How good is Baylor?

[reno tony]

Baylor deserves a lot of credit for the way they played. But I think UCONN's poor shooting tonight kept them in the game. I don't know how many open shots UCONN missed but it was high. Most of the Baylor misses were contested.

 

[RadyLady]

Frankly , this is a good thing.

I was thinking earlier today, as much fund as it might be to never be challenged, what happens if we are never challenged in regular season, then we run into a hot team in the tournament, we'd have nothing to fall back on.

Did you notice Geno calling a timeout in the second half when they made a run? That almost never happens. He usually calls the use it or lose in in the last 30 seconds of the first half, then calls one late int he game to get some subs in. He actually had to do some situational game coaching. The team actually had to play when the other team had a shot at tying the game in the second half, for the first time this year. Better now that in the national semi-final for the first time.

agreed. I wish we had another one or two of these types of games before tourney time

 

[easttexastrash]

Even the diehard Baylor fans don't defend their schedule to date.

After this game, we don't have to anymore.

 

[JoePgh]

If we drop there is no justice in the polls. No other team in women's basketball has proven that they can play with UCONN. Baylor should jump but I suspect that they will remain in their current spot.

I agree with this, and I would expect Baylor to move up in the polls, perhaps to around #6. I didn't see an issue with the refereeing in this game (OK, the offensive foul call on Stef was very weak and should have been a no-call). I don't think either team can claim that they got a net advantage from the calls, although it was certainly true that UConn having both post players (and eventually 4 starters) with 3 early fouls did cause them to defend less aggressively in the second half. But other than the call on Stef as mentioned, I didn't see any calls that were obviously indefensible.

I do wonder if the refs consciously decided to back off and swallow their whistles to some degree in the second half. It seems odd that no UConn player ended up with more than 3 fouls, despite three of them having 3 fouls at halftime.

I did see some things on UConn's defensive end at the beginning of the second half that I have not seen all year -- Baylor getting layups via interior passing against UConn's bigs. No one else has managed to do that, and if Baylor had been able to do that for the entire game they could have won.

I hope this game puts an end to the myth that UConn's talent is so good that no one can possibly compete with them. A team like Baylor with one star player and other good-but-not-great talent was able to compete for 40 minutes, despite making a lot of mistakes (as UConn also did).

I was also pleased to see that UConn can take a punch and not lose its cool. The free throw shooting in an unaccustomed close game in hostile territory was exemplary.

 

[msf22b]

Sims tried to win the game by herself in the first half, probably a big mistake.
For all her ability, she gets discouraged at times and is far less effective when she is pouting.

In my memory are two great blocks on her…by Kiah, when she deigned to go inside; Kiah doesn't foul, just took the ball away on a by-your-leave, and Mo, one of the great leapers on the team, vaulting into the corner to block a
jumper (or perhaps it was a push-shot; what say you Ice)?.

In the second half, we got a chance to see the rest of their team and they were darned good, if over-matched.
I think they have a reasonable shot at the final-four

 

[Icebear]

Yes, one time just took the ball away from Sims with a two handed block that became a steal.

 

[easttexastrash]

Baylor deserves a lot of credit for the way they played. But I think UCONN's poor shooting tonight kept them in the game. I don't know how many open shots UCONN missed but it was high. Most of the Baylor misses were contested.

Baylor played darn good defense. I contend that it was Sims' poor shooting night that cost Baylor the game.

Let's give some credit where credit is due. Baylor held UCONN to its lowest shooting percentage of the year.

 

[tomcat]

UConn's reaction to Baylor's intensity reminded me in some ways of how previous UConn teams reacted to Notre Dame's pressure during the games that UConn lost: confusion, scrambling and occasional bad shot choices. I'm not saying ND and Baylor play the same way, just that UConn reacted similarly, except, obviously, that UConn won. Baylor is good, maybe a center away from being very good. That kid Davis is a keeper.

 

[Tonyc]

Bottom line Baylor looked good on defense with a lot of no calls and a lot of early fouls called on UConn. We played our game. This season we haven't turned the ball over much and we don't foul much. Tonite on the road both were reversed. So give some credit to Baylor and some to the refs. If you think Im wrong how did Kentucky score that many points against Baylor?

 

[easttexastrash]

So give some credit to...the refs

Funny, the exact same thing that people on the Baylor board are saying.

 

[Bigpetunia]

I thought Baylor hung pretty tough tonight. They were clearly overmatched, and our poor shooting kept them in the game. But they outhustled us in the second half, causing us to lose composure at critical moments. We played tough when we most needed to, but zero points off the bench (despite Kiah's great game) is no recipe for success in the tourney down the road.

 

[Adesmar123]

Let's give some credit where credit is due. Baylor held UCONN to its lowest shooting percentage of the year.

I think UConn held UConn to its lowest percentage shooting of the year.

How good is Baylor? I think that still remains to be seen. Mulkie and the crowd had them psyched up. Baylor lost to Tennessee. That is their best win and its looking weaker.

Going in I think one of the strategies was hold Sims to 20 and let everyone else get what they can. Well it played out that way and Baylor lost. Too bad we won't get much from the Big 12 schedule. It just isn't a good WBB conference. If they lose to ISU or OKST, we'll have our answer.

 

[Tonyc]

Baylors defense did to us what LVilles defense did to Griner.

 

[easttexastrash]

I think UConn held UConn to its lowest percentage shooting of the year.

How good is Baylor? I think that still remains to be seen. Mulkie and the crowd had them psyched up. Baylor lost to Tennessee.quote]

Man, we do suck! We lost to a team that we haven't even played.

 

[Adesmar123]

Sorry...I had that idea in the back of my mind...it should have stayed there..

 

[Bayareahusky]

Lots of thoughts.....First .....kudos to Baylor....great job..... Tennessee should take a look at the hustle and hard "D' employed by the Bears..... they had a lot of heart tonight.... The flopping yes..... the KML foul which Robertson flopped on..... the refs bought it though..... also, on the refs.... I understand things usually even out, but that 3rd foul on Stef... on the offensive drive.... I have seldom seen a call so bad.... did not drive into her.... and defender was always moving quite obviously.... Mo's block on Odyssey was superb..... Good show..... .

 

[easttexastrash]

Lots of thoughts.....First .....kudos to Baylor....great job..... Tennessee should take a look at the hustle and hard "D' employed by the Bears..... they had a lot of heart tonight.... The flopping yes..... the KML foul which Robertson flopped on..... the refs bought it though..... also, on the refs.... I understand things usually even out, but that 3rd foul on Stef... on the offensive drive.... I have seldom seen a call so bad.... did not drive into her.... and defender was always moving quite obviously.... Mo's block on Odyssey was superb..... Good show..... .

If you have ever watched any Baylor games you know how easily Robertson goes to the ground. I can tell you that it was not meant to be a flop, the girl just has trouble staying on her feet. I have even stated that it should be a drinking game...a shot every time she falls.

 

[DobbsRover2]

Man, we do suck! We lost to a team that we haven't even played.

So what's the story again? Is Baylor refusing to play UTenn or is UTenn refusing to play Baylor? And is ESPN or Maya Moore involved in any way?

 

[SallyH]

If you have ever watched any Baylor games you know how easily Robertson goes to the ground. I can tell you that it was not meant to be a flop, the girl just has trouble staying on her feet. I have even stated that it should be a drinking game...a shot every time she falls.

You obviously have no respect for my liver.

 

[easttexastrash]

You obviously have no respect for my liver.

But I do have respect for mine. I cannot handle that many shots over a two hour period.

 

[ocoandasoc]

I thought this would be close – final score is misleading, the game was on the line with 5 minutes left. Baylor just couldn’t quite get over the hump. Mulkey had her team ready – at least defensively. UConn moved the ball well – but often to little effect and took an uncharacteristically high number of poor shots. Credit Baylor’s defense which seems to be improving from game to game. Only one UConn player really excelled – and that was Jefferson. Though Stokes is always a beast on defense. The refs called the game pretty legit – very tight on contact -- but the moving screens didn’t seem to bother them. Dolson looked tired in the second half and both her and Stewart seemed very conscious of their foul trouble which kept them from dominating inside on either end of the floor. But UConn’s defensive effort was as consistent as ever. Sims was 4 of 25 shooting and didn’t get a free throw in the second half. I doubt that any other team will hold Baylor under 60 points the rest of the year.

 

[housekeys]

Baylor played darn good defense. I contend that it was Sims' poor shooting night that cost Baylor the game.

Let's give some credit where credit is due. Baylor held UCONN to its lowest shooting percentage of the year.

Definitely need to give credit to Baylor (especially the supporting cast). Just remember, since we are giving credit where credit is due, do not forget that it was UConn's defense, and especially Bria and Mo, that caused Sim's to shoot poorly. So yea, let's give credit where credit is due.

Now, what cost you the game?

 

[reno tony]

Baylor played darn good defense. I contend that it was Sims' poor shooting night that cost Baylor the game.

Let's give some credit where credit is due. Baylor held UCONN to its lowest shooting percentage of the year.

I think most of Sims' shots were contested. I only saw her take a couple open shots. She had a tough night. Baylor deserves some credit, but I still don't think it was their defense that kept UCONN's percentage or total this low. The only player who couldn't get a good look was KML. They had her covered very well tonight. But Stewie and Bria had so many open looks and couldn't knock them down. I certainly think Baylor deserves their ranking and shouldn't drop because of this loss.

 

[Icebear]

I think most of Sims' shots were contested. I only saw her take a couple open shots. She had a tough night. Baylor deserves some credit, but I still don't think it was their defense that kept UCONN's percentage or total this low. The only player who couldn't get a good look was KML. They had her covered very well tonight. But Stewie and Bria had so many open looks and couldn't knock them down. I certainly think Baylor deserves their ranking and shouldn't drop because of this loss.

It is just what UCONN does to the best player almost every time.

 

[easttexastrash]

Definitely need to give credit to Baylor (especially the supporting cast). Just remember, since we are giving credit where credit is due, do not forget that it was UConn's defense, and especially Bria and Mo, that caused Sim's to shoot poorly. So yea, let's give credit where credit is due.

Now, what cost you the game?

The difference in the game, when I look at the bottom line of the box score, was blocked shots. UCONN had 8 blocks and Baylor had none. Almost every other statistical category, other than blocked shots and, of course, points scored, was very similar.