For UConn’s Westbrook, the waiting is the hardest part

[cabbie191]

It proves that kids really do want structure regardless of what they tell you.....

I generally agree that this is true. It certainly was the case with one of our daughters who put her parents through very challenging times during high school - ending only when, by her own admission, she realized her parents weren't going to stop loving her no matter what she did to push us away.

And your quote reminds me of another saying "I hate you and wish you were dead, but please drive me to the mall", similar to a book on raising teens titled Get Out of My Life, but First Could You Drive Me and Cheryl to the Mall?

Count me as one who was really skeptical about Westbrook coming to UConn, but from everything I have read since her transfer was accepted, I acknowledge that I was wrong.

 

[Justavisitor]

Uconn never had to get over any hump with Tennessee and Pat Summit. First 2 games with Tennessee in 1995 Connecticut jumped to No.1 in the Country and the second game CT. first NC! Uconn is 4-0 against Tennessee in National Championship Games! What about the 2 beat downs by Uconn in the NCAA Tournament when Uconn gave Tennessee the 2 worst losses in tournament history( 2000 NC game and the 2002 National Semi Finals! Tennessee is the team that has never reached the hump that Uconn has made in front of them!

So winning those last 3 games against UConn doesn't count...and no, Candace Parker did not play in one of those games.

What some fail to recognize is that Pat was always evolving. There's a reason why her program remained relevant across decades. Pat did rest on the whole idea that rebounding and defense was all that was required. Pat didn't just recruit defensive and rebounding prowess players. Pat also had shooters and recognized the importance of offense. It's no coincidence that she always had some of the most prolific 3 point shooters in the game. She understood the value of spacing the floor and running offensive sets.

Note...without Sydney Spencer, a prolific 3 point shooter, 2007 doesn't happen. Without Shannon Bobbitt, who could be a deadly 3 point shooter (ask Rutgers), 2008 doesn't happen. Pat sought after shooters to spread the court, because she knew the value of offense.

This notion that Pat didn't know offense is absolutely ridiculous. So yeah, UConn was a hurdle when UConn had that loaded team and when UConn had Taurasi. However, Pat upped her game and upped her offensive execution. She never rested on her laurels. She went on to shift the tide and put Tennessee back in the drivers seat above UConn. She has the championships to prove that she was back on top.

So she didn't win against UConn head to head in those tourney match ups. Well, it's not her fault that UConn didn't make those finals in 2007 and 2008. She played the best and she beat the best. UConn was obviously not the best because UConn didn't make it to those finals.

After 2008, Pat had to replace an entire team with a bunch of freshmen. 2009 nobody had high expectations. That team was way too young. 2010, that young team grew up and made the E8. In 2011, looking back and reading Pat's own words, alzheimers was already showing up. She couldn't even remember what plays to call.

 

[Justavisitor]

Just a sidebar. Evina’s former team played an exhibition game last night against D2 Carson-Newman. The LV’s won 70-44 shooting only 35% from the field, 2/15 from the arc. TN won largely based on out-rebounding the much smaller C-N team by +25. Looks like KJH has some work to do.

Kellie coached that game with pre-scripted minutes. By halftime, every player had gotten on the floor. Kellie also did not press Carson-Newman and did not run any defenses to speed them up and create turnovers that lead to those fast break points. They played a very methodical game that focused on specific things she wanted to see from all the players. She could have pounded them to oblivion.

The coach for Carson-Newman had a great interview. He even commented that he was thankful for how she coached that game and didn't try to expose them for their weaknesses. He stated it was obvious she was working on things that will help them when they play tougher opponents, like the South Carolina's and other SEC foes.

So yeah, she could have drubbed them like Holly used to do and not learned a darned thing or taught a darned thing about offensive execution.

 

[CocoHusky]

Kellie coached that game with pre-scripted minutes. She could have pounded them to oblivion.
So yeah, she could have drubbed them like Holly used to do and not learned a darned thing or taught a darned thing about offensive execution.

So 6 LV assists to CN 8 was part of Kellie's script?

 

[oldude]

Kellie coached that game with pre-scripted minutes. By halftime, every player had gotten on the floor. Kellie also did not press Carson-Newman and did not run any defenses to speed them up and create turnovers that lead to those fast break points. They played a very methodical game that focused on specific things she wanted to see from all the players. She could have pounded them to oblivion.

The coach for Carson-Newman had a great interview. He even commented that he was thankful for how she coached that game and didn't try to expose them for their weaknesses. He stated it was obvious she was working on things that will help them when they play tougher opponents, like the South Carolina's and other SEC foes.

So yeah, she could have drubbed them like Holly used to do and not learned a darned thing or taught a darned thing about offensive execution.

Pre-scripted PT is exactly the way Geno and most college HC’s set up these preseason contests. They run some zone, they run some man and everyone plays. As far as the C-N HC’s remarks, they are exactly what I would expect, particularly with the nice payday that they receive from TN for making the trip to Thompson-Boling.

KJH appears to be a capable young coach. I think if you could ask her privately how she felt about TN on offense vs C-N, she would likely tell you that the LV’s have a lot of work to do.

 

[CocoHusky]

So winning those last 3 games against UConn doesn't count...and no, Candace Parker did not play in one of those games.

What some fail to recognize is that Pat was always evolving. There's a reason why her program remained relevant across decades. Pat did rest on the whole idea that rebounding and defense was all that was required. Pat didn't just recruit defensive and rebounding prowess players. Pat also had shooters and recognized the importance of offense. It's no coincidence that she always had some of the most prolific 3 point shooters in the game. She understood the value of spacing the floor and running offensive sets.

Note...without Sydney Spencer, a prolific 3 point shooter, 2007 doesn't happen. Without Shannon Bobbitt, who could be a deadly 3 point shooter (ask Rutgers), 2008 doesn't happen. Pat sought after shooters to spread the court, because she knew the value of offense.

This notion that Pat didn't know offense is absolutely ridiculous. So yeah, UConn was a hurdle when UConn had that loaded team and when UConn had Taurasi. However, Pat upped her game and upped her offensive execution. She never rested on her laurels. She went on to shift the tide and put Tennessee back in the drivers seat above UConn. She has the championships to prove that she was back on top.

So she didn't win against UConn head to head in those tourney match ups. Well, it's not her fault that UConn didn't make those finals in 2007 and 2008. She played the best and she beat the best. UConn was obviously not the best because UConn didn't make it to those finals.

After 2008, Pat had to replace an entire team with a bunch of freshmen. 2009 nobody had high expectations. That team was way too young. 2010, that young team grew up and made the E8. In 2011, looking back and reading Pat's own words, alzheimers was already showing up. She couldn't even remember what plays to call.

This is a very cagy attempt to revise history.
Four times Geno and Pat met in the NCAA Championship game. All four times Geno won!

 

[j66kicker]

...This notion that Pat didn't know offense is absolutely ridiculous. So yeah, UConn was a hurdle when UConn had that loaded team and when UConn had Taurasi.

Hmmm... So “that loaded team” and Taurasi accounted for 13 losses to UCONN?

Right. Can’t wait for #14 Jan 23!!


However, Pat upped her game and upped her offensive execution. She never rested on her laurels. She went on to shift the tide and put Tennessee back in the drivers seat above UConn. She has the championships to prove that she was back on top.

So she didn't win against UConn head to head in those tourney match ups. Well, it's not her fault that UConn didn't make those finals in 2007 and 2008. She played the best and she beat the best. UConn was obviously not the best because UConn didn't make it to those finals.

After 2008, Pat had to replace an entire team with a bunch of freshmen. 2009 nobody had high expectations. That team was way too young. 2010, that young team grew up and made the E8. In 2011, looking back and reading Pat's own words, alzheimers was already showing up. She couldn't even remember what plays to call.

 

[hoopsfan22]

Kellie coached that game with pre-scripted minutes. By halftime, every player had gotten on the floor. Kellie also did not press Carson-Newman and did not run any defenses to speed them up and create turnovers that lead to those fast break points. They played a very methodical game that focused on specific things she wanted to see from all the players. She could have pounded them to oblivion.

The coach for Carson-Newman had a great interview. He even commented that he was thankful for how she coached that game and didn't try to expose them for their weaknesses. He stated it was obvious she was working on things that will help them when they play tougher opponents, like the South Carolina's and other SEC foes.

So yeah, she could have drubbed them like Holly used to do and not learned a darned thing or taught a darned thing about offensive execution.

And if Pat was still coaching and continued to play UConn, Tennessee would have gotten smoked for the four years the big three were here, at the bare minimum.

 

[Justavisitor]

And if Pat was still coaching and continued to play UConn, Tennessee would have gotten smoked for the four years the big three were here, at the bare minimum.

I don't know that and you don't either, because she also would have had different players. Holly had 2 years with horrible recruiting. Players that had previously planned to go to TN chose else where after her announcement.

 

[Justavisitor]

Remember, the teams used to play twice in one year. I believe 6 in row were when UConn had their best team ever. 8 wins came in a 4 year span. That's not long enough of a span to start saying either coach was out of their league. Pat had 3 in a row when the teams only played once a year. Had they played twice a year during that span, it quite possibly would have been 6 wins, not 3.

 

[Justavisitor]

This is a very cagy attempt to revise history.
Four times Geno and Pat met in the NCAA Championship game. All four times Geno won!
View attachment 47622

Because Geno didn't make it to the big game.

 

[lsj001]

Do you really believe Tennessee would have beaten UCONN in the Maya and Breanna era? You really are reaching there.

 

[lsj001]

Even better what combination of recruits could Pat have gotten to beat the Breanna team?

 

[CocoHusky]

Because Geno didn't make it to the big game.

Geno is undefeated 11-0 in the big game. Pat? Not so much!

 

[HuskylnSC]

Guys, discussing who would have won IF we had played is stored in the fiction department.

 

[oldude]

Because Geno didn't make it to the big game.

???. Not sure what exactly you’re talking about. Geno made it to the Big Game 11 times and his record is 11-0. Pat’s record in the championship game is 8-5.

Jv, I respect the fact that you’re coming into enemy territory to support your team. But I have to say that you have a tendency, like many LV fans, to look at your team through rose colored glasses.

This is a critical time for TN WBB. Despite all her shortcomings, HW and her staff usually recruited well. But the world is changing. SC & MS St have surpassed TN as the top dogs in the SEC. UK, A&M, Mizzou and others have settled in behind. The LV’s lost a bunch of talented players to graduation & transfer. They have some good players left and at least one really good freshman coming in, but I don’t know that there is enough talent on the LV roster to be much better than .500 in conference.

Of greater concern to LV nation is the state of recruiting for 2020 and beyond. So far, no top recruits are lined up for 2020. While I’m certain that KJH and her staff will be doing all that they can to rebuild TN WBB, there is a very real possibility that WBB has left TN behind with the also-rans.

The Ming Dynasty lasted for 276 years, but dynasties come and dynasties go. UConn may have to face a similar problem once Geno retires. I have to say that from all indications, TN’s time as a perennial powerhouse in WBB appears to be at an end.

 

[Plebe]

Because Geno didn't make it to the big game.

Or you mean Pat didn't.

Look, do you get your jollies pulling into a biker bar parking lot in your Chevy Nova and then kicking over all the Harleys? Your attempt at a pissing contest, well, it's misfiring.

 

[DefenseBB]

Java, great minds think alike. I was wandering the same thing.

Great minds? Suuurrreee

 

[DaBball]

 

[oldude]

If that’s not the kiss of death, I don’t know what is. Raoul is one anti-UConn horse’s ass.

 

[DaBball]

If that’s not the kiss of death, I don’t know what is. Raoul is one anti-UConn horse’s ass.

Definitely anti-UConn as well as anti-Louisville, though him and Jeff have settled down over the course of the past year.

Can’t be easy being a Michigan fan.

 

[UConnCat]

This guy is such a tool. A huge baby too.

 

[Carnac]

After I posted that I was hoping you'd not take it as an honest question and you did.n.t I appreciate that.
Whatever Uconn argued it is said and done and like us Geno and Evina. I'm a bit set back by some posters saying Evina could bolt to the W this year or next--hot dang, she'll just be warming up till then.

I’m not suggesting that she will, only that she could. No doubt that was discussed between Geno, her and her parents.

Remember Duke transfer Azura Stevens bolted to the WNBA a year early when it was assumed she would stay for two.

 

[Charliebball]

I’m not suggesting that she will, only that she could. No doubt that was discussed between Geno, her and her parents.

Remember Duke transfer Azura Stevens bolted to the WNBA a year early when it was assumed she would stay for two.

I could see her staying one year and then leaving for pro ball......................that's OK with me as long as she let's Geno know well ahead of time so that he can recruit accordingly.......

 

[Argonaut]

After I posted that I was hoping you'd not take it as an honest question and you did.n.t I appreciate that.
Whatever Uconn argued it is said and done and like us Geno and Evina. I'm a bit set back by some posters saying Evina could bolt to the W this year or next--hot dang, she'll just be warming up till then.

I think she’ll leave with Megan. Whether that means she’s used up one or both years of eligibility — won’t matter.