BIG SCORES

[Charliebball]

If that's how you want to read my comment...so be it. I was responding to the original post about why we were so excited about this win... and using an example that WS beat USF recently to show that WS has something...they beat the #2 team in conference, AND one that has been in Top 25 most of the season.

if the question is was UConn that good or was WS that bad, I would say a bit of both....................I know teams have good days and bad but that was as noncompetitive a team as I've seen in a while so taken in that context for USF to have lost to them seems hard to believe............

 

[driver]

Yes.

How did this game get us ready for Louisville?

 

[HuskyNan]

How did this game get us ready for Louisville?

1. The starters got some much needed rest.
1a. See #1
2. Crystal knocked off any rust, not that I noticed any, but she's back in the flow
3. Having Crystal back, the offense flowed beautifully and the team's confidence after a brutal UCF game is restored
4. The bench played very, very well and there may be more minutes available to them after this showing
5. The Huskies had FUN which relieves a lot of the mental pressure to be intense 100% of every game. These are young people who carry the weight of expectations of UConn fans, not an easy task. This type of game takes some of that pressure off them.

 

[PAHuskeyFan]

1. The starters got some much needed rest.
1a. See #1
2. Crystal knocked off any rust, not that I noticed any, but she's back in the flow
3. Having Crystal back, the offense flowed beautifully and the team's confidence after a brutal UCF game is restored
4. The bench played very, very well and there may be more minutes available to them after this showing
5. The Huskies had FUN which relieves a lot of the mental pressure to be intense 100% of every game. These are young people who carry the weight of expectations of UConn fans, not an easy task. This type of game takes some of that pressure off them.

And #6, our ladies and coach got rid of any bad taste in their mouths that may have been lingering since the shelter smelter game vs UCF... perhaps a bit of a confidence booster.

 

[HuskyBandDad]

Did this game really get UCONN ready for Louisville?

No

 

[Charliebball]

I guess we'll find out after the Louisville game...........

 

[UConnCat]

I guess we'll find out after the Louisville game......

What will we find out after the Louisville game?

 

[Phil]

I love UCONN BB, but we get so excited about blowing out teams that don't have a chance to beat us. Stats are huge and everyone is falling all over themselves when we crush a team like we did today against Wichita. It's great to celebrate and feel good but let's not forget who the competition is in these games.r

Wichita St is ranked 148. Louisville has 7 opponents with worse rankings. UConn has 8 opponents with worse rankings. Mississippi State has 6 opponents with worse rankings. In other words, not a particularly challenging opponent, but we and other have far worse.

 

[HuskyBandDad]

And #6, our ladies and coach got rid of any bad taste in their mouths that may have been lingering since the shelter smelter game vs UCF... perhaps a bit of a confidence booster.

I did not hear all of them but not according to Geno's comments after the UCF game.
I don't think Uconn needs any game as a confidence booster.

 

[Phil]

We're forced to play Wichita State. No one forces Coach Mulkey to schedule the garbage teams she does year in year out just because she is scared to leave the state of Texas. The starters in today's game played a little more than half the minutes. Do people really expect the starters to sit out after the first quarter in these types of games? Only people jealous of UConn's success complain about this stuff.

Baylor's strength of schedule is ranked #12. Not as high as UConn, but hardly chopped liver.

 

[Phil]

What will we find out after the Louisville game?

Who won.

 

[oldude]

Wichita St is not some 3rd world basketball program. Their men’s team is a perennial national power. There is big money behind the program (Koch Brothers). Keitha Adams was brought in with the express goal of elevating Wichita St WBB to the elite level.

It’s worth noting that Adams did not appear to have any problem with how UConn played other than her comment to Geno after the game that, “he should not have taken off the press” which was giving the Shockers fits at the start of the game.

She acknowledged that her team got their butts kicked and they needed to work really hard to become a better basketball team.

I would love to see other teams like UCF & Wichita St step up in the AAC to give the Huskies a run for their money.

 

[phil sampieri]

I love UCONN BB, but we get so excited about blowing out teams that don't have a chance to beat us. Stats are huge and everyone is falling all over themselves when we crush a team like we did today against Wichita. It's great to celebrate and feel good but let's not forget who the competition is in these games.r

Thanks for the reminder. We all forget that when we were in the Big East Conference ( the best conference then) we still had to play some teams that were not
on our level as all other conference teams have to. Also, name one team that plays a tougher out of conference schedule than UConn, you can't. Lastly we would be in a tougher conference
but because our football team does not meet the criteria and because many of the better teams don't want us in their conference so they can remain the top dogs.Sorry for the
venting but tired of hearing the negative vibes about our blowouts because I appreciate beautiful basketball blowout or tough one.

 

[PAHuskeyFan]

I did not hear all of them but not according to Geno's comments after the UCF game.
I don't think Uconn needs any game as a confidence booster.

OK...what ever....

BUT, just to clarify basis of my comment... (a) at UCF presser, Geno said... words to the effect of "I'm sure our fans are worried by how we played...that we won't get out of 1st or 2nd round of NCAA Tournament if we play like this.".... and in WS post game pressers at least one of our players (Gabby, I think) said something like...."We didn't like how we played in our last game (i.e., UCF) and we wanted to come out and play hard from the beginning..." I know these are not exact quotes, but, they are pretty close what they said... thus MY interpretation of... (a) bad taste, and (b) restore order (whch could be interpreted as "confidence boost")...

 

[PAHuskeyFan]

Its more of an insult to the opposing team to "Not try" .
These players are D1 college scholarship players who lost to a #12 Tenn team by 12 points.
They just faced a "Tsunami" of talent today.

Completely agree... to not try is more insulting!

 

[Bama fan]

What will we find out after the Louisville game?

Who won and the score for a start. But you know that so let's wait and see.

 

[pacific 44]

Just convince the right people in a tougher conference and Uconn's hierarchy will surely jump right in.

 

[UConnCat]

The question of whether the Wichita State game "prepared" UConn or is a good enough tune-up for Louisville is silly. Did playing Tulane prepare UConn to win convincingly against South Carolina? Notre Dame played Georgia Tech before playing Louisville. Is that game the reason Notre Dame folded like a cheap suit against Louisville?

The Wichita State game was on the schedule and it just so happens it's the game before the Louisville game. As with any game I'm sure there were things the staff and players wanted to accomplish, things @HuskyNan mentioned above. The team played well. They enjoyed themselves. They look to have a good mindset going in to Monday night. The crowd was big and energized. They played for a good cause. The starters were rested. Crystal got back in the flow. What more is there to say?

The UConn staff and players know the difference between Wichita State and Louisville. It's February and UConn has played Maryland, Notre Dame, Texas and South Carolina. They know what a good opponent looks like. If UConn isn't prepared to play Louisville on Feb 12 the reason won't be because the opponent on Saturday wasn't very good. I don't know for sure if UConn will win tomorrow night. It's a Big Monday game on ESPN2 and against a top 5 team. UConn generally shows up and plays well in these sorts of games. I'm looking forward to it.

 

[Gus Mahler]

Its more of an insult to the opposing team to "Not try" .
These players are D1 college scholarship players who lost to a #12 Tenn team by 12 points.
They just faced a "Tsunami" of talent today.

Excellent point. At Tennessee. WSU led after one and played the LVs even in the fourth.

 

[oldude]

Whether or not Wichita St helps UConn prepare for Louisville can be debated, but what should not be in question is that an early Saturday game, followed by a tough Monday night game helps the Huskies prepare for the quick turnaround that they will face on 3 successive weekends during the Big Dance if all goes according to plan.

Geno has said as much on numerous occasions.

 

[Centerstream]

I am wondering if the zone press that the Kids used in the 1st quarter was a preview of the Louisville game or a swerve for that game. Whatever Geno's reason, it certainly laid the foundation for the blowout!!!

 

[HuskyBandDad]

OK...what ever....

BUT, just to clarify basis of my comment... (a) at UCF presser, Geno said... words to the effect of "I'm sure our fans are worried by how we played...that we won't get out of 1st or 2nd round of NCAA Tournament if we play like this.".... and in WS post game pressers at least one of our players (Gabby, I think) said something like...."We didn't like how we played in our last game (i.e., UCF) and we wanted to come out and play hard from the beginning..." I know these are not exact quotes, but, they are pretty close what they said... thus MY interpretation of... (a) bad taste, and (b) restore order (whch could be interpreted as "confidence boost")...

Geno said that very sarcastically as a jab at the fans who are worried and complain about not winning every game by 50.

 

[Charliebball]

Geno said that very sarcastically as a jab at the fans who are worried and complain about not winning every game by 50.

I get his point but wasn't Geno the one who wanted to give a refund to every fan who attended a game recently due to his team's "disgraceful display"

 

[HuskyBandDad]

I get his point but wasn't Geno the one who wanted to give a refund to every fan who attended a game recently due to his team's "disgraceful display"

Yes he did. Geno being Geno. Playing mind games with his players and the fans.
The problem is the fans take Geno's comments more seriously and personally than the players do.

 

[PAHuskeyFan]

Geno said that very sarcastically as a jab at the fans who are worried and complain about not winning every game by 50.

And I suppose Geno kept the team in the locker room for entire half time (according to SNY announcers) of UCF game because he was so happy with the game??