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At least there's a chance we can still win the ncaa and not have to go though ND, who clearly has our number. Though I don't trust these girls in any close game against anyone.
Husky girls
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If only we had Elena Delle Donne
No, it's a harassment style of play. Good for her for playing that way. But it causes turnovers by our guards. Which would be why Geno chose to go for height.
But like I said, they shouldn't be afraid of that.
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That was the key. At crunch time, the team that makes the big plays wins. It was a poor play call by Geno, but in the past, we had the players to make the plays, and most often we won. But we needed to stop McBride and we couldn't. I find more fault in that, than anything else. I would have liked a box and one with Stewart on her with the long arms. Admittedly ND and McBride were very good coming off screens, but I think we needed something besides KML trying to stop her with no success for two games (not to mention the likely-hood of KML getting tired defending McBride and not producing on the offensive side, as a result). We lost this on D. But, there is hope. If Stewart can play the way she is capable, we will be in the final four and our chances are as good as anyone's.
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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.
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.
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They had one to give? Oh God. Even worse.
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Yep, 5 team fouls.
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Bullsh-t. That's complete garbage. I watched the replay a bunch of times. There was no clear foul at all. They had numerous chances to foul her. The woman on her for D was in her grill for the entire time she dribbled over half court, and there was not one moment when she looked like she was trying to give a foul.
Shame on Geno.
What wasn't called was an unembarrassing play.
You can see Hartley reach in twice, actually. Plus she's riding Diggins the entire way down the court. I suppose she could have tackled her.
It's likely though, because of the position the refs were in, they just didn't see it.
Bottom line is, Geno needs to trust his guards more than he clearly does. Not that they've given him a reason too, but in a situation like this...he just has too.
The whole team, including Geno..just gets dumb when it comes to ND. I'm not sure why. A lot's been said about Bria not being a true point, I don't even believe that to be the reason why they lose. Uconn not having a true point guard is why the offense doesn't run great. Hartley is fully capable of dribbling the ball and creating her own shot. I understand the fears there. That Diggins will cause a turnover. It's possible, but then the team is playing not to lose and out smarting itself.
Women's basketball, even more so than Men's, comes down to guard play. Uconn can't win a championship and likely can't win a game like this, if their guards don't perform. In this situation, Geno didn't even give our most talented guard a chance.
Do we win if he gives it to Hartley? I don't know. I know we can't win if Hartley can't perform in such situations, and I've seen Hartley perform in such situations. So instead of "trying to take pressure off of her because she's had a season from hell" you give her the opportunity.
That being said. ND does have the best guard on the floor in Skylar. She may miss 20 shots, but she'll make the important ones and she'll make the important plays. Sometimes it's just that simple. As much as Uconn gets "stupid" ND and Skylar have a lot to do with that. She just simply beats Uconn, and has since her sophomore year.
It's likely though, because of the position the refs were in, they just didn't see it.
Bottom line is, Geno needs to trust his guards more than he clearly does. Not that they've given him a reason too, but in a situation like this...he just has too.
The whole team, including Geno..just gets dumb when it comes to ND. I'm not sure why. A lot's been said about Bria not being a true point, I don't even believe that to be the reason why they lose. Uconn not having a true point guard is why the offense doesn't run great. Hartley is fully capable of dribbling the ball and creating her own shot. I understand the fears there. That Diggins will cause a turnover. It's possible, but then the team is playing not to lose and out smarting itself.
Women's basketball, even more so than Men's, comes down to guard play. Uconn can't win a championship and likely can't win a game like this, if their guards don't perform. In this situation, Geno didn't even give our most talented guard a chance.
Do we win if he gives it to Hartley? I don't know. I know we can't win if Hartley can't perform in such situations, and I've seen Hartley perform in such situations. So instead of "trying to take pressure off of her because she's had a season from hell" you give her the opportunity.
That being said. ND does have the best guard on the floor in Skylar. She may miss 20 shots, but she'll make the important ones and she'll make the important plays. Sometimes it's just that simple. As much as Uconn gets "stupid" ND and Skylar have a lot to do with that. She just simply beats Uconn, and has since her sophomore year.
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Making that play even more stupid is that you have two timeouts left when you take the ball out of bounds. Hell, if you think this great play you saw the Celtics run once for KG is going to work, just call timeout with five or six seconds left and then run it, and that way you aren't giving them time to go down the other way.
If you are really clever, and fear that ND might think that you are up to something, you could inbounds to Hartley, tell her to pick up her dribble with 10, wait a couple seconds, call a 30 and angrily yell at her so the ND bench can hear "Bria. Don't pick up your dribble!!!" (all the while winking at her, as the two of you know that your scolding is just a genius ruse to throw them off the scent, so they don't know you called that timeout on purpose to run this awesome play of yours - because you are a genius).
A really high-risk crosscourt lob to the rim with 17 seconds and the chance to hold for one? My god. The stupid. It burns.
If you are really clever, and fear that ND might think that you are up to something, you could inbounds to Hartley, tell her to pick up her dribble with 10, wait a couple seconds, call a 30 and angrily yell at her so the ND bench can hear "Bria. Don't pick up your dribble!!!" (all the while winking at her, as the two of you know that your scolding is just a genius ruse to throw them off the scent, so they don't know you called that timeout on purpose to run this awesome play of yours - because you are a genius).
A really high-risk crosscourt lob to the rim with 17 seconds and the chance to hold for one? My god. The stupid. It burns.
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"We ran a little misdirection thing and Kaleena was wide open at the top of the circle," Auriemma said. "We got [Stewart] for a layup on the lob, so Kelly was looking for that. [Stewart] made a great catch and the next time she is in that situation, she is going to square up and and catch it again and attack the basket and get a foul. She is too young to understand that right now.
What the hell is Geno talking about? Stewart made the right play in that situation as she caught it off balance, the game was tied and she didn't have the gimmee..........get it back out, run the clock down to get a shot for the win or worst case scenario OT.........just painful coaching here on Geno's part and still thinks everything was okay? Scary.......
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Agree, including her tough catch of the lob that could easily have just been a colossal immediate turnover that would have made all the additional (and justified) hand-wringing about passes, timeouts, and available fouls moot.
Tommyboy
a lot of people go to college for seven years
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Its just crazy to think like that. The best part about the shot clock resetting just prior is that you now have the ability to take the very last shot of regulation. You either win or go to OT. Simple as that. If Stewart scores there you give ND chance to win on a 3 or an and 1. Am I just missing a rule thats different in women's hoops? Seems pretty basic to me.
meyers7
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Unfortunately, there is no "crew" leaving with Diggins. One other player, Turner, who only played 11 minutes last night. ND's going to be good next year too. However with the re-alignment crap, won't have to play them 3+ times a year. Maybe not at all.
Baylor on the other hand does lose like 4 starters (including Griner) and one of the first off the bench players.
meyers7
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You are probably right there.
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then Uconn probably has 3 undefeated seasons in a row, she might be the most skillful player in the country, Griner is the most dominant.
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You're in denial. Perhaps she did reach in, but if you want to draw the foul, reach in and grab her arm or bump her hard off the ball. The "she could have tackled her line" implies that she did everything but that. Wrong. I didn't see her touch Diggins at all when she was "reaching in."
It's not hard. She's dribbling - crash into her while going for the ball and knock her off the ball. They WILL call a foul.
Blaming the officials for not making a call on a phantom "reach in" is bizarre women-crap.
CTBasketball
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If I remember correctly back to the #1 Louisville-UConn game, when UConn was down by like 15 with 4 to go, a group of people got up in front of me and said,
"C'mon, guys. Lets go watch a real team play tomorrow night." Referring to the women's team playing the following night. After that comment I shook my head in disappointment. Now I know that the women don't play real basketball and that "fan" has no idea what basketball is.
But in other news, that play looked just as bad as UConn's inbounds play against Cincy.
"C'mon, guys. Lets go watch a real team play tomorrow night." Referring to the women's team playing the following night. After that comment I shook my head in disappointment. Now I know that the women don't play real basketball and that "fan" has no idea what basketball is.
But in other news, that play looked just as bad as UConn's inbounds play against Cincy.
Waquoit
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All he needs is a spider and a tuffet. BTW, what's a tuffet?
storrsroars
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Interestingly, on the Pitt boards last night, posts on the game threads for the BET were repeatedly urging others to tune into UConn-ND women's as it was the far more interesting and well-played game.
It's all relative to what you're watching.
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Guess that tells you all you need to know about Pitt fans 
............interesting only because it was 2 teams that never seem to win until the last seconds and 2 because they are only 2 of the maybe 3 or 4 teams who can win the womens NC..........but both look like Baylor is double digits better from what I've seen...........
Other than that it was so sloppy the So Dakota mens game was far more interesting and Valpo mens too!!
............interesting only because it was 2 teams that never seem to win until the last seconds and 2 because they are only 2 of the maybe 3 or 4 teams who can win the womens NC..........but both look like Baylor is double digits better from what I've seen...........Other than that it was so sloppy the So Dakota mens game was far more interesting and Valpo mens too!!
Waquoit
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That's how the WBB program took off. The men had the Dream Season in 1990 which they followed up the next year by beating Shaq (Mike Francesa's choice to win the bracket). Connecticut fans had hoop fever. After they got bounced in the Sweet Sixteen, it was like the fans collectively looked around and said. "Hey look, the women are in the Final Four!" Folks hopped on the bandwagon and the combination of having a charismatic coach and team and the fact that they got absolutely jobbed by the refs in the semis had them back for more the next year.
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Over the years I've gotten into quite a few disputes over the men's/women's teams. Foe the life of me I can't understand how people can get into a sport where ther are only 5 teams that are any good any year. Zero element of drama in the womens game.
Might as well go right to te elite 8 and not play the season.
I really think alot of the womens fans just like the idea that the team wins all the time. If they ever went 9-9 in conference the season ticket base would slow to a crawl. My opinion Geno and his team better go to a Final 4 every year because he gets the BEST players every year. There would be something wrong if he didn't win.
Just so you know where I'm coming from I can't stand Geno. And I don't cheer for the women's team.
Let the men's teams players HAVE to stay for four years and lets see how many banners JC would have hung up.
Also I can't stand the idea that UCONN has not named the court at Gampel for JC when lesser coaches(Cremins, Crees to name 2) have courts named for them. And thats all because of Geno. The old what are we going to do for Geno question? Who cares. Name something else for him. I'm not saying he isn't a HOF coach and deserving of his own honor. Geno coaches womens basketball. It doesn't compare on any level to men's basketball. In 48/50 states NO One cares about womens basketball. It's a niche sport.
IMO Geno could win 30 NC and it wouldn't compare to the 3 JC won.(Again I am totally one sided on this topic and I realize it).
OK Rant Over !!!
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They just don't pass the ball well consistantly and they still could have won. The problem with the top 5 or 6 teams in womens basketball is they may only play 3 or 4 teams a year that have a chance of beating them and they get away with a lot of mistakes. When they play one of the top teams they aren't ready. ND didn't exactly play well either.
No, a foul is a foul. You didn't see it so don't make judgments. I don't think Geno told anyone to foul, I think Hartley tried but didn't fully commit because she wasn't sure whether there was actually a foul to give. It's not blaming the refs. The women's team turned the ball over, ND was likely going to score.
Geno's the larger concern here. I have my suspicions that Geno's protecting Kelly a bit with that pass. (As Kelly said she threw it to the wrong person (Stewart)). But I don't know. Still, I think this has been as bad of a coaching season for Geno as it was for JC last season.
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