MD Postgame Thread

[Longtime fan]

Great effort by depleted UCONN team. MD can enjoy this one, but I have a feeling it would have been a different result if we had Nika and Azzi.

Yes, without those players, we left Maryland free to make shots from the arc. We stayed in the game early because they missed most of them. Except for the Princeton grad student. Let's be clear, our defense on the perimeter was lame.

 

[BRS24]

One of my fave plays today was Amari's block, stuff, possession. That was some serious strength move.

 

[TeamFirst!]

Credit to Geno as he can win with smoke and mirrors if he has to. I wouldn't take 10 Maryland coaches for one Geno.

Maryland had much better athletes today and they were all over Uconn and allowed to be. If anything we got offensive fouls called when Maryland was not in position with their feet or were just climbing all over our players. The game wasn't meant to be a wrestling match.

Aliyah was hustling all over the place in that game and showing TREMENDOUS leadership. She's a winner. No doubt. Maybe her best game ever? She's had better numbers but considering how much attention she was getting she still found a way to produce. She's the consumate team player also. These young women are just tremendous young people. So happy for what they've become.

Fun game to watch overall. Sometimes I wonder how much Ice would have helped us. I had her slightly ahead of Ayanna on the depth chart. She can rebound and provide some offense. That depth is missed also.

 

[RedStickHusky]

No. With Aubrey, Lou, AE starting, it wasn’t the second 5. That would have been AP, CD, Amari, Ines, and pick one ..probably Aubrey if Dorka was available. That second 5 loses to Butler.

Well, not for nothing, but you counted Aubrey on both sides; I understand, it's hard to find a 2nd five among nine players... probably why I said "as close as you're gonna get" instead of "here's your answer".

 

[hoophuskee]

I get a kick out of the two posters who disliked me saying if I were a Uconn player I would be disappointed and feel like I gave a winnable game slip away. That is not in any way meant as a knock on the players effort, in fact, I said in the post the team played very hard. But the players who played proved they were competitors by how hard they played and how else should a competitor feel?

Didn't the HOF coach say he was extremely proud of his team? Your posts didn't represent that, did they?

 

[Sluconn Husky]

 

[TerpWomenFan]

Of course that was a winnable game for UConn. They cut a 12 point lead to a tie game. The difference were UConn turnovers and lack of 3 point shooting. (missed Fudd terribly on the later). But the Terps did some key things that Notre Dame did in their game against UConn. They had only 5 turnovers (are you kidding me?) and for once they outshot somebody from three point territory. The thing that impressed me the most about the Terps was their clutch shooting. Every time UConn was about to make their famous runs, the Terps hit a key shot. Myers, Alexander, Sellers all hit HUGE shots. Then Miller hit the biggest one of all. This was something they did not do in the Nebraska game but they did in the Notre Dame and Purdue game.

When it is all said and done, UConn is a Final 4 team when Fudd and Muhl come back.

 

[Dognusty]

As a coach you never want to diminish a win and the effort by your team. Credit to Maryland that they made key shots down the stretch. Other teams might have missed them. Still, there is a way of praising your team while acknowledging that the other team was much less than full strength. Geno would have found a way to say that; not so for Brenda.

I don't get the outrage over her comments. Why should she comment on what Uconn didn't have and diminished her teams win? You play the team in front of you, and that team still had a few MC's All Americans. It was a good win for her team and she effectively said that. The outrage seems petty.

 

[Bama fan]

Kudos to the 7 that played their hearts and butts off. Still can’t believe Dorka still can’t play. One year in high school I played football with a broken finger and two taped together. The following year I played with a broken thumb after three weeks with a splint. She’s been out close to six weeks already.

Dorka broke her thumb vs Texas on November 14, today is December 11. Where do you get six weeks? I hope she is back soon.

 

[boontonbomber]

Frese should be fired, if not for some terrible decisions we would have won that game. Caroline played well at times and played terrible at other times. Poor poor decision making. We had Lou open a couple of times but she forced it and took a terrible shot or turned it over. She fought hard though. Lou makes weird decisions also and her decision making isn’t the greatest either. Refs were terrible also. Anytime anyone falls, they call a foul. Overall I loved our fight, just a few better decisions and we win which I thought we had no chance. Frese kept making it a point to say how both teams were down players, knowing damn well it isnt the same.

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.

I would have added Amari to the A's, but, otherwise,your usual astute analysis .

 

[UConnCat]

I don't get the outrage over her comments. Why should she comment on what Uconn didn't have and diminished her teams win? You play the team in front of you, and that team still had a few MC's All Americans. It was a good win for her team and she effectively said that. The outrage seems petty.

What outrage?

 

[RedStickHusky]

Didn't the HOF coach say he was extremely proud of his team? Your posts didn't represent that, did they?

Anybody that thinks those players aren't sitting in the locker room thinking they let one get away, has never played a sport.

 

[RedStickHusky]

UConn is a Final 4 team when Fudd and Muhl come back.

... and Juhasz.

 

[UConnCat]

Anybody that thinks those players aren't sitting in the locker room thinking they let one get away, has never played a sport.

who thinks that?

 

[Dognusty]

What outrage?

About Brenda Frese not acknowledging UConn having injured players in her on court interview.

 

[Blueballer]

I don't get the outrage over her comments. Why should she comment on what Uconn didn't have and diminished her teams win? You play the team in front of you, and that team still had a few MC's All Americans. It was a good win for her team and she effectively said that. The outrage seems petty.

Outrage is a bit strong, but there's no doubt what she said would have been fine had she not tried to equate the injury situation between the 2 teams. Just leave the line out about both teams having injuries and it's no problem.

 

[HuskyNan]

As for Patterson, she did well but she is not yet showing a game "necessary to defend." She still has not taken a shot beyond a lay-in or put back. So Maryland just plants someone in the paint and they fight each other.

Actually, Ayanna had two jump shot from about 8’. In very pretty plays, I might add

 

[hoophuskee]

Anybody that thinks those players aren't sitting in the locker room thinking they let one get away, has never played a sport.

That's not the point. How did you interpret my question below in bold to not being disappointed? I said Geno said he was proud of the team. Where did I say they are not disappointed?

"Didn't the HOF coach say he was extremely proud of his team? Your posts didn't represent that, did they?"

 

[01Neaggrad02]

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.

Now I have seen everything.... Nan calling out the refs... Hot Darn....

 

[RedStickHusky]

That's nto the point. How did you interpret my question below in bold to not being disappointed? I said Geno said he was proud of the team. Where did I say they are not disappointed?

"Didn't the HOF coach say he was extremely proud of his team? Your posts didn't represent that, did they?"

You were replying to a comment on the players probable perspective, not on that of the HOF coach. And for what is worth, it is entirely possible to be proud of the teams effort and performance while imagining that they themselves are disappointed. That's exactly how I feel.

 

[UConnCat]

About Brenda Frese not acknowledging UConn having injured players in her on court interview.

I'm not sure there was outrage about it. I think people were a bit amused and bemused that she would equate her team's injuries with UConn's injuries. That's all. It's the Brenda we all know.

 

[RedStickHusky]

Edwards can't continue to have to play every single square inch of the floor, both offense & defense. She'll be finished for the season with 3-4 more games at this pace. She needs help. Lou is like a wonderful old clock starting to run down at this point.

Yeah they need this week off.... and Dorka. Geno said after Princeton, "too many minutes for too many players".

 

[BBallF]

I don't think Geno has any choice. Once the Big East season starts, there are very few open dates. I'm pretty sure Geno did NOT anticipate all these injuries when making the schedule. If everyone is healthy to start next season, this schedule will cement us at the top of the polls. Be grateful that these top teams will schedule us at all.

My point is not the teams we play it's the days we play them and the days between. I don't know what flexibility there is but Friday home easy- Sunday plane ride away hard is very taxing as we have seen. As for the top teams, I'm confident that they will always want to play us. Some of these games, like ND and SC are true rivalry games that aren't going away. Add in Tennessee, NC State, Texas, soon Arizona, and Md. and you have major early season games.

 

[Dognusty]

Outrage is a bit strong, but there's no doubt what she said would have been fine had she not tried to equate the injury situation between the 2 teams. Just leave the line out about both teams having injuries and it's no problem.

She spoke on her team having injuries and being undersized. I don't see how any of that gets someone butthurt. Just seems like a stretch

 

[oldude]

But the magnificent seven were victorious.

Yes, the original Magnificent Seven were victorious against overwhelming odds. But only Chris, Vin & Chico survived. The other 4 died.

So I am quite proud of the fight UConn’s Magnificent Seven put up in a losing effort today, and I am also quite happy that everyone survived…..