SC Postgame Thread

[jabstep]

Some thoughts on the SC game:

• Round 1 is in the books and while it’s clear that UConn is not quite at SC’s level yet. I will remind BY naysayers that in his 37 years as UConn’s HC, Geno’s teams always improve as the season progresses. Round 2 – January 27 – Columbia, SC.
• This was a really competitive game between two great teams for 3 qtrs. The Huskies lost their poise in the 4th qtr and SC finished strong.
• Paige wasting no time today, looking for her shot from the very start of the game, as well as dropping several beautiful dimes when SC rotated a second defender to stop her penetration.
• Evina started off strong as well but faded some as the game went on, before reappearing again in the 4th qtr.
• Liv’s 1st qtr was as good as I have ever seen her play, and she played well throughout the game. She needs more help from Aaliyah and Dorka.
• SC crashing the offensive boards in waves reminds me so much of Pat Summit’s Lady Vols in their heyday. Ultimately UConn was unable to overcome SC's rebounding advantage.
• Interesting time for Mir to get her first PT of the season. Obviously, those minutes would have been Aubrey’s minutes if she were healthy.
• The refs clearly made a conscious decision to swallow their whistles today, particularly on charging calls.

1. Boston is allowed to use her big body to create separation and is clearly a charge. Some really touchy fouls called on both sides. Advantage SC
2. Liv showed up and can handle Boston and any of SC big's down low. Dorka can not stop Boston but she can get hustle rebounds. She needs to work on her co-ordination she falls to the floor quite often.
3. Paige is just great. Passing shooting rebounding. She was really gassed in the 4th. I don't usually question Geno but why was Paige and all of our regulars playing so much in the MInn. game.
4. Evina is playing really well so far and is providing good supportive offense.
5. Aaliyah is not as quick to the rebounds and maybe bulked up too much or is not getting good position. She needs to get better.
6. I loved in the 4th quarter when Azzi drove to the foul line and was wide open for her pull up and at the time out Geno let her know she is there to shoot the dam ball.
7. I do like how Dawn will get some of her players out with less than a minute to play in a quarter. It gives them some rest for the next quartrer. SC was more rested than us. We need to develop a bench.

 

[Vowelguy]

Correct. I would say CW & EW are sub-par defenders.

Geno considered CW our best defender last year.

 

[Vowelguy]

You can see the pieces that’s missing from this team. Aubrey G is an important piece and it’s showing. Her energy alone but the defense and hustle is critical

I enjoy the fact that Aubrey has suddenly become a first team AA while she's been out injured.

I'm not saying she wouldn't help, but let's not forget that she still is the 7th-9th player on this squad. She is no panacea.

 

[BobbyJ]

They both did there's a tape where even Geno is talking to Nika about staying off the ankle after the surgery in his office.

Bueckers is in the office with her and Auriemma is speaking to PB.

 

[Rb335]

even when she plays she doesn't get much playing time. Just reaching for something that isn't there. Same way people try to think there's another level for Nika, we've been waiting. After this game a lot of lessons were learned and the most important one was to stop overrating players.

I could not agree more with this. She is the last hypothetical solution that can be entertained since we haven't seen her play with this group. We've seen 2 full seasons of Aubrey, and know that she isn't the cure for a 3 point 4th quarter. Her strength is defense.

As for overrating players, I agree. It seems like lofty predictions are placed on players who have shown nothing to substantiate the claims. Why people are still completely frustrated by ONO playing to the top potential she's shown in 3 full seasons will never make sense. She played about as well as you could expect today. Fans are looking for production in the wrong place.

To me, the success of this team is going to come down to Edwards regaining form and Fudd. Out of all of the newcomers, she has the most potential. It's a wait and see game to see if the potential is realized, since these first four games have been underwhelming.

 

[Gamecockfan77]

SC plays great with the refs in their pockets. Have not seen such a one sidedly called game in quite a few years, ten years ago Geno would’ve gotten tossed. He’s much more mellow nowadays.

The refs were pretty subtle about it what with calling five more fouls against SC than UConn.

Putting SC players in foul trouble and not UConn.

 

[DrummerDee]

Really? When did Uconn score less than 3 pts in a qtr? If it happened, it must have been before my time as a fan.

the last time they lost agains SC.

 

[CTisballers]

I enjoy the fact that Aubrey has suddenly become a first team AA while she's been out injured.

I'm not saying she wouldn't help, but let's not forget that she still is the 7th-9th player on this squad. She is no panacea.

First of all I said this last year second I’m a Aubrey fan who doesn’t care if she’s an All American. Nor do I not need her to score to see her impact on the floor. But yes you can clearly see her energy and hustle is missing out there. I really enjoyed your comment about something you don’t know about. And last year she was 6th or 7th rotation and right now she should be 6th right now because Azzi and Dorka is not UConn ready yet

 

[Skins87]

That is one of the best front court combos I've seen in WCBB. Awesome! But Edwards is/was tremendous last season. She's disappeered. And Dorka was All-Big 10. These are three big talented people. But for ONO to score just six points and pull down just five rebounds while fouling four times. That just is not a good performance. She is dishing out assists. But is that what a 6'5" center is supposed to be doing? The opposing team pulled down 19 offensive rebounds over us. ONO and UConn were out rebounded by seventeen. This is the #2 team in the country. The front court was supposed to put up a fight.

Is it?...

 

[Ardenque]

SC plays great with the refs in their pockets. Have not seen such a one sidedly called game in quite a few years, ten years ago Geno would’ve gotten tossed. He’s much more mellow nowadays.

Mellow?
During the fourth quarter meltdown there was a shot of him standing on the sideline with a huge grin on
his face. Was he thinking happy thoughts; like what to put on tomorrow’s menu at one of his restaurants?

 

[CONN78SEJ]

The refs were pretty subtle about it what with calling five more fouls against SC than UConn.

Putting SC players in foul trouble and not UConn.

It’s the fouls, charges, and hacks, not called that decided the game. Beal is a foul machine, should have fouled out. How about the charge not called by the ref when she flattened Paige? Several no calls on Amihere and Boston as well. Both should have had 4 fouls going into the 4th quarter. Several hacks on Christyn as well we’re not called. I thought I heard Dee Kantner call Dawn “Pat” a couple of times. Lol

 

[veryolddog]

I have one objection. This is one immature team. Everything revolves around Paige and when she is not on, she cannot carry this team. They were seriously outplayed by SC in the second half and played half way decent in the 1st two periods. They needed this loss. Maybe this will shake up their heads enough to get them together as a Team.
They need to do what Geno teaches.

One more objection, if I may, since I am a viejo. I had high expectations for this team based upon what this board said about each new recruit. I believed that this assemby of players was going to be the second coming of MoJet, Stewart and Tuck et. al and we would be on the road to a National Championship I was wrong and I am not going to ever let myself get pumped up by the "glee" of this board. What this proves is that you can recruit the best of the best for 2 years and still cannot put together a winning combination of players as a Team. This recruit, today, that announced today may be good but.......

Well, this is just the beginning and I hope they learned something. I am sure they will sweep the Big East. Maybe they will have the defense of the Stewart era and learn how to score together as a team

This is probably my last season anyway. I was hoping.

 

[Huskie02]

Would love to have her on this team. And now she shoots 3s as well? Just an awesome player.

Please I get sick every time I hear her name. To think we came so close to signing her, last day of the early signing period. And to think she did it at the same tournament, on the same day UConn was playing

 

[HuskyNan]

It’s the fouls, charges, and hacks, not called that decided the game. Beal is a foul machine, should have fouled out. How about the charge not called by the ref when she flattened Paige? Several no calls on Amihere and Boston as well. Both should have had 4 fouls going into the 4th quarter. Several hacks on Christyn as well we’re not called. I thought I heard Dee Kantner call Dawn “Pat” a couple of times. Lol

The refs swallowed their whistles after calling a bunch of fouls on So Carolina. Our Aaliyah had a couple blatant charges that weren’t called. In no way did the refs contribute to the loss

 

[D J B]

They both did there's a tape where even Geno is talking to Nika about staying off the ankle after the surgery in his office.

Pretty sure this is the video you're talking about. It's a clip of a longer video with Geno in his office. In the longer video, he talks about how Paige comes by his office everyday. The segment in that video is a bit longer than this clip, but as far as I know it's the only one with Paige, Nika and Geno in his office together.

If you have another clip or even a news article about Nika having any sort of surgery, please share. Thanks.

 

[XLCenterFan]

When I saw that SC returned their ENTIRE team, and added the #1 ranked recruiting class, I was like "oh damn."

 

[CONN78SEJ]

Mellow?
During the fourth quarter meltdown there was a shot of him standing on the sideline with a huge grin on
his face. Was he thinking happy thoughts; like what to put on tomorrow’s menu at one of his restaurants?

He definitely has mellowed in arguing with the refs, hasn’t been tossed in several years. Any know the last time he was?

 

[jchusky]

I have one objection. This is one immature team. Everything revolves around Paige and when she is not on, she cannot carry this team. They were seriously outplayed by SC in the second half and played half way decent in the 1st two periods. They needed this loss. Maybe this will shake up their heads enough to get them together as a Team.
They need to do what Geno teaches.

One more objection, if I may, since I am a viejo. I had high expectations for this team based upon what this board said about each new recruit. I believed that this assemby of players was going to be the second coming of MoJet, Stewart and Tuck et. al and we would be on the road to a National Championship I was wrong and I am not going to ever let myself get pumped up by the "glee" of this board. What this proves is that you can recruit the best of the best for 2 years and still cannot put together a winning combination of players as a Team. This recruit, today, that announced today may be good but.......

Well, this is just the beginning and I hope they learned something. I am sure they will sweep the Big East. Maybe they will have the defense of the Stewart era and learn how to score together as a team

This is probably my last season anyway. I was hoping.

this offseason has definitely taught me not to take what people say in the offseason as anything but hearsay. Players saying they don't want to feel how they felt vs Arizona, but SC punches them in the mouth in the last 2 quarters and they don't respond AGAIN. Then the loss happens and excuses come out, "well 3 games in 3 days" I'm pretty sure SC also had that. My favorite "the refs have SC in their pockets" please explain to me why the refs would want to throw away their reputation to favor one specific team?

 

[Gus Mahler]

For those who are confused by Biff's post, here is a simplified explanation.

View attachment 71259

Thanks for the clarification.

 

[Ardenque]

He definitely has mellowed in arguing with the refs, hasn’t been tossed in several years. Any know the last time he was?

Yes, he is positively beatific

 

[HopJim]

I have had a feeling for a few games, which may be entirely wrong, but I'll throw it out there. I am beginning to wonder if Aaliyah's summer with the Canadian national team didn't hurt her development coming into this season. She basically had to cut short her summer practice and conditioning program at UConn to join the national team, and then got precious little PT leading up to and during the Olympics. Aaliyah needs to play "catchup" now.

Interesting thought re: Asliyah's summer focus. I wonder if it isn't as simple as her looking over her shoulder at Dorka and potentially others. Last year, she excelled when she didn't have to worry about being benched quickly for 1-2 errors.

 

[oldude]

Mellow?
During the fourth quarter meltdown there was a shot of him standing on the sideline with a huge grin on
his face. Was he thinking happy thoughts; like what to put on tomorrow’s menu at one of his restaurants?

Geno had just called a timeout to set up a play. Subsequently, UConn completed fouled up whatever they were trying to run, ending in a shot clock violation. Geno’s smile was one of absolute disbelief.

 

[cwaduke]

Other than Liv, our Bigs were awful.
On defense, Edwards, Fudd and Dorka are just awful. Slow-footed, don't box out, no anticipation.

Liv had some great defensive plays early, but gave up a ridiculous number of offensive boards.

 

[Ozimoto]

Didn't see the game, haven't read through all the comments and probably won't. In the thread where we were asked to list three things I wanted to see from the game I said "be competitive" and repeated it three times. They were for three quarters so I guess they get a score of 75% for the day. That's a 'C' grade and it looks like they played accordingly, and maybe a lot less than that in the fourth quarter. The fourth quarter melt down, to me, is evidence of a team that is not "ready for primetime" and is just now realizing how difficult it is going to be to get where they want to be. The good news is there is a lot of basketball yet to be played and a lot of room for growth and time for that growth to happen. Nobody is going to hand them anything and gone are the days when teams were intimidated by UConn on the jerseys.

 

[oldude]

Liv had some great defensive plays early, but gave up a ridiculous number of offensive boards.

Liv was hardly the only player on UConn fighting for rebounds, although at times it certainly seemed that way. If you rewatch the game you will see Liv doing a much better job fighting for position on the boards than either Dorka or Aaliyah who continuously lost position against SC players. In the few minutes she was in there, Mir also did a great job blocking out a player 5” taller while coming down with the rebound.