Game thoughts

[ChrisSmith]

Team thoughts:
Great team defense. UConn did a much better job limiting ND to one shot. Still need to do a better job holding onto the ball.
Outside of the last 5 minutes of the game, didn't it seem like ND was getting a lot more whistles? Before getting into the end of the game, I think at one point UConn had 12 fouls and ND only 7.

Player thoughts:
KML really stepped up on offense. Very efficient.
Hartley obviously played a very good game tonight, despite not getting the 3 ball to fall.
Rough day for Dolson. Missed shots, turned the ball over, looked slow getting to a few loose balls. I really thought Stokes should have played more.
Not a great day for Hayes shooting the ball, but she is so quick and gives so much effort she compensated with key offensive rebounds.

 

[Wbbfan1]

Hayes was huge tonight with her rebounding and overall hustle. KML was the obvious choice for MOP

When ND got the lead early in the 2nd half, didn't think this team could comeback and win the game. Thought ND has the more talented players and the go to players. Team showed its heart and wouldn't allow ND to build the lead and win the game.

Great win by the Team.

 

[Icebear]

Chris, Stokes was not good tonight when she was in. It was a conscious choice by Geno to pull her.

 

[justML]

I am so thrilled by this win that at this moment I can't think of a single negative.

May that feeling last a looooong time.

 

[Icebear]

Noticably absent from the tourney team was Diggins.

 

[Dairyair]

Stef didn't score that much, but I thought that overall she played a pretty good game, especially going against the ND bigs. I haven't looked at the box score yet, but I'll bet statistically Stef had a pretty good game.
Great to see Bria hitting some shots, KML is growing into her number, Tiff did some good things...funny, she was a calming influence at times, but sometimes she played like her hair was on fire.
Just so damned proud of the fight they ALL put up tonight!

 

[msf22b]

Wonderful win, 'nuff said.

 

[WillB4]

Outstanding effort. Defense was superb. Guts were shown tonite, even if it was five of us against eight of them at times. Ticky tack called but muggings and assaults passed by.

 

[John Fryer]

Chris, Stokes was not good tonight when she was in. It was a conscious choice by Geno to pull her.

Where did that negative come from? Why?

I didn't see Kiah do anything to hurt the team.

She rebounded and blocked the middle when she was on the floor.

Peace,

John Fryer

 

[ChicagoGG]

And Kelly's two 3-pointers were daggers! And did you see her scuffling for every ball, every steal, against much bigger ND players? WOW! Love her heart!!

 

[Replicant]

We actually did ND a favor as they head into the NCAA tourney with this wake-up call. They were far too full of themselves coming into this game and I will not be surprised if we should meet again in another championship game this year.

 

[Replicant]

Two thoughts...Bria and Kaleena!

 

[Icebear]

Where did that negative come from? Why?

I didn't see Kiah do anything to hurt the team.

She rebounded and blocked the middle when she was on the floor.

Peace,

John Fryer

Watch it again. She was only in for four minutes and was ineffective and largely unsure of her position on the court. On the other hand Stef played 38 minutes largely because she had to do so. Kiah was out of position and searching for where she was supposed to be. She had 0 stats except for 1 TO. I'm sure Geno would have spelled Stef if he felt he could because the pace was torrid and Stef was gassed. Of course, so was everyone else.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Noticably absent from the tourney team was Diggins.

A faceless team?

Skylar is so last year. The new face of WCBB wears the familiar #23 at UConn. She's the one who smiles.

 

[Bigpetunia]

We won tonight with great defensive intensity, but let's not lose sight of what a great job we did on the boards. Our shooting can be, as it was tonight, VERY streaky, but great D and great rebounding can overcome a lot in the offensive department. Great game plan by Geno!

 

[Aluminny69]

Would love to hear Muffet explain why ND went away from the zone they opened the second half with. ( Not that I'm complaining.) The ND zone stymied UConn, allowing ND a temporary lead, and I don't think UConn really solved the zone defense. But maybe I missed something.

 

[DaddyChoc]

Stef didn't score that much, but I thought that overall she played a pretty good game, especially going against the ND bigs. I haven't looked at the box score yet, but I'll bet statistically Stef had a pretty good game.
Great to see Bria hitting some shots, KML is growing into her number, Tiff did some good things...funny, she was a calming influence at times, but sometimes she played like her hair was on fire.
Just so damned proud of the fight they ALL put up tonight!

Tiff is a senior and this is her last op for a lot of things... so her effort will get mistaken for being out of control. She didnt want to lose 3 times to ND in a season... and she wanted this on, the BIG one for now

 

[Bestiarius]

I can understand the long faces on the ND players after the game. It was more than just an ordinary loss of the Big East tourney. This was the year to take Uconn, to be able to say, regardless of what happens in the NCAA, we're the champs, our first banner. This year was a brief opening in the window of opportunity that may not recur for 4 years. As Kramer once said, "You blew it, you really blew it".

 

[Bestiarius]

Noticably absent from the tourney team was Diggins.

I look at it another way. Diggins was her usual self. It's just that her usual self doesn't have a blue uniform 3 inches from her face for 40 minutes. Same for Mallory, Novosel, Peters & McBride.

 

[uconnfan68]

Watch it again. She was only in for four minutes and was ineffective and largely unsure of her position on the court. On the other hand Stef played 38 minutes largely because she had to do so. Kiah was out of position and searching for where she was supposed to be. She had 0 stats except for 1 TO. I'm sure Geno would have spelled Stef if he felt he could because the pace was torrid and Stef was gassed. Of course, so was everyone else.

I'm not so sure. Kiah and Stef were out there together. I'm not sure either of them knows what their role is together. Kiah as a replacement for Stef is a much easier choice, and one I thought should have been made around the 10 minute mark of the 2nd half. But I can't argue with Geno's choices, and it's not like he cares about mine.

 

[speedoo]

Would love to hear Muffet explain why ND went away from the zone they opened the second half with. ( Not that I'm complaining.) The ND zone stymied UConn, allowing ND a temporary lead, and I don't think UConn really solved the zone defense. But maybe I missed something.

I thought it was obvious: KLM. They went to the zone to open the second half knowing Kaleena would be on the bench. As soon as she came in they went back to man, because Muffett feared KLM shooting threes over the zone.

 

[Vowelguy]

I thought it was obvious: KLM. They went to the zone to open the second half knowing Kaleena would be on the bench. As soon as she came in they went back to man, because Muffett feared KLM shooting threes over the zone.

True, but you could still argue that they should've tried going back to zone - given that man wasn't working great either, seems like it would've been worth the risk.

 

[Vowelguy]

One area of concern: it was difficult to have both Doty & Faris on the floor at the same time. Too much offensive weakness. KML came in very quickly in the 1st half, 2 or 3 minutes in (it is exceptionally rare for Geno to sub before the first timeout unless there's foul trouble), and somewhat similarly in the 2nd half.

If KML wasn't hitting quite so well OR any of the other 4 players had foul trouble, things would have evolved differently.

 

[DaddyChoc]

One area of concern: it was difficult to have both Doty & Faris on the floor at the same time. Too much offensive weakness. KML came in very quickly in the 1st half, 2 or 3 minutes in (it is exceptionally rare for Geno to sub before the first timeout unless there's foul trouble), and somewhat similarly in the 2nd half.

If KML wasn't hitting quite so well OR any of the other 4 players had foul trouble, things would have evolved differently.

but......

 

[cferraro04]

Noticably absent from the tourney team was Diggins.

Ditto that and I'll raise you Novosel