Oregon State Game Thread

[bags27]

wow! coaches' corner is awesome. what an added benefit to Kara/Rebecca. Both so much better than the announcers, who should be announcing, not having a conversation.

 

[Gurleyman]

Chong may need to be ready too as a three-point threat, if we see a little zone and/or packed in defenses.

 

[Nuyoika]

Anyone going to start a thread for the next game?

 

[Nuyoika]

Anyone going to start a thread for the next game?

 

[Nuyoika]

Anyone going to start a thread for the next game?

 

[Blueballer]

The Tuesday night opponent will see this as an opportunity to pack it in and force UConn to beat them from outside. Moriah becomes key - her ability to sink the three and create turnovers and easy baskets becomes more important.

If it's Cuse they'll likely pack it in anyway.

 

[bags27]

If that happened in this game to Svet... she'd probably say "I told coach I should shoot only, when rebound this what happens" lol

Yeah, Svet showed Dee how to talk back to Geno. Not that Dee needed any encouragement.

 

[Gus Mahler]

Maybe this is why Geno had Natalie in so relatively early: he wants to be assured of length with Lou out. Not that they are interchangeable, but that's the thing he can prepare for in the last minutes of this game.

Also doesn't hurt to advertise a little to the NC game opponent.

 

[Vowelguy]

Maybe this is why Geno had Natalie in so relatively early: he wants to be assured of length with Lou out. Not that they are interchangeable, but that's the thing he can prepare for in the last minutes of this game.

Doubt it. Butler was the better fit against a big ore st team.
I doubt we will will see her Tues. and definitely not if Syracuse is the opponent.

I'm guessing it will be 40 mins for the big 3, 35 for Nurse, 25-30 for Gabby, 15-20 for Collier, and possibly a few for Chong.

 

[Ozimoto]

Nice game. Several things could have rattled them (Breanna's early fouls and Lou's injury) but it didn't. Some nice things to build on as Gabby and Napheesa played well as did Kia. Even Natalie played well for her limited minutes. Didn't seem to be intimidated by the stage and was aggressively looking to score. Did OK in the middle of the zone as well.

 

[Blueballer]

If we end up playing Washington Butler may come in handy putting a body on that Osahor girl. She's huge.

 

[Jimbo]

Maybe Gabby wiĺ shoot a few 3s. She seems to have the 15 footers down pretty well.

Maybe, but I hope we're not depending on that on Tuesday night. Gabby's next 3-point attempt this season will be her first.

 

[Carnac]

Here is my PRE-game post from yesterday. My predictions are in BOLD -

NO, I'm not nervous at all, here's why. NONE of the Oregon State players have ever been on a stage of this magnitude before. This IS NOT just another game, and they know it. Geno was "queasy" before the great 8 game with Mississippi State last Monday. He's a seasoned veteran of bringing teams to final fours. He's been coming to these for over two decades. Now if HE still gets a little nauseous, what makes you think Oregon State's players are not going to feel the pressure too? Especially if UConn jumps out to an early double digit lead. We've all seen a quick double digit lead to the flood gates opening W-I-D-E. Once you find yourself looking that far up at UConn, you know you're done. You know UConn is not going to let up, or take their foot off the gas.

Odds are they don't get any sleep tonight. They've seen UConn play on TV before. They know what's coming. They'll all be pondering the same thing. How do we stop a team that's won 73 games in a row, and has momentum? This is the BIG 3's 4th time to the finals. They know what to expect. They know exactly what it's going to take to win this game. There will be no "unknown" for them tomorrow. There will be no quit, no hesitation. They'll be ready. They'll be ready to play 40 minutes if they have to. They want to end this season, "the right way". They will not be denied. Geno will have the whole team "jacked up" when they come out of that dressing room. UConn will be all business tomorrow from the tip, to the final buzzer.

They've never been this close before. Remember, Mississippi State came in with just about the same record and credibility as Oregon State. UConn has played teams with tall shot blocking posts this year. None of them were effective (Ruth Hamblin 10 pts today). A couple of early fouls, and they were on the bench. After Stewie blocks a couple of their shots, they become hesitant to try her again. Every player on UConn's roster understands that this is a business trip. For UConn, it will be business as usual. Basketball the way its suppose to be played, UCONN style.

The question for the game tomorrow is can the Beavers score 70 points? UConn will score at least that many. I say NO! I predict OS does not break 70 points. They'll have to score more that 70 to beat UConn. If Oregon State's offensive scheme is successful in the first half, Geno will make adjustments at the half. He always does. Carnac says relax, lean back (grab a cold one) and enjoy the game. You'll be watching women's college championship basketball at its finest.

Go Huskies.

Final score - UConn 80 Oregon State 51

To quote Mr. Anthony Irwin Kornheiser (Mr Tony): "I believe I had that". Prior to the game, I made several observations (highlighted in BOLD) Everyone of my predictions came through. I batted 1.000 today.
I'm feeling pretty good right now. UConn win a big game, moving on to the championship game, the team is playing very well.

I deeply sympathize for Lou breaking a bone in her foot. Gabby is going to have to step up, its as simple as that. She's up to the task. She won't let Geno or the team down. OSU barely broke 50 points. I wanted to predict that OSU would not break 56, but I didn't have the guts to go that far. I had to leave myself some wiggle room. As usual, the cream rose to the top again today.

While everyone else was shaking in their boots, biting their nails and moistening their BVD's, Carnac saw right through the hype, and saw this game for what it really was.

 

[arty155]

The Tuesday night opponent will see this as an opportunity to pack it in and force UConn to beat them from outside....

Ah, yes, ... we just saw OSU dare All American Morgan Tuck to shoot from the outside... the last mistake the Beavers will ever make this season.

 

[TitleTown]

Chong may need to be ready too as a three-point threat, if we see a little zone and/or packed in defenses.

I have a feeling that all we will see is a zone. Both Washington and Syracuse play a zone almost exclusively.

 

[Carnac]

.............................And then there was one.

 

[BigBird]

I have no info on what Lou snapped, but as a general observation: women athletes often tend to damage the 5th metatarsal bone. It carries a lot of the weight stress, but isn't terribly strong by itself. 7-10 weeks after surgery and being in a cast, it will be as good as new, depending on the surgical technique used.

Went through it once with my daughter (soccer) and twice with my wife.

 

[Biff]

I have no info on what Lou snapped, but as a general observation: women athletes often tend to damage the 5th metatarsal bone. It carries a lot of the weight stress, but isn't terribly strong by itself. 7-10 weeks after surgery and being in a cast, it will be as good as new, depending on the surgical technique used.

Went through it once with my daughter (soccer) and twice with my wife.

3rd metatarsal bone

 

[Gus Mahler]

Here is my PRE-game post from yesterday. My predictions are in BOLD -

Final score - UConn 80 Oregon State 51

To quote Mr. Anthony Irwin Kornheiser (Mr Tony): "I believe I had that". Prior to the game, I made several observations (highlighted in BOLD) Everyone of my predictions came through. I batted 1.000 today.
I'm feeling pretty good right now. UConn win a big game, moving on to the championship game, the team is playing very well.

I deeply sympathize for Lou breaking a bone in her foot. Gabby is going to have to step up, its as simple as that. She's up to the task. She won't let Geno or the team down. OSU barely broke 50 points. I wanted to predict that OSU would not break 56, but I didn't have the guts to go that far. I had to leave myself some wiggle room. As usual, the cream rose to the top again today.

While everyone else was shaking in their boots, biting their nails and moistening their BVD's, Carnac saw right through the hype, and saw this game for what it really was.

Now I'm really perturbanned at you.

 

[Carnac]

Now I'm really perturbanned at you.

Hey Gus, I'm in a zone right now. What can I say.

 

[noirwestern]

I know it's heresy to criticize Geno, but why in the world are ANY starters in with 4 1/2 minutes left ina 33 point game?

He's talked about this a few times. He loves watching this group play and the world just kind of fades out for all of them while the game is flowing. It's their last minutes together, Geno wants it to last for as long as he can make it. You don't think that they've all talked about this? I'm surprised that he takes them out at all since UConn has never really paid attention to the score. This is their time, not only for us but for them.

 

[Carnac]

It shouldn't go without saying: Kia Nurse has played absolutely spectacular defense so far.

Geno had the entire team jacked-up this evening and ready to play. He knows how to get his team ready.

 

[noirwestern]

He's talked about this a few times. He loves watching this group play and the world just kind of fades out for all of them while the game is flowing. It's their last minutes together, Geno wants it to last for as long as he can make it. You don't think that they've all talked about this? I'm surprised that he takes them out at all since UConn has never really paid attention to the score. This is their time, not only for us but for them.

From a recent Stewart interview: "As we get closer to the end of things you start to think about it more. I'm not going to be at UConn within a week's time. I'll never put on another UConn jersey very soon. The seniors think about it all the time. And he thinks about it, too. When I hugged him up there I told him I'm the one who needs to be crying, not you. But emotions overtake you and you can't control it. This week has been special for him and we hope to make it more so."

I know the world disapproves but I like it that they just don't care what anyone thinks about this. They don't want it to end so every minute, perhaps seconds now become special things to hold onto.