At least the women are giving us something to talk about.
I watched the last 15 seconds. Holy burning balls, UConn gagged big time.
The play was horrible, tis true, but what happened next is worse.
The point guard drives to the base line with nowhere to go, but still completes a difficult pass to ML in the left corner. ML, without looking, throws the ball toward where she believes her teammate is. It's a lob, it's airborne like a helium balloon, and it's essentially a jump ball. The CT player receiving the pass does not do anything to stop the interception, but rather passively waits for Diggins to intercept the pass.
At the moment of interception, Dolson is standing perfectly flat footed, and does not move until everybody has passed her by. She is at the free throw line and virtually in line with Diggins and two ND players. The original CT point guard is now pointing up court, but is under the ND rim. ML is 3 feet out of bounds behind the baseline, and not moving. The intended pass recipient is D-ing up the ball carrier. The 5th CT player is the furthest back on D. There are 9 seconds on the clock.
So what happens?
First, the ND players are NOT tear assing up court. Diggins collects herself with a few dribbles and 2 ND players are jogging up court. One ran past Dolson, who still is not moving. Diggins starts dribbling the ball up the right sideline, with the original pass target guarding her.
The original CT point guard catches all the way back up to the play (from under the ND rim!), but makes the bizarre decision to double team Diggins rather than picking up one of the THREE open ND players who are jogging to the rim.
The 2nd CT PG, who was the furthest back when the play began, is still the farthest back, in the center of the 3 point area, but she shades toward Diggins on her left, and completely ignores the THREE ND players who are running toward her.
At the exact same moment, the defender on Diggins makes the bizarre decision to dive at Diggins' dribble, missing badly and falling to the floor, AND the 1st CT PG, who has valiantly gotten back into the play (from under the ND rim!), cuts BEHIND Diggins, thereby removing herself from the play and having no effect on anything. Smashing into Diggins' back would have been more sensible at that moment.
The result is a 5 on 1.
The only hope at this point for UConn, with 5 seconds left, is for the lone remaining defender to force a jump shot, or at least make Diggins make a bad pass. A tall order, considering it's 5 on 1.
So where is the 2nd CT PG? She's still got the laser-lock on Diggins and is creeping out toward the 3 point line on the left flank, seemingly oblivious to the 2 or 3 ND players to her right who are working toward the rim. She then STEPS OUT to meet Diggins at the top of the key, thereby allowing the easy lob pass to a ND player standing under the rim, 8 feet behind her.
At that moment, Dolson has just re-entered the TV picture.
All in all, clearly 4, and maybe 5, UConn players could have been back on D. Only one ended up in front of the play, and she made the worst decision possible, which was to meet the ball handler out by the top of the key, thereby making the entry pass a can't-miss pass.
Terrible instincts, terrible execution, and, worst of all, terrible effort.
Just a different sport.
