Question for Husky Fans...

[Longtime fan]

Obviously it was a great game and I can only imagine how you guys felt throughout the game and afterwards... it's a tough loss to swallow. If it's any consolation, it'll be a game that's talked about for years because of all the drama (that and the Louisville/Miss. State game!).

My question to UConn fans is do you think the move to the AAC has hampered UConn's preparation for the NCAA tournament? Or do you think their tough non-conference schedule is good enough?

Edited to reflect the actual conference... whoops!

The early non-conference games against quality teams ( like yours ) are helpful but also misleading. But it is all UCONN has. So much team development takes place in the following months, not to mention injuries, that those early successes lose value. I fully believe, for example, that ND improved far more than UCONN in the intervening months between the early season game and yesterday.

But UCONN's unfortunate conference is demoralizing. I mean what is a player to think when they play SMU and SMU score 2 points in the half? And the endless chatter from the talking heads about the winning streaks UCONN has established " never lost a game in the AAC" is supposed to have meaning? It is like saying " the Green Bay Packers" have never lost to a HS team in the state of Wisconsin.

There is nothing UCONN can do about it. And they do their best to treat each team with respect, by working on their plays and trying to execute with excellence. But there is a strain to keep doing that, when you really want to invoke a "mercy rule" after the first 10 minutes, and go play someone worthy. It is a deadly trap for angst and complacency to be in that disgraceful conference.

 

[KnightBridgeAZ]

As an outsider, I agree with those who recognize it isn't helpful to UConn to play in the AAC; how damaging it is I have no idea, possibly minimally.

I think UConn's very strong OOC schedule helps to balance out the impact, but, as others noted, the bulk of OOC is over before conference season.

I must also point out that Geno and staff hugely improved the OOC schedule when the oBE broke up. When Notre Dame, Rutgers and the rest were on the schedule every year, you could afford a few easier games OOC (after the early years, Geno's OOC was always respectable, but did always include a few sure things. Now, the only reason almost any OOC games are "sure things" is because of how good UConn is).

 

[Gus Mahler]

My question to UConn fans is do you think the move to the AAC has hampered UConn's preparation for the NCAA tournament? Or do you think their tough non-conference schedule is good enough?

Edited to reflect the actual conference... whoops!

I'm in that camp.

 

[Gus Mahler]

A very stupid question!

That seems a bit harsh. Why is it stupid?

 

[DEpup]

Obviously it was a great game and I can only imagine how you guys felt throughout the game and afterwards... it's a tough loss to swallow. If it's any consolation, it'll be a game that's talked about for years because of all the drama (that and the Louisville/Miss. State game!).

My question to UConn fans is do you think the move to the AAC has hampered UConn's preparation for the NCAA tournament? Or do you think their tough non-conference schedule is good enough?

Edited to reflect the actual conference... whoops!

It's a big problem. They don't have enough meaningful tough games. Early season OOC games aren't the same as in conference tough games late in the season.

 

[donalddoowop]

It's a big problem. They don't have enough meaningful tough games. Early season OOC games aren't the same as in conference tough games late in the season.

That applies only to this season's and last season's teams. The teams before them were not hurt by the AAC Conference.

 

[boontonbomber]

Can't blame their schedule for a loss like this one. They never should have lost the game. Is anyone here aware of UConn ever winning an overtime game?

 

[ctdad]

Can't blame their schedule for a loss like this one. They never should have lost the game. Is anyone here aware of UConn ever winning an overtime game?

On McGraw's Bench, one poster made a salient observation that one reason UConn has trouble in OT games is because for them to actually play in one, the other team has to be playing very well, UConn has to be playing at below their normal standard and that it would follow that those relative levels of play would carry over into the extra session(s).

Its as good an explanation as any.

 

[boontonbomber]

On McGraw's Bench, one poster made a salient observation that one reason UConn has trouble in OT games is because for them to actually play in one, the other team has to be playing very well, UConn has to be playing at below their normal standard and that it would follow that those relative levels of play would carry over into the extra session(s).

Its as good an explanation as any.

I'm just trying to find out if they've ever won an OT game.