Indiana Post Game Thread

[jaydee602]

It was impressive how easily UCONN broke Indiana's press. Geno must practice this every day. The Huskies spread out each player to neutralize a double team & when Indiana tried one on one pressure, UCONN guards dribbled right thought it. KUDOS!

 

[diggerfoot]

They played 4 good minutes all game. That won't cut it against a better team.

Lol. They had the most convincing win in the Elite Eight against the highest seeded team to be beaten. If you just go by those results, then every other team needs to improve as well. And if we do happen to improve, well, those other teams better REALLY improve before they play us.

That begs the question of what you witnessed in those closer games that led you to believe only UConn needs to improve to win against better teams?

 

[Huskee11]

I was at the game. Lots of crowd energy, nothing like UCF but really good nonetheless. I like the arena to watch the game but the parking is not great and the inside walkways around the arena are a disaster, crowded with ridiculously long lines.

It was a really weird ending to the half, a three point gift to Indiana from the officials. Indiana then had the ball to start the second half, down four, and Cardano-Hillary rimmed out a shot, halfway down, that would have cut it to two. That shot not dropping was a key moment in the game, IMHO.

We were off to the races at that point with four or five of the best minutes of basketball UConn has played all year.

Paige is gutting it out and making a huge difference. Great games by ONO and Aaliyah as well.

Indiana is a very unusual team. Only four assists and two offensive rebounds, yet they shoot 48%. We had 19 more shot attempts. Holmes, Berger and Patberg tend to create for themselves. They are very good players, but we are more talented and deeper.

The refereeing was baffling. I thought they did a great job in the first half, but for some reason they got whistle happy in the second half. The players on both teams were often incredulous, and with good reason. It probably helped UConn somewhat, as three Indiana starters ended up with four fouls.

I saw the first game also. Notre Dame gave it away.

I watched Notre Dame warming up before the game. Don`t challenge any of them to a game of horse, when unguarded they do not miss. Brunelle was standing out beyond the key 25 feet away, swish, swish, swish. But in the game she plays 10 minutes with zero shot attempts.

Miles is a very talented player but streaky, both in her shooting and in her engagement/intensity. After a great first half, she seemed to take her foot off the gas in the third quarter. But she can do some amazing things on the court and will be someone to reckon with over the next few years.

NC State is definitely beatable.

 

[Stinger92860]

6 0f 9

Great Saturday. A big UConn win and a ND choke.

I did not look at it as an ND choke, I thought NC State took it. We should understand the difference going into Monday.

 

[Bama fan]

He is flirting with trouble there. Does he know there is a palindrome policeman on the BY.

 

[Stinger92860]

I think when she missed that easy layup Geno said nope, not doing this again.

He was shaking his head as Dorka ran by him heading to the bench. I thought, we will not see her again today. He was also ticked after a really bad foul by Nika, her 3rd on the in-bounds. It was a silly foul.

 

[RedStickHusky]

Man, don’t go getting all technical on us.

My bad.

 

[RedStickHusky]

He was shaking his head as Dorka ran by him heading to the bench. I thought, we will not see her again today. He was also ticked after a really bad foul by Nika, her 3rd on the in-bounds. It was a silly foul.

Yep, the dark side of depth... The short leash.

 

[FormerCTrez]

Edwards and Liv also missed point blank shots. Hope that wasn’t the reason.

Yes, but they did other things - rebound, blocked shots, took a charge, etc., while Dorka seemed somewhat tentative. Maybe she's under the weather a little bit.

 

[CONN78SEJ]

I did not look at it as an ND choke, I thought NC State took it. We should understand the difference going into Monday.

You’re up 20 with 15 minutes to go and you lose? Short of a key injury that’s a choke. ND is not very deep, they just ran out of gas, made tired mistakes.

 

[hoophuskee]

Edwards and Liv also missed point blank shots. Hope that wasn’t the reason.

IMO it was the straw that broke the camels back. Unlike the others, her layup showed she was scared. And not only that . . . she missed it so badly but not only that . . . she made such a poor decision once she caught it. She was wide open first off then she completely stopped instead of going straight up.

Then she not only missed but she missed it so badly. It just felt "scared."

Geno was being consistent which I agree with just like with CD last game. If you could see the player is extremely nervous then you don't need to play her.

We all want a bench to a degree. And this is an advantage of having a deep bench. A player isn't ready in the HOF coach's eye, then his discretion to sit her. He has earned that right ofc.

 

[noirwestern]

Anyone notice the sequence where AE and Gulbe were going at it, arms got tangled up and then AE shoulder checked her under our basket and knocked her down? It was really obvious but no whistle. I don't know if #10 had been up to something that led to the encounter but Edwards needs to be careful. She's too big and colorful to be playing enforcer without getting called for it. Except for when they don't.

 

[RedStickHusky]

A player isn't ready in the HOF coach's eye, then his discretion to sit her. He has earned that right ofc.

Not a right, a responsibility... It's his job description.

 

[Boreifs]

Patberg is really good.

She is also really inconsistent, but she was at her best when it counted. Berger was not.

 

[AmeriConn]

Dorka only had a snack

Not even. A crumb maybe.

 

[Valleyfan]

Love the determination and resolve. Win and advance. Seniors came to play! This is one fun team to root for.

 

[FormerCTrez]

Can someone please send the following scores to ESPN's M. Voepel.
(a) Friday night's game between Creighton & Iowa
(b) Today's game between Indiana & UCONN

After all, she did predict that the Big East schools would've lost.

 

[Centerstream]

Yep, the dark side of depth... The short leash.

He was shaking his head as Dorka ran by him heading to the bench. I thought, we will not see her again today. He was also ticked after a really bad foul by Nika, her 3rd on the in-bounds. It was a silly foul.

And then when she re-entered the game, with the rest of the players, to just run out the final seconds, guess what? She got her 4th foul by trying to draw a charge. 4 fouls in about 10 minutes of play...not what the team needs in the Big Dance. IMO.

 

[RedStickHusky]

And then when she re-entered the game, with the rest of the players, to just run out the final seconds, guess what? She got her 4th foul by trying to draw a charge. 4 fouls in about 10 minutes of play...not what the team needs in the Big Dance. IMO.

To paraphrase Gandalf on Gollum, "I think she has a role yet to play". There will be spots. She has been involved in 2nd qrtr runs the last two games... Just a quick burning fuze.

 

[Childhood]

What a GOOD day.
TN got eliminated as well.

 

[Centerstream]

Grind it out and win.
1. Paige looking better
2. Azzi is so dangerous
3. CW is playing with heart and doing what she is good at
4. Aaliyah is playing with determination
5. Liv is our rim protector and defensive rebounding machine
6. Evina is playing great off the bench
7. Nik and Caroline are doing the little things
8. Geno is subing great
9. Lets win on Monday GO HUSKIES!!!!!

Normally I would agree but today, 3 of 11 (nice they were 3s), maybe a little more pressure for her. But IU was definitely targeting her and Paige defensively, so...

 

[Carnac]

The one concern is how will Paige respond physically on Monday night. I liked she was more aggressive, looking for her shot. However, it is noticeable that she is unable to finish going to the basket with traffic in front of her, and her automatic pull-up jumper is lacking her customary elevation. She is a gamer though, even though her quickness and lateral movement is not 100%, her presence covers for her.

Loved Ducharme’s early energy and contribution. Unfortunately, she is subject to the numbers game. Who do you take off the floor? Her time will come next season, taking over Christyn Williams role.

The game against NC St will be a slugfest. No lead is comfortable against them. They have come back too many times this season, so they won’t be rattled playing behind and they are a veteran team.

Great to see Creighton make the Elite Eight. I have another 24 hours living the dream thinking they can beat SC, but the reality is Boston is too big to stop.

Let’s go UConn!

If Creighton beats SC, would THAT be considered the upset of the tournament? It would in my book. It would also make them a “certified” dark horse.

 

[RedStickHusky]

If Creighton beats SC, would THAT be considered the upset of the tournament? It would in my book. It would also make them a “certified” dark horse.

That would be the upset of all-time I think.

 

[jaydee602]

That would be the upset of all-time I think.

Vegas opening line has South Carolina favored by 13 points. I thought it might be higher.

 

[DefenseBB]

I’ll accept that but to Sat ND choked is stretching it a bit.

Um, I would call outscored 15-4 with 4 turnovers vs. 1 for NC State in the last 6 minutes a bit of a choke job. The fact it was Mabry who coughed it up was the cherry and icing on the cake! My whole section at the game was high fiving with that. It’s called schadenfreude...