Louisville Postgame Thread

[The deacon]

Caroline continues to look like KLS to me in many tangible ways.

As a big KLS fan, I'd tend to agree, but I believe Caroline has a better handle and is a more versatile offensive threat than KLS was at UConn.

 

[Skeets]

I almost never blame the refs, but there was 1 horrendously bad charge call against UConn in the paint (Ducharme or Dorka?) rather late in the game when the defender (In my opinion) was clearly inside the circle where no charges are called. I was at the game, so I didn't have the benefit of any replay. Anyone who watched on ESPN, who seen a replay indicating, one way or other, please chime in. This could have changed the complexion of the game. It was real close at that point

 

[The deacon]

On Amari.
Coach touts her after practices.
Great footwork- great back to basket player- incredible potential.
Game time - he ghosts her.
Is he blowing smoke?
Can she swim?
Throw her in the damn pool.

Truly said, Stymie. We can only hope that as all that he had said about Dorka and Caroline has been borne out, hopefully Amari's turn will come soon!

 

[Huskee11]

Disappointed by the loss (I was at the game) but I was totally impressed by Caroline.

1. She is a good ballhandler, especially for a small forward.

2. She has a great motor.

3. Savvy inside moves around the basket, and clever eurostep-type moves getting to the basket. She has been well coached and has likely spent hours on end working on those things. Quick enough.

4. Range from deep and a quick release. Her height and fairly high, quick release allow her to get shots off even when closely guarded. She will usually have a height advantage on her defender, as she did tonight.

5. Solid defender and rebounder.

The Louisville guards are very good defensively. Maybe the best we will see all season. Christyn and Evina had difficulties trying to get by them and in getting shots off. Caroline fared much better.

There are any number of ways of looking at the state of affairs here. I am not as critical as some here are on the play of the seniors today. We were basically playing with six against a very deep team ranked sixth in the country.

I am starting to think that this season might end up being very, very interesting.

 

[Lynx23]

I was at the game today and agree with many of the posts, but I’ll focus on the very positive. I saw a Freshman take over the game in the 4th quarter and try to will the team to victory. By the end of the game my wife and I wanted CD to take ALL of the shots. She wants the ball; got a bit of DT in her, maybe a lot. Love Dorka, who tries so hard and continues to improve. I observed Geno talking to her quite a bit on the sideline, and Chris Dailey as well. I also saw something I’d never seen before. She put her arm around Geno as they were discussing her play on the sideline. They clearly have a good relationship and I’m sure her effort has a lot to do with it. Overall it was a gritty effort against a Louisville team that couldn’t seem to miss at times. Everything went in. Very frustrating after good defensive play. Unfortunately, some players looked lost on offense, often dribbling into a corner or otherwise not seeming to know what to do with the ball. Enough said. We’ll get them next time with a healthy UCONN should we meet again. Oh, one more thing. We happened to be dining in an Italian restaurant at Mohegan Sun the night before the game when Geno and Jeff Walz sauntered in with their respective families and dined together. Obviously good friends.

 

[todbo]

Louisville bench played 75 minutes. UConn bench 19. One UConn starter (ONO) played under 35 minutes. Fresh legs matter.

 

[Vowelguy]

I almost never blame the refs, but there was 1 horrendously bad charge call against UConn in the paint (Ducharme or Dorka?) rather late in the game when the defender (In my opinion) was clearly inside the circle where no charges are called. I was at the game, so I didn't have the benefit of any replay. Anyone who watched on ESPN, who seen a replay indicating, one way or other, please chime in. This could have changed the complexion of the game. It was real close at that point

i think I know the play and in my quick look at the replay the defender was OUT of the circle

 

[Papa33]

The problem is not the loss. the problem is the abysmal performances from the seniors.

It's not the loss, it's the way the players counted upon have given up.

Sorry, I object to the charge that the seniors "have given up." Not meeting your expectations, OK, but this is the second comment I've read in this post Louisville comments that go over the line into character assassination. Please stop that.

 

[Papa33]

Louisville bench played 75 minutes. UConn bench 19. One UConn starter (ONO) played under 35 minutes. Fresh legs matter.

In this instance, quite a few legs were not dressed to play.

 

[Cuango]

While all three of the seniors underperformed in a game that could easily have been won, I was least disappointed with Liv as she at least played hard and seemed to be trying to make the right plays. Evina just didn’t seem fully committed today and, is not a natural (or very good) distributor, and seems to be unable to play well for an entire game. Of course, she is carrying the load of running the team right now. I love Christyn and am not trying to be mean, but she has to be the most disappointing and perplexing top ranked player I have ever seen! I am referring only to her play on the court as she seems to be a very good, kind, and decent human being. However, as a player, she has simply been unable to live up to even the most moderate expectations of a number 1 ranked player coming out of high school! She is maddeningly inconsistent, cannot create her own shot, doesn’t make other players better, seems to have little or no situational awareness, and rarely, if ever, steps up in “back to the wall” moments! Again, I know this is pretty harsh, but that is the conclusion that I have (reluctantly) come to with regards to her play at UConn! Unfortunately, I think this is what we can expect for the rest of this year. If Paige, Azzi, Nika, and (fingers crossed) Aubrey come back full strength in time, we may still have a puncher’s chance this year. Otherwise, we should just sit back, watch (hopefully) our three freshmen and Piath get comfortable and hope for the best! Next year, I truly believe we are headed for a different level and the rest of women’s college basketball are going to see a return to the “old” UConn. Be afraid! Be very afraid!

Let this be a lesson to Geno.

On Amari.
Coach touts her after practices.
Great footwork- great back to basket player- incredible potential.
Game time - he ghosts her.
Is he blowing smoke?
Can she swim?
Throw her in the damn pool.

Pretty sure she’ll start playing more minutes as we go into conference play! He was actually trying to win this game. Go figure!

 

[Rb335]

Even Geno was too negative after this game. They made their 3 pointers. We didn't. End of game right there. We should have played Edwards more and given our guards more rest. If you look at South Carolina, not a single player has played more than 28 minutes a game on average. We have 4 players averaging around 30-37 minutes. Our players are gassed in the 4th quarter. Their bench outscored ours because our bench didn't play. They are all trying their best. Van Lith played behind Azzi and Caitlan Clark in USA basketball. She's a talent. It's not like Louisville were slouches.

While true, we basically have no bench. We had 8 healthy players today, 5 of whom probably prefer to play Center. For the time being, CW, EW, and CD are going to log huge minutes, because there are no other options. You can get away with playing 5 guards, but you can't get away with playing 5 posts.

Unrelated to your post, but I understand the frustration with the seniors. But calling for CW and EW to hit the bench is just nonsense. Who is going to come in for them right now? We already have zero shooting on the floor. I don't think bringing in AE for extended stretches is going to help that.

 

[Skeets]

i think I know the play and in my quick look at the replay the defender was OUT of the circle

OK, I'll take your word for it. In real time it looked like the defender was under the basket, inside the circle. If you are right, I stand corrected. One of the problems of not having replays...

 

[Cuango]

In this instance, quite a few legs were not dressed to play.

Funny how many games Geno has won with “tired legs”!

 

[Argonaut]

I don't think it's "the team" which has gotten better. Williams hasn't; ONO hasn't; Edwards hasn't. CD has stepped up, as has Dorka. But the "team" has not improved its overall play.

It takes all five people on the court to make it happen, so, yes, the team has gotten better. Did everyone have a stellar individual performance? Nope. But has the team’s combined performance gotten better over the past three games? Yes.

Maybe this is my inner lifelong Cincinnati Bengals fan talking, but if you don’t love them when they’re down, you don’t deserve them when they’re good.

And hey, if you’re quick, I hear there may be some room left on Dawn’s bandwagon.

 

[and one]

This was a game that we coulda/shoulda won. All things considered, which are thoroughly addressed in this thread, the outcome was less than I hoped and better than I feared. If Louisville cools just a little from the 3 arc we win. Pretty good for a very depleted healthy roster. I hope that in a few years time this game will be chiefly remembered as the one in which CD made her case that the team is much better with her on the floor.

 

[Glenn]

I was disappointed with the loss. Our women played hard, but were a bit unlucky. E was 0-5 from three and CD was 3-9, while Louisville was 8-15, 53% compared to their usual 35%. I find it very disheartening reading the the attacks on the character of our players, by the mob here. Perhaps we need to tighten the rules, allowing criticism of the quality of play, but not of the character of the players.

 

[PAHuskeyFan]

I was disappointed with the loss. Our women played hard, but were a bit unlucky. E was 0-5 from three and CD was 3-9, while Louisville was 8-15, 53% compared to their usual 35%. I find it very disheartening reading the the attacks on the character of our players, by the mob here. Perhaps we need to tighten the rules, allowing criticism of the quality of play, but not of the character of the players.

I agree, the attacks on players is unnecessary. Too many " she didn't care"...or "..wasn't trying"... and so on. I am confident they all tried, and tried hard, to win. Yes, they got worn down being short of reserve guards, but to say they don't care, or didn't try is just wrong. We are a spoiled fan base.

 

[Cuango]

I think if the seniors, especially CW can’t show her mettle now when we are decimated by injury, and you get outplayed by a freshman on your own team, I don’t think anyone will have any problems if Geno plays Azzi and Caroline more minutes over CW.

It’s not that we (the fans) have a problem with the young players getting some (or a lot) of CW’s minutes, but rather imo that it’s hard for Geno to bench her. Geno is extremely loyal to his seniors and (I believe) is having a very hard time with this situation. Of course, with all the injuries to the guards, it’s really a moot point anyway. He has no one to put in for her!

 

[Cuango]

I was disappointed with the loss. Our women played hard, but were a bit unlucky. E was 0-5 from three and CD was 3-9, while Louisville was 8-15, 53% compared to their usual 35%. I find it very disheartening reading the the attacks on the character of our players, by the mob here. Perhaps we need to tighten the rules, allowing criticism of the quality of play, but not of the character of the players.

Perhaps you could point out the “character attacks”? All I saw were referring to their play. I may have missed them but I believe I read the entire thread. I’m also unsure how going 0 for 5 (not to pick on E) has anything to do with “luck”? I doubt seriously that there is a single (trolls excluded) “Boneyard” member who thinks any one of our players (especially our seniors) lacks character or is anything but a decent, kind, and morally upright human being!

 

[Twolf]

I don’t consider this game a moral victory. If our seniors showed up and played well but lost to a better team, then I would call it moral victory. But if they showed up today against a good not great Louisville team, it would have been an outright victory.

How does CW just disappear like this?

We don’t take advantage of opponents weaknesses. When Louisville puts 4 short players, why not get our 3 bigs in there and get the ball inside? That’s where our mismatches were.

Just as an aside, what do those mismatches look like on the other end of the floor? You did notice that AE was having to guard Van Lith on defense, right? I agree that Louisville is a good, but not great team, but imo there is currently only 1 great team in the country.
How does CW disappear? One reason is that you play basketball in V’s and not in circles, and many times her dribbling is in circles, or as one of the best coaches I was ever around put it- when you put the ball on the floor it better take you somewhere. If I’m not mistaken the only time she scored in the 2nd half was when she was left alone due to a miscommunication by the Louisville defense, and if you read her body language on offense her biggest question was who am I going to pass to, not how can I challenge the defense. I saw posts in this thread where she was accused of quitting, which I don’t think is the case, I just think she doesn’t trust herself to make plays. The best players are never afraid to fail, & want the ball in no one else’s hands at game point. We have one of those, who happens to be unavailable at the current time.

JMO

 

[UCONNRPh]

The silver lining is that with Caroline getting these minutes against tough teams, we will be a much different team IF Paige can come back this year and not miss a beat. It’s a big IF. So I do like our chances of Azzi and Caroline amd Paige are on the floor with Dorka and Liv. AE, Westbrook, CW, Aubrey, Deberry coming off the bench. This is even against South Carolina.

Nika too

 

[BostonBay]

I think that Dorka was fouled on both of her bunnies near the basket, but the refs didn't call them. Many times in the game the Louisville players were pushing with their arms in the back of the UConn posts and the refs seemed to let them get away with it.

Agree. UConn Bigs could do a much better job "selling" their fouls. They seem to be a bit out of control or falling backwards, which makes it harder for the refs to give them a call or a Plus-One. I dont mean they should turn into a European soccer team, but this goes back to their technique attacking the post.

 

[Oracle9]

I like your analysis--yes, CD has it all but most importantly, she is fearless--did you see her work for her shots in crunch time--she has what several of our upper classmen lack and she is developing very quickly out of necessity. due to the injuries, but it's going to pay big dividends. I have completely moved on from CW--her inconsistency and lapses in judgement that produce stupid turnovers (like the critical one in crunch time) plague us so, and have made me have a nihilist's view of her: I expect nothing therefore I am never disappointed by her...

While I don't like being too hypercritical (considering the circumstances of the team), I have to agree with your take. Piggybacking off your post, I also want to add -I don't think some of our expectations are unrealistic, farfetched or being spoiled as some have indicated on the forum. For certain players who have played for 4 years and have more or less seen a myriad of offensive and defensive sets over their tenure, played in two different conferences under a extremely detailed oriented system and coach - they've played a lot of basketball. Again not bashing anyone, but there has to be some level of advancement in one's game given these experiences. To see the floor and create shots for yourself or be able to make adjustments when needed without the coach having to tell you. GA has always made a point of involved senior leadership I surmise as a character and decision making development strategy. While I have appreciation for every effort from our more "experienced" players - sometimes, it is just what it is. As @tchall1 stated we will be less disappointed if we just accept that they just don't have "it". Yes we have a lot of talent, but talent takes you only so far there are other intangibles that some are missing and that is Just the facts. Just saying.

 

[BostonBay]

CD is definitely on a short list for Freshman of the Year. Her basketball IQ is off the charts with so few games played. Great wing play on both ends so far. She can score and defend outside & inside. Geno got a good one.