Buffalo post game thread (merged thread)

[Plebe]

Geez, can this woman be our next president? Or something like that?

Seems like a great person to be around. Need more of her and other people like her in the world.

 

[tomcat]

Sometimes you occasionally throw up stinker in a single elimination tourney. It may turn out to be a positive that we got a game like that out of our system in the early rounds. Hopefully it's just an aberration.

Man, I sure hope you're right. But I really worry about this team's ability to play wonderfully for a while (the first quarter was amazing) and then to disappear as the game wears on. This goes way beyond not having a killer instinct. This goes to totally losing focus, not being able to shoot, missing layups,passes to no one, defensive lapses (and not just by ONO). Buffalo is a good but not great team and was playing on adrenaline for a while. But UConn should have been able to handle this team.

And while I'm thinking about it..... Remember how we used to be able to almost count on a late second quarter/early third quarter run that absolutely crushed the opposition?This is probably painfully obvious to the many of you who know the sport better than I, but this is not a team that, IMHO, can do that, and it really hurts them. It also is a team that, for all the good players who we love, is not very complex. I don't generally see the "Look for the extra pass" play all that much. It is much more of a three-point-shot or in to Napheesa kind of team. Once in a while Crystal shows off an amazing pass, but they just aren't able to do the stuff earlier teams coulddo.

 

[BobbyJ]

Is there ANY similarity between Felicia's presser and a Holly presser?

They both speak English?

 

[socalhusky]

Hard to describe what I'm trying to say. It truly is an etiquette kind of thing. Like not yelling when your opponent is putting. Not really in the rulebook per say.
You don't hold your arms straight out like Lou did. The defender does not have the right to occupy that space. It's like "cheating". If you want that space as a defender, you have to step into that space and then you'll risk getting driven by. That space should be empty space. If the offensive player wants it, there is risk reward there too, such as getting the ball taken from you or your shot blocked.
It is also understood that the arms are critical for a players balance, so arms are fairly used in that regard, such as arms out from your sides while defending a dribbler. But you cannot hand-check or impede another players movement with these outstretched arms. Again, that creates an unfair advantage for the defender in this case.
Almost all foul decisions are based on fair versus unfair advantage, such as getting your feet set, occupying space in a defensive mode, and verticality.
What do you do if a defender "cheats" and it's not called? Sorry, "old school"- you give them a shot in the ribs and/or swat their arms out of the way.
Long story short- the integrity of UConn is like no other in history- let's play the game the right way.
BTW Stop reacting to foul calls! It serves no purpose. That's Geno's job! Period! Makes us look like prima donnas. Hand the ball to the ref and get in position. Move your damn feet and stop grabbing and they won't call a foul.

No this is wrong. There is no etiquette about this. Have you watched an NBA game? They face guard all the time. That is why James Harden and others are so good at drawing that foul. You stick your hand in that space he will come up for a shot before you can react. For those saying she did not foul or that it was ticky tack are also wrong. The replay from the baseline clearly shows that Dillard came up quickly and Samuelson got here forearm. Smart play and we were lucky she did not make the shot for a 4 point play.

 

[Carnac]

Christyn was out with two fouls. Liv can’t play the way Christyn can

Most of us understand that depending who in is the game at any given time, determines what you (as a coach) can do or run (similar to what the reserves can/can't do in garbage time when they're on the floor). Any coach worth his/her salt knows that. The difference in skill levels between the starters and the bench players vary from team to team.

On some teams, the difference is almost nil, allowing the coach to substitute freely. On other teams like UConn and Notre Dame, the chasm is a bit wider. I'm sure most fans noticed when Crystal picked up her 4th foul late in the game, Geno switched her off of Dillard. Similar to trying to protect a player with 2 fouls in the 1st half by going to a zone from a man to man if you really don't want (or can afford) to take that player out of the game at that time.

How much would the game have been impacted if Collier had been in serious foul trouble, and had to sit for the better part of a quarter? Who ended UConn's scoring drought in the 4th quarter?


When Coombs is in the game, she's not going to give you the same options on offense that Williams will when she's in the game. Coaches know their players and what they can (can't) do. Geno knows what he is doing.
It's interesting that some folks still question his player management decisions after all these years. I wonder what the tenor of the comments would have been had UConn lost?

 

[Carnac]

For comp

Players generally are permitted freedom of movement on the court. Players are also entitled to the vertical space they occupy. If Lou's hands were straight up and Dillard jumped into her, the foul should have been called on Dillard. In this instance, Lou's hands were extended 2 feet in front of her. Dillard was entitled to that space whether Lou was moving her arm or not. Dillard's move was a "pro move" you often see from really good shooters in the NBA, to force the contact.

Another way to explain the foul is to compare it to a foul that is called on a screen. The screener may have her feet set well in advance, but if they are set too wide, and the defender trips over one of their legs, the foul should be called on the offensive player. This is a problem that Liv has had often this season when she sets a screen with those two long legs of hers set wide.

I've noticed that too. Most of the time she probably got away with setting that type of screen in HS. She'll adjust. The perfect screen is the one the defensive player never sees. There's an art to setting a great screen. It's one not learned overnight.

 

[oldude]

I've noticed that too. Most of the time she probably got away with setting that type of screen in HS. She'll adjust. The perfect screen is the one the defensive player never sees. There's an art to setting a great screen. It's one not learned overnight.

Kyla actually sets the best screens on the team. I forget which game it was, but earlier in the season Kyla absolutely blindsided a defender laying her out on a screen. To the credit of the officials, they allowed the play to proceed while the defender was wondering if someone got the license plate of the truck that hit her.

 

[DEpup]

For what it's worth, this Buffalo team put up 82 points at Oregon and they gave Stanford a scare, before losing by 7. Last year, they also gave SC and Aja Wilson a scare in the Sweet 16. The Bulls are for real.

I agree. I think their seeding was way too low.

 

[DEpup]

Most of us understand that depending who in is the game at any given time, determines what you (as a coach) can do or run (similar to what the reserves can/can't do in garbage time when they're on the floor). Any coach worth his/her salt knows that. The difference in skill levels between the starters and the bench players vary from team to team.

On some teams, the difference is almost nil, allowing the coach to substitute freely. On other teams like UConn and Notre Dame, the chasm is a bit wider. I'm sure most fans noticed when Crystal picked up her 4th foul late in the game, Geno switched her off of Dillard. Similar to trying to protect a player with 2 fouls in the 1st half by going to a zone from a man to man if you really don't want (or can afford) to take that player out of the game at that time.

How much would the game have been impacted if Collier had been in serious foul trouble, and had to sit for the better part of a quarter? Who ended UConn's scoring drought in the 4th quarter?


When Coombs is in the game, she's not going to give you the same options on offense that Williams will when she's in the game. Coaches know their players and what they can (can't) do. Geno knows what he is doing.
It's interesting that some folks still question his player management decisions after all these years.

I disagree about Geno this time. I usually defend him when folks are negative about him but last night I could have inflicted bodily harm. When CD got the fouls and Dillard heated up, he should have put Coombs in there to do some face guarding and take some fouls. I was really disappointed in his decision making which I think led to Danger making crazy decisions to try and navigate 4 fouls. Danger wasn't hitting any shots anyway so Coombs playing defense would have been fine for a few minutes.

And I go back to terrible recruiting. When MW couldn't get it together, there was no one to go to...The failure to get a big with Danger in her recruiting year is just killing this team.

Thank god for Napheesa and CW!

I feel better getting that off my chest and folks can jump all over me and I don't care.

 

[oldude]

I agree. I think their seeding was way too low.

I don’t have a problem with the seeding. Buffalo was 12-6 in the MAC, and only got into the BIg Dance by winning their conference tournament. With that said, they are a well coached team, who played their best basketball of the season in March, when it counts the most.

 

[PAHuskeyFan]

Anyone know if there is a Duke MBB board like the Boneyard? If so, I can only imagine the doom and gloom being talked about there after the #1 overall seed won their second tournament game by only 1 point the other day ... and could have lost at the end.

 

[donalddoowop]

Why didn't UConn drive the ball at Dillard when she got in foul trouble? No, Scoop. Geno makes some questionable decisions during tourney time. He is not beyond questioning. And don't come to me with the 11 NC response. That is past tense. One last thing. Why doesn't the coaching staff draw up an end of quarter play that seems as if it has been practiced? I've seen better in high school.

 

[mbr33ct]

Why didn't UConn drive the ball at Dillard when she got in foul trouble? No, Scoop. Geno makes some questionable decisions during tourney time. He is not beyond questioning. And don't come to me with the 11 NC response. That is past tense. One last thing. Why doesn't the coaching staff draw up an end of quarter play that seems as if it has been practiced? I've seen better in high school.

Because UConn's starters also had 3-4 fouls each. Why attempt what you suggest only to get the 5th foul? With these refs, who knows which way they were going to be called.

 

[paisan]

Maybe UCONN learned a lesson. Buffalo showed them what real intensity is and how to keep it for the entire game!

 

[oldude]

Maybe UCONN learned a lesson. Buffalo showed them what real intensity is and how to keep it for the entire game!

Buffalo played well, but let's not overstate their intensity. The Bulls came out flat, and played terrible basketball for long stretches of the 1st, 2nd & 3rd qtrs., all of which they lost to UConn. To their credit, they played inspired ball in the 4th qtr, which, imo, was a result of using a 10 player rotation vs UConn's 6.

 

[phil sampieri]

I don't think Mikayla was a good defensive matchup on Dillard. Dillard is not fast but a master manipulator who relies on defensive overplay and miscues. Mikayla would have likely been baited out of position too much.

Mikayla should find more significiant minutes on more traditional speed guards

The only way you can limit a great scorer like she is, is to guard her so closely and deny her the ball. Mo Jeff was the best, even when you were trying to take thye ball out of bounds

 

[tower1]

Lots of points left on the table (11 or 12 missed free throws.). UConn will need those points going forward. That’s too many.

Walker couldn’t buy a basket it seemed like.

Rebounding was atrocious in first half.

Horrendous 4th quarter.

Crystal played her worst game of the season.

Buffalo is darn good. Much more aggressive than UConn tonight. Looked like they wanted it more to be honest.

Lots to clean up and out of time.

Rebounding is terrible. Doesn't Geno see what everybody else sees that our players run back on defence as soon as the ball is shot? No one attempts to go for an offensive rebounds.

 

[donalddoowop]

Because UConn's starters also had 3-4 fouls each. Why attempt what you suggest only to get the 5th foul? With these refs, who knows which way they were going to be called.

It did not stop Dillard from taking it to UConn.

 

[mbr33ct]

It did not stop Dillard from taking it to UConn.

I guess, when she got her fourth foul at the 1:01 mark of final minute.

 

[oldude]

Rebounding is terrible. Doesn't Geno see what everybody else sees that our players run back on defence as soon as the ball is shot? No one attempts to go for an offensive rebounds.

As info, both Lou and Pheesa had 5 offensive rebounds each, and Lou earned several additional trips to the foul line with her work on the offensive boards. As a team, UConn had 18 offensive boards to Buffalo’s 25, but Buffalo missed quite a few more shots than UConn, giving them more opportunities for offensive rebounds.

 

[JoePgh]

As info, both Lou and Pheesa had 5 offensive rebounds each, and Lou earned several additional trips to the foul line with her work on the offensive boards. As a team, UConn had 18 offensive boards to Buffalo’s 25, but Buffalo missed quite a few more shots than UConn, giving them more opportunities for offensive rebounds.

Indeed, that point deserves emphasis. UConn undoubtedly had major problems clearing their defensive boards, but the offset to that was that they did very well on the offensive boards, including in the fourth quarter when shots were not falling. They got several rebounds off of UConn's own missed free throws, which really doesn't happen very often.

I thought that Kara Lawson's analysis was very accurate -- she said they gave up a ton of offensive rebounds early when they were extending the defense to take Dillard out of her offensive game. The defense in the opening minutes succeeded in doing that, but it meant that the defensive boards were left untended. When the foul trouble set in, they had to get out of the extended defense, and that helped the defensive rebounding but allowed Dillard to do her offensive thing.

They need to solve the problem at least before they play Louisville (hopefully), because Asia Durr presents the same or greater offensive problems as Dillard. UConn should be able to handle Louisville's bigs, as long as they can stay in a man defense and box out. That means that they have to avoid foul trouble in that game.

 

[paisan]

The rebounding deficit came on the defensive end. Seemed like when a husky shot , the rest of the team stood there watching or looking for the fast break.
In addition to the turnovers, how many loose balls and rebounds bounced off their hands or were knocked out of their hands. I counted at least 6 balls that bounced out of Walkers hands. Add that to 4 or five missed bunnies and that is 10 lost possessions from just one player.

 

[mbr33ct]

The rebounding deficit came on the defensive end. Seemed like when a husky shot , the rest of the team stood there watching or looking for the fast break.
In addition to the turnovers, how many loose balls and rebounds bounced off their hands or were knocked out of their hands. I counted at least 6 balls that bounced out of Walkers hands. Add that to 4 or five missed bunnies and that is 10 lost possessions from just one player.

I'm trying to figure out your "deficit" came on the defensive end for rebounds. If it's an offensive rebound for Buffalo, does that make it a defensive rebound for UConn? The box score says UConn had 27 defensive rebounds to 25 offensive rebounds for Buffalo. Where is the deficit or am I not looking at these rebounds correctly?

 

[Carnac]

Why didn't UConn drive the ball at Dillard when she got in foul trouble? No, Scoop. Geno makes some questionable decisions during tourney time. He is not beyond questioning. And don't come to me with the 11 NC response. That is past tense. One last thing. Why doesn't the coaching staff draw up an end of quarter play that seems as if it has been practiced? I've seen better in high school.

Normally I would agree with that approach, but........................have you forgotten that all of the starters except Christyn had 4 fouls? If he were to employ the tactics you suggest, and one of them gets a charging call, he loses a starter. To go a step further, whoever Dillard was guarding should have driven on her every time after she returned to the floor with her sprained ankle. Her ability to move (run) was restricted. Hell, my old ass could have went by her. It's easy to coach the team from the comfort of our arm chairs. We don't get second guessed.

 

[Urshurak]

It would have been cool if the Buffalo players stayed after the game and showed UConn how to shoot free throws. That would have been great and much appreciated. In comparison with UCLA, they shot 20-21 against Maryland. Seriously, this could be the difference in the game Friday.