Game thread Stanford - UConn

[Blue Huskie]

The lack of good decisions was more surprising than losing. I still want to know what the last play was supposed to be, if there was a play. They weren't even sure who should be throwing the ball in.

I'm not shocked. This group doesn't have enough time together yet. Chong didn't get major minutes last year, Tuck missed almost the entire season and Nurse wasn't even there. Plus Stokes playing more minutes than ever. It's going to take time for them to gel. Now if Banks had stayed she would have seen some minutes in this game as an upperclassman.

 

[UConnCat]

Seems like I remember Stanford tripping up another defending champion that had gone 40-0 the year before, just a couple of years ago.

Yes, and Stanford did not make the final four that year. Neither did Baylor. Will history repeat?

 

[OneTrickPony]

One obvious takeaway...silly fouls in the post are gonna cost us this year...Kiah's second in the first half fell in that category.

Another one...the defense is going to be a work in progress all season. I think everyone needs work...

Another one...we actually can be out hustled...

Missed the high screening action, and when two or three players swarm Breanna in the post, it should look like a set release when Kaleena has another player stuck to her...Breanna has some work to do on knowing where to pass out of the gang tackles and how to repost occasionally...

Tuck has some rust, but her play will be very key come tourney time...you saw a preview at the beginning of OT...

Very nice game by Kia Nurse...a few unlucky calls on her...Saniya is getting bolder and without that this game would've been much worse...she's still doing too much thinking out there when she should just know what to do...like the two with only seconds on the clock...by tourney time, if she keeps working and stays assertive, she should be much more instinctual out there...

Glad the streak's over...tentative play doesn't help teams gel with new lineups...this is 2012 now, let's keep improving every week and take home a trophy...

 

[Dribbles]

I'm not shocked. This group doesn't have enough time together yet. Chong didn't get major minutes last year, Tuck missed almost the entire season and Nurse wasn't even there. Plus Stokes playing more minutes than ever. It's going to take time for them to gel. Now if Banks had stayed she would have seen some minutes in this game as an upperclassman.

I've seen much more cohesion in summer league - where they haven't played together at all. How on earth does this explain driving for a 2 when you're down 3 and 2 seconds on the clock? How does this explain being up with 2 min on the clock and hoisting up threes early in the possession? Leaving lane more open the drive than a Bradley runway? Or failure to get the ball in? Or failure to even launch a last shot despite having just had a time out to set the play?
And the worst part is the Courant beat writer ignore all these gaffes, not a word.

Geno says he likes Tara. Maybe too much

 

[Geno-ista]

She needs to shoot that short jumper. She's capable of making it. She needs to be a threat to open up space in the lane for Stewart. If Stokes is in the low post period then there's no space for Stewart to operate down there. She and Stewart need to alternate but the double team on Stewart won't be there if Stokes makes herself an offensive threat.

You and I cannot make Stokes a threat. The reason stewie was triple teamed everytime she got close to the paint, is that they left Stokes alone from 12' out to the top of the key. One of the big differences on offense now is Stokes can't drain a 15-18 ft shot and Dolson could drain them consistently. It is the same as when Farris did not get guarded whenever she was away from the paint. Stokes can't be a threat if she cant drain those shots regularly.

 

[Icebear]

I'm not shocked. This group doesn't have enough time together yet. Chong didn't get major minutes last year, Tuck missed almost the entire season and Nurse wasn't even there. Plus Stokes playing more minutes than ever. It's going to take time for them to gel. Now if Banks had stayed she would have seen some minutes in this game as an upperclassman.

Chong averaged 17+ minutes per game last year was seventh on the team in minutes.