My 2 Cents

[FridaFriend]

To paraphrase a misquote of Mark Twain, "Rumours of our death have been greatly exaggerated."

 

[msf22b]

Nothing wrong to say it. But there is an implication that" had we played better" we would have won.

I am not so sure that is the case. UCONN is no longer superior to everyone. There can easier occur a situation where we play our best, and still lose.

True, we can play our best and lose (although its unlikely).

But for me, the problem is that we are not playing our best.
Our various, talented team of highly rated high-school all-Americans is underachieving.

This board has regularly criticized programs from Maryland to Duke to UTenn among others in which talented players graduated seemingly without reaching their potential nor winning national titles.

Well, this season, we're looking at it right here and it's hard to compute and I think an important cause of the dismay, occasionally expressed.

I've suggested a reason (makes sense to me, but I won't repeat it again), but the board seems unwilling to take it up...even to denigrate it.

The only conclusion I can draw is that the discussion here is less serious and less informed than it was 4 or 5 years ago. There were tough losses then too...one overtime loss in which the team did play very well and still was defeated comes particularly to mind.

But I recall a more penetrating search
for answers. Less so now.

 

[mbr33ct]

I can only say, god help the next coach that replaces Geno. Unless he/her comes in and wins National Championships from year one...have mercy.

 

[MTC]

The problem is that the offense is built around the two seniors and when they are having an off day it hurts. We still win the conference games but not the ones we get out-rebounded against top teams we lose. Even Geno said we are a lousy rebounding team and need to make our shots. This is not something that can be fixed easily but we have enough time to get it done. I actually think losing these games provides a big learning opportunity that will make us better for the tournament.

 

[SLY63]

I think the current playbook against this team is:

- Don't give KLS an inch of free space
- Be physical with Collier
- Give up 12-18 points to each of the Big 3
- Make MW, CW and the bench beat you (they put up 14 and 18 against L'ville and Baylor)

 

[HopJim]

I do too. Like if we hit just 5 more of the 44 shots we missed.... (SMH)

If just a couple of our players shoot like they're capable of shooting, the team is still playing well enough that they can and will beat anybody (at least given that there are no truly 'great' teams this year). I'm thinking (and hoping) that this will happen - that they will at least partially recapture their shooting touch. That would actually be the 'normal' state of things, so at this point I will consider it likely.

Ditto. Hate that UConn has no size, few subs, relies too much on 3's, etc. BUT if just one more player had gotten hot at Baylor and/or Louisville we wouldn't be having this conversation. Losing to top 1-2 teams on their home court by about 10 would give most teams hope, not negativity.

 

[boontonbomber]

sit Katie Lou a bunch today- she looks physically and mentally tired. give her a break.

 

[VaConnFan11]

sit Katie Lou a bunch today- she looks physically and mentally tired. give her a break.

Geno didn't get your memo. She played all 40.

 

[ed4ourgirls]

Some of the UConn teams of the past were so good that they could play their B game
against elite competition and still win. It's seems pretty clear that this UConn team
is not one of those teams.

This team will need its A game in the regional finals to get to the final four. It's certainly
doable, but not a given.

 

[willtalk]

I'm not saying that high school recruits today aren't significantly more skilled than 10 years ago, but I think comparing Hoopgurlz scores from then to now is probably not the best way to prove that, as the people doing the ratings have changed as well. It's been Dan Olson since 2013, but before that it was Hoopgurlz founder Glenn Nelson, and then a bunch of guys who later founded Prospects Nation (Hansen, Beverly, Clay) and Mark Lewis (now at Blue Star), among others. So there are likely to be continuity errors in comparing scores across the years.

While what you say certainly has merit, That is not the only criteria I used. Even just using the Olsen era the scores have shot up significantly. I just used the 10 year difference as a general starting point. In the Olsen era it was also rare.

I watch a lot of high school ball and just using the eyeball test tells me that the over all talent has expanded significantly. Another factor was how well full court zone traps used to work as opposed to today. Parity has also shown itself in the high school game. Much of that is because of the increase of players playing AAU. And especially the number of players with personal trainers. Ten years ago only the top level talent played significant year round ball against competition that impacted their skill set. The EYBL league was a major factor in raising the competitive bar.

The one position group that has been impacted the least is the post position and even that has improved. You are getting far more very tall players who can handle the ball and shoot from distance. The lack of competition against height in high school is partially responsible for the general dearth of post players. Of course that has always been the case. Unless you are a player with super athleticism, or significant height the number of projects demanding major development being recruited have dropped significantly. They come into college programs with minimal developmental top side remaining. What they have left is basically adjustment to the increased speed and level of skill they will face at that next level. Also integrating their own skill within the team concept with other players closer to their own skill level, because in high school many were the offensive focus of their team

 

[UconnFanDC]

I agree with a lot of what many are saying but I'm still confused why the games where we are up 20-30 5min or less left, we still have all the starters in. I do believe these girls were fatigued after the Louisville game. Not many games do the starters get rest or other players get experience.

 

[Undercovervol]

I think what really makes this year different for UConn is the lack of interior size. Offensively, this can be compensated for, but defensively...there's just not much you can do with a Tearia McCowan or Kalani Brown/Lauren Cox for UConn. Collier is an elite player, but she can't really guard true centers, and Lauren Cox even blocked several of her shots down the stretch. KLS is and was never meant to guard those types of players: she just isn't that type of physical player.