No Concerns

[maple]

What we don't know is how we'll do against the top teams, like top 5 or so. Because we haven't played anyone ranked that high. The highest ranked team we've played is #8 Michigan. And we did not easily beat them.

But we also played Michigan in the early part of the season. Does that mean anything? I don't know. Maybe.

 

[ConnecticutBB]

Ì

I guess Villanova didn’t get the memo because the team I saw last night, would have beaten (or at least been competitive) with a whole lot of teams ranked above them! Are we supposed to beat them? Yes, and we did!

Azzi, of course was very good, but I was most proud of Sarah, who once again showed her ability to step up when the team really needs her even when she may still be a little off! That (and) Azzi, gives me a real sense of security going forward. Great to see Blanca back as well! KK looks to be bothered by her finger? Hoping that will resolve itself soon. I was also very happy to see Allie hit that three when she did! That will pay dividends later on. Ash was really good and made some good shots along with her usual work on defense.

I think people are being a bit hysterical over two relatively (for us) close games, both double digit wins I might add, that happened to coincide with our best player and best reserve being either unavailable or under the weather. These games, imo were actually a good thing as they put our team under a bit of pressure and gave our players a small taste of what may come later. I am optimistic but I certainly don’t anticipate UCLA or SC
simply rolling over for us like they did last year!

 

[Scot-e]

I think South Carolina is loaded and hungry. I've not seen the level of ferocity from uconn this season.

I have watched every SC game this year (wife went to SC) and SC does not have a higher “level of ferocity”. The difference is the level of completion they play- that’s is all. If we had the same schedule this would not even be a debate.

 

[oldude]

Well probably just the unknown. We know IF we play well we can easily beat most mid ranked to unranked teams easily.

What we don't know is how we'll do against the top teams, like top 5 or so. Because we haven't played anyone ranked that high. The highest ranked team we've played is #8 Michigan. And we did not easily beat them.

Soooo, if we played a higher quality schedule (like a couple 2-5 ranked teams), we'd probably have a better idea of where/what this team really is.

And who knows, playing tougher competition, might make the team better???

While we fans may not know how UConn will do against top 5 teams, be assured that after 30+ years Geno has a pretty damned good idea. It starts with putting his players through countless tests in practice, rolling out various lineups in games to see which ones are effective in different situations and then narrowing his lineup options for the Big Dance.

In addition, Geno and his assistant coaches are the best in the business at breaking down and analyzing every opponent they will face during the Big Dance, developing a detailed game plan and implementing that plan.

One final element is the team’s ability to execute the game plan as well as Geno’s ability to make in game tactical decisions in close games. I’ll cite just one such decision last season, during the Elite 8 game vs a surprisingly tough USC team, playing without their injured star.

Azzi was having a miserable shooting game. She had not hit a shot during the first 3 qtrs, and the game was still in doubt. During a timeout, Geno called an elevator screen with Sarah & Aubrey closing the doors and Azzi getting a 3-pt shot from 5 feet beyond the top of the arc. It was a play I had not remembered seeing all season from UConn.

Azzi buried the shot, then hit another, then got to the basket on a backdoor cut and the game was essentially over. I am not worried about who UConn didn’t play this season. What I am certain of is that if you ask Vic, Dawn, Cori, Kim or Shea which team they are most worried about in the Big Dance, they would all give you the same answer.

 

[meyers7]

While we fans may not know how UConn will do against top 5 teams, be assured that after 30+ years Geno has a pretty damned good idea. It starts with putting his players through countless tests in practice, rolling out various lineups in games to see which ones are effective in different situations and then narrowing his lineup options for the Big Dance.

In addition, Geno and his assistant coaches are the best in the business at breaking down and analyzing every opponent they will face during the Big Dance, developing a detailed game plan and implementing that plan.

One final element is the team’s ability to execute the game plan as well as Geno’s ability to make in game tactical decisions in close games. I’ll cite just one such decision last season, during the Elite 8 game vs a surprisingly tough USC team, playing without their injured star.

Azzi was having a miserable shooting game. She had not hit a shot during the first 3 qtrs, and the game was still in doubt. During a timeout, Geno called an elevator screen with Sarah & Aubrey closing the doors and Azzi getting a 3-pt shot from 5 feet beyond the top of the arc. It was a play I had not remembered seeing all season from UConn.

Azzi buried the shot, then hit another, then got to the basket on a backdoor cut and the game was essentially over. I am not worried about who UConn didn’t play this season. What I am certain of is that if you ask Vic, Dawn, Cori, Kim or Shea which team they are most worried about in the Big Dance, they would all give you the same answer.

Yeah, Geno knows. BUT....what does he know?

Some years he knows if we play well.....we win easily. Other years, he knows we have to play really well and we should be ok. Other years he knows we have to play really well and get a couple breaks or we're in trouble.

 

[victor64]

While we fans may not know how UConn will do against top 5 teams, be assured that after 30+ years Geno has a pretty damned good idea. It starts with putting his players through countless tests in practice, rolling out various lineups in games to see which ones are effective in different situations and then narrowing his lineup options for the Big Dance.

In addition, Geno and his assistant coaches are the best in the business at breaking down and analyzing every opponent they will face during the Big Dance, developing a detailed game plan and implementing that plan.

One final element is the team’s ability to execute the game plan as well as Geno’s ability to make in game tactical decisions in close games. I’ll cite just one such decision last season, during the Elite 8 game vs a surprisingly tough USC team, playing without their injured star.

Azzi was having a miserable shooting game. She had not hit a shot during the first 3 qtrs, and the game was still in doubt. During a timeout, Geno called an elevator screen with Sarah & Aubrey closing the doors and Azzi getting a 3-pt shot from 5 feet beyond the top of the arc. It was a play I had not remembered seeing all season from UConn.

Azzi buried the shot, then hit another, then got to the basket on a backdoor cut and the game was essentially over. I am not worried about who UConn didn’t play this season. What I am certain of is that if you ask Vic, Dawn, Cori, Kim or Shea which team they are most worried about in the Big Dance, they would all give you the same answer.

I honestly think UCLA is more talented this year than UConn. However, Geno made Cori and Dawn look silly in the Final Four last year. I suspect Cori and Dawn will get more of the same this year.

 

[oldude]

I honestly think UCLA is more talented this year than UConn. However, Geno made Cori and Dawn look silly in the Final Four last year. I suspect Cori and Dawn will get more of the same this year.

My take on UCLA is that they are more experienced and bigger. This is their best chance to win a national championship after which they lose a bunch of players to graduation.

On the other hand, Cori Close is just not a big game coach imo, and she’s certainly not up to matching wits with the Master. In addition, UConn is far more athletic and the Huskies pressure will give the Bruins nightmares.

SC lost several key players. But in Okot & Edwards they have a formidable frontcourt duo. If the Huskies face the Gamecocks, I think it will be a battle. But again, the edge goes to Geno & UConn imo.

 

[oldude]

Yeah, Geno knows. BUT....what does he know?

Some years he knows if we play well.....we win easily. Other years, he knows we have to play really well and we should be ok. Other years he knows we have to play really well and get a couple breaks or we're in trouble.

This feels like a rhetorical argument. So here’s my answer. Geno knows what he knows….,,

 

[hoophuskee]

Well the point (of this whole conversation, that I'm involved in) was some fans DID make a big deal about UCONN having a "competitive" game. And were happy about it.

Our (my) counter-point was it was only "competitive" because UCONN didn't play all that well (relatively to what they have/can). And there is no reason to be happy about that.

IMO you've made it a big deal over very little. I'll stop there.

 

[Bigboote]

. . . The Big East may not be preparing UConn to win but you can be sure that Geno is.

Bingo! Geno has said something to the effect, "It's not up to us to play down to the opponents' level." It's not up to the Big East to prepare UConn for the dance, it's up to Geno and staff and players to prepare.

 

[meyers7]

IMO you've made it a big deal over very little. I'll stop there.

It weren't me.

 

[meyers7]

This feels like a rhetorical argument. So here’s my answer. Geno knows what he knows….,,

Yeah, kinda the point of this little side conversation. Geno knows, but we don't.

It would be fun knowing (or at least having some reference). But just not the way it worked this year. Oh well.

 

[oldude]

Yeah, kinda the point of this little side conversation. Geno knows, but we don't.

It would be fun knowing (or at least having some reference). But just not the way it worked this year. Oh well.

We can always speculate on what Geno knows. In this instance I am reasonably certain that Geno knows he has a team that’s capable of winning it all this season.

 

[maple]

My take on UCLA is that they are more experienced and bigger. This is their best chance to win a national championship after which they lose a bunch of players to graduation.

On the other hand, Cori Close is just not a big game coach imo, and she’s certainly not up to matching wits with the Master. In addition, UConn is far more athletic and the Huskies pressure will give the Bruins nightmares.

Close and Gottlieb always strike me as coaches who are "good enough" to bring talent to their team and get them pretty far, and even win some big games, but they lack the ability to take that next step.

 

[YKCornelius]

Well probably just the unknown. We know IF we play well we can easily beat most mid ranked to unranked teams easily.

What we don't know is how we'll do against the top teams, like top 5 or so. Because we haven't played anyone ranked that high. The highest ranked team we've played is #8 Michigan. And we did not easily beat them.

Soooo, if we played a higher quality schedule (like a couple 2-5 ranked teams), we'd probably have a better idea of where/what this team really is.

And who knows, playing tougher competition, might make the team better???

What a bunch of nonsense. First, please replace the "we" with "I, meyers7". Simply put, I do not share your Doubting Thomas position of "I gotta see wins against the Top Five teams" to know how well UConn can play against them this year.

Having followed this program from the first year Geno and CD stepped in and took the reins, I can say without a doubt that I know we will do well against the "top 5 or so" teams out there. Just like I know "if we play well we can easily beat most mid-ranked to unranked teams". Just like I know that if any of the Top 16 seeded teams in our bracket get crazy hot and their entire team plays out of their minds (like Syla Swords did against us in Q4 this year) they can beat us even if we are playing well.

I know this from watching the Huskies play and evaluating the development of individual players, as well as the integration of players with each other in various rotations that Geno and staff put out on the floor this season. I know this from watching 1000+ WCBB games since the 1970s.

I do not need the Huskies to have played any of the top five teams this year to know this.

This year's team is special. With 11 games left, they are on course to be in future Boneyard debates on where they rank in the pantheon of great UConn teams. Will they win a National Championship? I believe so, but maybe not - a lot can still happen, especially in the Elite Eight and Final Four.

Are you of the opinion that if the Huskies do not win the NC it is due to them not playing well? Or, are you embracing the inverse corollary to that: the only way the Huskies win the NC is by playing well against the Top 5? I would disagree with either posture.

I suspect this will be a helluva NCAA tournament. I am hoping that Huskies continue to play like they did throughout last year's tournament. No reason to think they won't.

Go UConn!

 

[oldude]

Close and Gottlieb always strike me as coaches who are "good enough" to bring talent to their team and get them pretty far, and even win some big games, but they lack the ability to take that next step.

Close and Gottlieb both have big checkbooks.

 

[BobbyJ]

Close and Gottlieb always strike me as coaches who are "good enough" to bring talent to their team and get them pretty far, and even win some big games, but they lack the ability to take that next step.

Agree. And next time you watch USC on tv, see how many times Gottlieb engages the much older asst. coach Beth Burns for advice etc. It's not like Auriemma venting or making comments to CD or the other coaches, many times Burns is doing most of the talking. I'm not sure who's calling the shots and I'm not impressed with her at all.

 

[meyers7]

What a bunch of nonsense. First, please replace the "we" with "I, meyers7". Simply put, I do not share your Doubting Thomas position of "I gotta see wins against the Top Five teams" to know how well UConn can play against them this year.

Having followed this program from the first year Geno and CD stepped in and took the reins, I can say without a doubt that I know we will do well against the "top 5 or so" teams out there. Just like I know "if we play well we can easily beat most mid-ranked to unranked teams". Just like I know that if any of the Top 16 seeded teams in our bracket get crazy hot and their entire team plays out of their minds (like Syla Swords did against us in Q4 this year) they can beat us even if we are playing well.

I know this from watching the Huskies play and evaluating the development of individual players, as well as the integration of players with each other in various rotations that Geno and staff put out on the floor this season. I know this from watching 1000+ WCBB games since the 1970s.

I do not need the Huskies to have played any of the top five teams this year to know this.

This year's team is special. With 11 games left, they are on course to be in future Boneyard debates on where they rank in the pantheon of great UConn teams. Will they win a National Championship? I believe so, but maybe not - a lot can still happen, especially in the Elite Eight and Final Four.

Are you of the opinion that if the Huskies do not win the NC it is due to them not playing well? Or, are you embracing the inverse corollary to that: the only way the Huskies win the NC is by playing well against the Top 5? I would disagree with either posture.

I suspect this will be a helluva NCAA tournament. I am hoping that Huskies continue to play like they did throughout last year's tournament. No reason to think they won't.

Go UConn!

Well you are lying because you don't "know". You can speculate and guess and even believe (and that's really what it is). But you don't know.

Are you of the opinion that if the Huskies do not win the NC it is due to them not playing well? Or, are you embracing the inverse corollary to that: the only way the Huskies win the NC is by playing well against the Top 5?

Neither, and that's the point. I don't have a evidence for that (and neither do you). But you're speculating, guessing, not "knowing".

Sorry, you're just out to lunch on this. You'd think after following this team for as long as you say, you'd know better. But I guess it just never clicks for some people.

 

[Inthepaint]

They’ll just have to play the games against whomever takes the court with them.
And do the best they can.
What their “best” is on that date will determine the outcome and whether #13 is in the cards.
IMHO, no one can beat UCONN this season. They can only beat themselves.
We know that Azzi & Sarah are the premier 1-2 punch in D1. We know Ash,KK,K9 & Jana have been in the pressure cooker & not wilted.
Let’s see what Blanca, Allie, Caroline , Serah, Ayanna & Kellis do when and if their moment comes.
No doubt we have the deepest pool of talent.
As for intangibles, don’t know anyone who got rich betting against Geno & crew.
I’m looking forward to dining on something other than crow Easter Sunday

 

[Skeets]

I don't know what Geno knows, but I do know this, Geno knows more than what we (the entire BY) knows.

 

[YKCornelius]

Well you are lying because you don't "know". You can speculate and guess and even believe (and that's really what it is). But you don't know.

Are you of the opinion that if the Huskies do not win the NC it is due to them not playing well? Or, are you embracing the inverse corollary to that: the only way the Huskies win the NC is by playing well against the Top 5?

Neither, and that's the point. I don't have a evidence for that (and neither do you). But you're speculating, guessing, not "knowing".

Sorry, you're just out to lunch on this. You'd think after following this team for as long as you say, you'd know better. But I guess it just never clicks for some people.

This latest post of yours underscores why your previous post was nonsense.

On one hand, you state: that "we know IF we play well we can easily beat most mid ranked to unranked teams easily." The premise behind your statement was: you know because you have seen it. On the other hand, you state in another post that "Geno knows, but we don't".

You didn't you use the term "speculate" in either of those statements pertaining to you and Geno, did you? Of course not, you used the term "know".

Nor did you take the undeniable position that nobody can see the future - not you, not Geno, not anyone else. If you would have, I'm guessing you probably would have eliminated any pushback. Certainly from me.

Instead, you ridiculously opted to base your contention of not knowing if we can play well against Top 5 teams simply on the premise that the world hasn't seen it happen yet this year.

The definition of speculating is forming a theory or conjecture about a subject without firm or conclusive evidence.

What is my firm evidence for knowing that this team can and will play well against Top Five opponents? Simple: past history of this program under Geno, coupled with this team's exceptional talent, resilience, depth, and development as the season has progressed. Every time UConn has had a team close to this year's caliber, they have played well against Top Five opponents in the NCAA tournament.

Visual and historical evidence is all I need to take the posture that "I know". Your "knowledge", on the other hand, is limited to what you have seen thus far. What a pity.

 

[BBallF]

You point to a level of schizophrenia here on the BY, lamenting the “lack of competition in the BE” only to “sound the alarm” about UConn whenever a BE team actually plays UConn competitively. There’s no winning that discussion.

Or the other psychotic side of the coin which is lamenting the "poor" competition in the BE and its projected catastrophic effect on us in March, and then being thankful that we have an "easy" schedule near the end of the BE regular schedule and in the BE tourney so we can rest and retool.

 

[BBallF]

I don't know what Geno knows, but I do know this, Geno knows more than what we (the entire BY) knows.

How do you know he is not a poster here or doesn't read what we have to say? Some of the comments here are pretty astute. Don't you find it odd that sometimes there are suggestions made here and the next game you see them? Brilliant ideas like "play good defense" or "box out" or "no illegal screens" - well, maybe not the last one. 😉

 

[fomalhaut]

How do you know he is not a poster here or doesn't read what we have to say?

I imagine Geno doesn't read the board himself, but probably has an intern or something who does, and occasionally points out something of interest.

 

[packwrap]

I'm not pushing a panic button here, but I have concerns. I remember all too well when UConn cruised into the NCAAs with a fantastic record and lost to Vic Shaefer and MSState in the last seconds. In an different year, I was among those in Denver suffering though a heartbreaking loss to Notre Dame against, again, a much-heralded UConn team. These things can and do happen.

I'm not sure any 'single game poorly played BE win' has anything to do with those close losses to Miss St and ND.

Those 'core 4' teams are still my all time favorites.

The thing is if you don't win these big games by 10+ points, they turn into a crap shoot, often coming down to the last posession. UConn simply lost 1 posession games against very good teams.

This current team is deeper than that 'core 4' group, but if we don't play our A game, today's SC, TX(there's Vic again), UCLA, LSU, MI, and maybe Vandy will be there to take a game down to the buzzer again.

 

[ERWUC65]

IMO all the top teams have clear deficiencies that will most certainly be exploited by Geno in the tournament. Our perceived deficiency at this point in the season appears to be in the post with concerns about Serah (and Jana, although much improved of late). Our advantage here, however, is the ability to go small, with Sarah and Blanca up front, Azzi at the point and the in and out of our pesky guards.

 

[oldude]

IMO all the top teams have clear deficiencies that will most certainly be exploited by Geno in the tournament. Our perceived deficiency at this point in the season appears to be in the post with concerns about Serah (and Jana, although much improved of late). Our advantage here, however, is the ability to go small, with Sarah and Blanca up front, Azzi at the point and the in and out of our pesky guards.

To some degree I view Jana & Serah as insurance against other Bigs UConn might run into in the tournament. But the truth is, other than Betts, who UCLA has built their offense around, there is no other true Big that is consistently involved in any team’s offense and frequently such players can be taken out of games by smaller, more athletic lineups.

Okot is a solid rebounder & defender for SC. But her scoring is generally limited to within 2’ from the basket. Both Oldacre & Cunningham at TX are similarly limited. Beers is a little more actively involved in OK’s offense. But she can disappear at times and she’s really not a good defender out on the floor.

As you point out, the challenge for every single Big in WBB, when facing UConn, is how to possibly match up with Sarah when UConn goes with their small lineup. No one figured it out last year or so far this year.

 

[meyers7]

This latest post of yours underscores why your previous post was nonsense.

On one hand, you state: that "we know IF we play well we can easily beat most mid ranked to unranked teams easily." The premise behind your statement was: you know because you have seen it. On the other hand, you state in another post that "Geno knows, but we don't".

You didn't you use the term "speculate" in either of those statements pertaining to you and Geno, did you? Of course not, you used the term "know".

Nor did you take the undeniable position that nobody can see the future - not you, not Geno, not anyone else. If you would have, I'm guessing you probably would have eliminated any pushback. Certainly from me.

Instead, you ridiculously opted to base your contention of not knowing if we can play well against Top 5 teams simply on the premise that the world hasn't seen it happen yet this year.

The definition of speculating is forming a theory or conjecture about a subject without firm or conclusive evidence.

What is my firm evidence for knowing that this team can and will play well against Top Five opponents? Simple: past history of this program under Geno, coupled with this team's exceptional talent, resilience, depth, and development as the season has progressed. Every time UConn has had a team close to this year's caliber, they have played well against Top Five opponents in the NCAA tournament.

Visual and historical evidence is all I need to take the posture that "I know". Your "knowledge", on the other hand, is limited to what you have seen thus far. What a pity.

Yeah, I know, living in reality is such a pity. You (and a few others here) obviously don't like it, but I'm still gonna live there.

What is, is. What was, was. What will be, will be. But you're free to make up your own reality as you see fit.

 

[Skeets]

You and YK need to play nicely. We're all fans here aren't we? I'm a little surprised this discussion of "ideas" has been allowed to go on. It is mildly entertaining though...

 

[Bone Dog]

At some point toward the end of last season Geno admitted in a presser that “I think we’ll be a really good tournament team.” That was a sort of confidence I hadn’t seen him express in a few years. And the result really speaks volumes about whatever he saw that made him so confident.

In the most recent presser, after acknowledging the recent swoon and suggesting that all the top programs go through this every season, he said “I think the team is in a really good position heading into the BE tournament.” This is not quite as confident sounding as what he said last season, but it’s pretty close. He seems to be saying that the team is as healthy as it’s been all season. That’s a very good sign.

I’m probably not as confident overall as Geno is. I’d be a lot more confident if Blanca was playing at the level she showed in the first few weeks, like against tOSU or Utah. She was startlingly good in those games, even with the mistakes she made. I don’t see how any team matches up with her at her best if either Sarah or Azzi (or both!) are on the floor. Not SC, not UCLA, not Texas, not Vandy, not LSU. So I’ll be looking to see her progress over the next few games.

Also important is how the terror triplets play: KK Ash and Kayleigh. Last year it was Kaitlyn along with the havoc twins who provided the key support to our Big Three — and in hindsight I think pretty much all of us recognized the genius of signing Kaitlyn out of the portal. Geno “knew what he knew.” This season, I have a feeling he also knew something really important about adding Kayleigh. And I won’t even go on about Allie “Say no more” Threeball, though I could speak until the rest of you are weary on this topic.

Is UCLA more talented than last season? Maybe, maybe not. But they are definitely a talented veteran squad facing their last chance at an NC. That counts for something. I don’t think SC is more talented — injuries have taken a toll and Dawn has to play a pretty thin lineup. But the core of Joyce Raven Taniya and Tessa is very solid. Texas looks weaker than last season, when they underperformed. So does LSU. And I don’t think Vandy can really match up with the top 3 (or maybe 4) teams in a tournament setting, even with Mikayla’s and Aubrey’s heroics. But I will be thrilled to see whatever they can accomplish.