Congrats to ND

[Robin]

I agree with congratulating the team, but what's going to happen next year?

ND will be in a possible rebuild situation. We lose 4, possibly all 5, starters and will mostly be a freshman and sophomore team. I expect UCONN to win all meetings next year. They have enough returning to be a threat. Just hope we at least make the Sweet 16.

 

[DaBball]

ND will be in a possible rebuild situation. They lose 4, possibly all 5, starters and will mostly be a freshman and sophomore team. I expect UCONN to win all meetings next year. They have enough returning to be a threat. Just hope we at least make the Sweet 16.

Call me crazy, but I think we are easily Elite 8! No one will recognize Liv.

 

[housekeys]

ND outplayed us in the most crucial moments. I think instead of bashing Meg being in there because she played as well as she could. We should really be looking at crystals game which was not great. She was not creating enough and not putting players in enough situations plus she shot poorly.

Meg played a pretty good game if you think about it. It was not her fault (no one is at fault). She had an incredibly difficult task to defend Turner who is taller, a senior and former POY candidate. Crystal is small and can definitely improve the defensive side of her game. Given the size issues, I would have liked to see a line up with ONO in and Crystal, not Megan, on the bench. That would have been a bigger line up with plenty of offensive fire power and better defensively. A bigger player on Arike (Megan) and a bigger player in ONO to help in rebounding.

But mostly, ND was the more seasoned team and did what they needed to do, while UConn failed to do what they normally do.

 

[DeeHusky]

Congrats to ND, Congrats to our team on a fabulous season, and (foreshadowing) Congrats to Baylor on their 3rd Nat’l Championship

 

[Robin]

Call me crazy, but I think we are easily Elite 8! No one will recognize Liv.

I was talking about ND making the Sweet 16.

 

[OviedoFLHusky]

Meg played a pretty good game if you think about it. It was not her fault (no one is at fault). She had an incredibly difficult task to defend Turner who is taller, a senior and former POY candidate. Crystal is small and can definitely improve the defensive side of her game. Given the size issues, I would have liked to see a line up with ONO in and Crystal, not Megan, on the bench. That would have been a bigger line up with plenty of offensive fire power and better defensively. A bigger player on Arike (Megan) and a bigger player in ONO to help in rebounding.

But mostly, ND was the more seasoned team and did what they needed to do, while UConn failed to do what they normally do.

I just got back home from seeing the game in person. Although we had nosebleed-ish seats, I agree with most of the observations made by the posters of this thread. We definitely played better with ONO in there. Katie Lou made some beautiful shots in the second half of the game. I too thought Megan did a good job and made some key shots. The others, well, they just didn't play to their potential; they didn't play like we know they can. Unfortunately they picked a heck of a time to do so. And one thing this team really lacks is a big-time assassin of a player like Arike. As much as I disapproved of some of her behavior this past year, she stepped up and made shots when they counted in the 4th quarter. Props to her for that. Jackie Young and Jess Shepard were also very good.

Just a couple of observations about the experience tonight - I had never been to Amalie Arena in Tampa before, but it was decorated beautifully for the Final Four, with banners hanging from the rafters in honor of each national championship team going back to - I don't know when, but there were several hanging prior to 1995. Outside, the arena was decorated with huge Final Four logos and the logos of the four teams. The employees and vendors at the arena were all very cheerful and courteous. The two finalist teams are to have autograph-signing sessions with the public tomorrow afternoon, after which there will be a free concert.

The food prices were outrageous. I paid $7.50 for a Hoodsie-cup size serving of ice cream. A large glass of beer was $16. Cuban sandwiches were $12. There was a very good assortment of food, from chicken tenders to tacos to cheesesteak sandwiches to pizza, hot dogs, and hamburgers - but I drew the line at paying $15 for a burger.

There were a surprising number of Notre Dame fans there. Judging by the number of UConn fans that go to the UCF and USF games, I figured that there would be more UConn fans there. There were quite a few, but not as many as I thought there would be. (For the first game, the Baylor fans outnumbered the Oregon fans.) The enthusiasm of the UConn band was great to see; however, someone put the microphone in a strange spot, so that it took a few extra minutes to recognize even familiar songs like the Fight Song.

That's all I've got; it's past 2 AM. Thank you, Huskies, for a great season. We love you.

 

[IrishTiger]

They earned this one.

Thanks @CocoHusky

 

[MSSportsGuy]

I've been absent on the board for the last few months because I started a new job after sitting home for basically a year due to health problems now that I can work and do things again I've not watched as much this season but you bet I've watched this tournament.

I was honestly rooting for the Huskies after ND defeated MSU last season and the fact KLS and Collier are seniors. This felt like a repeat of the NC from last spring. ND dug down deep to come back and UConn didn't close it out. Turner being out last season while ND won and the emergence of Shepard and Arike as scorers and leaders pushed her to the back of the limelight this year but her block and some crucial baskets and rebounds reminded me she was a great player and leader before her injury and that hasn't gone away but rather evolved.

I was rooting for the Huskies to win the whole thing. I could live with Oregon or Baylor so hopefully Mulkey gets her team to the finish line Sunday.

 

[chrissaran]

UConn missed too many layups.

 

[FanHam]

We're 1-1 against ND this season. We trounced them at ND and they nipped us on a neutral court. I can't concede ND has a better team.

Onward. Great season. No one has a reason to hang their head. The epic tale of Pheesa and Lou at UConn has ended. The new era of Christyn and Olivia is just beginning. Kids grow up fast during their college years.

 

[JellyBean]

Yup. Like pretty everyone in here, ND played well and earned this win. Congratulations to Muffet and her crew. As a women's basketball, I will be watching the game Sunday night. Best wishes to ND and Baylor.

 

[billybud]

Notre Dame has been catching up on recruiting vis a vis the Huskies. As has Stanford and South Carolina.

The 2019 class has been a sort of stall for UConn....but one year shouldn't be that hurtful...2020 will be the tell tale.

Could this become a rivalry of sorts come this time of year?

 

[BroadwayVa]

They earned this one.

A Bridge Too Far.

 

[BroadwayVa]

Notre Dame has been catching up on recruiting vis a vis the Huskies. As has Stanford and South Carolina.

The 2019 class has been a sort of stall for UConn....but one year shouldn't be that hurtful...2020 will be the tell tale.

Could this become a rivalry of sorts come this time of year?

Don't sell Uconn out of the 2020 NC race just yet. Uconn is returning 4 count em, 4 players with FF experience. Had ONO been a Soph, the outcome of this FF game may have been different. ONO was/is a difference maker. No deers in her headlights.

 

[Siestakeyfan]

When it mattered most ND dug down deep and did what they had to. It's not so much what the coaching staff did, but what their players decided to do. Some players are just tougher than others.

UCONN was TIRED too many minutes for a starters in a TOUGH game !!! Showed up late 4th qtr !!

 

[Engineer90]

Has it occurred to anyone that it is hard to hit any shot, including layups, while being fouled? I know high school refs that can make this call. How do college refs miss it?

 

[Dillon77]

Congrats to the Huskies for a great season and to Katie Lou and 'Pheesa for spectacular careers.
This game was remarkably competitive (26 lead changes) with ND digging down and having that last run. Very easily could've gone the other way (and it has, in the past, as all of you well know.)

I'm utterly sure Geno and co. will have another highly competitive and entertaining team next year. (I've got no idea whom the Irish will trot out for the opening tip.) Stay tuned.

 

[HuskyNan]

I just got back home from seeing the game in person. Although we had nosebleed-ish seats, I agree with most of the observations made by the posters of this thread. We definitely played better with ONO in there. Katie Lou made some beautiful shots in the second half of the game. I too thought Megan did a good job and made some key shots. The others, well, they just didn't play to their potential; they didn't play like we know they can. Unfortunately they picked a heck of a time to do so. And one thing this team really lacks is a big-time assassin of a player like Arike. As much as I disapproved of some of her behavior this past year, she stepped up and made shots when they counted in the 4th quarter. Props to her for that. Jackie Young and Jess Shepard were also very good.

Just a couple of observations about the experience tonight - I had never been to Amalie Arena in Tampa before, but it was decorated beautifully for the Final Four, with banners hanging from the rafters in honor of each national championship team going back to - I don't know when, but there were several hanging prior to 1995. Outside, the arena was decorated with huge Final Four logos and the logos of the four teams. The employees and vendors at the arena were all very cheerful and courteous. The two finalist teams are to have autograph-signing sessions with the public tomorrow afternoon, after which there will be a free concert.

The food prices were outrageous. I paid $7.50 for a Hoodsie-cup size serving of ice cream. A large glass of beer was $16. Cuban sandwiches were $12. There was a very good assortment of food, from chicken tenders to tacos to cheesesteak sandwiches to pizza, hot dogs, and hamburgers - but I drew the line at paying $15 for a burger.

There were a surprising number of Notre Dame fans there. Judging by the number of UConn fans that go to the UCF and USF games, I figured that there would be more UConn fans there. There were quite a few, but not as many as I thought there would be. (For the first game, the Baylor fans outnumbered the Oregon fans.) The enthusiasm of the UConn band was great to see; however, someone put the microphone in a strange spot, so that it took a few extra minutes to recognize even familiar songs like the Fight Song.

That's all I've got; it's past 2 AM. Thank you, Huskies, for a great season. We love you.

 

[Atleast5char]

They all shot poorly. It happens. Just the wrong time for all of them to do it.

They all shot poorly at the same time a few times this year. It's like it was contagious for this team. In some games if anyone's shots weren't falling, they all seemed to get rattled.

 

[oldude]

ND outplayed us in the most crucial moments. I think instead of bashing Meg being in there because she played as well as she could. We should really be looking at crystals game which was not great. She was not creating enough and not putting players in enough situations plus she shot poorly.

I agree Crystal didn’t play her best, but she lead all players with 9 assists.

 

[OneTrickPony]

Congratulations to the Irish on a magnificent game played. They weren't given anything, they took it with grit, determination, and superb athleticism...

 

[msf22b]

The game started pretty much as I had anticipated and had articulated...
ND was tight and our guys had a early chance to put them away early.
But so many missed, makable (or easier) shots. and that opportunity was lost.

Then the game turned into the ND/Stanford game with ND asserting itself to win.

Interesting, with all the concern, the refs played no role in the outcome...it was a relatively clean game (on both sides)...foul trouble was minimal. And few examples of unnecessary falling...perhaps UConn led in that dept. ND did not win the game on the foul line...they made big shots.

Geno correctly handicapped the game. They had too much senior poise, too big a front line, with the game on the line, their stars came through in an honorable and skillful manner.

Poise is such a big part of it....In the December game, when they got behind, they lost it.
Not tonight...In the pregame interview, they spoke about it...wasn't going to happen again.

Well, we gave them the opportunity to collapse when we were up 9, but they responded like champs.

Plaudits.

 

[Fairfield Fan]

We were missing a post player- an excellent post player. Notre Dame had two, and that's why they dominated the boards. Oregon had just one, which wasn't enough to overcome two great post players on Baylor.

You can't teach height. ONO is good, but just not good enough.

 

[mbr33ct]

They all shot poorly. It happens. Just the wrong time for all of them to do it.

Not sure if what I say has been said before, "they all shot poorly"?. With the exception of Crystal that shot 18% (2-11), the other four, IMO, shot pretty good. Collier 50% (7-14), Walker 50% (6-12), Williams 47% (7-15) and Samuelson 41% (7-17). As a team UConn shot 42.5% versus 39% for ND. As others have stated, if Crystal managed to get into double figures (only 4 points) perhaps the outcome would have been different.

 

[oldude]

They all shot poorly at the same time a few times this year. It's like it was contagious for this team. In some games if anyone's shots weren't falling, they all seemed to get rattled.

UConn did not lose this game because of poor shooting, although they did miss a number of makeable shots. The Huskies actually outshot the Irish 43% to 39%. UConn did not lose the game because of turnovers either, committing only 7 to ND’s 9.

UConn was -17 on the boards. The Huskies lack of size finally caught up with them. Geno understood the problem all too well when he sat Crystal down for Liv. That created a new problem of offensive execution, so he put Crystal back in the game. Under the circumstances, losing the rebounding battle by 17, it’s a small miracle that UConn hung in there as long as they did.

UConn has some outstanding talent returning next year. Christyn will eventually be a better player than either Ogunbowle or Durr. With Paige and maybe Azzi coming in behind her, the Huskies could have a series of outstanding guards capable of taking over games.

With all that talent, UConn just has to do a better job recruiting Bigs. They missed on Wilson, Cox and others over the past few years. Either one of those players probably changes the outcome of the last few tournaments. Losing out on Boston this year continues the unfortunate trend with Bigs.

I expect Liv will be very good, but she needs some help. UConn needs another Big or two who can play next year and beyond. Geno needs to aggressively pursue grad transfers, international players and HS 2020 recruits who can play up front.

If you look back to UConn’s 11 championships, most of them involved one or more dominant Bigs: Rebecca, Kara, Asa, Swin, Tamika, Tina, Steph, Tuck & Stewie.