LSU Game Thread

[Kaizen]

We're spoiled

If every player played as we expected,
It is not good for the other teams and the women basketball.

 

[Charliebball]

Glad the team won but growing concerned over the continued foul problems for Gabby and Napheesa..........can get away with it vs. LSU but it will eventually come back and bite em

 

[MilfordHusky]

Interesting the team has been calling Azura Stewie light! And Geno went on to say Stevens will be the #1 draft pick in 2019.

We're adding Azura and Meg. I don't care who Tennessee is adding; I like our group.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Actually, what Geno was quoted as saying is that she will be the #1 pick in 2019 IF she completes her eligibility by playing in Storrs in 2018-19.

Which means that even Geno is acknowledging that her playing in a Husky uniform for two years is less than a certainty. Not really big news, but it is the first time in my recollection that he has alluded to the possibility that she might go pro after only one year.

Yes, Natalie, Azura, and/or Batouly could leave early.

Azura is a major talent, but she really should spend as much time with Geno as possible. It will pay dividends down the road.

 

[MilfordHusky]

A win is a win, but I would grade the overall performance of this game a C+. I thought Collier, Williams and Butler were non-factors today. KLS shot the ball well from the 3 but overall the team struggled offensively. No flow to the 1/2 court offense. I'm sure they will continue to work on their offense at practice. The team always works hard on the defensive side of the ball and does the best they can for a vertically challenged team. We will struggle against teams with quick guards because KLS, Kia, and Chong aren't overly quick. I think UConn will need to rely on zone defense a lot this season due to the lack of quickness. The freshman getting playing time was a plus because they will be needed a lot later in the season. You can see they get confused a lot and aren't sure where to be, and what to do, on offense and on defense. Dangerfield can score, now she needs to work on playing strong defense and running the offense. Her development will be key for later in the year. The other two freshmen are coming along, which is good to see because they also will be needed to spell the starters and play some minutes this season. I guess Geno is correct in saying that every game this season will be a struggle. However, I will say this, the games are certainly a lot more entertaining from a competition stand point this season. It should be fun to watch.

I was thinking B-/C+.

What I liked: Lou's shot and rebounds; 3-point shooting and FT shooting for the team; Kia's 8 assists; Gabby's 10 boards; Crystal growing (figuratively).

What I didn't like: half-court offense inside the arc against the zone; too many dribbles into traffic; Gabby in foul trouble; giving up too many O boards, as against FSU; too slow to loose balls.

 

[j66kicker]

What I like: 3-0, double-digit win over #2 Baylor, some discussion if we will be #1 tomorrow, 20+ "ugly" beat-down of LSU (if it was ugly for us, how do you think it was for THEM??). All the b*tching about the team's play after 3 games - ha. We will be SOOO much better later on when it counts. I think we got this.

 

[BigBird]

It's just really hard for Bent and Irwin to match up with the athleticism at this level.

Hard, yes. But they gave a good account of themselves. Their experience gained today will help them play better as they move forward.

 

[bags27]

Yes, it was ugly, but some worried that it might be a let-down/trap game, and it wasn't. UConn played away against a 3-0 team and after the first quarter it was never in doubt. Sports are never linear: people don't continuously improve, and often repeat mistakes from the past. Crystal managed to make 6 turn-overs which might be a good thing in the long run; Lou got her stroke back; and Kia probably got some confidence. Other than that, so long as the girls get to class on time tomorrow, it's all copacetic.

 

[Carnac]

Well that's the problem right there.....confusion reigns.

This is why I like to wait until they've played 5 games before I make or draw any conclusions. 1 or 2 games (especially) at the beginning of the season is insufficient to make an intelligent/informed assessment of a team's achievement level or potential.

I give you the Tennessee Lady Vols as an example. It took 4 games for their weaknesses to be exposed.

 

[BigBird]

Too much sloppy play. Twenty turnovers. It needs to be cleaned up before DePaul and especially Notre Dame.

I enjoyed watching the Huskies today, and I think they worked hard and held healthy leads throughout.

But it is ALSO true, in my opinion, that if UConn played ND <today> it wouldn't end well for our favorites. ND makes a team pay for turning the ball over. They hit the boards hard, and they run a very good fast break.

 

[UcMiami]

OK - lots of moaning and groaning. My take - 21 free throws - with one being Lou's four point play - that means there were about 8 two point shots, mostly runners or lay-ups where the the uconn player was clobbered and could not make the basket (there were a couple of bonus fouls on the floor to account for the other 4 free throws.) LSU did not have the talent to play Uconn straight up so they played a very physical, SEC kind of style - every cutter was pinball through the lane, there was a lot of clutching and bumping outside as well, and only some of those 'fouls' were called.

LSU also played a sagging defense which clogged up any attempts to get passes inside, and led to a lot of wide open threes - 14 of which Uconn nailed at a 53% clip. With the threes (42 pts.) and the free throws accounting for 60 points out of the 76 total scored - 79%. You don't see that very often!

The freshman played 53 minutes in this game (yes, Dangerfield is a freshman) and accounted for 50% of the turnovers - 10. You play freshman, they are going to make mistakes, and they did. It was a good run for them, and they didn't look lost out there, and they had some nice plays. But they also made lots of mistakes.

Butler didn't have a great game, but this is the type of team she is going to struggle with - short, quackish, and pesky. She did really well against the trees of Baylor and the larger FSU, but LSU just isn't the type of team she is going to find easy. One of the reasons we saw as much as we did of Irwin in that while she would be lost against Baylor, LSU is an easier match-up.

Good things - Kia had a great game - don't see many comments about that. 4-8 shooting, 8 assists and a 4.0 A/TO. Hope she has turned the corner and can relax into her game from here on out.

Lou was on fire - new career high and she is now at .522 on her threes. She also led the team in rebounds mirroring Colliers first game.

Bad things - Gabby with four and Napheesa with 5 fouls - if they don't get this cleaned up, it may bite us down the line. Gabby particularly is committing an average of about two STUPID fouls each game, usually charges, but with a hopeless 'over the back' rebounding foul thrown in occasionally. The two of them committed 53% of the fouls - the rest were evenly spread across all the rest of the team with Natalie the only one with more than 1 (she had 2.)

On Edit - credit to LSU for muddying up the passing lanes and having quick hands - they got there hands on a lot of balls. Not all the turnovers were bad passes, some of then were really good defensive plays.

 

[Carnac]

Really ugly 1st quarter, obviously got a lot better in the 2nd. I know it's easy to criticize the shot selection when all the 3's aren't going in, but honestly I thought most of the ones they missed were in rhythm and just weren't falling. They're falling now, and UConn's up to 8-for-16 from 3-point range at the half.

Congrats to Kyla for her first couple college points! I thought she looked pretty good when she was in there. Plays hard, runs the floor hard, clearly a smart player who knows where she's supposed to be defensively, etc.

Great to see Kia knock down a couple long shots (and dish out 5 assists in the first half). Gabby in early foul trouble again; that's going to have to stop. Lou's shot is coming around, and Crystal is doing Crystal things again.

Jumbo, we saw the same game. I'll pickup where you stopped.

Kia is having a slow start to begin the season. Her shots are not falling, but her defense remains stellar. Crystal is developing a pattern of bringing instant points and energy into the game when she comes in. To say Geno trusts her now is an understatement. Another commented that perhaps Crystal should start instead of Kia, just until her offense comes around. It was also suggested that Natalie start and play her the first 4 minutes of the game, then bring Gabby in, as she continues to find herself in early foul trouble.

Uncon fans enjoyed a game today that was similar to those of last year, a 23 point mov win. Lou, Collier and a rookie freshman have been the players that have been steady for Geno through 4 games. Most of us were not surprised that Chong started today. Some thought Dangerfield would get the nod.

 

[MJL243]

OK - lots of moaning and groaning. My take - 21 free throws - with one being Lou's four point play - that means there were about 8 two point shots, mostly runners or lay-ups where the the uconn player was clobbered and could not make the basket (there were a couple of bonus fouls on the floor to account for the other 4 free throws.) LSU did not have the talent to play Uconn straight up so they played a very physical, SEC kind of style - every cutter was pinball through the lane, there was a lot of clutching and bumping outside as well, and only some of those 'fouls' were called.

LSU also played a sagging defense which clogged up any attempts to get passes inside, and led to a lot of wide open threes - 14 of which Uconn nailed at a 53% clip. With the threes (42 pts.) and the free throws accounting for 60 points out of the 76 total scored - 79%. You don't see that very often!

The freshman played 53 minutes in this game (yes, Dangerfield is a freshman) and accounted for 50% of the turnovers - 10. You play freshman, they are going to make mistakes, and they did. It was a good run for them, and they didn't look lost out there, and they had some nice plays. But they also made lots of mistakes.

Butler didn't have a great game, but this is the type of team she is going to struggle with - short, quackish, and pesky. She did really well against the trees of Baylor and the larger FSU, but LSU just isn't the type of team she is going to find easy. One of the reasons we saw as much as we did of Irwin in that while she would be lost against Baylor, LSU is an easier match-up.

Good things - Kia had a great game - don't see many comments about that. 4-8 shooting, 8 assists and a 4.0 A/TO. Hope she has turned the corner and can relax into her game from here on out.

Lou was on fire - new career high and she is now at .522 on her threes. She also led the team in rebounds mirroring Colliers first game.

Bad things - Gabby with four and Napheesa with 5 fouls - if they don't get this cleaned up, it may bite us down the line. Gabby particularly is committing an average of about two STUPID fouls each game, usually charges, but with a hopeless 'over the back' rebounding foul thrown in occasionally. The two of them committed 53% of the fouls - the rest were evenly spread across all the rest of the team with Natalie the only one with more than 1 (she had 2.)

On Edit - credit to LSU for muddying up the passing lanes and having quick hands - they got there hands on a lot of balls. Not all the turnovers were bad passes, some of then were really good defensive plays.

How dare you offer a reasonable analysis on the Boneyard! You are going to make some posters heads explode!

 

[Sluconn Husky]

Some people just LOVE to complain let's face it. If they can't whine about the entire team's performace they'll pick out individuals and complain about them. Some people are just naturally negative. Nothing new really. We all know who they are by now.

I'm sorry you were so bothered by my comment about that being a poor performance. Next time, instead of LOL's, non-sequiturs, and generic digs towards people you disagree with maybe you'll argue on the merits.

 

[Carnac]

OK - lots of moaning and groaning. My take - 21 free throws - with one being Lou's four point play - that means there were about 8 two point shots, mostly runners or lay-ups where the the uconn player was clobbered and could not make the basket (there were a couple of bonus fouls on the floor to account for the other 4 free throws.) LSU did not have the talent to play Uconn straight up so they played a very physical, SEC kind of style - every cutter was pinball through the lane, there was a lot of clutching and bumping outside as well, and only some of those 'fouls' were called.

LSU also played a sagging defense which clogged up any attempts to get passes inside, and led to a lot of wide open threes - 14 of which Uconn nailed at a 53% clip. With the threes (42 pts.) and the free throws accounting for 60 points out of the 76 total scored - 79%. You don't see that very often!

The freshman played 53 minutes in this game (yes, Dangerfield is a freshman) and accounted for 50% of the turnovers - 10. You play freshman, they are going to make mistakes, and they did. It was a good run for them, and they didn't look lost out there, and they had some nice plays. But they also made lots of mistakes.

Butler didn't have a great game, but this is the type of team she is going to struggle with - short, quackish, and pesky. She did really well against the trees of Baylor and the larger FSU, but LSU just isn't the type of team she is going to find easy. One of the reasons we saw as much as we did of Irwin in that while she would be lost against Baylor, LSU is an easier match-up.

Good things - Kia had a great game - don't see many comments about that. 4-8 shooting, 8 assists and a 4.0 A/TO. Hope she has turned the corner and can relax into her game from here on out.

Lou was on fire - new career high and she is now at .522 on her threes. She also led the team in rebounds mirroring Colliers first game.

Bad things - Gabby with four and Napheesa with 5 fouls - if they don't get this cleaned up, it may bite us down the line. Gabby particularly is committing an average of about two STUPID fouls each game, usually charges, but with a hopeless 'over the back' rebounding foul thrown in occasionally. The two of them committed 53% of the fouls - the rest were evenly spread across all the rest of the team with Natalie the only one with more than 1 (she had 2.)

On Edit - credit to LSU for muddying up the passing lanes and having quick hands - they got there hands on a lot of balls. Not all the turnovers were bad passes, some of then were really good defensive plays.

It was nice to see Kia knock down a couple of 3's. She's off to a slow start. There were far too many unforced turnovers, which is very uncharacteristic for a UConn team.
I see Collier continue to get in the middle of a scrum for a rebound. If Geno inserts Crystal into the starting lineup, don't be so sure it will be for Chong.

It will be interesting to see if other teams are willing the play a zone against UConn, and clog up the paint, but leave the perimeter wide open for uncontested shots like LSU did today. The freshmen are playing an unusual number of minutes early on. Dayton at home in 2 days. Let's see if the coaches can clean up some of the defecienties that have plagued the Huskies through 4 games.

 

[UcMiami]

FYI - the LSU write-up has the coaches and player quotes at the bottom:
LSU Drops Rematch with #3/2 UConn Huskies

 

[Gus Mahler]

Between Charlie Creme plus Gail and Beth reminiscing about Nicki DeMoss, coaching, etc., we went 12 minutes with no game commentary, ugh...

I took umbrage to the statement that Mickie DeMoss is the best assistant of all time (words to that effect). I'm biased toward CD.

Of course, CD is an Associate Head Coach. Maybe they win on a technicality.

 

[victor64]

I read this thread after I watched the game. I am surprised by the negativity. We will never know for sure but I would bet that Geno is not that worried about he saw tonight. He had an agenda I think and most of his objectives were met.

1. Irwin played 17 minutes mostly taking Butler time. Geno is trying to determine whether Irwin can be an effective big. I think he learned something.
2. Kia played the first 33 minutes. Pretty slick way to allow her to work through whatever demons she is struggling with. Played pretty well.
3. Never called a timeout. Usually doesn't I know but LSU made a couple of runs. He allowed them to play through it.
4. First time they saw extensive zone. He didn't seem concerned at all talking about it at halftime. They got an awful lot of good looks.
5. The concern about Collier and Williams works itself out. Both are smart kids. They saw that things progressed decently without them in the game.
6. Nobody got hurt.

Ugly? Far from it. A great coach putting his team together.

 

[Gus Mahler]

1. Irwin played 17 minutes mostly taking Butler time. Geno is trying to determine whether Irwin can be an effective big. I think he learned something.

Could you share, please?

 

[victor64]

Could you share, please?

I have no insider information. I coached for 30 years. I have no way of knowing for sure if that what he was trying to do. Maybe he was upset with Butler with how she was playing. I just think that when Irwin gets that much time, she must be showing something in practice that warrants a game look. JMHO.

 

[MilfordHusky]

I have no insider information. I coached for 30 years. I have no way of knowing for sure if that what he was trying to do. Maybe he was upset with Butler with how she was playing. I just think that when Irwin gets that much time, she must be showing something in practice that warrants a game look. JMHO.

I thought Geno played Kyla as much as he did because Nat was off her game somewhat.

Interesting re the lack of timeouts. Geno is definitely experimenting and teaching. The outcome today was never in doubt--unlike the first 2 games.

We have won by 2, 11, and 23. Will the next game be 30+?

 

[UcMiami]

I thought Irwin looked OK out there - it was a good 'blooding' for her against a smaller team which was not an ideal opponent for Natalie. I suspect she is still at the end of the bench, but between this and the Baylor minutes she is doing OK. She made some good plays at both ends.

 

[Blueballer]

I'm sorry you were so bothered by my comment about that being a poor performance. Next time, instead of LOL's, non-sequiturs, and generic digs towards people you disagree with maybe you'll argue on the merits.

I already made my argument before you made your typical negative "Proclamations". But that's OK you can't help it. I understand.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Next game is in 2 days!!

We'll likely see some improvement and some struggles. I think we win by 20-30, but we'll be playing for March/April, trying to improve. Who will be Tuesday's Badass??

 

[victor64]

She is probably more comfortable facing the basket but she isn't very good defending a wing because she may not be quick enough at this level. She got beat off at least one dribble drive tonight. I think she can shoot though. Maybe some high post stuff for her. She did shoot a three tonight and made a bunch in high school.