So what do we learn from this game?

[tomcat]

At least we will not have to hear the coaches come out and say, after an underperforming win, "You aren't going to be on your game all the time, and at least we saw that our players can pull out a win when they're not on their game."

Let's think about this for a second: How many times has this team been on its game in the second half of the year -- since the Notre Dame game, for example? Not very many.

So what I'm wondering is this: Is what we've been seeing the "new normal," as opposed to what we were seeing for much of the first half of the season?

Here's what I mean. Dolson most of the time cannot get her shot, at least partly because most of her teammates do not know how to get her the ball. Hartley is in a bit of a slump. Mosqueda-Lewis is in a slump. Faris, despite an incredibly clutch three-pointer, is in a slump and is uncharacteristically making some bad decisions with the ball. Tiff was off her game tonight, looking like the Tiff of last year, but one game does not a trend make. Stokes was good, but it's hard to rely on her yet. As CD said at halftime, they were not playing as a team, but they don't seem to run their sets the way UConn teams have in the past. IMHO, there's also a really disturbing tendency to panic and rush, not just among the freshmen, from whom this would be expected, but from the upperclassmen, including the senior.

Don't get me wrong: St. Johns is good, clearly a lot better than many of us gave them credit for being, but should a team of UConn's talent get stifled by a team of St. John's talent? The answer, I'm afraid, may be "yes." And if this is the new normal, I think UConn's performance in the BE tournament will be a breathtaking experience. After the first two rounds of the NCAAs, it'll be more of the same.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Were still looking for a crunch time scorer.

I'm surprised the defense let us down.

 

[Blueballer]

One of the oldest sayings in sports:

"You can't win them all"

 

[justML]

Any night. Any team.

It happens.

Sent from my Kindle Fire using Tapatalk

 

[MilfordHusky]

As noted in the game thread, SJU gave us a very tough game 2 years ago when we had Tina and Maya. They are a tough bunch.

 

[UConnCat]

UConn is mortal when forced to play a half-court game. St John's controlled the tempo and made it about the half-court and UConn hasn't shown the strong post game (post scoring and the ability to pass in to the post) that is necessary to be a great half-court scoring team. The team turned it over and also rebounded poorly. The defense was not great, but good enough to win if the offense were better. St John's made 39% of its shots, but it had too many opportunities because of TOs and offensive rebounding. Holding St Johns to 57 should have been good enough to win if the offense had operated better.

 

[Icebear]

It does happen and what is probably the most important lesson this team can learn tonight is that you can't let a team have a shot to beat you. That means the minimum lead you fight for is 5 points. If you lead by anything less you are vulnerable to a tie and anything less than 3 leaves you vulnerable to a loss.

 

[ThisJustIn]

Reminds me of the 'nova win in the Big East tournament.

And we know how THAT ended up....

 

[Aluminny69]

CD mentioning the lack of points in the paint.

 

[Aluminny69]

Tiffany missed the defensive assignment on that 3 point Samson Johnson shot....

 

[Aluminny69]

CD requests that no one email them....give it a rest

 

[Icebear]

CD mentioning the lack of points in the paint.

Stef and Stokes were open frequently and the ball was never delivered on time or at all.

 

[Icebear]

CD requests that no one email them....give it a rest

Email who?

 

[Aluminny69]

Email who?

The coaching staff.... (with suggestions, I presume)

 

[Icebear]

The coaching staff.... (with suggestions, I presume)

I can't believe people do things like that.

 

[UConnCat]

St Johns played the same way that Louisville played. Turn the game in to a half-court game, play physical defense, deny cuts and put pressure on the guards. As CD said, the players responded by standing around and not cutting and moving. Also, UConn's post game is just not strong enough in the half court right now. The defense was good enough to win if the team had played better offensively. This will need to be fixed because NCAA tournament games tend to be won and lost in the half-court.

 

[BigO]

i think we learn that your program, like TN, has not collapsed merely b/c you have lost a few games....u will survive and learn from it.

 

[Icebear]

Losing a game is not TN's problem.

 

[Aluminny69]

I can't believe people do things like that.

As a comedian use to say "Keep those cards and letters!"

 

[MilfordHusky]

St Johns played the same way that Louisville played. Turn the game in to a half-court game, play physical defense, deny cuts and put pressure on the guards. As CD said, the players responded by standing around and not cutting and moving. Also, UConn's post game is just not strong enough in the half court right now. The defense was good enough to win if the team had played better offensively. This will need to be fixed because NCAA tournament games tend to be won and lost in the half-court.

Yep, in a half court game, our margin is small. We destroy teams when we run. We need to improve in the half court.

 

[meyers7]

I can't believe people do things like that.

Agreed. Some people are.....well I guess I should be nice.

 

[trb123]

On some boards you can cut schadenfreude with a knife tonight.

 

[Bestiarius]

Remember, this is a rebuilding year. Only one Senior. I'm ecstatic with how well the team is doing this year.

 

[JS]

On some boards you can cut schadenfreude with a knife tonight.

We're pretty good at freuding the schadens around here.

Of course we get more practice.

 

[Aluminny69]

We're pretty good at freuding the schadens around here.

Of course we get more practice.

JS, were you at the game? We are waiting from those on the scene to return with their perceptions.