How Do You Beat UConn

[RockyMTblue2]

Another board that shall remain nameless has a thread asking this question more or less and the post of the day is: "They get VERY sloppy when they have a 60 point lead....."

The whole thread is an exercise in tongue in cheek good humor. Good basketball fans.

 

[HoopsFan21]

You beat this team by slowing down the pace (limiting possessions), clogging the paint, and hoping Lou and Kia can't throw the ball into the ocean.

 

[tomcat]

Well, first you have to realize that not every team can do what the previous poster suggested. If St. Francis tried it today, it would have been tragic. No, you have to have at least one really strong big body and at least one really sharp guard and a coach who has had his/her team practice this strategy a lot. THEN you do what the above poster suggested. It can work, as seen last year.

 

[LasVegasYank]

UCant

 

[bags27]

Well, first you have to realize that not every team can do what the previous poster suggested. If St. Francis tried it today, it would have been tragic. No, you have to have at least one really strong big body and at least one really sharp guard and a coach who has had his/her team practice this strategy a lot. THEN you do what the above poster suggested. It can work, as seen last year.

absolutely right. and further, let's look at the timeline working backwards.
Sat: early morning game, so:
Friday: travel. 6 and 1/2 hrs from home by bus or nearly as much by plane (fly from Altoona? can they afford a charter?) Either way, not much practice time
Thursday, Wed., Tuesday: practice new game plan
Monday night: learn the bad news and devise a new game play

So: 3 days to change your offense and assume that it will work well against the #1 team in the country?

the coach had a choice: risk everything on a new plan to hold down the score, or play the way you play best and hope for the best. He did the right thing.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Why would you drill a team in only one style of play for a whole year. I know there are top rated teams that want to only want to play one style/type of defense, but if you aspire to the dance, you better know a couple of different steps. 57 threes and no time outs because he had nothing to say. Just flat out stupid. Showing the world a women's coach that dumb is bad for the game.

 

[JoePgh]

Returning to the original question of how someone might beat UConn, I think it has an obvious answer: focus on getting offensive rebounds. When UConn has had close games (Florida State and Mississippi State last year; Texas this year), it has been because it had trouble clearing its defensive boards, and the opponent got a lot more shots than UConn and many second-chance points. That means that even if the opponent shoots at a lower percentage than UConn (which is quite likely), they can still outscore the Huskies by getting more shots per possession.

The strategy often (and correctly) attributed to Summitt-era Tennessee teams (throw up any kind of shot and go after the offensive rebound with maximum strength and aggressiveness) might actually be the rational strategy to defeat UConn this year. And there are some teams in the tournament (all on the other side of the bracket, fortunately) who have the personnel to use that strategy effectively.

 

[sarals24]

Why would you drill a team in only one style of play for a whole year. I know there are top rated teams that want to only want to play one style/type of defense, but if you aspire to the dance, you better know a couple of different steps. 57 threes and no time outs because he had nothing to say. Just flat out stupid. Showing the world a women's coach that dumb is bad for the game.

Well, they made it to the dance, and won 24 games. So his strategy worked for them, if that was their goal. Most teams only have one "style of play." Look at Depaul, UCF, Villanova...when you aren't getting big-time recruits, you try a system that can hide your flaws.

Also, what was he going to say in a time out? His team looked loose out there and were cheering every bucket. They scored 52 points on UConn, which is a lot!

 

[RockyMTblue2]

His team looked loose out there and were cheering every bucket

Well, I'm sure Dawn Staley would also sit on her hands down whatever it was in the 1st quarter. But the intimation that they are loose and cheering their occasional basket is a sign a coach should leave them alone puzzles me. Lou admitted to being exhausted after the first quarter, but the game was already a laugher and if this Coach thought he would outrun UConn he needed a little history lesson. UConn exhausted his three point shooters and Kia held their #1 3 point shooter to Zip 3s. I'm saying to have him sit there and say we tried something that has never been tried before is pure bunk. To say we did the only thing we know how to do is to admit your failure as a coach. Sell it to you AD when you get home having made your team a footnote in history.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Then there is this: "The Red Flash, champion of the Northeast Conference, then allowed Gabby Williams, Collier, and Stevens to have any mid-range shot they wanted and try to defend the Huskies' 3-point shooters. " Among other things. UConn goes on offensive in NCAA opener; Quinnipiac next

Brilliant coaching. We win with 3s, therefore we must choke of their 2 deadly 3 point shooters and leave the inside unguarded. It is bizarre thinking . Kia's 3 were not falling because she was face guarding their #1 3 point heroine and the pace was electric. Lou was lou and when they opened up the middle she joined the party and also piled up assists. Dumb, dumb, dumb and don't sugar coat the underdog because you feel sorry for the little ones. Geno addressed that in his presser. He couldn't believe what they were trying but his team only plays one way - to totally exploit your weaknesses and demolish you if it can. The killers we and Geno were looking for are alive and well aren't they. They enjoyed carving up the Red Flash; should they not?

Starters, per Geno's presser, played between 16-21 minutes. Only one in the 20s.

 

[DEpup]

Why would you drill a team in only one style of play for a whole year. I know there are top rated teams that want to only want to play one style/type of defense, but if you aspire to the dance, you better know a couple of different steps. 57 threes and no time outs because he had nothing to say. Just flat out stupid. Showing the world a women's coach that dumb is bad for the game.

I think you should take a step back. This is not an elite team so no they don't have multiple offenses. It isn't the coach's fault either. At that level, it's great to have one good offense. For instance, UCF isn't all of a sudden going to play motion up tempo offense and folks were saying she should have been AAC coach of the year.....

 

[DEpup]

Well, they made it to the dance, and won 24 games. So his strategy worked for them, if that was their goal. Most teams only have one "style of play." Look at Depaul, UCF, Villanova...when you aren't getting big-time recruits, you try a system that can hide your flaws.

Also, what was he going to say in a time out? His team looked loose out there and were cheering every bucket. They scored 52 points on UConn, which is a lot!

Well said!

 

[lne001]

Why would you drill a team in only one style of play for a whole year. I know there are top rated teams that want to only want to play one style/type of defense, but if you aspire to the dance, you better know a couple of different steps. 57 threes and no time outs because he had nothing to say. Just flat out stupid. Showing the world a women's coach that dumb is bad for the game.

St. Francis never aspired to anything more than winning their conference, which they did, utilizing their one system. In that system you do not call time outs because you want your pace to tire the opponent. Please read about Paul Westhead before being called "just flat out stupid."

 

[cohenzone]

absolutely right. and further, let's look at the timeline working backwards.
Sat: early morning game, so:
Friday: travel. 6 and 1/2 hrs from home by bus or nearly as much by plane (fly from Altoona? can they afford a charter?) Either way, not much practice time
Thursday, Wed., Tuesday: practice new game plan
Monday night: learn the bad news and devise a new game play

So: 3 days to change your offense and assume that it will work well against the #1 team in the country?

the coach had a choice: risk everything on a new plan to hold down the score, or play the way you play best and hope for the best. He did the right thing.

There was nothing he could do to change the outcome. But I’m not so sure he couldn’t have tried something a little different to avoid playing into UConn’s strength. Geno said he’s not seen anything like it. I think it was his diplomatic way of not insulting the St. Francis team.

 

[lne001]

Starters, per Geno's presser, played between 16-21 minutes. Only one in the 20s.

Not correct. 4 starters had over 20 minutes, Kia Nurse had 29. Based on most of your comments on this game I think it may prove useful for you to actually watch both press conferences and review the box score.

 

[lne001]

Geno said he’s not seen anything like it. I think it was his diplomatic way of not insulting the St. Francis team.

Actually he has seen something 'exactly' like that system, and I believe he surely did insult the St. Francis coach.

 

[cohenzone]

Actually he has seen something 'exactly' like that system, and I believe he surely did insult the St. Francis coach.

The closest thing he’s seen to that system is DePaul. And DePaul is much more talented than St Francis. I think it was an insult, but maybe the guy earned it.

 

[Crossover]

Returning to the original question of how someone might beat UConn, I think it has an obvious answer: focus on getting offensive rebounds. When UConn has had close games (Florida State and Mississippi State last year; Texas this year), it has been because it had trouble clearing its defensive boards, and the opponent got a lot more shots than UConn and many second-chance points. That means that even if the opponent shoots at a lower percentage than UConn (which is quite likely), they can still outscore the Huskies by getting more shots per possession.

The strategy often (and correctly) attributed to Summitt-era Tennessee teams (throw up any kind of shot and go after the offensive rebound with maximum strength and aggressiveness) might actually be the rational strategy to defeat UConn this year. And there are some teams in the tournament (all on the other side of the bracket, fortunately) who have the personnel to use that strategy effectively.

The downside of this strategy is that if/when the team doesn't snare the O board, UCONN is off to the races with little resistance. No one is better than the Huskies at having a guard (usually Kia) leak out, ready to receive a long outlet pass.

 

[lne001]

The closest thing he’s seen to that system is DePaul. And DePaul is much more talented than St Francis. I think it was an insult, but maybe the guy earned it.

He has seen that system before with Paul Westhead and others. If he watched any St. Francis tapes he saw them use it this year. Geno was scrambling to justify a result of which he was not proud. And why would he insult the other coach? Not very classy.

 

[cohenzone]

He has seen that system before with Paul Westhead and others. If he watched any St. Francis tapes he saw them use it this year. Geno was scrambling to justify a result of which he was not proud. And why would he insult the other coach? Not very classy.

He was asked a question and answered it pretty diplomatically.

 

[lne001]

He was asked a question and answered it pretty diplomatically.

If that was diplomatic I hope he never gets a job with the State Department.

 

[Shorty Dee]

Only UConn can beat UConn .

 

[UcMiami]

Why would you drill a team in only one style of play for a whole year. I know there are top rated teams that want to only want to play one style/type of defense, but if you aspire to the dance, you better know a couple of different steps. 57 threes and no time outs because he had nothing to say. Just flat out stupid. Showing the world a women's coach that dumb is bad for the game.

95+% of D1 teams aspire to win their conference, period. They hope to get a bid to the NCAA and maybe win one game there, but their season rating is based on how they do in their conference. So ... just like Uconn they worry about themselves and how they play and not how their opponents play. Sure they have some game specific adjustments they make, but they don't change from run and gun to deliberate half court based on their conference opponents. SF had a great year because they won their conference regular and tournament titles, and they had no realistic chance to win an NCAA game even had they gotten and 14 or 15 seed. (record to date is 100% wins for 2 and 3 seeds in first round.)

 

[ocoandasoc]

St. Francis shot 57 threes today. If they had just made 47 of those they would have won.

 

[scubadog]

You beat this team by slowing down the pace (limiting possessions), clogging the paint, and hoping Lou and Kia can't throw the ball into the ocean.

Add to that, drain a bunch of threes and get some help from the zebras.