NEVER play TENN again

[BBallF]

What no one needs are games that are not controlled, managed, fairly officiated, and are physically out of control. There is a crisis in the sport going on in front of our very eyes. You are going to see a life threatening injury soon, then you are going to see a lawsuit or lawsuits, and then they may do something just like some many things the NCAA didn't do correctly in the past. They are not training and teaching their refs correctly, they are not monitoring them properly and they need new rules designed to eliminate this nonsense, and they need it yesterday. If the refs last night got called to task on that "sit down on" foul on Aaliyah it wouldn't happen again. In my view, all 3 of them should be suspended for 2 weeks. Then they would wake up. Right now, it's play at your peril.

 

[Bigboote]

Playing South Carolina, or Stanford ate a better matchup. Better teams and coaches.

UConn already plays South Carolina, and playing Tennessee doesn't prevent them from playing Stanford.

 

[hoopsfan22]

UConn already plays South Carolina, and playing Tennessee doesn't prevent them from playing Stanford.

More likely it's Tara that prevents them from playing Stanford.

 

[visitingcock]

A few weeks ago I mentioned they should cancel the Tenn and SC games, because we don’t know if, or when, Azzi and Caroline will return. And I was shredded for it. These games will be physical, that’s SEC play for you. We can lose anymore players, especially someone like Aaliyah. Luckily she wasn’t hurt on the play.

What?

Yes we play physical. Do we play dirty? I don’t think so. Is it a hate filled rivalry? I don’t think so. Players o. Neither side want to hurt each other and many have friendships of the court. Many will be teammates at the next level

Do you think UConn doesn’t play physical defense? They give as good as they get.

But I know Geno doesn’t share your view. He wants his players to experience playing physical ( but clean) opponents during the season so they are ready to face that style in the tourney.

I don’t like Tennessee but I certainly want US to play them every year.

Edit: if you were talking about cancelling this year, I could live with. Wouldn’t like it but we owe you for Geno’s graciousness last year. But cancelling the series? Gog forbid!

 

[DEFCONN1]

With Houston and Jackson gone and Key’s basketball future in question, do the Vols really want to play us next year

 

[Hayven]

If UConn seeks to avoid physical play, it should cancel its Big East games as well.

You’re right because when I think of the rough Big East play, Creighton, Xavier, Seton Hall, Nova’s defense are comparable to SC, Tenn, Georgia, Mizzu, and the like.. tf outta here

 

[meyers7]

I've been saying this since they renewed the game. TN doesn't deserve to be on the same court as UCONN. Not from a competitive stance, but from the stance that UCONN should not give any acceptance to that EVIL. It's beneath UCONN. Don't give TN a platform.

Besides, we play enough unranked teams as it is. Don't need another one.

 

[Hayven]

What?

Yes we play physical. Do we play dirty? I don’t think so. Is it a hate filled rivalry? I don’t think so. Players o. Neither side want to hurt each other and many have friendships of the court. Many will be teammates at the next level

Do you think UConn doesn’t play physical defense? They give as good as they get.

But I know Geno doesn’t share your view. He wants his players to experience playing physical ( but clean) opponents during the season so they are ready to face that style in the tourney.

I don’t like Tennessee but I certainly want US to play them every year.

Where did I say y’all play dirty? I said physical. If you drew that connection, that’s on you

 

[CL82]

Of course, but my point is the misattribution of that sentiment to Geno.

Yeah, when I see Tony’s post, I see him complaining predominantly about the officiating and his reference about Geno doesn’t seem to suggest anything more than that.

 

[oldude]

One more comment on scheduling. Next year the NBE regulator season goes from a 20 game schedule down to only 18. That necessitates that UConn schedule 2 additional OOC games.

In case folks haven’t heard, teams aren’t knocking down the door to schedule UConn. The fact that KJH and the LV’s are willing to continue to play UConn is an absolute positive considering all the P5 teams that want no part of the Huskies.

 

[Next 12]

Well here's my 2 cents.UCONN should continue to play TENN ,ND, SC,STANFORD and any other " tough or dirty " team out there becauseeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee, I get the biggest kick out of UCONN when UCONN shows those teams they are not in the same realm of BB that UCONN is. Just the beat down we put on these teams and our records with them back me up,is proof. I say play them and enjoy the kick*** wins we almost always get. GENO has instilled in all his players that if we play right, the way UCONN plays, we will win!!!!! there can never be enough said about UCONN! GO HUSKIES!!!

 

[Woof 101]

After last nites debacle with Jackson and Edwards and the way the game was called I dont think UConn should ever play Tenn again.

@Tonyc , gotta love you man but got to agree to disagree on this one. This would have Geno taking the low road just as Pat did plain and simple. I remember going to women's games when you got in free with only a handful of folks if you had a ticket for the men's game afterwords. Those days are gone due to the continued growth of the game and a good chunk of the uptick can be credited to this match up. That and coaches willing to play anyone, anywhere, anytime.
ESPN in prime time is priceless to continue the growth and interest in the women's game.

I just think WCBB is better off with UConn playing Tennessee.

Badda bing badda boom !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I gotta disagree with the comment that Tenn is a rivalry.

@Tonyc again no attack or disrespect but many of us fans feel this is very, very much a rivalry and enjoy the fact. That and the attention it brings to the women's game. A rivalry basically by definition is simply competition for the same objective or for superiority in the same field.
It is also a recruiting tool due to the exposure the game is given. Yes some can claim Tenn is not in the top 25 at this time but obviously just outside and a much more enticing than some teams in our own conference.
With the women's game still slowly growing it needs every single bit of infusion it can get. Bring on Rocky Top! Once a year home and home.

 

[BBallF]

Yeah, when I see Tony’s post, I see him complaining predominantly about the officiating and his reference about Geno doesn’t seem to suggest anything more than that.

View attachment 83542

Who did pick the referees? ESPN? The two schools? I would like to know. I'm very cynical about the way the first half was officiated.

 

[vtcwbuff]

I want UConn to continue to play UT if only because of the warm, fuzzy feeling I get after UConn humiliates them - again and again. I don't care about the team, I just revel in the agony of the fans. And as an added bonus this year in their house in front of 13,000 orange folks.

 

[Topdawg]

As many of you know, there will be two more out of conference games that will be scheduled next year and onwards. We should be playing the best teams from the best conferences. Some of them will not want to play us. So if Tenn is among the best teams that agrees to play us, we should agree to play them.

Many teams play hard. I don’t know that any particular team has a reputation for injuring the opposing players. Referees and coaches are supposed to control that.

One reason for traveling across the country and sometimes abroad is to attract talent from those locations. We need to keep doing that.

 

[Tonyc]

I am angry with whats been going on at Tenn for years. Its not about physical play. Its about as Geno once said something like when you play in Tenn you better have a 10 pt lead with 2 minutes to go and pray. Interpret it anyway you like. Genos response to Holly I interpreted as the calls and non calls went against UConn in the second qtr. Then the Aaliyah Jackson incident. The refs need to consistently call the game. The icing on the cake was the Edwards Jackson debacle. We outshot Tenn from the floor and from 3. We had the lead the entire game but they went to the line more then UConn. They had more turnovers we had more fouls with the lead???? Yes they out rebounded us and that was imo because we were pushed shoved and hacked when trying to rebound and in position.

 

[uconnever]

I liked the way it went down last night. I think the rivalry renewed last night. I think because of last night game, Tennessee will get better players that want to be a part of this game and it will only get more intense. Mark my words. I love it because it’s what brought me into the sport. That first game is when I fell in love with the sport. As long as no one gets hurt, I like the intensity and seeing our girls not back down and then win. ITS AWESOME!

 

[jpp13]

 

[HuskyNan]

Who did pick the referees? ESPN? The two schools? I would like to know. I'm very cynical about the way the first half was officiated.

I think the refs are assigned by the conference of the home team but am not sure

 

[JellyBean]

I get that some folks are upset and want to end the Lady Vols series. I am not in that crowd. I hope that we continue these Tennessee games. This is a rivalry game. There is going to be some dust ups between rivals. It makes the game extra intense. That is why they call them rivalry games.

As for why the series should continue, just my opinion, these two teams are the cornerstones of women's basketball. They bring the hype, the ratings, and the glitz and glamour of the women's game. Sure, there is Stanford and now South Carolina. Notre Dame is getting back into the fold. But nothing brings attention like UConn/Tennessee women's basketball, and I hope that they continue this series.

 

[ThisJustIn]

What no one needs are games that are not controlled, managed, fairly officiated, and are physically out of control. There is a crisis in the sport going on in front of our very eyes. You are going to see a life threatening injury soon, then you are going to see a lawsuit or lawsuits, and then they may do something just like some many things the NCAA didn't do correctly in the past. They are not training and teaching their refs correctly, they are not monitoring them properly and they need new rules designed to eliminate this nonsense, and they need it yesterday. If the refs last night got called to task on that "sit down on" foul on Aaliyah it wouldn't happen again. In my view, all 3 of them should be suspended for 2 weeks. Then they would wake up. Right now, it's play at your peril.

As we know, the NCAA doesn't control the refs. They are independent contractors hired by the conferences. Unless things have changed, it's only during the NCAA tournament that the refs officially come under the NCAA's auspices.

I don't force the possibility of hiring refs full time - costs to much money.

Interestingly enough, a while back Mary Struckhoff was hired to revamp the NCAA'w women's system... but she left. Wonder why, as it's coaches and ADs who dictate what happens and what doesn't....

 

[CL82]

Who did pick the referees? ESPN? The two schools? I would like to know. I'm very cynical about the way the first half was officiated.

I would guess they were SEC referees.

(who have an unimpeachable reputation for absolute fairness, another hint of bias)

 

[wingsfan055]

The refs played a big part in ruining the viewer experience. The 2nd quarter calls were abysmal, and that upset both teams - players and coaches. Led to a very chippy 2nd half. UConn was lucky to get out of Rocky Top without any injuries. The crowd was very vocal against UConn - very much like the men's game. Who knows the insults being thrown around.

As a fan, I'm all for continuing the series. The "bad blood" only draws more outside interest to the game.

 

[oldude]

I’m confused. Are we complaining about the refs or are we complaining about the LV’s?

Personally, I hate complaining about the refs. It’s a loser’s excuse. As far as the game yesterday, the refs were a bit inconsistent in their calls, but it seemed to even out over the course of the game for the two teams. Just a game earlier we were applauding the refs for letting the teams play, including one of the most physical battles I’ve ever seen in WBB between Aaliyah & Morrow.

As for the LV’s, they played hard and lost. I don’t want to drop them from the schedule because things got a little chippy between Aaliyah and Jackson.

I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again. Aaliyah gives as good as she gets, and that’s a compliment. There was a play in last year’s Elite-8 game when Aaliyah, trailing the play, practically tackled an NC State player in transition who was trying to get back on a UConn fast break. The refs didn’t see it and never called it. I remember thinking at the time, that it was a pretty smart play by Aaliyah as UConn scored on the break. In addition, have we already forgotten Aaliyah trading elbows and shoulder shots all game with Morrow during the DePaul game?

 

[Aluminny69]

This is why they play the game

 

[LwrcasefaN]

If the game wants to grow, then I just can't see cutting off the roots. This game, ranking aside, just represents so much. I mean if UCONN lost every game one season except Tennessee I would call that success! I respect their program and its history, but I still feel the need to remind their fans that we're not their little sister.

 

[hard2please]

lets first beatdown the cheapshot artists at our home next year big time... then they will beg not to play us.

 

[enigmatic]

My opinion is that we continue the series with Tennessee. The Vols may not be the program at the moment they once were with Pat Summitt but there is historic significance between them and UCONN. It's this rivalry that brought attention to WCBB in the first place. Face it, it's fact that opposing teams are going to play physical with us and that many times it will be unfairly officiated. I don't think that Geno's understandable halftime rant lastnight is any indication that he won't continue the Tennessee series. I still believe in his scheduling mantra that he will play anyone, anywhere, anytime. It's just up to who he reaches out to on his terms to want to play him.

 

[KnightBridgeAZ]

I think the refs are assigned by the conference of the home team but am not sure

Commonly, for example the PAC allows only its conference referees to do games on its venues. Particularly for out of conference games, other arrangements might be made in a contract (but not in the PAC).

Joe Vaszily, Eric Brewton and Gina Cross are not some super SEC favoring crew. I can't stand Vaszily, glad to have left him behind when we moved west. But he did a lot in the oBE and Brewton I often think of with the ACC, although he is a WNBA ref (or has been) as well. Cross works a number of conferences as well, I"m willing to wager that Geno "knew" every one of them.

They called an awful game - and odd things do happen in Tennessee, I was there for Clockwork Orange - but I think this was just bad officiating.

 

[Hist-teacher]

I believe the matchup has become largely irrelevant. Tennessee needs us much more than we need them. That being said in 1995 Pat Summit could have said that about UConn but didn't. She took us on. Maybe we can repay her by continuing the rivalry? Thoughts?