I Look at it This Way

[BobbyJ]

When she is in the paint, she can't change or block shots from behind the 3-points line

Correct. That's the other 30% that someone else has to take care of.

 

[Jingo]

Regardless of who is or isn’t playing on any given night, this team has been the proverbial riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma. The effort, determination, hustle, aggressiveness we saw in the TN game took a night off in the NOVA game. Our defense smothered TN for 4 quarters. Last night, NOVA looked like they were having a “shoot around”. My guess is that we see a different team tomorrow night than we saw last night. It doesn’t matter who the players are. It matters who they want to be.

Shows you how valuable Liv is!

 

[LoboDays]

Shows you how valuable Liv is!

No more than it shows me how valuable S Dolson or Tina Charles would have been. But, alas…..

 

[Littlemin]

When she is in the paint, she can't change or block shots from behind the 3-points line

Yes she can,indirectly, because her being in the middle erases the need to help in the paint, which leaves shooters on the perimeter open. A pretty basic basketball tenet.

 

[CL82]

It's not that difficult. ONO is directly and indirectly worth about 70% of UConn's defense. Her presence raises some weak defenders to mediocre and gives them a shot in every game she plays.

I wouldn’t say it exactly that way. I would say that her presence allows perimeter defenders to play more aggressively. for what it’s worth we’ve also seen her contributions as a screener as well. The wheels fell off the bus a bit without her. Now, there’s not a doubt in my mind that Geno could adjust for her absence, but he couldn’t do it with zero notice at the start of the game.

Liv makes a big contribution that shows up on the scorecards but she also makes a huge contribution that does not. We were missing both against Villanova. Hopefully we will get another crack at them. When we do I hope our guys remember this game.

 

[BobbyJ]

I wouldn’t say it exactly that way. I would say that her presence allows perimeter defenders to play more aggressively. for what it’s worth we’ve also seen her contributions as a screener as well. The wheels fell off the bus a bit without her. Now, there’s not a doubt in my mind that Geno could adjust for her absence, but he couldn’t do it with zero notice at the start of the game.

Liv makes a big contribution that shows up on the scorecards but she also makes a huge contribution that does not. We were missing both against Villanova. Hopefully we will get another crack at them. When we do I hope our guys remember this game.

Yes, that's what indirectly means. Plus play goalie on the constant dribble penetration to the paint.

 

[CL82]

Yes, that's what indirectly means. Plus play goalie on the constant dribble penetration to the paint.

I guess, I still wouldn’t of said it that way, so I didn’t.

 

[msf22b]

Everyone has to remember:

Every team that plays us now comes in with the coach's speech in their ear.
"If you never have a chance to beat UConn in the past, this is your chance".
"They're injured and demoralized."

 

[hoophuskee]

He never said that. You are interpreting his post, in my view, incorrectly. Every player he mentioned also has a proven track record as a college athlete. On paper, UConn still should have won that game. Villanova, by the way, also basically only played six.

We can agree to disagree on context.

Read the Op's 1st post on this thread. Nowhere did he claim that UCONN was outmanned. He or she clearly made the comment of "team." There was a reference to players but it was clear the comment was about "team." He was referencing why the team was not having as much success. His context was about "Team" not about "player" though and not about "being outmanned."

Instead the poster "AG" spoke of being "outmanned" when no such comment was made. He then when on to make mention of specific player’s H/S ratings then to mildly berate UCONN fans.

And I should be given the same latitude that you have given AG. The poster mildly twisted the OP's comment/context of team into individual players-. by using the individual players rankings he certainly is using those as a barometer vs what the OP initially posted. Again the OP did not reference outmanned or individual player rankings. Using them incorrectly misrepresents the intent of "team."

That's why I countered to him because imo H/s rankings have little to do with "team." College "rankings" for individual players and fundamentals and how each player fits are much more relevant than what AG was trying to represent.

And I think you are missing the context of the post as well. Your interpretation of what the OP is faulty. Read his post again. he spoke of the team being "inconsistent." You're bringing up "winning." Using the word "inconsistent" should be inferred in context that UCONN is highly susceptible of continually getting picked off.

 

[TCC Kid]

3 starters sat on the bench, did not play. The other 2 starters tried to take up the slack by scoring a total of
53 pts. Against a hot Villanova it wasn't enough. We did not have a TEAM out there.

Until Nelson-Ododa, Williams, Ducharme, Fudd and Bueckers play 3-4 games together, we won't know how good we really are. For now we should expect inconsistency.

I take exception to the: Uconn didn't have a team out there. It was a TEAM , it wasn't the one you wanted but was a team. Their job was to hold the line for 25 minutes. Then in the last quarter, go full bores and hit them when they didn't expect. Not too much worry about fouls that were not collected for 30 minutes. It wasn't pretty but with short numbers --you play the game you must play. Have some reguard for a team 19 down came back to 2 down--short handed and all. CW, Edwards, Azzi, Dorka (bad foot and all), Geno has done great coaching this one among his best. 2 points short, with the last shot just a tiny bit off target from half court. Three cheers for this group--I feel like proud papa, I'm so proud of all of them, bench too.

 

[TCC Kid]

When she is in the paint, she can't change or block shots from behind the 3-points line

What's the problem? Short arms?

 

[TCC Kid]

We’ve always EARNED our way into the east regional as a 1-2 seed. When you fail to do that, you’re at the mercy of the tournament selection committee. UConn does not have a birth right to east regional. Two things you (in past years ) could depend on, the sun rising in the eastern sky every morning, and UConn assigned to the east regional.

So it appears that as you say, they will be making another trip out west this season. From coast to coast is a 4 to 5 hour trip. For a lot of reasons, this has proved not to be UConn's year. Next year has got to be better than this one.

For most of the year with the Virus, postponements, cancels, Paige, Dorka, seems like everyone including Caroline and ONO with injuries. Except for the kids wanting to play, it may have been a blessing to cancel. But there are next year advantages to playing in the NC this year. Geno, for years spoke of how good it was for a team to get to the FF for the Prime Time familiarity, hype, noise, press, etc.

 

[Boreifs]

We can agree to disagree on context.

Read the Op's 1st post on this thread. Nowhere did he claim that UCONN was outmanned. He or she clearly made the comment of "team." There was a reference to players but it was clear the comment was about "team." He was referencing why the team was not having as much success. His context was about "Team" not about "player" though and not about "being outmanned."

Instead the poster "AG" spoke of being "outmanned" when no such comment was made. He then when on to make mention of specific player’s H/S ratings then to mildly berate UCONN fans.

And I should be given the same latitude that you have given AG. The poster mildly twisted the OP's comment/context of team into individual players-. by using the individual players rankings he certainly is using those as a barometer vs what the OP initially posted. Again the OP did not reference outmanned or individual player rankings. Using them incorrectly misrepresents the intent of "team."

That's why I countered to him because imo H/s rankings have little to do with "team." College "rankings" for individual players and fundamentals and how each player fits are much more relevant than what AG was trying to represent.

And I think you are missing the context of the post as well. Your interpretation of what the OP is faulty. Read his post again. he spoke of the team being "inconsistent." You're bringing up "winning." Using the word "inconsistent" should be inferred in context that UCONN is highly susceptible of continually getting picked off.

Fair enough.

 

[DICKG]

3 starters sat on the bench, did not play. The other 2 starters tried to take up the slack by scoring a total of
53 pts. Against a hot Villanova it wasn't enough. We did not have a TEAM out there.

Until Nelson-Ododa, Williams, Ducharme, Fudd and Bueckers play 3-4 games together, we won't know how good we really are. For now we should expect inconsistency.

Are Piath Gabriel and Amari DeBerry also hurt or is Geno still too stubborn to play them for a few minutes? It can only help to give them some experience. Ducharme probably would be a just a bench player if we were healthy all year.

 

[TCC Kid]

Fair enough.

I really hate wordy answers. Will you cut the next one to fit??

 

[TCC Kid]

Are Piath Gabriel and Amari DeBerry also hurt or is Geno still too stubborn to play them for a few minutes? It can only help to give them some experience. Ducharme probably would be a just a bench player if we were healthy all year.

I really hate wordy answers. Will you cut the next one to fit??

 

[TCC Kid]

Are Piath Gabriel and Amari DeBerry also hurt or is Geno still too stubborn to play them for a few minutes? It can only help to give them some experience. Ducharme probably would be a just a bench player if we Swere healthy all year.

Stubborn is a word you could use for Geno but in this case, with limited players can you afford the game to get screwed up under the basket or too many free foul shots? DeBerry may be the only option. You have history on your side with Caroline. She may have sat unless she showed Geno what she can do but with 4 or 5 minutes in clean up that's doubtful.
Gabriel too may end up being the only option. However, I doubt Caroline would remain a bench sitter beyond this year one way or another. I'm sorry Poffenbarger jumped ship. Had she stayed she may have had some of the options that Caroline got. She is big, if reports are true a good 3 point shooter. If she could she'd have gotten a lot of time.

 

[Spaceman213J]

Last night's game was also a glaring example of being weakened by the loss of Griffin for the year. She tracks down a lot of long rebounds and is a defender with the speed and size to cover at the perimeter and force opponets into bad or tough shots. Her absence is lost sometimes since Bueckers, Ducharme and now ONO have missed games.

 

[Papa33]

Boxing out, emphasis on the second word. That was one of the mantras I obsessed about in every practice I ever ran for a girls high school program for about 30 years, and that was the primary defensive failure in our loss to Villanova. Yes, having Liv on the floor would have helped, but we did have enough bodies on the floor to have cut Villanova's offensive rebounds by 50% to 70% had we boxed out! Which means putting a body on every opponent immediately when a shot goes up, putting a body between that opponent and the ball wherever the ball goes and however far from the basket you are. Only that disciplined reaction allows the defender to control the maximum floor area and the maximum chance to get to the ball first. And it's not a matter of height!!!
Yes, there were some problems avoiding screens set by Villanova to get open 3's, especially earlier in the game, but we reduced those errors late on. But the failure to box out was a gift to Villanova and an invitation to get more shot opportunities.
Why did we not box out properly? Physical laziness? Most often not. But we did not discipline ourselves to— always first— find the closest opponent and put a body on them, and then look for and go to the ball.
I confess, I am super obsessed with this issue, especially when I don't think this year's edition of the UConn team has, after 18 games learned to execute that particular essential basketball strategy.

 

[Monte]

Boxing out, emphasis on the second word. That was one of the mantras I obsessed about in every practice I ever ran for a girls high school program for about 30 years, and that was the primary defensive failure in our loss to Villanova. Yes, having Liv on the floor would have helped, but we did have enough bodies on the floor to have cut Villanova's offensive rebounds by 50% to 70% had we boxed out! Which means putting a body on every opponent immediately when a shot goes up, putting a body between that opponent and the ball wherever the ball goes and however far from the basket you are. Only that disciplined reaction allows the defender to control the maximum floor area and the maximum chance to get to the ball first. And it's not a matter of height!!!
Yes, there were some problems avoiding screens set by Villanova to get open 3's, especially earlier in the game, but we reduced those errors late on. But the failure to box out was a gift to Villanova and an invitation to get more shot opportunities.
Why did we not box out properly? Physical laziness? Most often not. But we did not discipline ourselves to— always first— find the closest opponent and put a body on them, and then look for and go to the ball.
I confess, I am super obsessed with this issue, especially when I don't think this year's edition of the UConn team has, after 18 games learned to execute that particular essential basketball strategy.

You are 100% right. I noticed that all through the Villanova game!

 

[hoophuskee]

Yes, having Liv on the floor would have helped,

Yes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[HuskylnSC]

When she is in the paint, she can't change or block shots from behind the 3-points line

No. But the assurance that she is there frees the other players to be more aggressive in attacking the 3 point line. That's how it works.

 

[Boreifs]

Stubborn is a word you could use for Geno but in this case, with limited players can you afford the game to get screwed up under the basket or too many free foul shots? DeBerry may be the only option. You have history on your side with Caroline. She may have sat unless she showed Geno what she can do but with 4 or 5 minutes in clean up that's doubtful.
Gabriel too may end up being the only option. However, I doubt Caroline would remain a bench sitter beyond this year one way or another. I'm sorry Poffenbarger jumped ship. Had she stayed she may have had some of the options that Caroline got. She is big, if reports are true a good 3 point shooter. If she could she'd have gotten a lot of time.

Saylor was injured.

 

[RSHERMVIKES]

When I started watching the UCONN vs "nova game I knew that Paige and Caroline Ducharme were out but when I heard that ONO was sick and out also I felt that was a game changer!
With those two out I still felt that UCONN had enough talent to win the game, but with their best Big Girl out it now depended on AE and Donka to both play at their best! AE played like a "bull in the china shop" Getting too many fouls and too many mistakes to allow her to have an impact in the game, and Donka didn't play to her best either
It was like a snowball rolling downhill. A predetermined outcome IMO!
Our girls found out about ONO 1 minute before the game started and were totally unprepared for that situation!
Once 'nova got that 1st sizeable lead UCONN's minds were already blown!
Because they're UCONN they put up a heck of a fight coming back, falling short at the end!
Hopefully when UCONN plays DePaul tomorrow both ONO and Caroline Ducharme will be healthy enough to play!

 

[Monte]

If ONO and Caroline Ducharme are NOT ready to play, the rest of the team has to step up BIG and EARLY!