Number one reason for the 5 losses

[PhillyCoach]

First I want to mention that other posters and pundits have said what I am going to say. The number one reason for the losses is "Open Looks - Shooting Woes." Let's start with the SC game. Check the stats - the game was close in 4 major areas. Turnovers were even at 13 each. Offensive rebounding was SC 14 to UConn 13. Fouls were SC 15 to UConn 11. Shots were dead even at 71 each. That's close so far. UConn played hard and aggressive the entire game.
Even Geno talked about all the open looks. UConn worked the play to get good looks. They shot 36% overall and 30% 3 pt. SC shot 46% and 36%. One TV pundit said -- making shots in practice is not the same as making shots in the game--even open looks.

Some quick stats on the other losses. **Take note - other posters here have said--why do other teams shoot so well against us. Well, it shows in the stats. Listed will be overall and 3 pt %.
NC State - 52% and 38% UConn 46% and 31%
UCLA - 45% and a crazy 48% 3 pt. UConn - 33% (are you kidding me) and 39%
Notre Dame - 55% and 41% UConn 43% and a horrible 28%

So far every game UConn is well below their shooting %. Again, the open looks and even lay ups are there. That's 4 out of 5 games.
Texas was the only game that the shooting % were flipped. UConn shot better. However, the loss came from UConn 21 turnovers to 9 for Texas. Also, offensive rebounds was 16 to 5 for Texas.

Anyway, it does not matter if you have 5 starters over 6'2" or taller if a 5"6' guard can score 30 --like HH on Notre Dame. Or the Texas guard.

Of course, it is obvious --- you have to put the ball in the basket. The open looks are there.
Can that be fixed for the playoffs? Maybe.

 

[JonathanXIV]

The number one reason for the 5 losses is our five losses (players that is).

 

[Conndog]

Not enough offense caused by 1) injuries 2) personnel

 

[Rowdy831]

First off when you play a short line up against a team with any length at all your guards have to collapse to help inside. When they collapse the pass to the shooter is coming from the direction of the basket, not from the side so they are getting what is referred to as a good look. Add to that absolutely no contesting of the shot and you have a good shooter making shots.

UConn in my opinion has two issues with their shooting. First is they don't really have three point shooters as much as they have good offensive players which is resulting in too many shots that are outside their effective range. Secondly and more importantly is Geno wants to assign a number of three point shots to every game which makes them shoot more bad shots on top of the ones they are shooting that are just too far out.

When I watch UConn it is clear to me that they are not maximizing the opportunities for their stars. They have Paige guarding taller, stronger players on defense which she can do but at a detriment to her offense. In short she is getting tired. The second is AE gets no easy looks. She is playing hard and getting her points but if she had another big with her she would a lot of lay ups or assists to the other big when they score.

They have the players but I don't see them getting the alignment they need to beat teams like SC. They are still a great short team and will win if they have a good match up on size.

 

[Zarathustra]

Not being at "FULL STRENGTH" causes "ripples" through the
entire UCONN HUSKY season: e.g. in the " big games" IMHO at
some level it must feel like "nobody" has your "back". i.e. it must feel
like you're on your own island out there (psychologically? /Unconsciously?)
EVERYBODY MUST PRODUCE!! Pressure.... Maybe??

 

[sun]

A good offense can beat a good defense.
UConn needs to figure out alternate ways to score & how to increase scoring efficiency against better teams.
UConn has been running hard but not gunning very well.

 

[huskeynut]

Three straight years of abnormal amount of injuries to key players takes it toll.

UConn has limited options. 3 seniors, Paige included by years, and 4 freshman are the only options UConn has.

You play the hand you are dealt.

 

[huskeynut]

A good offense can beat a good defense.
UConn needs to figure out alternate ways to score & how to increase scoring efficiency against better teams.
UConn has been running hard but not gunning very well.

Nice statement. Now how does Geno figure out alternate scoring options with the team he has?

His options are limited.

 

[topogigio]

The other team scored more points than the Huskies did!

 

[my2cents]

When the shots don't go in, you are not scoring and hence you lose.
The injuries have taken away the option of replacing cold shooting starters with "potentially" better shooting subs.
Also, with basically no bench, the starters , who are told, don't get into foul trouble, literally are barely covering their "man". AE has been 7-8 feet away from her man just about every game.
I do think moving forward, and Geno alluded to it...better choices need to be made on who shoots and where do they shoot from.

 

[Henry]

Lack of depth is a big problem. The starters play way too many minutes. That affects their legs which then affects our shooting. The inexperience of the freshman is another problem, especially on the defensive end.

 

[Centerstream]

The other team scored more points than the Huskies did!

Exactly!!!!

 

[sun]

Nice statement. Now how does Geno figure out alternate scoring options with the team he has?

His options are limited.

That's Geno's job.
He has options & plenty of staff to come uo with ideas about how to improve.
I could give some advice but it won't do any good here.
Geno seems to not want to use the BE blowouts to experiment with different player chemistry & PT..

 

[BBallF]

First I want to mention that other posters and pundits have said what I am going to say. The number one reason for the losses is "Open Looks - Shooting Woes." Let's start with the SC game. Check the stats - the game was close in 4 major areas. Turnovers were even at 13 each. Offensive rebounding was SC 14 to UConn 13. Fouls were SC 15 to UConn 11. Shots were dead even at 71 each. That's close so far. UConn played hard and aggressive the entire game.
Even Geno talked about all the open looks. UConn worked the play to get good looks. They shot 36% overall and 30% 3 pt. SC shot 46% and 36%. One TV pundit said -- making shots in practice is not the same as making shots in the game--even open looks.

Some quick stats on the other losses. **Take note - other posters here have said--why do other teams shoot so well against us. Well, it shows in the stats. Listed will be overall and 3 pt %.
NC State - 52% and 38% UConn 46% and 31%
UCLA - 45% and a crazy 48% 3 pt. UConn - 33% (are you kidding me) and 39%
Notre Dame - 55% and 41% UConn 43% and a horrible 28%

So far every game UConn is well below their shooting %. Again, the open looks and even lay ups are there. That's 4 out of 5 games.
Texas was the only game that the shooting % were flipped. UConn shot better. However, the loss came from UConn 21 turnovers to 9 for Texas. Also, offensive rebounds was 16 to 5 for Texas.

Anyway, it does not matter if you have 5 starters over 6'2" or taller if a 5"6' guard can score 30 --like HH on Notre Dame. Or the Texas guard.

Of course, it is obvious --- you have to put the ball in the basket. The open looks are there.
Can that be fixed for the playoffs? Maybe.

Good post but I have a different perspective. The proof in the pudding is where the shots are coming from. Against a bigger team like SC, they had a lot of shots under the basket or from short range and without defensive pressure. Their players are older generally, bigger, thicker and as a result we are not getting the same amount of open layups they got and they were not getting contested underneath at all at times.

It's not one thing here, it's many. It's size, experience, lack of good college defense in the earlier games, and a flawed team that was put together because there was no alternative. Put a healthy Azzi, Caroline, Aubrey, Jana and Ay on that team and things change immediately. I love Nika, but she is not a solid college scorer and that leaves only Paige, Ash and Liyah since Ice and Q are not dependable scorers either and Kk is still developing and still trying to drive into traffic instead of pulling up or out. We shoot well usually against the lesser teams. Why? One is weaker defensive pressure. Second we are better players, especially Paige and Liyah. Third, we then get quality shots and several inside shots.

Where you are shooting from and the defense on you, make all the difference in the world in your shooting percentages. We are just not going to do well against bigger, longer, older and equally athletic teams. Shooting is not just physical, it is mental also. Being harassed or pounded on defense takes its toll and having to take tough shots doesn't show in statistics. We all want a magic answer but I am afraid any answer was replaced long ago only by questions when we had yet another year of a Biblical plaque of serious injuries.

 

[maple]

Yes, the injuries and all that, sure. We’ve covered this.

But let’s not act like we don’t have some really good scorers on this team. They just simply haven’t been consistent.

And I don’t think it’s just a fatigue thing.

 

[bantamlaker]

Perhaps it’s as simple as the other team was better

 

[msf22b]

And I don’t think it’s just a fatigue thing.

I do....physical and mental

 

[mrmojack]

This might remedy the situation a little.

Fudd
Griffin
Ducharme
Patterson
El Alfy

 

[HuskyNan]

Perhaps it’s as simple as the other team was better

I believe the discussion is - where were the other teams better, or where we’re UConn’s shortcomings that gave them an advantage.

 

[Centerstream]

Isn't the thread asking about our 5 losses and not just the SC loss?
I'm confused now...

 

[baggerbob]

Good post but I have a different perspective. The proof in the pudding is where the shots are coming from. Against a bigger team like SC, they had a lot of shots under the basket or from short range and without defensive pressure. Their players are older generally, bigger, thicker and as a result we are not getting the same amount of open layups they got and they were not getting contested underneath at all at times.

It's not one thing here, it's many. It's size, experience, lack of good college defense in the earlier games, and a flawed team that was put together because there was no alternative. Put a healthy Azzi, Caroline, Aubrey, Jana and Ay on that team and things change immediately. I love Nika, but she is not a solid college scorer and that leaves only Paige, Ash and Liyah since Ice and Q are not dependable scorers either and Kk is still developing and still trying to drive into traffic instead of pulling up or out. We shoot well usually against the lesser teams. Why? One is weaker defensive pressure. Second we are better players, especially Paige and Liyah. Third, we then get quality shots and several inside shots.

Where you are shooting from and the defense on you, make all the difference in the world in your shooting percentages. We are just not going to do well against bigger, longer, older and equally athletic teams. Shooting is not just physical, it is mental also. Being harassed or pounded on defense takes its toll and having to take tough shots doesn't show in statistics. We all want a magic answer but I am afraid any answer was replaced long ago only by questions when we had yet another year of a Biblical plaque of serious injuries.

The biggest problem is on the defensive end.
The 2014 team With Dolson, Stewie, Stokes, and Tuck made life miserable for everyone.

 

[BobbyJ]

The biggest problem is on the defensive end.
The 2014 team With Dolson, Stewie, Stokes, and Tuck made life miserable for everyone.

Exactly. Everything starts with interior defense. If you can't defend the paint area, good teams are going to beat you. UConn would not have gotten as far as they did last year if they had not had Juhasz inside. And even that wasn't enough.

 

[Shenandoah]

I couldn't count how many times, against SC, that a UConn ball handler dribbled along the baseline, under the basket, and out the other side, when a layup/reverse layup, which they've done successfully countless times, was available but passed up.

 

[baggerbob]

Exactly. Everything starts with interior defense. If you can't defend the paint area, good teams are going to beat you. UConn would not have gotten as far as they did last year if they had not had Juhasz inside. And even that wasn't enough.

And those championship teams always had that. 2015 Stewie, Tuck, Stokes, then Collier replaced Stokes as the 3rd interior defender.
It isn' a coincidence that since then Uconn hasn't had multiple great interior defenders, and hasn't won a championship.