Duke viewpoint: loss to No. 3 UConn demonstrates that superstar players are not everything

[SVCBeercats]

Duke women’s basketball's loss to No. 3 UConn demonstrates that superstar players are not everything

Unfortunately for head coach Kara Lawson and her team, once the second half hit, the rope slipped, the sled crashed and the Huskies raced away to win 78-50.

www.dukechronicle.com

“A game against the most successful program in women’s college basketball was bound to be tough, and a loss can hardly be called a failure given the names and numbers on the Huskies’ roster.”

“Losing their best player should have been a death blow for the Huskies, but this team was never about parts of the sum, but the sum of the parts.”

“The Huskies are No. 3 for a reason: Their players are fantastic and their system is smooth.”

Duke women’s basketball falls to No. 3 UConn at Phil Knight Legacy for first loss of season

Duke fell to the third-ranked Huskies 78-50 Friday, dropping its first ranked matchup of the year and moving into the consolation bracket at the Phil Knight Legacy.

www.dukechronicle.com

“Duke was outscored 15-3 by the Huskies in transition. It didn’t matter that it defended UConn well in the half court—no team can win when it allows the opponent five times as many transition points.”
UCONN MOV 28 points minus 12 transition points difference equals a 16 point difference in the half court. Maybe not defended so well.

 

[huskeynut]

A very good read.

 

[eebmg]

Nice to hear the accolades but I think the writer was a bit harsh regarding his own team so early in the season.

 

[Argonaut]

Not a single mention of Azzi? Hmmmm…

Limiting her was one of the better things Duke did last night.

 

[DefenseBB]

I think @SVCBeercats did a nice job finding the most complimentary aspects of that article as just like some of the posts on the Duke board, some of the comments were head scratching or downright delusional.

from the article, “Largely, Duke’s defense did its job. For all the difficulties on the offensive end, Taylor and Brown shored up the defense when they were on the floor, and the Blue Devils even caused more turnovers than they gave up. All that said, 33% from the field simply cannot compete with 51%, and 26 rebounds cannot compete with 42”

How did Duke’s defense do their job giving up 51% overall and 46% from 3 pt? UConn ‘s defense did its job despite Duke tripling their 3pt shots made per game 6-24 while shoo a paltry 32.6% and 25%.

The two comments from their board that struck me as delu and super hypercritical were that Duke is only a couple recruiting classes and 3 yrs away from matching us and that they think us UConn fans as arrogant.

As if the Duke fan is humble….

 

[Stinger92860]

Hmmm, I think we have several “superstars” who play for the team and not numbers. Not always the case, but that’s what this staff works for. That‘s why we have been successful for so long.

 

[EdSaid]

Iditarod , huskies, long distance race, I am surprised he didn't call us "Yukon."

 

[Dogstar]

Losing their best player should have been a death blow for the Huskies, but this team was never about parts of the sum, but the sum of the parts

Accurate and well stated!

 

[RockyMTblue2]

The opinion that matters here is that of the one holding the whistle, Kara Lawson. She was somewhat crestfallen in her postgame pressconference, but she made some salient observations.

 

[Zinethar]

Duke women’s basketball's loss to No. 3 UConn demonstrates that superstar players are not everything

Unfortunately for head coach Kara Lawson and her team, once the second half hit, the rope slipped, the sled crashed and the Huskies raced away to win 78-50.

www.dukechronicle.com

“A game against the most successful program in women’s college basketball was bound to be tough, and a loss can hardly be called a failure given the names and numbers on the Huskies’ roster.”

“Losing their best player should have been a death blow for the Huskies, but this team was never about parts of the sum, but the sum of the parts.”

“The Huskies are No. 3 for a reason: Their players are fantastic and their system is smooth.”

Duke women’s basketball falls to No. 3 UConn at Phil Knight Legacy for first loss of season

Duke fell to the third-ranked Huskies 78-50 Friday, dropping its first ranked matchup of the year and moving into the consolation bracket at the Phil Knight Legacy.

www.dukechronicle.com

“Duke was outscored 15-3 by the Huskies in transition. It didn’t matter that it defended UConn well in the half court—no team can win when it allows the opponent five times as many transition points.”
UCONN MOV 28 points minus 12 transition points difference equals a 16 point difference in the half court. Maybe not defended so well.

The first article was a fun read and the quotes selected were my favorites also. Both articles were harshly critical of Duke and several of their players and even though they were correct stat wise could have easily given the UConn players more credit for the differences and taken a bit more heat off their own team. I noticed in the picture of Kara that she was wearing a Duke pullover rather than the tournament provided attire that all the other coaches were wearing (including Geno) and on their board we were called arrogant?

My favorite quote from the first article actually was one of the best I've seen to describe UConn - "this team was never about parts of the sum, but the sum of the parts."

 

[jake0414]

The first article was a fun read and the quotes selected were my favorites also. Both articles were harshly critical of Duke and several of their players and even though they were correct stat wise could have easily given the UConn players more credit for the differences and taken a bit more heat off their own team. I noticed in the picture of Kara that she was wearing a Duke pullover rather than the tournament provided attire that all the other coaches were wearing (including Geno) and on their board we were called arrogant?

My favorite quote from the first article actually was one of the best I've seen to describe UConn - "this team was never about parts of the sum, but the sum of the parts."

In the photo of Kara you took note of Kara wearing a Duke pullover but you failed to notice Duke players in the chairs behind her wearing their home whites. Duke wore their road blue uniforms yesterday. In fact if you go back and watch the game you will see Kara dressed in the PK monogrammed top, the same as all the other coaches. Haven‘t noticed any comments from Triad on the game but I‘d venture to guess he’d appreciate a retraction of your backhanded suggestion that Kara’s wardrobe choice represented a display of arrogance.

 

[Bone Dog]

I think Kara spoke well in the clip linked above. She spoke some hard truths for her team, she was respectful, and she didn't look for excuses.

 

[Mdoggie]

Not a single mention of Azzi? Hmmmm…

Limiting her was one of the better things Duke did last night.

So I’m thinking Geno know the Blue Devils would face guard Azzi, the practice and walk through was designed to get Lou2 the ball. Geno is genius and it worked to perfection. Azzi still had a solid 14.

 

[Mdoggie]

Knew.

 

[Next 12]

I think @SVCBeercats did a nice job finding the most complimentary aspects of that article as just like some of the posts on the Duke board, some of the comments were head scratching or downright delusional.

from the article, “Largely, Duke’s defense did its job. For all the difficulties on the offensive end, Taylor and Brown shored up the defense when they were on the floor, and the Blue Devils even caused more turnovers than they gave up. All that said, 33% from the field simply cannot compete with 51%, and 26 rebounds cannot compete with 42”

How did Duke’s defense do their job giving up 51% overall and 46% from 3 pt? UConn ‘s defense did its job despite Duke tripling their 3pt shots made per game 6-24 while shoo a paltry 32.6% and 25%.

The two comments from their board that struck me as delu and super hypercritical were that Duke is only a couple recruiting classes and 3 yrs away from matching us and that they think us UConn fans as arrogant.

As if the Duke fan is humble….

Arrogant is a strong word for Uconn. I think masterful is good as we dominated the game. Resourceful is another good one as we took advantage in every Duke mistake. Confidence is good as we played our game the way it's suppose to be played. There is no reason on this good Earth why Uconn should feel it is anything else but the best coached, best conditioned and most unselfish team in the way it plaYs the game. GO HUSKIES!!!

 

[Bone Dog]

My thinking too, @Mdoggie. What else could they do? If they don’t try to take Azzi out of the offense, she burns them for 30+. If they do, Lou burns them. There weren’t a lot of good options. It didn’t take a turban and a crystal ball for Geno to see it coming. And this is what the rest of the season will bring. Opposing teams will make one choice or the other, and we’ll be ready.

 

[SqueaksFan]

I think Kara spoke well in the clip linked above. She spoke some hard truths for her team, she was respectful, and she didn't look for excuses.

She appeared shell-shocked at what had just happened to her team. They were beaten in every phase of the game, and it wasn't like they were playing terribly. They played a pretty good 1st half and were still down 12 points. It was apparent to Coach Lawson that UConn was just way better than her team. There was no answer to this problem.

 

[RoadMaster]

“Duke was outscored 15-3 by the Huskies in transition. It didn’t matter that it defended UConn well in the half court

I wonder if anyone else picked up on this during the game.
One of their guards hit a 3-ball. She immediately turned (as she did a couple of other times) to the crowd on the sideline and performs the "blowing barrel smoke" from a "pistol", and then holstering it gesture.
Meanwhile, as she's (literally) "grandstanding", UCONN grabs the ball, inbounds it, and within a few seconds is scoring at the other end.
Just one great example of how/why UCONN built that transition edge.

 

[Mdoggie]

Knew in

She appeared shell-shocked at what had just happened to her team. They were beaten in every phase of the game, and it wasn't like they were playing terribly. They played a pretty good 1st half and were still down 12 points. It was apparent to Coach Lawson that UConn was just way better than her team. There was no answer to this problem.

theres levels in basketball. Know your level.

 

[Mdoggie]

I wonder if anyone else picked up on this during the game.
One of their guards hit a 3-ball. She immediately turned (as she did a couple of other times) to the crowd on the sideline and performs the "blowing barrel smoke" from a "pistol", and then holstering it gesture.
Meanwhile, as she's (literally) "grandstanding", UCONN grabs the ball, inbounds it, and within a few seconds is scoring at the other end.
Just one great example of how/why UCONN built that transition edge.

Saw it. That’s Day-Wilson’s personality. Noticed it when she was in high school.

 

[The deacon]

Knew in

theres levels in basketball. Know your level.

In the here and now, yes, Mdoggie. And yet, shouldn't the Duke women aspire to climb to a higher level?

Whether Lawson and her program can achieve that is very much in question, but after all the decades of living in the direct shadow of the Blue Devils' men's team, I'd guess Duke's women at least dream of being at the level of their men's program, or UConn's women.

 

[Zarathustra]

I wonder if anyone else picked up on this during the game.
One of their guards hit a 3-ball. She immediately turned (as she did a couple of other times) to the crowd on the sideline and performs the "blowing barrel smoke" from a "pistol", and then holstering it gesture.
Meanwhile, as she's (literally) "grandstanding", UCONN grabs the ball, inbounds it, and within a few seconds is scoring at the other end.
Just one great example of how/why UCONN built that transition edge.

I saw that grandstanding also! AND the great UCONN reply... No such grandstanding when
you play a quality opponent. And UCONN is quality

 

[triaddukefan]

I wonder if anyone else picked up on this during the game.
One of their guards hit a 3-ball. She immediately turned (as she did a couple of other times) to the crowd on the sideline and performs the "blowing barrel smoke" from a "pistol", and then holstering it gesture.
Meanwhile, as she's (literally) "grandstanding", UCONN grabs the ball, inbounds it, and within a few seconds is scoring at the other end.
Just one great example of how/why UCONN built that transition edge.

Yeah, she's been doing that for awhile... even during the exhibition game. She needs to cut that crap out and get back on defense.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

She appeared shell-shocked at what had just happened to her team. They were beaten in every phase of the game, and it wasn't like they were playing terribly. They played a pretty good 1st half and were still down 12 points. It was apparent to Coach Lawson that UConn was just way better than her team. There was no answer to this problem.

I agree. She would not be human if she did not psych herself up as the game approach, thinking her team would perform in a highly competitive manner. Instead what happened happened and the reality of the distance her program has to go became apparent. Back to the portal Kara.

PS. She's one of my favorite people in the sport.

 

[Zinethar]

In the photo of Kara you took note of Kara wearing a Duke pullover but you failed to notice Duke players in the chairs behind her wearing their home whites. Duke wore their road blue uniforms yesterday. In fact if you go back and watch the game you will see Kara dressed in the PK monogrammed top, the same as all the other coaches. Haven‘t noticed any comments from Triad on the game but I‘d venture to guess he’d appreciate a retraction of your backhanded suggestion that Kara’s wardrobe choice represented a display of arrogance.

I have watched this game 3 different times and did not notice what Kara was wearing during the game but the team was absolutely wearing their white uniforms in the game and the photo. They did NOT where blue uniforms. Sorry watch it again and check. I'm wrong about what Kara wore and for that I'm sorry - the caption and article were both labeled as them against UConn in the tournament.