Baylor post game thread

[VAMike23]

Squeaks:

 

[j66kicker]

Just saw on SportsCenter last time UConn lost by 16 or more was 13 years ago - by 23 to LSU in NCAA regional final.

Mulkey in her presser gloating about not being "old school' - "We will shoot 3's". She's pretty happy - singing country music (Old School).

 

[VAMike23]

Meg:

 

[j66kicker]

Squeaks:

Reporter: "After this game, how do you prepare for Houston?"

Squeaks: "All the anger, frustration from this game - gonna take it out on them. They just happen to be the team next. Sucks for them."

Yikes!

 

[Watchdog]

Overall, UConn hadn't seen great defense like they faced tonight and was too impatient much of the game. Rushed shots (layups yikes, shot 12 for 43 on 2's (27.9%), and got out of their offense later in the game. Quote from Williams: "I thought our offense got a little bit stagnant. … I felt like we didn’t get the shots that we usually get.”

Dangerfield, Williams, and Walker scored 55 of the 58 points on 53 of UConn's 69 shots. The other 16 shots were taken by: Ono (0 for 8), Irwin (0 for 4), Griffin (0 for 2) and Makurat (1 for 2).

Makurat had 3 points on 1 for 2 from the field and could have had more. She was open a number of times but it looked as if Dangerfield and Williams have no confidence in her or maybe got caught up in playing "hero" ball. The announcer mentioned how well she's been shooting after starting the season poorly and if you look at the stats they should be getting her the ball more:
Firsts 3 games: 1 for 13 overall (7.7%) and 0 for 10 on 3's (0%)
Games 4 and 5: 4 for 13 overall (30.8%) and 2 for 9 on 3's (22.2%)
Last 8 games: 16 for 34 overall (47.1%) and 12 for 22 on 3's (54.5%)

 

[Plebe]

I'm not in the least surprised at the loss. In my mind and ballot I had Baylor as the rightful #1 team. Oregon and Baylor were deemed the two to beat coming into this season, and though a full-strength Oregon team fell from that perch when they lost to Louisville, Baylor's loss to South Carolina was without Cox.

What does surprise and disappoint me is the lack of toughness and competitiveness down the stretch. It was a 1-point game with 6 minutes to play, and then UConn gives up a 15-0 run. I just want them to compete better than that, even if it ends in a loss.

 

[willtalk]

I saw a Baylor team expose the weaknesses that many felt Uconn had right from the beginning of the season. They lack depth at center. Ono gets in foul trouble or has an off game and there is no one to substitute for her. They also rely on too few players to carry the offensive load. They lack depth. That lack of depth showed itself as the team totally ran out of gas in the second half of the fourth quarter.

Facing really good teams like Baylor will expose those types of weaknesses that can be hidden against lesser or more favorable matchups. Unfortunately for Uconn, these are the sort of things that even Geno can only mitigate but never totally correct.

That said, Uconn did much better offensively than I expected. Baylor did not shut them down offensively until Uconn just ran out of gas. Baylors defense was much better last year with the exception of post defense. Williams just killed them off the ball. She had 8 rebounds in the first half which is just an example of how badly they could not cover her. She was moving just like a free-range chicken on the court.

 

[VAMike23]

A game is not the place to learn the offense

OK - but then she’d never see the floor until garbage time.

She gets minutes because despite her not knowing where to be much of the time she still has contributions to make. Its a balancing act for GA.

I agree that she looked overwhelmed at times but at other times she mixed it up pretty well and kept the ball alive on the inside—just not enough to keep her out there very long. All in all, she probably learned more from having been on the floor a little bit against a squad like Baylor than if she’d sat and watched the whole thing from the bench.

 

[willtalk]

Look more closely. The UCONN defense was highly organized and held Baylor scoreless for the first 5 minutes of the 4th Quarter. Smith score 10 points in the next 4 minutes of that quarter=Game over because UCONN couldn't make a shot in that same stretch. Cooper hit 6 FTs in the last 1:17 of the game to stretch the MOV to 13.

I totally agree. They played really well. In fact often better defense than Baylor. They just totally ran out of gas those last five minutes. It was during those last five minutes that Smith took advantage of the standing around by the Uconn players to find openings for scores. Smith is more of an opportunistic type of scorer rather than a player who can create their own shot against top-level competition.

 

[Bayloralum]

I totally agree. They played really well. In fact often better defense than Baylor. They just totally ran out of gas those last five minutes. It was during those last five minutes that Smith took advantage of the standing around by the Uconn players to find openings for scores. Smith is more of an opportunistic type of scorer rather than a player who can create their own shot against top-level competition.

Better defense!? We kept you guys to 29 percent shooting! We shot 45 percent!

 

[Golden Husky]

UCONN shot 29% for the game and two of the starters went scoreless. Not going to win many games like that. Congrats to Baylor. I don't want a rematch until next season.

I asked this on another thread, Coco: When was the last time two UConn starters went scoreless in the same game?

 

[Sluconn Husky]

I totally agree. They played really well. In fact often better defense than Baylor. They just totally ran out of gas those last five minutes. It was during those last five minutes that Smith took advantage of the standing around by the Uconn players to find openings for scores. Smith is more of an opportunistic type of scorer rather than a player who can create their own shot against top-level competition.

wut

Baylor plays smothering defense while UConn plays decent defense.

 

[Boreifs]

Williams played really well tonight and I am not the least bit surprised. If she starts shooting well from 3 and the FT line, she can easily be our best player. I hope this is the start of consistent play for her.

ONO, on the other hand, is really going to want to forget about tonight. I hope she uses it as motivation to get better because she is a crucial piece to the puzzle. With her out, we were so exposed on the interior. I really hope CD is able to get her to stop swatting and shooting layups from her hip because at her height, there is no reason for her to be so ineffective against similar size.

The team played a solid 34 minutes and hung with Baylor, but we won’t win against the top teams by relying on only 3 players. We need to play 5v5.

Baylor relied on three players and won, Just look at the box score.

 

[Bayloralum]

Baylor relied on three players and won, Just look at the box score.

Imagine if juicy made shots! Scary!

 

[Woof 101]

It was like only certain kids were allowed to shoot.

It was like only certain kids were able to shoot. FIFY.

A very disappointing offensive performance... everyone was off. How often does that happen. Sobering to say the least.

Rocky, no attack but did you miss the Baylor defensive performance? I hate giving credit when it's due but the best team won tonight. Well placed constant D pressure creates a disappointing O performance. Most shots had to be rushed which diminishes accuracy and they came close to shot clock violations several times. Not the usual for UConn.

Did you see Kyla grabbing the back of Aubrey’s jersey and directing her to the right spot on the court?

Yep and pointed it out, actually saw her playing point forward in the back court often. Geno has her on the floor for a reason that some don't understand. Missed it myself in an earlier game.

How about sending Kayla to the bench and let AG get some meaning minutes and learn from her mistakes. Because she Does.Not.Know.the.Offense

See obove.

Mulkey in her presser gloating about not being "old school' - "We will shoot 3's". She's pretty happy - singing country music (Old School).

No reason for her not to be happy they just knocked off the perceived #1.
Not so sure about her ethics just like Muffies Irish Jig. Geno held to higher standards, but then you never know maybe we get to see him doing a two step in cowboy boots down the line.

 

[Striper69]

Uconn needed a game like this.. Baylor is the real #1 just based on size. But our girls got the closest look they can at what it will take to make it to the final four this year . I'm very grateful for this game actually. I'm not that worried about USC or Oregon after this game.

South Carolina was looking a lot like Baylor tonight against Arkansas.

 

[Striper69]

No matter what ONO does, she will never be Stef or Kiah in the lane. Hopefully we are bringing in some big bodies that take up space around the basket and are hard to move in the coming years.

I hope the coaches teach her a sky hook. She's kinda slight but has the length- Jabbar-like. She won't get pushed around like she did tonight. She needs to just get the ball in the post and shoot it without dribbling around.

 

[Striper69]

Not the end of the world. A good wake-up call to see what their weaknesses are against a quality opponent.

 

[Zinethar]

I haven't said anything but just wondered what some p[people were watching. With 4 minutes to go it was a one score game. UConn was not outclassed. They seemed to panic and throw up prayers which is how a score can get bad fast. I spent time screaming at the TV. Rarely have done that during a UConn game. I felt the air come out of UConn when Meg missed that wide open layup that would have cut it to 1. Foul shooting again not what it should be. That is concentration. Most of the misses seemed to be one the front end shot. Scores can make close games look worse at the end when just chucking up frantic shots and fouling to try to get another chance.

 

[caramel]

Ok, as a fan of this team,it is hard to see them lose.However,this is the time to learn and see the things that need adressing,the things that really need working on.This is the time that games like this need to happen,not in March.Baylor was far superior in this contest,and what we would hope is that our ladies use it as a learning tool,as a lesson for each of them to understand where they need to improve,as an individual and as a team.In my opinion,too many naysayers expect too much too soon.Adversity can lead to growth.We may lose 3 or 4 this year,but learning and success usually come from adversity.Let us give this team time to mature and grow,to except the challenges ahead as a tool to be ready for the end of the season.

 

[willtalk]

Better defense!? We kept you guys to 29 percent shooting! We shot 45 percent!

I said they often played better defense, not that they played better defense. I stated that Williams ran around the court like a free range chicken. No one seemed to be watching her without the ball until the end of the game. When you leave a player open to hit the boards. She had 4 offensive boards and was open for passes for scores in the lanes often. That is bad off the ball defense. It's not like she is quicker than her defenders were. Why do you think Mulkey pulled Landrum? Her defense on Williams was very poor and she didn't do much offensively either. She looked slow and out of sorts.

Oh, and referring to me as a Uconn guy is incorrect. I am independent with respect to Baylor and Uconn. If you follow the boneyard you would know that. I basically stated that Baylor was likely to win because they were a bad matchup for Uconn. Too much height and defense and depth. The shooting percentages were greatly impacted by that second half of the fourth-quarter run. Uconn couldn't by a basket nor could they stop Baylor. This also was something I alluded to in my post being affected more by Uconns fatigue than Baylor's superior defense. Uconn just lacks the horses this year and that is why really good teams with depth, like Baylor, are superior this season. Fatigue was also the difference between Baylor and Oregon in the playoff game last season as well. Except that Oregon lasted until the last minute instead of the last 5 like Uconn. Uconn didn't quit, they just ran out of gas.

 

[Jmsdawg]

Danger:

Those eyes say everything!

 

[eebmg]

Geno's reactions all over the place from incredulous to resigned.

Mike Anthony: UConn crumbles late against Baylor as 2019-20 reality is driven home

No matter the No. 1 national ranking, despite what has come to be expected or assumed underneath all those national championship banners, there have long been a number of subtle signs that 2019-20 …

www.courant.com

This quote a bit over the top?



“Let me tell you how immature they are, too. There’s a minute left in the game and they’re fouling, thinking we can get a 16-point play. Is that dumb, or what? 'Oh, you know, we’re going to lose by eight. What’s the difference if we lose by 17?’ Dummies.

 

[Mulder]

Imagine if juicy made shots! Scary!

Juicy had a goose egg, it was a none issue. Cooper, Cox, and Nalyssa took up the slack.
Juicy was the second leading rebounder with 8, and played solid D.

 

[Mulder]

Geno's reactions all over the place from incredulous to resigned.

Mike Anthony: UConn crumbles late against Baylor as 2019-20 reality is driven home

No matter the No. 1 national ranking, despite what has come to be expected or assumed underneath all those national championship banners, there have long been a number of subtle signs that 2019-20 …

www.courant.com

This quote a bit over the top?



“Let me tell you how immature they are, too. There’s a minute left in the game and they’re fouling, thinking we can get a 16-point play. Is that dumb, or what? 'Oh, you know, we’re going to lose by eight. What’s the difference if we lose by 17?’ Dummies.

Geno is the Coach. All he has to say is, "Don't foul."

 

[Florida Fan]

@oldude Someone on the BY has been harping on Uconn needs to make their layup's. Had they made half of them it could have been a win.
Then someone else said that Baylor would run out of energy in the 4th. That was Uconn. I and others said if ONO had less than 3 fouls in the 4th Uconn would win. Well she had 3. No win. Something is amiss when a bench player in 1/3rd of the time out rebounds a 6 ft 5.
Geno has work to do, lots of it. But first he has to work on conditioning and shot selection--it was horrid. Does this mean Uconn is done for this year---H-E-L -L NO. This is the begining of the run for the NCAA the faults are now known and how to play Baylor is not known.
TRUE very TRUE other players must shoot when open---notice I didn't say others must step up--no they just need to shoot when they have the shot and not pass and pass and pass to Danger, Walker, CW. ONO has to learn to play against big defense. Simple(not on your life)

And, down the road, sometime, somewhere, Ana and Aubrey will start, get in the flow, miss a couple and then start to knock them down. That will take some of the offensive pressure off the other starters. Don't want a "Z" flash back in a critical, late-season contest.

 

[Topsail]

Bottom line the game was a repeat of last year. We were close until the 4th Q and then it fell apart . When you look at the box score shooting %, rebounds even, asst, margin in favor of Baylor like last year, I knew this would be a tough game to win due to match-ups. Ono needed a monster game and I just could not see it happening given her trouble lately.

 

[Geesworld]

The half court offense was actually not bad. The offense achieve it primary purpose which was to create shots. UCONN just did not make enough of those shots. You can credit Cox for a big part of that she played all 40 minutes and she did an excellent job of blocking (4) and challenging shots (12) at the basket. Cox was definitely in Liv's head but she also in Megan's and Kyla's as well. BTW the sequences when Squeaks takes over is and has always been part of the half court offense. You can always tell when UCONN is going to that sequence because Squeaks is in the middle of the floor vs starting on a wing.

I agree.The offense wasn't that bad. We just didn't make shots last 4 and half minutes and I think they felt the pressure of the ball not falling. Although Liv, didn't have her best game I think not having her on the court makes a difference because it does keep the big attached and drives to the basket and weakside rebounding opens up more. What I noticed is lack of mid-range threat from high post to elbow area. That's where UCONN usually thrives. I would like to see Liv in motion a little more with in the offense. Mid to high post has to be a threat to keep defense honest.

 

[VAMike23]

Geno:

 

[UConn2SF]

Its unfortunate this team cant get more "easy points." little offense in the way of transition, free throws, and via turnovers. CD has all but eliminated her slashing and transition game. Meg missed lots of shots shes made all year. Overall, tonight we got 69 shots off but 49 of them were beyond 16ft. when 71% of your shots are deep jumpers, its feast or famine
.