Congratulations to ND...I've seen all that I needed to see

[cferraro04]

Congratulations to Notre Dame...I've seen all I need to see​

First and foremost kudos and congrats to ND and their fans. The ND guards play some hard nosed basketball and they deserve the success their team is having this year. They are loaded with experience and it makes them very difficult to beat. I also think that McBride is one hard-nosed player and will be great for ND for the rest of her career.​

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With that being said, I have seen everything I needed to see in this game with regards to UConn and their potential for the rest of the season. Some of what I saw was really good and some was pretty enlightening from the point of view of what UConn needs to work on.​

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1. KML did not do well under pressure...she is a freshman and she played like a freshman today. However, I am not worried this game will provide the fire she needs to step up her game.​

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2. Kiah Stokes is an emerging player. I liked what I saw from Kiah today. She will be a factor during UConn's run in the NCAAs. I also like that she will push Dolson to get better or lose minutes to a freshman. A little competition is a good thing.​

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3. Brianna Banks didn't do anything spectacular but she didn't wilt out there either...but, it is apparent that she isn't ready for the big stage yet.​

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4. Bria is a big game player...she has proven it over and over again. Today was her best game of her career in my opinion. I think she is at least a 2nd team All American this year.​

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5. Tiff cannot be depended on...whatever she gives us we have to take. She does play hard and we can't do without her. When she is hitting and the rest of the team is playing well...we are unbeatable ​

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6. Doty is making progress and I believe she will continue to improve as we get closer to the end of the season...the deep three late in the 2nd half was a thing of beauty.​

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7. Our youth and inexperience has just about reached the end of our excuse period. It is league play now...from here on out...players have to understand that they are Big East players and they have to embrace their experience and play hard.​

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8. Heather could have helped and if she continues to progress the way she was before she got hurt...we will have three options for post players.​

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9. Kelly is a solid player...she can shoot the basketball but she needs to get more shots.​

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10. In my opinion, I do not think ND will beat us for the rest of the season. We will beat them in Storrs. We will beat them on a neutral court.​

 

[alexrgct]

We absolutely have no chance in hell of beating them in Storrs...































...but only because we play them in Hartford.

 

[UConnChapette]

We haven't been able to depend on Tiff for some time like we used to. She has developed a tendency to play very erratic. She is a streaky shooter, making some questionable shooting decisions. Don't get me wrong, I love Tiff and when her rainbow threes hit nothing but net, it is a thing of beauty. But her game has been off for awhile. She doesn't hit the floor as much as she used to....and is not playing as well as she used to, either. I remember hearing Meghan Culmo say that Geno told Tiff if she kept falling down she was going to sit. It seems like since that time her play is much more ragged. Coincidence? Has Geno stiffled her instinctive play to a detriment?

 

[Ruffian75]

It was a great game. The difference? KML is not ready for prime time. CD was very good with Tiff in foul trouble. In my mind I thought she would hit that dagger trey in the last couple minutes. Didn't happen.

 

[Ruffian75]

The one thing I keep seeing is the high post offense we play with Stef.
Why the hell is that high post at the 3 point line and not the foul line?

 

[UConnCat]

It was a great game. The difference? KML is not ready for prime time. CD was very good with Tiff in foul trouble. In my mind I thought she would hit that dagger trey in the last couple minutes. Didn't happen.

So Stanford and Baylor are not prime time? She was schooled by the quick hands and good defensive strategy of ND to double her on on-ball screens and hand-offs. She'll adjust and have big games in prime time before the season is over. Give the kid a break. It happens to the best, including Diana and others.

 

[HuskyNan]

So Stanford and Baylor are not prime time? She was schooled by the quick hands and good defensive strategy of ND to double her on on-ball screens and hand-offs. She'll adjust and have big games in prime time before the season is over. Give the kid a break. It happens to the best, including Diana and others.

If someone other than Bria could have made some shots, the defense would have had to guard her but as it was ND could afford to swarm Kaleena.

 

[Wbbfan1]

IMHO Stef has to score in double digits and become a factor in the low post game. She should have been able to foul out Peters from the low post. She should be able to make layups and free throws from the low post. I'm not saying its all her fault as the other players aren't always getting the ball to her when they should. In a game like today's she's got to shoot more then 2 Free Throws.

I'm confident UConn can win at home against ND, but not so on a Neutral court. Free Throws will be the difference.

 

[HuskyNan]

Stef was clearly more aggressive today than in recent games and I thought she played reasonably well. She was easy to guard when UConn stopped making threes, though. That's when she became less effective.

 

[Icebear]

IMHO Stef has to score in double digits and become a factor in the low post game. She should have been able to foul out Peters from the low post. She should be able to make layups and free throws from the low post. I'm not saying its all her fault as the other players aren't always getting the ball to her when they should. In a game like today's she's got to shoot more then 2 Free Throws.

I'm confident UConn can win at home against ND, but not so on a Neutral court. Free Throws will be the difference.

We all but had this game won on their court, how can you say we can't win on a neutral court.

 

[UConnCat]

This team is very impatient when it comes to running offense, particularly making post-entry passes. Plus, you'd think four guards on the floor should be able to handle the ball well. I saw breakdowns in ball security, patience and playing together as a team. Throw in some downright boneheaded plays and there you have it. UConn snatched defeat from the jaws of victory. It's aggravating but given the weaknesses on this team, it should have beaten the #3 team on the road and could have beaten the #1 team on the road as well. It'll be fun to see how the team responds.

 

[Vowelguy]

It was a great game. The difference? KML is not ready for prime time.

Couldn't be more wrong.

KML played awesome against Baylor and Stanford. Today she was average. But so was much of the team other than Bria.

 

[UConnCat]

KML learned what it's like to play in a big game against a really good team with very quick hands and in a hostile environment. It didn't go well for her. It's called facing adversity. It's how players and teams learn, grow and improve. She'll figure it out. She's too good not to.

 

[uconn_nyc]

You're right UConnCat. Besides, ND, as a Big East foe, knows UConn's game (tendencies, plays, personnel) much better than Baylor or Stanford.
It was a good learning experience for KML. As someone said, facing adversity is a good thing. It makes you grow.

 

[Ruffian75]

So Stanford and Baylor are not prime time? She was schooled by the quick hands and good defensive strategy of ND to double her on on-ball screens and hand-offs. She'll adjust and have big games in prime time before the season is over. Give the kid a break. It happens to the best, including Diana and others.

Hey, the kid will learn. Anybody remember how Dee fared in her first two games against ND that were played west of the Hudson?

 

[VAUConnFan]

Diana Taurasi shot a combined 4-15 and scored 9 points in her first two games in South Bend.

 

[VAUConnFan]

Congratulations to Notre Dame...I've seen all I need to see​

First and foremost kudos and congrats to ND and their fans. The ND guards play some hard nosed basketball and they deserve the success their team is having this year. They are loaded with experience and it makes them very difficult to beat. I also think that McBride is one hard-nosed player and will be great for ND for the rest of her career.​

​

With that being said, I have seen everything I needed to see in this game with regards to UConn and their potential for the rest of the season. Some of what I saw was really good and some was pretty enlightening from the point of view of what UConn needs to work on.​

​

1. KML did not do well under pressure...she is a freshman and she played like a freshman today. However, I am not worried this game will provide the fire she needs to step up her game.​

​

2. Kiah Stokes is an emerging player. I liked what I saw from Kiah today. She will be a factor during UConn's run in the NCAAs. I also like that she will push Dolson to get better or lose minutes to a freshman. A little competition is a good thing.​

​

3. Brianna Banks didn't do anything spectacular but she didn't wilt out there either...but, it is apparent that she isn't ready for the big stage yet.​

​

4. Bria is a big game player...she has proven it over and over again. Today was her best game of her career in my opinion. I think she is at least a 2nd team All American this year.​

​

5. Tiff cannot be depended on...whatever she gives us we have to take. She does play hard and we can't do without her. When she is hitting and the rest of the team is playing well...we are unbeatable ​

​

6. Doty is making progress and I believe she will continue to improve as we get closer to the end of the season...the deep three late in the 2nd half was a thing of beauty.​

​

7. Our youth and inexperience has just about reached the end of our excuse period. It is league play now...from here on out...players have to understand that they are Big East players and they have to embrace their experience and play hard.​

​

8. Heather could have helped and if she continues to progress the way she was before she got hurt...we will have three options for post players.​

​

9. Kelly is a solid player...she can shoot the basketball but she needs to get more shots.​

​

10. In my opinion, I do not think ND will beat us for the rest of the season. We will beat them in Storrs. We will beat them on a neutral court.​

After watching the game and reviewing the stats one cannot help but notice how comments 5, 6, and 9 describe three players with similar stats, yet the player who may have played the better game gets rated relatively negatively; Cannot be depended upon as opposed to making progress and solid player. I do understand, though, how different people can see the the same thing and come to different conclusions.

 

[cferraro04]

After watching the game and reviewing the stats one cannot help but notice how comments 5, 6, and 9 describe three players with similar stats, yet the player who may have played the better game gets rated relatively negatively; Cannot be depended upon as opposed to making progress and solid player. I do understand, though, how different people can see the the same thing and come to different conclusions.[/quote

You may have viewed my comment as a negative rating. I view it as realistic and backed by her play in recent games. The comment was made in view of her other more successful outings where she played like a possible All American. So, yes, Tiff has been inconsistent and has shown that it is difficult to depend on getting consistent scoring from her. She only played 4 minutes in the first half...she is s a senior and she needs to stop getting herself in foul trouble early in the first half...she cannot be depended on if she is on the bench. I also said we cannot do without her and that is hardly a negative. I also said when we are playing well and she is hitting shots we are unbeatable...hardly a negative. I do however, agree with your last statement that two different people can see the same thing and come to a different conclusions.

 

[Tonyc]

We grew up today. We blew it. We had it and didnt play well and we lost it. Our foul shooting was one problem. Now I didnt like the refs at all. I dont complain about refs but thought ND shouldve been called for alot more fouls. The ball knocked away from Bria towards the end of the game was a foul. The drivng layup missed by Diggins showed on the replay she wasnt touched. Hey all that aside we had the lead and had the ball and threw it away at the end. We shot approx 60% from the line. Thats how we lost and we will grow from this and learn from this. WE will not lose to ND again and Im very confident saying that.