Is UConn at full strength Finally

[Fossil]

If you will closely observe, Morrow continually “hip checks” under the boards.
Pretty sure this is a foul, but she will continue to do it until the Refs call it.

I agree they should call it but they never do.

 

[Zarathustra]

Tonyc I agree with most of your sentiment. One thing that worries me about this UConn team is that it is very susceptible to being bullied or out matched physically. Being at full strength doesn't do much to alleviate my concern.

We'll just have to have the "NIKA" gene channelled into all the Huskies!

 

[Zarathustra]

If having a "Happy" team is part of a formula for a NC than
we have that part of the equation covered. !
As Dorka says: " I feel loved ". then there is Nika: "Everybody
Eats". Spread the court, share the ball, be united and verbal
on defense , love those Huskies!! Z

 

[oldude]

Overconfidence got them beat last year by Arizona I would slow our role and take each team seriously so last year it doesn’t happen again. And Geno can only prepare them so much the girls even admitted last year that they were overconfident and didn’t take Arizona as seriously as they should have. Women’s college basketball has become so much more competitive with a greater talent pool spread out across the country I mean who heard of Ari McDonald before last year I bet not a lot of of us.

I really don’t buy the “overconfidence” argument relative to the loss to AZ. Arizona was playing their best basketball of the season when they faced UConn. They were a more experienced, physical team with a great young coach that came within a last second shot of winning the national championship against a great Stanford team that had soundly beaten them twice during the regular season.

 

[Fossil]

I really don’t buy the “overconfidence” argument relative to the loss to AZ. Arizona was playing their best basketball of the season when they faced UConn. They were a more experienced, physical team with a great young coach that came within a last second shot of winning the national championship against a great Stanford team that had soundly beaten them twice during the regular season.

Taking them lightly and not being ready for are not my words. Evina and Christyn both expressed that reality.

 

[oldude]

Taking them lightly and not being ready for are not my words. Evina and Christyn both expressed that reality.

Yes I know. But I think players, as well as BY posters, always find it difficult to acknowledge that UConn lost to a better team. AZ was a better team last season.

 

[npignatjr]

I agree they should call it but they never do.

Same as with Boston. Caroline I believe the first hard hit to the head from Morrow, she also swings her elbows alot.

 

[Fossil]

Yes I know. But I think players, as well as BY posters, always find it difficult to acknowledge that UConn lost to a better team. AZ was a better team last season.

I don’t know about overall better or more talented but they were certainly playing better. Way more intensity and hunger. I did see their games before the Connecticut game and was one of the BYers Who posted just how good and dangerous Arizona was going to be. There were many predicting a Connecticut double-digit victory. I saw McDonald as a more challenging replica of Williams from Mississippi State. Connecticut has had trouble staying with the small incredibly quick guards. I was heartbroken but not totally surprised with the loss.

 

[npignatjr]

Only in mop up

My comment to someone else young in cheek.

 

[Cornell Lt]

Yes I know. But I think players, as well as BY posters, always find it difficult to acknowledge that UConn lost to a better team. AZ was a better team last season.

They were the better team for ONE game, which is all you need in the tournament.

 

[jdote33]

I don’t know about overall better or more talented but they were certainly playing better. Way more intensity and hunger. I did see their games before the Connecticut game and was one of the BYers Who posted just how good and dangerous Arizona was going to be. There were many predicting a Connecticut double-digit victory. I saw McDonald as a more challenging replica of Williams from Mississippi State. Connecticut has had trouble staying with the small incredibly quick guards. I was heartbroken but not totally surprised with the loss.

I agree with this and @oldhuskie 's post about how sometimes after losses ppl search for a reason to explain why it happened (there's a part of me that will forever think if Anna Makurat was healthier/feeling more confident we would've been able to keep up with them offensively). But it's a two team sport and sometimes the other team is a little bit better. Somehow AZ was really able to lock down the team. I'm hoping with Caroline and Azzi in the mix, we won't have such offensive struggles, though I thought we did struggle offensively a bit with turnovers in the Big East tournament. I just think if we have Caroline, Azzi, Paige and CW on the floor we should be able to generate offense. I don't think there's a team with 4 perimeter defenders that can slow them down.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Paige may be 100%, but she's certainly not 100%.

The subtlety of this is lost on me. I'm not buying Paige at 10% until I see it convincingly on the floor. The last word from Paige was that she was up and down mentally.

 

[Stymie]

Hopefully a week off followed by increasing difficult opponents will allow her to get back into her groove.
Would not start her against Mercer, but may in the next round depending on how she looks in that game.
Target Sweet 16 for re-emergence as a starter.
JMHO

 

[jdote33]

I agree and disagree. I feel like CW, Azzi, PB, and CD have only all been healthy like 5 games this season, if that, so there's not been a lot of time to experiment with it especially CD at the 4. I do think Geno likes playing 2 bigs and we have really solid bigs who are pretty versatile defensively. CD is 6'2 but Haley Jones is a monster. Idk I'd like to see that matchup. If SC wants to try to waste possessions posting up Amihere and Saxton, they can go ahead. But to ur point and also in our matchup with them this season, we kinda got killed on the boards. Also CD gives Amihere buckets. Respectfully.

 

[boontonbomber]

The subtlety of this is lost on me. I'm not buying Paige at 10% until I see it convincingly on the floor. The last word from Paige was that she was up and down mentally.

Not subtlety, just misread Geno's statement regarding Paige being ready now. I thought he said 100%. I don't think she looks ready, and hope she doesn't do some more damage.

 

[BlueSkyGLW]

If Aubrey was back would Geno go 10 deep?

Yes. Aubrey is a disruptor. Full court pressure becomes more effective and she is quicker of switches in read-and-react switching man or switching zone. She also helps offensive rebounding.

 

[npignatjr]

Yes. Aubrey is a disruptor. Full court pressure becomes more effective and she is quicker of switches in read-and-react switching man or switching zone. She also helps offensive rebounding.

All you need to do is look at the box score of the Arizona loss. Who's minutes on this team would she take? Using Geno as a guide he has stated she is lost on offense and team defense. Now hopefully she worked on her game this year.

 

[#12in21]

Given that we are going into the tournament with nine really effective players, with differing unique skillsets we are in the best possible position to run the table. If, as is often stated, defense wins championships and offense determines by how much, here are my thoughts.

In my opinion all nine are playing really solid defense. I think we should exploit that advantage from the opening whistle. Nika should start the first and third quarters as the head of the snake disrupting the opponents ability to run their offense, shortening their game clock by a few seconds by hounding the ball handler bringing the ball up court and, as much as possible rush their decision making, altering their ability to run their intended play(s). Aaliyah should be in there at the 4 in beast mode and Paige and Christyn in at 2 and 3 getting in the passing lanes anticipating and intercepting passes, with Liv in the lane rim protecting. In effect totally disrupting our opponents ability to get into any type of offensive flow, setting a frenetic pace and allowing our team opportunities for tips and steals leading to breakaways for easy scores.

With the oppositions' heads spinning Azzi, Evina, Caroline and Dorka enter the fray with continued subbing in and out of all nine of our primary players, maintaining a fast paced, stifling defensive, free flowing (outside, inside and mid range) offensive game which we control never letting the opponent have the opportunity to catch a breath. UCONN basketball at our finest, leading to #12! .

 

[Huskee11]

Bueckers in starting lineup per scoreboard at Gampel. Muhl not starting.

 

[eebmg]

Bueckers in starting lineup per scoreboard at Gampel. Muhl not starting.

Had to happen. Better to get any flow issues out of the way ASAP