News on COOMBS?

[lne001]

BRO: thanks for that tip. Same exact thing happened to us on the NCAA wrestling championships final match, featuring one of our Penn State stars in his final victorious match.

Bo Nickal? Guy was tremendous, in complete control. Could also be Nolf, I suppose. Congrats on the team victory.

 

[winlots]

Being at the game, I too expected Coombs to come in when Crystal went out with her 4th foul. I just think Geno wanted to be "big" at that time with the way the board wars were going. I actually was hoping that he would put Boutaly in for a stint just to muck it up inside the way were getting pushed around for a while.

Jay: easy to agree on ALL your points. Had completely forgotten about one of my favorites, Camara (though I thought she was not up to snuff in her last appearance).

 

[BroadwayVa]

I was very surprised she didn't get some minutes - she is not great offensively but is probably the best perimeter defender and a very good rebounder from the guard spot. With a team that was constantly driving into the paint with good effect and rebounding tenaciously, it seemed an ideal situation to give her a few minutes and see if she could help.

And with Dangerfield playing as poorly as she did and being in serious foul trouble, why not? Not to mention Walker having a nightmare as well.

Sometimes I think Geno has brain farts and his 'you don't see practice' standard response seems a bit lame.

Brain farts? You are starting to sound like me. Yet, I know he had bad options and badder options in games like this. I put this one in-will she defend or foul, will she pass into the stand, can she handled the BIG moment. TRUST. I have often written about the lack of trust Geno had in Moriah as a frosh--she was really very trust worthy and proved it by years end. Coombs injury and play this season show she is a good defender that not always (as most sophs) makes great decisions--Moriah as a soph did make great decisions. Filp a coin--play those you believe in or gamble while the game is getting away from you.. You, as Geno what do you do,? except FART.

 

[Charliebball]

5 plus one sometimes can't press and play tight D for 40 minutes then 2 kids had fouls. Geno correctly loosened up the D with a 20 point lead. I doubt, from previous Buffalo play Geno et al had any thought Dilliard would take over and hit 90 percent (guess) of her shots in the second half
For Geno et Al it is Game management is critical since he only has 5 players, really 3 he truly trusts and they too let him down. Fouls and injuries could easily end his season and he is more aware of that than any of us.

defensively Coombs is the best that he has at the guard position..................no reason she couldn't have given CD a breather in that game..............as pointed out earlier, Coombs also a very good rebounder and might have helped on the defensive boards a bit where UConn was getting destroyed........

 

[winlots]

Bo Nickal? Guy was tremendous, in complete control. Could also be Nolf, I suppose. Congrats on the team victory.

lne: Exactly! Bo Nickal. What a guy, eh? Nolf and a couple others of same ilk. And what a squad. We watch all the PSU wrestling we can. Coach Sanderson , on top of being undefeated throughout his four years of college wrestling, has built a program that some say is best ever in ANY college sport!

 

[winlots]

defensively Coombs is the best that he has at the guard position...no reason she couldn't have given CD a breather in that game....as pointed out earlier, Coombs also a very good rebounder and might have helped on the defensive boards a bit where UConn was getting destroyed...

CHAR: good to hear that from you. Not totally alone.

 

[CocoHusky]

Sorry but some of these suggestions about how Geno should have or could have used Mikayla in the game last night sound "experimental" as in put her in there and see what happens. It's tournament time, even for a second round game against Buffalo Geno has a plan and a scout. Of course things did not go according to plan and this might sound harsh: There was not a single matchup on the floor last might that would have been favorable to Mikayla. That why she didn't play. The team started off in a good rhythm especially shooting the ball. Which starter was Geno going to take out to get Mikayla minutes. Mikayla is not the type of player that you want on the floor in times of adversity. The adversity for UCONN started with 7 minutes remaining in the 2 quarter and continued until the final buzzer. The adversity for UCONN peaked when Crystal got her 3rd and 4th fouls. Sorry guys and gals that was not Mikayla's experimental time.

 

[Gus Mahler]

I'll echo @UcMiami and @Charliebball regarding MC's rebounding ability. People tend to focus on her athleticism regarding her defense and then her weak offensive game. But part of that athleticism means she has good hops, quick hops, and quick hands. She was ideally suited to help on the boards--she's demonstrated what she can do. And, she can block shots.

It's a head-scratcher to me why she didn't play.

 

[DICKG]

Seems she has been playing her best ball lately. A little less out of control. Making a couple shots. Defending with tenacity. Lots of energy. Our tape quit for some reason a little before the end of the game, but from what we saw, she never got off the bench. Any news or thoughts?

That is Geno being Geno. He can talk all he wants about using the bench more when Katie was out and how valuable it was for the bench. There are four games left, hopefully, and he will not go any deeper than six unless someone gets hurt or fouls out. Yesterday three had four fouls and he played none of them.

 

[Bama fan]

UConn averaged 11.f PF/GM entering last nights game. They were called for 21 against Buffalo.

From Buffalo's web page, it seems that they averaged 19 PF/game. And last night there were 46 fouls called in total. So both teams far exceeded their yearly average, Seems to me that the refs were way too involved in the game. I have a good friend who refs several sports and many, many basketball games. He always said that if the fans noticed the refs, they were not doing their jobs. I sure noticed that bunch last night. This quality ( I use that term loosely) of officiating does not belong in the tournament. And both coaches felt the flow being interrupted all night. We won. I am happy. But we all could have seen a better game with less intervention.

 

[Roger G]

UConn averaged 11.f PF/GM entering last nights game. They were called for 21 against Buffalo.

The refs were whistle happy. I noticed it before the calls started going heavily against Connecticut. There were a lot of phantom calls, initially against Buffalo and later against CT. It thoroughly screwed up the pace and rhythm of the game. The refs were probably out of their league, literally.

 

[Jaybird65]

From Buffalo's web page, it seems that they averaged 19 PF/game. And last night there were 46 fouls called in total. So both teams far exceeded their yearly average, Seems to me that the refs were way too involved in the game. I have a good friend who refs several sports and many, many basketball games. He always said that if the fans noticed the refs, they were not doing their jobs. I sure noticed that bunch last night. This quality ( I use that term loosely) of officiating does not belong in the tournament. And both coaches felt the flow being interrupted all night. We won. I am happy. But we all could have seen a better game with less intervention.

Agreed. From my seat, I even thought the "T" on the Buffalo player was over the top. Can you imagine what it would be like watching a Buffalo-UCF game with how physical both teams are????

 

[Shenandoah]

The way the game was being called last night, Mikayla would have at the very least given us 5 additional fouls that may not have gone to the starters.

 

[Ralph]

what league were the refs from?

 

[Bascomfan]

From my vantage point, the only reason ONO got into the game was because of the foul trouble of Dangerfield and Williams. ONO will block shots and get rebounds that no one else on the bench will get. I believe if their accumulated number of early fouls had not forced Geno's hand, all 5 starters would have played 40 minutes. The Tenor of the game changes when Crystal is on the bench. If you've noticed lately, Geno rarely takes her out before the game is decided. The starters were all walking a fine line late in the 4th quarter. Williams had 3 fouls. EVERYBODY else had 4.

View attachment 41378

I honestly don't expect that to happen in the next round.

 

[donalddoowop]

Without a Kia Nurse of Gabby Williams, we need to defend elite players using team defense. With foul trouble mounting, I think we were forced to be more passive. Still, I was dissappointed that we seemed to lose alot of concentration on the defensive end after Q1.

UConn had both last season and that did not stop Young of ND from scoring over 30 points. Coombs could have come in for Walker who was playing a very bad game, overall.

 

[baggerbob]

Last night 2 players showed up to play, the seniors. Rebounding was KLS, and Collier, the other 3 stood around. ONO in her few minutes played defense and rebounded.

 

[UcMiami]

I certainly agree about the 'trust' issue with Geno, but the first foul trouble started fairly early in the first half with Williams and at that point Uconn had a sizeable lead. He went with Ono, and I thought she played pretty poorly when she first entered, giving up O boards, playing defense outside while leaving the inside wide open and fumbling rebounds. At either the middle of the first Q or middle of the second Q as Uconn began bleeding scoring margin, Coombs could have been given a few minutes to see how well or poorly she did. Truthfully she couldn't have done much worse than the five on the floor.

I do agree that by the mid fourth, he was riding his horses and should have, but that was because he refused to try anything during the first half. He seemed to trust her quite a bit when Lou was out during the AAC tournament. What changed?

I also thought he called off the press when Buffalo finally slowed their heart rate and began to run good offense - they were breaking the pressure and getting really good shots and making them by the time he pulled the defense back.

 

[CL82]

2) Does anyone else still use "tape" for these games?

I use Scotch tape for the games... it hasn't worked out well.

 

[HopJim]

Last night 2 players showed up to play, the seniors. Rebounding was KLS, and Collier, the other 3 stood around. ONO in her few minutes played defense and rebounded.

2? Williams was dominate in beginning of game on both offense and defense. Not her fault Geno took her out and was made the point guard later in game.

 

[BobbyJ]

We don't have a good enough perimeter defender to limit anyone's top perimeter scorer as we have in the past consecutively in Kelly Faris, Moriah Jefferson, or Kia Nurse.

Exactly. I'm surprised that FLJ was the first coach I've seen this year to consistently pound the dribble drive right into the teeth of UConn's defense. You either score or get fouled 80% of the time. If you don't have a huge front line like Baylor to dump it to, it's the best way to attack this D.

 

[Carnac]

I honestly don't expect that to happen in the next round.

I agree. Geno wanted to win this game. Buffalo was down big at one point but refused to stay down. Because they began to close the margin, it appeared Geno was not comfortable using any of his reserves early on.

I don’t expect UConn to be in a similar situation for game 3. You can’t blame a coach for wanting his 5 best players on the floor when the opposing team is mounting a comeback run.

 

[Carnac]

2? Williams was dominate in beginning of game on both offense and defense. Not her fault Geno took her out and was made the point guard later in game.

I thought Williams played well. She hit some huge shots. The only reason she sat was because of foul trouble, same for Dangerfield.

 

[ed4ourgirls]

I echo the thoughts of those who felt the refs were too intrusive. My benchmark for
over-intrusiveness on the part of refs is 40 fouls per game.

If the game had been really chippy with tempers flaring, then the refs would have to
get it under control, but last night wasn't really that kind of game.

 

[Checkmate 2.0]

I echo the thoughts of those who felt the refs were too intrusive. My benchmark for
over-intrusiveness on the part of refs is 40 fouls per game.

If the game had been really chippy with tempers flaring, then the refs would have to
get it under control, but last night wasn't really that kind of game.

I think there needs to be an end to the bogus contact fouls, where the defensive player has her arms vertical and the offensive player jumps into her. As well as 5 fouls and you are out, make it 6 fouls.

Also, bring back the one and one free throw.

 

[tower1]

From Buffalo's web page, it seems that they averaged 19 PF/game. And last night there were 46 fouls called in total. So both teams far exceeded their yearly average, Seems to me that the refs were way too involved in the game. I have a good friend who refs several sports and many, many basketball games. He always said that if the fans noticed the refs, they were not doing their jobs. I sure noticed that bunch last night. This quality ( I use that term loosely) of officiating does not belong in the tournament. And both coaches felt the flow being interrupted all night. We won. I am happy. But we all could have seen a better game with less intervention.

They where definitely blowing allot during this game.