Post-Game Thoughts: UConn v. Tulane | Page 3 | The Boneyard

Post-Game Thoughts: UConn v. Tulane

JustinesGuy said:
Live reactions to the game sitting 3rd row under the basket:

1. Crystal and Lou were amazing in the first half
2. Pheesa was amazing in the second half especially when we lost CD and GW due to injuries.
3. I don't fully understand Gabby Crying every time she tweaks her hip. Did you tear it and out for the season, then I get it, did you tweak it and are day to day? Then your going to be ok.. She's kinda been in her head a bit this year??
4. The coaching staff must scratch here heads with Megan Walker. She had a poor game and it was very evident when your in person. Turnovers, turning your head the wrong way and allowing a lay up on a fast break. I honestly don't see much out of her this year, sorry. I don't even expect it against the lousiville's or ND'S of the world but how about these crappy conference teams.. Sorry.
5. Z was awesome tonight. She is going to be so darned good next year. She will more than make up for Gabby graduating. It will certainly be more of a typical lineup with Z at the 5 and Collier at the 4....
6. I felt bad for Kyla, she's the best and she had a rough game. I root for her so hard, she is such a hard worker and bright kid.

Great crowd, band was awesome as usual, and the hula hoop competition was riveting. Those 2 kids were great.

One to the next round!!
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Kyla seemed to be money from 3 last year, not so much now. Confidence can be fleeting.
 
The kids and Geno say the right thing about the tournament but there the team has to struggle to get motivated for this event. They have nothing to prove and have killed everybody they have played. No matter how much they talk day to day, this tourney is a precursor to things to come. I hope he doesn't lose his patience and keeps trying with the bench. I expect more of the same both tomorrow and Tuesday. Sloppy play at times that still result in big wins. I know he won't do this but I wish he would sit both Gabby and Crystal. He creates artificial challenges in practices, he may as well use the injuries to create an artificial challenge in the games.
 
JustinesGuy said:
3. I don't fully understand Gabby Crying every time she tweaks her hip. Did you tear it and out for the season, then I get it, did you tweak it and are day to day? Then your going to be ok.. She's kinda been in her head a bit this year??
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Lou had nearly that same exact look after her second injury (against Notre Dame, IIRC). These kids are psychologically tuned to expect from themselves nothing less than the very highest. It's deeply frustrating for them not to be out there. They are, after all, kids....
 
TitleTown said:
What more do you want from her?
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I think that keeping her hands up is key. So tempting to put hands down when there’s a block shot opportunity but Z’s so tall that her hands up already alters their shot.
 
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Regarding the game, we’ve seen this often. No press and little fast break in the second half. More substitutions. We are really good in transition, but our half-court offense has been erratic this season. The change in Geno’s strategy explains much of the score differential.

I expected more of Megan this year, but look who is ahead of her in the rotation: 4 1st-team all-conference players, 1 2nd-teamer, and 1 3rd-teamer. I’m not sure any UConn frosh had to deal with that ever. I think she defers a little too much. Her job is to defend, rebound, and get the ball to the scorers. I’ll check her stats, but I don’t think they are all that different from those of Pheesa, Gabby, or Tuck in their first year. Meg’s best games were when Lou was out. She moves up the depth chart next year and makes a sophomore leap.
 
Mlb0814 said:
I think that keeping her hands up is key. So tempting to put hands down when there’s a block shot opportunity but Z’s so tall that her hands up already alters their shot.
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Totally agree. Just keep hands up and be big. There is no need for the swatting she does sometimes.
 
I'm sure Gabby is crying out of frustration, it's her senior season and she has an injury that is keeping her from doing the thing she loves to her full potential. Also, maybe it hurt? I cry when things hurt.
 
I wonder whether Walker fully realizes that C. Williams is a competitor and has her eyes on that 5th starting spot. If I was her watching Walker, I'd be like this summer I'm going to focus on defense and that spot is mine!
 
Some freshman stats for comparison:

Megan/Pheesa/Gabby/Tuck

mpg 15.8/17.2/15.6/15.8

ppg 5.9/6.8/8.3/6.4

rpg 3.1/5.2/5.7/3.4

FG% .438/.532/.637/.454

3 pt % .310/.154/.000/.289

FT % .762/.917/.462/.668

Assists 28/34/50/47

TO 25/39/40/43

Meg is in the same ballpark as a freshman as 3 All-Americans. She’s not Maya Moore, but her first year at UConn compares to those of some of our favorite players. I look for a sophomore leap. Meg knows what she needs to work on, and her teammates and coaches will help her get there.
 
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DEpup said:
I wonder whether Walker fully realizes that C. Williams is a competitor and has her eyes on that 5th starting spot. If I was her watching Walker, I'd be like this summer I'm going to focus on defense and that spot is mine!
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Meg knows Christyn and how good she is. But Meg’s one year at UConn gives her a huge advantage over Christyn. Crystal benefitted from playing and regular practices last year, so she got the nod as a starter this year over Azura. I think 75% of the BY were sure that Z was too good not to start and Crystal was inconsistent as a frosh. How do you like her now?
 
bags27 said:
well, thanks, DefenseBB, for the Leslie Gore reference (a family friend, BTW).

I'm going to get hated on for this, but just wondering how would we feel if Baylor fans started writing on how badly they feel for Gabby, and, oh by the way, how Geno is not such a nice person.
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Its' not quite Voltaire but I believe I owe you a bit of pedantry, Bags: Lesley. ;)
 
MilfordHusky said:
Regarding the game, we’ve seen this often. No press and little fast break in the second half. More substitutions. We are really good in transition, but our half-court offense has been erratic this season. The change in Geno’s strategy explains much of the score differential.

I expected more of Megan this year, but look who is ahead of her in the rotation: 4 1st-team all-conference players, 1 2nd-teamer, and 1 3rd-teamer. I’m not sure any UConn frosh had to deal with that ever. I think she defers a little too much. Her job is to defend, rebound, and get the ball to the scorers. I’ll check her stats, but I don’t think they are all that different from those of Pheesa, Gabby, or Tuck in their first year. Meg’s best games were when Lou was out. She moves up the depth chart next year and makes a sophomore leap.
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I think Kia started, after the Stanford loss, with four all americans. In fact, she started 99 of the next 100 games, until she sprained her ankle in the South Carolina game.
 
I posted this on the Gabby thread but it obviously applies here also!

With Cincinnati beating Tulsa 66-65, while I'm thrilled for Jamelle to make the semi's, Geno doesn't have to play Gabby at all and Crystal Dangerfield for as little as possible, and still get to the Finals!
Why take chances with 6 huge NCAA games coming up soon! Rest one or both and squeak by Cincinnati if need be then play them vs SoFl most likely on Tuesday night!
Katie Lou, Kia, Pheesa, Azura, and Walker can handle the Bearcats. And starting will put some juice on Miss Walker to play at her best!
And it'll expand the bench Molly, Kyla, and Batouly will get some much needed minutes in pressure situations!
 
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Gabby should be shut down until the tournament begins. The team should be able to get through the AAC tournament without her. Crystal should get some rest tomorrow and play and few minutes on Tuesday because the team will need her then. The national championship is too close to be gambling
 
DEpup said:
I wonder whether Walker fully realizes that C. Williams is a competitor and has her eyes on that 5th starting spot. If I was her watching Walker, I'd be like this summer I'm going to focus on defense and that spot is mine!
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I am sure Megan is hearing all the Glowing words Geno has said about Williams being a competitor. I hope she responds accordingly
 
I was reading somewhere that despite all the hand-wringing over the bench production, if you were to look at the other elite teams that played today you'd see that UConn's bench (which does include Stevens BTW) was more productive.

Team-bench pts
ND - 8
UL - 0
MSt- 10
S Car - 0 (Wilson came off the bench but played 33 min.)
Stan - 10
Org - 3

Kudos to the person who noticed this.
 
TitleTown said:
What more do you want from her?
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1 - Keep space between her and the shooter, you cant block when too close
2 - when close then stay vertical - understand that she doesn't have to block every shot, just be disruptive.
 
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My take when the bench was in? They have found no way to work the ball inside. With the best 3 point shooters out, the options are really limited - especially when you run the clock down on the perimeter.
 
We won and we advance. That's the most important aspect of the game.

First half was pretty good. Crystal really ran the show as she should. Second half was okay. Gabby being out seriously hurt the offense and the high-low game. Don't forget, she leads the team in assists. When Crystal tweaked her ankle, then Lou went out towards the end of the 3rd quarter, the offense stalled. The bench is what it is no sense beating a dead horse.

Win tonight and advance.
 
Was at the game. Really enjoyed the first half especially. Snagged a great seat near the UConn basket for the second half.
Felt so bad for Gabby. I didn't think she was moving well from the start and practiced her foul line jumper a lot in warm-up. We really don't know with her particular issue how much resting or playing will impact it. I wonder if she was afraid of a"Katie Lou" injury situation. Fortunately she was laughing with Lou later on.
I thought the bench players in general did not seize their opportunity. Walker played with both groups and looked tentative on offense. Late in the game I was yelling at her to cut, drive, get something done!
As long as everyone is "servicably sound" (horse term ) for the main tourney, it's all good.
 
TitleTown said:
What more do you want from her?
Expand ...
Through the 29 regular season games, Z has committed the most fouls on the team, while starting only 7 games but playing less minutes than any of the 5 starters. It does us no good for her to come into a game late in the 1st quarter or at the beginning of the second, only to end the half sitting on the bench with two or three fouls. In fact in one game, she had 3 fouls in less than 3 minutes of playing time.
 
JustinesGuy said:
Live reactions to the game sitting 3rd row under the basket:

1. Crystal and Lou were amazing in the first half
2. Pheesa was amazing in the second half especially when we lost CD and GW due to injuries.
3. I don't fully understand Gabby Crying every time she tweaks her hip. Did you tear it and out for the season, then I get it, did you tweak it and are day to day? Then your going to be ok.. She's kinda been in her head a bit this year??
4. The coaching staff must scratch here heads with Megan Walker. She had a poor game and it was very evident when your in person. Turnovers, turning your head the wrong way and allowing a lay up on a fast break. I honestly don't see much out of her this year, sorry. I don't even expect it against the lousiville's or ND'S of the world but how about these crappy conference teams.. Sorry.
5. Z was awesome tonight. She is going to be so darned good next year. She will more than make up for Gabby graduating. It will certainly be more of a typical lineup with Z at the 5 and Collier at the 4....
6. I felt bad for Kyla, she's the best and she had a rough game. I root for her so hard, she is such a hard worker and bright kid.

Great crowd, band was awesome as usual, and the hula hoop competition was riveting. Those 2 kids were great.

One to the next round!!
Expand ...
Good post. But I would like to comment on points 3 and 4.
On 3, one of the things I learned coaching girls (under 18) was to understand their range of emotions are different then with guys. A girls can smile after making a poor play, but inside she cares as much or more as the guy who throws a fit. Also, I couldn't figure out the crying, so I just let them be them.

On 4, have you seen some of the freshman players playing for other teams. I was watching TN and while they can make some beautiful solo offensive moves, Geno would be apoplectic over their defense and passing. I think she will be fine.
 
MilfordHusky said:
Meg knows Christyn and how good she is. But Meg’s one year at UConn gives her a huge advantage over Christyn. Crystal benefitted from playing and regular practices last year, so she got the nod as a starter this year over Azura. I think 75% of the BY were sure that Z was too good not to start and Crystal was inconsistent as a frosh. How do you like her now?
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Not sure Crystal is the right comparison. I think it is more a Chong Nurse situation. I'm sure Chong thought the same way you do. As talented as Walker is, I just don't understand why she is not forcefully shutting that door of possibility.
 
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