Is My Thinking Off-Base?

[Brad Palmer]

Everyone inside the UConn community (coaches included) sound shocked that we made it to the Final Four, mainly because we don't have an All-American player. They made it seem as if this achievement was our best in the last 20 years.

Sort of shows the lack of quality depth in WCBB. Is anyone really even surprised we made the F4? I'd have been more surprised if we didn't make it. While we may be the 3rd best team in the F4, consider the following:

*** Pre-season Top 5 ranking in all major polls
*** Never ranked below # 4 all season
*** Led Baylor and ND late in 2nd half of losses
*** 3 AA quality player in Tiff, Bria and Steph

I guess every F4 needs storylines, but it's hard to latch onto UConn as anything closely resembling an underdog in terms of making it to the Final Four.

 

[ScarlettB]

Everyone inside the UConn community (coaches included) sound shocked that we made it to the Final Four, mainly because we don't have an All-American player. They made it seem as if this achievement was our best in the last 20 years.

Sort of shows the lack of quality depth in WCBB. Is anyone really even surprised we made the F4? I'd have been more surprised if we didn't make it. While we may be the 3rd best team in the F4, consider the following:

*** Pre-season Top 5 ranking in all major polls
*** Never ranked below # 4 all season
*** Led Baylor and ND late in 2nd half of losses
*** 3 AA quality player in Tiff, Bria and Steph

I guess every F4 needs storylines, but it's hard to latch onto UConn as anything closely resembling an underdog in terms of making it to the Final Four.

Brad, I agree with you. UConn is only an underdog if you agree with Geno that you need a superstar on your team to win the national championship. UConn is the only f4 team without a first team AA this year, but their overall talent level is right there with the rest of them. They have Hartley, who is arguably one of the top three sophs in the country, Dolson who is in the top 3 - 5 centers, KML who is one of the top two freshman and who will be a first team AA before she graduates, Hayes, a third team AA, who has her ups and downs, but has a huge will to win and plays her heart out every game and Farris, a defensive genius. They do not have the superstar this season, but have talent at every position. While I have felt all along that ND played better as a team and I still think ND will beat them in the semis due to their players experience, I would not be shocked to see UConn win that game or even the final as they have the best coach, hands down.

 

[doggydaddy]

Vegas thinks they belong. They have them 1.5 point favorite over ND.

BTW, Baylor by 7.5 over Stanford.

 

[Husky68]

Steph is an AA quality play? She was BE honorable mention. Just in the FF she isn't better than Griner or Peters and probably a wash with Tinkle. Samarie Walker out played her.

 

[Goodies07]

Steph is an AA quality play? She was BE honorable mention. Just in the FF she isn't better than Griner or Peters and probably a wash with Tinkle. Samarie Walker out played her.

E8 game:

Stefanie: 13 points (5-6), 8 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 blocks
Samarie: 14 points (5-12), 4 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 block

In what way did Samarie outplay her? And she's better than Tinkle.

 

[msf22b]

At least one of the blocks was against Samarie

 

[Wonkster]

... I guess every F4 needs storylines, but it's hard to latch onto UConn as anything closely resembling an underdog in terms of making it to the Final Four.

It's all relative. We're not 'loaded' this year, so we consider the Husky dog to be an underdog.

Enjoy it - we won't be underdogs in 6 months!

 

[McHuskyFan]

thanks Wonk .... now i have the "Underdog" theme song stuck in my head !!!

oooh wah oooh wah oooh wah oooh wah oooh wah oooooooooooooooooooh ............

 

[tomcat]

I agree with you as well. At the start of the season, I predicted a final four appearance, as did many BYers. Where things changed was after the losses, when the team's prospects were trending downward. I think that given how low people got during that period, a FF appearance seems wonderful. Don't get me wrong, it is, but IMHO, anything more will be borderline miraculous.

 

[Vowelguy]

Everyone inside the UConn community (coaches included) sound shocked that we made it to the Final Four, mainly because we don't have an All-American player.

Um no, it's because we just lost one of the best players in WCBB history who accounted for a huge portion of offense and defense.

 

[doggydaddy]

Steph is an AA quality play? She was BE honorable mention. Just in the FF she isn't better than Griner or Peters and probably a wash with Tinkle. Samarie Walker out played her.

I didn't see where in the post that it said Steph is an AA quality player, although at her best, she certainly is.

No one is better than Griner. And Steph has outplayed Peters as much as Peters as outplayed her in the 7 games they have played against each other. Tinkle? Your kidding, right? Sure she can hit the 3, but she does nothing else better than Dolson.

And Walker outplayed her?

Dolson - 5-6 from the floor, 13 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 blocks.
Walker - 5-12 from the floor, 14 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 block.

You couldn't be more wrong.

 

[Suebird10fan]

Totally with you on this one Brad.

 

[doggydaddy]

I agree with you as well. At the start of the season, I predicted a final four appearance, as did many BYers. Where things changed was after the losses, when the team's prospects were trending downward. I think that given how low people got during that period, a FF appearance seems wonderful. Don't get me wrong, it is, but IMHO, anything more will be borderline miraculous.

You are saying that beating ND would be borderline miraculous? They lost in OT and beat them once. It won't take a miracle to beat them again.

 

[HuskyNan]

I didn't see where in the post that it said Steph is an AA quality player, although at her best, she certainly is.

*** 3 AA quality player in Tiff, Bria and Steph

 

[HuskyNan]

Steph is an AA quality play? She was BE honorable mention. Just in the FF she isn't better than Griner or Peters and probably a wash with Tinkle. Samarie Walker out played her.

Stef didn't crank up her game until very late in the regular season. She deserved the HM award based on her season up to the date the votes were taken however, she has played like an AA since then.

 

[doggydaddy]

*** 3 AA quality player in Tiff, Bria and Steph

Man, I looked several times...wow...my eyes are bad!!!

Thanks Nan.

 

[Icebear]

Man, I looked several times...wow...my eyes are bad!!!

Thanks Nan.

Confession is good for the soul but it doesn't do a darn thing for one's eyes. ;-)

 

[easttexastrash]

Everyone inside the UConn community (coaches included) sound shocked that we made it to the Final Four, mainly because we don't have an All-American player. They made it seem as if this achievement was our best in the last 20 years.

Sort of shows the lack of quality depth in WCBB. Is anyone really even surprised we made the F4? I'd have been more surprised if we didn't make it. While we may be the 3rd best team in the F4, consider the following:

*** Pre-season Top 5 ranking in all major polls
*** Never ranked below # 4 all season
*** Led Baylor and ND late in 2nd half of losses
*** 3 AA quality player in Tiff, Bria and Steph

I guess every F4 needs storylines, but it's hard to latch onto UConn as anything closely resembling an underdog in terms of making it to the Final Four.

Now THIS is a ridiculous storyline. Yes, a team loaded with HS All Americans and the best coach in the game getting to the Final Four is a real shocker.

 

[doggydaddy]

Now THIS is a ridiculous storyline. Yes, a team loaded with HS All Americans and the best coach in the game getting to the Final Four is a real shocker.

3 main contribuors are 2 sophs and a freshman. They are considered a young team. That is part of the storyline. And they had a slump with the loss to SJU and then ND at home. It added to the uncertainty.

 

[Sonny44]

Everyone inside the UConn community (coaches included) sound shocked that we made it to the Final Four, mainly because we don't have an All-American player. They made it seem as if this achievement was our best in the last 20 years.

Sort of shows the lack of quality depth in WCBB. Is anyone really even surprised we made the F4? I'd have been more surprised if we didn't make it. While we may be the 3rd best team in the F4, consider the following:

*** Pre-season Top 5 ranking in all major polls
*** Never ranked below # 4 all season
*** Led Baylor and ND late in 2nd half of losses
*** 3 AA quality player in Tiff, Bria and Steph

I guess every F4 needs storylines, but it's hard to latch onto UConn as anything closely resembling an underdog in terms of making it to the Final Four.

Never say "everyone" Brad. I have predicted NC this season every time the subject came up