Mid Term Final A+

[Tonyc]

The ultimate test. Remember UConn couldnt be sick or in foul trouble if they wanted to win this game. Well they were sick and in foul trouble and they won in spite of it. This game was simply amazin. Gabby Collier and Lou in foul trouble and sick and UConn still wins. Yeah they lost a 19 pt lead but it was Solcum that kept MD in the game. She surprised alot of fans. Hey shes really good but to do what she did with Jones and Kimbrough who you would expect to do it well she was great. Still UConn won again.

So what will it take to beat UConn now? Who has the horses? IMO only UConn can beat UConn. This team exemplify s what UConn is all about. You know we can start thinking not talking but thinking that we could go undefeated this season and then look at the next few seasons with who we are bringing in. I dont think we lose next season or the season after or maybe the next 4 seasons with the players coming in.

Talk about gutting it out. With everything against them. Lou sick, Collier and Gabby in foul trouble which made UConn almost defenseless because of the foul trouble and yeah they know how to play the game, they know how to win and Saniya again with a big shot to hurt MD late in the game.

We had alot going against us tonite. We didnt have our best stuff to go along with everything else that went wrong but we played the game UConns way. MD played really good tonite. How many teams can take a hit like UConn did tonite and win. Remember the first game of the season at Fl St and fans were saying IF their top player wasnt sick they might have won. Well look at UConn tonite. Three top players in trouble and they still won. Thats why you dont make excuses for losing when somebody is out because it takes a team to win.

I am so proud of what UConn did tonite. Im sure Lou will be resting for a few days and we may not see her on Sunday at 1 @ UCF and we may not need her. So the win streak continues.

 

[cookie447]

Fine assessment, but you don't think Lou will line up Sunday?! She's way tougher than us and my guess is she'll be in uniform and show us just how tough she is. California tough!!!

 

[msf22b]

I called it a game or two ago

The switch went off, Lou got it. No "Valley girl crap, it's not touch football among the ladies..it's much more like: Rugby, Ice Hockey (ask Kia)...you gotta be tough, hard-nosed, score under physical pressure...and give it out as well.

Now she is...as amazing as it is to say, beginning to move into Breanna's rarefied air.

And with 2 amazing forwards ...ok Pheesa wasn't amazing tonight...but we still needed all of her 12 points, 5 offensive boards 1 assist, 1 steal, 2 blocks, Zero turnovers...and this an off game?

Gabby is becoming one of the most amazing performers in the country.

Kia and Saniya are capable of torching you on either end.

But Lou is the first among equals...knows she can't do it by herself, won't try, like the estimable Maryland kid...but clutch, clutch, big-time.

 

[calpedaler]

I called it a game or two ago

The switch went off, Lou got it. No "Valley girl crap, it's not touch football among the ladies..it's much more like: Rugby, Ice Hockey (ask Kia)...you gotta be tough, hard-nosed, score under physical pressure...and give it out as well.

Now she is...as amazing as it is to say, beginning to move into Breanna's rarefied air.

And with 2 amazing forwards ...ok Pheesa wasn't amazing tonight...but we still needed all of her 12 points, 5 offensive boards 1 assist, 1 steal, 2 blocks, Zero turnovers...and this an off game?

Gabby is becoming one of the most amazing performers in the country.

Kia and Saniya are capable of torching you on either end.

But Lou is the first among equals...knows she can't do it by herself, won't try, like the estimable Maryland kid...but clutch, clutch, big-time.

Lou is not a Valley girl; she's from Orange County. Those girls from the OC are tough.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

When great shooters are on there is just them, the ball, and the area inside the rim. There is an awareness of others on the court, but it's peripheral. Despite her illness, I suspect she got to that place tonight.

 

[JordyG]

Agree to all. Yet again, Lou wasn't the only one out their today with flu symptoms; it didn't matter. They played hard and most admirably didn't get rattled. AND LED WIRE TO WIRE. The first time this year. Isn't it time people around this country stop seeing Geno as merely being the best coach in WCBB when clearly he's the best in CBB. Period. Every year Calipari replenishes with the best in HSBB. Few people complain. Calipari has mentioned how tough it is to win even with the best. He's also mentioned his admiration for Geno. Frese had the best recruiting class last year and the best in Maryland's history. Seems her belief that winning is easy with the best just hit its first hiccup. More to come. Let's see that team play the best on the road.

 

[magic]

I am out of the country, and not being able to watch game drove me nuts. Only able to follow play by play on espn. I got the impression it was a gutsy road win by this tough as nails team . So proud of the way this team handles themselves !

 

[JordyG]

I am out of the country, and not being able to watch game drove me nuts. Only able to follow play by play on espn. I got the impression it was a gutsy road win by this tough as nails team . So proud of the way this team handles themselves !

Pal, you don't know the half of it. Wait until you see the replay.

 

[RSHERMVIKES]

Awesome performance by UCONN!
This is a very important win for UCONN because when you win when things start turning sour, even before the game with players & coaches sick, and you persevere through the rough spots and pull out an away victory it's a HUGE confidence builder, something you can draw on down the line!
The players wouldn't be denied!

 

[UcMiami]

When great shooters are on there is just them, the ball, and the area inside the rim. There is an awareness of others on the court, but it's peripheral. Despite her illness, I suspect she got to that place tonight.

I would actually posit that it might have been because of the illness, not despite. The mind is a strange place and sometimes the distraction of something internal can be an aid to concentration and not a hinderance - runners talk of reaching that zone in long distances and it is aided by the agony in their muscles - they don't achieve it in the first 5 miles, they get to that place in the last five miles.

 

[BroadwayVa]

When great shooters are on there is just them, the ball, and the area inside the rim. There is an awareness of others on the court, but it's peripheral. Despite her illness, I suspect she got to that place tonight.

In the first half she made 2 shots, out of 8---her 3 ball was just a hair off--but it was off. Geno pulled her.
She came back after the half and as Nan said (almost) klS took on a DT persona--and was in a Zone of not to be denied her shots. Do we now call Katie Lou ---our baby D ???
The come back with Uconn up 19---for MD, Brenda a good coach, said their big 3 are sick or in foul trouble attack and surround them they can't foul or they sit. Either way great ==---the "favor" arrow was pointing toward MD--MD took full advantage. Had Uconn been in a situation where they could continue great defence---the 19 point edge would have stayed.

 

[RSHERMVIKES]

To explain my post above a little bit more.........
When everyone is healthy and not in foul trouble you may be down 3,8,15, or 20 points but there is nothing hindering your going on a run to come back!
But when the team and coaches are dealing with sickness and ticky-tack fouls you have absolutely no control over them and you have to reach way back inside your inner-self to pull out the toughness & skills to overcome the odds against your winning the game!
An example other than this MD game was Michael Jordan's mind-blowing performance for Chicago in the NBA Finals where he was as sick as a dog but fought through everything to score 30+, I believe, to win the game almost singlehandedly, and had to be helped off the court to the locker room!
Post game UCONN must have been, "Wow, how'd we do that?"

 

[eebmg]

To explain my post above a little bit more....
When everyone is healthy and not in foul trouble you may be down 3,8,15, or 20 points but there is nothing hindering your going on a run to come back!
But when the team and coaches are dealing with sickness and ticky-tack fouls you have absolutely no control over them and you have to reach way back inside your inner-self to pull out the toughness & skills to overcome the odds against your winning the game!
An example other than this MD game was Michael Jordan's mind-blowing performance for Chicago in the NBA Finals where he was as sick as a dog but fought through everything to score 30+, I believe, to win the game almost singlehandedly, and had to be helped off the court to the locker room!
Post game UCONN must have been, "Wow, how'd we do that?"

Once is enough. I am glad it exposed some extra hidden depths of courage in Lou and others ? but lets not test that theory any more.

 

[Bigboote]

Kia and Saniya are capable of torching you on either end.

Chong's defense may be the biggest pleasant surprise for me this season. Used to be that you could count on an opponent smoking her in the first few minutes, then Geno would pull her, That's not happening lately. Last night she had a UMD player trapped at the sideline, forcing a timeout. And that block out of nowhere toward the end was amazing. She's been a capable team defender for some time, but now she's developing into a pretty good 1-on-1 defender, too.