Bracketology - 1/16/24

[TheFarmFan]

So, that's what you really think of us.

I mean, they have a point: is it a real rivalry if one team has beaten the other 4 out of the last 5 times, with the one win a squeaker in overtime?

 

[RSHERMVIKES]

The NCAA seeding committee for WCBB is all about the profit margin and big money says keeping the best teams close to home draws the BIG BUCKS!
USC in Albany and UCONN in Portland will not draw the same as the other way around!
Bet the ranch!

 

[UConnCat]

I mean, they have a point: is it a real rivalry if one team has beaten the other 4 out of the last 5 times, with the one win a squeaker in overtime?

And if the other beat that one team 8 straight before the other team finally won a game? I say no.

 

[TheFarmFan]

There just isn't really any bad blood between the two programs or schools where if you lose you want to die afterwards, even a regular season game. Nothing can really replace the Tennessee rivalry in the early aughts and the fire that went into it from both schools but Notre Dame comes very very very close to me. South Carolina is more like Stanford, only "rivals" because both schools are good and compete for championships and recruits. And i think the lack of passion between the two schools results in luke warm national interest. Though I do hope the match-up is a college game day feature this year since ESPN is covering it again.

Part of the challenge is that the UConn, SCAR, and Stanford teams/coaches/players are quite likable, so it's hard to get too fired up. Whereas Tennessee and Notre Dame... (less so Notre Dame these days, but back in the MM/Arike era)

 

[Brewski]

I want to be wherever Iowa is seeded. Our "little team that could" matches up best with them. Paige beats Clark, and the rest of our team beats the rest of their team. Simple.

 

[HuskyNan]

I want to be wherever Iowa is seeded. Our "little team that could" matches up best with them. Paige beats Clark, and the rest of our team beats the rest of their team. Simple.

The Huskies have beaten a Caitlin-led Iowa both times the teams have played, once in a Regional game in Albany and once last year in the PK85 Tournament out west

 

[Brewski]

The Huskies have beaten a Caitlin-led Iowa both times the teams have played, once in a Regional game in Albany and once last year in the PK85 Tournament out west

The 2021 game was a sweet 16 game in San Antonio. The PK85 game in 2022 was in Portland. Marshall, Martin, and Clark started in both those games, and they are still starters this year. I would really love to see them play in the tourney this year. It would be a really fun game to watch!

University of Connecticut Athletics Women's Basketball History vs University of Iowa

The official University of Connecticut Huskies Women's Basketball History vs University of Iowa

uconnhuskies.com

 

[Bone Dog]

The Huskies have beaten a Caitlin-led Iowa both times the teams have played, once in a Regional game in Albany and once last year in the PK85 Tournament out west

Both were great games, some of the best of recent memory.

In the first, Both Paige and Caitlin seemed to suffer from shooter's nerves in the first half and then put together much better second halves. Christyn was tremendous in that game. Evina, too, and Gabby Marshall.

In the second, Iowa led for much of the game. But Azzi took the game over in the 3rd quarter and outplayed Caitlin, and Caroline slammed the door shut in the 4th. Kate Martin shot the lights out which kept it close, and Iowa played really scrappy defense. Aaliyah also was tremendous holding down the front court without Dorka: one particular high hedge that drew a charge from Caitlin really sticks in the memory.

 

[hoopsnloops32]

Both were great games, some of the best of recent memory.

In the first, Both Paige and Caitlin seemed to suffer from shooter's nerves in the first half and then put together much better second halves. Christyn was tremendous in that game. Evina, too, and Gabby Marshall.

In the second, Iowa led for much of the game. But Azzi took the game over in the 3rd quarter and outplayed Caitlin, and Caroline slammed the door shut in the 4th. Kate Martin shot the lights out which kept it close, and Iowa played really scrappy defense. Aaliyah also was tremendous holding down the front court without Dorka: one particular high hedge that drew a charge from Caitlin really sticks in the memory.

Refs aren't calling those charges anymore on Caitlin so I'd like to avoid Iowa until the Final Four if we are lucky enough to get there.

 

[Bone Dog]

Refs aren't calling those charges anymore on Caitlin so I'd like to avoid Iowa until the Final Four if we are lucky enough to get there.

What sticks in my memory of that one was that Caitlin didn't even complain about it. She knew.

 

[hoopsnloops32]

What sticks in my memory of that one was that Caitlin didn't even complain about it. She knew.

I know but I still don't think they are calling them on her this year. I watched her drop her shoulder thrice last night with no call. I guess in the NCAA tourney refs loving putting star players on the bench but yea I don't want to deal with officiating nonsense before I have to.

 

[wbbhoops278]

I know but I still don't think they are calling them on her this year. I watched her drop her shoulder thrice last night with no call. I guess in the NCAA tourney refs loving putting star players on the bench but yea I don't want to deal with officiating nonsense before I have to.

I mean...every time Tiffany Hayes went to the ground it wasn't a foul on the offense either. Just because there is contact doesn't mean there should always be a foul. Good lord this game would be unwatchable.

Physical players use their bodies and I don't see CC being egregious with it or doing it any more than other players like that are. I mean DT is one of the most physical guards to ever play the game (arguably the most physical) and does the same thing (or worse). She always has because as a guard, that's an advantage that she has.

 

[Bone Dog]

I mean...every time Tiffany Hayes went to the ground it wasn't a foul on the offense either. Just because there is contact doesn't mean there should always be a foul. Good lord this game would be unwatchable.

Physical players use their bodies and I don't see CC being egregious with it or doing it any more than other players like that are. I mean DT is one of the most physical guards to ever play the game (arguably the most physical) and does the same thing (or worse). She always has because as a guard, that's an advantage that she has.

Yeah, overly physical play and lowering the shoulder isn't Caitlin's vice. When she was a freshman, hunting foul calls was. But she seems to have backed off on that a bit. Deja Kelly used to be the worst for trying to engineer fouls on drives, but even she seems to have outgrown this odious practice -- the one where they throw themselves to the floor at the end of a drive and then stare imploringly at the ref.

I was noticing the exact opposite tendency in Juju Watkins. She seems to get fouled every time she drive the lane, which she does a lot. But the refs don't whistle even half of them. And even with that she goes to the line a lot. But she doesn't seem interested in whining to the refs about missed calls. She just goes about her game.

 

[darkstar1]

Put us in Iowa’s region in Albany.

Yes, Please.

 

[BRS24]

Closing out this week's Bracketology, OSU and Indiana back in, FSU and VA Tech out. See y'all next week in a new thread!

 

[MSGRET]

Both were great games, some of the best of recent memory.

In the first, Both Paige and Caitlin seemed to suffer from shooter's nerves in the first half and then put together much better second halves. Christyn was tremendous in that game. Evina, too, and Gabby Marshall.

In the second, Iowa led for much of the game. But Azzi took the game over in the 3rd quarter and outplayed Caitlin, and Caroline slammed the door shut in the 4th. Kate Martin shot the lights out which kept it close, and Iowa played really scrappy defense. Aaliyah also was tremendous holding down the front court without Dorka: one particular high hedge that drew a charge from Caitlin really sticks in the memory.

Leading a little over 2:00 minutes more is not much of the game. I also remember in one of the huddles in the 4th quarter Clark was heard telling her teammates to get that #10 out of her face, or something to that effect. I think Clark was something like 9 for 26 because of Nika's harassment of her for almost 40 minutes but she also got something like 12 or 13 assists.

 

[bbsamjj]

Closing out this week's Bracketology, OSU and Indiana back in, FSU and VA Tech out. See y'all next week in a new thread!

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A Portland region with UCLA, UConn, and LSU feels a tad...lopsided to me. I think the seedings are correct as of now, just have a hard time believing they'd put all three in one region.

 

[hoophuskee]

I can't imagine UCONN vs SC not being a strong viewership rating if it were a FF or Finals matchup unless one team really bottoms out. The superstars woul be heavily promoted as well as the coaching matchups as wel as both teams uptempo style of play. To get to teh FF, both teams Offenses would probably be humming.

 

[Alydar]

A Portland region with UCLA, UConn, and LSU feels a tad...lopsided to me. I think the seedings are correct as of now, just have a hard time believing they'd put all three in one region.

After seeing what the committee has done over the last 30 or so years I find your statement more than a little funny.

 

[Monte]

The brackets are aligned for one reason: the most $$$$$$$$$$!