Cincinnati Postgame Thread

[HuskyNan]

This will not be a popular post. If UConn is playing it's best ball of the season and still struggling to get started against weak teams, they won't make it to even the Elite Eight. However, if four of the five starters play at their best offensively, then that would the be the improvement needed to make it far in the NCAAT. There have been too many open looks that the AAC teams have been missing. I doubt if that happens with the better teams. But, if UConn plays defense like it has, combined with the offense they have displayed recently, maybe they will surprise me. I hope so.

It’s the postseason. They can win all of the games by one point. I don’t care who shoots what percentage or how they look or how they start the game as long as they win. Survive and advance, baybeeee!

 

[donalddoowop]

It’s the postseason. They can win all of the games by one point. I don’t care how they look or start as long or who shoots as they win. Survive and advance, baybeeee!

I don't care how they look either, but a slow start could hinder their chances of winning by one point. I'm thinking the Baylor game.

 

[oldude]

I don't care how they look either, but a slow could hinder their chances of winning by one point. I'm thinking the Baylor game.

Yea, that 1pt loss by Baylor to Iowa St yesterday was pretty bad........

 

[mbr33ct]

From what I know, it's not how you start but how you finish. It's a 40 minute marathon.

 

[Argonaut]

What part of Ireland does the O’Dada family hail from?

Strongarmagh.

 

[UcMiami]

I was going to say this. This year especially we saw lots of the so-called big dogs get beat by, or struggle to beat, non-NCAA tournament teams or bubble teams. Mississippi State lost to Alabama. Baylor just lost to a bubble team in Iowa State. Even the behemoth South Carolina struggled to beat Temple. The AAC had a winning record against the Big 12 this year, and that's despite UConn's loss to Baylor. I dare say there's not a team in the country that would've gone undefeated in 7 years in the AAC. Don't @ me

A couple more thoughts:

• Great to see Jamelle giving hugs to her former players in the handshake line. The circumstances of her departure from there kinda sucked, but Michelle Clark-Heard is doing a good job and I'd like to think Jamelle is at least happy for her former players' success.
  
  
• Loved the energy and commentary of Brooke Weisbrod and Christy Thomaskutty, two of my faves.

The TX record way back is the longest somewhere around 148 pre-big12. Uconn under Maya had a 71 game streak in the BigE bookend by Rutgers and ND. Baylor just had their 58 game streak ended in the Big12, wonder what Stanford's longest streak was in the Pac - I think it was 77 from a loss in Jan 09 to Cal to a loss to Cal in Jan 13 - three undefeated regular seasons and 4 tournament championships. TN probably has the record for the SEC but it isn't going to be that long - they had three undefeated seasons in a row but they were 11 game seasons and they only won their tournament one of those years. Later they went 2 undefeated 14 game seasons but didn't win their tournament either year.

 

[DefenseBB]

Okay, I figured out in this game why Anna doesn’t take a lot of shots. Her hero was DT. (Remember when she had to be physically pushed by a teammate to talk to DT?) Anna has already out rebounded freshman DT 125-106; she has 414% 3 point average (even after 0 for America) to DT’s 386% BUT with her 8 assists tonight she is still 4 assists (105-109) behind DT. So....

Just kidding.

I think.

That is some nice research by you to show us all this!

 

[Bronxjeff]

Uhm........6 games in a row in double figures, culminating in one of the most complete games Christyn has played in her 2 years at UConn is hardly a single datapoint.

I think that makes six data points?

 

[wbball novice]

Best wishes to Kyla. That one was for you.

Team did a lot of running in transition; didn't seem tired.

Christyn came out of her slump on fire: 50% (2/4) from 3, 9/13 FG (69%), 2/2 FT: 22 pts total -- largely scoring as she does best, finishing in transition at top speed. Plus 8 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 stl, no TOs.

Megan scored even more: 26 pts. Meg's accumulating points and efficiency often surprise me, given that she misses a lot under the basket.

I was surprised Anna only scored 8 pts -- I guess many seeming 3s were scored as long 2s. But she led the team in assists, with 8, the team high (rest of the team total was 10) along with 2 steals. She had 3 TOs (handle problems again) but no more than Crystal, also with 3 TOs (my impression mostly by passing out of range in transition?), but with 14 pts and 8 rebounds (what??) to Anna's 3. Liv kept Cinci from scoring in the paint, for the most part --Bearcats ended up 1/10 from 3, and she scored under the basket in a variety of ways -- though always room for improvement. Eight rebounds, made her FT and stayed out of foul trouble. I'd like to see her dunk. Aubrey didn't score much, but she got a lot of rebounds (7), second only to Liv (8) and ... CD. Team had a total of 51 rebounds. Team's 3 pt percentage was lower than the USF game, at 30%. CD was 0/3 on 3 pt, continuing her slump from the previous game. I'm sure she'll work on it during the hiatus.

All of the remaining bench got to play (and in some cases score) in the final minutes.

Cinci scored 53 to UConn's 87. Rizor was really hot (8/15), with Thomas close (6/13). Rodgers did another backflip (I'm going to miss her acrobatics), and had 3 penalties to 0 points; team missed her leadership because of time on the bench. If there is some unwritten rule that the starters can't play in the final minutes if the other team is ahead, it doesn't bother me that it's ignored.

No fistbumps at the end of the game (high fives & hugs).

 

[Roger G]

I just gotta say that I don't see other teams winning with such panache. We've got a lot of special players. You got Crystal and Anna dishing and high-scoring wings (both high school number ones) Chrystin and Megan and a pretty athletic and capable 6'5" in the middle Liv Ododa. Not to mention the young woman they were speaking of as possibly the "next" in Aubrey (the phenomenal athlete) Griffin. They will be trouble for any team out there.

 

[Steelerone]

And Kyla...just because

It was sort of heartbreaking to watch and to know her season is over but when you think of it, she sustained the injury by doing what she has done her entire career - gone out and sacrificed her body trying to do anything she could to help her team. You can win a championship without a five star player. You can't without a Kyla Irwin.

 

[Biff]

It was sort of heartbreaking to watch and to know her season is over but when you think of it, she sustained the injury by doing what she has done her entire career - gone out and sacrificed her body trying to do anything she could to help her team. You can win a championship without a five star player. You can't without a Kyla Irwin.

I was thinking that it was unfortunate that there was not one more day between the injury and the final game. Can you imagine the ovation if she came walking out of the tunnel (arm in sling of course) to sit the bench during the game?

 

[oldude]

I was thinking that it was unfortunate that there was not one more day between the injury and the final game. Can you imagine the ovation if she came walking out of the tunnel (arm in sling of course) to sit the bench during the game?

Kyla will surely be on the bench in Storrs for the first 2 rounds, cheering her teammates on, while receiving a whole lot of love from UConn fans.

 

[Centerstream]

I was thinking that it was unfortunate that there was not one more day between the injury and the final game. Can you imagine the ovation if she came walking out of the tunnel (arm in sling of course) to sit the bench during the game?

I was soooooo hoping for a return to the bench at the 4th quarter media timeout, in uniform (except there is probably an NCAA or AAC rule about being in uniform)!!!!!!

 

[Charliebball]

Olivia reached 100 blocks tonight. She needs 11 more assists to reach 100 and become the 3rd Husky to go 100/100 in those categories in a season.

just imagine what her stats would be if she played 33 minutes plus a game like the other starters...............

 

[BobbyJ]

just imagine what her stats would be if she played 33 minutes plus a game like the other starters...............

That's true. She's the underrated rock of this team, without her they have zero interior defense.

 

[Sluconn Husky]

just imagine what her stats would be if she played 33 minutes plus a game like the other starters...............

Well, part of that is foul trouble. I also think Geno likes to rest her when possible since she has to work so hard down low. I don't think her minutes are going to increase in future seasons, but her productivity should.

 

[eebmg]

Aubrey is a fantastic talent with unbelievable upside but it is clear she is driving Geno nuts with some of the shots she passes up. Forget the 5 foot shots, she had a point blank layup and passed to Olivia who had to travel because no one on earth could expect anyone to pass in that situation.

When Aubrey figures out taking these shots will open up her drives, good night

 

[Boreifs]

That's true. She's the underrated rock of this team, without her they have zero interior defense.

At the Baylor game, she was benched for the last quarter. With her, the last five minutes might have been different.

 

[Sluconn Husky]

 

[Charliebball]

Well, part of that is foul trouble. I also think Geno likes to rest her when possible since she has to work so hard down low. I don't think her minutes are going to increase in future seasons, but her productivity should.

you're right about the foul trouble..............how many games did she have two quick fouls and had to sit?............I think she's shown better judgement as the season has progressed.................hopefully she will continue to work on her strength over the summer............I expect another big jump in her play next season and 30 minutes per game shouldn't be an unrealistic target.........

 

[oldude]

I’m loving this new fun loving Liv. Some of the videos with her doing her Geno impression and dancing with her teammates are demonstrating that Liv is coming out of her shell. Could we have another Steph on our hands.....

 

[msf22b]

I don't care how they look either, but a slow could hinder their chances of winning by one point. I'm thinking the Baylor game.

If we believe Charley (no real reason too...but for arguement's sake)

After the initial push-over...(seems like Robert Morris every year), we then start facing real opposition; Beginning right away with the 2nd game at Storrs...
Arkansas is far from a pushover...They scare the bejesus out of me.
They've beaten some good teams and gave others a big fright....

Followed by Gonzaga and Oregon.

I sure hope they do look good and not have a slow start.
I worry that we've played bupkis for more than a month.

 

[msf22b]

I was thinking that it was unfortunate that there was not one more day between the injury and the final game. Can you imagine the ovation if she came walking out of the tunnel (arm in sling of course) to sit the bench during the game?

Its my impression that she had a foot and finger job done at the same time (or sequentially) ...
Might have been in a wheelchair

 

[MSGRET]

The TX record way back is the longest somewhere around 148 pre-big12. Uconn under Maya had a 71 game streak in the BigE bookend by Rutgers and ND. Baylor just had their 58 game streak ended in the Big12, wonder what Stanford's longest streak was in the Pac - I think it was 77 from a loss in Jan 09 to Cal to a loss to Cal in Jan 13 - three undefeated regular seasons and 4 tournament championships. TN probably has the record for the SEC but it isn't going to be that long - they had three undefeated seasons in a row but they were 11 game seasons and they only won their tournament one of those years. Later they went 2 undefeated 14 game seasons but didn't win their tournament either year.

It was 143, but UConn is the first team to go undefeated in all of its conference games. Texas did lose while it was in its pre-big12 conference.