Revisiting "It's gonna be a different kind of game ..."

[BRS24]

All kidding aside from my original post, so what was different? Stef came out like a madman .. reminiscent of last year. Tif started off hot, and I really thought she was going to have one of those epic monster games that become part of history. We looked good and in control. And then .... KML with 2 fouls, Kiah a bit "invisible", no scoring from CD & KF.

I really did think we were going to show some muscle, but then again, do we have the players that would do that? We are a good team, but even preseason, I thought Geno was right about the lack of depth and maturity and that this year would not be NC #8. Time will tell.

 

[semper]

What do you think he meant by that comment? I think it may just have been an example of his great mind messing. I couldn't see anything that would indicate major revamping, except that his work with Steph really paid off and I hope will continue to do so.

 

[EricLA]

I actually had the same question. obviously i didn't catch the Geno show or wherever he made the comments, but it was printed by the horde and discussed on the BY. he sort of got them fired up by making the comments about ND regarding the games vs. Pitt as well. he seemed like he stoked the fires and led us (me at least) to believe there were new wrinkles they were working on.

was it also Geno who brought up the comments made by Bruszeski after the ND win last year? cuz that seemed odd to be brought up almost a year later right before the game.

it's possible the "wrinkles" involved Kiah and Stef on the court together, but even tho Kiah had played great in previous games, Geno pulled her pretty quick and she didn't see the court really very much at all the rest of the game. i also thought it may be more of the guard post up, specifically KML, who had been posting up in previous games, but maybe her 2 quick fouls nixed that idea as well.

 

[rington]

I have never seen a year where Geno has made so many "mysterious" comments.

 

[VAMike23]

To me, the "It's gonna be a different kind of game" comment was a direct reflection of Geno as the tough Italian from Philly, who believed it was payback time for ND and gutcheck time for his team; he saw this game as a gauntlet having been thrown down and believed the Huskies were going to rise to the moment like a champion prizefighter.

Why? Because that's how he himself saw it, given his own passionate instincts. Not just as "another game", not at all. Yes they lost the BE title when they lost to Samson Johnson, and he acknowledged that, but this had nothing to do with the title itself. To Geno, this was a gutcheck game, plain and simple.

This is why he was SO negative after the game, re: the team's lack of fight. ("We have none.") He had positioned the game beforehand as one thing, and it turned out to be another.

 

[vtcwbuff]

You have to admit that it was a different kind of game. When's the last time UConn got their butt handed to them like that on their home court. That was different.

 

[rington]

Looked great in the first half. As usual, in big games, they folded and blew a lead. Could it be that this team is not as conditioned and in as good shape as their powerful opponents?? Some say the team is "tired." Think about it. Did you get tired easily when you were this young? Why aren't ND players "tired"?

 

[Olde Coach]

To me, the "It's gonna be a different kind of game" comment was a direct reflection of Geno as the tough Italian from Philly, who believed it was payback time for ND and gutcheck time for his team; he saw this game as a gauntlet having been thrown down and believed the Huskies were going to rise to the moment like a champion prizefighter.

Why? Because that's how he himself saw it, given his own passionate instincts. Not just as "another game", not at all. Yes they lost the BE title when they lost to Samson Johnson, and he acknowledged that, but this had nothing to do with the title itself. To Geno, this was a gutcheck game, plain and simple.

This is why he was SO negative after the game, re: the team's lack of fight. ("We have none.") He had positioned the game beforehand as one thing, and it turned out to be another.

 

[Olde Coach]

Here is an "out of the box" answer.

JMHO -- but I think Geno expected UConn to lose -- on their home court -- because they didn't have enough "fight" to prevail over what he knew was a very good and very tough ND team.

Geno had been watching his team in recent practices; and he didn't see enough fight or focus in them to win the ND return game.

How many comments has Geno made lately (including on the last Geno show) about this generation of kids being "soft", finding things too easy, yada, yada, yada. He has talked a lot about it all year; and especially for the past month or more.

SO -- there is no mystery about what game plan changes UConn was going to pull out of a hat, or out of Geno's head. On the Geno show he said we would see a game very different from any other UConn/ND game we had seen in a long time. Which was exactly what we got: A second consecutive home loss. A team that couldn't take a punch. A team making too many turn-overs. A team not aggressive enough at rebounding etc. etc.

Bottom Line: Geno knew exactly what was going to happen.

And FWIW --- if Stef Dolson hadn't played way better than we have seen all year, ND would have won the game by 20+.

And a Post Script:

I haven't seen any mention on the board of Rebecca Lobo's report during the game that she asked Stef before the game if she had talked with Geno since the Marquette game.
Stef said: "I have not spoken a single word with Geno." (This is the Stef who was in tears when she left the court at Marquette; and also when she left the locker room.)

What a mean old ogre Geno is! OR -- what a wise teacher? Which is it? It is clear to me that Stef got the message. AND SHE FIXED THE PROBLEM ALL BY HERSELF. Which is exactly what Geno wanted her to do. And it is exactly what he wants the whole team to do.

Geno has long said that it is often best for the kids to figure some things out for themselves, rather than always looking to the coaches for answers. This whole story fits perfectly with my analysis that Geno knew the kids were going to get beat. And if I am seeing clearly, he thinks it's time for the kids themselves (not the coaches) to figure out what they need to do to be a better team for the post season.

Geno is sick and tired of babysitting this group. He wants the kids to take responsibility for their weaknesses and failures and (4) losses ---- and, hopefully to "heal" themselves, or "re-invent" themselves, or "strengthen" themselves as necessary to win in the post season. Geno is not going to hold their hands. He is taking the long view of teaching and learning and "parenting."

And I say good for Geno.

Stef fixed herself. Let's hope she can communicate to all of her teammates that they need to do the same thing.

 

[Tonyc]

A big blow in the game was KML getting 2 quick fouls. Perhaps things would have been different. We will see in the BE finals

 

[msf22b]

Have to get through the semi's first: I think we will.

 

[vtcwbuff]

One game doesn't mean that Dolson is "fixed" - whatever that means. Consider that maybe it was another coach that put the tears in Dolson's eyes.

 

[meyers7]

Here is an "out of the box" answer.

JMHO -- but I think Geno expected UConn to lose -- on their home court -- because they didn't have enough "fight" to prevail over what he knew was a very good and very tough ND team.

Geno had been watching his team in recent practices; and he didn't see enough fight or focus in them to win the ND return game.

How many comments has Geno made lately (including on the last Geno show) about this generation of kids being "soft", finding things too easy, yada, yada, yada. He has talked a lot about it all year; and especially for the past month or more.

SO -- there is no mystery about what game plan changes UConn was going to pull out of a hat, or out of Geno's head. On the Geno show he said we would see a game very different from any other UConn/ND game we had seen in a long time. Which was exactly what we got: A second consecutive home loss. A team that couldn't take a punch. A team making too many turn-overs. A team not aggressive enough at rebounding etc. etc.

Bottom Line: Geno knew exactly what was going to happen.

No I don't think so. IMO Geno's "different" game comment had to do with UCONN 1) not pressing 2) working the ball inside (using KML there) and 3) not relying/using 3pt shots. UCONN avg about 20 3-ptrs a game. We only took 11. About 50% less than normal.

 

[Harry Mangurian]

i also thought it may be more of the guard post up, specifically KML, who had been posting up in previous games, but maybe her 2 quick fouls nixed that idea as well.

The KML conjecture was my guess too.

 

[VAMike23]

Good post, OC - but I see it differently. I think Geno threw down the gauntlet to his team, was really challenging them on this game. Don't know that he expected a W but don't believe at all that he expected a L. It's as he said, he knew they had 'lost' the BE title when they beat Samson Johnson, so this game was about something else. It was about who is going to step up, what can we build on going forward, etc. He didn't know, but he wanted to see how the team would respond. Of course he has been complaining of late, about a number of things, but this game was a huge disappointment to Geno on a gut level, and it showed in his post-game reaction(s).