Iowa Postgame Thread

[oldude]

Some postgame thoughts on the Iowa game:

• Iowa is very good and the 11th ranked team in the nation. But like a lot of other good teams, the Hawkeyes could not keep pace with a UConn team that is too deep, too talented and too well-coached.
• With Azzi’s shot a little off early, it felt like UConn needed someone to step up and take control. That would be Sarah who once again looked every bit like the NPOY with 20 pts in 20 minutes on 9/13 shooting, along with 3 rbs, 3 ast, 5 steals & 1 block all in the 1st half. 🤩
• Before the game, Geno praised Iowa’s Bigs: Heiden & Stuelke, and it’s clear that the Hawkeyes want to run their offense through the low post. With a few exceptions UConn took away a lot of what Iowa was attempting to do down low.
• The Hawkeyes outrebounded the Huskies by 9. But Iowa more than gave back those extra possessions as UConn forced 26 turnovers (+17).
• KK didn’t fill up the stat sheet. But I thought she played a beautiful, composed floor game today, and when she knocks down open 3’s, defenders can’t really back off her.
• Clearly, Geno shortened the rotation today as the starters played big minutes, with only Blanca getting double-digit minutes off the bench.
• Blanca gets this look on her face when she sees an opponent, handling the basketball a little carelessly....kinda like the eyes of a snake looking at a plump, juicy mouse.......🐍
• Today’s game was something of a homecoming for Serah who was born and raised in Brooklyn before her family moved to Canada when she was 14. I wonder how many tickets she needed? ☺️
• On to Indiana next for a BE game against Butler.

 

[victor64]

-20 pts, 5 steals, 3 assists, 3 rebounds, 0 TOs. Great game right? Nope. Strong’s first half stats. We won’t see a better first half from anybody all year.

-Azzi’s 3-9 first half shooting is misleading. All three of her 3 balls went in and out. It is actually a positive that she didn’t hesitate in the second half until it finally clicked in. Man did it click in.

-Iowa’s zone bothered UConn some. Still don’t understand why more teams don’t try it.

-KK making threes is just another part of the great season she is putting together.

-Blanca for Ash is probably Geno’s version of a “big” lineup.

-Iowa had 26 TOs. I wonder how many UConn causes on the average per game. DavidInNaples?

Iowa is a well coached team. This is a great way to go into a well earned break. I am going to see them in Indy. Can't wait.

 

[Bone Dog]

An odd rhythm to this game. We led the whole way, but at times seemed to be sputtering – cold shooting, getting out-rebounded, giving up some good passes and shots to Iowa. But in the end, Azzi and Sarah put the game away when it mattered.

Kudos to Iowa for a competitive game – even though they never really threatened. And a special tip of the hat to Hannah Stuelke and Chit Chat Wright. They played really well. And as a whole Iowa played their usual hard-nosed, ball-hawking game.

And to put a real spin on it, even though Azzi was ice cold for much of the game, she ended up with another NPOY-worthy game: 27 pts, 5-13 from 3, 3 assists and 4 steals. It's hard to argue with that, though you wouldn't have expected it from the first half.

 

[EricLA]

First of all, congrats to the team - nice win. Q2 was a tad ragged and while Azzi is my POG, Sarah is my badass for her play in the first half. I honestly thought when we got up 11-4 in Q4, and Geno took out Sarah that the wheels might fall off but... that didn't happen. Azzi hit everything it seemed in the 2nd half.

• Sarah - another NPOY worthy performance against a really good team. Especially in the first half when UConn really needed her to help keep that lead.
• Azzi - kind of MIA in half 1, then blew the barn doors off in H2. Holy carp!!!
• Really solid games for Ash and KK. IMHO they don't get talked about quite enough, but boy are they a tremendous part of our starting rotation
• Serah had a nice game. 3 blocks was nice to see on defense.
• Glad to see Allie pour it on late-ish.
• Kayleigh and Jana were decent - not great, but good enough for sure.
• On edit - Blanca - OMG. She's an absolute terror out there. She's SPECIAL.

Bottom line, a 30'ish point win over a legit top 10 team - I'll take that every day of the week and twice on Sunday. 17 steals was incredible, and and while the defense was smothering at times, giving up 8 3's is too many IMHO. Things to work on for sure, but overall a really satisfying and well earned win.

Great seeing Kelis and Ayanna get in - against a top 10 team no less! Concerned for Carol. Hopefully just a flu bug.

 

[HuskyNan]

 

[HuskyNan]

 

[maple]

When Iowa was playing tough in the first half and keeping things relatively close, I did not anticipate that the game would end up being the blowout that it became.

It was great to see Azzi come alive in the second half and really put things away. But it was also great to see how everyone else stepped up when her shots weren’t falling. This team has toughness, confidence, and are improving game by game.

 

[Huskie837]

Merry Christmas everyone! Thank you to the undefeated UCONN Women's basketball team for bringing us such JOY! Go Huskies!!

 

[msf22b]

Too many weapons
Amazing D
Iowa played tough
but…..

 

[TUCBTUD]

I'm not there today but here's a link to live postgame presser

 

[RockyMTblue2]

I'm getting too old to have them scare me like that! Only up 11 at one point. Sarah did miss a few from 3 on the right side. If she hadn't, oh lordy. I like that Iowa hung in for a half. We won't get much of that in the Big E. Snake and mouse, @oldude you crack me up. Now a replay of Louisville who will probably be jacked after eating Tennessee alive.

 

[GoUconn7961]

41 points off of turnovers.

 

[DEpup]

Some postgame thoughts on the Iowa game:

• Iowa is very good and the 11th ranked team in the nation. But like a lot of other good teams, the Hawkeyes could not keep pace with a UConn team that is too deep, too talented and too well-coached.
• With Azzi’s shot a little off early, it felt like UConn needed someone to step up and take control. That would be Sarah who once again looked every bit like the NPOY with 20 pts in 20 minutes on 9/13 shooting, along with 3 rbs, 3 ast, 5 steals & 1 block all in the 1st half. 🤩
• Before the game, Geno praised Iowa’s Bigs: Heiden & Stuelke, and it’s clear that the Hawkeyes want to run their offense through the low post. With a few exceptions UConn took away a lot of what Iowa was attempting to do down low.
• The Hawkeyes outrebounded the Huskies by 9. But Iowa more than gave back those extra possessions as UConn forced 26 turnovers (+17).
• KK didn’t fill up the stat sheet. But I thought she played a beautiful, composed floor game today, and when she knocks down open 3’s, defenders can’t really back off her.
• Clearly, Geno shortened the rotation today as the starters played big minutes, with only Blanca getting double-digit minutes off the bench.
• Blanca gets this look on her face when she sees an opponent, handling the basketball a little carelessly....kinda like the eyes of a snake looking at a plump, juicy mouse.......🐍
• Today’s game was something of a homecoming for Serah who was born and raised in Brooklyn before her family moved to Canada when she was 14. I wonder how many tickets she needed? ☺️
• On to Indiana next for a BE game against Butler.

I think the shortened rotation was more about Azzi's poor shooting early than anything else.... When she's off then they aren't up enough early to put others in and I think he wants to keep her in so she can shoot her way back into rhythm.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

I'm not there today but here's a link to live postgame presser

You'd think it wouldn't be a live mike. Holding my breath.

 

[Next 12]

Same old story. Iowa came out fighting and then reality took over and Uconn showed why they are NO.1 !! Too much defence, too much scoring ability TEAM wise and too muchdepth and speed. A winning combination for any team and Uconn is the best at it. Enough said, NOW bring on the rest of the season and ultimately NO.13 N.C. GO HUSKIES!!!!!!!!

 

[Ozimoto]

Iowa is well coached and made the Huskies work hard for everything they got in the first half. They also are the first team who was able to take some advantage of the defensive pressure moving the ball to open shooters when UConn overplayed, but they still couldn't overcome the defensive intensity that UConn can bring for the whole game as the 17 steels and 26 or so turnovers show.. The lid was on the basket to a degree for the Huskies in the first half but they stuck with it and put the game away in the third quarter.

They won all four quarters against a good team so nothing to be concerned about.

 

[Stagnant]

I think the formula for beating UConn is just for Azzi to have a bad game. Like against Tennessee and USC last year.

She had a bad half and Iowa hung around.

 

[TUCBTUD]

You'd think it wouldn't be a live mike. Holding my breath.

My guess is you won't hear questions (no questions mic) but everything else is fine. I know the mics are hooked up to the box

 

[TUCBTUD]

My guess is you won't hear questions (no questions mic) but everything else is fine. I know the mics are hooked up to the box

Got a message from people there about set up

 

[iri10]

Got a message from people there about set up

The setup is working fine (by the usual presser technical standards). There's some amusement early in the stream, where three unidentified people sit behind the interview table and do a credible imitation of athlete presser blabber. 😅

 

[DavidinNaples]

-20 pts, 5 steals, 3 assists, 3 rebounds, 0 TOs. Great game right? Nope. Strong’s first half stats. We won’t see a better first half from anybody all year.

-Azzi’s 3-9 first half shooting is misleading. All three of her 3 balls went in and out. It is actually a positive that she didn’t hesitate in the second half until it finally clicked in. Man did it click in.

-Iowa’s zone bothered UConn some. Still don’t understand why more teams don’t try it.

-KK making threes is just another part of the great season she is putting together.

-Blanca for Ash is probably Geno’s version of a “big” lineup.

-Iowa had 26 TOs. I wonder how many UConn causes on the average per game. DavidInNaples?

Iowa is a well coached team. This is a great way to go into a well earned break. I am going to see them in Indy. Can't wait.

UConn creates 23.6 turnovers per game…. 😎
(283 in 12 games)…

 

[TUCBTUD]

The setup is working fine (by the usual presser technical standards). There's some amusement early in the stream, where three unidentified people sit behind the interview table and do a credible imitation of athlete presser blabber. 😅

yeah just no question microphone for reporters. I'm usually there but i asked my people there about set up.

 

[oldude]

Here’s a stat. With 6 assists and 0 turnovers today, KK’s A/TO ratio is now a ridiculous 5.5, which puts her 2nd in the nation to Rori Harmon at TX who’s at 5.67.

 

[Urshurak]

First of all, congrats to the team - nice win. Q2 was a tad ragged and while Azzi is my POG, Sarah is my badass for her play in the first half. I honestly thought when we got up 11-4 in Q4, and Geno took out Sarah that the wheels might fall off but... that didn't happen. Azzi hit everything it seemed in the 2nd half.

• Sarah - another NPOY worthy performance against a really good team. Especially in the first half when UConn really needed her to help keep that lead.
• Azzi - kind of MIA in half 1, then blew the barn doors off in H2. Holy carp!!!
• Really solid games for Ash and KK. IMHO they don't get talked about quite enough, but boy are they a tremendous part of our starting rotation
• Serah had a nice game. 3 blocks was nice to see on defense.
• Glad to see Allie pour it on late-ish.
• Kayleigh and Jana were decent - not great, but good enough for sure.
• On edit - Blanca - OMG. She's an absolute terror out there. She's SPECIAL.

Bottom line, a 30'ish point win over a legit top 10 team - I'll take that every day of the week and twice on Sunday. 17 steals was incredible, and and while the defense was smothering at times, giving up 8 3's is too many IMHO. Things to work on for sure, but overall a really satisfying and well earned win.

Great seeing Kelis and Ayanna get in - against a top 10 team no less! Concerned for Carol. Hopefully just a flu bug.

I think Iowa is #11.

 

[Surly1]

It may be a case of recency bias on my part, but given her current trajectory, Sarah Strong is playing her way onto the pantheon of UConn greats. I honestly can't recall a player of her size with such nimble hands. Her basketball IQ is off the charts and the only true comparison I have for her is Maya Moore.

Blanca is far from a finished product, but under Geno's tutelage, the final version might turn into the ultimate nightmare for UConn opponents. Once she harnesses her natural talents and tightens up her game, she will be an unstoppable force.