SC Postgame Thread

[CocoHusky]

I don’t think I can remember a UConn player that has been unrelentingly criticized as much as ONO! It’s just unbelievable and unfair as well Imo. Is she as good as Boston? No, but that is not her fault! Call me when you can say she’s not trying! Let’s hear your observations about how she’s lazy, mails it in, demonstrates a “lack of effort” . Has it occurred to any of the Liv haters out there that this is what she is capable of? Just because she was recruited by and plays at UConn does not mean she can perform beyond her talent level! As long as I feel she is trying to play hard, that’s good enough for me and should be for any UConn fan.

It is not hate to point out that Liv has not improved as expected. That is the expectation for EVERY UCONN WBB player. Nobody is asking her to be better than Boston, many are fairly asking her to be a better version of herself with each new season and that is not happening. Liv said and did all the right things over this summer. It is time to stop talking about effort and start talking about results.

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[bantamlaker]

Also said that HE needed to do a better job at getting Azzi open.

Do you think he’ll be open to suggestions from the BY?

 

[oldude]

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. It’s a little unfair to compare her to one of the best players in the history of WBB as well as to one of the best power forwards to ever play at UConn.

The one and only thing that UConn really needs from Liv is to have the confidence to take and make open mid-range jumpers. Last year she knocked down a couple against SC, forcing Boston to come out on her. This year she took one, missed it and never took another.

 

[Centerstream]

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 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.

 

[Happydad745]

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.

 

[CocoHusky]

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.

I'm pretty sure positive BYers are not confusing Liv with Stewie or Morgan or Kiah or Stef.

 

[oldude]

Do you think he’ll be open to suggestions from the BY?

Damn, we should have run the picket fence at SC….

 

[cbraarj]

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

She is a huge liability on offense still!

 

[TeamFirst!]

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 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.

 

[Centerstream]

I'm pretty sure positive BYers are not confusing Liv with Stewie or Morgan or Kiah or Stef.

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.

 

[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?