High Point Postgame Thread

[HopJim]

The refs made awful calls on High Point too. It was hard for the teams to get into a flow

Felt it was a typical 1st round game with overall good play on both sides by UConn. My biggest issue with the "flow" were the many layups missed by ONO. Hard to criticize her when she scored more than 20 but difficult for her teammates to stay energized after watching her miss 8-10 bunnies against a defender 4-5" shorter than her.

 

[jazz]

GA = Geno, CD = Chris Dailey, J = Jamelle, PB= Paige, NM = Nika, EW = Evina, Liv = Liv, CW = Christyn, AE = Aaliyah, AG = ‘The great Aubrey Griffin’, Mir = Mir, PG= Piath, AM = Anna, the Polish Rifle, PS or Poff = Saylor, AC = Autumn.

My 2 cents overall and the guard play:

Played most the game without NM and still put up 100. Defense was not great, especially in the 3rd. They played hard to deny the 3 and then got beat plenty to the basket. This is what the threat of the 3 does to you. Dominated the boards. HP was no match.

PB had another terrific game. When NM out, she decided to take over...must have scored 6 of the last 12 or so points of the half. She makes a higher percentage of shots than most anybody I have seen at the guard position. Good work on the boards and disrupting the passing lanes. Recovered twice with the block. Had some really nice passes as well. A couple lapses on defense, as did all players.

NM – playing well before she got hurt. Disrupts the opponents offense 3 times in 1st Qtr, including getting her hands in the passing lane and with the swipe. Ankle is going to be a problem going forward. It will turn no matter how much tape you put on it. Just got to hope she doesn’t land on opposing players feet again.

CW – early on gets the backdoor after hitting the three. Gave up two drives to the basket but one was to a small, very quick guard where she got her second foul. Hard cover for CW - better results with NM guarding this player. Can really finish at the rim as good/better than anybody, guard or big. I thought she played very well. Scored enough (although misses mid-range shots that she should make), seemed to rebound more than usual and had 4 really nice passes by my count. I think she is better with a few less minutes – probably played less than 30, but was effective and fairly consistent the entire time she was in there.

 

[jazz]

GA = Geno, CD = Chris Dailey, J = Jamelle, PB= Paige, NM = Nika, EW = Evina, Liv = Liv, CW = Christyn, AE = Aaliyah, AG = ‘The great Aubrey Griffin’, Mir = Mir, PG= Piath, AM = Anna, the Polish Rifle, PS or Poff = Saylor, AC = Autumn.

My 2 cents on the wings and bigs play:

EW – nice overall game. Still gives up some penetration but does a lot of things well. Scores, passes, rebounds, etc. Good overall game.

Liv - when she gets bumped or is closely guarded, she has a real hard time getting the ball up with any arc on it. Happened 3 times in the 1st Qtr although once the line-drive rattled in. Probably looked great in the box score as I think she scored over 20 but that doesn’t tell the entire story. Missed 5 times inside of 3 feet to go with an airball at the FT line. Rolled slowly to the basket once missing the opportunity for the dish from PB. She just stood for a second like she was admiring PB. To her credit she rebounded 2 of the misses and got 4 additional pts out of it. Didn’t seem to be a force on the defensive end in this game at all. Still had a good game but could have been a monster-type game instead. Refs watching her closely on the screens – too closely, like they have already convinced themselves to call the foul before it happens.

AE has a real nose for the BB. She is going to be hard for teams to box out and deal with. Nice shot on the foul-line extended jumper, but didn’t look good on the second one. Great hands on the bullet pass from EW. She is a beast. She had a great game. I think she is the biggest key to us winning it all this year. Thought one screen call was a good call and one was BS. Sets the screen really wide and could be called a foul every time if the rule is literally interpreted.

AG in for defense with 1:45 to go in half. Scores 3pts, gets an offensive rebound and draws a foul all while hounding the opponent's guards on the perimeter. Was very active as usual but not as good as expected. Missed two bunnies and gave up penetration a couple of times in the 2nd half. Should really have had close to a double-double. Made a really nice pass.

 

[HopJim]

Not sure why so much focus on if refs do or don't call these fouls. On most of Nika's steals, she bumps the offensive player. On virtually all of ONO's or Edward's screens, they move some part of their body. Some refs call these, some don't. Basketball has always been this way - you adjust to the in game conditions.

 

[Bama fan]

Paige / CD Presser (each seperate)




I liked the part when CD was asked if Paige has another gear when she is needed (CW foul trouble, Nika oit etc) CD's answer was interesting. She has another gear and it comes faster if the game is physical and she thinks she is getting fouled.

Also compered Paige's stop jumper to Sue's. She never thinks it will miss.

My favorite part of Paige's interview happens when the coordinator tries to go back to "Yvonne" who earlier was unable to ask her question. She tells "Yvonne" to go ahead and unmute and ask her question. In what seems like an agonizingly long silence, Paige whispers "Come on Yvonne. I'm rooting for you" and chuckles as it still doesn't happen. Funny kid who has a sense of humor like Geno. No wonder they get along so well.

 

[cabbie191]

For those who were "disappointed" in various aspects of the game:

1) Keep in mind this was their first game in two weeks - which is true for all of the schools - so there was likely some rust in them.

2) When they got to Texas they had to quarantine for a couple of days and couldn't practice - maybe adds to the rust.

3) Also true for all schools - it is a really big moment starting off the tournament. I don't care how good a team is or even how much experience they may have had in previous tournaments, it's understandable if there is nervousness at the start.

4) Not true for all teams - they were having to deal with having two of their coaches absent. It doesn't matter how great CD and Jamelle are, there is still a break-up of their normal routine to take into consideration.

5) Hate to say it but some of the players on opposing teams are going to be as good or better than as our Huskies in some attributes of the game. I love Anna but she is not the fleetest of foot on the inside and she's going to be beat to the basket on occasion. This reminds me of one of Geno's adages: We strive in practice for perfection, not because we expect we'll play 40 minutes of continuously perfect basketball, but because then we should be able to play 40 minutes of excellent basketball.

And despite this, of all yesterday's games involving #1 and #2 seeds, the 43 point MOV was tied with Stanford's for second highest.

 

[donalddoowop]

The BIG and the Big 12 sat out only one week. Also, I don't remember Anna allowing any playing she was guarding to get past her.

 

[DEpup]

Nika was standing and laughing at the end of the game... I'm sure they just shut her down because they didn't need her in that game.

Hoping we see a little smiling and walking video as last time this afternoon or tomorrow. She's tough.

I hope she starts and can work her magic against the Syracuse point guard whose name I can't pronounce let alone spell.

I'd like us to try some slashing guard offense against Syracuse. They are big with few guards but they aren't fast at all.. Speed could be our secret weapon in this game.

I want to see a heavy dose of Chrystin slashing to the basket with lots of "and 1s".

 

[DEpup]

The BIG and the Big 12 sat out only one week. Also, I don't remember Anna allowing any playing she was guarding to get past her.

I thought except for shooting that Anna played well last night. I thought she did some good 3pt defense. She actually followed the scout and started guarding several feet beyond the line. I thought Aubrey, Paige, and Chrystin gave a little too much space.

As awesome as Paige was, I thought her defense suffered a bit without Geno in her ear. Just being picky.

 

[Ozimoto]

I agree with the four part harmony king on this one. I thought Anna played really well yesterday. No, she didn't score much, but she was solid on defense from what I saw. She blocks out and rebounds well. Seems like the offense flows better when she is in as compared to Aubrey. I think if Nika can't go tomorrow we will see more of Anna.

 

[MooseJaw]

Ok, I wasn't the only one that saw her with a smile on her face walk on the court after the game, without crutches.

Looking lower she had the infamous boot on.

 

[Glenn]

I am disappointed that Anna has not shot more since her return. We need some 3 point shooting. In her four games she is 0 for 4. And 1 for 1 from inside the arc.

 

[MooseJaw]

I wouldn't call it low energy - more a workwomanlike 43 point winning margin. Too many missed chippies for sure. My biggest take away is that High Point is a pretty good team. It bodes well for women's bball that the High Points of the world have good players. Not so long ago 16 seeds had a hard time getting the ball past the half court line and getting a shot up against the one seeds.

Well said, they were a better team than a lot of what I saw yesterday, also I give high marks to their coach. I salute you High Point, welcome to the big time.

 

[uconnfan68]

Watch this story by ★★★★★ on Instagram before it disappears.

very sweet collage posted today of Saylor’s late brother

Any other way to see that? I’ve avoided FB, Twitter, and all the others so far.

 

[DEpup]

I wonder how Anna will do against Engstler and Strautmane. I feel like the three of them are similar size and speed.. They could be good defensive matches for Anna as opposed to small and fast guards.

 

[Tonyc]

In the second half they had the camera on CD. She was screaming NO FOULS NO FOULS. Thats why they had open layups and thats why they had open treys. We had a big lead and they were calling imo fouls that didnt exist. Some did some didnt. It doesnt matter either way we were in foul trouble and had to back off. We did. The results a 35+ win.

 

[MSGRET]

I’m pretty sure It was the right ankle both times. Last time Nika was on a 2 on 1 fast break with Paige. Nika was on the left with Paige on the right. The defender slid over to cut off Nika who stepped on the defender with her right foot.

Go watch the replay of the game you will see that in one of the shots the ice is on her left ankle. I believe if it was the right ankle they would have had the ice on it and not the left.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Here are AE and Olivia in postgame presser:

 

[Gus Mahler]

Go watch the replay of the game you will see that in one of the shots the ice is on her left ankle. I believe if it was the right ankle they would have had the ice on it and not the left.

Seems logical. ;^)

 

[RockyMTblue2]

There are multple versions of this:

 

[oldude]

Go watch the replay of the game you will see that in one of the shots the ice is on her left ankle. I believe if it was the right ankle they would have had the ice on it and not the left.

My bad. You are correct. Because of the angle the defender came at Nika, I assumed it had to be her right angle. I was mistaken.

 

[Centerstream]

I am going to have to watch the replay on this, but live it seemed to happen.
During a break in the action (3rd quarter I believe), Evina, Paige and Christyn were diagramming a play that included some kind of spin around (based on the hand gestures). Soon after the stoppage, the Huskies ran the play (Evina passed to Paige and then a pass to CW, after she did a spin type move). CW knocked it down. It was a pretty sight to see.

Yes, I am replying to my own post.
At the 3:51 mark of the 3rd quarter and Liv is at the FT line, Evina, Paige and Christyn are designing the play.
After the FTs, HPU comes down and hit a 3.
Evina brings the ball up the court, does a spin-a-roony, passes to Paige who passes it to Christyn, who has posted up her defender, and at the 3:10 mark - swish.

 

[MSGRET]

My bad. You are correct. Because of the angle the defender came at Nika, I assumed it had to be her right angle. I was mistaken.

No problem, we all make mistakes sometimes, that's just part of life. Well there is a young lady on UConn, she wears the #10, she doesn't make mistakes. Even on the TO's it's the player on the receiving end of her passes that makes the mistake. They didn't go where they were supposed to go, Paige was two to three steps ahead in the play and that's according to Geno and CD.

 

[Artifact]

Paige with ANOTHER first...

a post-game interview with Holly Rowe.

I was very 'Impressed' on how Paige handled that Interview with Holly Rowe. She welcomed Holly's introduction, calmly answered the questions, clearly & to the point. & thanked her for her inquiry.