Rare stats

[vtcwbuff]

Points in the paint-UT 28,UCONN 32. Points off turnovers-UT 14,UCONN 1.
2nd chance points-UT 9,UCONN 6. Fast break points-UT 14,UCONN 2.
Bench points-UT 20,UCONN 12



I keep trying to find the right adjective to describe their performance. The best I can come up with is sub par. During the game I thought listless or lethargic but they were better than that. Whatever the descriptive, they certainly didn't play their defensive A game.

It's not often that an opponent scores on a break with no UConn defender contesting the shot.

 

[Sonny44]

Yes, a rare sub par game. But how many teams can have that and still win by 20+ over a very good team?

 

[UcMiami]

Texas did a great job of not turning the ball over in 'live ball' situations and never did so 'out top'. Uconn had four steals and they average over 12 for the year. Tx had a total of 14 TOs

 

[Nuyoika]

Yes, a rare sub par game. But how many teams can have that and still win by 20+ over a very good team?

Just proves how good they really are. UConn played their B+ defensive game and still won by 20+ that's just crazy.

 

[cferraro04]

Texas played its "A" game. They hit shots...lots of them...shots they didn't make against UCLA. They packed the middle making it a traffic jam everytime Moriah and our players tried to penetrate and dish. It was as if they declared the middle a war zone and UConn players were going to take casualties if they penetrated the "green zone". They also took away UConn's transistion game by playing their bigs off the line and across half court when UConn was at the foul line. They caught UConn sleeping a couple of times when they ran their players out after a made basket...a play obviously drawn up in their pre-game preparation (An easy adjustment once Geno and staff look over the game film). They did their scouting report and the players bought into it. Despite all of that they still lost by 21 points.

 

[Fairfield Fan]

Have to give Texas credit for not permitting Connecticut to look great- just really good. Lashan Higgs is a tremendous talent. And Boyette, overcoming enormous personal trials (Sports Illustrated expose) was not only big (6'7"), but strong and talented. And virtually the entire team comes back next year with great additions.

Give Texas credit. Shows that Connecticut doesn't just walz to wins.

 

[vtcwbuff]

Texas did a great job of not turning the ball over in 'live ball' situations and never did so 'out top'. Uconn had four steals and they average over 12 for the year. Tx had a total of 14 TOs

And that was what I thought was missing. My take may have been a bit different though. I didn't see the typical UConn effort to disrupt passes, trap or harass the UT guards. Gotta' watch the tape - maybe I'm wrong.

 

[UcMiami]

And that was what I thought was missing. My take may have been a bit different though. I didn't see the typical UConn effort to disrupt passes, trap or harass the UT guards. Gotta' watch the tape - maybe I'm wrong.

I think it was because they were very concerned about the post play - I don't remember Uconn doubling the post this year anything like they were doing last night - every time the ball went into Imani on the low post a guard or another forward doubled. I think it wasn't so much fear of her scoring as fear of fouls, but it was also - beat us from outside. That kind of focus down toward the post area decreased the pressure at the three point line, hence less disruption.

 

[uconnfan68]

I think it was because they were very concerned about the post play - I don't remember Uconn doubling the post this year anything like they were doing last night - every time the ball went into Imani on the low post a guard or another forward doubled. I think it wasn't so much fear of her scoring as fear of fouls, but it was also - beat us from outside. That kind of focus down toward the post area decreased the pressure at the three point line, hence less disruption.

I can't remember any time we've doubled in the post like last night. Looked like Geno took a page from Jim.

 

[vtcwbuff]

I think it was because they were very concerned about the post play - I don't remember Uconn doubling the post this year anything like they were doing last night - every time the ball went into Imani on the low post a guard or another forward doubled. I think it wasn't so much fear of her scoring as fear of fouls, but it was also - beat us from outside. That kind of focus down toward the post area decreased the pressure at the three point line, hence less disruption.

I agree. After watching the game again, it was obvious that UConn's defensive focus was to stop Boyette. At times it cost them as a defender cheated off their player to double in the post leaving a UT player with an open shot. Texas is not a 3pt shooting team. They don't rank in the top 150 in 3 pt shots attempted but last night they put up 25 making 8 which is way above their average.

I may have to rethink my sub par defense comment. Maybe it was just different from what we are used to where it is the UConn guards that are assigned to lock down the opponent's top scorers. .

 

[UcMiami]

I agree. After watching the game again, it was obvious that UConn's defensive focus was to stop Boyette. At times it cost them as a defender cheated off their player to double in the post leaving a UT player with an open shot. Texas is not a 3pt shooting team. They don't rank in the top 150 in 3 pt shots attempted but last night they put up 25 making 8 which is way above their average.

I may have to rethink my sub par defense comment. Maybe it was just different from what we are used to where it is the UConn guards that are assigned to lock down the opponent's top scorers. .

I think it might be the 'nervousness' of Geno getting the better of him. Uconn has played great man to man against very good front lines, and played pretty good zone defense. I suspect the coaches had a meeting on Saturday morning before practice and Geno said, 'How can Texas beat us' and they came up with, 'They can beat us if Imani goes off and Stewart and Tuck get in foul trouble', so they designed a defense to stop that from happening, instead of just looking at how best to defend Texas. They allowed their fears to rule the day.

 

[baggerbob]

I think it might be the 'nervousness' of Geno getting the better of him. Uconn has played great man to man against very good front lines, and played pretty good zone defense. I suspect the coaches had a meeting on Saturday morning before practice and Geno said, 'How can Texas beat us' and they came up with, 'They can beat us if Imani goes off and Stewart and Tuck get in foul trouble', so they designed a defense to stop that from happening, instead of just looking at how best to defend Texas. They allowed their fears to rule the day.

Morgan picking up 2 quick fouls had to be part of the doubling down, you couldn't have Stewie then picking up fouls.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

The thing that really bothered me going in to last night's game was that UConn had not ha a sub-par game going into it during the NCAAs and usually they do. So,by my simple way of thinking, we have got that thing checked off and I feel so much better.

 

[Kibitzer]

Permit me to cite an arcane and highly unofficial stat: 30+minutes! (That's the approximate time that I and a few other early-Boneyarders watched Gabby Williams take one practice perimeter shot after another.)

Were we getting a glimpse of things to come?