Damn. Let the 2nd guessing begin

[Sluconn Husky]

This UConn team is the only team in history to return three All-Americans. Plus, they brought in an All-American talent, and the #1 rated player out of high school. You can not lose under those circumstances.

 

[Tenspro2002]

You think freshmen replacing a two-time all-american and the defensive player of the year will make the team better?

Nurse and Gabby will be huge losses, but I wonder if we need some fresh faces to move past this.

They had outstanding careers and deserve every accolade, but the last two years, these were their teams, and those teams came up small in the biggest spots. Something about their leadership -- and even at the beginning of the year, Geno alluded to that not being what he wanted it to be -- lent itself to this kind of tight performance.

 

[Plebe]

Here is my outsider's opinion - Notre Dame was tougher down the stretch - Jackie Young was better than UConn expected and Arike was everything ND needed her to be. I will not lie, I was rooting for the Irish and I really think you need to be worried about them next year. They were down significant players this year and they don't graduate anyone important. You lose Gabby and Kia. Should be interesting, Oh, IMO - this ND win is good for wcbb, but I do feel bad for all of you UConn fans. Losing is never fun.

Why is the Notre Dame win "good" for women's basketball?

 

[Boxerpups4me]

You think freshmen replacing a two-time all-american and the defensive player of the year will make the team better?

They lost stewie, tuck and jefferson but still went undefeated regular season and made a final four, so ya i think they will be better..who says freshman are replacing anybody anyway..

 

[Iowafan61]

This fanbase really needs to handle losses better. The blame game sickens me especially when it's targeted at young women who play their hearts out. Geno can handle the criticism, but what I've seen tonight is really disgraceful comments directed at young women who give their all. Basketball is a game and nothing more. Get over it. On to next season. Wow.

You are right ,and i did that im sorry,it is only a game ,thanks

 

[Sluconn Husky]

Nurse and Gabby will be huge losses, but I wonder if we need some fresh faces to move past this.

They had outstanding careers and deserve every accolade, but the last two years, these were their teams, and those teams came up small in the biggest spots. Something about their leadership -- and even at the beginning of the year, Geno alluded to that not being what he wanted it to be -- lent itself to this kind of tight performance.

You think UConn's defense was inadequate tonight? Wait until they have to guard without Williams and Nurse. And we don't even know if Stevens is returning.

 

[VivaLsVgs]

This UConn team is the only team in history to return three All-Americans. Plus, they brought in an All-American talent, and the #1 rated player out of high school. You can not lose under those circumstances.

But yet we did.....isn’t that why they actually get on the court to play the game? It doesn’t matter who you have on paper it’s who puts it out there for 40 min on the court.

 

[Sluconn Husky]

Ya but uconn lost stewie, jefferson and tuck and STILL


They lost stewie, tuck and jefferson but still went undefeated regular season and made a final four, so ya i think they will be better..who says freshman are replacing anybody anyway..

That team had two top-3 talents in Samuelson and Collier that developed into Wade Trophy finalists as sophomores. Do you see that for Walker and Coombs? Who is going to make the team better next year? Irwin? Camara? Bent? I don't get it.

 

[Boxerpups4me]

You think UConn's defense was inadequate tonight? Wait until they have to guard without Williams and Nurse. And we don't even know if Stevens is returning.

Right..uconn will be just fine, just like they were fine after losing stewart, jefferson and tuck

 

[Boxerpups4me]

That team had two top-3 talents in Samuelson and Collier that developed into Wade Trophy finalists as sophomores. Do you see that for Walker and Coombs? Who is going to make the team better next year? Irwin? Camara? Bent? I don't get it.

I def see it with walker

 

[BostonCanuck]

There were so many things that went wrong tonight that should not have happened, right down to biased officiating by the male ref, to be honest. But if I had to pick one overarching factor, it's that we did not have a big player step up and to win the game for us. That opportunity was there, but no one made it happen. Near the end of regulation, there were some big plays made to avoid losing the game, but nobody could step up to win it.

I personally believe that the pressure to live up to expectations and past history has become too much for the Huskies. Individually and as a team, they played very tentatively tonight during long stretches, in uncharacteristic fashion, similar to last year's semi-final.

There's a lot more to it, of course, but at the highest level those are my initial thoughts.

 

[Sluconn Husky]

 

[Sluconn Husky]

Disagree. We still were playing top teams as recently as last month - a #2 and a #1 seed. We just don't have the ability to put top teams away anymore, and frankly why should we? Our talent isn't head and shoulders above the other teams.

Going by accolades, high school player rankings, or even team results it sure is.

 

[Charliebball]

Agree. If anyone choked it would be Geno. But choke is not the right word. Aggressiveness is the word. ND was more aggressive and took the game to UConn. I mention Geno because, like last year, he did not press the opposing team, in order to speed up the game. Not once if I remember. Even so, ND scored 91 points! If you can score against UConn, either because you play lights out on offense with career games from unexpected players, or, UConn plays without intensity on defense, UConn is in trouble. Geno will also be second guessed on keeping AZ on the bench longer than needed in the 3rd quarter. Oh well. ND deserved the win. They wanted it more and you can sense that from the 1st minute of the game.

the one thing UConn has lacked for the past few years is a player who can consistently get her own shot one on one from the outside in like Ogunbawle.............in most instances that doesn't matter with UConn's great motion offense but there are times when that specific skill is called for..........next year UConn will have such a weapon in Christyn Williams............let's hope she gets her chance in the semi-finals next year.......

 

[Psyjaxx]

UConn vs. ND in semifinal means potential for refs to impact the game with less scrutiny. Anyone that doesn't think this game was impacted by how it was called is clueless. We don't play bad against ND because they play magical defense. We play bad because ND is allowed to hack and it prevents our superior players from utilizing their skill and athletic advantages. And then they get rattled. You can say that is their fault but pretty much anyone would get rattled when being hacked constantly. They ALWAYS become afraid to drive when the game is called like this.

The number of non-calls against ND was quite obvious. Made the game hard to watch. ND played a very good game - especially by Arike and Jackie Young. But the refs seemed to want to have their influence. Just sayin'

 

[HoopsFan21]

Going by accolades, high school player rankings, or even team results it sure is.

I'll give you this, as I watched Louisville and Miss St, how come their 7-8-9 guys off the bench actually come in and contribute (they had to due to foul trouble) where ours don't even get off the bench?

 

[asuwish]

UConn vs. ND in semifinal means potential for refs to impact the game with less scrutiny. Anyone that doesn't think this game was impacted by how it was called is clueless. We don't play bad against ND because they play magical defense. We play bad because ND is allowed to hack and it prevents our superior players from utilizing their skill and athletic advantages. And then they get rattled. You can say that is their fault but pretty much anyone would get rattled when being hacked constantly. They ALWAYS become afraid to drive when the game is called like this.

Superior - you mean Uconn's 5 McD's all americans vs ND's 5 McD's all americans. The talent gap isn't that big. This was a style of play thing. ND wasn't wasn't hacking any more than Uconn and this was a consistently called game. Once you know how the ref's are going to call you better make adjustments. Uconn did by going zone and bigger in the 2nd quarter and dominated. Why Steven's wasn't rewarded and start the 3rd is shocking (even if that's what Uconn did all year, you make changes for the game your in. ND wasn't afraid (the never are) and two great teams battled. ND only loses 1 starter and returns at least 2 of those who sat this year plus 2 HS All Americans. They maybe the favorites next year especially if our young players don't develop.

 

[Sluconn Husky]

I'll give you this, as I watched Louisville and Miss St, how come their 7-8-9 guys off the bench actually come in and contribute (they had to due to foul trouble) where ours don't even get off the bench?

Because three of them were misses by the coaching staff, one has been hurt and a shell of what they thought she could be, and the other two are either hurt and not ready or just not ready.

 

[UConnCat]

Notre Dame was just the more physical and more aggressive team tonight. The SC game showed that UConn could be scored on in the paint and ND was able to do that.

I expect Azura to return next season but the lack of a physical presence in the lane will still be a problem.

Maybe there's a bulky post player who can transfer in and gain immediate eligibility.

Am I right that Lou took 2 shots in the 2nd half (not counting the prayer at the end)? That was a problem. Having a guard who can take the ball to the basket and get fouled would be nice.

 

[housekeys]

The number of non-calls against ND was quite obvious. Made the game hard to watch. ND played a very good game - especially by Arike and Jackie Young. But the refs seemed to want to have their influence. Just sayin'

I agree the calls where inconsistent and favored the more aggressive team, ND. But, ND played a great offensive game. That can not be denied. Was the timid UConn defense influenced by the officials calling the game differently on them vs ND? I do not know. But it was UConn's lack of defense and ND's superior offense that won the game, either way. 91 points! Yikes.

 

[Bleed Blue-XY]

I was afraid that this would happen (again). Some of the same issues from last year arose again tonight. I don’t know what next year holds but I hope our incoming freshmen can make a significant impact their first year because the team will need it. This one hurts.

On a side note, I miss Stewie

 

[jaydee602]

There were so many things that went wrong tonight that should not have happened, right down to biased officiating by the male ref, to be honest. But if I had to pick one overarching factor, it's that we did not have a big player step up and to win the game for us. That opportunity was there, but no one made it happen. Near the end of regulation, there were some big plays made to avoid losing the game, but nobody could step up to win it.

I personally believe that the pressure to live up to expectations and past history has become too much for the Huskies. Individually and as a team, they played very tentatively tonight during long stretches, in uncharacteristic fashion, similar to last year's semi-final.

There's a lot more to it, of course, but at the highest level those are my initial thoughts.

LOL...maybe they shouldn't let a guy named McConnell officiate a playoff game that includes the Fighting IRISH!

 

[HoopsFan21]

Because three of them were misses by the coaching staff, one has been hurt and a shell of what they thought she could be, and the other two are either hurt and not ready or just not ready.

Can you put names to each of these categories? I tried to read between the lines.

 

[enigmatic]

For the record this loss is a very painful and numbing one to swallow as I really wanted to feel gratification to see UCONN redeem themselves after last year's heartbreak but this one has to hurt more for myself considering all the talent and pieces they had returning and arriving but even before the season began I had a slight concern and flashback to 2001 with all the talented ensemble and not winning a NC (ironically losing to ND also) I feared and hoped to the gods they wouldn't replicate that this year but it is what it is. Life goes on and like the saying goes maybe third time's the charm for next season.

Big credit to Muffet and ND though. As much as I dont have the greatest fondness of her and her program in general, I very admire and truly appreciate what she has done this season. Easily the best coaching job of her tenure. She makes do with what she has and just goes with it and look she's into another (but this year unheralded) NCAA title game. Would Geno be able to do what she has this season had he been in the same predicament? I really dont know but obviously Muffet has proven she can.

 

[DaddyChoc]

I liked the Chong team better... I wasn't no more impressed with them team no more than last year's, especially with Z taking 3's. She was great at the end of the season and in the tourney.

I think the passing sucked! Rebounding seemed to be a lil problem as well.

Coach McGraw is a helluva coach and O'Wale put up some back breaking daggers... nothing you could do about those shots.

who wants to call those shots "LUCK"

 

[Reypl21]

Some posters comment on the refs. I read a comment on the ESPN Facebook comment section (Not a very nice place), and they said that Kia's game tying layup shouldn't have counted. After re-watching that moment, she flat out traveled on that layup

 

[Shenandoah]

ND didn't play tougher. They hacked and it wasn't called. HATE the refs.

It was the same in the first game. The refs were awful, and slanted toward MSU.

 

[mbr33ct]

I'll second guess Jeff Walz for allowing Miss St take that last second 3.

 

[HopJim]

Agree. If anyone choked it would be Geno. But choke is not the right word. Aggressiveness is the word. ND was more aggressive and took the game to UConn. I mention Geno because, like last year, he did not press the opposing team, in order to speed up the game. Not once if I remember. Even so, ND scored 91 points! If you can score against UConn, either because you play lights out on offense with career games from unexpected players, or, UConn plays without intensity on defense, UConn is in trouble. Geno will also be second guessed on keeping AZ on the bench longer than needed in the 3rd quarter. Oh well. ND deserved the win. They wanted it more and you can sense that from the 1st minute of the game.

A lot of close coaching decisions in this game including Geno coming out in second half man to man defense after UConn killed ND with Zone in 2nd Quarter. Last quarter and in OT, UConn never seemed to understand how to attack ND's defense. Bottom line, ND had one more great play than UConn and appeared better rested at end of game.

 

[HopJim]

Notre Dame was just the more physical and more aggressive team tonight. The SC game showed that UConn could be scored on in the paint and ND was able to do that.

I expect Azura to return next season but the lack of a physical presence in the lane will still be a problem.

Maybe there's a bulky post player who can transfer in and gain immediate eligibility.

Am I right that Lou took 2 shots in the 2nd half (not counting the prayer at the end)? That was a problem. Having a guard who can take the ball to the basket and get fouled would be nice.[/QUOTE Transfer? My vote is for another point guard. Would have loved to see one in 4th quarter last night when UConn didn't appear to know how to attack ND's defense. Kia and Lou especially appeared gassed - don't blame them for playing entire game so even with frosh next year, would love to have a 10-12 minute a game guard who plays defense and passes well.