ESPN's Philippou: "statement game for Aaliyah"

[schmendrick]

Truth.

 

[Bone Dog]

I thought so. She couldn’t be contained on offense. The rebounding side was not as impressive, but I don’t think that was her assignment today.

She definitely made an AA case today. Should also be in the running for NPOY. I like Clark for that one, but Aaliyah should be competitive if she leads her team to another FF or NC game. It’s not just about stats. It’s also about who carries a team furthest.

 

[RSHERMVIKES]

It annoys me big time that when the "talking suits" discuss player of the year candidates Aaliyah is barely mentioned or mentioned as an after-thought!
With all the injuries, illnesses etc. on UCONN she has kept them in the hunt just about every game!
Which is huge considering UCONN's toughest schedule in Division I!
Her stats are comparable to Boston's! Her supporting cast has mostly been injured while SoCar is injury free!

 

[TB12]

The voting may take place before the tourney.

 

[MilfordHusky]

I thought that Aaliyah was really good today. If not for limited minutes due to inexplicable foul trouble, we could have won. She did not back down against the imposing S. Carolina height. I have her on an All-American team, certainly a 10-player team and maybe a 5-player team.

 

[HopJim]

It annoys me big time that when the "talking suits" discuss player of the year candidates Aaliyah is barely mentioned or mentioned as an after-thought!
With all the injuries, illnesses etc. on UCONN she has kept them in the hunt just about every game!
Which is huge considering UCONN's toughest schedule in Division I!
Her stats are comparable to Boston's! Her supporting cast has mostly been injured while SoCar is injury free!

Regarding "talking suits," this goes back to our discussion about the lack of women's basketball knowledgeable announcers and writers. Most appear to do little research and just focus on either the easy stories or those that create click bait.

 

[LwrcasefaN]

It annoys me big time that when the "talking suits" discuss player of the year candidates Aaliyah is barely mentioned or mentioned as an after-thought!
With all the injuries, illnesses etc. on UCONN she has kept them in the hunt just about every game!
Which is huge considering UCONN's toughest schedule in Division I!
Her stats are comparable to Boston's! Her supporting cast has mostly been injured while SoCar is injury free!

Edwards has always been underappreciated. Last year I remember reading comments that made me cringe and hoping she would never see them. I'm not even sure how to interpret "statement game" because she has had many. She's been a steady rock.

 

[JellyBean]

Huge statement game! I was impressed with our girl Aaliyah and how she was in attack mode the whole game. This was the game, like everyone that follows UConn women's basketball or follows women's basketball, I had circled. Going against South Carolina, the best of the best, you not only want to do your best, but you want to dominate, and Aaliyah Edwards did just that. She went at Boston and Cardoso. Aaliyah made a huge statement.

 

[oldude]

Having a great game in a nationally televised game against the #1 team in the nation certainly advances a player’s opportunity to become an AA. The only thing missing is that it really would have helped Aaliyah’s cause had UConn won. That would be the lead narrative today, rather than, “Boston leading SC to their first ever win at UConn.”

Two years ago the upset win by UConn vs SC, highlighted by “the bounce,” not only propelled Paige onto all of the 1st team AA teams, but also thrust her into the front runner position as the NPOY.

 

[boontonbomber]

I thought that Aaliyah was really good today. If not for limited minutes due to inexplicable foul trouble, we could have won. She did not back down against the imposing S. Carolina height. I have her on an All-American team, certainly a 10-player team and maybe a 5-player team.

Foul trouble partially explicable due to her being left in the game when she picked up her 2nd foul in Q2. Got her 3rd foul 2 minutes later, and had to affect her going into the 2nd half. Regardless, I thought she was the best big player on the floor.

 

[SVCBeercats]

I thought so. She couldn’t be contained on offense. The rebounding side was not as impressive, but I don’t think that was her assignment today.

She definitely made an AA case today. Should also be in the running for NPOY. I like Clark for that one, but Aaliyah should be competitive if she leads her team to another FF or NC game. It’s not just about stats. It’s also about who carries a team furthest.

I thought it was instructive that Dawn did not have Boston, "Player of the Year," guarding Edwards.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Foul trouble partially explicable due to her being left in the game when she picked up her 2nd foul in Q2. Got her 3rd foul 2 minutes later, and had to affect her going into the 2nd half. Regardless, I thought she was the best big player on the floor.

What I meant about "inexplicable" was that 2 of the fouls (3 and 4, I believe) were somewhere between very marginal and totally bogus.

 

[boontonbomber]

What I meant about "inexplicable" was that 2 of the fouls (3 and 4, I believe) were somewhere between very marginal and totally bogus.

I understand. Might not have been as critical,though, if Geno had gotten her off the floor after her 2nd. Not the first time in my memory that he's let a key player pick up a 3rd foul in the 1st half. On top of that, he and CD jumped on her after the 3rd. As you said, that third foul might have been bogus.

 

[cancontent]

Edwards has always been underappreciated. Last year I remember reading comments that made me cringe and hoping she would never see them. I'm not even sure how to interpret "statement game" because she has had many. She's been a steady rock.

Join the club. I bit my tongue a lot last season, but in fairness I'm biased as I've been a fan of her before UConn fans knew she existed. I'm glad that fans better appreciate what she brings to this team as a player and a person.

 

[BBallF]

What I meant about "inexplicable" was that 2 of the fouls (3 and 4, I believe) were somewhere between very marginal and totally bogus.

Especially when the player on SC had a total of two fouls in the last two games we played against them. How is that possible? Either she is the most precise defensive player in the history of women's basketball or there is preferential treatment. Usual nonsense when you play that team.

 

[Cornell Lt]

I thought it was instructive that Dawn did not have Boston, "Player of the Year," guarding Edwards.

Smart move on Dawn's part. No way Boston could keep up with AE for extended periods of time and kept her (Boston) out of foul trouble

 

[jfan]

Regarding "talking suits," this goes back to our discussion about the lack of women's basketball knowledgeable announcers and writers. Most appear to do little research and just focus on either the easy stories or those that create click bait.

ESPN writer Alexa Phillipou covered UCONN women basketball for Hartford Courant newspaper before getting the job at ESPN to write on women basketball nationally.