Butler Postgame Thread

[Littlemin]

Sorry but that game did not even serve as a useful scrimmage. No one’s fault obviously but take nothing out of that game other than Griffin solidified herself as the 5th starter.

 

[Dokey]

One of the funniest post I've read in a long time.

Well, it was a funny game. Sorry to speak truth to power. I would rather watch a UConn scrimmage. I haven’t missed a UConn game in years. I was bored. Sure our guys did well. Let’s hope Geno can find a competitive team to schedule during our long open stretches.

 

[jabstep]

Yes. But Evina's defense was almost as good I think.

The defensive intensity was the one constant throughout. I liked the way Aaliyah would jump out and spread her wings on switches at the top of the key and then find her way back to her assignment. The defense needs to be constant when the shots aren't falling. Thursday game I hope for more competition. Aubrey is making plays and seems really understand the offense and is starting to take outside shots when open. Yeah, she will hit them like the one at the foul line. Then drive by them to the hoop.

 

[DeeHusky]

A good high school team beat a mediocre middle school team. Of course UConn scored more than a 100. Butler was too short and too few. But you learn nothing from a game like this. We actually have no idea if UConn is actually any good. The last game I watched before this was Colorado-Stanford. Both would have likely taken UConn. It isn’t Geno’s fault. He scheduled the big boys. COVID took them away. Unless UConn can schedule real competition, I don’t like their chances for FF.

You can’t even name three better teams than UConn to say you don’t like their chances, but ok

 

[BostonBay]

I think geno has found his starting 5 for the rest of the season. Question is who earns the bench minutes and how many minutes do they get. UTenn may answer some of those questions.

 

[Lucelab113]

I like Westbrooks facial expression while playing. Cold-blooded executioner.

It's something we desperately need and have been lacking in recent years.

 

[Cornell Lt]

What happened with Nika? She looked upset

The poor girl was trying to hold back tears. But a message was delivered and she responded. Call it tough love and/or good coaching

 

[JordyG]

My favorite moment in the game, aside from Autumn's 3, was when a player for Butler got the ball down low and Aaliyah put her hand in her face and shouted at her "What's up? What's up?" She's got that Charles Oakley attitude that just leaves a grin on my face. When she's in you can hear her voice in the back row.

 

[RedStickHusky]

Geno didn't really pull back on the reins, taking as much advantage as possible from getting an actual game in. Yeah, Butler is Butler but we knocked off some rust and (I think) settled on a starting five. With this much depth, I think bench minutes are going to be situation dependent.

 

[SVCBeercats]

Well............Hooray for Chris Daly getting getting her 1099th win. I fell asleep during the fourth quarter and when I woke up, the game was over. Wow! 103. Did Nika score? Looks like Thursday will be the showdown. Hope they shoot the lights out then.

1099 victories? Seems to me Chris has 1101 victories. She did coach UCONN victories when Geno was not in attendance - Geno suspension in 1989 and Geno absent, reason not remembered, in 2019.

 

[AmeriConn]

Feeling good for Nika scoring her first points. But now feeling bad after Geno gave her an earful on defense. Hoping her teammates rally around her and she shakes it off.

 

[RedStickHusky]

'19 was diverticulitis, wasn't it? What was the suspension for? A recruiting thing?

 

[Alydar]

Sorry but that game did not even serve as a useful scrimmage. No one’s fault obviously but take nothing out of that game other than Griffin solidified herself as the 5th starter.

Lately Stanford got beat by the Massey No 50. Upsets have been pretty common this season. I agree that Butler was very low fruit but after the layoff UConn had I was worried that UConn's timing and shooting might be off. It wasn't. And it could have been a trap game and it wasn't, the defensive energy was great and consistent for the whole game.

 

[Biff]

1099 victories? Seems to me Chris has 1101 victories. She did coach UCONN victories when Geno was not in attendance - Geno suspension in 1989 and Geno absent, reason not remembered, in 2019.

Those games are counted in Geno's 1099.

 

[and one]

Butler was so overmatched that there was nothing to be learned as to where UConn is as team. Just a few thoughts:

Paige just cruised through the game, decided to shoot in the 3rd quarter, played active D, looked for assists. She made some really fast closeouts on shooters.

CW made some baskets and played a good game. She had a nice catch and shoot three, which we don't see much of from this team.

Griff looked like a player. I think she stays a starter. No way to ignore her contributions on both ends of the floor.

As for Nika - she cried on the bench (that's right isn't it?), got her first points, was outscored by Autumn, (but only because she gave up the ball to Autumn when she could have taken the layup) and played a hard-nosed game.

Lots of points but kind of ragged at times. Too few games and no set starting lineup. We'll go into TN without having an established starting five who have had the reps to work together seamlessly. We can still beat them, but let's swap out Griff for Anna as starter and call that our starting team going forward.

 

[Ralph]

two players scored 33 of Butler's 35 points. One shot over 50%. I had to miss most of the game. Who was guarding them. If we had someone to shut them down we could have held them to under 10 points. What is wrong with our team. and if Liv hadn't missed two free throws we could have been 100% from the line. We need to improve.

 

[JonathanXIV]

Yes, Butler didn't have a chance and posed little threat. Having said that, the defensive communication, movement and off the ball defense was the best it has looked this season. Players were jumping out screens with their teams either doubling or switching to another defender. If UConn can keep improving their defense they will be competitive against anyone.

 

[Fairfield Fan]

Macerate appears to be in serious danger of permanent relegation. Took no shots, scored no points. And again, she failed to score when the game was on the line.

 

[Centerstream]

One of the funniest post I've read in a long time.

I wouldn't have said funniest but I have been told a few times that everyone on the BY is entitled to their opinion (no matter how *&%$#%&*ed up it is). Makes me wonder why they are even posting tho.

 

[Centerstream]

Macerate appears to be in serious danger of permanent relegation. Took no shots, scored no points. And again, she failed to score when the game was on the line.

Who?

 

[Fairfield Fan]

Once again, a strong game from McLean: 6 points in just 10 minutes. The team really clicked in the second half with Edwards, McLean, and Griffin.

 

[UConnCat]

Who?

I hope we figure out who it is because she is in serious danger.

 

[The CDR-Ret]

Some thoughts on the Butler game:

• A little uneven at times tonight. I would really love to see just how well this UConn team could play if they are ever able to get in a bunch of games in a row to gain some consistency in their execution.
• Aubrey earned the start tonight with her play vs Providence, and she will remain the starter against the longer, more athletic LV’s. Aubrey just continues to make plays. She was the X-factor in last year’s TN game.
• Nice scoring balance with all 5 starters in double figures. Good to see Christyn find her game.
• Mir’s energy, defense and rebounding continue to impress.
• Nika is no longer 0 for America. If you’re finally going to make a shot, it might as well be a 3! But it should be pointed out that she was outscored by Autumn.

I particularly liked C Williams steal and score with under 4 seconds in the first half.

 

[AmeriConn]

Who?

You know. Macerate, the player from Greece.

 

[BBallF]

Feeling good for Nika scoring her first points. But now feeling bad after Geno gave her an earful on defense. Hoping her teammates rally around her and she shakes it off.

We all do. She's thousands of miles away from her family and alone except for her team. She was visibly upset and
I think a part of that besides Geno's criticism is that she is very intense and tries so very hard and has been struggling through injuries this year which have held her back. She did well tonight when she went back in as you knew she would. She is a very good player and a great teammate and at some point real soon we are going to see real growth and development by her.