BENEFITS and BURDENS of the "WILL-to-WIN"

[jplotinus]

Back at the start of this season many, if not most, BY posters made clear their expectation of a championship season, with -0- losses, or maybe one, two at the most. A FF berth was a foregone conclusion and a win over Baylor by less than double digits was about as much drama as could be tolerated.

In the event, the talent level of the team, standing alone, was not sufficient. More is needed, consisting in greater mental effort, expressed as a "will-to-win" or a "killer instinct." The question is, should the team be pushed to achieve that objective? Put another way, what is to be gained and what is put at risk by seeking to "win" versus merely playing well?

I don't know the answer to that, off hand. I do know that sports dynasties come and go and I believe in the message conveyed in the old saying that "all glory is fleeting." The saying that "losing hurts worse than winning feels good" also makes sense to me. It puts winning and losing in perspective.

I'd like to see the team develop a killer instinct, but I don't want to see them become so focused on winning at any cost that it causes them to lose perspective and to forget that they are only playing a game, or nine, as I hope it will be. I don't want them to feel it's necessary to punch opponents, or aim for their throats. Just play well, play fair, make clutch shots and enjoy the game, win or lose.

That said, they also need to get offensive rebounds by any means necessary, too.

;-p

 

[huskybill]

Although there are many ways to say what jplot said, it's good to see 3 or 4 or 5 or 6 or 7 in print.

 

[Icebear]

We outrebounded ND last night 51-49, on their end of the court we took down 36 rebounds to their 22. On our end of the court we took down 15 to their 27.
There were 58 rebounds at their end of the court compared to 42. That is a difference of 16. They got 7 more offensive rebounds than we did but shot 7.2% worse with their shots than we did. There were less offensive rebounds available for us. Would I have liked to keep them of their offensive boards more, absolutely, but the numbers in a 3OT game aren't unusual.

The offensive rebounds did not hurt us as bad as the 35 TOs to 21 Tos for ND. 14 extra possessions.

Add the TOs and the ORs together and you have a real problem.

We out shot ND in the OTs 8 for 11 to 7-16 ND prevailed at the FT line and that was the difference in the game in the OTs. They were 17-20 and we were 7-13. We had 23 assists on 33 baskets to 14 assists on 35 baskets. As a team we shot 35% on 3s which for most teams would be great and Kelly and KML both shot 50%+.

There are so many paths to victory for us with what was left on the table there is absolutely no reason to be discouraged.

 

[VAMike23]

There are so many paths to victory for us with what was left on the table there is absolutely no reason to be discouraged.

The quite understandable discouragement and frustration that the team clearly felt last night, and will continue to feel for a little while at least, is not because their play didn't create numerous "paths" ; or that they aren't close to beating ND; or that they should not have won. They realize only too well that all of these things are true. These victories have been there for the taking.

There is solace in being close once. There is no solace in being painfully close over and over and not converting. The discouragement comes precisely because there were yet again many paths, they are very close to winnning these games, and that they had many opportunities----and yet didn't win.

Again.

I still think we have true champions on the roster, which means they are the type of players who can take this kind of pain and turn it into growth and ultimately victory. They can win it this year, but as Geno said, do they know how? It's one thing to create a path. It's another thing to take it.

 

[stillinstorrs]

The quite understandable discouragement and frustration that the team clearly felt last night, and will continue to feel for a little while at least, is not because their play didn't create numerous "paths" ; or that they aren't close to beating ND; or that they should not have won. They realize only too well that all of these things are true. These victories have been there for the taking.

There is solace in being close once. There is no solace in being painfully close over and over and not converting. The discouragement comes precisely because there were yet again many paths, they are very close to winnning these games, and that they had many opportunities----and yet didn't win.

Again.

I still think we have true champions on the roster, which means they are the type of players who can take this kind of pain and turn it into growth and ultimately victory. They can win it this year, but as Geno said, do they know how? It's one thing to create a path. It's another thing to take it.

ask Stanford, Duke, Texas A&M if UConn is a contender. Maybe we won't play better (doubt that) but maybe we will...

 

[meyers7]

There are so many paths to victory for us with what was left on the table there is absolutely no reason to be discouraged.

Well considering there were so many way we could have/should have won this game, the fact that we didn't can and should be discouraging itself.