Expectations

[visitingcock]

Have your expectations been damaged? I doubt it. Few if any of your could have "expected" to go through the season undefeated. Hope? of course! Expect? I doubt it.

Although the hopes and expectations of a "spoiled" Huskie may exceed that of a mere Gamecock like me, I would think that y'all are similar in expecting an elite 8, hoping for a final four, and dreaming of a championship. An undefeated season is too much to allow one's self to dream of and yet I did despite knowing the near impossibility.

The UCLA loss hurt even though I expected the road loss. Nevertheless, I lost the unreasonable hope. We have not lost my expectation, my hope or my dream. Yes, the sun did truly rise the next morning,

So wake up UConn fans. There is life after a first loss and even after that. Number 12 is still alive

 

[yhun89]

Honestly, I'm not worried.

Same thing happened last year. Still made it to a FF. In fact, we lost worse last year than this year.

ND shot lights out from 3. Won't happen often. We shot 2-16 or something like that. PB normally shoots at least 1-2 3's. Missed 4, 2 wide open. Likely won't happen often.

We were missing defensive menace in Azzi and Aubrey. That's a huge loss. Somehow, Karlen came back despite someone telling me she hasn't participated in warmups for weeks. She was huge on the glass for them.

Keep in mind last year:

Lost to NC State
Lost to UCLA
Lost to ND
Lost to SC
Lost to Texas

Guess who made it to the FF? Only one of em. We. Will. Be. Fine.

 

[ABCDFE]

Honestly, I'm not worried.

Same thing happened last year. Still made it to a FF. In fact, we lost worse last year than this year.

ND shot lights out from 3. Won't happen often. We shot 2-16 or something like that. PB normally shoots at least 1-2 3's. Missed 4, 2 wide open. Likely won't happen often.

We were missing defensive menace in Azzi and Aubrey. That's a huge loss. Somehow, Karlen came back despite someone telling me she hasn't participated in warmups for weeks. She was huge on the glass for them.

Keep in mind last year:

Lost to NC State
Lost to UCLA
Lost to ND
Lost to SC
Lost to Texas

Guess who made it to the FF? Only one of em. We. Will. Be. Fine.

Listen, I want to be optimistic as the next guy but we talk about championships at UCONN, not final fours. Yes I (we) are that spoiled. It’s like this for all the great dynasties. I think we have the talent this year for sure to compete for a national title but there’s been several years of many unfortunate circumstances that has allowed many other programs to catch up if not pass us. For us to get back to glory we will need more than number one recruits. We need some attitude, we need some nasty and we need some guts. We need players to get fired up like Hidalgo, we need players to go into opposing arenas like Trae young does when he goes to Madison Square Garden and basically rip out their hearts, we need the players that have uber confidence and a killa instinct that instills fear every time they touch the ball. Like when MJ played for the bulls.

I know it’s not what Geno and CD preach but too many times we are on the short end of the stick from the refs and I know we want to play beautiful basketball and position less basketball and do thing the the John Wooden way, but sometime you just have to be physical and force the aggression on the opponent. Make the job hard on the refs to not call a foul on the opposing player by going time and time again to the rim to initiate contact. This Give us more opportunities to get to the foul line. Cause more pressure on the opposing teams best players by making them guard you hard for the whole game. Maybe get them in foul trouble.

I’m rambling but in the past our pure talent was a let hide these other issues like refs and fouls. Bit times have changed. Our margins are slimmer, other programs are getting better. We need to find other ways to beat teams. And it starts with the type of players we recruit. I would like a mix of the Steph Curry’s and Charles Oakleys on our team.

 

[cgshuskie]

ABCDFE is right... Some time you have to punch them in the mouth. Some times attitude is the best bet and is needed if the object is winning. Sometimes you have to win ugly. Teams have to have the good and the mean to be champions. Only the strong survive.

 

[visitingcock]

Listen, I want to be optimistic as the next guy but we talk about championships at UCONN, not final fours. Yes I (we) are that spoiled. It’s like this for all the great dynasties. I think we have the talent this year for sure to compete for a national title but there’s been several years of many unfortunate circumstances that has allowed many other programs to catch up if not pass us. For us to get back to glory we will need more than number one recruits. We need some attitude, we need some nasty and we need some guts. We need players to get fired up like Hidalgo, we need players to go into opposing arenas like Trae young does when he goes to Madison Square Garden and basically rip out their hearts, we need the players that have uber confidence and a killa instinct that instills fear every time they touch the ball. Like when MJ played for the bulls.

I know it’s not what Geno and CD preach but too many times we are on the short end of the stick from the refs and I know we want to play beautiful basketball and position less basketball and do thing the the John Wooden way, but sometime you just have to be physical and force the aggression on the opponent. Make the job hard on the refs to not call a foul on the opposing player by going time and time again to the rim to initiate contact. This Give us more opportunities to get to the foul line. Cause more pressure on the opposing teams best players by making them guard you hard for the whole game. Maybe get them in foul trouble.

I’m rambling but in the past our pure talent was a let hide these other issues like refs and fouls. Bit times have changed. Our margins are slimmer, other programs are getting better. We need to find other ways to beat teams. And it starts with the type of players we recruit. I would like a mix of the Steph Curry’s and Charles Oakleys on our team.

You “ talk about championships at UConn” sure. But do you expect them every year? If you do, then your expectations fail in most years . Expectations and hopes are different. Heck, I also hope for a championship every year.

I expect a Final Four for UConn every year, and that expectation has only failed once in the past couple of decades.

My Elite8 expectation for SCar is new but has been met been met since it’s inception in 2021.my hope each year is the same as yours, a championship.

 

[Puppy Love]

Expectations are premeditated resentment.

 

[oldhusky]

We have far more depth than the end of last year, but my expectations depend heavily on whether we can get a third or forth star from the players other than Paige and Sarah. We have lots of good players but need a couple more to elevate to really really good. Our first two are as good as anybody, but there is a big drop-off to the next tier.

Many of the top contenders have better 3rd 4th or 5th best players IMO, at least with the lineup we had against Notre Dame. Obviously Azzi if she returns healthy can give us a third star, and Aubrey after getting her legs back could be near that level, but I think Ash,, Kaitlin, KK and Ice will be very good contributors, but on a true top level championship contender they should be more like 6,7,8,9 than 3,4,5,6.

Other than Azzi and Aubrey, I think Jana is another player that may have upside to be a star, but of course is still a work in progress. Our two stars and lots of good complimentary players will have us in contention regardless, but if we want to be near the top of a group like South Carolina, Notre Dame, Texas, UCLA, USC, and LSU, we need our 3,4,5 players to be stars or close to it as well.

Azzi and Aubrey could do that if fully healthy, and maybe by season's end Jana can force Geno to start her, or KK or Ash can have a breakout leap from last year, which hasn't happened yet, but potentially still could.

 

[Aluminny69]

It's not too difficult to determine posters "expectations." Just read their predictions and reasoning why UConn is "better than" ND.

As they say, correctly, "That's why they play the games."

 

[kidfrom360]

Honestly, I'm not worried.

Same thing happened last year. Still made it to a FF. In fact, we lost worse last year than this year.

ND shot lights out from 3. Won't happen often. We shot 2-16 or something like that. PB normally shoots at least 1-2 3's. Missed 4, 2 wide open. Likely won't happen often.

We were missing defensive menace in Azzi and Aubrey. That's a huge loss. Somehow, Karlen came back despite someone telling me she hasn't participated in warmups for weeks. She was huge on the glass for them.

Keep in mind last year:

Lost to NC State
Lost to UCLA
Lost to ND
Lost to SC
Lost to Texas

Guess who made it to the FF? Only one of em. We. Will. Be. Fine.

Well technically two of them, but I get what you’re saying.

 

[Next 12]

I did not expect this loss. I really believed we would win, so, back to the drawing board. Uconn's salvation is the Big East's games. That is where we will work out our short-falls and become the team we are supposed to be. GENO is too goopd a coach to let this loss get to the team. To him, it will be a learning experience. I can already hear him harping on the game's performance and yelling at them" did I pick wrong?" I believe in this team with all my heart and still predict NO 12. GO FESHMEN!!!!! GO HUSKIES!!!!

 

[Charliebball]

There will be no undefeated teams in WBB this season........way too much parity at the top.......basketball is a game of matchups and UConn just doesn't match up particularly well against this Notre Dame team........there's a very good chance that UConn will lose another game or two this season but we should remind ourselves that the only loss that really matters is the one in the big tournament...

 

[packwrap]

There will be no undefeated teams in WBB this season........way too much parity at the top.......basketball is a game of matchups and UConn just doesn't match up particularly well against this Notre Dame team........there's a very good chance that UConn will lose another game or two this season but we should remind ourselves that the only loss that really matters is the one in the big tournament...

Beautiful. Only a magnificent 7 right now of top teams, but that's the most we have ever had!

UConn, SC, U$C, UCLA, LSU, Texas and Notre Dame. With a nice battle now for an 8 th team.

All will take a loss.

The tourney is all about who you have to play in the last 8.

These teams are all very good, but none are flawless. (ND lost to Utah)

ND game showed some UConn flaws, but I like our chances in March.

 

[jdote33]

Great question. I really wanted Paige to have an undefeated season. Each season we have threads about mount Rushmore at UConn and I wanted to see her on that list. I think it gets harder to put her there. Additionally I fondly remember the game her freshman year against South Carolina and her just willing the team to victory. And Monica Mcnutt was doing the call and she jokingly said it's scary she's just a freshman. And so to me, probably idiotically, I kinda felt like she had this air of invincibility. I thought the program was sortve headed in that direction. Obviously there's been a ton of injuries since then but the Louisville game kinda felt like a return to that. Like a dominant UConn team. So I actually did sortve have those expectations again this season. The loss and just the way the team lost changed that. I think someone mentioned it in another thread and I forgot to respond, how there's such doom and gloom regarding the program since they haven't won a natty. I think not winning a natty is one thing, but I feel like not being dominant is another. Like Paige freshman season they were pretty dominant even though they lost in the final 4. I just think there is a different feel. I think there's an expectation that they'll lose at South Carolina.

 

[JellyBean]

My expectations for the team are the same every year; win the Big East, make the NCAA tournament, players having fun, and CD coaching 1-2 games and dropping dope post-game comments. The loss to ND was shocking because I figured with our depth, talent, size, and overall athleticism, to win the game. Did not happen that way but there is plenty of games left in the season. We are good overall. No need to panic after one loss. The players can't get down on themselves. On to the next game.

 

[hoophuskee]

Great question. I really wanted Paige to have an undefeated season. Each season we have threads about mount Rushmore at UConn and I wanted to see her on that list. I think it gets harder to put her there. Additionally I fondly remember the game her freshman year against South Carolina and her just willing the team to victory. And Monica Mcnutt was doing the call and she jokingly said it's scary she's just a freshman. And so to me, probably idiotically, I kinda felt like she had this air of invincibility. I thought the program was sortve headed in that direction. Obviously there's been a ton of injuries since then but the Louisville game kinda felt like a return to that. Like a dominant UConn team. So I actually did sortve have those expectations again this season. The loss and just the way the team lost changed that. I think someone mentioned it in another thread and I forgot to respond, how there's such doom and gloom regarding the program since they haven't won a natty. I think not winning a natty is one thing, but I feel like not being dominant is another. Like Paige freshman season they were pretty dominant even though they lost in the final 4. I just think there is a different feel. I think there's an expectation that they'll lose at South Carolina.

It's all been injuries.

And I don’t believe the 20-21 team was dominant. Nor do I believe UCONN was dominant after 17-18 once Stevens left.

And none of the players that were seniors, juniors, or sophomores have done much in the WNBA. While at least the top 3 had a lot of help.

And unlike the other Rushmore players that had All-Americans, there have been none alongside Paige that were all-Americans other than last year.

Whether anyone puts players on Rushmore is their own preference. For me, I believe she is 4th best. OFc depending on how she plays rest of season too whether up or down. But looking at her career thus far, if not for Paige,, UCONN's relevancy in WCBB would have been done/fried. Maybe we would never have even gotten Sarah. Paige just hasn't had the support to be "Dominant." The year prior to Paige the #1 player after these years was/is Aubrey. The very next year the 2 top players to support her and she them were Azzi and Caroline. And the following year the top players were Ice and Patterson. If Azzi and Caroline were heathy UCONN would have been dominant. Definitely if it was just Azzi.

Between injury and some players just not "great" in terms of dominance, how much are you really going to blame on Paige? Every one of the other Rushmore players had stronger teams other than DT's last 2 years. However please name the great player DT beat in Final Four in a head-to-head battle her jr and/or sr years? It was Whelan (and Dt's teammates overall were superior to Minny's despite them having McCormick.). And Paige got beat by Clark. As we know competition is tougher.

And now that we're in December, there is no sign of Caroline and a limited Azzi. .

 

[ABCDFE]

You “ talk about championships at UConn” sure. But do you expect them every year? If you do, then your expectations fail in most years . Expectations and hopes are different. Heck, I also hope for a championship every year.

I expect a Final Four for UConn every year, and that expectation has only failed once in the past couple of decades.

My Elite8 expectation for SCar is new but has been met been met since it’s inception in 2021.my hope each year is the same as yours, a championship.

I do not expect championships every year, because that is not an expectation that can be met. What I'm talking about is the type of program that exists at UCONN. You can try and twist my words all you want Vcock, but the fact of the matter is, I'm more directing some thoughts on how I see our team and what I think needs to be changed. Our team has many skilled players. But as many can attest, championships aren't won by just skill. They need other components. This is where I think it is a nuanced reflection on Geno and the state of the program. I know we are still a top tier program, but I want to strive to be the top program for as long as possible.

Am I being overly critical, maybe. But I love the UCONNWB team. I believe we should've won 1-2 more championships after Stewie left, we didn't and so I'm a sour grapes kind of guy right now. Maybe if we even got one more, maybe I'd tone it down a bit. But there have been too many unfortunate circumstances come our way (I know those outside will say wah wah). I just think our kids are incredible girls and have tons of talent. But I'd love to see us recruit some more athletes and some more junk yard dawgs. Its ok to have some attitude, some swag. I think we are at times too nice and too focused on the right play all the time. Sometime the right play is for Paige to go black mamba or MJ or steph curry on the opponent. Sometimes the right players are ones that are trying to sell fouls and pushing the envelope (like ND teams of the past did to us with the free throw disparity) with aggression. If refs were perfect, and maybe if the basketball world was run by AI bots, then Geno would have a distinct advantage given how they try to play the right way. But people are flawed, and in the womens game, they've figured out how to beat the UCONN way. Athletes Athletes Athletes that rebound rebound rebound and guards that break us down and then you get aggression on both the defensive end and on the offensive end.

Its like the early 2001 Patriots, they were not the most talented team, but they knew if they held the Rams receivers every play the refs can't call it every time. This is what's happening to us. We are getting out-physicaled. So I say we need players that fight back and we need to look at some things differently. I'm not asking for a wholesale change, just some reflection on areas where we can improve.