SC Postgame Thread

[ABCDFE]

The UConn guards scored 43 points and the SC guards scored 42. That’s why we lost. SC has superior post play; we were supposed to have superior guard play. That didn’t happen.

SC has the big three. Boston, Henderson and Cooke. Can’t let all three play well, which is what happened. We also can’t have just 12 points between Liv and AE. Lastly Azzi must be that X factor. She must be another double digit scorer for us. I’m not even going to go and talk about nika or Dorka at this point.

 

[oldude]

Guys, at this point Liv is who she is. She has worked hard and does a lot of good things on the court. Today she played about as well as she’s going to play against the massive front line of SC.

A bigger concern to me is the play of Aaliyah and Dorka. Aaliyah’s summer with the Canadian National team didn’t make her a better player. She missed out on practice and conditioning at Storrs and she didn’t play very much at all on the Olympic team.

Dorka concerns me the most. Many BY’ers thought she would challenge Liv for a starting spot. She’s done nothing to date to show that she’s capable of doing so. Today she never even looked at the basket from the 3-pt line, and after watching her through 4 games, she appears to possess limited athleticism.

 

[Centerstream]

Muhl has played 32 minutes in 4 games, 6 in the last 2. Minnesota was 13 minutes, primarily after the game was over. The only meaningful stretch of time she got was the 4th quarter of Arkansas and she did her job, nothing more, nothing less. She probably will never impress people who judge players by highlight films but I still think she is best equipped to bring some things this program lacks.

I have noticed that Nika has done the same thing wrong in two games.
I think it may have been mentioned to her (100% pure speculation) that she should drive to the basket and dish it to an open teammate. On two occasions she drove to the baseline and then threw the ball to the other team. Same thing against two teams.
I am hoping that she is putting too much pressure on herself and suddenly realizes this and reverts to her normal self. We need her in the game to take over the PG role and let Paige be Paige, Evina be Evina and Christyn be Christyn. Even if it's only for 5 minute spurts.

 

[Ardenque]

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.

You are correct. It was a smile of disbelief.
In his presser he said, in effect, that he was having trouble getting through to this group.
This is something he has said repeatedly for the last few years.
What can he do to solve this continuing problem?

 

[BobbyJ]

Guys, at this point Liv is who she is. She has worked hard and does a lot of good things on the court. Today she played about as well as she’s going to play against the massive front line of SC.

A bigger concern to me is the play of Aaliyah and Dorka. Aaliyah’s summer with the Canadian National team didn’t make her a better player. She missed out on practice and conditioning at Storrs and she didn’t play very much at all on the Olympic team.

Dorka concerns me even more. Many BY’ers thought she would challenge Liv for a starting spot. She’s done nothing to date to show that she’s capable of doing so. Today she never even looked at the basket from the 3-pt line, and after watching her through 4 games, she appears to possess limited athleticism.

Well, actually she did manage to nick the rim with a 3 attempt which is nice. So we've got that going for us.

 

[darkstar1]

You are not going to beat elite teams with your top three scorers being guards. You just can't shoot the percentages a team with a good front line can.

Have to disagree. You can certainly win with your top scorers being guards. But not without your bigs at least boxing out and not giving up all those offensive rebounds. Even with UConn collapsing in the 4th 1/4, the game easily goes the other way if 2 things happened: 1. our bigs simply boxed out and 2. The refs called obvious offensive fouls. Can’t just blame the refs, but it sure was a factor. Allowing SC to be physical is at least an 8 point handicap to the detriment of almost any team, except maybe USF.

 

[oldude]

Well, actually she did manage to nick the rim with a 3 attempt which is nice. So we've got that going for us.

I stand corrected. Dorka shot just under 40% from the arc as a sophomore. She cut it in half to 20% as a jr. If the pattern holds, she’ll be around 10% this season….

 

[Biff]

I stand corrected. Dorka shot just under 40% from the arc as a sophomore. She cut it in half to 20% as a jr. If the pattern holds, she’ll be around 10% this season….

And the arc is now further back....

 

[rt bb fan]

In Geno’s offense, yes, a post player frequently goes to the high post where she can see over other players, make the pass, then flash inside to get it back, if possible. Didn’t you ever see Stef Dolson play? It was the team’s bread and butter for years.

As for UConn being ranked #2, you know South Carolina is #1, right?

But Stef could also make the 12-14 ft mid range shots.

 

[oldude]

And the arc is now further back....

So maybe we’re looking at 5%?

 

[Stymie]

Liv is doing fine. EXCEPT she is not living up to the BY's expectations. She is not Stewie or Morgan or Kiah or Stef except in the minds of some BYers, she should be.

Doing fine?
Yes siree!
Two years against AAC competition- say maybe the equivalent of a P-12 level of play?
Then one year against the “NEW” Big East-maybe a P-7 level?
C’mon.

 

[Cecil9]

UConn is a finasse team. South Carolina is an athletic team. The difference really showed in this game.

Athletic and a strong physical presence in the paint. UCONN needs a big who can smash and bash the boards and give a player like Boston more competition than she had today.

 

[Ardenque]

Don’t waste your breath! How can your visual/evidence based interpretation be as accurate as the poster’s obvious mind reading abilities? Know your place, sir!

Cuango,
The only thing that is obvious is that your presumption is unbecoming.

 

[TCC Kid]

Take it up with Geno.

I would but I lost his email address, if you don't mind--refresh my memory, thanks.

 

[CocoHusky]

Based on the post I was replying to, I got the impression that they were implying that Liv should be held to the same standards of some former players.

Still think you are misreading that comparison. Would you say that each of those players improved in thier time at UCONN? If so why would we have a lesser standard for improvement as it applies to Liv?

 

[baggerbob]

But Stef could also make the 12-14 ft mid range shots.

And Stef and Stewie worked the high low, and then Tuck and Stewie did the same. Lou did it with Napheesa.

 

[CocoHusky]

I stand corrected. Dorka shot just under 40% from the arc as a sophomore. She cut it in half to 20% as a jr. If the pattern holds, she’ll be around 10% this season….

She still probably be shooting better that Nika at the rate she’s going.

 

[Littlemin]

I my opinion, it's only a matter of time for Nika to be replaced even more in the rotation, unless there are some injuries. Her best option is to start hitting 3 pointers consistently because there can be a role for that. Rather than detail it isn't it clear we need an upgrade to win this thing.

How do you replace someone who isn’t in the rotation to begin with? IMO, Uconn needs toughness, players willing to get dirty and play with refuse to lose attitude for 40 minutes, not build a lead out of the gate and then glide, which has become a pattern for this program. That works for almost all the teams Uconn plays but not when your only real goal is NCs and the only games that really count are late in March. Ultimately, the game today means nothing but Uconn doesn’t need more 3 pointers, they need players who not only want but LIVE to stop the other team from scoring, players who NEED that rebound, that loose ball.

 

[oldude]

She still probably be shooting better that Nika at the rate she’s going.

Maybe Geno should have stuck with the epiphany he gained about recruiting European players after coaching Sveta.

 

[rt bb fan]

Caruso could definitely go up high! [just kidding

Liv was ok, but as a senior has to be a lot better. Does anyone think a senior Stewie or Tuck playing that way is acceptable? This is Uconn, the standard is higher then at other schools.

Liv is not stewie or tuck. Liv is Liv what we have seen from her three years is what we can expect to see this year. Nothing more.

 

[BBallF]

You only need two stats to understand the game. 19 offensive rebounds for SC and 19 turnovers for us. That's 19 extra possessions we gave them and 19 possessions we gave back to them without a shot due to our turnovers. The 19 boards are the result of their physicality and our lack of boxing out and going for the ball and some bad bounces. The turnovers are due to lack of movement, the wrong people handling and making decisions with the ball, bad passes, walking, 3 seconds and the stuff you work on with grammar school and high school kids. This is the team we have to beat to win #12. To do it we have to play a full game like we played in the first 16 minutes or so. Use our speed and be aggressive and energetic for 40 minutes. We were fatigued I thought. We need to be in better shape and now the minutes that Geno played CW and Evina and Paige in the first two games don't look so smart.

 

[Boreifs]

And the arc is now further back....

That should not be a factor. She has played with the international distance her whole life.

 

[rt bb fan]

And Stef and Stewie worked the high low, and then Tuck and Stewie did the same. Lou did it with Napheesa.

 

[rt bb fan]

And Stef and Stewie worked the high low, and then Tuck and Stewie did the same. Lou did it with Napheesa.

But these three players had good bb IQ.I don't see that in the present Uconn team except for Paige.

 

[Littlemin]

I have noticed that Nika has done the same thing wrong in two games.
I think it may have been mentioned to her (100% pure speculation) that she should drive to the basket and dish it to an open teammate. On two occasions she drove to the baseline and then threw the ball to the other team. Same thing against two teams.
I am hoping that she is putting too much pressure on herself and suddenly realizes this and reverts to her normal self. We need her in the game to take over the PG role and let Paige be Paige, Evina be Evina and Christyn be Christyn. Even if it's only for 5 minute spurts.

You may very well be right, it is just strange to me that she went from a player who Auriemma obviously respected and praised to one who is now merely an afterthought, yanked for every mistake if your premise is correct. Especially because this team still lacks what she brings, 40 minutes of intensity. Not to mention, moving Bueckers to her most productive position.

 

[Gus Mahler]

Liv is not stewie or tuck. Liv is Liv what we have seen from her three years is what we can expect to see this year. Nothing more.

?

 

[Biff]

That should not be a factor. She has played with the international distance her whole life.

Well first I'd say that my comment was more of a "quip" than a serious point. But in reply to your comment I'd say that yes it is a factor. The statistics that were quoted were achieved with the US line and yes I would expect that shots taken from a longer distance will statistically reduce shooting percentage.

 

[CocoHusky]

I want to take this opportunity to congratulate SC players on this win as so many other BYers have.
Many of the things the SC Carolina players did in that game were very very admirable- just hate that it had to be against UCONN. In many aspects SC played more like old UCONN teams today that UCONN did. . One of the hallmarks of the UCONN program has always been the ability to handle adversity and many of the SC players did that today. Quick example: 1) Zia Cooke picked up two early fouls and had to be sent to the bench. Remarkably Dawn put her back into the game to close out the half and the first thing Cooke did was take the ball to the hoop strong and drew a blocking foul on Christyn Williams. Had that play gone the other way the entire game would have changed. Instead Zia went to the line made two FT and helped SC chip away at the lead to get within 3 at the half. 2) The 4th quarter-in his post game news conference Geno said the team just ran out of gas. Not that we needed Geno to point out the obvious. No matter what time of the season, beginning middle or tournament time, this ( better conditioned) has also been a hallmark of UCONN teams. SC flipped the conditioning script on UCONN in this game. This is kind of ironic because one of the recurring false criticism of Boston on the BY has been related to her conditioning. Hopefully that falsehood can be put to rest permanently because Boston sure looked better conditioned than some UCONN players in the 4th quarter today considering that it was SC 3rd game against a top 10 team- the other being Oregon and NC St.

 

[Rb335]

Azzi reminds a little of KML...the 3 point shot is pretty close, but KML had trouble getting open when she was pressed by a defender. She did have Stewie and the gang for a couple years, so getting open was easier.

To a degree, but I would urge you to take a look at KML against Stanford and Baylor as a freshman. Hunting and hitting open shots against the #3 and #1 team in the country. She came to Storrs confident and knew exactly her role. She went out and led the team in scoring.

I'm going to refrain from drawing any conclusions about Azzi for another 10 or so games.

 

[Husky fanatic]

Well almost all you jokers wanted a loss, so don't bother to cry!

No one wanted a loss but did expect it could happen