Louisville Post-Game Thread

[the Q]

I think we need to relax about the team having a poor shooting 2nd half.

they got a lot of open looks that just wouldn't go down.

I liked seeing Gabby and Pheese and even Gabby and Lou doing some nice 2 man game passing.

 

[Biff]

I'd rather read that than the drumbeat of criticism against Napheesa and Azura.

 

[DefenseBB]

In seeing the full box score, Louisville played 8 players, with one sub, Dana Evan (a freshman #9 recruit) getting 21 minutes. Shook got 5 and Dunham got 9.
Z was 16 and MW was 2.

So Louisville go 35 minutes from the bench to our 18. No wonder our starters were gassed. This is solely on Geno and is why our 3rd/4th quarters were sluggish. Same could be said for our MSU game last year that all the minutes catch up to you.

This is not to start another "we trust Geno's process" dialogue, merely noting I find it interesting that other less accomplished recruits can play key minutes in critical games except for ours. See Crystal Dangerfield, MW and Mikayla vs. Chennedy Carter, Westbrook, Rennia Davis, Hayes and Dana Evans all seem to be doing well.

Z seems to make as many if not more errors than MW ever has so why the leeway? Hopefully with our cupcake end of season games, we see more subbing with our top 8 players together. Not with the full substitution squad of Z, MW, MC, MB and Kyla. Keep the key subs out there with KLS, Gabby, Kia, CD and Pheesa to get flow and dynamics.

 

[wallman]

Why would they take the foot off the gas against Louisville and not Wichita State? I don't buy the"taking the foot off the gas" theory. But I do have to wonder if UCONN can maintain their intensity for 40 minutes after seeing UCF and Louisville both outscore them in the second half. That could cause trouble in the NCAA tourney.

You are comparing apples to oranges. In the Wich St game the minutes are much less and the subs seem to have played one of their best games, nothing remotely like this game.

 

[shizam]

Did anyone find that last-second shot by Durr incredibly low basketball IQ for a player of her caliber? No one was really guarding her with 3 seconds left in the game so she decided to make a gratiuitous basket. Napheesa put up a token defense, Durr made a fancy shot to score but ended up falling on her hip, apparently injuring herself. How silly was that, weeks from the post-season?

Louisville was playing for a moral victory the whole second half. That was the finishing touch

 

[connie]

Why would they take the foot off the gas against Louisville and not Wichita State? I don't buy the"taking the foot off the gas" theory. But I do have to wonder if UCONN can maintain their intensity for 40 minutes after seeing UCF and Louisville both outscore them in the second half. That could cause trouble in the NCAA tourney.

Different games, different circumstances. Against Wichita State, the starters did not have to play nearly so hard defensively in the 1st half. Plus, the shots were falling all over the place. Meanwhile, Louisville played stiffer D mid-way through the 2nd quarter on, and UConn's outside shooting cooled off. Hey; that happens. Can't shoot 70% every night. Against Wichita State, Geno was subbing substantially mid-way into 3rd Q (heck, didn't Kyla go in in the 2ndQ?). We were up by, what? 40 at that time. The starters were getting well-deserved rest against a manifestly inferior team. The bench knew they were going to get lots of floor time. And they did. For whatever reason, they kept up the scoring, while Wichita State went completely cold from the floor.

 

[hoopingcrane]

14 pts 6 rebs 4 assts and 3 steals and that’s a down game I’ll take that a lot of days Napheesa

Not to mention that compared to the much ballyhooed Durr, Phessa shot for a better percentage, had more rebounds, which is expected, but also had more assists and steals.

 

[HuskyNan]

Louisville was playing for a moral victory the whole second half. That was the finishing touch

Why didn’t she take the wide open jump shot?

 

[oldude]

Did anyone find that last-second shot by Durr incredibly low basketball IQ for a player of her caliber? No one was really guarding her with 3 seconds left in the game so she decided to make a gratiuitous basket. Napheesa put up a token defense, Durr made a fancy shot to score but ended up falling on her hip, apparently injuring herself. How silly was that, weeks from the post-season?

I just watched the replay. Durr actually injured her right knee on the play. As soon as she got up she was struggling to put her full weight on it as she walked.

It may be nothing, but then again a potential knee injury is always a major concern.

 

[the Q]

I just watched the replay. Durr actually injured her right knee on the play. As soon as she got up she was struggling to put her full weight on it as she walked.

It may be nothing, but then again a potential knee injury is always a major concern.

was it a knee? It looked like an ankle in real time. A knee would be disastrous

 

[BobbyJ]

Not to mention that compared to the much ballyhooed Durr, Phessa shot for a better percentage, had more rebounds, which is expected, but also had more assists and steals.

Collier is very underrated, even here in the BY by some. She never stops on both ends and competes relentlessly as well as being completely unselfish. As Auriemma said last year, he always knows what he'll get from her.

 

[oldude]

was it a knee? It looked like an ankle in real time. A knee would be disastrous

If you watch the game film, Durr hobbles over to the bench at the end of the game. As the players are all shaking hands, the camera cuts back to Durr who is with either Louisville’s trainer or one of their assistant coaches. She is bent over grabbing her right knee with both hands, flexing it back and forth. It could have been an ankle, but the fact that she was grabbing her knee with both hands leads me to believe that it was her knee.

As I said, it may be nothing, but considering all the knee injuries in WBB, I would be concerned.

 

[easttexastrash]

Not to mention that compared to the much ballyhooed Durr, Phessa shot for a better percentage, had more rebounds, which is expected, but also had more assists and steals.

But then again, Durr was playing against the UCONN defense and Collier was playing against the Louisville defense, so of course Collier is going to have better stats. Plus, Collier had four other AA-caliber players to take the heat off of her.

 

[BobbyJ]

If you watch the game film, Durr hobbles over to the bench at the end of the game. As the players are all shaking hands, the camera cuts back to Durr who is with either Louisville’s trainer or one of their assistant coaches. She is bent over grabbing her right knee with both hands, flexing it back and forth. It could have been an ankle, but the fact that she was grabbing her knee with both hands leads me to believe that it was her knee.

As I said, it may be nothing, but considering all the knee injuries in WBB, I would be concerned.

A few minutes prior to that, Durr came to the bench for a timeout and did the same thing but kept playing. Will be something to monitor this close to tournament time.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

But then again, Durr was playing against the UCONN defense and Collier was playing against the Louisville defense, so of course Collier is going to have better stats. Plus, Collier had four other AA-caliber players to take the heat off of her.

Remind me why you're here ... to keep us grounded?

 

[HuskyNan]

But then again, Durr was playing against the UCONN defense and Collier was playing against the Louisville defense, so of course Collier is going to have better stats. Plus, Collier had four other AA-caliber players to take the heat off of her.

Louisville is supposed to be an elite, championship caliber team with a national POY candidate. Are you saying they're not?

 

[MarlboroughMike]

If you watch the game film, Durr hobbles over to the bench at the end of the game. As the players are all shaking hands, the camera cuts back to Durr who is with either Louisville’s trainer or one of their assistant coaches. She is bent over grabbing her right knee with both hands, flexing it back and forth. It could have been an ankle, but the fact that she was grabbing her knee with both hands leads me to believe that it was her knee.

As I said, it may be nothing, but considering all the knee injuries in WBB, I would be concerned.

At the end of the game, Durr had the ball in her hands and looked over at Walz with a "what do you want me to do" look. He gave her the go-get-it sign. The last basket attempt was on Walz, not Durr.

 

[Mlb0814]

More of the ticky tacky calls went against UConn while Huskies took some hard shots that weren't called. Seems to becoming so typical it doesn't even get Geno excited anymore. I used to enjoy watching CD hold him back.

I disagree, Geno was vocal a few times and when a call was finally made against a player who was guarding Lou, Geno remarked that “she was getting fouled every damn time” or something to that effect. One fall and that ankle is even worse so I think he’s trying to keep that from happening without sacrificing her playing time and leadership on the floor.

 

[easttexastrash]

Louisville is supposed to be an elite, championship caliber team with a national POY candidate. Are you saying they're not?

They’re good but they’re no UCONN. So the answer is no, they are not a championship caliber team. IMO, they’re are three teams that have a chance at a championship.

 

[CocoHusky]

They’re good but they’re no UCONN. So the answer is no, they are not a championship caliber team. IMO, they’re are three teams that have a chance at a championship.

Which 3?

 

[j66kicker]

Which 3?

Mississippi State, UConn & Notre Dame

 

[easttexastrash]

All UCONN needs at this point is a tasty morsel of an AAC opponent to feast on. No more challenges left until the regional final or first game in the FF.

 

[LoTrader]

Mississippi State, UConn & Notre Dame

I agree with this list, and may add UCLA if they go through this weekend with victories at Oregon State, and, at Oregon.

 

[HuskyNan]

All UCONN needs at this point is a tasty morsel of an AAC opponent to feast on. No more challenges left until the regional final or first game in the FF.

Yes, Temple isn't nearly as scary as Kansas.

Still have USF left on the schedule.

 

[paisan]

Lou was once again terrific. Getting fouled constantly . A mystery how a referee can be staring at Lou having her shooting hand slapped away on a three , the ball falling 10 ft short and no call. After the first quarter Louisville started fouling her so much that the refs stopped calling it. So many no calls and also no comments from the ESPN staff.