John A.: Does UConn have enough to win title? Geno says yes

[pap49cba]

But Auriemma senses something is missing, something that occasionally shows itself in the way the team approaches games.

“We need to do some things. Our margin of error is way smaller than it was last year,” Auriemma said. “Can we win, do we have the players and make-up to win? Yes. But so do three or four other teams. But if Kaleena doesn’t come back and we have exactly who we have today I would tell you that our chances would not be as great as they were when we played Stanford [Nov. 11].”

LINK

 

[xHunt3r]

With the way Bria is closing out the regular season I don't think those "three or four other teams" have a chance... with or without Kaleena playing. Especially when you add on top of that the confidence Moriah has been playing with. Remember Stafford didn't ever guard her most of the game. It would be ridiculous to do that now....

 

[trisailin]

John says: "...., attention will soon turn to the top priorities of winning ACC and NCAA titles."

It's going to be really really impressive to win the ACC title when the team is in the AAC. But if any team can do it, UCONN can.

 

[HoopsFan21]

With the way Bria is closing out the regular season I don't think those "three or four other teams" have a chance... with or without Kaleena playing. Especially when you add on top of that the confidence Moriah has been playing with. Remember Stafford didn't ever guard her most of the game. It would be ridiculous to do that now....

This team can lose games, let's not get silly. Even UConn for as good as they are once you take away enough players the chances of losing go up. If they play like they did yesterday at Louisville, they will lose. I watched them lose to St. John's at home not so long ago.

 

[watanabe]

We don't know yet how they can fight back from being behind in the second half. Will they rise, or get disorientated?
We may see this situation. I'm hoping for a warriors response.

 

[doggydaddy]

This team can lose games, let's not get silly. Even UConn for as good as they are once you take away enough players the chances of losing go up. If they play like they did yesterday at Louisville, they will lose. I watched them lose to St. John's at home not so long ago.

And which players were on that team that lost to SJU?

I was waiting for someone to use that cliche "if they play like they did......they will lose to......". Sorry, but that is so bogus.

Any team can lose. Not sure this one will.

 

[HGN]

I agree with Geno, UConn does have enough to win it all..........But the other teams have to have a not so good night. ND is very good. And if they bring their 'A' game UConn will have a lot of trouble winning. And if both teams bring their 'A' game , I will give a small edge to ND because of their longer and deeper bench.... Baylor has a good team also. But they also rely totally on one player.

There will be over 60 teams vying for the NC at the NCAA Tournament. Some are playing for glory and attention. Some are just happy to be there. But there are some like UConn , ND , Stanford , Baylor , Md., Louisville , Tenn., and others that are truly playing because they think they can win it all. Only time will tell to see if they truly have enough.

But I still give an edge to this UConn team because they have the experience of FF's and winning the last NC. And thus they know what it takes to win it. Only Baylor can make such a claim over the last 4 years.

 

[Tenspro2002]

John says: "...., attention will soon turn to the top priorities of winning ACC and NCAA titles."

It's going to be really really impressive to win the ACC title when the team is in the AAC. But if any team can do it, UCONN can.

We've already beaten Maryland and Duke. After we take down Notre Dame, they'll have to give us at least an honorary ACC championship.

 

[doggydaddy]

I will give a small edge to ND because of their longer and deeper bench.

That is a myth. Unless you think Lewis won't be back for the final four, when they would meet, it's just not true.

 

[HoopsFan21]

I agree with Geno, UConn does have enough to win it all.....But the other teams have to have a not so good night. ND is very good. And if they bring their 'A' game UConn will have a lot of trouble winning. And if both teams bring their 'A' game , I will give a small edge to ND because of their longer and deeper bench.... Baylor has a good team also. But they also rely totally on one player.

There will be over 60 teams vying for the NC at the NCAA Tournament. Some are playing for glory and attention. Some are just happy to be there. But there are some like UConn , ND , Stanford , Baylor , Md., Louisville , Tenn., and others that are truly playing because they think they can win it all. Only time will tell to see if they truly have enough.

But I still give an edge to this UConn team because they have the experience of FF's and winning the last NC. And thus they know what it takes to win it. Only Baylor can make such a claim over the last 4 years.

It's not going to be easy, that's for sure. Like Geno said on his show, how can you claim this team is better when you take last year's team and remove Faris, Tuck, and Mosqueda-Lewis and replace them with Saniya Chong? As usual Coach is right.

 

[doggydaddy]

It's not going to be easy, that's for sure. Like Geno said on his show, how can you claim this team is better when you take last year's team and remove Faris, Tuck, and Mosqueda-Lewis and replace them with Saniya Chong? As usual Coach is right.

How? Well, Tuck was not a major contributor, KML is not gone yet and the improvement in Jefferson, Stewart and Hartley help.

I don't know about better, but they look as good as last year.

 

[huskybill]

With the way Bria is closing out the regular season I don't think those "three or four other teams" have a chance... with or without Kaleena playing. Especially when you add on top of that the confidence Moriah has been playing with. Remember Stafford didn't ever guard her most of the game. It would be ridiculous to do that now....

Thank goodness for saying that. I respect Geno's judgment of course, but nowhere as much as I respect yours.

 

[DrewDog85]

Hey Geno says exactly what Mikey DiMauro said in his column!!! Once again DiMauro shoots and scores!! he's got Sportswriters ESP!!! How come everyone slams the humble sportswriter when he says the same thing Geno say two days later?? Apologies are due!

 

[Icebear]

Hey Geno says exactly what Mikey DiMauro said in his column!!! Once again DiMauro shoots and scores!! he's got Sportswriters ESP!!! How come everyone slams the humble sportswriter when he says the same thing Geno say two days later?? Apologies are due!

Not quite the same. In fact significantly different.

 

[Tonyc]

And which players were on that team that lost to SJU?

I was waiting for someone to use that cliche "if they play like they did.they will lose to.". Sorry, but that is so bogus.

Any team can lose. Not sure this one will.

I have to say it and we heard it the other nite. The team did not get up for the Houston game and didn't look like they were up for the SMU game last nite. They will be up for RU and LVille and then we will see. Most teams would lose both those games with players like KML and Tuck out. Lets see where UConn is right now in the season. This will be a good measuring stick. For those who think UConn will lose to LVille I hope this game changes your minds. Again and again its all about defense and making plays. Foul Trouble and Injuries can hurt any team and can hurt UConn. We already have the injuries lets see how the fouls go. I expect LVille to come out banging UConn and nothing gets called but touch fouls.

 

[JoePgh]

Hey Geno says exactly what Mikey DiMauro said in his column!!! Once again DiMauro shoots and scores!! he's got Sportswriters ESP!!! How come everyone slams the humble sportswriter when he says the same thing Geno say two days later?? Apologies are due!

This post caused the needle on my Sarcasm Detection Meter to redline. I assume that was an accurate reading; if it was not, then (to cite John McEnroe's frequent comment to tennis officials) "You CANNOT be serious!!!"

 

[doggydaddy]

This post caused the needle on my Sarcasm Detection Meter to redline. I assume that was an accurate reading; if it was not, then (to cite John McEnroe's frequent comment to tennis officials) "You CANNOT be serious!!!"

Drewdog is D'mauro's lapdog.

 

[huskybill]

That is a myth. Unless you think Lewis won't be back for the final four, when they would meet, it's just not true.

I can't believe that you've been to Nashville to measure the benches. I have been told by an unreliable source the Muffet has requested a longer bench.

 

[doggydaddy]

I can't believe that you've been to Nashville to measure the benches. I have been told by an unreliable source the Muffet has requested a longer bench.

No, she requested a longer skirt.

 

[meyers7]

ND is very good. And if they bring their 'A' game UConn will have a lot of trouble winning. And if both teams bring their 'A' game , I will give a small edge to ND because of their longer and deeper bench....

Ummmm, no. No. no.

If UCONN brings it's 'A' game (assuming no other injuries than we presently have, yes KML, Tuck out) no one beats them. Now, if UCONN doesn't bring their 'A' game, then yes there are a couple teams that have a shot at beating them, if those teams bring their 'A', 'B+' game.

If Hartley, Dolson, Stewart and Jefferson are 'on', ain't nobody gonna beat them. (doesn't matter who the 5/6/7th players are OR who the other team has, at least this year)

 

[Henry]

But Auriemma senses something is missing, something that occasionally shows itself in the way the team approaches games.

“We need to do some things. Our margin of error is way smaller than it was last year,” Auriemma said. “Can we win, do we have the players and make-up to win? Yes. But so do three or four other teams. But if Kaleena doesn’t come back and we have exactly who we have today I would tell you that our chances would not be as great as they were when we played Stanford [Nov. 11].”

LINK

Sometimes he wears his worries on his sleeve. Hopefully, he doesn't dwell on the decreased depth or injuries to the players. Otherwise, they may feel like, "hey, I better not get hurt". That would effect their approach to the game. That said, I did see bodies flying last night and people diving to the floor.

 

[HoopsFan21]

Ummmm, no. No. no.

If UCONN brings it's 'A' game (assuming no other injuries than we presently have, yes KML, Tuck out) no one beats them. Now, if UCONN doesn't bring their 'A' game, then yes there are a couple teams that have a shot at beating them, if those teams bring their 'A', 'B+' game.

If Hartley, Dolson, Stewart and Jefferson are 'on', ain't nobody gonna beat them. (doesn't matter who the 5/6/7th players are OR who the other team has, at least this year)

What if Dolson, Stewart, or Hartley get into foul trouble? What if a certain ref is in Louisville Monday Night and Dolson is forced to start the game with two fouls? If it's a close game late do you really want the game left in the hands of the refs or Chong/Banks/Stokes? This is where you really miss having Mosqueda-Lewis and then someone like Tuck, one of the top players in her class, despite some downplaying her contributions to this team. I'm not too worried about Rutgers, but Louisville can be a tough opponent with their physical style of play.

 

[Buzzyboy]

I agree with Geno, UConn does have enough to win it all.....But the other teams have to have a not so good night. ND is very good. And if they bring their 'A' game UConn will have a lot of trouble winning. And if both teams bring their 'A' game , I will give a small edge to ND because of their longer and deeper bench.... Baylor has a good team also. But they also rely totally on one player.

There will be over 60 teams vying for the NC at the NCAA Tournament. Some are playing for glory and attention. Some are just happy to be there. But there are some like UConn , ND , Stanford , Baylor , Md., Louisville , Tenn., and others that are truly playing because they think they can win it all. Only time will tell to see if they truly have enough.

But I still give an edge to this UConn team because they have the experience of FF's and winning the last NC. And thus they know what it takes to win it. Only Baylor can make such a claim over the last 4 years.

What I'm thinking is that it's impossible for Notre Dame and UConn to both play their "A" game since a big part of UConn's "A" game is stifling their opponents with their defense. Thus it can't happen that Notre Dame could play their "A" game offensively because UConn's defense would be stifling them. UConn for a long time has been ultra successful as a result of their ability to play on the defensive side of the ball, even if their shots aren't dropping. The biggest example of that was in the National Championship game a few years back when they only scored something like 15 points in the first half. Their offense was horrid but as a result of what the defense did to stop or slow down Stanford, the gap that UConn had to come back from was somewhat manageable, particularly with Maya Moore. Result, UConn won another title!

 

[meyers7]

What if Dolson, Stewart, or Hartley get into foul trouble?

Then they are not bringing their 'A' game. Again, if those 4 play their 'A' game....nobody in WCBB is beating them this year.

 

[pap49cba]

Any bets on whether Dee Kantner is in the house on Monday?