How did we Lose??????

[Longtime fan]

UConn hit some pretty big shots. Collier and Dangerfield's threes, for instance.

Notre Dame made far more mistakes. The bad pass that Nurse picked off for the tying layup. Shepherd fumbling the ball out of bounds giving UConn a chance to win in regulation. Ogunbowale's two missed free throws before Dangerfield's tying three. Somehow they still win.

I guess you don't like the answer.

 

[Charliebball]

Well, I, for one, am relieved. As an ardent Husky fan already looking forward to the 2018-2019 season, and to an even more felicitous outcome, it is comforting to learn that there are so many things about which we need not worry: No more cold shooting spells in big games. No more careless and lazy passes that result in critical turnovers. No more inexcusable defensive lapses. No more games against well-coached teams that employ stifling defenses that disrupt the rhythm of our half-court offense. Nah, we just need a different set of refs. That shouldn't be too hard to arrange!

I know you're kidding but just in case......don't be too sure about getting different refs and even if they do they're universally reviled as a pretty bad lot in general

You need to stop beating this dead horse. You're not better at evaluating talent than Geno and never will be. If he believes his bench players don't measure up and/or have the ability to play better than a starter with three or four fouls then what makes you think you're better qualified to make those decisions? How many D1 championships have you won?

nothing personal Sam but you need to learn the rules of the road here..........folks are allowed to voice their differing opinions ..........if you choose to disagree feel free to do so in a respectful manner............if you find my opinions not to your liking then feel free to block me...........apparently if it were up to you nobody could ever ever find fault with Geno..........in my humble opinion that would make for a very, very boring place...........now run along...........

 

[Monte]

Some people just get too tight during a big game.

 

[Charliebball]

Some people just get too tight during a big game.

happens to the best of them............................once............

 

[Charliebball]

UConn hit some pretty big shots. Collier and Dangerfield's threes, for instance.

Notre Dame made far more mistakes. The bad pass that Nurse picked off for the tying layup. Shepherd fumbling the ball out of bounds giving UConn a chance to win in regulation. Ogunbowale's two missed free throws before Dangerfield's tying three. Somehow they still win.

there's a very thin line between being a goat and a hero............

 

[Longtime fan]

Lets look at the stats.

UConn shot 49% ND shot 47%

UConn made 5 more 2 pt baskets then ND which is 10 pts more then ND

UConn from 3 shot 38% ND from 3 shot 32%

UConn made 3 more baskets from 3 which is 9pts more then ND

UConn out rebounded ND by by 3

UConn had 3 players with 4 fouls ND had none

So from the field UConn out scores ND by 19 pts.

So how did we loose? Some may say we didnt drive to the basket enough, or we didnt defend ND going to the basket on dribble drives and some say we committed to many fouls. Well the refs call the fouls or dont call the fouls. When your in foul trouble you cant play defense and that is part of the reason for UConn allowing so many points to ND even by out scoring ND from the field by 19pts . For a team that doesnt foul much 4 players in foul trouble in a big game is unusual.

BTW I almost forgot ND did go to the line 17 times more then UConn. When you beat from the field by 19 pts as UConn did and you loose it cant be all your fault and that only makes sense to look elsewhere for a reason why you lost. JMO and observations folks.

So when nit pickin the team, Geno, the coaches, look at the stats. We beat ND in every category we could control and lost in the one category we couldnt control.

 

[Longtime fan]

Have you ever heard the expression, " statistics are for losers?"

 

[CMC'72]

One "O", Tonyc, in the Title.

 

[AussieHusky]

You need to stop beating this dead horse. You're not better at evaluating talent than Geno and never will be. If he believes his bench players don't measure up and/or have the ability to play better than a starter with three or four fouls then what makes you think you're better qualified to make those decisions? How many D1 championships have you won?

I respectfully disagree with your response to Charlieball's post. There's a saying, I know you've heard it before...."past result does not guaranteed future success..." or something to that effect. Dynasties fall when they live on their past glories...always fighting the last war. Tennessee anyone? Geno is an amazing coach who put in place an offense that conquered Tennessee and most of WBB. The past two years have now shown that that offense can be neutralized or severely affected by teams with enterprising coaches and capable players. Maybe, just maybe that offense may need to be tweaked a little to account for that. Charlieball's and others suggestion that maybe incorporating iso-type plays with players who have individual shot creating abilities is what's needed. This does not denigrate Geno's past success, or indicate that they know more than Geno. We just do not want to go the way of Tennessee or past WBB dynasties who did not adopt to the changing times. If you disagree with his opinion, say so, that is what this board is about.

 

[Siestakeyfan]

I'm with you most times @Tonyc, but not with this one. ND won the stat that was most important, the score board, give ND credit. The amount of times a team fouls is definitely "controllable". I know this because UCONN routinely leads the nation in this stat. Not about to blame this loss on the refs.

The foul disparity is usually made up a bit by refs NOT this time !

 

[Sluconn Husky]

I guess you don't like the answer.

I don't know what that means. UConn hit big shots. They just didn't keep Notre Dame off the line enough throughout the game to pull away.

 

[HuskylnSC]

Lets look at the stats.

UConn shot 49% ND shot 47%

UConn made 5 more 2 pt baskets then ND which is 10 pts more then ND

UConn from 3 shot 38% ND from 3 shot 32%

UConn made 3 more baskets from 3 which is 9pts more then ND

UConn out rebounded ND by by 3

UConn had 3 players with 4 fouls ND had none

So from the field UConn out scores ND by 19 pts.

So how did we loose? Some may say we didnt drive to the basket enough, or we didnt defend ND going to the basket on dribble drives and some say we committed to many fouls. Well the refs call the fouls or dont call the fouls. When your in foul trouble you cant play defense and that is part of the reason for UConn allowing so many points to ND even by out scoring ND from the field by 19pts . For a team that doesnt foul much 4 players in foul trouble in a big game is unusual.

BTW I almost forgot ND did go to the line 17 times more then UConn. When you beat from the field by 19 pts as UConn did and you loose it cant be all your fault and that only makes sense to look elsewhere for a reason why you lost. JMO and observations folks.

So when nit pickin the team, Geno, the coaches, look at the stats. We beat ND in every category we could control and lost in the one category we couldnt control.

Tony’s, you’re one of my favorite posters and I agree again with your assessment. However, as a UConn fan we are called to a higher standard. Be gracious. Be humble. Come back with a vengeance. #UconnBall

 

[HuskyNan]

Have you ever heard the expression, " statistics are for losers?"

I think you mean “loosers”.

 

[Sam.the.Man]

...If you disagree with his opinion, say so, that is what this board is about.

Believe that's what I did!

 

[DaddyChoc]

seems pretty clear that was Muffet's game plan and like it or not it worked......UConn makes one more basket and all is forgotten....

Muffet's game plan had nothing to do with UConn losing. The Huskies were on the verge of blowing them out then Geno sat Z at the start of the 3rd. O'Wale threw up some clutch shots that went in... ND didn't do anything to stop UConn from winning.

 

[housekeys]

Lets look at the stats.

UConn shot 49% ND shot 47%

UConn made 5 more 2 pt baskets then ND which is 10 pts more then ND

UConn from 3 shot 38% ND from 3 shot 32%

UConn made 3 more baskets from 3 which is 9pts more then ND

UConn out rebounded ND by by 3

UConn had 3 players with 4 fouls ND had none

So from the field UConn out scores ND by 19 pts.

So how did we loose? Some may say we didnt drive to the basket enough, or we didnt defend ND going to the basket on dribble drives and some say we committed to many fouls. Well the refs call the fouls or dont call the fouls. When your in foul trouble you cant play defense and that is part of the reason for UConn allowing so many points to ND even by out scoring ND from the field by 19pts . For a team that doesnt foul much 4 players in foul trouble in a big game is unusual.

BTW I almost forgot ND did go to the line 17 times more then UConn. When you beat from the field by 19 pts as UConn did and you loose it cant be all your fault and that only makes sense to look elsewhere for a reason why you lost. JMO and observations folks.

So when nit pickin the team, Geno, the coaches, look at the stats. We beat ND in every category we could control and lost in the one category we couldnt control.

Good factual post. But keep in mind, the one category we lost to ND, that we could not control; they could not control either. It is not their fault the refs (for the sake of argument) favored their style of play. So, because of that and the obvious fact that they won the game, credit goes to ND. They really did play an outstanding game, and as your post shows, so did UConn. UConn just came up short.

 

[DaddyChoc]

UConn hit some pretty big shots. Collier and Dangerfield's threes, for instance.

Notre Dame made far more mistakes. The bad pass that Nurse picked off for the tying layup. Shepherd fumbling the ball out of bounds giving UConn a chance to win in regulation. Ogunbowale's two missed free throws before Dangerfield's tying three. Somehow they still win.

great points

 

[Charliebball]

Muffet's game plan had nothing to do with UConn losing. The Huskies were on the verge of blowing them out then Geno sat Z at the start of the 3rd. O'Wale threw up some clutch shots that went in... ND didn't do anything to stop UConn from winning.

I thought ND played some pretty good defense especially towards the end of the game...............they also took the ball to the basket with authority far more then in the first meeting contributing to UConn's foul trouble...........that said, UConn certainly had it's opportunities to pull that game out.........

 

[housekeys]

How about we got beat by a better team, at least that day?

Correct, on that day.

Tony's post is, however, accurate (minus NOT giving credit to ND.) It would be the same as if the stats showed UConn marginally better in every category, accept, let's say, offensive rebounding, a clear credit to ND, in that case. His post emphasizes foul shot differential, which is not "clearly" a credit to ND.

BTW, while there are ways to control fouls (i.e playing zone, subbing) it requires a strategy change from the team and players, which may be detrimental to achieving a victory. I see his point. But I also think that at the end of the day, it is what it is, and a team has to come up with ways to overcome adversity. UConn did not, and ND for their part, had the talent and game plan to take advantage. ND earned the win.

 

[Charliebball]

Believe that's what I did!

it was the snarky way you did it that wasn't particularly appealing to me

 

[Roger G]

I respectfully disagree with your response to Charlieball's post. There's a saying, I know you've heard it before...."past result does not guaranteed future success..." or something to that effect. Dynasties fall when they live on their past glories...always fighting the last war. Tennessee anyone? Geno is an amazing coach who put in place an offense that conquered Tennessee and most of WBB. The past two years have now shown that that offense can be neutralized or severely affected by teams with enterprising coaches and capable players. Maybe, just maybe that offense may need to be tweaked a little to account for that. Charlieball's and others suggestion that maybe incorporating iso-type plays with players who have individual shot creating abilities is what's needed. This does not denigrate Geno's past success, or indicate that they know more than Geno. We just do not want to go the way of Tennessee or past WBB dynasties who did not adopt to the changing times. If you disagree with his opinion, say so, that is what this board is about.

Yes, everybody has got to adapt to succeed. Or adopt new techniques. Maybe just get looser, so they're not losers.

 

[Grad1990]

I agree with one of Charliebball's observations.....One of the things I observed that imo definitely impacted the game was that ND did a great deal of pushing the UConn offense off the 3pt line towards the later part of the game. ND got into the passing lanes and did a great job interrupting UConn's flow. UConn was developing too many plays late in the shot clock.....something you would normally see UConn doing to opponents. It requires discipline and skill...something I as a fan underestimated about ND abilities. I thought we would get that test from MS in the final.

I though ND controlled the later part of the game.....Baskets were easier for ND to come by than UConn.

UConn gambled with Jackie Young, and lost (big!)

ND was never rattled. Kudos to Coach McGraw.

Also, as another poster noted, I can't help but wonder if the power conferences are more of an advantage to teams like ND and Mississippi State. UConn plays a great out of conference schedule, but they don't get tested much in January and February when it matters most. UConn beats good teams early in the year...but I wonder if there is something of a "catch-up" effect as the season goes on.

Tonight should be a good game.

 

[Roger G]

It seems that everybody is looking for the one thing or a few things that happened that allowed ND to walk away with the victory, but it really was a perfect storm much as last year was. Many people have made valid points and they don't necessarily negate what others have said. One basket made the difference.

One thing that just occurred to me--and which doesn't negate the other things said--is that perhaps the refs were ill disposed toward UConn subsequent to Mabrey being floored by Nurse. Perhaps it put it in the mind of the refs that UConn was going to play a particularly physical game and so they had better be prepared to call them tight. It may have seemed intentional that Nurse did what she did. That may have been the cause of the bad disposition toward UConn. It certainly didn't seem to me that UConn was fouling more than usual. And there were a few instances where it seemed to me the calls went to ND unjustifiably. KLS's offensive foul on the baseline, where she barely touched the defender and the defender sat down, was one. When Kia's hand got grabbed and arm pinned and the foul went against her was another. There was a least one more that has slipped my mind.

I recognize that some people think we should all just get over it, but I like to analyze things and apparently so do others.

 

[DaddyChoc]

Also, as another poster noted, I can't help but wonder if the power conferences are more of an advantage to teams like ND and Mississippi State. UConn plays a great out of conference schedule, but they don't get tested much in January and February when it matters most. UConn beats good teams early in the year...but I wonder if there is something of a "catch-up" effect as the season goes on.

got no bigger than South Carolina and Louisville in Feb.

 

[CocoHusky]

got no bigger than South Carolina and Louisville in Feb.

South Carolina, Louisville, & Texas were all games deliberately placed within the AAC regular season schedule.