Big East WBB Media Day Tuesday, Oct 18

[Bills Fan]

Easy answer. Her gifts (play) will make room for her. Was Kia Nurse or Olivia Nelson-Ododa worried about minutes being carved out for them their freshman year? No. Geno knew they had to be on the floor. If things work out like I think they will, Ice will get her minutes. Remember what Geno tells his players EVERY year. "Give me a reason to play you, or a reason to keep you on the bench." He may not be able to keep Ice on the bench. This theory may very well turn to fact once the season starts. We know Geno has no problem shortening his rotation to 7 players in BIG games.

Right now I'm speculating, but midway through the preseason, Geno may find the team functions best with Ice on the floor at the post. Of course other post players (Amari and Dorka) will also be in consideration. Their play could keep Ice on the bench, or cut into her minutes. Both of them can also play the wing position. I don't think either would be heart broken if Geno inserted them at the wing as opposed to the post in a game. That's going to be a challenge for Geno this year. Trying to keep the role players happy with enough minutes.

Dorka will start every game that she is healthy enough to start. I can see Ice getting backup minutes at the post and more minutes at the 4 spot. Again this team is loaded at the 4/5 positions-Dorka, Ice, Yanna and AE, with, due to match up issues, Caroline also picking up a few #4 spot minutes when we go to more of a 4 Guard lineup and A. Griffin also getting some #4 position minutes.

We all have our preseason thoughts/favorites. It will be nice to see how the boss starts out and who he gives significant minutes to as the season progresses.

 

[oldhusky]

After watching the entire Media day broadcast a few point stood out-a couple of negatives then some positives.

Val, the Commissioner, really needs to go to a public speaking class. Being in her position and constantly using "Um" and "Ah" are speaking traits that you expect from the players, but not the Head of the BE;

What/who was Val possibly referring to when she cited a record matched by "few" after mentioning Geno's # of NCs and unbroken string of FF appearances? I think she needed to say, "UNMATCHED" not "matched by FEW" ; (I'm interested in who makes up her list of "few?")

Somewhat shocking that the player interviewer asked about Doug BROWN and then the Doug BROWN court twice, having to finally be corrected by the DePaul player, Morrow;

The first time they had a graphic of players names, I was amazed that we have a new surprise player this year named Aleah Edwards;

If you want to be considered big time then these things shouldn't happen!;

Geno came across as the Geno we all love-relaxed, yet very positive. I get the impression that he is even holding back on how positive he is about this team, even w/o PB

Great job during their interviews by AE and Azzi. These ladies represent UCONN very, very well !! ;

If I had to pick the next UCONN Head Coach after Geno decides to spend more time on the NJ shore. these interviews confirm my opinion from watching her coach last year. Megan Duffy, is intense, knows the game well and is as positive, polished and professional as you could ever hope for in a WBB Head Coach; (although I hope the position at UCONN doesn't open for many years)

Finally, an overall positive---thanks to the BE Conference for filming this entire day, even with the few bumps on the road.

Just adding the negative of the cross noise of players being interviewed around other conversations. That is a pretty major organizational flaw that should be fixed in the future. It almost made these clips unwatchable.

 

[Zarathustra]

Easy answer. Her gifts (play) will make room for her. Was Kia Nurse or Olivia Nelson-Ododa worried about minutes being carved out for them their freshman year? No. Geno knew they had to be on the floor. If things work out like I think they will, Ice will get her minutes. Remember what Geno tells his players EVERY year. "Give me a reason to play you, or a reason to keep you on the bench." He may not be able to keep Ice on the bench. This theory may very well turn to fact once the season starts. We know Geno has no problem shortening his rotation to 7 players in BIG games.

Right now I'm speculating, but midway through the preseason, Geno may find the team functions best with Ice on the floor at the post. Of course other post players (Amari and Dorka) will also be in consideration. Their play could keep Ice on the bench, or cut into her minutes. Both of them can also play the wing position. I don't think either would be heart broken if Geno inserted them at the wing as opposed to the post in a game. That's going to be a challenge for Geno this year. Trying to keep the role players happy with enough minutes.

"WING IT, GENO"! Two wings and a big bird!

 

[Dublin]

Talk to Birdy

Watch out Ayanna if you want to be FPOY for the one player that can physically take you down, even if she doesn't mean to and that's the Beast, Nika!

 

[MSGRET]

After watching the entire Media day broadcast a few point stood out-a couple of negatives then some positives.

Val, the Commissioner, really needs to go to a public speaking class. Being in her position and constantly using "Um" and "Ah" are speaking traits that you expect from the players, but not the Head of the BE;

What/who was Val possibly referring to when she cited a record matched by "few" after mentioning Geno's # of NCs and unbroken string of FF appearances? I think she needed to say, "UNMATCHED" not "matched by FEW" ; (I'm interested in who makes up her list of "few?")

Somewhat shocking that the player interviewer asked about Doug BROWN and then the Doug BROWN court twice, having to finally be corrected by the DePaul player, Morrow;

The first time they had a graphic of players names, I was amazed that we have a new surprise player this year named Aleah Edwards;

If you want to be considered big time then these things shouldn't happen!;

Geno came across as the Geno we all love-relaxed, yet very positive. I get the impression that he is even holding back on how positive he is about this team, even w/o PB

Great job during their interviews by AE and Azzi. These ladies represent UCONN very, very well !! ;

If I had to pick the next UCONN Head Coach after Geno decides to spend more time on the NJ shore. these interviews confirm my opinion from watching her coach last year. Megan Duffy, is intense, knows the game well and is as positive, polished and professional as you could ever hope for in a WBB Head Coach; (although I hope the position at UCONN doesn't open for many years)

Finally, an overall positive---thanks to the BE Conference for filming this entire day, even with the few bumps on the road.

I think the few that she is talking about are Pat Summitt and John Wooden. The only two with 8 or more NC's and that Geno has passed both in NC. When it comes to the number of consecutive Final Fours, I believe she was thinking of John Wooden who went to 11 consecutive, winning 10 of them and finishing in 3rd place in the other. He won 9 in a row, finished 3rd, and then won his 10th NC, then retired after the 10th. Back when Wooden was coaching the NCAA had a losers bracket in the Final Four play for 3rd place.

 

[GEAinAustin]

Once again oldhuskie you are correct. The noise and cross chatter was from multiple interviews being conducted in the same proximity, at the same time. Professional media people and the Big East , should know better. Bad look.

 

[JoePgh]

Dorka will start every game that she is healthy enough to start. I can see Ice getting backup minutes at the post and more minutes at the 4 spot. Again this team is loaded at the 4/5 positions-Dorka, Ice, Yanna and AE, ...

Was it intentional or an oversight that you omitted Amari from your list of the "loaded" talent at the 4/5 positions? I think she has to be in the mix at this point.

I don't know what to expect from her, or from Aubrey or Lou2 for that matter. The difference is that those two have played at a high level at some point in the recent past, whereas we never saw Amari play very well in her limited minutes last year.

 

[Alydar]

I think the few that she is talking about are Pat Summitt and John Wooden. The only two with 8 or more NC's and that Geno has passed both in NC. When it comes to the number of consecutive Final Fours, I believe she was thinking of John Wooden who went to 11 consecutive, winning 10 of them and finishing in 3rd place in the other. He won 9 in a row, finished 3rd, and then won his 10th NC, then retired after the 10th. Back when Wooden was coaching the NCAA had a losers bracket in the Final Four play for 3rd place.

Wooden's 11 straight include years when the NCAA field was smaller and teams stayed in their regions. The west regional had one ranked team, UCLA.

 

[MSGRET]

Wooden's 11 straight include years when the NCAA field was smaller and teams stayed in their regions. The west regional had one ranked team, UCLA.

UCLA was not the only ranked team in the West, but they were most likely the best team in the West. Still he did something that no other men's coach did and has the longest win streak in men's basketball with 88 straight wins.

 

[Carnac]

For all the optimism being generated, Geno adds some context in a world without Paige

When the basketball Gods hand you a basket of lemons (Paige going down), you know what your next course if action has to be. Lemonaid anyone?

 

[Alydar]

UCLA was not the only ranked team in the West, but they were most likely the best team in the West. Still he did something that no other men's coach did and has the longest win streak in men's basketball with 88 straight wins.

A couple of those titles came when only one team from each conference got in. The ACC tournament would have 4 or 5 ranked teams and was more competitive.
UCLA was a great program but they got boat rides to the FF, having to play teams like Long Beach St., N Mexico or Montana while top 10 teams in the east and mid-east banged heads.

 

[sun]

Ayanna Patterson: UConn Women's Basketball Big East Media Day - 10/18/22​

 

[cgshuskie]

Expect the lady introduced by Sun above, to be a new Uconn star, beginning now!

 

[sun]

Most of the time Azzi is turned away from the mic except for near the end.

 

[Stymie]

Expect the lady introduced by Sun above, to be a new Uconn star, beginning now!

Damn straight.

 

[Alydar]

UCLA was not the only ranked team in the West, but they were most likely the best team in the West. Still he did something that no other men's coach did and has the longest win streak in men's basketball with 88 straight wins.

Would Wooden have won 11 NCAA's if UCLA had played in the ACC in those years? Only one team per conference got in the NCAA's. The ACC tournament was better entertainment than the NCAA's. Same in the B1G.

 

[Plebe]

Would Wooden have won 11 NCAA's if UCLA had played in the ACC in those years? Only one team per conference got in the NCAA's. The ACC tournament was better entertainment than the NCAA's. Same in the B1G.

I don't understand this hypothetical. The ACC did not prove itself to be a dominant conference in that era based on results in the NCAA tournament.

Out of Wooden's 10 (not 11) NCAA titles, the ACC representative only reached the Final Four on four occasions (Duke in 1964; UNC in 1967, 1968 and 1972).

Of those four years, UCLA played the ACC champ twice:
-- In 1964, they beat Duke by 15.
-- In 1968, they beat UNC by 23.

I'm not seeing the evidence to indicate that Wooden would've lost in those years if UCLA had played in the ACC, since they dominated the ACC champs on the 2 occasions they faced them in those 10 years, and in 6 of those years the ACC champ wasn't even good enough to reach the Final Four.

 

[Alydar]

I don't understand this hypothetical. The ACC did not prove itself to be a dominant conference in that era based on results in the NCAA tournament.

Out of Wooden's 10 (not 11) NCAA titles, the ACC representative only reached the Final Four on four occasions (Duke in 1964; UNC in 1967, 1968 and 1972).

Of those four years, UCLA played the ACC champ twice:
-- In 1964, they beat Duke by 15.
-- In 1968, they beat UNC by 23.

I'm not seeing the evidence to indicate that Wooden would've lost in those years if UCLA had played in the ACC, since they dominated the ACC champs on the 2 occasions they faced them in those 10 years, and in 6 of those years the ACC champ wasn't even good enough to reach the Final Four.

Let me try and be clearer. Let's make a hypothetical bracket in which the all the top teams are on one side of the bracket while the No 1 team is on the other side with teams numbered 33-64. That No. 1 team would have a much better chance of making the final than if it was on the other side. That, to a lesser degree, is the advantage UCLA had in the NCAA's when seeding kept teams in their own region.

Then imagine if only one team from a wcbb conference gets into the NCAA's. Any at-large teams would have to be independents. It would give a team like UConn an advantage. (And it would make the P-5 tournaments much more exciting to watch). And if UConn were in the ACC or the PAC12 under those conditions they likely wouldn't have been to so many FF's.

 

[Alydar]

I don't see the evidence that, generally speaking, it was that much more difficult to emerge from the East region.

• In 1964. UCLA's easiest game of the tournament was by far the final vs. Duke (won by 15 points), compared to wins over Seattle (5 points), San Francisco (4 points), and Kansas State (6 points) to get to the final.
  
  
• In 1965, UCLA's toughest game was in the regional final against (once again) San Francisco, in an 8-point win. UCLA then proceeded to trounce Wichita State by 19 and beat Michigan by 11.
  
  
• In 1967, UCLA did dominate its West Region but they still won both of its Final Four games by 15 points (over Houston and Dayton). Dayton had beaten UNC by 14 in the semifinal game. So how tough was the ACC, really, if UNC couldn't even stay close to a team that in turn couldn't even stay close to UCLA?
  
  
• In 1968, UCLA's closest contest was its first game vs. New Mexico State (58-49). In the Final Four they absolutely demolished Houston by 32 and UNC by 23.
  
  
• In 1969 their toughest game was against Drake (Midwest Regional champ) by 3 points in the semifinal. In the final they dominated Purdue by 20.
  
  
• In 1970 they were extremely dominant and beat Jacksonville by 11 in the final. ACC champ NC State lost its very first game to St. Bonaventure by 12.
  
  
• In 1971, UCLA's closest game was a 2-point win over Long Beach State in the regional final. They beat Villanova and Kansas in the Final Four by 8 and 6 points.
  
  
• 1972 was a rare year where UCLA had a struggle only against a team from the East (a 5-point win over Florida State in the final).
  
  
• In 1973 they dominated everyone by double digits.
  
  
• (1975 was the first year that at-large teams were selected, so not really germane to the topic at hand.)

== ==

So overall, based on the NCAA tournament games that UCLA played -- which ones they dominated compared to which ones were close -- there's little to indicate that the other regions were clearly more competitive. If that were true, we should see a clear consistent pattern of blowouts in the regional games and close struggles in the Final Four, and that's just not the case overall across all 10 of the title years.

I'm not suggesting that UCLA wasn't the best team in many years. My point is that the best team often gets beat in single-elimination tournaments and UCLA had a much easier path than eastern teams. Who did UCLA play for the PAC title? And Duke? Who did Duke play to get to the final?