Notre Dame Postgame Thread

[oldude]

Some thoughts on the Notre Dame game:

• Win and advance! Everyone can start breathing again.
• Through the years UConn & ND have had some epic battles in the NCAA Tournament, fielding teams loaded with AA’s and future WNBA draft picks. But this year is different. Certainly, UConn is loaded. But ND depends on a mercurial, 5’6” wunderkind who’s playing the best basketball of her career.
• Just like UNC, ND walked the ball up the court, slowing down the game, in an effort to avoid playing an up-tempo game with UConn at all costs.
• For the 4th game in a row, Blanca came off the bench and supercharged UConn with 14 points and 5 rebounds in the 1st half and strong play throughout the game.
• UConn seldom allows one star player to beat them singlehandedly. Today against HH, UConn alternately ran both KK and Kayleigh at her, while rotating a big anytime she penetrated the lane. It worked for one qtr. But HH went off for 9 in the 2nd while continuing to be ND’s best option on offense, finishing with 22 points on 7/19 shooting with just 3 steals and 5 turnovers.
• One interesting set that UConn used to prevent HH from hunting steals was to run whoever she was guarding, typically KK, into the corner, having either Sarah or Azzi initiate the offense at the top of the key.
• ND was doing everything possible to disrupt UConn’s offensive actions. In the first half, Sarah had only 4 shots and Azzi had just 5.
• While Sarah didn’t get a lot of shots in the 1st half, she was a force on defense with 3 steals and 3 blocks.
• In the 3rd qtr UConn did an awful job making shots and a tremendous job rebounding the basketball.
• With Serah struggling, Geno went with Jana in the 3rd qtr, who came up HUGE on the boards while also scoring several very BIG baskets as UConn pushed the lead to 11 points
• We’ve seen a lot of small lineups from UConn. But in the 3rd qtr, UConn rolled out a throwback with a true center (Jana), 2 forwards (Sarah & Blanca) and 2 guards (Azzi & Kayleigh)
• In the 4th qtr, both Sarah and Azzi were able to take and make shots, while Blanca continued to be amazing, playing her best game as a UConn Husky!
• Most importantly, I had UConn +18 in Sarge's pool!!!! 😁 😎 🙃😄🤩
• It’s on to Phoenix for UConn and their 25th FF appearance, the 17th in the past 18 seasons. The Huskies will face either SC or TCU in the national semifinals for the opportunity to play for their 13th national championship. LET’S GO HUSKIES!!!

 

[SCNCHuskie]

Blanca!

Great contribution from Jana and K9. Great work by KK. What a huge backcourt call. AND, that number 21 ain’t so bad.

 

[jcoton56]

Its supposed to be hard now, But whew! Go huskies

 

[victor64]

The path the last two games wasn’t easy but Final Four trip number 25 and a 38-0 record. Amazing.

Blanca, the MOP, came up big when it was most needed.

UConn did a great job on Hidalgo. She is just so good.

Jana didn't get much time but wow did she step up with the minutes she got.

Geno was right, of course, but he didn't help his team drawing attention to how tight the rims were. The team looked hesitant to shoot at first.

There was way too much dribbling in the half court offense. Dribble penetration is almost impossible because players are allowed to hold and bump on drives to the basket.

A lot of things to address in a short period of time but they accomplished so much already. They will be ready for national semis.

 

[HuskyNan]

 

[Gusaford]

32 points, 14 rebounds from the bench!

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Sarah "we couldn't have played worse in the first half." That I could not say better. That is not a tendency to indulge in the NCAAs. I hope we have it out of our system ... I hope, I hope, I hope.

 

[Stagnant]

I hope people understand that making the final four is a big accomplishment. I don’t think UConn played well at all in Fort Worth. But what they accomplished deserves to be celebrated.

And Blanca! Wow, what a player!

 

[maple]

It’s always a great day when UConn advances to the FF and sends Notre Dame home packing.

Blanca and Jana both had incredible games today. Sarah and Azzi hit big shots when it counted. Defense was smothering.

 

[my2cents]

Why Jana doesn't play more than Serah makes no sense to me.
Ash and KK need to make some baskets, don't they?
Blanca should start.
Let's win the whole thing.

 

[REB1094]

Blanca walked into an elite 8 game featuring Sarah Strong, Azzi Fudd, and Hannah Hidalgo. She came off the bench. And she was the best player on the floor. HUGE game

Great defense, special shoutouts to KK and K9. Hidalgo and the rest of ND never got comfortable (minus the short Q2 run). They resorted to trying to force fouls that just weren’t there. Not a sustainable strategy, so when UConn’s offense started clicking, the game was over in the blink of an eye

Great contribution from Jana. Great offensive rebounds in her stint as well as good positioning for some easy buckets

Onto the Final Four!

 

[pghhuskydoc]

We hoped all year long that our depth and bench would make a huge difference. And they were today.
Blanca is the real deal, playing way beyond her years
And how about Jana coming off the bench, defending hard, and rebounding her butt off?
I love this team!

 

[Huskie837]

Thanks you BQ!!! Closer than the score!

 

[ec33]

Never all that much in doubt (what was in doubt was how long UConn's shooting woes could continue).

Defense travels.

Glad Jana finally got a chance to do what we all know she would do if brought into the game.

 

[GoUconn7961]

Phew! That’s it, that’s the post.

 

[typhaon]

Good effort by ND - but they needed a career-type game from someone, to have a shot, and didn't get it.

 

[joea]

Once again UConn shows that the only team that can beat UConn, is UConn. Is the basket smaller?
Defense travels.

 

[GoCardinal]

Once again, Shade & Arnold have got to provide SOMETHING offensively. I think everyone was missing shots uncharacteristically, but it would help take pressure off Fudd and Strong if they aren’t having their usual games. However, the offense looked best with Shade, Arnold, and Williams off the floor. El Alfy should probably see a significant minutes increase moving forward considering what waits ahead for UConn.

 

[ucmiami2]

32 points, 14 rebounds from the bench!

And the bench with more than half the O-Boards. The comparison to ND is stark at 7 points and 3 rebounds total. Tough for a one star team to string together 3 upsets in the NCAA. Defenses get better each step of the way. Prosper who was #2 in beating Vandy had a bad day with fouls taking a toll.

 

[Bone Dog]

You could really see UConn felt the pressure today. We came out tentative -- not just Azzi, but Sarah also, and Ash -- and it allowed ND to play tough D in the paint. And then Blanca burst onto the scene in the 1st, hit a 3 and lightened everything up. And then she just kept getting better. Her bast game of the season... so far. Without Blanca, we might not have pulled this one out. But she sparked the team and allowed Sarah and Azzi to find their offense.

Hannah had a pretty good game -- 22 pts, but only 2 steals (a third in garbage time) and 5 TOs. But she put a lot of pressure on us, especially KK and Kayleigh. And I think the two of them stood up to it. Azzi played great defense especially helping out on Hannah.

And some key help from an unsung heroine: Jana came in to give Geno 7 powerful minutes: 4 o-boards and some good intimidation in the lane. And Kayleigh and Blanca found her for easy layups. Way to go, Jana!

One thing the last two games shows is if UConn is tentative from the perimeter, it allows teams to clog up the lane. Then our offense looks not nearly as threatening. Blanca fixed that today. But perimeter shooting is a key component for us.

 

[Blue Huskie]

BQ the not so secret weapon!

 

[Huskie78]

I was hoping for a 15-20 point victory.
I’ll take it!

Final Four Bound!!

Go Huskies!!

 

[Geesworld]

Congrats UCONN!!!

Ashlyn and KK as always, great defense and giving the team second chance points. But we need the two of you to get it together offensively. We're 25 plus points better when KK is hitting on all cylinders.
Allie way to contribute! More Jana please!!
Great game Blanca!!! Great team win!!!!

Go Huskies!!!

 

[pghhuskydoc]

Also, I love me some pissed off second half Sarah Strong. What a leader!

 

[Jaml]

So, Blanca just put everyone on notice...holy smokes.

Hildago in the tournament, 8 steals, followed by 8 steals, followed by 10 steals, then against UConn 3 steals and 5 turnovers. I don't even remember the first steal, the second was on a tie up with the arrow going to ND, the third was in the final seconds with an 18 point deficit.

It is nice to get a challenge, with Sarah and Azzi not having typical games, and still winning comfortably.

 

[HuskyNan]

Why Jana doesn't play more than Serah makes no sense to me.
Ash and KK need to make some baskets, don't they?
Blanca should start.
Let's win the whole thing.

1. Jana is a great rebounder but not great at moving her feet on defense
2. It’s not like they aren’t trying
3. Geno isn’t going to change his lineup in the 39th game of the season

 

[jaydee602]

I bet UCONN is glad to get out of Fort Worth.
Between the NCAA sabotaging their sleep, the hardened rims, & other inconveniences, the Huskies never seemed comfortable on this court.
Let's hope the Phoenix experience is much friendlier & we get to enjoy UCONN at their best!

 

[Next 12]

What a great team win. The bench scored 32 points to Notre Dames 7 The defense was its usual greatness and it's hard to win with only 50 points. Again, the defense was the deciding factor in the win. The turning point in the game was Blanca and her 20 points.She is the next super star on this team this year and next year. Sarah will continue to set fecords and climb up the Uconn ladder in all categories. 38 down and 2 more to go . GO HUSKIES!!!!!!!

 

[HuskyNan]

 

[HuskyNan]