Christyn Williams's Final 2: UConn and SC

[Charliebball]

But that is just it, Recruiting is a part of being a good coach and Dawn has accomplished that skill to a certain extent. Also she was able to set a level of discipline that does not have a player taking those crazy shots. She also corralled and meshed two players into an already successful team to win a Championship. One of those players, was one that most other fan bases thought would destroy the chemistry of our team and put up shots similar to the one you mention. By the time that Miss. St. and South Carolina played in National Title Game, Miss. St was supposed to have more depth as Coates was back home. Therefore that does not excuse him if he is such a better coach than Dawn.

Cuevas Moore never takes a bad shot? Also as many here always thought, as good as Coates was, South Carolina became a far better offensive team when she was not on the floor

 

[cbraarj]

Your “best coach in the SEC” hasn’t beaten SC or Dawn in 10+ tries and lost to her three times last year, including twice after the lost of their #2 offensive option. What?

Schaefer is often called the best defensive coach in the league even though Dawn’s defenses consistently outclass and outrank his in most defensive categories year after year after year... Look I don’t mind believing that Schaefer is a great coach, because he is. He’s very good.. but the best in the SEC? What exactly are we basing these statements on? Where are the receipts? Are we calling him the best coach regardless of the facts or are we presenting actual evidence? OR, is he the best because he figured out the key to beating UConn is a 6’7 post player and a 5’4 point guard? That’s literally the only thing I could find.

...But he’s the best coach, so he’ll eventually figure out how to beat the 2nd or 3rd best coach in the league, right?

Dawn hasnt and wont beat Uconn this year! Why did South Carolinas offense play better at the end of the year was because Coates was injured. That opened up the middle instead clogging the middle. This should have been done in Ajas 2nd season with Coates coming off the bench, The only reason the offense changed is because Dawn had no choice to change it. Not her saying to Coates For now I want to bring you off the bench because the lane is to congested with both you and Wilson! By the way Vic did beat the best team and Best coach ever in WCBB! Dawn and South Carolina cant say that! Can they now!

 

[cbraarj]

Puhleeez. If Vic is the best coach, then Dawn is his mother or proverbial Daddy. She has beaten him 10 times in a row. She loses a star player and beats him for an SEC title without her. She, then for good measure, beat him again after his team was making a big run of knocking off 2 #1 seeds and defending champion UConn, again without one of her best players. If, Vic is the best coach, I will continue to endorse the coach #2 in your eyes. I like the results better. Take of the hatoraid.

Truth hurts dont it!

 

[cbraarj]

I know UConn has dominated the last decade with Championships, but sometimes the arrogance is boorish. Aja Wilson was playing like a beast in the tournament and she dominated the frontline that took down UConn two nights before the Nat. Championship Game. Also, during the regular season game last year, UConn won the game at home by 11 but the two transfers both had terrible games as they were still adjusting to their new roles.
By the tourney, they were playing at another level and it is most definitely not a given that the results would have been the same. I know, I know, you think UConn would have been unbeatable, but now we know that was not the case. So you have your opinion and we will have ours.

Just like Gabby dominated her in February and 6 inches shorter! Miss. State couldnt stop her either!

 

[CocoHusky]

y'all SC fans are doing a horrible job of defending Dawn.

Try these:

Dawn=National Champion. Vic has never won a conference championship.

Vic got a lot of credit for coming to Storrs and listening to Geno. Dawn didn’t have to come to Storrs to listen to Geno she was at his side for his Olympic coaching gig and will be his successor for coaching the National team.

SC has never beat UCONN (I donk know about never as some are suggesting). Part of coaching is challenging your team and Dawn was willing to step up and take the challenge and play UCONN. Even if you don’t beat UCONN you are better prepared to beat say Stanford or Missi St. That was not luck that was stepping up to a challenge.

Stay Away from statement like these:

Also she was able to set a level of discipline that does not have a player taking those crazy shots. One of those players, was one that most other fan bases thought would destroy the chemistry of our team and put up shots similar to the one you mention.

Kaela Davis was and remains a poor shooter @GT, @SC & @Wings. @SC Dawn was able to get Davis to play remarkable defense in stretches=Damn good coaching!

Victoria Vivians is also poor shooter if and when Vic gets Vivians to play the kind of defense that Dawn got Davis to play we can renew the conversation.

Also, during the regular season game last year, UConn won the game at home by 11 but the two transfers both had terrible games as they were still adjusting to their new roles.

The UCONN game last year was SC 23rd game of the season. Any player having trouble adjusting to a new role after 22 games is probably never going to get it. Allisha Gray needed no adjustment time @SC and she was well prepared for NCAA tournament and the WNBA. But y’all never get the Dawn detractors to admit that Dawn might have had a lil’ something to do with that.

 

[SCGamecock]

Dawn hasnt and wont beat Uconn this year! Why did South Carolinas offense play better at the end of the year was because Coates was injured. That opened up the middle instead clogging the middle. This should have been done in Ajas 2nd season with Coates coming off the bench, The only reason the offense changed is because Dawn had no choice to change it. Not her saying to Coates For now I want to bring you off the bench because the lane is to congested with both you and Wilson! By the way Vic did beat the best team and Best coach ever in WCBB! Dawn and South Carolina cant say that! Can they now!

Thanks for proving my point. With it being that you have no basis and your argument is strictly personal.

Ciao.

 

[SCGamecock]

Miss St did not get lucky, either against Baylor or UCONN. They beat the two teams that most thought were the top teams in the tourney. Geno had a week to prepare for MSU and was beaten just like Baylor was. Give them the respect they deserve

I think everyone got lucky that Alexis Jones got hurt toward the end of the season and just didn’t have the same physical strength she had when she was playing AA caliber ball earlier in the season.

Nah, let me fix it for you. Baylor got lucky Alexis Jones got hurt because that eventually knocked them out of the tourney... so Baylor never had to face UConn and endure a humiliating loss in the final four. I think that’s how it works, right?

We’re all just lucky. Every win. Even when we’re not playing UConn.. it’s luck. Luck. Luck. Luck.

 

[CocoHusky]

Nah, let me fix it for you. Baylor got lucky Alexis Jones got hurt because that eventually knocked them out of the tourney... so Baylor never had to face UConn and endure a humiliating loss in the final four. I think that’s how it works, right?

We’re all just lucky. Every win. Even when we’re not playing UConn.. it’s luck. Luck. Luck. Luck.

 

[EricSD]

Part of a good rivalry is the "smack" talk that goes back and forth between the fans of teams. I'm certainly enjoying that thus far. I'm very glad Tennessee is no longer a rival, and therefore we don't need to "engage" their fans on that particular front. IMHO teams like Baylor and Texas will be at the top of the rankings the next few years along with UCONN and maybe a few others.

Going back to 2015, the top 10 kids recruited by the top schools are as follows:

UCONN - Samuelson, Collier, Dangerfield, Walker
Texas - Higgs, Holmes, Sutton, Booth, Patterson, Collier
Baylor - Brown (Kalani), Cox, Chou (not sure she's really top 10 but...), DaCosta, Smith
SC - Henderson
Duke - Salvadores, Lambert, Odom
Stanford - Williams, Dodson

Part of my point in listing that is that SC has really struggled on the recruiting front. They have feasted on transfers (Davis/Gray previously, and currently Cooper, Spann and Jennings), but if they don't land Williams or Nelson Ododa, it will be a 4 years span for them literally landing 1 top 10 kid. Granted their PG Harris is probably one of the top 10 kids in the class, but SC is not really poised to be a top team based on recruiting like UCONN, Texas or Baylor. Even Duke and Stanford have recruited better than SC in the past 4 cycles...

Having said that, SC won the NC last year. No one will really care how they won it. The point is they have a "notch in their belts" and no one can ever take that away from them. BUT, as much as I enjoy the rivalry smack talk, until SC ups their recruiting game, their day in the sun will be short lived...

 

[DeeHusky]

Miss St did not get lucky, either against Baylor or UCONN. They beat the two teams that most thought were the top teams in the tourney. Geno had a week to prepare for MSU and was beaten just like Baylor was. Give them the respect they deserve

I think everyone got lucky that Alexis Jones got hurt toward the end of the season and just didn’t have the same physical strength she had when she was playing AA caliber ball earlier in the season.

They WERE top the top teams in the country. That wasn’t a thought, especially UConn. Miss St got very lucky; just admit it please! They have a really good defensive team. Viviana is a good player, but she’s also a player that takes whatever shot she wants. William is a better player, but she doesn’t give you much offense like the Baylor game (41 points.) McCowan is medicre. Compare that to Lou, Gabby, and Napheesa, and Nurse. Who would you pick to win disregarding that game? UConn! It’s easy for UConn to beat SC because UConn has 5 player offense SC has A’ja Wilson and sometimes somebody else. It’s great to be a good defensive team, but you gotta put points on the board to win. SC can match the talent level, player for player almost, but they sometimes struggle to put points on the board against equally matched teams.

 

[sharris952]

y'all SC fans are doing a horrible job of defending Dawn.

Try these:

Dawn=National Champion. Vic has never won a conference championship.

Vic got a lot of credit for coming to Storrs and listening to Geno. Dawn didn’t have to come to Storrs to listen to Geno she was at his side for his Olympic coaching gig and will be his successor for coaching the National team.

SC has never beat UCONN (I donk know about never as some are suggesting). Part of coaching is challenging your team and Dawn was willing to step up and take the challenge and play UCONN. Even if you don’t beat UCONN you are better prepared to beat say Stanford or Missi St. That was not luck that was stepping up to a challenge.

Stay Away from statement like these:



Kaela Davis was and remains a poor shooter @GT, @SC & @Wings. @SC Dawn was able to get Davis to play remarkable defense in stretches=Damn good coaching!

Victoria Vivians is also poor shooter if and when Vic gets Vivians to play the kind of defense that Dawn got Davis to play we can renew the conversation.



The UCONN game last year was SC 23rd game of the season. Any player having trouble adjusting to a new role after 22 games is probably never going to get it. Allisha Gray needed no adjustment time @SC and she was well prepared for NCAA tournament and the WNBA. But y’all never get the Dawn detractors to admit that Dawn might have had a lil’ something to do with that.

 

[SCGamecock]

Part of a good rivalry is the "smack" talk that goes back and forth between the fans of teams. I'm certainly enjoying that thus far. I'm very glad Tennessee is no longer a rival, and therefore we don't need to "engage" their fans on that particular front. IMHO teams like Baylor and Texas will be at the top of the rankings the next few years along with UCONN and maybe a few others.

Going back to 2015, the top 10 kids recruited by the top schools are as follows:

UCONN - Samuelson, Collier, Dangerfield, Walker
Texas - Higgs, Holmes, Sutton, Booth, Patterson, Collier
Baylor - Brown (Kalani), Cox, Chou (not sure she's really top 10 but...), DaCosta, Smith
SC - Henderson
Duke - Salvadores, Lambert, Odom
Stanford - Williams, Dodson

Part of my point in listing that is that SC has really struggled on the recruiting front. They have feasted on transfers (Davis/Gray previously, and currently Cooper, Spann and Jennings), but if they don't land Williams or Nelson Ododa, it will be a 4 years span for them literally landing 1 top 10 kid. Granted their PG Harris is probably one of the top 10 kids in the class, but SC is not really poised to be a top team based on recruiting like UCONN, Texas or Baylor. Even Duke and Stanford have recruited better than SC in the past 4 cycles...

Having said that, SC won the NC last year. No one will really care how they won it. The point is they have a "notch in their belts" and no one can ever take that away from them. BUT, as much as I enjoy the rivalry smack talk, until SC ups their recruiting game, their day in the sun will be short lived...

Unfortunately, you’re right on all fronts... as much as it pains me to agree. SC has gotten a lot of players that fit our system and needs.. but we’ve missed on far too many elite (top 15ish) players in the 2015/2016/2017 classes.. that’s why the 2018 and 2019 classes are make or break for SC. It was pretty upsetting to see us barely miss on elite prospects like Smith and DeCosta.. and I fear it could happen again with Williams and Nelson-Ododa.

And you’re right with Baylor and Texas... they’ve recruited extremely well. That’s why it’s hard for me to imagine UConn just clean sweeping their way to another 4 championships. Sure, Geno is there and he has great talent on campus.. but programs across the board are elevating their rosters (FSU is another) and it’s just not going to be as easy as some people here think it’ll be. If Aston and Mulkey can get the most out of what they have then they’ll be UConn’s most worthy opponents these next few seasons..

 

[sharris952]

y'all SC fans are doing a horrible job of defending Dawn.

Try these:

Dawn=National Champion. Vic has never won a conference championship.

Vic got a lot of credit for coming to Storrs and listening to Geno. Dawn didn’t have to come to Storrs to listen to Geno she was at his side for his Olympic coaching gig and will be his successor for coaching the National team.

SC has never beat UCONN (I donk know about never as some are suggesting). Part of coaching is challenging your team and Dawn was willing to step up and take the challenge and play UCONN. Even if you don’t beat UCONN you are better prepared to beat say Stanford or Missi St. That was not luck that was stepping up to a challenge.

Stay Away from statement like these:



Kaela Davis was and remains a poor shooter @GT, @SC & @Wings. @SC Dawn was able to get Davis to play remarkable defense in stretches=Damn good coaching!

Victoria Vivians is also poor shooter if and when Vic gets Vivians to play the kind of defense that Dawn got Davis to play we can renew the conversation.



The UCONN game last year was SC 23rd game of the season. Any player having trouble adjusting to a new role after 22 games is probably never going to get it. Allisha Gray needed no adjustment time @SC and she was well prepared for NCAA tournament and the WNBA. But y’all never get the Dawn detractors to admit that Dawn might have had a lil’ something to do with that.

 

[WiseOne]

I think it’s UCONN! If Christyn experiences the freshman funk as a #1 recruit next year, who can relate to her on S Carolina??? On the other hand, she has quite a few players who can help guide her at UCONN! It should be a no-brainer but I’m not Christyn and it’s her decision! I’m going to follow her career wherever she decides to go...but if it’s not UCONN, that’s the only time I’ll be rooting against her! Don’t be mad; just my opinion!!! Go UCONN!!!!!!!!

 

[CocoHusky]

Unfortunately, you’re right on all fronts... as much as it pains me to agree. SC has gotten a lot of players that fit our system and needs.. but we’ve missed on far too many elite (top 15ish) players in the 2015/2016/2017 classes.. that’s why the 2018 and 2019 classes are make or break for SC. It was pretty upsetting to see us barely miss on elite prospects like Smith and DeCosta.. and I fear it could happen again with Williams and Nelson-Ododa.
And you’re right with Baylor and Texas... they’ve recruited extremely well. That’s why it’s hard for me to imagine UConn just clean sweeping their way to another 4 championships. Sure, Geno is there and he has great talent on campus.. but programs across the board are elevating their rosters (FSU is another) and it’s just not going to be as easy as some people here think it’ll be. If Aston and Mulkey can get the most out of what they have then they’ll be UConn’s most worthy opponents these next few seasons..

Come on, now you are just contradicting yourself. You and I know both know, that for some team, other than UCONN to win a national championship, that team is going to have to get lucky. Although I suppose Geno could just retire and level the playing field.

 

[Golden Husky]

Unfortunately, you’re right on all fronts... as much as it pains me to agree. SC has gotten a lot of players that fit our system and needs.. but we’ve missed on far too many elite (top 15ish) players in the 2015/2016/2017 classes.. that’s why the 2018 and 2019 classes are make or break for SC. It was pretty upsetting to see us barely miss on elite prospects like Smith and DeCosta.. and I fear it could happen again with Williams and Nelson-Ododa.

And you’re right with Baylor and Texas... they’ve recruited extremely well. That’s why it’s hard for me to imagine UConn just clean sweeping their way to another 4 championships. Sure, Geno is there and he has great talent on campus.. but programs across the board are elevating their rosters (FSU is another) and it’s just not going to be as easy as some people here think it’ll be. If Aston and Mulkey can get the most out of what they have then they’ll be UConn’s most worthy opponents these next few seasons..

Is Dawn likely to remain at South Carolina or bolt for the WNBA if the opportunity arises?

 

[Rixxx]

All I know is Dawn will make more money at SC vs WNBA, way more.

 

[Charliebball]

Well how good of a coach are you if you can't get said talent you need to win with?

there are three types of coaches.....coaches who can recruit but are lousy game coaches........coaches that are great game coaches that can't recruit and Geno.............

 

[SCGamecock]

Is Dawn likely to remain at South Carolina or bolt for the WNBA if the opportunity arises?

She respects the WNBA but she has no desire to coach there. She’s on record saying this. She’s making more money, has more fan support and more resources where she is now..

If Dawn leaves SC to coach professionally then she’s leaving for the NBA.. which is a legit fear of mine. I think she’ll leave if an assistant job or anything similar opens up and that opportunity presents itself to her.. jobs that would propel her to being an NBA Head Coach. But I think we are a decade or more from that happening..

 

[CocoHusky]

Is Dawn likely to remain at South Carolina or bolt for the WNBA if the opportunity arises?

I'm not an account and I didn't stay a Holiday Inn last night. I'm thinking about what you just wrote and looking at the WNBA coaching salaries and comparing that to Dawn current salary of over $1Mil/annually.
As Stevie Wonder might say: I don't see that!

 

[Carnac]

Part of a good rivalry is the "smack" talk that goes back and forth between the fans of teams. I'm certainly enjoying that thus far. I'm very glad Tennessee is no longer a rival, and therefore we don't need to "engage" their fans on that particular front. IMHO teams like Baylor and Texas will be at the top of the rankings the next few years along with UCONN and maybe a few others.

Going back to 2015, the top 10 kids recruited by the top schools are as follows:

UCONN - Samuelson, Collier, Dangerfield, Walker
Texas - Higgs, Holmes, Sutton, Booth, Patterson, Collier
Baylor - Brown (Kalani), Cox, Chou (not sure she's really top 10 but...), DaCosta, Smith
SC - Henderson
Duke - Salvadores, Lambert, Odom
Stanford - Williams, Dodson

Part of my point in listing that is that SC has really struggled on the recruiting front. They have feasted on transfers (Davis/Gray previously, and currently Cooper, Spann and Jennings), but if they don't land Williams or Nelson Ododa, it will be a 4 years span for them literally landing 1 top 10 kid. Granted their PG Harris is probably one of the top 10 kids in the class, but SC is not really poised to be a top team based on recruiting like UCONN, Texas or Baylor. Even Duke and Stanford have recruited better than SC in the past 4 cycles...

Having said that, SC won the NC last year. No one will really care how they won it. The point is they have a "notch in their belts" and no one can ever take that away from them. BUT, as much as I enjoy the rivalry smack talk, until SC ups their recruiting game, their day in the sun will be short lived...

They have upped their recruiting game with the hiring of Jolette Law, who is a former head coach at Illinois, most recently of Tennessee. She is a master recruiter. Look for her presence on staff to make an immediate impact.

 

[CocoHusky]

They have upped their recruiting game with the hiring of Jolette Law, who is a former head coach at Illinois, most recently of Tennessee. She is a master recruiter. Look for her presence on staff to make an immediate impact.

Impact has already been felt and discussed here. South Carolina got back into the mix for Christyn Williams because of Law.

 

[Charliebball]

Well how good of a coach are you if you can't get said talent you need to win with?

you can have a good coach but sometimes the school just isn't an attractive option for a top recruit due to location, academics, social life, etc.........

 

[Charliebball]

She respects the WNBA but she has no desire to coach there. She’s on record saying this. She’s making more money, has more fan support and more resources where she is now..

If Dawn leaves SC to coach professionally then she’s leaving for the NBA.. which is a legit fear of mine. I think she’ll leave if an assistant job or anything similar opens up and that opportunity presents itself to her.. jobs that would propel her to being an NBA Head Coach. But I think we are a decade or more from that happening..

Dawn has done a great job building the South Carolina program...........now she adds more responsibility as the USA Olympic coach.............can she build on her success and continue on that upward trajectory for the next 10-15 years? That's going to be interesting to watch.............

 

[HGN]

Right now size is most important. We have several outstanding 6ish types, so CW will have to contend for playing time. The Big O is who we really need. Our belief that we are always the best choice for any top player worth her salt isn't always the reason kids make the choices they do. I'm sure Aja is happy at SC, but she'd have been contending for a 4th NC had she come here.

I think we really need them both...........With CW we will have the best guards/wings in WCBB. And ONO gives us the size we would need at the 4/5.
Oh yes , we could use them both.

 

[sharris952]

y'all SC fans are doing a horrible job of defending Dawn.

Try these:

Dawn=National Champion. Vic has never won a conference championship.

Vic got a lot of credit for coming to Storrs and listening to Geno. Dawn didn’t have to come to Storrs to listen to Geno she was at his side for his Olympic coaching gig and will be his successor for coaching the National team.

SC has never beat UCONN (I donk know about never as some are suggesting). Part of coaching is challenging your team and Dawn was willing to step up and take the challenge and play UCONN. Even if you don’t beat UCONN you are better prepared to beat say Stanford or Missi St. That was not luck that was stepping up to a challenge.
Stay Away from statement like these:

While I appreciate your support, I stand by my arguments. One, when you have immense talent, it makes your coaching and schemes work much better. I coached women's basketball for years and have a frame of reference for this type of phenomenon not saying that you do not. Brianna Stewart is a transcendent talent, and easily helps players to become better around her. She was a huge factor in those 112 or so wins as Geno has stated himself. Also we remember that Maya and also Diana Taurasi were those type talents. Now I grant you that Geno is a Picasso of a coach with a keen sense of psychology and coaching ability to win some years without those type players, but without them he is vulnerable to some other top teams which is how they lost to Miss. St. While SC has not beat them, other than their first meeting, they have played UConn to multiple 10-12 pt games, with SC holding UConn to its lowest point total in those years when they have been blowing out almost everyone else by 20-30pts. Last year's UConn team did not have that transcendent type talent so a neutral court loss to a few teams with like talent was not out of the question no matter how much UConn fans may have believed so. I know as a coach that when you have a winning tradition, some lesser players can over perform while trying to uphold the standard. I thought this was going on in many of UConn's close games last year. Katie Lou was supposed to be the star, but she was fading fast towards the end of the season. That left UConn vulnerable and they eventually paid for it. SC was one of the teams that led UConn 4th qtr, this year, (bad offense, coaching et al, as you all claim) so I am sure, Dawn, Kim M. and obviously V. Schaeffer (60pt. loss) wanted another crack at them. Nothing last forever, therefore UConn may have won those rematches or they may have lost. We will never know, now because they did not get past Miss.St.



Kaela Davis was and remains a poor shooter @GT, @SC & @Wings. @SC Dawn was able to get Davis to play remarkable defense in stretches=Damn good coaching!

Victoria Vivians is also poor shooter if and when Vic gets Vivians to play the kind of defense that Dawn got Davis to play we can renew the conversation.



The UCONN game last year was SC 23rd game of the season. Any player having trouble adjusting to a new role after 22 games is probably never going to get it. Allisha Gray needed no adjustment time @SC and she was well prepared for NCAA tournament and the WNBA. But y’all never get the Dawn detractors to admit that Dawn might have had a lil’ something to do with that.

 

[sharris952]

Unfortunately, you’re right on all fronts... as much as it pains me to agree. SC has gotten a lot of players that fit our system and needs.. but we’ve missed on far too many elite (top 15ish) players in the 2015/2016/2017 classes.. that’s why the 2018 and 2019 classes are make or break for SC. It was pretty upsetting to see us barely miss on elite prospects like Smith and DeCosta.. and I fear it could happen again with Williams and Nelson-Ododa.

And you’re right with Baylor and Texas... they’ve recruited extremely well. That’s why it’s hard for me to imagine UConn just clean sweeping their way to another 4 championships. Sure, Geno is there and he has great talent on campus.. but programs across the board are elevating their rosters (FSU is another) and it’s just not going to be as easy as some people here think it’ll be. If Aston and Mulkey can get the most out of what they have then they’ll be UConn’s most worthy opponents these next few seasons..

Problem is that Mulkey had this type of talent, with Brown, Monpremier, etc, and Aston has had a plethora of McDonalds AA the past few years. This type talent is not new to Mulkey, yet she has not been to the Final Four in like 7 years (might be 8 yrs, could be slightly wrong on this stat). Dawn may not have hit the big haul yet, but she continues to supplement her team with good talent ala all of her incoming freshman this year were rated 5 star skill players by most services. She then using experience in coaching to compete at the highest level. I can take that. Heck she has been in final fours in the past two years and was most likely on Syracuse 2nd Half tremendous comeback from 3 in a row. The only team more consistent the past 4 years is UConn.

 

[southie]

Impact has already been felt and discussed here. South Carolina got back into the mix for Christyn Williams because of Law.

She definitely made an impact. But, if she can't close the deal, finishing second for a recruit is no different than finishing fifth.

 

[Golden Husky]

I know UConn has dominated the last decade with Championships, but sometimes the arrogance is boorish. Aja Wilson was playing like a beast in the tournament and she dominated the frontline that took down UConn two nights before the Nat. Championship Game. Also, during the regular season game last year, UConn won the game at home by 11 but the two transfers both had terrible games as they were still adjusting to their new roles.
By the tourney, they were playing at another level and it is most definitely not a given that the results would have been the same. I know, I know, you think UConn would have been unbeatable, but now we know that was not the case. So you have your opinion and we will have ours.

If you can dream—and not make dreams your master;
If you can think—and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same;
--Rudyard Kipling

 

[CocoHusky]

While I appreciate your support, I stand by my arguments. One, when you have immense talent, it makes your coaching and schemes work much better. I coached women's basketball for years and have a frame of reference for this type of phenomenon not saying that you do not. Brianna Stewart is a transcendent talent, and easily helps players to become better around her. She was a huge factor in those 112 or so wins as Geno has stated himself. Also we remember that Maya and also Diana Taurasi were those type talents. Now I grant you that Geno is a Picasso of a coach with a keen sense of psychology and coaching ability to win some years without those type players, but without them he is vulnerable to some other top teams which is how they lost to Miss. St. While SC has not beat them, other than their first meeting, they have played UConn to multiple 10-12 pt games, with SC holding UConn to its lowest point total in those years when they have been blowing out almost everyone else by 20-30pts. Last year's UConn team did not have that transcendent type talent so a neutral court loss to a few teams with like talent was not out of the question no matter how much UConn fans may have believed so. I know as a coach that when you have a winning tradition, some lesser players can over perform while trying to uphold the standard. I thought this was going on in many of UConn's close games last year. Katie Lou was supposed to be the star, but she was fading fast towards the end of the season. That left UConn vulnerable and they eventually paid for it. SC was one of the teams that led UConn 4th qtr, this year, (bad offense, coaching et al, as you all claim) so I am sure, Dawn, Kim M. and obviously V. Schaeffer (60pt. loss) wanted another crack at them. Nothing last forever, therefore UConn may have won those rematches or they may have lost. We will never know, now because they did not get past Miss.St.

If you are truly appreciative like you say you are I need you to come a little stronger than this.
UCONN MOV over SC with Breanna Stewart in 2016=11 Points
UCONN MOV over SC without Breanna Stewart in 2017=11 Points
If Breanna Stewart is supposed to be a transcendent player (clearly she is) and KLS something less than that I would have expected that SC to shrink the UCONN MOV. Mississippi St. really really shrunk (erased) the gap so why couldn't SC if UCONN was supposed to be so "vulnerable"?