DePaul Postgame thread [merged]

[CTinLA]

The Huskies survived! Some days, that’s all you can ask for. Everyone played hard, but everyone made head-scratching mistakes. Dorka missed the easy shot that would have put us up by 5, then comes back and gets the tie-up that probably saved the game. The day was like that for everybody. Lou had hit only one shot all game, then at the end has the pretty reverse and the great penetration kicking to Nika for the huge three. On the good side, I was very happy to see the quality minutes from AP and Ines, and we really needed their combined four points.

I hope everyone can walk tomorrow, especially Dorka after that ankle roll.

This game was not good for my heart, but ended up being good for my soul. Go Huskies!

 

[YKCornelius]

Dorka played a hell of good game, especially with her bad ankle. Despite getting clobber in the face, Nika had 8 assist and much needed 3 pointers. Tough game, but they held on to win. I hope Lou feels better soon. I would like to see Dorka rested for the Xavier game, and would like to see more of Ines and Ayanna on the court.

Happydad745, the Xavier game is Dorka's (second) Senior Night and Dorka's parents are coming in from Europe to attend. I'd bet the farm she starts. That said, I agree with your thoughts it would be nice to see more Ines and Ayanna.

 

[Monte]

Good: grit

Bad: passes, defense, inside shots missed

DePaul is now 15-15, and played head to head with a #2 seed ???? in the NCAA Tourney....I would not blame Charlie now, if he has UCONN as one of the last teams to be selected. (I thought I would never say this, but "It is what it is.")

 

[CTtoSanDiego]

The good:
1. We won the rebound battle
2. We made 20 assists
3. Ayanna and Ines had good minutes
4. We won the game

What fell short:
1. 18 Turnovers
2. Getting the ball stolen
3. Getting shots blocked.

Team had barely sufficient energy. At times, they controlled the game. Other times, there were bad stretches too. Hopefully Caroline will keep getting better and Lou will recover from whatever has been bothering her. Look forward to Azzi being back for Senior Night or the first game of the tournament.

Add our old bugaboo, missed layups, to the what fell short column. If anyone wants to watch the replay and count them, I'd love to know how many.
Now, having said that, this was a good, gritty win against a team that kept making difficult shots (until the last few minutes).
And the UConn men got another nice win today on national TV.
Go Huskies!

 

[Jmsdawg]

I was impressed with DePaul. I checked the brackets and could not see anyone picking. Them to get in the big dance. I hope they do well in the BE tournament because from what I saw today they have some really good players and would be a tough game for a higher seed to deal with. I am concerned that UConn just does not appear, at least to my eyes, ready for either the BE or NCAA tournament.

 

[Littlemin]

She had 4 head scratching TOs and some iffy passes her teammates saved. She just seems not quite herself lately but I can say that for all the starters but Aubrey. Big props to Aubrey for her play today

Yeah, let’s focus on her bad plays, she has become this years Williams/Ono. She had 8 assists and at least 3 other passes for point blank layups that were missed, 13 points, including Uconn’s last 5, and oh, basically was switched onto a red hot Rogers and pretty much took her out of the game. She had 8 points in the 1st qtr against Griffin, 7 the rest of the way after the switch, 3 of which came when Griffin was on her and didn’t close out at all on a 3 pointer. And oh by the way, Griffin, who did play well, had 5 TOs of her own. Yes, Muhl turns the ball over, she also gets the team more than their share of easy points. She could have easily had 12-14 assists today with missed bunnies and wide open jump shots. Part of the game, but there’s plenty of good to go along with the bad.

 

[YKCornelius]

First off, the team held on for a win. It has been a perplexing season. The tight games continue late into the fourth quarter. At this point, the question has to be asked. Is UConn overrated or does the Big East deserve credit for being an under appreciated, competitive conference?

Thankfully, the team showed the emotion that had decidedly been low-key in the last couple of games. Unfortunately, this team seems to be consistent in its inconsistency. A player will have a good individual game, followed by a subpar one.

Collectively, I feel the team has allowed doubt to creep in over the past 10 games. It happens to teams all the time. Some never recover and their season is essentially over. It won't happen to this team, but their margin of error has dwindled.

On high notes, it was great to Ines take an outside shot and make it. Hopefully, today was a huge confidence builder for Ayanna - the most productive minutes for her in a long time. Caroline, who never says no to a shot, looked much better after the St. John's game.

It looks like every game beginning in the Big East tourney to the Big Dance will be entertaining and close. It's been awhile since UConn entered the tournament and wasn't confidently penciled in to make the Final Four. This year, if they make it, it will have been earned.

It's earned EVERY year! Good grief!

 

[Geew1992]

Pure Guts and I still think Inez should play more minutes!

Maybe you should be the coach ‍♀️

 

[fomalhaut]

Would anyone have bet at this point in the season that Muhl and Juhasz would be our most reliable 3-point shooters?

 

[hookshot]

I feel like Monday is the perfect thing for this team right now - hopefully a relatively easy game, senior night, nika should get the record, get some game time for the bench. Big Gampel crowd. Hopefully will lift their spirits as they head into post season. All it takes is one game to turn the confidence around + looks like azzi will be back maybe for the big east tournament. Things are on the up (hopefully)

What could go wrong - 6" of snow ?

 

[jaydee602]

The top Pac 12 teams lose to unranked teams & M.A. Voepel claims that it is because the bottom Pac 12 teams are so competitive. But UCONN wins close games & ESPN insists that the Huskies are not a top team. What an insult to UCONN & the Big East.

 

[CTinLA]

Add our old bugaboo, missed layups, to the what fell short column. If anyone wants to watch the replay and count them, I'd love to know how many.
Now, having said that, this was a good, gritty win against a team that kept making difficult shots (until the last few minutes).
And the UConn men got another nice win today on national TV.
Go Huskies!

According to what Nan posted in #29, UCONN made 13-28 layups. Not good. Fortunately, it was just enough.

 

[topogigio]

Maybe you should be the coach ‍♀️

I’d like to give it a go, and do everything CD tells me to do!

 

[huskeynut]

We sure have a lot of "coaches" on this board. Absolutely amazing.

A win to clinch a tie for the regular season title. DePaul is always a difficult game on their court. This team does not quit. They scrap and claw to win. It ain't pretty but who cares.

Nan mentioned Maya's heroics and don't forget Ketia Swanier's end to end dash for a win.

Remember Tug McGraw's line when he was with the Mets - "You Gotta Believe."

On to Monday night.

 

[PAHuskeyFan]

Ayanna's best game of the year...very aggressive at the right time.

I again have bv to give credit where it's due... Mike's Mango did not let me down... I had 4 of them today...and I know the Mike's MOJO helped our team win.

Go Huskies

 

[Bone Dog]

I hate to say this, but Nika has developed some bad passing habits. Too many telegraphed passes. She did some great things in this game. But I cringe these days when she picks up her dribble and then holds the ball over her head and fakes the same pass before throwing it.

 

[toadfoot]

Perhaps even more perplexing than the 18 turnovers was how DePaul, a team that plays only one kid as tall as 6'1" was able to block 7 UConn shots? We make 4 blocks, but DePaul blocks 7?

Tired legs? Just not got the spring anymore?

The up fake seems to be a lost art. As does the fake pass.

 

[pammy]

She’s had nagging injuries

I believe she has a very sore hip.

 

[pammy]

I hate to say this, but Anika has developed some bad passing habits. Too many telegraphed passes. She did some great things in this game. But I cringe these days when she picks up her dribble and then holds the ball over her head and fakes the same pass before throwing it.

You are sooooo right. I think she's had 4 turnovers in the first quarter in the last 3 games.

 

[UConnCat]

 

[Geew1992]

Just watched Geno’s post game interview and he sated Lou hasn’t practiced in three days. Anyone know why

I’m thinking her knee

 

[Geew1992]

Our post players are taught not to fake; the minute they get the ball, drive and shoot. That's why Dorka—at 6-5—has shots blocked in every game.

They are?? Who says?

 

[Geew1992]

I hate to say this, but Anika has developed some bad passing habits. Too many telegraphed passes. She did some great things in this game. But I cringe these days when she picks up her dribble and then holds the ball over her head and fakes the same pass before throwing it.

Who’s Anika?

 

[Geew1992]

The up fake seems to be a lost art. As does the fake pass.

Funny I saw it a few times today

 

[Geew1992]

Man… for UConn fans… y’all def aren’t

 

[ochoopsfan]

USS UConn WBB Looking for Help

Cant figure out why so many Red thumbs down "likes". I see a ship, the USS UConn, with teammates working hard to reach its goal, but still needs help to get there.

 

[boontonbomber]

For a UConn fan, this was a horrible game to watch. Depaul played over their head and scored over their head and UConn played with abandon until the last 4 minutes of the game. What saved UConn was just plain grit. Lot's of heart.

For any fan of basketball it was a great game to watch! What have you got against exciting basketball, 2 teams playing with lots of heart, and going down to the very end. Give DePaul some credit already. And good for the game; much better than a 30 point yawner.

 

[msf22b]

Thoughts

-When Ayanna came in the 2nd time, Morrow was killing us and Ayanna's bulk, size and athleticism helped to slow her down and win the game.

-It did look like DePaul was the more creative and competent team for much of the game. But some big plays at the end turned the tide...Mind you...it could have been so much easier if Dorka made her bunny and the ball wasn't soon turned over...

- The third quarter was painful, I count (subject to correction), more or less a turnover before and after every made shot with one exception...The percentage was fine...just that they made 7 shots but gave it away 7 times while attempting 13 total shots...DePaul attempted 19 shots and fortunately missed a whole lot more than we did.

- perhaps I have been too nibbling around the edges. I am among those that feel that especially this season, the young players...the bench, should have been given more game time to develop their game and to determine if they could be really useful and /or to reduce the minutes of the starters.

Let us (for example) examine Ines' performance today...It was her first meaningful appearance in weeks...I was not expecting superstar performance, just hoping for competence. She appears to be quick and athletic with good dribbling skills...in 4 minutes, she had a steal and a turnover (neither credited), an assist and hit a 3.

Is it not possible that with more regular play-time, she could have taken some of the pressure off our beaten down (for whatever combination of reasons) guard corps in our hours of need? I certainly think so.

Remember Moriah's freshman year? Geno played her limited minutes throughout the season (more in the NCAA's). Her dad thought she was ready to contribute...there had been those extraordinary moves in HS...Never saw them her first season...until the NCAA's...saw one...Then, amazingly, she starts her sophomore year...and we get the full repertoire.
I complained throughout her first year that she only needed to be given a chance...And was derided similarly to this season

Likewise, when a big, athletic body was required when Dorka was being overwhelmed by Morrow, Ayanna performed competently.

In my opinion (here's where one gets into the issue of 2nd guessing the coach...
Not having stayed in a holiday Inn nor having won any...zero..titles of any kind)

This type of substitution pattern (using the kids) might well have lessened the obvious physical deterioration of our starters.

Especially interesting was Ines' cameo today.

-UConn fandom is delighted that the team made some big plays down the stretch (offense and defense) to pull out the game. Congrats to the organization for their valiant effort. It was a good start towards turning the season back around.
And the bench contributed...I think they can do yet more.

 

[UCONNRPh]

Who’s Anika?

I was wondering the same thing

 

[AJay11]

Pure speculation, but I wonder if after last game the focus was health management over blowing out these next two games. Maybe some were right about putting in the bench to conserve our starters. I definitely think UConn is still in a slump, but they seem to rise to the occasion when they need to.
In addition, I am less worried after watching other top ranked teams play. Almost everyone is either getting upset or close to an upset every night. The fact that Stanford took another L today isn't a surprise to me. With a full roster, they look just as vulnerable as UConn. My biggest question is: Are teams growing more competitive or are traditional top teams just playing poorly? I personally think it is a mixture of both. I think if UConn brings their A game in the tournament they are going far and if not... well it is what it is. I am not a fortune teller, even when I want to be.