Game thread- Stokes starting???

[MilfordHusky]

SJU lost on the last possession to #18 UCLA, #25 Delaware, and Syracuse (on a steal and 50' shot). They have played some good teams tough.

 

[MilfordHusky]

They rarely make such comments. They kind of had to say something about Stef not starting.

I agree. Illnesses and injuries are not discussed unless obvious. And even then, UConn players are expected to step up.

 

[ASweet3781]

Just heard Chris D on WTIC. I expected her to say others were sick but no such statement was made. Just reiterated the importance of the bench being ready when called upon. (Re: Dolson Banks being out). She was surprisingly upbeat considering the lack of defense. She mentioned that St Johns is a tough matchup for them. Not much quotable.

Geno said in the post game press conference that Dolson just came down with her illness this morning so it's possible she was the only one sick.

 

[Blueballer]

They rarely make such comments. They kind of had to say something about Stef not starting.

I remember after they lost that game unexpectedly to Syracuse years ago when Wolters was on the team it was 1-2 days later a few of the players said that there were a lot of players under the weather at onceduring that game. I remember it looked like it too that day.

 

[Blueballer]

Just looked at the Box Score. One thing really stood out. St John's 16 Assists and UCONN 14. That never happens.

 

[UConnCat]

Just heard Chris D on WTIC. I expected her to say others were sick but no such statement was made. Just reiterated the importance of the bench being ready when called upon. (Re: Dolson Banks being out). She was surprisingly upbeat considering the lack of defense. She mentioned that St Johns is a tough matchup for them. Not much quotable.

In explaining the switch to the zone, CD said that they were running out of defenses and plays to call because when the players aren't focused and their heads aren't in the game it doesn't matter what is called. She said that fortunately a few players buckled down and focused in the second half and they were able to pull out the win.

 

[speedoo]

Uconn's bench outscored the Samson Johnson 18 - 4.

That is very surprising, considering how poorly Breanna played.

 

[pinotbear]

GENO AND KELLY WERE INTERVIEWED AFTER THE GAME WATCHED PRAISED KELLY,KML,AND KIAH THE 3 Ks IT was an ugly performance YES
we can come up with positives for future,but what bothered me was being beaten down the court out huscled certain players there is just no
excuse for that KELLY stated honesty that it was a terrible 1st half and not much better in the 2nd half IF SHE CAN SAY IT SO CAN WE AND STILL BE ABOARD THE TRAIN AND BIG SUPPORTERS I SAW SOME GOOD MINUTES FROM TUCK BB DEFENSE BEFORE INJURY ALLOWING US TO PRESS SUCCESSFULLY
I EXPECTED STEWIE TO BREAKOUT TODAY AND WAS DISSAPOINTED SITTING ON THE BENCH WAS DESERVED
BRIA MAY GET PROPS ON THE BOARD BUT HER SHOOTING SUCKS NO OFFENSE LOL
AND KML SHOULD BE SHOOTING MORE DOUBLE DOUBLE FOR HER 15/10
KF WITH 17
UGLY PERFORMANCE SORRY
IRA

Ira..please..don't shout, and use punctuation. It's hard to read your posts like this. If you're making a good point, I've missed it because I can't get past the yelling, and run-ons.

 

[magical2]

Ira..please..don't shout, and use punctuation. It's hard to read your posts like this. If you're making a good point, I've missed it because I can't get past the yelling, and run-ons.

You are correct and I am sorry
My keyboard is not allowing me to type the way I would prefer
I am serious
IRA

 

[UConnCat]

Just looked at the Box Score. One thing really stood out. St John's 16 Assists and UCONN 14. That never happens.

UConn only made 23 baskets. It was 19-25 at the FT line, however.

 

[Blueballer]

Ira..please..don't shout, and use punctuation. It's hard to read your posts like this. If you're making a good point, I've missed it because I can't get past the yelling, and run-ons.

As a very slow typer I can relate though. You get on a roll and look up to see you unknowingly switched to Caps part way through your message. Then you say "I really don't want to type that all over again"

 

[UConnChapette]

Just looked at the Box Score. One thing really stood out. St John's 16 Assists and UCONN 14. That never happens.

Certainly not when Dolson is in the game.

 

[Tenspro2002]

ND did not struggle against 10-10 St John's, which might be cause for concern. I'm not sure I buy into the benefits of winning a close game that should not have been close.

There are two separate points to be made here, (1) concerning forecasting the rest of the season, and (2) concerning the team's preparation for close games going forward.

On point (1): The fact that we struggled against a bad team does not portend well for the rest of the season. It's hard to argue otherwise. Championship-caliber teams do not go into the under-4 timeout in a dogfight with a .500 team in the Big East. They just don't. I also have to question Breanna Stewart's toughness. We've had two close games all year, and Stewart has spit the bit horribly in both. Of course she's just a freshman, and hopefully she can turn it around and become the next Diana Taurasi in the clutch and not the next Ann Strother.

On point (2): Having won the game, it is unequivocally better for our team going forward to have gone through the experience of gutting out a close win when things weren't going well.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Just looked at the Box Score. One thing really stood out. St John's 16 Assists and UCONN 14. That never happens.

Agreed. I noted it when it was 11-9.

We won the game at the FT line, like that green team coached by a Muppet.

 

[msf22b]

I mentioned, actually queried earlier (to the usual distain) that it was going to be difficult going forward with limited scoring from CD and Bria.

Happened again this afternoon

For a moment, we saw the future and a changing of the guard with Banks and MJ looking good, then of course the injury.

Hoping she's ok

Looking forward to reviewing that segment.

 

[CTGirl15]

Can I also point out that the team was playing without their leader and rock on the court and that one of their sparks off the bench went down with an unknown injury in the first half. The team did not play well, but I think this game had too many other factors influencing it. It's not good that we struggled this much against a mediocre team, however it is not the end of the world and it does not mean this team can't win a championship.

 

[speedoo]

There are two separate points to be made here, (1) concerning forecasting the rest of the season, and (2) concerning the team's preparation for close games going forward.

On point (1): The fact that we struggled against a bad team does not portend well for the rest of the season. It's hard to argue otherwise. Championship-caliber teams do not go into the under-4 timeout in a dogfight with a .500 team in the Big East. They just don't. I also have to question Breanna Stewart's toughness. We've had two close games all year, and Stewart has spit the bit horribly in both. Of course she's just a freshman, and hopefully she can turn it around and become the next Diana Taurasi in the clutch and not the next Ann Strother.

On point (2): Having won the game, it is unequivocally better for our team going forward to have gone through the experience of gutting out a close win when things weren't going well.

St. Johns is not a bad team. They are a bad matchup for UConn, with their quickness.

 

[Icebear]

St. John's is not a mediocre team. They are better than might be assumed by their surface record at 10-10 but note their losses and the close scores and, especially, note they lost three games in the last possession to UCLA, Delaware, and Syracuse plus a 3 point loss to Louisville. They easily might be 14-6.

 

[Tenspro2002]

St. John's is not a mediocre team. They are better than might be assumed by their surface record at 10-10 but note their losses and the close scores and, especially, note they lost three games in the last possession to UCLA, Delaware, and Syracuse plus a 3 point loss to Louisville. They easily might be 14-6.

10-10, 14-6, doesn't matter.

In women's basketball, if you're not in the top 10 and have 2-3 losses or fewer, you are a cupcake. St. John's is not a good team, and with or without Dolson or Banks, we should have been able to win by 30.

 

[Icebear]

10-10, 14-6, doesn't matter.

In women's basketball, if you're not in the top 10 and have 2-3 losses or fewer, you are a cupcake. St. John's is not a good team, and with or without Dolson or Banks, we should have been able to win by 30.

Simply not true. 14-6 may not be elite but doesn't mean they are nothing. They lost to ND by 24 and Duke by 18 so your expectation of UConn by 30 given the other factors are simply unreasonable. The team's game plan was completely throw out immediately before the game when Stef became unavailable. They then loss Brianna in the first half.

Chris Daily's interview after the game and her tone would have her disagreeing, too.

 

[UConnCat]

On point (1): The fact that we struggled against a bad team does not portend well for the rest of the season. It's hard to argue otherwise. Championship-caliber teams do not go into the under-4 timeout in a dogfight with a .500 team in the Big East.

Well the #2 team in the country needed overtime to beat a team that is under .500 in the Big East. So I guess we can count them out as well. And since UConn has beaten every other possible Championship-caliber team, soundly I might add, I guess we just cancel the tournament and hand the trophy to Baylor.

BTW, the greatest team in the history of WCBB almost lost a road game at Va Tech in 2002. That same team beat Va Tech by 35 points two weeks later. These games happen.

 

[HuskyNan]

There are two separate points to be made here, (1) concerning forecasting the rest of the season, and (2) concerning the team's preparation for close games going forward.

On point (1): The fact that we struggled against a bad team does not portend well for the rest of the season. It's hard to argue otherwise. Championship-caliber teams do not go into the under-4 timeout in a dogfight with a .500 team in the Big East. They just don't.

Notre Dame needed overtime to beat USF.
Duke had a mere 5 point lead with 5 minutes remaining in a game that was a struggle with lowly Clemson (6-14 record)
Stanford coughed up a 19 point lead over USC (8-12) and held a 5 point advantage with 2:42 in the game before pulling out a 9 point win.

Maybe we should call the season and just hand the championship trophy to Baylor now.

 

[Icebear]

Sarcasm, Nan. I knew you could come to the dark side.

 

[magical2]

Notre Dame needed overtime to beat USF.
Duke had a mere 5 point lead with 5 minutes remaining in a game that was a struggle with lowly Clemson (6-14 record)
Stanford coughed up a 19 point lead over USC (8-12) and held a 5 point advantage with 2:42 in the game before pulling out a 9 point win.

Maybe we should call the season and just hand the championship trophy to Baylor now.

Sarcasm, Nan. I knew you could come to the dark side.

Nan requires a to and Ice a drink lol
IRA

 

[Blueballer]

There are two separate points to be made here, (1) concerning forecasting the rest of the season, and (2) concerning the team's preparation for close games going forward.

On point (1): The fact that we struggled against a bad team does not portend well for the rest of the season. It's hard to argue otherwise. Championship-caliber teams do not go into the under-4 timeout in a dogfight with a .500 team in the Big East. They just don't. I also have to question Breanna Stewart's toughness. We've had two close games all year, and Stewart has spit the bit horribly in both. Of course she's just a freshman, and hopefully she can turn it around and become the next Diana Taurasi in the clutch and not the next Ann Strother.

On point (2): Having won the game, it is unequivocally better for our team going forward to have gone through the experience of gutting out a close win when things weren't going well.

Speaking of Diana, in 2003 we lost to Villanova in the Big East Tournament but then went on to win the National Championship. People were probably pretty skeptical of the ability to win after that loss too.