It's all about defense for this team

[doggydaddy]

As Geno has said many times this season, he is surprised and happy with how this team has bought into what they have been preaching about defense.

Right now the 2011-12 version of the Huskies are on pace to set the NCAA record for both FG% defense and scoring defense.

The old record for FG% of 30.0 is held by the undefeated NC team of 2009-10. This years team is at 29.9.

The old record of scoring defense of 46.2 is held by that same team. This years team is at 45.7.

It even got better in the BE tournament, with UConn holding the 3 teams to a 27.4 shooting percentage along with a 43.6 average for points allowed.

Defense will drive them to the final four.

 

[Sonny44]

And beyond Doggy.
For the most part we suffocated them. Everything ND tried to do was contested.

 

[Icebear]

You are right, Doggy. This team is amazing on defense. Smothering. And once they get an opponent rushing it is like a shark drawn to blood.

 

[ktuck911]

The ladies showed crazy heart last night... They play like that the rest of the way nobody beats them.. Not even Baylor.... They fought the entire game... It wasn't about how many points they could outscore their opponents like in years past. It was all about "the fight in the dog"... UCONN WBB has been reborn....

 

[RadyLady]

Last night UConn showed it knows how close out a win using the tools that are the best of what they are - defense which is persistance and conditioning. People have to have faith about their teams - shots aren't always going to fall, kids are going to be discouraged when things aren't going their way...but the growing up that these guys did this past week, man, I am so proud of them. And as DD said, the defense that they presented in this game and most of the season is astonishing. Kudos to them!!

 

[alexrgct]

The ladies showed crazy heart last night... They play like that the rest of the way nobody beats them.. Not even Baylor.... They fought the entire game... It wasn't about how many points they could outscore their opponents like in years past. It was all about "the fight in the dog"... UCONN WBB has been reborn....

Agree with this for the most part, but we will need to shoot better from three-point range to beat Baylor. Griner's range on defense makes buckets inside the arc hard to come by. Otherwise, that was a championship-caliber performance.

 

[ktuck911]

Agree with this for the most part, but we will need to shoot better from three-point range to beat Baylor. Griner's range on defense makes buckets inside the arc hard to come by. Otherwise, that was a championship-caliber performance.

Against Baylor our guards will need to OUTPLAY their guards... my opinion... but I won't ellaborate any further... When we meat them (I'm predicting either final four or Nat'l Championship game ) I chime in more...
In the meantime: U - C - O - N - N ... UCONN! UCONN! UCONN!

 

[VAMike23]

Well we certainly can't win games like this without great defense, which was there in spades last night. The defense has been much more consistent for us throughout the year. Maybe one or two games where the intensity wasn't really there, like the first SJ game. And yes, Geno has talked more than once about how he has been pleasantly surprised that this year's team has been able to be so good defensively. And yes, as a #1 seed, defense will be the driver for us to get to another FF.

But once we're in the FF (if we get there like we're capable of), we need something more against the top teams.

We need the aggressive mindset on offense where players aren't tentative, where they not only look for the extra pass but they aren't afraid to make plays and take the initiative instead of waiting for the offense to create a wide open shots 100% of the time or waiting for "someone else" to score. Geno pointed out how we once again slipped back into that mindset during the last 7 minutes of the first half. But for the most part we got the aggressiveness and the fight back in the 2nd half.

This is what was most significant about last night's game, the big step forward that had Geno so tickled in his courtside comments. He loves the great D and commends them for it, but he's been seeing it for awhile. The aggressiveness on the offensive end, with poise, for long stretches when you really need it, against a *top team*? That is something that he really needed to see (so did we), and boy was he happy to see it!! It's this element that they will need in the FF, in addition to the trademark D.

 

[meyers7]

The ladies showed crazy heart last night... .... They fought the entire game...It was all about "the fight in the dog".......

Geno has to be happy. This is what he said has been missing. They just have to hold on to that.

 

[doggydaddy]

Geno has to be happy. This is what he said has been missing. They just have to hold on to that.

I'm sure they will easily advance to the Elite Eight. There is no team outside of the top 10 that can handle UConn's defense.

We will see if they can bring the same intensity and confidence to the last 3 games. Feeling pretty good about that right now.

 

[meyers7]

I'm sure they will easily advance to the Elite Eight. There is no team outside of the top 10 that can handle UConn's defense.

We will see if they can bring the same intensity and confidence to the last 3 games. Feeling pretty good about that right now.

Agreed. If they just play that hard, regardless of the outcome, I'll be happy.

 

[rington]

The ladies showed crazy heart last night... They play like that the rest of the way nobody beats them.. Not even Baylor.... They fought the entire game... It wasn't about how many points they could outscore their opponents like in years past. It was all about "the fight in the dog"... UCONN WBB has been reborn....

"They fought the entire game" is the key. I was waiting for a 2nd half letdown, but they kept it up.

 

[defense]

What a great effort last night (again)!!! I have been saying all season long, the men's team should watch tape of the women's games to see the proper way to play. If they put forth 75% of the women's effort, they would have won 4-6 more games.

 

[trisailin]

I don't know what all of you people are talking about. I've read it right here in the Boneyard that the UCONN coaching staff doesn't know how to teach defense. Our players don't know how nor are they capable of keeping the offensive player in front of them. In fact, I've read it more than once.

Of course, I've found the comments from those posters to be rather offensive so I've chosen not to keep the comment in front of me too. Guess I'm lousy at defense too.

With all that said, last night again showed that defense wins games, offense just determines the margin. When the Huskies shut down the 2nd highest scoring team in WCBB and held them almost 30 points below their average, the Huskies apparently have grabbed onto and internalized Defense wins games.

 

[Tonyc]

Gotta wonder if the selection committee gives Tenn an easy road as this might be Pats last stand. Also gotta wonder how the brackets will set up with Baylor being number 1 seed and who will they face in the FF. Will Tenn be in UConns bracket or ND or Stanford? My feeling is it will look like this.
Tenn will get the easiest 2 seed. Based on their record they should be a 3or4 seed.
Brackets Baylor Stanford/Tenn UConn ND again. A UConn Tenn matchup is what ESPN has been looking for however.......just something to think about.

Next season Tenn will have a new coach and Im betting it will be CV Stringer or Nell Fortner and if CVS gets the job that could mean Tenn UConn at MSG which is what ESPN would love to have.

 

[Icebear]

No one has mentioned that Geno took personal responsibility for the last 3 points scored in the first half. In the presser he, specifically, said that last three were on me.

 

[magic]

I don't know what all of you people are talking about. I've read it right here in the Boneyard that the UCONN coaching staff doesn't know how to teach defense. Our players don't know how nor are they capable of keeping the offensive player in front of them. In fact, I've read it more than once.

Of course, I've found the comments from those posters to be rather offensive so I've chosen not to keep the comment in front of me too. Guess I'm lousy at defense too.

With all that said, last night again showed that defense wins games, offense just determines the margin. When the Huskies shut down the 2nd highest scoring team in WCBB and held them almost 30 points below their average, the Huskies apparently have grabbed onto and internalized Defense wins games.

The defense is Huskies "IDENTITY"! However, without KF daggers, who knows what the final outcome would be. The husky defense kept Irish point total well below average, enabling huskies to have great chance at winning. Putting ball in the basket still wins the game.

 

[Icebear]

And the fact is that our defense may only improve next year. Adding Breanna, Morgan, and Mojo to this great defensive team.

 

[alexrgct]

And the fact is that our defense may only improve next year. Adding Breanna, Morgan, and Mojo to this great defensive team.

Losing Tiff hurts, but the versatility and depth we will have next year will be frightening.

 

[msf22b]

I have never heard Cviv's name being bandied about for the UTENN gig. My god, she's almost 65, doesn't make much sense.

 

[MilfordHusky]

I have never heard Cviv's name being bandied about for the UTENN gig. My god, she's almost 65, doesn't make much sense.

It's Tennessee. Nuff said.

 

[MilfordHusky]

As Geno has said many times this season, he is surprised and happy with how this team has bought into what they have been preaching about defense.

Right now the 2011-12 version of the Huskies are on pace to set the NCAA record for both FG% defense and scoring defense.

The old record for FG% of 30.0 is held by the undefeated NC team of 2009-10. This years team is at 29.9.

The old record of scoring defense of 46.2 is held by that same team. This years team is at 45.7.

It even got better in the BE tournament, with UConn holding the 3 teams to a 27.4 shooting percentage along with a 43.6 average for points allowed.

Defense will drive them to the final four.

They may have to set the NCAA record to grab the NC rings, but I am not counting them out. They played great defense against 3 ranked teams this week. The 2010 team gave up an average of 39 ppg in the BET. The 2009 team gave up an average of 40 ppg in the BET and won each game by 30+. Someone once said that defense wins championships.

 

[Icebear]

Msf, it has been bandied about in some places. not sure how much there is to it. Likely not much.

 

[magic]

Gotta wonder if the selection committee gives Tenn an easy road as this might be Pats last stand. Also gotta wonder how the brackets will set up with Baylor being number 1 seed and who will they face in the FF. Will Tenn be in UConns bracket or ND or Stanford? My feeling is it will look like this.
Tenn will get the easiest 2 seed. Based on their record they should be a 3or4 seed.
Brackets Baylor Stanford/Tenn UConn ND again. A UConn Tenn matchup is what ESPN has been looking for however.......just something to think about.

Next season Tenn will have a new coach and Im betting it will be CV Stringer or Nell Fortner and if CVS gets the job that could mean Tenn UConn at MSG which is what ESPN would love to have.

I personally find it hard to believe that the tournament committee will put Tenn. in Uconn bracket. They have had problems with quick ,guard oriented teams all season. It would be a difficult matchup , and why put the Tenn. program in a situation like that. Much more respect will be shown for PS. I see them #2 in the Stanford bracket.

 

[magical2]

And the fact is that our defense may only improve next year. Adding Breanna, Morgan, and Mojo to this great defensive team.

Ice and alex you are both correct,but the bottomline IMHO is we lose Tiff,but all 3 incoming FR are not only known for their offensive skills,but for being great defenders! We can expect the improvement of the returning players! Kelly being able to defend less at the 4 and more at the 1,2,3! What the VERY ELITE bigs will present defensively along with MO,the net is a really big plus. With a deeper bench that Geno trusts,we can expect added defensive dimensions