Guys... a little perspective...

[EricLA]

In the NC run last year, where UCONN was dismantling opponents, suddenly they got a little cold, or whatever, and only beat BYU by 19 in the Sweet 16. Then they "got by" aTm 15 in the elite 8.

By then everyone was talking about how "human" they were. They played better against a "better" Stanford team winning by 19 and then beat ND by 21 in the NC game.

My point is, yes UCONN did play a really poor 2nd half. But USF played a really good 2nd half and I believe they could be a sweet 16 type of team.

Lastly, I don't think it's a bad thing to have a "close" game like that at this point. They won, they stomped USF in the first half, and "held on" to win the game. Geno certainly won't go back to the drawing board, but he will have some "teachable" moments (in fact a lot of them from the 2nd half).

I get that we wish every big game was a 30 point beatdown, but I think it was good for UCONN to be pushed, pushed around, and forced to see what they still need to work on...

Nice job UCONN, but major congrats to USF for doing something no other team has done in a very long time - beat up on UCONN for an entire half and not let up for one instant.

 

[VAUConnFan]

Survive and advance.

 

[johnnyc]

This is what we should want. For the conference to get stronger.

 

[pinotbear]

Can't please some folks Eric. They whine like hell about blow-outs and uncompetitive games, refer to the opponents as "high school" or "D3" - and then, when a team actually plays well against Connecticut, it's all flaws, individual player failures, lack of focus, bad officiating (well, sometimes it is), end-of-the-world, woe-is-me, everything sucks. Some folks love to be righteously miserable, it empowers them somehow. Just be glad you aren't married to somebody like that. Just be glad you don't work for a boss that would hold you to the uncompromising standard of perfection we hold these 18-21 year-old full-time college students to.

 

[SallyH]

Can't please some folks Eric. They whine like hell about blow-outs and uncompetitive games, refer to the opponents as "high school" or "D3" - and then, when a team actually plays well against Connecticut, it's all flaws, individual player failures, lack of focus, bad officiating (well, sometimes it is), end-of-the-world, woe-is-me, everything sucks. Some folks love to be righteously miserable, it empowers them somehow. Just be glad you aren't married to somebody like that. Just be glad you don't work for a boss that would hold you to the uncompromising standard of perfection we hold these 18-21 year-old full-time college students to.

Can't please some folks, indeed. If we win big, the competition was weak, we were injured, blah,blah,blah. If we win by fewer than 20 points, we're weak and vulnerable, go figure.

 

[EricLA]

I'll tell ya one other thing - when the committee decides to "seed" the teams, they ought to look at how USF has played UCONN twice this year. Their performance against us was no worse than SC's or ND's - 2 teams who are going to be 1 seeds. I really think USF should be a 4 seed, but suspect they will be a 6 seed.

At this point I'm hard pressed to find 15 teams who I think could beat them... I realize that's not how the committee works the seedings, but I'm impressed with USF. Or maybe they are just a "bad" matchup from UCONN's perspective. After all, they weren't that impressive with recent wins over Memphis and Tulane...

 

[Blueballer]

I'll tell ya one other thing - when the committee decides to "seed" the teams, they ought to look at how USF has played UCONN twice this year. Their performance against us was no worse than SC's or ND's - 2 teams who are going to be 1 seeds. I really think USF should be a 4 seed, but suspect they will be a 6 seed.

At this point I'm hard pressed to find 15 teams who I think could beat them...

Indeed. Great point.

 

[EricLA]

One other thing to add...

USF has 7 losses this year. 3 are to UCONN. Of the remaining, only one is completely mystifying - but it was only a 1 point loss to ECU.

18 point loss to Maryland
4 point loss to Kentucky
3 point loss to SJU - they are a solid team and for sure in the NCAA's. SJU lost to UCONN by 16 earlier this year. Another team who played us closer than ND or SC...

 

[MilfordHusky]

I didn't like the second half, but the question is how much to discount it. UConn may be been tired and cruising a bit, and the officials didn't help. Plus, USF looks to me like a top 10-15 team.

Eric is absolutely right about last year. Yeah, we were 40-0 last season and had 2 AA seniors, but we really struggled in Omaha. The halftime scores were about even, and several players had off-games. Kaleena won those games for us. And the good news is that we still have her.

 

[huskeynut]

We need to relax. Six more games to go to #10.

 

[Rob Signor]

Uconn played just fine against a good team. We are banged up and tired at the end of a long season and 3 games in a row. South Florida has seen us 3 times this year. We have made it to the tourney pretty healthy. Let the games begin. i like our chances.

 

[HuskyNan]

 

[msf22b]

South Florida is a talented, game, well-coached team that played hard all game,
The game was decided in the second part of the first half with an extraordinary burst of D, playmaking and shooting.
The South Florida kids came back with more resolve in the 2nd half and took advantage of some (relatively) timid play by UConn.
Cudos to them for knocking 10-points off the margin.

The way they are playing now, they will give most (or all) teams a run for their money.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Are you quoting Sir Al Davis?

 

[DobbsRover2]

St. John's is for sure in the NIT, not the NCAAs, as they lost to a poor Indiana State team and were not solid enough in the Big East with an 11-7 record, though they did get 21 wins so far and should pick up a couple more in the NIT.

But yeah, despite all of those remarks about the "pitiful, abysmal, terrible, high school level AAC" earlier in the year by the usual BY posters who hate everything AAC, the conference is coming along. USF could definitely be moved up to a #5 seed after tonight's performance ahead of some less deserving team like Mississippi State, and by Sagarin ratings the Bulls should be a #4 seed. Tulane got a slightly better chance tonight of being selected when DePaul held off Nova.

Things are looking up in the AAC if we care to turn our eyes that way instead of using them to cry about the conditions in the home conference. It's good to see conference teams staying strong enough to give UConn a challenge. And it's good that the coach of the nearest team in the AAC to UConn is a respected friend of Geno's.

Still not sure what kind of baby UConn will win if they keep calm, but if she can knock down FTs, maybe she's a much appreciated bonus baby.

 

[Buzzyboy]

In the NC run last year, where UCONN was dismantling opponents, suddenly they got a little cold, or whatever, and only beat BYU by 19 in the Sweet 16. Then they "got by" aTm 15 in the elite 8.

By then everyone was talking about how "human" they were. They played better against a "better" Stanford team winning by 19 and then beat ND by 21 in the NC game.

My point is, yes UCONN did play a really poor 2nd half. But USF played a really good 2nd half and I believe they could be a sweet 16 type of team.

Lastly, I don't think it's a bad thing to have a "close" game like that at this point. They won, they stomped USF in the first half, and "held on" to win the game. Geno certainly won't go back to the drawing board, but he will have some "teachable" moments (in fact a lot of them from the 2nd half).

I get that we wish every big game was a 30 point beatdown, but I think it was good for UCONN to be pushed, pushed around, and forced to see what they still need to work on...

Nice job UCONN, but major congrats to USF for doing something no other team has done in a very long time - beat up on UCONN for an entire half and not let up for one instant.

I didn't see their GOOD first half and saw them playing less than stellar. Their defense wasn't lockdown like normal and they made numerous poor entry passes that were stolen or deflected and some were blatantly forced. As you said, these were hiccups and things Geno can hammer them about but as mentioned, USF is a pretty decent team, as well. I'm inclined to think we'll be doing just fine starting next week. When the going gets tough, etc etc etc.

 

[Striper69]

One other thing to add...

USF has 7 losses this year. 3 are to UCONN. Of the remaining, only one is completely mystifying - but it was only a 1 point loss to ECU.

18 point loss to Maryland
4 point loss to Kentucky
3 point loss to SJU - they are a solid team and for sure in the NCAA's. SJU lost to UCONN by 16 earlier this year. Another team who played us closer than ND or SC...

In that loss to EC I thought Williams should've gotten a call or two her way then it would've been a win for them.

 

[Striper69]

I didn't like the second half, but the question is how much to discount it. UConn may be been tired and cruising a bit, and the officials didn't help. Plus, USF looks to me like a top 10-15 team.

Eric is absolutely right about last year. Yeah, we were 40-0 last season and had 2 AA seniors, but we really struggled in Omaha. The halftime scores were about even, and several players had off-games. Kaleena won those games for us. And the good news is that we still have her.

It was Lincoln not Omaha. haha

 

[vtcwbuff]

Can't please some folks Eric. They whine like hell about blow-outs and uncompetitive games, refer to the opponents as "high school" or "D3" - and then, when a team actually plays well against Connecticut, it's all flaws, individual player failures, lack of focus, bad officiating (well, sometimes it is), end-of-the-world, woe-is-me, everything sucks. Some folks love to be righteously miserable, it empowers them somehow. Just be glad you aren't married to somebody like that. Just be glad you don't work for a boss that would hold you to the uncompromising standard of perfection we hold these 18-21 year-old full-time college students to.

I think that these 18-21 year old, full time college students are working for a boss that holds them to an "uncompromising standard of perfection'" Seems to have worked out OK for them.

 

[HoopsFan21]

During the game they mentioned that USF is a host site, but for USF to play there they would have to accept a lower seeding, in this case a 7 seed. Anyone know if that's right and why it works that way?

 

[DobbsRover2]

During the game they mentioned that USF is a host site, but for USF to play there they would have to accept a lower seeding, in this case a 7 seed. Anyone know if that's right and why it works that way?

If Louisville is seeded as a #2 as now expected (before the conventional wisdom was that the Cards would be a #3 seed, which is still possible though less likely now that they are in the ACC), then since they cannot host because of the men's action there, than the next highest seed of the teams in their pod that applied to host would take the host duties, and that would be a #7 seed team. If instead the Cards get a #3 seed, it will be the #6 seed they're paired with. Teams can also be moved up or down 1 level different from their official seed line to get placed if the committee feels it will assist the balance of the brackets or there is some conflict with the normal lines.

The teams in the top four seed lines aren't set yet though, and USF just moved up to a #12 ranking in Sagarin, which would put them on a #3 seed level if taken literally (it won't be). Obviously that may be totally discounted by the committee, but at least it will give some grist for the Bulls to use since they held UConn to a closer margin than any team that lost to the Huskies this year, and if they are given a #5 or #6 seed off of a #12 Sagarin ranking, they have a little ammo to play with. Still have to back it up with some wins in the Tournament though.

 

[CocoHusky]

The energy level dropped and the defensive intensity tapered in the second half. Not a good enough reason to join SallyH on the ledge-IMO. I never got the sense the team felt any threat, the team wanted to get the game over with.
Maybe Geno should look at yanking some scholarships- that learn em.

 

[pinotbear]

I think that these 18-21 year old, full time college students are working for a boss that holds them to an "uncompromising standard of perfection'" Seems to have worked out OK for them.

Well, that's certainly the image that he (and others) project about the program, and yet, he is also on record as complaining about the unrealistic expectations (at times) of the fan base. He also (admittedly infrequently) seems to be more forgiving of his players than some of us fans might expect. It has been said (and contradicted too) that he's grown "softer" with time, and that he's had to make some adjustments in his recruiting and coaching with "todays'" players.

I think the truth is not as "black and white," as truly "uncompromising". Is he demanding? Absolutely. But, I don't think that the legendary loyalty from his players and alums would exist if he were truly as hard-assed as some of us like to think. In Geno's autobiography, Jackie MacMullen has an unusual addendum, "A Personal Note from the Co-Author" where she touches on some of this.

And, regardless of how uncompromising he is, it's not entirely fair to justify a fan's intolerance or negativity based on Geno. His relationship with the team and the players is entirely different than ours. He's known them for years, since they were early high-school students. He's been in their homes, and they've been in his. He knows the family, and they know his. They've spent hundreds, if not thousands of hours together, shared countless meals, jokes, personal aspects of their lives. The players willingly signed up for this relationship with him, knowing his reputation for demanding so much. We, the fans, both individually and collectively, have not earned the right nor automatically have the right, to behave the same way that he does.

 

[reno tony]

USF refused to quit when they should have realized they were beat. To me, that is a sign of excellent coaching and great attitudes from his players. You could tell some of them were physically drained but they kept playing as hard as possible. Courtney Williams only came out with a minute left because she cramped up and could barely walk. I wouldn't be too excited to have them in my bracket no matter what seeding they are. I hope they go deep into the tourney.

 

[EricLA]

USF refused to quit when they should have realized they were beat. To me, that is a sign of excellent coaching and great attitudes from his players. You could tell some of them were physically drained but they kept playing as hard as possible. Courtney Williams only came out with a minute left because she cramped up and could barely walk. I wouldn't be too excited to have them in my bracket no matter what seeding they are. I hope they go deep into the tourney.

I'm with you. One never knows - they didn't play so well against Memphis and Tulsa recently but I think they are talented and well coached enough to make a good run...