So What's The Consensus?

[alexrgct]

Doomed? Hardly. Winning a national championship this year? Very unlikely. Making the Final Four? Likely. Would that be a great result? Absolutely.

 

[Artifact]

I believe to evaluate 2 good teams playing each other starts with playing on neutral court. Their are so many others issues involved in a team's evaluation & one starts by taking a familiar court & hostile environment out of the equation.

 

[cohenzone]

I don't know that I would call winning the NC unlikely or at least not improbable . Certainly they aren't favored, but it isn't like the one or two teams that might be more favored have walked all over UConn on their home floors. The ND game at home might give more insight.

 

[CCinCT]

I believe to evaluate 2 good teams playing each other starts with playing on neutral court. Their are so many others issues involved in a team's evaluation & one starts by taking a familiar court & hostile environment out of the equation.

No court is neutral with Dee Kantner's team on the floor.

 

[Sonny44]

I don't know that I would call winning the NC unlikely or at least not improbable . Certainly they aren't favored, but it isn't like the one or two teams that might be more favored have walked all over UConn on their home floors. The ND game at home might give more insight.

Yes ND will tell us more - I'll see you there.
Any team can win the NC when they're favored; we'll win it as an underdog.

The thread seemed to migrate to what we did wrong and several factors were discussed which had already been pointed out in several threads over the past few weeks.

What I really wanted to get your opinion on was: who benefits from this game - our girls or the upcoming competition? Only Nan and a couple others addressed that.

 

[msf22b]

First I agree with Nan; with the game on the line, Bria is completely fearless
But I also agree with Sonny's premise B: That we got beat up, that the team is a little beat up and that this approach is a good way to defend us and get us off our game (and that we're going to see it for the rest of the season).
And it will inevitably wear us down, if it hasn't already with the tight rotation that Geno plays.

 

[WillB4]

Well, it did smack of thuggery in the historical sense and, yes, an investigation and accountability for the officials would be nice.

If it were the police instead of refs, they would be in handcuffs for assault.

 

[Timeout]

The Big East Tournament just got really interesting. I think it's going to be a 'no holds barred' spectacular - hopefully less on the spectacle - with all women on deck. We will need Stokes, Buck, Banks, and then some, in case we get into foul trouble. As for last night, glad no one got hurt, but there are teams with a desperate mentality and what didn't kill us will make us better prepared. Something like that. Now let me go and delete the game recording.

 

[MarlboroughMike]

Doomed? Hardly. Winning a national championship this year? Very unlikely. Making the Final Four? Likely. Would that be a great result? Absolutely.

Agreed. This is a flawed team offensively. Plays 4 on 5, too many turnovers, can't pass the ball into the bigs, bigs have poor hands (except Kiah), don't/can't drive ( except Tiffany) and can be turned into a jump shooting team are among the issues. If this team makes the FF, kudos to Geno and them for having the fight and willpower to get past the problem areas.

 

[vtcwbuff]

Dolson also doesn't have Maya or NeNe making the entry passes - I am surprised by the quality of entry passes she is getting (as in bad) - at least half of those passes are too late so the double team is already in place, too early so she hasn't got a chance to establish her position, or so off line that they either are immediate turnovers, or in order to catch them she has to move way out of position and is no longer able to do anything with them. This has got to be frustrating the crap out of the coaches.
Not saying she is playing at Tina's level (especially the level of her last year +) but she isn't getting the type of 'service' that every post needs.
And yes - every game there are some beautiful entry passes, but it is really hit or miss.

UC I'm talking about what she does with the ball under the basket, particularly on defense. Instead of holding the ball high over her head she often holds it between her waist and shoulders and then turns into the defense for an outlet pass. When Charles held the ball low and turned an elbow always led the way.

 

[vtcwbuff]

Agreed. This is a flawed team offensively. Plays 4 on 5, too many turnovers, can't pass the ball into the bigs, bigs have poor hands (except Kiah), don't/can't drive ( except Tiffany) and can be turned into a jump shooting team are among the issues. If this team makes the FF, kudos to Geno and them for having the fight and willpower to get past the problem areas.

 

[Ouremblem]

Wasn't Sara Hammond impressive? I wish we signed her.

 

[attaboy]

Actually, I think the quality of our entry passes is being influenced by the determination to only occupy the low block. That also affects the wing's ability to slash to the rim. The team has to choose it's poison. Work with a high line based offense which then pulls Stef away from the traditional big man low post role. Work with a 4 out low post that hunts the ball offense which effectively eliminates much of the guard penetration to the rim. Work with a hybrid offense (ie. triangle type, etc) which requires a great deal of movement through the lane, and must be with purpose. This group has struggled with that. Seems like 3 or 4 players might be in sync but seldom all 5. We have plenty of tools but sometimes they are all screwdrivers when we need an occasional wrench. Tough problem for the coaches.

 

[attaboy]

Hammond did look good. She has put on 25-30 pounds and become more physical.

 

[dtbtbtb]

Few things we learned from this game:
1. Bria is big time and if you need a key basket she'll get it (but we knew that before) as she is probably the most in control of her emotions under fire type of player since DT (Maya was great but I think Bria is better in this)
2. Caroline is great. Playing on one leg she did more in this game than most people will do on 2 and she matured as I'm sure the freshmen Caroline would get into a fight with one or more of the UL players.
3. We should expect that every key opponent will use this tactic and if the refs will be as bad as in this game (they were beyond horrible and incompetent) UConn will have a problem and could lose.
4. Kelly must be able to hit the open jumpers for this team to have a real chance as playing 4 against 5 creates clogged lanes and no room for cuts and picks.
5. This team is tough and was able to squeeze out a win in difficult situation.
6. This game was a good preparation for Georgetown as this is exactly how they will play UConn and they have better players than LV.
7. Dolson needs to work on her strength. She'll need some major weight lifting program if she wants a future in the next level.
8. Kiah should have played more. She was very good in the minutes she played.
9. WBB is going nowhere but down if this kind of game is allowed. If players who are playing below the rim are not allowed to move, cut, pass, etc because they are held with no ref’s response than the only big advantage of WBB over MBB is not there and makes for a game which is not pleasing to watch.

 

[dtbtbtb]

Hammond did look good. She has put on 25-30 pounds and become more physical.

And she knows how to say the F word as she did it 3 times in a row

 

[Icebear]

One being as she walked off the floor after fouling out.

 

[Ouremblem]

Hammond did look good. She has put on 25-30 pounds and become more physical.

She has a nice shot. I'm thrilled with Kiah, but was very impressed by Sara, too. Your point about the entry passes is very well taken.

 

[Ouremblem]

And she knows how to say word as she did it 3 times in a row

Did she really?! LOL!!! Oh well.....

 

[ThisJustIn]

Did she really?! LOL!!! Oh well.....

Shocked! I'm SHOCKED!

Question about entry passes that I posed to Bob Joyce LAST game, post - how does having only one post impact the delivery angles? What kind of adjustments (geometric) need to be made?

 

[Jonathan Husky]

Dolson needs to watch tape of Tina Charles controlling the ball in the paint. She does not know how to protect the ball. Maybe a little stickum might help.

You can't compare Stef to Tina. Tina was very athletic and strong. Stef isn't. She can't do what Tina did, only what her physical stature and athletic ability allows. She is not an AA only a pretty good post.

 

[vtcwbuff]

And she knows how to say word as she did it 3 times in a row

She's got a long way to go to catch Dolson. I was impressed by Hammond though. I believe I saw an M attached to one of the three F bombs. Geno didn't seem to be too impressed though. He didn't assign anyone to guard her.

 

[pap49cba]

Hammond's numbers for the year are nothing special.

 

[vtcwbuff]

You can't compare Stef to Tina. Tina was very athletic and strong. Stef isn't. She can't do what Tina did, only what her physical stature and athletic ability allows. She is not an AA only a pretty good post.

No way would I compare Dolson to Charles. IMO Tina Charles was the best center to play at UConn and arguably the best to ever play WCBB. I'm just saying Dolson is 6'5" and she's got elbows.

 

[rington]

Dolson needs to watch tape of Tina Charles controlling the ball in the paint. She does not know how to protect the ball. Maybe a little stickum might help.

That is true, but there is something about the passing to Stef which also bothers me. In many games, such as last night, Stef gets the blame when she is tied up in the post. It is not completely her fault. The guards, who can see the whole offensive court while facing the basket, should not pass her the ball when they see a situation arising where Stef is going to be tripled-teamed as soon as she gets the ball. Also, the guards telegraph their passes to the post too much. They hold the ball over their heads, stare at Stef, and a few minutes later, lob her a pass. By that time, she is surrounded, and tie-ups occur.
It certainly looks better when she is sliding off the high post and they hit her with a quick pass as she is cutting to the basket. Those are plays of beauty, and they pulled a couple of those off last night.