DePaul Postgame Thread

[LwrcasefaN]

I agree she pushed every time. I guess cuz she is small they let her get away with it. It also seemed like depaul flopped quite a bit. Morrow also fell twice when she was trying to push liv out of the way backwards, but live moves and morrow hit the deck.
Did you agree with all the charge calls??

The only legit charge call I saw was Ducharme on Held. The rest were...bogus. I didn't think Morrow was dirty, but I did think she fouled out and she flops too much. She's a really good player. I'm trying to think of a more energetic and physical big in wcbb and off the top of my head...none come to mind. She played like Charles Barkeley.

 

[freshler40]

on #4 - maybe the referees will be better prepared? Have to give her credit, she's one tough cookie and doesn't give an inch but I think you'll see a different game called the next time around.

Our posts needed to front Morrow. We played behind her and got pushed around more. Even at one point of Morrow doing a Duke flop trying to draw Ono down. The refs called the foul on us. Even the injury looked staged. Our coaches should have picked-up on this. We had the size advantage but gave it up to the weight of Morrow.

 

[LwrcasefaN]

That Morrow girl is a major stud! What a player! However, she seemed to flop several times tonight. A couple were almost embarrassing.

That first one early in the game...even I think she was embarrassed. lol

 

[LwrcasefaN]

This was just a really good contest and I enjoyed it, It was like the old boxing bouts with two fighters going toe to toe. I think UCONN needed to know that they can withstand a tough physical battle on the road. There's a ton of talent on the bench, but a lot of it is young...and too nice. They showed TEAM grit. I hope that this is their identity going forward.

 

[Carnac]

Great team win and REALLY happy to see CW have a solid game. Just can't fathom how anyone can say she's not our best on-ball defender....by a mile. Super quick on her feet and an endless motor.

During a post game presser, she admitted to trying to hide the fact that she was a little winded, which is understandable because she is still dealing with some of the lingering after effects of the Covid virus. Geno said before the game that the plan was to play her “a couple of minutes.” I saw right through that, and predicted in a post that she would play at least 28 minutes or more.

She played 32. I figured she would because 1. they needed her on the court, 2. You can’t lose a sizeable amount of basketball shape in a week to 10 days. UConn could not have won this game without her and Azzi.

We played with 6 players against St. John’s. Christyn was not projected to play in this game nor was Azzi. Unfortunately Edwards was ineffective in this game, having more turnovers than points. I was very skeptical going into this game with those 6 players against a team averaging 92 points a game.

 

[HuskyNan]

This seemed like a game which was a shame not to be televised. I even checked out the WatchESPN app to see if it were available there. Was following along on the Warren Nolan scoreboard and it was thrilling to see the lead oscillate back and forth between the teams.

See the thread tacked to the top of the board about streaming the games

 

[Vowelguy]

Even the injury looked staged. .

One of the worst takes ever on this board.

 

[oldude]

Time of play? We stream the game via the app so we cannot rewind (boo), so I'd like to see it on the replay vid posted

It was in the last few minutes of the game. SNY showed a replay where it was clear that Morrow fouled Christyn hard bringing her right arm down across Christyn’s head.

 

[oldude]

Our posts needed to front Morrow. We played behind her and got pushed around more. Even at one point of Morrow doing a Duke flop trying to draw Ono down. The refs called the foul on us. Even the injury looked staged. Our coaches should have picked-up on this. We had the size advantage but gave it up to the weight of Morrow.

I agree with you. The problem is that you need a really athletic defender to effectively front a post. Gabby was great at it. Aubrey can also do it. Our current posts all tried to front Morrow at times, but Morrow continually worked to reestablish position, putting our defenders on her back hip again and again.

 

[Carnac]

UConn belongs in the ACC. There, I said it!! We know it probably will never happen. The next best thing that could happen is the rest of the teams in the Big East raise their level of play as DePaul has. I wish every BE game was as competitive as this one was. If Doug Bruno is able to find some diamonds in the rough, other BE programs should be able to also. Right now the Georgetown and Xavier programs are embarrassing.

 

[hoopsfan22]

The team runs smoother with her in the lineup for whatever reason. I dunno Geno sees it too I guess. He's the hall of fame coach so he must know what he's doing. I liked the lineup and rotation last night for the most part now that we have enough players to have an actual rotation. I think when Paige gets back Dorka or Caroline will come off the bench. There's a month left before the post-season, so it's important to start developing some continuity with the lineups and rotation.

 

[Inthepaint]

Don't know where else to post this, but here goes.
After a particularly exciting basket, there was Paige, brace on her leg,coming off the bench and JUMPING UP AND DOWN.
Love her enthusiasm, glad she's trying to rev up her teammates, can't wait to see her back on the court, but PLEASE don't do that.
I'm just getting to the point where I'm starting to think that Geno just might be able to put this Humpty-Dumpty team back together
for the NCAA Tourney. This is contingent on PB getting back to her normal game.
Would probably have to shoot her to keep her away, but maybe CD could duct tape her to a chair or something. If she can keep Geno from charging the officials all these years, anything's possible.

 

[Littlemin]

I agree that the best TEAM is the way to go but we can disagree on what that is. I mean Nika no harm. Next year she will be even more important with Evina and CW gone. We need Nika now and we will need her even more then. Where would we be without Nika this year? Nika's a good player. I'm just noting that if everyone's healthy we need to adjust. Paige is gonna get PT and Caroline and CW and Azzi. If you have 6 guards and Paige, CW and Caroline are playing 35 minutes then there is not much time left over for the last 3 and I think Azzi needs to play. It's going to have to be addressed at some point if they are healthy. I confess to looking at metrics a lot in my analysis. I think they are very important. It's not a freaking popularity contest. It's about winning.

We disagree and that is fine, I think my statement regarding who should play and why speaks for itself, it has nothing to do with popularity.
I will admit I can’t understand all the “bench Muhl” comments when the most successful coach in CBB has made it plain for two years his opinion of what she brings to the team, including his comment just a week or two ago recognizing her as the leader of the team on the court; I believe his words were something to the effect that “others think they are but Nika is” kind of thing.
Personally, I believe the people who will lose the most minutes are Edwards and Westbrook but who knows? That is up to Auriemma and staff. He obviously likes guards and I think we will see more 4 guards (or 3 guards and Ducharme if you will), 1 big configurations going forward, especially if (or when) Bueckers returns.

 

[Ralph]

This game reminded me of another matchup in Chicago

and it all started with a missed free throw. Why do we miss so many, and DePaul puts so many in that don't even touch the rim, all net.

 

[Charliebball]

Another interesting stat for Morrow. She's shooting 66.7% from the line. Tonight she was 8/9. And she shot them so well (All net mostly) it looked like she never missed one in her life. One of the "naysayers" favorite lines is "So what - we beat an unranked team". What is important to note is that DePaul played this game very much like a ranked team and we pulled it out despite foul trouble on the road. That's a huge accomplishment in my book.

exactly.............when Depaul is hitting their shots and Morrow is doing her thing they are a ranked team for sure..........they still live by the three and die by the three and that's not an easy way to stay up in the rankings......

 

[hoopsfan22]

Don't know where else to post this, but here goes.
After a particularly exciting basket, there was Paige, brace on her leg,coming off the bench and JUMPING UP AND DOWN.
Love her enthusiasm, glad she's trying to rev up her teammates, can't wait to see her back on the court, but PLEASE don't do that.
I'm just getting to the point where I'm starting to think that Geno just might be able to put this Humpty-Dumpty team back together
for the NCAA Tourney. This is contingent on PB getting back to her normal game.
Would probably have to shoot her to keep her away, but maybe CD could duct tape her to a chair or something. If she can keep Geno from charging the officials all these years, anything's possible.

Yeah Paige was going nuts I was thinking the same thing. Maybe she is more healed that we think and Geno will surprise us with Paige like he did with Azzi last night and she'll just go into a game earlier than any of us expected.

 

[oldude]

Morrow is remarkably good at forcing contact. She doesn’t jump up. Hell, Nika blocked one of her shots. Morrow jumps into opposing defenders and she has amazing body control to still put up a good shot during contact.

Someone suggested that Morrow plays like Charles Barkley. That’s an apt comparison. She forces the refs to blow their whistles and call a foul. Last night she got the benefit of just about all the calls. In addition, it doesn’t hurt that she’s a really good foul shooter.

I would like to see a smaller more athletic defender on her. Last night Aubrey would have been UConn’s best defensive option against Morrow had she been available.

 

[eebmg]

Includes Azzi's Post Game Interview with Maria

 

[Ralph]

Azzi looked great though didn't she. One horrible pass but lots of solid plays. I would like to see her get 30 plus minutes. I think this was indicative of what she will give us. Real solid play overall. Few turnovers, great shooting and at least average defense overall. Making fewer mistakes would really help this team. I can't wait until Pige gets back because frankly, this team is loaded.

Not sure, but it seemed to me not a great pass, but directed at Liv, who did not move to the ball, she just stood there. Instead Morrow quickly went from behind her to in front of her and grabbed the ball. ( maybe Morrow grabbed Liz and the refs and I did not see it.) And in Fudd's defense, she was approaching 5 seconds. Seemed like several times tonight we had trouble getting the ball in, people standing around expecting the inbounder to somehow get the ball in to someone, even if no one was open. Kind of like in football the receiver moves to the ball. If you wait for the ball a defender steps in and gets the interception.

 

[schmendrick]

We now have a go-to player

Maybe two….

And a third coming in the not too distant future...

 

[topogigio]

One of the worst takes ever on this board.

yes, the kid's knee/leg was taped like she was a mummy, She did not play her HS senior year due to the injury and she was crying in pain after the fall, but refused to let anyone see it. I, thought she was done for the game at minimum. The fact that she returned and still pushed our girls around, scored, rebounded (and hit her foul shots) speaks volumes of her strength and tenacity. She totally impressed me!

 

[eebmg]

From the Depaul side

Women's basketball: Aneesah Morrow's big night is not enough to upset No. 10 UConn - The DePaulia

DePaul has had its chances to beat UConn in the past, but the Huskies have always found a way to pull out a victory. On Wednesday, with UConn traveling to Chicago to face DePaul on short notice after the Big East rescheduled the Dec. 31 postponement, the Blue Demons once again found themselves...

depauliaonline.com

“I thought we let our guard down with the collection of threes that took place there in the second half and then down the stretch defensively,” head coach Doug Bruno said.