How did ND get so good?

[IrishTiger]

Is it? I'm sure it is for Tennessee, but I'm not so sure it is for Alabama. Wouldn't that be Alabama-Auburn? Teams generally have one, maybe two rivals. Every game can't be a rivalry game.

Bama Tenn has been a rivalry for a long time. Just like Auburn also has a rivalry with Georgia. You can have more then just one rival.

 

[FridaFriend]

Geno and several of the UCONN players have said that regardless of what happens during the regular season, unless we win the national championship, it is a lost season. There is talk that everything is preparation for the NCCAA tournament. Looking at the history of Notre Dame and UCONN in the tournament, they have met seven times. Notre Dame won in the semifinal games in 2001, 2011, 2012, and 2018. UCONN won in the 2013 semifinal and the 2014 and 2015 finals. In 2011, UCONN had won the first 3 games of the year with Notre Dame. In 2013 UCONN had lost the first 3 games of the year to Notre Dame. Skylar Diggins ruined Maya Moore’s final game. Breanna Stewart ruined Skylar Diggins final game. Many of their games have been major celebrations of women’s basketball. And theirs has definitely been an important rivalry for college basketball, just as the UCONN/Tennessee rivalry was before it.

I was very unhappy about the losses in the semifinals in the last two years, but I was almost as unhappy about people saying that the loss to Mississippi State was the biggest upset in women’s basketball, or that the loss to Notre Dame was because of the referees or UCONN injuries. Mississippi State was a #2 seed, Vic Schaefer is an excellent coach and his players carried out his game plan. Disappointing, but not that big an upset I watched the Notre Dame game and I don’t think the referees or injuries decided the game. Notre Dame was just one shot better. I think making excuses for a loss is demeaning to players on both sides and to the effort I saw from all the players. I also don’t think that praising Vic and Muffett takes anything away from Geno and his coaching.

 

[shizam]

That's what I'd like to know. The players that they have currently just seem athletic and really hard to handle. They eventually beat you physically based on what it looks like. Really hard to defend all 3 or 4 of their best players in one night. Maybe they've been recruiting different players lately.

ND had confidence and a mindset of not being intimidated going into the game. They seemed to matchup fine w UConn.
Louisville matched up great verse ND last year. ND didn’t have the speed defense or depth to handle the Cards. Conversely, L’ville was blown off the court in the 1st quarter last year verse UConn. Cards were in awe of UConn. Score at one point was 26-4. That humbling reality check helped L’ville see what a really good team plays like and Cards benefiited from the experience.

 

[SimpleDawg]

ND had confidence and a mindset of not being intimidated going into the game. They seemed to matchup fine w UConn.
Louisville matched up great verse ND last year. ND didn’t have the speed defense or depth to handle the Cards. Conversely, L’ville was blown off the court in the 1st quarter last year verse UConn. Cards were in awe of UConn. Score at one point was 26-4. That humbling reality check helped L’ville see what a really good team plays like and Cards benefiited from the experience.

Anybody from the final four last year could've beaten each other in that final week. It was 2 overtime games and one last-shot buzzer beater. Louisville could probably physically take UConn because they physically matched Mississippi State, but they're not as offensively dangerous as UConn and that's what accounted for that awful first quarter they had against them. Occasionally offensive superiority and ability to spread the floor can make the difference but give up one quarter of that and that's basically........ a loss.

 

[DallasBUFan]

I don't "hate" Mulkey, but I simply don't think she is in quite the same league with the other three coaches. In my mind, she has underperformed recently, not getting talented teams to the Final Four. And she only won one national championship with WCBB's must unstoppable force during her four years at Baylor. She also, in my view, under-schedules her team, loading up with an out of conference schedule filled with teams that don't belong on the court with Baylor. Finally, she has made some unfortunate personal decisions, like threatening to "punch in the mouth" anyone who questions Baylor following its horrendous sexual assault coverup and scandal.

Is she a good coach? Absolutely. Is she on the same tier as Auriemma, Vanderveer and McGraw? I don't think so.

Not sure if read my post. Not once did I say she was on the same level. Just mearly that she has half the experience of all of them yet has won as many championships as McGraw and Tara. Also stated facts that she has the 2nd highest win percentage. Also, mentioned that maybe she will become the coach that the other 3 did.

If we could rewind the Muffet's 18th year vs her 36th season I am sure she could give you a laundry list of how much better she is. Never once did I say she was in the same league. How could she be? The doesn't have 30+ years of experience.