MD Postgame Thread

[Inthepaint]

Not as bad as I thought it would be
Ayanna & Ines showed guts
Huskies will be ok when some of the injured return

 

[Redux]

Bettencourt getting elbowed in the neck and being called for a foul is right up there.

You have to keep the neck out of the way of those elbows. Geno will work on that and she'll get it, with experience.

Disgusting calls, overall.

 

[LwrcasefaN]

Hard to lose when you are +23 on the boards and out-shoot the other team 54% to 42%.

Difference was turnovers.

 

[Kaizen]

This team with only 7 players and only 1, Edwards, is the starter, has done great job.

 

[UConnCat]

Keys to the game UConn's turnovers (22-6) and Maryland's 3-pointers (12-3).

They played hard if not always smart. Exams and hopefully Dorka and Nika ready for next Sunday.

 

[HuskyNan]

I thought Amari played really well. I don’t have any complaints about her play today. Keep it going, kid!

 

[jaydee602]

I’m not one to complain about the refs but there were some…interesting calls. I especially liked the one where Ayanna was called for fouling Aaliyah.

Rebecca was biting her tongue trying not to sound like a UCONN homer, but she was incredulous about some of the calls in this game.

 

[Conndog]

a BRIDGE TOO FAR......... great team effort! GO UCONN.
Brenda is now on the TV telling the interviewer about how well her team played against
the BIGGER UCONN players. OUCH. You escaped BRENDA. !!

Would love to play them again in post season with healthy squad- UConn would win by 20. If they had Paige too, it would a win by 30+.

 

[Bigpetunia]

Wow! Old Dude is on a streak!! Fans of this team should be really elated after this effort. The Huskies made MD earn it, despite being woefully depleted. This may not be an NC contention season, but I have never been more proud of a team effort.

 

[Huskie02]

Some thoughts on the Maryland game:

• I was thinking of an old movie that I love: THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN!!!!!
• With a badly depleted lineup, this was going to be a nearly impossible task for the Huskies today against the 20th ranked Terps. Without Paige, Ice, Dorka, Azzi & Nika, UConn had no justifiable right hanging with MD.
• But somehow, incredibly, this UConn team did hang around for the entire game despite too many turnovers, Lou getting into foul trouble and MD heating up from the arc.
• UConn outplayed MD in the paint, dominating the boards 46-23 and getting much of their scoring inside. The killer A’s; Aaliyah, Aubrey and Ayanna all showed up today and they kept the Huskies in the game.
• Ines looked great in the first qtr, making several nice plays and showing remarkable poise. In the 2nd qtr, the going got a little rougher as she committed some turnovers. I would like to see Ines shoot the ball when the defense backs off. I think that confidence will come in time.
• After a shaky start, Caroline picked up her play and made an impact. She needs to cut down on turnovers. But otherwise we're starting to see glimpses of the player that carried this team for much of last season.
• I am incredibly proud of how hard UConn competed today! I know it’s so very difficult when so many Huskies are out with injuries. Be patient everyone. The time will come when the walking wounded will be back and no one will look forward to playing this UConn team

 

[hoopsdiva]

AE may have just put herself in AA consideration. To win, we would have needed more offense from more than just AE. Hard to offset the 3 point barrage in Q2 (give MD credit) with our offensively-challenged lineup.

I think she also played herself into a top 5 pick in next year's WNBA draft. Much deserved.

 

[Rb335]

Hard to lose when you are +23 on the boards and out-shoot the other team 54% to 42%.

Reminiscent of the Princeton box score. This version without a ball handler is very turnover prone. But they fought so I give them a lot of credit.

 

[oldude]

LOL...Brenda Freese just claimed that BOTH teams were handicapped by injuries. Is she serious?? UCONN was down three starters!

Actually 4

 

[Blueballer]

That was a tremendous effort. Our ladies really left it on the floor. Several of the players out there were injured too and still soldiered on. To be tied in the 4th quarter was more than we could have expected using an extremely inexperienced PG and a bunch of players not used to playing in this combination. Ayanna showed some nice things too. Her minutes against a top team will help her grow.

 

[Conndog]

I thought Amari played really well. I don’t have any complaints about her play today. Keep it going, kid!

This was her best game, but the worst aspect of her play is indeed her very slow lateral movement which hurts her on defense. Maybe Aubrey can give her a few lessons in moving laterally and being ready to anticipate what your opponent might do next.

 

[HuskyNan]

While Caroline provided some offense her turnovers offset that. Thought Ayanna helped. For awhile there they had me believing but alas turnovers did them in

She was more herself today, though. Remember she was playing out of position - she is NOT a guard and she had to run some point today. I could have told you before the game that was a recipe for disaster

 

[brownale]

While Caroline provided some offense her turnovers offset that. Thought Ayanna helped. For awhile there they had me believing but alas turnovers did them in

MD post game celebration, I thought they had just won the National Championship!

 

[LwrcasefaN]

I think Geno may have to take an ejection to advocate for his players. Lot of touch fouls called, but not when they're taking shots to the throat and head. Patterson and Deberry get called for a lot of touch fouls.

 

[Blueballer]

Took too long to get DeBerry in. They played better w her and Lou on the court. The unforced turnovers hurt a lot!

She was already dealing with a calf injury per Geno. That may be why they tried to limit her. She's going to have a lot more pain than that after this game. She got clobbered and kept on going. Proud of her.

 

[Topsail]

I m estatic that CD out of her funk.. 13 pt 7 bds, 3 asst.. the TO s she will clean up… we need her big going forward

 

[HuskyNan]

Difference was turnovers.

THIS THIS THIS!

Ines was valiant but inexperienced. Nika was sorely missed today

 

[hoopsdiva]

I thought Amari played really well. I don’t have any complaints about her play today. Keep it going, kid!

And she took two 3 - point attempts that were soooo close.

All in all, a great confidence builder for the end of the benchers.

 

[jaydee602]

I thought Amari played really well. I don’t have any complaints about her play today. Keep it going, kid!

She played with confidence. You have to admire her for not being overwhelmed & rising to the occasion.

 

[tkaes]

a BRIDGE TOO FAR......... great team effort! GO UCONN.
Brenda is now on the TV telling the interviewer about how well her team played against
the BIGGER UCONN players. OUCH. You escaped BRENDA. !!

Brenda is absolutely correct. Her team clearly outplayed UCONN's 6-5 and 6-4 players and a couple of 5-11s sitting on the bench. uch a height disadvantage!

 

[Surly1]

With 5 players out, 4 starters out, this outcome is not unexpected. Upon played hard and it hurt to have Lou in foul trouble. They missed her scoring ability. For awhile, the big lineup fared well. Nice to see Ayanna show some offense and Amari be a more aggressive on the defensive end.

Overall, the turnovers were a killer. I would imagine this coming week in practice there will be an emphasis on protecting the ball.

A win would have been an unexpected bonus, but this team has no quit in them as the adversity piles on. Hopefully, karma will reverse and everyone will be healthy as tournament time rolls around.