Oh. Poor Baylor without their PG

[CTrefugee]

Did any of the announcers mention that we were without our starting PG who is one of our best perimeter defenders?
Their starter missed less than a half.
The game was so poorly called that I turned off the sound for a while.

 

[Kaizen]

We don't have Nika in for all 40 mins and DiDi at least was in for 30 mins...

 

[DALTX]

I had to turn the sound down several times, but I don't recall hearing it mentioned. Amazing runs by UConn in this game.

 

[JordyG]

They did however mention a few times that DiDi was their de facto PG since they really had none.

 

[VivaLsVgs]

This is not a just comparison IMO. It was known before the game Nika was not playing and Geno could strategize accordingly. DiDi went down at a critical point; she’s one of their experienced players and they had to make in game adjustments. There’s no question the momentum of the game shifted when she went out.

 

[Dwilliams02]

The comparison of Nika to Didi is a huge reach when it comes to their importance on each team. Didi is vital to Baylor's success. Nika is not vital to UConns success. She's just a great player to have.

 

[huskeynut]

the head coach's job is to be readyThis is not a just comparison IMO. It was known before the game Nika was not playing and Geno could strategize accordingly. DiDi went down at a critical point; she’s one of their experienced players and they had to make in game adjustments. There’s no question the momentum of the game shifted when she went out.

While I agree Didi going down was a problem for Baylor, it's the head coach's job is to be ready for such situations. Kim didn't get it done. That's on her. When Nika went down in a game, Geno had the team ready for such a situation. The planning and preparation happens long before the game is played.

 

[hoopsfan22]

Richards isn't even the best player on their team. People are acting like Baylor lost LeBron or Curry in the third quarter.

 

[VivaLsVgs]

Richards isn't even the best player on their team. People are acting like Baylor lost LeBron or Curry in the third quarter.

LeBron was too busy tweeting!

 

[Sakibomb25]

You can't think that Richards' injury had no impact on the game. It was no coincidence that UConn went on a 19-0 run after Richards went down. Andrews came in with a deer-in-the-headlights look.

At least Muhl's injury was ahead of time and UConn could prepare. Very difference scenarios.

 

[Dillon77]

You can't think that Richards' injury had no impact on the game. It was no coincidence that UConn went on a 19-0 run after Richards went down. Andrews came in with a deer-in-the-headlights look.

At least Muhl's injury was ahead of time and UConn could prepare. Very difference scenarios.

I'm not sure if I've seen it on this thread, but Richard's true value to Baylor is her defense, She was named 2020 Naismith Defensive Player of the Year. Heck I remember her being a handful when the Irish lost to them in the 2019 National Championship Game. Great length and she did a number on Jackie Young, who barely scored in that game.

Speaking of injuries affecting the ebb and flow of a game, if you recall ND was down 14 or 15 in that contest until Lauren Cox was injured. ND almost came all the way back while Cox was out behind Marina Mabrey and Arike Ogunbowale's jumpers in the 4th. Good teams take advantage of changes in personnel. With Richards out, UConn certainly did tonight.

 

[BobbyJ]

I'm not sure if I've seen it on this thread, but Richard's true value to Baylor is her defense, She was named 2020 Naismith Defensive Player of the Year. Heck I remember her being a handle when the Irish lost to them in the 2019 National Championship Game. Great length and she did a number of Jackie Young.

Speaking of injuries, if you recall ND was down 14 or 15 until Lauren Cox was injured, then ND almost came all the way back while Cox was out behind Marina Mabrey and Arike Ogunbowale's jumpers in the 4th. Good teams take advantage of changes in personnel UConn certainly did tonight.

Exactly. Richards as a PG doesn't do much more than come down one side and make the first pass to the top of the circle. 90% of her value is on defense.

 

[SECbbfan24]

They did however mention a few times that DiDi was their de facto PG since they really had none.

I mean Kim refused to develop her bench many times this year and it came back to bite them on the offensive end. She should own that....Andrew’s came in with deer in headlights look before settling down eventually.

you can’t replace Didi defensively though. That was a bigger issue than their PG woes to me. UCONN scored almost at will as soon as she was out

 

[hoopsfan22]

Exactly. Richards as a PG doesn't do much more than come down one side and make the first pass to the top of the circle. 90% of her value is on defense.

Right, just like Muhl who is our best defender, and one of our best passers, and makes enough threes to keep defenses honest helping to take some of the pressure off of Paige.

 

[Cuango]

LeBron was too busy tweeting!

This guy has basically become a caricature! He would do well to remember the old saying about it being “better to be silent and be thought a fool than to open your mouth and remove all doubt”! Pretty sad that so many young people worship a guy like that and know nothing about Jim Brown, Colin Powell, Thomas Sowell, Muhammad Ali, Condaleeza Rice, etc.

You can't think that Richards' injury had no impact on the game. It was no coincidence that UConn went on a 19-0 run after Richards went down. Andrews came in with a deer-in-the-headlights look.

At least Muhl's injury was ahead of time and UConn could prepare. Very difference scenarios.

Of course Richard’s injury had an impact on the game! However, Nika’s injury did too. If you can’t see that it’s unfair to not even mention that, then there’s not much to say. You can make your argument hat Richard’s injury had more of an impact. That’s fair, but to not even mention Nika’s absence shows either ignorance or bias on the part of the commentators.

 

[hoopsfan22]

Baylor also has a deeper roster than UConn. A roster that is 70% upperclassmen. UConn has 12 on the roster, and 2 were injured, 1 other one was riding the yellow bus to school just two months ago, and 7 of the 12 are freshman and 2 others are sophomores. Yeah it sucks to lose a starter mid-game, but from a personnel standpoint Baylor had a huge advantage over UConn.

 

[eebmg]

Exactly. Richards as a PG doesn't do much more than come down one side and make the first pass to the top of the circle. 90% of her value is on defense.

and her defense was just ok this game. Paige was already up to 18 points, Carrington was the real headache this game on both sides.

 

[huskeynut]

You can't think that Richards' injury had no impact on the game. It was no coincidence that UConn went on a 19-0 run after Richards went down. Andrews came in with a deer-in-the-headlights look.

At least Muhl's injury was ahead of time and UConn could prepare. Very difference scenarios.

I disagree with your summation of Nika's injury. Think back. Nika went down during the High Point game Geno had to adjust right then and there.

Kim should have been ready for something like Didi's injury. She wasn't and neither was her team.

 

[CL82]

You can't think that Richards' injury had no impact on the game. It was no coincidence that UConn went on a 19-0 run after Richards went down. Andrews came in with a deer-in-the-headlights look.

At least Muhl's injury was ahead of time and UConn could prepare. Very difference scenarios.

Agree somewhat. But having another aggressive defender on Richards would’ve made her less effective and having another three-point threat would’ve made it easier for us to maintain the leads we built.

 

[CL82]

and her defense was just ok this game. Paige was already up to 18 points, Carrington was the real headache this game on both sides.

Because basically the refs were allowing her to do anything short of harvesting Paige’s organs without calling a foul.

 

[jaundicedeye]

Did any of the announcers mention that we were without our starting PG who is one of our best perimeter defenders?
Their starter missed less than a half.
The game was so poorly called that I turned off the sound for a while.

As strange as it sounds I watched the entire game with the sound off because I wanted to focus on the basketball game being played. I did not want announcers' interpretation of what I just saw and I certainly did not need the endless force-feeding of gratuitous back-stories.
I enjoyed the game very much and could not wait to be among my fellow fans on the Boneyard!

 

[DEpup]

I disagree with your summation of Nika's injury. Think back. Nika went down during the High Point game Geno had to adjust right then and there.

Kim should have been ready for something like Didi's injury. She wasn't and neither was her team.

You mean CD and Jamelle had to adjust....

 

[Blue Ghost]

LeBron was too busy tweeting!

LeBron always wants to interject like the world is waiting for him to offer judgement. He is too much about self publicizing. Don't care about his opinions. He will never be Michael.

 

[DEpup]

I disagree with your summation of Nika's injury. Think back. Nika went down during the High Point game Geno had to adjust right then and there.

Kim should have been ready for something like Didi's injury. She wasn't and neither was her team.

And I guess Kim was right when she said she wouldn't be outcoaching Geno.....

We've had to hear about Didi's fall injury all season so Kim and the team had to have a plan for her. She didn't start the season so they have played games without her. I think this was a lack of player development with Star Andrews who was a top recruit. You have to think by midseason Andrews should have been getting at least 15 minutes a game at point during all those blow outs but Kim didn't do it. Andrews did play pretty well at the end of the game. Just think if she'd had more minutes in previous games at point to prepare. So what if their blow outs would have been only 40 pt wins instead of 50....

 

[Charliebball]

Exactly. Richards as a PG doesn't do much more than come down one side and make the first pass to the top of the circle. 90% of her value is on defense.

and yet if I'm not mistaken Bueckers had already scored either 17 or 19 points midway through the third quarter before DiDi got hurt so it wasn't like she had stopped Paige from scoring........