Did UConn achieve NASTY?

[nastynatty]

After the Tennessee game, the team adopted the "nasty" moniker following Azzi's postgame comments. It was a reoccurring question from the media about how "nasty" the team was as they returned pieces and started to become whole again.

My question is: Did this team achieve "nasty" level designation in the postseason? If so, what game did they look the "nastiest"?

Personally, I don't think they did. In the NCAA tournament, I don't think there was a game where they were just clicking on all cylinders from beginning to end. Don't get me wrong, they played great and obviously should be so EXTREMELY proud of their season. I think every win just left a little bit to be desired (though a win is a win nonetheless). IMO closest they got to "nasty" in the NCAA tournament was the NC State game. We saw Paige takeover in OT but the entire team was making plays down the stretch and they came out with a classic win over a very good NC State team. It was an excellent combination of the more-balanced team that arose in Paige's absence and the dominant, NPOY-level Paige Bueckers that they had missed for 90% of the season. But, Paige struggled a bit in the first half of that game and didn't look dominant really until the overtimes. And the team made some key defensive mistakes here and there that almost lost us the game. So I wouldn't consider it to be a complete, start-to-finish "nasty" performance. I actually would give an honorable mention to the Big East tournament final against Villanova. The suffocating defensive energy and full court press was certainly nasty. Plus add the revenge factor and the "We Want UConn" chants. They were definitely clicking on both sides of the ball but I hesitate to call that game full-blown nasty because Paige was nowhere near full strength and playing her 3rd game in 3 days.

So, what was the "nastiest" game of the postseason?

 

[JellyBean]

For me, it was the Mercer game in the post season. Four players in double digit scoring. Two players a point away from double digits. Defensively. That 3rd quarter shut down of Mercer was a thing of beauty! Defensive masterpiece. 20-0!

 

[visitingcock]

Yes.

The NC State game was nasty. The clutch shots were nasty. Paige was nasty. I did not expect UConn to win. I probably would have favored a full-season, healthy UConn. But, I think NC State was as they were ranked, the 3rd best team in WBB. Look at their record and SOS. Oh yeah, they were nasty too. Y'all just out-nastied them.

Stanford? Great team without a point guard.

 

[Zarathustra]

The whole team was both "nasty" and "nice". Thanks to the whole gang! Z

 

[Majic Hands]

NO.

1) IMO some players on the team never got completely healthy.

2) Team never got to play enough together to "read and react" whole lot of thinking going on.

So the concept of the team as being "Nasty", never developed.

Looking forward to next year. Perhaps by the conference tournament, teams will be hoping to play someone else caus UConn's Nasty!

 

[darrell]

I honestly don’t think this season was a “National Championship or bust” type of season. Most didn’t even favor UConn making it out of Bridgeport, let alone beating two #1’s en route to a title game runner-up (all of this without Dorka). They exceeded my expectations for sure.

 

[Charliebball]

there were moments when you could see just how nasty they could be but not enough of them..........personally I'd also like to see some nasty as in attitude for next season and I'm hopeful the two new recruits will bring a bit of that.......

 

[CTBballfan243]

UConn had a great season and we’re a “Nasty” team. There was only one team better than they were. No shame in losing to a team that just was more talented. UConn did the best they could and just came up short. I can’t ask for more than that.

 

[LwrcasefaN]

Pretty close. Stay tuned, grasshopper.

 

[Redux]

"Nasty" on defense became, I think, an energy-packed word to describe a practical substitute for not being able to play UConn basketball (mainly smooth, seamless switching & communications) with consistency. I think they did get nasty and it was very effective. These were good individual players and in addition to the staff's ceaseless and somewhat ineffective efforts to instill UConn defense they are also well-coached on the fundamentals as they apply to individual play. They played aggressive, hard, effective defense once they were reasonably healthy. I think Geno probably loved what they were doing but deep inside wished they would learn and commit to doing it his way instead. But it was pretty damned great.

On offense it was a different story. "Nasty" pretty much meant sloppy but intense, highly individualized-skilled schoolyard play. Hard-assed but sometimes half-assed. Passing a lot to little effect until the shot clock ran out or somebody got a halfway decent shot, whichever happened to come first. And, again, because these are such superbly skilled players who played their hearts out, they put up a lot of points by any reasonable standards. Only a priggish, spoiled, semi-knowledgable purist would have any real trouble with that.

I loved the players, all, coachable or not. But I've been following UConn women's basketball for a very long time because I like the type of game they play. And it's not nasty, it's simply beautiful. They're about 75% there on defense and we'll see what happens otherwise. They've got the shooters and the bodies to maybe win it all, nasty; but I'm hoping they start listening to Geno and the staff and then there will be no maybes about it.

 

[Blueballer]

I sure would have liked to see how much closer that NC game would have been with Dorka and a helthy Azzi. Maybe not enough to win but closer I think.

 

[tchalla1]

The whole team was both "nasty" and "nice". Thanks to the whole gang! Z

They will be even more "Nicety" next year.....

 

[BBallF]

Not nasty because Azzi said it would happen when everyone got healthy and back. We lost Dorka and effectively Azzi also for the NC and CD was never the same all year so we never really all got back. It was a cruel and whipsawing year but to get to the NC game to me was a great achievement. I said this before, give Boston a pulled groin, Henderson an intestinal flu, and Saxton a fractured wrist two games before, and take the injury to Dorka away, have Azzi and Liv perfectly healthy and the result is different.

 

[HopJim]

Difficult to achieve "nasty" when half your team is sick or rehabbing. It is what it is. While I would never underestimate SC and Boston, I would also not undersell Paige, Azzi, etc. and their ability to score and defend. Rate South Carolina and UConn as co-favorites for next year. One is strong inside; the other has unmatched firepower outside. Should be fun.

 

[Inthepaint]

They certainly had their “nasty” moments.
When they started getting healthy again, you could see just how good they could be.
The fact that they got all the way to the NC game was near-miraculous.
I think that missing Aubrey for the whole season was more detrimental than we realized.
If g-d willing she is able to return to form next year, we will redefine “nasty”. Aubrey, like Nika, brings a kind of energy and competitive edge onto the court that seems to ignite her teammates.

 

[MilfordHusky]

I think they got to NASTy. They needed a little more against SC to capitalize the last letter, but they did really well.