Huskies in Italy: Game #2

[TitleTown]

Yes i did say that z would beat out Collier for the 5th spot which isn't as far fetched as most of you thinking kls is going to be the starting pg and run the team's offense! Dangerfield will be the starting pg and run the offense!

For the 1,364,576,294,239th time, NOBODY EVER SAID KLS WOULD BE THE POINT GUARD!!! The lineup projected by most is Nurse 1, KLS 2, Williams 3/4, Collier 3/4, and Stevens 5.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Relevant Quote from Geno before the Italy trip. We as fans are often too excited by new (even highly ranked) recruits

"What is going to be the big divider is the level of play between the returnees and the new players. It's a huge gap. What ends up happening is that you hope that little by little the gap narrows. But as far as people starting to figure each other out and everybody starting to get a feel, we might get a sense for who the young guys are, what their makeup is and what they're all about. It will help to find out those things in August that you normally wouldn't find out until November."

We went from +16 in 3Q to -18 in 4Q. Coach is spot-on: that's a HUGE gap.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Kia plays 6 games in 8 days, wins Gold, travels from Buenos Aires to Rome, suits up for the Huskies and scores 18 points.

That's what I'm talkin' 'bout!

She matched Lou's 3-5 from the arc and bettered Lou's 4-5 from the line with 5-5. So much for the legs being shot.

If Kia had barfed in a trash can, she would have covered all the bases for having a great game.

 

[eebmg]

That's what I'm talkin' 'bout!

She matched Lou's 3-5 from the arc and bettered Lou's 4-5 from the line with 5-5. So much for the legs being shot.

If Kia had barfed in a trash can, she would have covered all the bases for having a great game.

So. Perhaps it is time to dust off the Bad-Ass awards although I suppose it cant really be done unless we have a good video recording since stats alone sometimes don't tell the whole story. Its funny that last year, we often had 3-4 potential winners but this year, I can see games where we can argue about 6 players.

 

[MilfordHusky]

We had 26 TOs, double what we want. Gabby, Lou, Pheesa, and Kia had only 1 each. Crystal had 4, and Z had 3. Molly and Kyla combined for 10.

 

[MilfordHusky]

So. Perhaps it is time to dust off the Bad-Ass awards although I suppose it cant really be done unless we have a good video recording since stats alone sometimes don't tell the whole story. Its funny that last year, we often had 3-4 potential winners but this year, I can see games where we can argue about 6 players.

I think a 7,000-mile flight--longer if not direct--is enough to get Kia some real Badass recognition.

 

[eebmg]

We had 26 TOs, double what we want. Gabby, Lou, Pheesa, and Kia had only 1 each. Crystal had 4, and Z had 3. Molly and Kyla combined for 10.

Well, if Molly and Kyla played with the freshman only, I can see where turnovers would multiply. To integrate the underclassman, it seems we cant have more than 1 or 2 on the floor at the same time until some confidence and basketball IQ is developed.

 

[BroadwayVa]

They are "exactly" the same team UCONN played yesterday.

You are not kidding this kidder! They had a different name yesterday---I'm sure the Dutch team speaks
Dutch and the Netherland team speaks Netherlanderian! EXACTLY, MY foot!. (Coco, you know me)

 

[BroadwayVa]

Today is only August 15th, so you still have ~60 days to safe your pennies.
BTW your bet had Napheesa NOT starting-AND SHE DID.

Was she wearing a purple and green dots uniform?? Yea--that's the Jupiter clone--the real Napheesa will whiz past you so fast with her new "out of this world" skills--it shall amaze even me. Even her U23 coach said she's a robot--hmmmm??

 

[EricLA]

Final score 88-66.

The freshman and sophs outscored 24-6 in 4th quarter.

That's actually pretty awesome. Why? Because Geno will be able to say "THIS is how much work you all have to do - we crushed them for 3 quarters. You 5 came in and got slaughtered". We all know he's the master of spotting weaknesses and getting players to improve on those things while making the good things they do become great.

 

[Golden Husky]

You are not kidding this kidder! They had a different name yesterday---I'm sure the Dutch team speaks
Dutch and the Netherland team speaks Netherlanderian! EXACTLY, MY foot!. (Coco, you know me)

I thought it was Hollandaise.

 

[MilfordHusky]

I thought it was Hollandaise.

That's a saucy remark!

 

[MilfordHusky]

Pheesa, Lou, Kia, and Gabby would have struggled too. Once upon a time, they actually did. So did Mo and Stewie.

 

[UConnCat]

 

[BroadwayVa]

We went from +16 in 3Q to -18 in 4Q. Coach is spot-on: that's a HUGE gap.

If you looked at the recruits and the media hype associated with them--and look at those that actually came close to they hype--that GAP is huge. So, it's no wonder Geno plays down some recruits and up some rare ones---
I try not to get overly excited until I see them play

Geno--as Eric said--is the master of using these games to say--hey kid wake up. Also, he learns who is ready and who is close and who isn't, and who will never be ready. With this large team--he needs that assessment early so he doesn't waste time on those who shall never be.

I guess some of Geno's recruiting is potential, and maybe's---but I often wonder about the precision of the process.

 

[BroadwayVa]

Thanks again--that was great---Gabby can really get out an move.

 

[MilfordHusky]

I always like to see someone wearing #23 for UConn.

 

[BroadwayVa]

I thought it was Hollandaise.

I stand corrected!! Now here is a man (I assume) that knows his sauce and double doors.

 

[BroadwayVa]

That's actually pretty awesome. Why? Because Geno will rbe able to say "THIS is how much work you all have to do - we crushed them for 3 quarters. You 5 came in and got slaughtered". We all know he's the master of spotting weaknesses and getting players to improve on those things while making the good things they do become great.

Over the last --say 20 years---how often has the "second or 3rd team" come in and the lead drops down and the opponents begin to look great--even overwhelming---and Geno usually has a kniption with them losing the gap established by the "first team". You are as --usual--correct-- geno does this to teach and for effect--sometimes it even works--with the really good ones.

 

[CocoHusky]

Ok. Who exactly is the Dutch National team that UCONN played yesterday?
The Senior team?

Or one of the under-? version thereof.

If it's the senior team, than some of the players will be older and more experienced than college kids.

For those that may still be interested this appears to be members of the Dutch Senior National Team. At least a few of the players from the highlights are listed on the National Team Roster.
Holland National Team News, Rumors, Roster, Stats, Awards - eurobasket
I believe the PG of the team is Laura Cornelius who plays at Miami and was top rated international PG-5 Stars per prospectsnation in 2015.

 

[EricLA]

By the way there was one snippet of the bench, and Lexi Gordon was in street clothes. Not sure if that means chateau de bow wow, or if she has an injury of some kind...

 

[Carnac]

I asked for the bench to be unloaded and I guess that is what happens. It is good lesson for the underclassmen that UConn dominance is not easy to achieve. No swelled heads or visions of grandeur on the horizon.

Baptism under fire. That which does not kill you, makes you stronger. Like the title of that oldie by Gloria Gaynor.........I will survive.

 

[Carnac]

By the way there was one snippet of the bench, and Lexi Gordon was in street clothes. Not sure if that means chateau de bow wow, or if she has an injury of some kind...

I was thinking about that dynamic. There can only be two reasons:
1. She's injured.
2. She's doggin' it in practice.

I seriously doubt it's #2.

 

[pacific 44]

You mean our bottom five wouldn't be in the top ten in the polls?Whoda thunk it.I will though take them over anyone elses last five.

 

[CocoHusky]

Before we get too excited about our easy victory over the Dutch National Team,
I looked up the NIKE FIBA rankings of national teams following the 2016 Olympics.
They ranked 77 teams, and the Dutch team was not among them.

That's way too negative a take away IMO. Here is a better one. The same Dutch Senior National Team also played Oregon last Summer and the score was 66 to 64. Ducks Top Dutch Team in Amsterdam
So this Dutch team is comparable to a very good college team like Oregon. UCONN took both the Dutch National team and Oregon apart by roughly the same margin. It's August and the NCAA will not let UCONN play a very good college team unless they went overseas to do it. That alone makes the trip worthwhile for UCONN and plenty of reason to get excited.