Butler aggression

[carpe diem]

Well, I think we can stop worrying whether Butler can show the proper amount of aggressive play after the game tonight. Time to worry about something else. One possibility is our wonderful Gabby not having a great game.

 

[EricLA]

Well, I think we can stop worrying whether Butler can show the proper amount of aggressive play after the game tonight. Time to worry about something else. One possibility is our wonderful Gabby not having a great game.

Time to bench her... (Gabby). Along with Kia...

 

[Artifact]

'She's a real piece of work'. I enjoyed watching her play ! Don't invade her territory.

 

[RowdyFan]

We don't get CBSSN, so if anyone can share a video of Natalie's "effort" tonight, it would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Kaizen]

Surprisingly, no one applauds Katie Lou.
She has 19 pts, 5 rebs, 2 asts, only 1 TO.
Lou has well accomplished herself as a real good UConn starter...

 

[Mdoggie]

Surprisingly, no one applauds Katie Lou.
She has 19 pts, 5 rebs, 2 asts, only 1 TO.
Lou has well accomplished herself as a real good UConn starter...

She will get hers. We all are excited about the possibilities of Nat.

 

[Kaizen]

Well, I think we can stop worrying whether Butler can show the proper amount of aggressive play after the game tonight. Time to worry about something else. One possibility is our wonderful Gabby not having a great game.

Gabby and Kia will be fine. We cannot expect every player is perfect.
I think the great is once Butler passes this gap she will be a real Natalie Butler as we expected.

 

[uconnfan68]

We don't get CBSSN, so if anyone can share a video of Natalie's "effort" tonight, it would be greatly appreciated.

Cant a video, but it looked like she suckered into the retaliation. She'll be less conspicuous next time she flattens someone.

 

[NVUConnFan]

Cant a video, but it looked like she suckered into the retaliation. She'll be less conspicuous next time she flattens someone.

Yup, Big Nat was suckered into that retaliation. Of course, the ref only saw the 2nd push (Big Nat's), not the first. Just like the NFL.

 

[uconnfan68]

Yup, Big Nat was suckered into that retaliation. Of course, the ref only saw the 2nd push (Big Nat's), not the first. Just like the NFL.

I have to state my objection to "Big Nat". I think Nat is just fine. I'm sure she's tired of hearing that she is big.

 

[JordyG]

In truth I'm starting to worry about Tuck. Clearly she's affected by her knees which is affecting her footwork in the post and her jump shot. I was hoping against hope that she would return next year, but the chances of that seem to be fading before our eyes. Nat still seems raw in a lot of areas both defensively and offensively. During the summer as her thumb heals further her game will need to improve dramatically or the Huskies are going to have a problem down low next year.

 

[HGN]

Clearly no evidence needs to be gathered , she's Guilty.......Butler did it. I was hoping she was innocent . But the replay clearly showed Butler aggressively pushing the ECU player off her and to the floor. The game and play between Butler and the ECU player was getting , let's say , chippy. The refs was right to call a technical. Try to calm the situation.

Butler did it. She's Guilty. We and Butler Escaped ECU. I'm glad we are harboring her and that she is on our side.

 

[NVUConnFan]

I have to state my objection to "Big Nat".

What? Natalie Butler is not a "Big Girl" as our fav Kara Wolters has says many times, as well as Big "Mama Stef" Dolson. So, you think that Natalie Butler is not a "big girl"? I beg to differ.

As to whether she committed a foul or not is an entirely different question. I think she did but, Stewie, as was pointed out during the game and shown on the replays, came over to Big Nat and apparently said as a Senior to a Sophomore: "Knock that stuff off!", or somesuch.

 

[HardHatGuy#2]

The refs was right to call a technical. Try to calm the situation. .

I'm not sure that I concur. The contact was continual; there was no break between the physical work under the basket and Butler turning around to head down the court; the ECU player maintained contact, interfering with Butler, making no move herself to get to the ball OR avoid contact.

I say a double T.

 

[HGN]

I'm not sure that I concur. The contact was continual; there was no break between the physical work under the basket and Butler turning around to head down the court; the ECU player maintained contact, interfering with Butler, making no move herself to get to the ball OR avoid contact.

I say a double T.

Hard hat, I can go along with a double T......But something definitely should have been called. Just to keep the situation from escalating.

 

[HardHatGuy#2]

Hard hat, I can go along with a double T.But something definitely should have been called. Just to keep the situation from escalating.

No argument with that.

 

[CocoHusky]

It was a very chippy physical game the refs swallowed the whistle many times. Can't remember the last time UCONN had two technical fouls from two different players (KLS & Nat). The technical called on Natalie was a flop worthy of ND. The one on KLS was strange and unnecessary because KLS was having such a good game. To be clear I'm saying KLS initiate it and was a fault and I rather she save that for a game when she having a not so good game and needs to get herself or the team going. Not worried about Gabby at all. Napheesa played well also snagging 3 offensive rebounds (in a row) among taller players at point . Beginning to worry about Morgan-her 3 Ball looks flat, she is not finishing at the basket at her normal rate and she is getting out positioned for some rebounds in the post. The one thing Morgan continues to do exceptional well is to kick the ball out of the post-KLS should thank her.

 

[calpedaler]

It was a very chippy physical game the refs swallowed the whistle many times. Can't remember the last time UCONN had two technical fouls from two different players (KLS & Nat). The technical called on Natalie was a flop worthy of ND. The one on KLS was strange and unnecessary because KLS was having such a good game. To be clear I'm saying KLS initiate it and was a fault and I rather she save that for a game when she having a not so good game and needs to get herself or the team going. Not worried about Gabby at all. Napheesa played well also snagging 3 offensive rebounds (in a row) among taller players at point . Beginning to worry about Morgan-her 3 Ball looks flat, she is not finishing at the basket at her normal rate and she is getting out positioned for some rebounds in the post. The one thing Morgan continues to do exceptional well is to kick the ball out of the post-KLS should thank her.

Good summary except Lou didn't get a technical foul. It was a double foul.

 

[ME Husky Fan]

Tuck just in a little funk, where we are in the season and some choices she needs to make are perhaps weighing on her mind, perhaps something else but best to get it our of her system now and then turn it on for the next 10 games or so.. Kia, Gabby, Butler and throw in Tuck for that matter - you can't keep making the same moves every time. Look at what makes Stewie and Moriah successful - they diversify.. If you look at what Kia does in her drives to the bucket, as is the case with both Tuck and Gabby - it's the same moves over and over and when they decide they're going to shoot off of a move, they tend to follow it through (more often than not) and it'd something you can defend against. Butler last night proved she can dominate against smaller teams but she too needs to change it up a bit. Taking her defender out 10-12 feet and taking that jumper seems to be in her comfort zone so stay after it.

 

[uconnfan68]

In truth I'm starting to worry about Tuck. Clearly she's affected by her knees which is affecting her footwork in the post and her jump shot. I was hoping against hope that she would return next year, but the chances of that seem to be fading before our eyes. Nat still seems raw in a lot of areas both defensively and offensively. During the summer as her thumb heals further her game will need to improve dramatically or the Huskies are going to have a problem down low next year.

Not sure you need to that worried about Morgan. She's been facing much smaller, faster players in conference. Lots of 4-5 guard lineups by undermanned teams. She'll be fine when she's playing someone as big or bigger.

 

[huskyd]

Much of the game was "chippy." Teams that lack the ability to play UConn straight up fall into 2 general categories: those that deflate and disappear and those that take their frustrations out by playing reckless, physical games. I thought that EC got way too physical as the game went on. Stewart and Lou were especially roughed up. The danger of someone being seriously injured in games that lack proper officiating is great. I remember some of the bad old days playing Georgetown and Rutgers. ND also had a couple of interior collapsing players not long ago. Liked seeing Natalie standing like Ali over Liston; she was only defending herself.

 

[TitleTown]

Tuck just in a little funk, where we are in the season and some choices she needs to make are perhaps weighing on her mind, perhaps something else but best to get it our of her system now and then turn it on for the next 10 games or so.. Kia, Gabby, Butler and throw in Tuck for that matter - you can't keep making the same moves every time. Look at what makes Stewie and Moriah successful - they diversify.. If you look at what Kia does in her drives to the bucket, as is the case with both Tuck and Gabby - it's the same moves over and over and when they decide they're going to shoot off of a move, they tend to follow it through (more often than not) and it'd something you can defend against. Butler last night proved she can dominate against smaller teams but she too needs to change it up a bit. Taking her defender out 10-12 feet and taking that jumper seems to be in her comfort zone so stay after it.

Tuck has not been the same player since she took the 2 weeks off because of her knee. I am not sure if her knee is still bothering her, she is rusty from the lay off, or she is pressing a little bit, but she is definitely not the same player. I have a feeling that she will start to play more like herself over the next few games.

 

[DaddyChoc]

Much of the game was "chippy." Teams that lack the ability to play UConn straight up fall into 2 general categories: those that deflate and disappear and those that take their frustrations out by playing reckless, physical games. I thought that EC got way too physical as the game went on. Stewart and Lou were especially roughed up. The danger of someone being seriously injured in games that lack proper officiating is great. I remember some of the bad old days playing Georgetown and Rutgers. ND also had a couple of interior collapsing players not long ago. Liked seeing Natalie standing like Ali over Liston; she was only defending herself.

 

[01Neaggrad02]

I missed the game and forgot to DVR it. Sounds like it was one not to be missed. I do not like East Carolina... since they came into the league they have seemed to be overly aggressive and remind me of the Rutgers teams of old where our players would come back home with black and blues all over the place. Is that what happened here?

 

[HardHatGuy#2]

Much of the game was "chippy." Teams that lack the ability to play UConn straight up fall into 2 general categories: those that deflate and disappear and those that take their frustrations out by playing reckless, physical games. I thought that EC got way too physical as the game went on. Stewart and Lou were especially roughed up. The danger of someone being seriously injured in games that lack proper officiating is great. I remember some of the bad old days playing Georgetown and Rutgers. ND also had a couple of interior collapsing players not long ago. Liked seeing Natalie standing like Ali over Liston; she was only defending herself.

I don't want to see ECU put in the same category as RU. The Recidivists were continually overstepping the lines of acceptable play (although I don't recall any of them chasing down a player and punching her in the nose, BG). ECU played hard and never gave up, and while some of their play was on the edge, we've seen as bad from ND often, and I don't think anyone REALLY thinks they play dirty. Heck, Taurasi has done worse to opponents than anything the ECU players did; she was just skilled enough at it not to get caught.

Give credit where it is do; ECU played a great game, given the task at hand and the weapons at their disposal.