Butler Postgame Thread

[eebmg]

Charde Huston was screamed off the floor during a FF lost to Stanford. Courtney Ekmark was brought to the brink of tears during a practice on the UCONN all access show. CW was visibly upset during a game last year before CD intervened and translated Geno wrath for her. It happens.

It falls under 'Better to be screamed at then ignored' . In perspective, he knows Nika is worth correcting.

 

[uconnfan68]

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.

It looked like Geno did all he could to keep it in double figures. Can’t tell them to miss.

 

[Woof 101]

A good high school team beat a mediocre middle school team.

No attack, UConn a good high school team??? Did you ever have one you would like to have back?

Sorry but that game did not even serve as a useful scrimmage.

Hate to disagree and no attack but in these times any game you can get is useful. A conference game against unfamiliar faces no matter the level is better than playing teammates day in and day out. Having any game with officials is also very important as practice defense is often a little softer than that of any opponent.

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.

Not going to attack your typo, Anna had a decent game as usual. Otherwise Geno would not have afforded her 24 minutes. This game was never on the line, she had 5 rebounds, 6 assists, and 3 steals with only 1 turnover and 1 foul. What more would someone ask for one coming off the bench? Rebounds, assists and steals often result in points, not everyone on the team has to be a scorer, you need facilitators. That's where I see Anna fitting in at this time.

Enough replies, I will be short as the game rundowns will be coming in long and detailed.
Happy to see some 3 pointers falling, happy to see Nika get through a televised tongue lashing from Geno. Then to get back in the game and do good things.
Final thought for now, I don't care the competition, Paige makes it hard to watch the game as I want to watch her. Very much Larry Bird like of knowing where to be when you don't have the ball. Her passes, her floor awareness, defense is something to behold. Literally going to the other side of the court to cover an unguarded player, barking out orders and then getting a rebound. What a joy.

 

[eebmg]

I agree, but it was still hard to watch. Especially the poking. OTOH, she's young and tough as nails.

She was really spacing out when Geno was just using his voice. He needed to get her attention. The fact that she responded well and had perhaps the best pass of the game is a great step forward imo.

 

[BostonBay]

I agree, but it was still hard to watch. Especially the poking. OTOH, she's young and tough as nails.

Players react differently. In practice, Taurasi would yell back or storm out of practice

 

[BostonBay]

I don't think tears flowed for Nika. They did for DT in the horrible semifinal. On to Nashville.

I was a bit surprised the TV commenters focused on the exchange after the commercial. I was waiting for Geno to use the classic Tom Hanks line - Are you crying? Are you crying? There is no crying in Basketball!!!

 

[Hayven]

I agree, but it was still hard to watch. Especially the poking. OTOH, she's young and tough as nails.

The poking seems to be like “how are you going to respond.” Because she clearly didn’t want to look at Geno, or the tears would have fallen. But Nika’s a competitor. I think she’s her own worst enemy. She’s always the first off the bench it seems, so Geno obviously loves what she does in practice. It’s just not translating to games yet. I wasn’t expecting much from her this season. But Geno’s trying to get her to 20 minutes a game, so she’s clearly doing something right

 

[donalddoowop]

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.

You could say that about Williams in the last game but what did she do tonight? Macerate will be fine.

 

[Huskygamble19]

what I liked about Evina was when that Butler player and her were fighting for the ball under the basket, the Butler player grabbed the ball finally and attempted to get off a shot and Evina slammed it out of bounds and had a opissed off look after that play....Definitely badass award!!

 

[Boreifs]

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.

He was the head coach. They are part of his count.

 

[eebmg]

Writeup from the Butler side (No quotes from the coach)

Bulldogs lose in blowout to UConn; Auriemma moves to second all-time in wins

Bulldogs lose in blowout to UConn; Auriemma moves to second all-time in wins

thebutlercollegian.com

It is always tough to take a loss like this, but the Bulldogs should not feel too bad after losing to a dominant team like UConn. Auriemma’s Huskies are not just one of the greatest women’s college basketball programs ever, they are one of the great dynasties in all of sports. It’s hard to take positives from a game with a scoreline like this one reads, but UConn is simply on a different level than the vast majority of basketball programs, and when they are on their game like they were tonight, they’re nearly impossible to beat.

 

[mhshuskies]

Well it looks like the starting 5 has been set, at least for now, and it appeared that Geno was trying to work in the next 4. That would mean a rotation of of 9, something we haven’t seen in quite a while. Well that should just about do it, oh wait how does Saylor work in?

 

[chrissaran]

Did the announcers realize that Anna didn't take a shot and wasn't looking to take a shot? No, they didn't need her scoring, but what happens when there's a game when they do need her scoring? You can't be on the court if you're not willing to take a shot. Yes, she had 6 assists, 5 rebounds and 3 steals. You have to be willing to shoot; otherwise, they'll double team someone else.

 

[pvdoggy]

So I just watched the replay of the play where Nika got yanked and chewed out by Geno. Some people here said that Geno was pissed because she did not show any effort and give up on that play. I probably don't know enough basketball to judge but I guess I did not see it that way. Looks to me like she got beat but the Butler player was driving right into where Mir was defending so Nika ran out to try to defend another player but she seems to get lost. I did not see no-effort there. We can all speculate why Geno was mad, but we will never know. The play in question was at the 1:50 mark left in Q3.

 

[mephime]

Game highlights

 

[Littlemin]

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.

You put that much stock in a game against a team with only a couple of legitimate players, and that is probably a stretch? Frankly, Butler did not have a player who would see a minute for Uconn, ever. I think that will be the starting 5 going forward for now but for the season?

 

[pvdoggy]

You put that much stock in a game against a team with only a couple of legitimate players, and that is probably a stretch? Frankly, Butler did not have a player who would see a minute for Uconn, ever. I think that will be the starting 5 going forward for now but for the season?

That seems kind of harsh. Their guard Okako Adika seems pretty good, as good as Uconn defense was tonight, she was able to score 18 points pretty easily. I think she could get more than a minute playing for Uconn.

 

[Littlemin]

That seems kind of harsh. Their guard Okako Adika seems pretty good, as good as Uconn defense was tonight, she was able to score 18 points pretty easily. I think she could get more than a minute playing for Uconn.

Ok, I admit hyperbole on my part, but I am a bit taken aback by the reaction to the “game.” I guess being relatively new to the board has something to do with it, but I am frankly surprised people think they can gleam ANYTHING meaningful from last night, the teams were that mismatched. Just my opinion.

 

[JordyG]

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

She wasn't holding back those tears. She was crying and heaving.

 

[JordyG]

Nika just didn't miss an assignment her player blew by her with the ball (it happens to all of them) but then she gave up! Literally & noticeably gave up! Geno yanked her and lit into her because he does not coach effort and that lack of effort hurts him to his core. Nika recovered nicely once he put her back in the game. The remarkable part is he put her back in the game-he is getting soft

Geno's playing the long game.

 

[cbraarj]

1989 suspension was for a scheduling error.

Too many games

 

[da60]

Some thoughts of Butler game..1st I want to commend Coach for how he handled Nika. Remember, she is just a kid, over from Europe & away from her foreign environment, family, etc. I saw coach ream her out, But I watched the body language between the 2. Geno definitely was upset with himself for making the kid shed some tears, which were visible...he kept talking and talking to her and worked to win her over emotionally...if you noticed he physically poked at her, which to me shows compassion. He has dealt with young female athletes for the bulk of his life...he knows what he is doing and when he realizes that he may have gone over the line....he makes nice and pulls back. It was like a kid being in the hs guidance office. Coach is uniquely dealing with a Very young team. He has had the misfortune of pulled games....he is coaching his brains out.
I hope that the team will pull together after this 'scrimmage'. I have some similar memories of such situations back in the day. Nika will be fine...just hoping to see a lot out of this year's team. Go girls!
t

 

[JordyG]

You know, Stanford loses to a Colorado team that lost to the Denver Pioneers (?) and people go, "Well tough loss, they'll be back". UConn beats a team they should crush by 68 and this board shrugs and some disparage the team.
I guess you can't win from losing but you can lose from winning.

 

[cbraarj]

This was nothing more than an inter-mural pick-up game. Nothing more than a sweat to work on the game legs. Butler would be last in the AAC.

 

[MilfordHusky]

I just rewatched the game. Nika did get beaten badly on defense, but she then circled around and went to look for someone else to cover. I didn't see a lack of effort at all. I've seen other Huskies beaten as badly this year. Nika is an emotional person, usually with positive emotions. She was very upset. To their mutual credit, Geno put her back in, and Nika responded with solid play and a couple of nice assists.