Game thread- Stokes starting???

[UConnCat]

The dirty secret is that UConn's D usually looks great....when the other team gives up by halftime. Not when another team brings the fight for them for 40 mins.

This makes no sense. If teams give up by halftime doesn't the UConn defense have something to do with that? BTW, UConn's opponents have scored about 100 more points in the 2nd half than in the 1st half. UConn's defense is better before the game is decided than it is after the game has been decided.

Other than Baylor, which teams do you think are better defensively?

 

[BJLfromBK]

First time poster, I was at this game today and man was it rough. As a huge fan I'm sad to see the huskies getting blatantly out hustled offense and defense. They looked lethargic on both ends until final 7 minutes. While they were pressing/trapping it was really ineffective and there was no help D down low which lead to easy passes to wide open players. Just no aggression by some. Offensively, KML looked good only when she felt she needed to take over. And she did luckily. Kelly looked stiff, her D while tight at times wasn't fully committed. She'd get a hand up but hardly close to the ball 60% of the time. MoJeff looked like a solid backup during stretches with her athletic ability but with an offense that looked as if they only wanted to pass the ball and never attack the basket wasn't very effective. They played very small lineups because of St. John's lack of height but still seemed slower. Just a bad game to watch.

As for geno, I was surprised. Someone posted that he seemed stubborn and that was exactly true. I feel he had a plan for this game from the start and he stuck to it until it worked. Well even tho we came out with a win, it wasn't because of coaching (sorry, as a huge Geno fan, this hurts me to say). Granted he had little to work with (kiah is absolutely lost out there, with shoulders so wide against a smaller defense she could barely post up or just didn't try. Stewart had some good moves early in first half and the missed
2 very easy baskets in a row causing geno to bench her the rest of the game. At one point he screamed at her "make a layup" There was a point I felt she needed to be in for offensive purposes but to make a point he kept her out. He went on to lecture her while she was on the bench, driving in the point. He kept pressing too long in the first half, and kept a zone too long in 2nd. I'm surprised a lack of dolson made this much impact. Very scary thought for future foul trouble. I will say it seemed as if everyone was just off all around. At least I hope for our future in the tourney.

Lastly, as for bria... Her shot is just completely off. She shot a 3 from the corner right in front of me and it may have been the worst release I've seen in a while. She has lost confidence in it I believe. But if she keeps driving in the paint and finishing like she did in a few plays I'm fine with her on the court.

 

[Ozzie Nelson]

I'm not sure that can be said to be true. A lot of stuff was thrown at the team in 40 minutes. Stef scratched right at game time, Brianna goes out with a knee injury, St. John's hits their first 4 3s out of the box, people playing out of position and in odd groupings. It wasn't the game we expected in any way, shape or form. Sometimes that's just what happens and the test is what you do with it.

Exactly Ice...I loved the game. Like sipping a fine Argentinean Malbec, good in its own moment, time and future be damned.

 

[HuskyNan]

First time poster, I was at this game today and man was it rough. As a huge fan I'm sad to see the huskies getting blatantly out hustled offense and defense. They looked lethargic on both ends until final 7 minutes. While they were pressing/trapping it was really ineffective and there was no help D down low which lead to easy passes to wide open players. Just no aggression by some. Offensively, KML looked good only when she felt she needed to take over. And she did luckily. Kelly looked stiff, her D while tight at times wasn't fully committed. She'd get a hand up but hardly close to the ball 60% of the time. MoJeff looked like a solid backup during stretches with her athletic ability but with an offense that looked as if they only wanted to pass the ball and never attack the basket wasn't very effective. They played very small lineups because of St. John's lack of height but still seemed slower. Just a bad game to watch.

I will say it seemed as if everyone was just off all around. At least I hope for our future in the tourney.
.

First of all - welcome to the 'Yard. Hope you enjoy it here.

As for your post, you may not have had time to read the entire thread but in the postgame with CD, she said some players aren't feeling well. She didn't say who. It was a bad time to play such a quick, athletic team like SJU.

 

[boontonbomber]

st. johns played very well, which was certainly part of uconn's problem. they looked well coached. these games are so much more fun to watch than those blowouts. i expect most fans and players prefer them, while uconn's coaches maybe not so much.

 

[BJLfromBK]

Guess they won't be going to that steakhouse again next time they are in NY. Was it Peter Lugers?

 

[Ozzie Nelson]

I heard it was Bill's Short Ribs.

 

[Icebear]

I heard it was Bill's Short Ribs.

It's not like they don't have those in CT.

 

[Vowelguy]

I'm sure I"ve asked this before: Anyone seen this deliberate-foul-at-the-end strategy work?

Many many times.

 

[Vowelguy]

Granted we were "off" today, but another legitimate question that should be asked is, "Why doesn't St John's play like this more often"? There can be little doubt at this point they have some talent on that team. They beat us last year and pushed us again today. Why do they underperform the rest of the time?

New coach.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Guess they won't be going to that steakhouse again next time they are in NY. Was it Peter Lugers?

Judging from the health of the team, I'd say they went to Peter Loogie's.

 

[Olde Coach]

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.

St. Johns was a very good team today. Especially when they were 4/4 in the 1st half. Give them credit when it is due.

 

[UConnCat]

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.

Not to mention the meltdown against Duke and the BE Tournament loss to BC in the '03-'04 season.

 

[semper]

The St. John's coach is good. They made some beautiful offensive plays.

 

[Buzzyboy]

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.

I have vivid memories of Ann Strother making some key late game shots against some pretty tough competition over the course of her career. I can't figure why you'd throw her name out there in such a demeaning way. She was pivotal in at least a couple of huge wins over the Tennessee Vols and I seem to recall there were definitely others.

 

[Tenspro2002]

I have vivid memories of Ann Strother making some key late game shots against some pretty tough competition over the course of her career. I can't figure why you'd throw her name out there in such a demeaning way. She was pivotal in at least a couple of huge wins over the Tennessee Vols and I seem to recall there were definitely others.

While that's definitely true -- a key drive in the waning minutes against Tennessee in 2003 comes to mind -- she's also renowned for missing 2 of 3 free throws to lose a game against Tennessee. Furthermore, she was supposed to be the leader of those 2005 and 2006 teams which never seemed to get it done in crunch time.

 

[Vowelguy]

While that's definitely true -- a key drive in the waning minutes against Tennessee in 2003 comes to mind -- she's also renowned for missing 2 of 3 free throws to lose a game against Tennessee. Furthermore, she was supposed to be the leader of those 2005 and 2006 teams which never seemed to get it done in crunch time.

Thank you for your interest in UConn basketball.

 

[Tenspro2002]

Thank you for your interest in UConn basketball.

Are you tting me? Legitimate criticism of our players gets someone dismissed as a troll?

This is why most people on the Men's board don't respect the Women's board.

 

[UConnCat]

Are you tting me? Legitimate criticism of our players gets someone dismissed as a troll?

This is why most people on the Men's board don't respect the Women's board.

Ann was a terrific complimentary player during her first 2 years when the team was led by Diana. Although Diana was the leader and personality of that team, Ann made several big shots to help the team win 2 NCs. During Ann's junior and senior years, she wasn't the go-to player some thought she would be. That point has been made ad nauseum on this board. We get it. Ann went through a lot of stuff during her last 2 years at UConn; she also played on teams that were not championship caliber. Comparing Stewart to Strother after 20 games seems more than silly. Come back in a couple of years and we'll see where things stand.

I'll match your gratuitous statement with one of my own: Most people on the women's board don't respect the Men's board for a multitude of reasons. So there.

 

[Icebear]

Are you tting me? Legitimate criticism of our players gets someone dismissed as a troll?

This is why most people on the Men's board don't respect the Women's board.

We really don't worry much about the men's board. It's not like it is something anyone aspires to be.

 

[uconnfan68]

We really don't worry much about the men's board. It's not like it is something anyone aspires to be.

I'm a fan of ALL UConn teams, and ALL UConn student-athletes. It is hard for me to understand why any UConn fan isn't.

 

[HuskyNan]

While that's definitely true -- a key drive in the waning minutes against Tennessee in 2003 comes to mind -- she's also renowned for missing 2 of 3 free throws to lose a game against Tennessee. Furthermore, she was supposed to be the leader of those 2005 and 2006 teams which never seemed to get it done in crunch time.

One player doesn't lose a game. It's unfair to put the loss on Annie.

 

[vtcwbuff]

One player doesn't lose a game. It's unfair to put the loss on Annie.

Arguably true Nan, but it's also true that one player can not win the game. When mighty Casey struck out in the clutch did he lose the game or not win it?

 

[HuskyNan]

Arguably true Nan, but it's also true that one player can not win the game. When mighty Casey struck out in the clutch did he lose the game or not win it?

It's the team that put a player in the position of having to decide the game. A player can't lose a game by herself because she's not the one that put the team in the position of needing to make one shot in order to win.

 

[Olde Coach]

Ca

Arguably true Nan, but it's also true that one player can not win the game. When mighty Casey struck out in the clutch did he lose the game or not win it?

Can someone explain to me the purpose, joy or satisfaction that can come to a "UConn women's basketball fan" from bitching about, moaning, complaining and ragging on the UConn players and coaches? It seems to me a useless and negative activity with no valuable result.

Geno is a Hall of Fame and Olympic coach with half his team being UConn alumni. He has the highest winning percentage of any current NCAA Division 1 coach. Most of his players are high school All-Americans. OUR TEAM has been to four consecutive final fours. They are 18-22 year old kids. And a ridiculous number of posters on this board think they are smarter than the UConn coaching staff and have way more basketball smarts than the players do. Give me a break!

And be thankful you are rooting (or, too often complaining about) one of the best college athletic programs in NCAA history -- men or women and all sports.

How many of you ever won 90 consecutive games of anything? Or were ever an All-American in any sport. Or in the Hall of fame in any sport?

The kids won a tough game yesterday -- without Stef or Banks, and with some other players who were sick or were playing with long-term injuries.

I suggest that if you are unhappy with our team, you go root for North Carolina.
They are 30 points behind Duke at the half, and they could probably use a few more fans.

Just sayin' -- and I am not responding to any one poster; but to the large number of "Negative Nellies" that are bitching all through this thread.

OC