Gary Blair on UConn

[UConnCat]

On the UConn offense:​

"I love their balance," Blair said. "I love the offense they run. They run a little bit of Princeton. They run a little bit of triangle. They run a little bit of motion. And they run a little bit of Geno.​

"They handle the ball so much better than any team we play. And his best player [Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis] may be coming off the bench."​

On how to beat UConn:​

"I think you've got to play small to be able to beat them," Blair said. "One big​

Center and you might have to play four guards to stay with them or a 4 who can play like a guard."​

On whether UConn can beat Baylor:​

"It depends on if they can keep Dolson out of foul trouble and are they going to send two people over on [Brittney] Griner," Blair said. "They weren't sending two on our post player tonight. I think that will be the key. And don't let Odyssey Sims set up in that left corner. She'll wear it out over there."​

 

[UConnCat]

And Gary on what separates UConn and other teams: impact players.

“It’s the impact players. If you can get players like Mosqueda-Lewis, Taurasi or Maya Moore, they make everyone else around them better. And he’s had an impact player every year he’s been here.

“That’s the difference between UConn and the rest of us trying to get to that level.”

 

[alexrgct]

1. He is right that UConn has had a high school #1 on the team every year since 1994-95, and that certainly helps increase the odds that you have impact kids on your team.

2. If he's right about having to go small against UConn, one of the biggest issues UConn has is non-existent. Size was a problem. The concern was that a long, talented team could present matchup issues. Instead, UConn has made going small the matchup issue for everyone else, and that's a testament to Geno and the girls in general (with a special nod to Kelly on D).

 

[Icebear]

1. He is right that UConn has had a high school #1 on the team every year since 1994-95, and that certainly helps increase the odds that you have impact kids on your team.

2. If he's right about having to go small against UConn, one of the biggest issues UConn has is non-existent. Size was a problem. The concern was that a long, talented team could present matchup issues. Instead, UConn has made going small the matchup issue for everyone else, and that's a testament to Geno and the girls in general (with a special nod to Kelly on D).

Shows the difference between Blair as a coach and Caroline Peck's observations.

 

[pap49cba]

I've never bought in to the "undersized" argument.

The teams that won two NCs and went undefeated were:

Charles - 6'4"
Moore - 6'0"
Green - 5'10"
Hayes/Doty - 5'10"
Montgomery - 5'7"
Faris - 5'11"

 

[Icebear]

I've never bought in to the "undersized" argument.

The teams that won two NCs and went undefeated were:

Charles - 6'4"
Moore - 6'0"
Green - 5'10"
Hayes/Doty - 5'10"
Montgomery - 5'7"
Faris - 5'11"

Me neither.

 

[schmendrick]

Shows the difference between Blair as a coach and Caroline Peck's observations.

what were Carolyn Peck's observations? Could make no sense of what she was saying.

 

[Icebear]

She kept saying that aTm had to pound it inside and exploit their post size against Kelly at the 4. Apparently she had not watched the match ups of Kelly with the O sisters. Kelly is so fundmaentally sound she can handle players much larger than her and may very well put them in foul trouble.

 

[pinotbear]

what were Carolyn Peck's observations? Could make no sense of what she was saying.

like I alluded to in another thread: for Carolyn Peck, English is a second language. I have no clue what her usual stuff is.

 

[HuskyNan]

She kept saying that aTm had to pound it inside and exploit their post size against Kelly at the 4. Apparently she had not watched the match ups of Kelly with the O sisters. Kelly is so fundmaentally sound she can handle players much larger than her and nay very well put them in foul trouble.

Every single game Peck says that the offense has to get the ball to the big girl. Wonder what position she played?

 

[Outside Shot]

I don't think it's as much that Kelly has special post defense skills as it is that our guards put good ball pressure on the Aggies, which made it hard for them to feed anyone in the post. We seemed to do it out of a variety of defenses too, which is impressive.

 

[alexrgct]

I've never bought in to the "undersized" argument.

The teams that won two NCs and went undefeated were:

Charles - 6'4"
Moore - 6'0"
Green - 5'10"
Hayes/Doty - 5'10"
Montgomery - 5'7"
Faris - 5'11"

I see the 2009 and 2010 teams as apples and oranges vis a vis this one. When you have three of the five best players in the country (as was the case in 2009) or the two best players in the country period (2010), you don't worry about size and mismatches as much; you just go to war. This year's team doesn't have that kind of obvious first team AA talent, so the matchups were more of a concern...one that strong team D and terrific individual effort on D by Kelly in particular seem to be overcoming.

 

[pap49cba]

I see the 2009 and 2010 teams as apples and oranges vis a vis this one. When you have three of the five best players in the country (as was the case in 2009) or the two best players in the country period (2010), you don't worry about size and mismatches as much; you just go to war. This year's team doesn't have that kind of obvious first team AA talent, so the matchups were more of a concern...one that strong team D and terrific individual effort on D by Kelly in particular seem to be overcoming.

We've got a couple of AA's.... they just haven't formally been recognized as such just yet.

 

[Suebird10fan]

1. He is right that UConn has had a high school #1 on the team every year since 1994-95, and that certainly helps increase the odds that you have impact kids on your team.

2. If he's right about having to go small against UConn, one of the biggest issues UConn has is non-existent. Size was a problem. The concern was that a long, talented team could present matchup issues. Instead, UConn has made going small the matchup issue for everyone else, and that's a testament to Geno and the girls in general (with a special nod to Kelly on D).

I have to confess that I never fully appreciated Kelly Faris' defense until last night. I was at the Stanford game but pretty high up. Not a great perspective on interior defense. I was astonished last night watching Faris hold her ground among the bigs.

 

[semper]

I just turn off the sound and keep reading the 'Yard as I watch. You guys should try it.

 

[alexrgct]

In the Stanford game, Kelly went toe to toe with Boothe for some series. She was giving up six inches and a lot of weight (and obviously I don't mean that in a mean-spirited way), and she was just pushing Boothe put of position in the post. Kelly's legs are freakish. What she lacks in height she makes up for with effort and tremendous lower body strength.

 

[doggydaddy]

We've got a couple of AA's.... they just haven't formally been recognized as such just yet.

Hartley is as good as any guard in the country. Dolson is as good as any center in the country not named Griner. Hayes is as good as any 3 in the country. And Lewis is the best 6th woman in the country.

 

[bruinbball]

Hartley is as good as any guard in the country. Dolson is as good as any center in the country not named Griner. Hayes is as good as any 3 in the country. And Lewis is the best 6th woman in the country.

Faris is as good defensively (other than Griner) as anyone in the country.

 

[doggydaddy]

Faris is as good defensively (other than Griner) as anyone in the country.

I taped the T&M game and have taken some time to watch with just focusing on defense and Faris in particular. I have never seen a player so good at in your face defending and without fouling. She is unbelievable.

 

[bruinbball]

I taped the T&M game and have taken some time to watch with just focusing on defense and Faris in particular. I have never seen a player so good at in your face defending and without fouling. She is unbelievable.

I didn't rewatch to see if she fouled White on the jumper at the top of the key...did she foul her? I know the call at midcourt was bogus.

 

[doggydaddy]

I didn't rewatch to see if she fouled White on the jumper at the top of the key...did she foul her? I know the call at midcourt was bogus.

I'll look for that again tonight.

 

[speedoo]

what were Carolyn Peck's observations? Could make no sense of what she was saying.

Honestly, you are better off not understanding her. That way you don't waste any time trying to figure it out. She has never been worth listening to and she probably never will be.

 

[schmendrick]

like I alluded to in another thread: for Carolyn Peck, English is a second language. I have no clue what her usual stuff is.

What is her first language? Perhaps she's speaking in Jabberwocky and we just can't tell.

 

[speedoo]

We've got a couple of AA's.... they just haven't formally been recognized as such just yet.

Counting Kelly, I think we have more than a couple.

 

[pap49cba]

I swear, at times even Kara glances over at her with a 'What the ????' look on her face.