Dont count us out.

[Tonyc]

Gee wiz. After reading alot of post there are alot of frustrated fans and alot of fans who think the reality is UConn wont make it to the FF. Theyre right. I believe that with a healthy team UConn will make it to the FF and Im right. A healthy team depends on how you interpret it. I personally believe with a healthy Caroline and Azzi we have a great chance to win it all. Caroline still doesnt appear to be a 100% and after many weeks of sitting out and rehabbing shes back on the floor. I would think that the doctors coaches parents and Caroline all feel shes healthy enough to play. I dont think she would be on the floor if there were a chance otherwise. That only makes sense. She hasnt looked like herself and thats understandable considering whats shes been through. She needs time and she will get it now. We can only hope that over the next few weeks she will get back to the Caroline we knew. Maybe not 100% but at least close to it. We have seen over the last few games some plays shes made that give us hope shes on her way back.

Azzi is still not back. We do know shes been cleared to practice with Coach Valley. Thats a good sign. I dont believe we need her for tonites game against Xavier so giving her more time to rest and work out to get up to speed is a good thing. We need her for the NCAAs which is a couple of weeks away. With that said it would be a big plus to have her on the floor in the BET. If it is announced that Azzi will be back that will improve our seeding in the NCAAs. With Azzi we will be dangerous.

Moving on the the BET. We have a depleted team that has played really well inspite of what theyve been through. They find a way to win. We have 2 inconference losses. We have not looked great all the time and we continue to make alot of the same mistakes and we continue to win. It aint pretty but its a W. In the BET will have to play 3 games in a row and so will our opponent. We've learned to play tired and our opponent hasnt. Even without Azzi we are really good and sometimes we dont look like it. Again we find a way to win.

The problem in the second half of the season has been scoring. With Azzi in the lineup we have a new demention brought to the team. With Azzi we are able to score alot of points. Azzi's presence on the court opens everything up for everybody else and gives us another scorer. For those of you who think that the addition of Caroline and Azzi wont help UConn or think they wont be playing in the post season then you may be right UConn may not make the FF. I would think that with Azzi back UConn will be a very tuff out. I also think that having Azzi back brings so many other things to the team that make us so much better. One thing is scoring. With Azzi I dont see us scoring in the 60's. I see us as a team much better scoring in the high 70's and 80's because defenses will no longer be able to double down and push Lou around. Defense will now have to worry about Azzi going off.

I am sure Geno has a game plan for the post season that includes Caroline and Azzi. I am also hopeful both will be playing well. Here is where we're at. We have the bigs and many teams dont. We will now have Caroline and Azzi giving us a deeper bench and some fire power coming off the bench. We will now be able to have Aaliyah Dorka and Griff play one on one and not be double teamed. The middle opening up for them. Lou will have some freedom giving us another scorer with Azzi or Caroline. Thats two scorers that can light it up. Lastly I believe we will have less TOs because our focus will be on the perimeter and not down low. Its all gonna depend on having Azzi back and a healthy team. With 5 days to get ready for the BET and another week or so to get ready for the NCAAs we have our rest time and our healing time. Yeah right now we may not look like a FF team but given its a few weeks away and we come back healthy I wont count us out.

 

[Inthepaint]

Thanks, TonyC for reminding us that challenges are just something for UCONN to rise to.

 

[Redux]

alot of frustrated fans

My favorite was a post that said UConn was a mediocre team that would/should be one of the last teams to make it into the NCAAs. I meant to save that one.

Sometimes I wonder if it's all "frustrated fans"or if there's a component of some just waiting in the weeds for opportunities to snipe.

 

[Zarathustra]

UCONN will do fine in the NCAAs.... two games over three days and a week's rest!
The big challenge may be in the BIG EAST CHAMPIONSHIP = three games over three days.
Can you imagine, Marquette followed by either Creighton or Villanova!! Brutal! One
a previous victor and the other two thirsting for revenge.

 

[msf22b]

Tony:

So many interesting points:

Moving on the the BET. We have a depleted team that has played really well inspite of what theyve been through.
---
I would dispute that...the games since the SC loss have been gutty performances, win or lose, but hardly well-played.

I am sure Geno has a game plan for the post season that includes Caroline and Azzi.

For sure if Azzi returns (which is by no means guaranteed), it gives the rest of the team respite from the almost formulaic defenses they have faced...pack the inside and face guard Lou and jostle her as much as legally possible).

Even if Aziz's rusty, it will benefit the others, you just
have to guard her.

Decades ago, I remember a Giant's football game when Frank Gifford was coming back from an injury...possibly the vicious Chuck Bednarik hit and he was a decoy all game...almost never touched the ball...but was remarkably effective...you just had to guard him with an excellent defenseman...the rest of the team ran wild.

Hard to say that this is all going to transpire; Azzi back (will also open the floor for Caroline)...the bigs with more freedom of movement, Lou with single coverage and no longer the primary focus...

Sure, we can dream that it will be vintage UConn...For sure, it's not impossible...I'd sure like to see it

But...who knows?

 

[JellyBean]

My favorite was a post that said UConn was a mediocre team that would/should be one of the last teams to make it into the NCAAs. I meant to save that one.

Sometimes I wonder if it's all "frustrated fans"or if there's a component of some just waiting in the weeds for opportunities to snipe.

I can't believe someone called UConn mediocre. For the last part, I think there are some folks that are both. They are frustrated and they just want to snipe, which is sad.

 

[cgshuskie]

I hope that Tonyc's vision turns out to an accurate one. But to make it come true, all depends on Azzi. Will she come back this season and bale the team out?

 

[todbo]

And after tonight, the ladies have several days' rest before a March 4 matchup with either Butler or Georgetown. That should ease the exhaustion and heal some bruises.

 

[Bone Dog]

My favorite was a post that said UConn was a mediocre team that would/should be one of the last teams to make it into the NCAAs. I meant to save that one.

Sometimes I wonder if it's all "frustrated fans"or if there's a component of some just waiting in the weeds for opportunities to snipe.

Every once in a while a troll slips in. They tend not to last long.

 

[Happydad745]

No matter what happens this year, we will all watch and enjoy the games they play....and scream out when bad fouls are called or shout out' Lou!' when she makes a 3 pointer. It is our team for better or for worse.

 

[Ralph]

No matter what happens this year, we will all watch and enjoy the games they play....and scream out when bad fouls are called or shout out' Lou!' when she makes a 3 pointer. It is our team for better or for worse.

We scream whether they are bad calls or not. and we scream that they are bad calls whether they are or not. That is our right. It lets us "release".