Game Thread UCONN/ND

[cardfan]

ND got to the line a lot more because they were taking the ball to the basket. In a fast paced game like that three point shooting is harder because players feel rushed and because legs are tired.

I would like to have seen more plays for Dolson and Stewart in the paint and fewer from the high post.

agree. ND pushed tempo too. A few too many easy baskets or fouls on lay-ups.

 

[Icebear]

I was going by ESPN's play-by-play tracker. But given the fact they credited Kelly with the assist, let's just say, I'm not 100% certain of it's accuracy:

4:41 Michaela Mabrey made Three Point Jumper. Assisted by Kelly Faris.

http://espn.go.com/ncw/playbyplay?gameId=330050041&period=2

Don't trust the ESPN play by play it is frequently off look at how much they had happening at 4:41. Heck of a thing for Kelly Faris to have an assist on that shot, too.

4:41 Bria Hartley Turnover. 65-65​

4:41 Skylar Diggins Steal.

65-65​

4:41 Kayla McBride missed Two Point Jumper.

65-65​

4:41 Kelly Faris Defensive Rebound.

65-65​

4:41 Breanna Stewart made Two Point Layup. Assisted by Kelly Faris.

65-67​

4:41 Michaela Mabrey Turnover.

65-67​

4:41 Kelly Faris Turnover.

65-67​

4:41 Michaela Mabrey made Three Point Jumper. Assisted by Kelly Faris.

68-67​

I was looking at the clock on the TV screen.

 

[cardfan]

Stewart 5-17 with 4 TOs
Lack of Stokes hurt too.

Agree re: Stokes. Imho, Steph was needed at low post more, but she hit some nice perimeter shots. Stewie isn't strong enough inside, yet. She'll get there though!

 

[UConnChapette]

Have to agree that Stokes could have made a difference. Hope she's back for the rematch.

 

[Icebear]

Agree re: Stokes. Imho, Steph was needed at low post more, but she hit some nice perimeter shots. Stewie isn't strong enough inside, yet. She'll get there though!

Nice in theory but we were having a terrible time getting the ball into the low post and ND collapsed immediately.

 

[cardfan]

Nice in theory but we were having a terrible time getting the ball into the low post and ND collapsed immediately.

Yeah, it worked when you quickly reversed the ball and passed UConn way.

 

[UConnCat]

Nice in theory but we were having a terrible time getting the ball into the low post and ND collapsed immediately.

I agree. Stef was open a few times in the first half and the guards didn't get her the ball. With both Stewart and Dolson in the game at the same time it makes more sense to have Dolson high because she's a better passer. Plus, Stewart needs to score against Braker. She just does. I know she's thin and needs to get stronger, but she needed to take advantage of her opportunities.

Everyone who has talked about how good UConn is this year has talked about Breanna Stewart as a difference-maker. The reality is that Breanna has a long way to go against tough competition. She showed some grit in the second half after a terrible first half, but she needs to get tougher. I have high hopes for April.

 

[psconn]

This was a home game and how many balls hit the rim and just bounced away. ND goes to the line 10 more times then UConn 24 to 14 which is a pattern that keeps games close and allows ND to win.

I guess we know how Stanford felt now.

 

[doggydaddy]

I guess we know how Stanford felt now.

Yeah, a 1 point loss is the same as a double digit loss.

 

[Icebear]

I guess we know how Stanford felt now.

Not even close. This is a one point loss to a team that always plays us tough. The other was an old fashioned beat down.

 

[cardfan]

I guess we know how Stanford felt now.

not even close. We were never in the game. I'm hoping it was an anomaly and we get better to make it to NO.

You played a good close game vs. a top 5 team and rival on your home floor. The game could have gone either way.

 

[Samanthabrown3]

4:41 Michaela Mabrey made Three Point Jumper. Assisted by Kelly Faris.

http://espn.go.com/ncw/playbyplay?gameId=330050041&period=2

Don't you wonder what Kelly did on that play?

 

[Replicant]

That last foul called when Diggins flopped on the drive by Bria really ticked me off. She has flopping down to a science--there was no contact at all...

Worthy of either an Oscar, or red card.

 

[bruinbball]

Don't you wonder what Kelly did on that play?

Yeah, she was three assists shy of a triple double- they were trying to help her out .

Kelly played a pretty gritty game but that is all lost when the team loses. 13 points, 11 rebounds, 7 assists, 5 steals and 1 TO - (Her receiving the ball back from Stef on the inbounds before establishing herself on the court).

http://www.uconnhuskies.com/sports/w-baskbl/stats/2012-2013/010513.html

 

[psconn]

I guess we know how Stanford felt now.

No way! Not remotely close to the same thing. Where the heck do these noobs come from?

 

[HuskyNan]

not even close. We were never in the game. I'm hoping it was an anomaly and we get better to make it to NO.

You played a good close game vs. a top 5 team and rival on your home floor. The game could have gone either way.

I remember the last time UConn gave Stanford an early season beat down. That year didn't end well for UConn.

 

[cardfan]

I remember the last time UConn gave Stanford an early season beat down. That year didn't end well for UConn.

yeah, but you guys lost Greene and Thomas. We had Wiggins. We have no Wiggins this yr. As UconnCat said, it's a guards game. We need Orrange, Kokenis, plus Camp and Green all to step up. I like Camp a lot and think she will give us big boost (coming off of injury). Same for Greene, but I haven't seen enough of her yet.

 

[MilfordHusky]

This feels bad because of the frustration. We have lost 5 of 6 to ND, 4 of which were winnable. We take leads but can't close them out. It's the same story over and over. This year, we were supposed to be better and ND was supposed to be weaker, so expectations were high. Plus, unlike Stanford, Duke, et al., we just don't like the ND players. It adds up to a very bitter feeling.

 

[UConnCat]

This feels bad because of the frustration. We have lost 5 of 6 to ND, 4 of which were winnable. We take leads but can't close them out. It's the same story over and over. This year, we were supposed to be better and ND was supposed to be weaker, so expectations were high. Plus, unlike Stanford, Duke, et al., we just don't like the ND players. It adds up to a very bitter feeling.

Yeah, that about sums it up. I'm ambivalent about today's game. One part of me feels that frustration because UConn is supposed to be the better team this year. At the same time, this is not (yet?) the UConn we expected to see this year. Breanna is struggling against better teams more than we expected. Our AA guard Bria Hartley is just not the player we remember seeing last year. Maybe the Stanford game gave us a false sense of where this team is right now. Stanford is flawed (Nneka, like most great players do, hid those flaws last year) and Stanford missed many open shots.

This team will not have a shot at a national championship unless Bria rediscovers her game (health?) and Stewart relaxes and makes the game slow down. There are other adjustments that need to and will be made in offense and game management, but none of that will matter if Bria and Stewart don't play better.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Yeah, that about sums it up. I'm ambivalent about today's game. One part of me feels that frustration because UConn is supposed to be the better team this year. At the same time, this is not (yet?) the UConn we expected to see this year. Breanna is struggling against better teams more than we expected. Our AA guard Bria Hartley is just not the player we remember seeing last year. Maybe the Stanford game gave us a false sense of where this team is right now. Stanford is flawed (Nneka, like most great players do, hid those flaws last year) and Stanford missed many open shots.

This team will not have a shot at a national championship unless Bria rediscovers her game (health?) and Stewart relaxes and makes the game slow down. There are other adjustments that need to and will be made in offense and game management, but none of that will matter if Bria and Stewart don't play better.

To paraphrase Dennis Green's beer commercial, "We are not who we thought we were." We need to find out who we really are and who we can become.

 

[speedoo]

Yeah, that about sums it up. I'm ambivalent about today's game. One part of me feels that frustration because UConn is supposed to be the better team this year. At the same time, this is not (yet?) the UConn we expected to see this year. Breanna is struggling against better teams more than we expected. Our AA guard Bria Hartley is just not the player we remember seeing last year. Maybe the Stanford game gave us a false sense of where this team is right now. Stanford is flawed (Nneka, like most great players do, hid those flaws last year) and Stanford missed many open shots.

This team will not have a shot at a national championship unless Bria rediscovers her game (health?) and Stewart relaxes and makes the game slow down. There are other adjustments that need to and will be made in offense and game management, but none of that will matter if Bria and Stewart don't play better.

IMO, Stef was the only UConn starter who played well. If Bria and Kelly played closer to their potential and Kaleena had not been hampered with fouls and a bum ankle, UConn wins this game regardless of Breanna's level of play.

 

[cardfan]

Yeah, that about sums it up. I'm ambivalent about today's game. One part of me feels that frustration because UConn is supposed to be the better team this year. At the same time, this is not (yet?) the UConn we expected to see this year. Breanna is struggling against better teams more than we expected. Our AA guard Bria Hartley is just not the player we remember seeing last year. Maybe the Stanford game gave us a false sense of where this team is right now. Stanford is flawed (Nneka, like most great players do, hid those flaws last year) and Stanford missed many open shots.

This team will not have a shot at a national championship unless Bria rediscovers her game (health?) and Stewart relaxes and makes the game slow down. There are other adjustments that need to and will be made in offense and game management, but none of that will matter if Bria and Stewart don't play better.

we were short handed in the back court once again last year after losing Camp in Dec. (who had 14 pts and nice game at UConn), then Green was lost too. We're getting both of them back this year, which will help. We also lost frosh post, Aly Beebe to ACL, so we are thin at the post this yr. None of these players are of Nneka's talent, but should help.

 

[Icebear]

IMO, Stef was the only UConn starter who played well. If Bria and Kelly played closer to their potential and Kaleena had not been hampered with fouls and a bum ankle, UConn wins this game regardless of Breanna's level of play.

Bria is the biggest missing in action at this point. She is playing very passively and doesn't seem to be playing with the same joy and abandoned. She certainly is not playing like the take charge team leader some expected of her the last two years.

Kelly played well.

Injuries are frustrating and never happen at a good time.