh she has soooo much potential, will it ever show ?!

Mir showed out!!!!! Loved that for her. She's an extremely passionate player. Can't wait for her to expand her range and get more minutes.

 

[oldude]

Idc what any other BY'er says Geno needs to bench Liv and play Edwards. Aaliyah is so foul prone but hell give Mir those minutes. She was very effective. Liv smh she has soooo much potential, will it ever show ?!

It's tough to play Aaliyah when you only get 15 minutes from her before she fouls out of the game.

 

[HuskyNan]

Paige Nika Mir yes.
Aaliyah -- fewer fouls.

Freshman post player. What are you going to do?

 

[MainefanSC]

Should have been ONO's game but she failed to show up. Totally out played as a team.

 

[the Q]

That was not a shot clock violation. Sorry. CW pulled the bonehead play by dribbling and not calling a TO. That play was all on CW.

Hand was still on the ball. CW badly messed up, but missing that with replay is inexcusable. Those 2 who reviewed it should be fired. That was abysmal.

 

[EricSD]

A few random thoughts...

Liv - do some soul searching. Inexcusable performance against a team with no size.

Christyn - just stop with the 3 point shooting. If you miss the first 2, do NOT take any more. Focus on driving and being aggressive. WE committed 10 more fouls than they did. Drive into the teeth of the defense and force them to foul you. Then again, maybe that's a bad idea since she shot 2-5 from the FT line

Paige - you want to win big games like this, you can't wait till the 4th quarter to show up

Evina - you are AWESOME

Nika - nice step up for her

Mir and Liya - 9 points and 9 fouls. We committed 10 more fouls than Arkansas did. Can't stay on the floor if you are in foul trouble.

Great effort by Arkansas. Dungee showed why she's an AA. Paige showed why she should be considered.

For all the talent this team has, Geno needs to figure out how to get more out of them. How many top 10 recruits does Arkansas have? How many do we have? I'm disappointed but not surprised.

 

[Vowelguy]

. There was clearly a shot clock violation at 4.3 seconds.

Didnt seem clear to me. Hard to overrule the call on the floor.

 

[Bama fan]

Some good and some okay and some terrible for UConn, but that Chelsea Dungee was just phenomenal tonight . She was everywhere and did everything. Talk about willing her team to a win. We can learn from this if Geno stops pouting. I know this is a tough year, but it is tough for everyone.

 

[Papa33]

Arkansas was simply the better team tonight. I hate saying it, but they wanted it more. Piath has to develop faster, cuz O is not getting it done!

Please explain. Does that sports cliché define the reason Arkansas won, really?

 

[Lucelab113]

It's tough to play Aaliyah when you only get 15 minutes from her before she fouls out of the game.

Well why didn't he get her out when she got the 4th. I don't want to hear the "he wanted to leave her in to see if she could play with 4" nonsense. Nobody could guard anyone. The game moves to quick for Geno sometimes.

 

[Blue Huskie]

Losing this game can be looked back as a major growth step for our team. Lost by 3 to a ranked team on the road that played darn near perfect (for them). Nika and Mir came in and really did well. I'm not going to cry about this. It was a really good exciting game. That's what everybody wants , right?

 

[slepers]

Olivia 1 block 2 points 1 rebound? Not good. Paige played well, Nika played well and Evina played fairly well. Everyone else ..........

 

[ucbart]

Some thoughts on the Arkansas game:

• UConn shoots 59% in the first half and heads to the locker room with a 2-pt lead. At that point I knew UConn was in trouble. Arkansas is one tough team to play against, and Dungee belongs in the pros, although I’m not crazy about that flying chicken-wing of hers.
• Every time UConn threw the ball into the post, Arkansas swarmed all over it, generally neutralizing UConn’s size advantage.
• Pleased with Nika’s minutes off the bench. She didn’t try to do too much or play too fast, and she knocked down several key shots.
• I guess we’re back to playing with another 5’11” center?
• Paige and Evina both came up big tonight, but it wasn't enough
• I know there will be criticism about players, coaching strategy, etc., but the simple truth is that Arkansas was a better team than UConn tonight. They shot it well, took better care of the ball, played tough team defense, boxed out and hit the boards. They earned the W.

**Dungee is not a pro talent. She will have trouble making a roster, IMO. She is crafty, but that doesn't work in the pros.

**I'm convinced that all of Christyn's problems are between the ears. How does a guard, that's her caliber, and brick so many layups and miss that many FT's?

 

[GRIFFBIFF20]

1) HORRIBLE GAMES FROM BOTH ONO AND GRIFFIN (and you know how much of a Griffin Fan I am). Both are obviously in Geno's Chateau De Bow Wow
2) For UCONN to do some damage in the BIG DANCE, this team needs "COMPLETE" games from both Olivia and Aubrey. This team CANNOT rely on "Paige to the Rescue" each game.
3) Good Contributions from both Nika Muhl and Aalyiah Edwards off the bench
4) Probably the best minutes Mir McLean has put in all year
5) Solid games from CW and EW, but just not enough to take them to a win
6) and lastly - it did not look like Geno was into coaching this game, based upon his body language on the sidelines

 

[HopJim]

Much could be written about tonight's game but I was most disappointed in Williams. As one of the more experienced players, expected more consistency. It seemed the closer the game was, the more she tightened up. I believe she missed her last 3 foul shots and all outside shots the second half. For Paige, the game slowed down. For Williams, seemed like it was going by her at 100 miles per hour. One or two shots and a few foul shots and we won.

 

[Husky fanatic]

Kudos to Paige,Evina, and Nika. We should start A. Edwards and keep her in until she fouls out. Let Liv play in the Big East but not in big games. Totally non existent. C.Will's shooting percentage abysmal. Not sure why so much man to man? Of course we could see this coming but hoped it wouldn't happen. On to Depaul

 

[Vowelguy]

Can't defend (you'd think you could either stop penetration or stop them shooting the 3. this team can do neither.), can't rebound, can't consistently shoot from outside. This is easily the worst UConn team since 2004-2005.

nah. better than last year

 

[Majic Hands]

Somebody explain that 0 on the shot clock with 4.3 to go and then only 0.3 at the end?

CW dribbling the ball after getting the rebound untill there was only .3 left. Smart play would have been to call for a time out as soon as she came down with the rebound. Announcers talked about that.

 

[cbraarj]

Missed the game. Had a death in family unfortunately. Not sure I want to watch a replay........

Sorry for your lost! Thoughts and prayers for your family!!!

 

[blackbird]

First...Arkansas is a heck of a team. With guards like that, they’ll do well in the tournament. I hope people don’t get too low on the team for this loss. Facing a team with a guard duo like that would be extremely difficult for any young team to beat. I actually really liked the team. I know Dungee got a lot of the talk for good reason, but Ramirez was great too..and appears to have a through the roof basketball IQ. They’re a top 10 team, despite the losses they have.

second..I had to smile at four freshman getting us back into this thing.

I just love Mir. Nika is going to be a solid player by March.

I said it before today, but Edwards will need to be our best player by March. Signs that ONO was still going to struggle in big games were always there .. We could have a twin towers situation and that would probably help her some..but there needs to be a focus on getting Edwards more time.

felt like Williams wasn’t mentally with the game - probably given it’s a home coming.

I can’t say enough about Paige. I started watching UConn the 2002 season, spoiled with the Sue and Diana backcourt. For about 20 years I haven’t seen a player who I would put in the same category as a young Diana - until now. Somehow this girl has the best attributes of the best backcourt of all time. Unsurprisingly, she’s having the same argument with Geno that they had - shoot the ball more. My guess is, like Sue and Diana, Paige will never shoot as much as Geno wants her too.

 

[JordyG]

Another thing(s). People complain about UConn's disappearing back door plays. The problem is when the defense collapses so hard inside it's hard for the post or the wings to make that pass. What really chuffed me though was Liv's inability to establish position on the block. She was consistently pushed off the mark early and often. All of her early TO's were caused because she was push off the block, was too far out of the lane and attempted to dribble inside. Any coach will tell you when a post has to dribble that many times to the hoop it spells nothing but TO. Also ARK didn't merely bring weak side help on Liv, but they also brought strong side help and that served to confuse Liv.

 

[Happydad745]

Liv needs to stay out of the offensive game and let Williams(when she shoots well), Westbrook and Bueckers do the scoring...losing this game probably will help UConn prepare for the big tournament instead of winning them all. Lots of players were exposed for some weaknesses, inexperience and fluidity as a team. Great game to watch, lots of great plays on both sides.

 

[Zinethar]

Arkansas deserved to win because they shot better and played better defense. They also got all the calls as they foul every time on the way to the basket. They will have a hard time playing with refs who won't allow that. Our juniors once again failed to show up. Liv was terrible and CW disappeared for long stretches. EW was great as was Paige who finally understood in the 4th quarter what Geno has been trying to tell her. We needed Anna tonight. Those who have been down on her should now see what her value is. Nika played well tonight and hit some shots. I wasn't particularly impressed by AE who kept bringing the ball down to where their guards took it away from her. Not sure where AG was in the 2nd half. Mir played pretty well but still doesn't know the offense. Almost pulled it out again but should not have been in that position. Very disappointing.

 

[uconnever]

ONO's post moves are predictable. She needs to add more to the arsenal other than two dribbles one way and spinning (and pinning the defender with her elbow) the other way. Paige was outstanding, Westbrook too. Mir stepped up. Geno will use this as a learning experience.

ONO her whole career I’m afraid is what you see is what you get. We will not get anymore from her or Williams. At least I believe Williams contributes as a key piece in big games, she doesn’t always dominate as we expect, but she shows up, ONO doesn’t. I felt the same way against Tennessee. I lover her but, we need a big really bad for the awesomeness rest of the team that’s coming. Teams are gonna beat us up down low in the future, at least until we have Brady and Edwards back there. I’ve seen Deberry a couple of times and I’m afraid it will be more of the same. Similar to ONO. ONO always brings the ball to low when she catches it and can’t do basic things a big should do. I like her, but she isn’t our answer down low. We need to recruit a stud rough big to go with Brady and Edwards. ONO should have dominated this game.

 

[Centerstream]

I know the haters and part time fans are going to give Geno doodoo and also do the same about our players. After that 3rd quarter, our guys made it a game. Dungee could not have had a better game even though I have never seen a player that had the ball in her hands so much get away with soooo many push offs. I repeat, when she had the ball. Carolyn Peck even pointed it out multiple times. But we kept playing and we were in the game at the buzzer even though Arkansas must have played their best game EVER! (Which every team tries to do when they play UConn.)
I also don't understand why when we have a definite height advantage, our offensive sets end up with Aubrey behind the 3 point arc, so that when she gets the ball she feels compelled to shoot.

 

[southofnorth]

I’m not sure I’ll ever fully understand what the zone defense was supposed to do against a team known to shoot the ball (fairly well, too), but as much as I wanted a patented UConn beat down, it didn’t happen and that’s okay. There were a lot of factors at play—some poor shot selection, post play didn’t pan out as well as we all thought it was going to, suspect defense, etc.—that lead to this loss. It’s weird to say, but this feels like par for this season. Everything has been unpredictable and this loss feels the same way. Hopefully it refocuses everyone and makes them realize a win will not always materialize—especially against better competition than the bottom teams in the Big East. Evina played great, Paige looked good at times given her circumstance, Nika had some great looks and took them tonight, CW was great in the opening quarter, Edwards showed what she can do when she isn’t in foul trouble, Mir looked like the fire and passion missing from this team, and Aubrey is still the energy player for this team. All of it will come together. Unfortunately I can’t say if that will be this year or next year, but it will all come together and when it does, look out.

 

[bluedevil]

Once again in a big game, where was Liv? Where were the rebounders. Lots of games we seem to get boxed out by smaller players who want the rebound more.

Where she always is..on the bench

 

[Blue Huskie]

Another thing about this. I'd sooner NOT go into the Tournament undefeated with this young a team. I really think this will be looked as a good loss in the rear view mirror.

 

[iri10]

A weird game in a weird season (sport-wide). Arkansas shot way, way above their normal percentages, and I don't agree with the discrepancy of foul calls based on the way the two teams were playing. All that added up to a "mere" 3 point win, though.

I am still glad UConn took this game. They actually exorcised at least one of the usual demons (not shooting well), they kept it competitive as a team...and yet there are still lessons that individual players will hopefully learn here. Not to name names, but there was some boneheaded and/or disjointed stuff from certain players. Massively, epically boneheaded and/or disjointed in a few cases. Losing while committing said boneheaded stuff will hopefully make the lesson stick.

 

[Dokey]

My thoughts are that it was the most outrageous and pusillanimous referee review at the end of a game I have ever seen. There was clearly a shot clock violation at 4.3 seconds. There was clearly a timeout before .3 seconds. To not put any time back on the clock was an out right choke by the referees. The hometown timekeeper allowed the clock to run even after timeout was called. It was a terribly officiated game all along, not the least of which was a blatant punch/push by Dungee on a drive and a no call. It reminded me of high school game on somebody else's home court. Sickening.

It was extremely close but as it was called on the floor, it was right call. CW should have called time immediately. But that isn’t why UConn lost. I figured a close Arkansas win because Ono is only dominant against weak teams and her replacement (Edwards) is a bull in a China shop. UConn plays decent defense but a quality shooter can and does cut them to shreds. Also Arkansas is a good three point shooting team and UConn is lousy at defending the three—against decent teams. Paige looked great and showed no sign of injury. You have to wonder how long Anna’s leg has been bothering her and if it was the reason for her slow start which is likely. Without a healthy Anna, this won’t be only loss.