Some thoughts on Depaul Game (merged)

[mbr33ct]

UConn checklist;
1. Beat the 16th ranked team, in Chicago, for DePauls 1st home loss....check
2. Held the nations #1 offensive shooting team (90.4 pts/gm) to 74 pts...check
3. Come out from Chicago with a win...check

On the downside, for this poster, very disappointed (concerned ) to see so many empty seats (2,621 in attendance) for a top 16 match.

 

[veryolddog]

I am glad for the win. I just want to know what UConn Team showed up to play in the 2nd half. I personally think that the upside of the game and second half was the fact that the Team dug down deep to hang in with only a 5 point lead and play with the intensity and grit to win by 10. Kudos to the Team all of them. Good job!

 

[HopJim]

DePaul got ridiculously hot for a quarter and a half. We were not defending the 3 well enough for half that time but we were much better on the defensive end in the last 6 minutes. We did just enough bur CW continues to be the biggest enigma. One of the deadliest mid range games and should be able to create that shot at will but just does not do it enough.

Agree that CW could be doing more but still able to score and get rebounds in key spots. Would love to see her get some picks - seems like she is forced to go one on one, a factor the other team is able to plan for since UConn offensive rotation rarely changes.

 

[HopJim]

I agree. Kyla needs to look for her shot when she’s at top of key. When she’s in the game everyone knows she’s passing the ball. Also a liability on defense. But plays hard. The only thing is to keep the defense honest.

When Anna was standing next to Kyla - seemed 2 inches taller and stronger. Anna seems to be getting key rebounds at key times. Tough to move her when she sets up.

 

[HopJim]

Yes .. I'd like an explanation why Aubrey and Molly saw limited action .. they are our two best perimeter defenders, eh?

Based on Geno's feedback in past years, practice performance often translates to minutes played. Suspect its difficult for Griffin to maintain her energy level throughout a 2-3 hour practice session. DePaul also a quick enough team to offset her speed. Her time will come.

 

[billybud]

Tale of two halfs...build a 26 point lead and then...

DePaul hit 9 of 19 from the three in the second half after 2 of 13 in the first...

 

[eebmg]

It's not like Aubrey did not get minutes. She entered in 2Q and had a few good RB moments but it was clear, she was not really flowing in the offense game plan. We were trying to move alot and manufacture back door plays and find precise ways to get Liv the ball one on one. To get Liv one on one opportunities, you need as many outside threats as we can get.

Aubrey will have alot of wow moments

 

[SLY63]

Few comments

- Depaul plays a unique style which for some players is hard to adjust to.
- The first 2 minutes of the second half Depaul came out with 5x the energy of UConn and changed the momentum of the game
- Surprised to see the incredible swing in rebounding margin from H1 to H2
- In Q3, Depaul hit incredible quick release 3's. That didn't bother me as much as our (lack of) response
- CW seems to be struggling with being option 1/2vs option 4/5 last year. Big difference.

 

[hart2hart]

Tale of two halves. A first, D second.
First half really fun to watch, second not so much. Geno needed to re-group them! Thank goodness for the win! Looking forward to Oklahoma!

 

[slug25]

It looked to me that Liv was keeping the ball higher to avoid pesky hands. Good work by CD.

 

[Siestakeyfan]

Not sure who belittled you and how. Calling for people who disagreed with your opinion to apologize is most definitely disrespectful. If everyone on the BY had exactly the same opinion about everything, this would be a really dull forum.

AGREED !!!!

 

[Roger G]

If they had continued playing like they did in the first half, they would be a shoe-in for #1 next week. It's a young team. Such teams have a tendency to relax with a big lead. They obviously lost their edge for awhile there. When they were playing well though, they showed real greatness. The outlook on the outcome for this team seems to have improved. The final four doesn't seem like such an impossibility as it did to some early this year, does it? A championship would not be out of the question. Go Huskies!

 

[Siestakeyfan]

DePaul has HEART in Spades...They came back strong...

We are still looking for ours...One team fought for every rebound, loose ball and defended all out...It wasn’t us...

Win is a win...but team needs to toughen up, it can’t be just Megan and Crystal with toughness...

An IMPORTANT comment for UCONN ladies to dwell on !!!

 

[Siestakeyfan]

What peed me of the most was in the 3rd quarter instead of tossing the ball in the paint to Liv, we hiked up 6 missed 3's. They could not guard her without fouling and she was automatic. Depaul would have had at least 2 players if not 3 foul out of the game if the refs had called them on the holds on Liv just half of the time, I think they only called 2 all night.

Refs APPARENTLY seek to keep games close etc !!!! Ignored much last night

 

[Roger G]

I was at the game and my major takeaway was that Walker right now is unstoppable - DePaul tried everything including face guarding her - to no avail. Yes Uconn needs to correct some things but then what team doesn't. Lets enjoy the ride - It's going to be quite thrilling

That must have been so much fun for you to be at the game. I totally agree that watching UConn play is so much fun and I often can't understand why more people don't enjoy it. Each year has been something to get engaged in and something to marvel at. This year, with it's seeming disarray at the beginning until now when we have a team at times displaying real greatness is something to behold. What fun!

 

[Siestakeyfan]

If they had continued playing like they did in the first half, they would be a shoe-in for #1 next week. It's a young team. Such teams have a tendency to relax with a big lead. They obviously lost their edge for awhile there. When they were playing well though, they showed real greatness. The outlook on the outcome for this team seems to have improved. The final four doesn't seem like such an impossibility as it did to some early this year, does it? A championship would not be out of the question. Go Huskies!

Reality and worth UCONN noting !

 

[HuskylnSC]

I though Anna played well, except for that boneheaded out of bounds play,

She was playing international rules where anytime you take it out from the end line you can move across. Not a bonehead play. The ref is responsible to remind players that they can't move.

 

[HuskylnSC]

[QUOTE="EricLA, post: 3368690, member: 26
I though Anna played well, except for that boneheaded out of bounds play

I wouldn't be surprised if that move she made is legal in Europa rules.
[/QUOTE]
it is

 

[oldude]

No one belittled me...it was to other posters who expressed concern about Depaul's 3 pt shooting. People are free (and encouraged) to disagree... but there is a big difference between posing a different opinion and disparaging those whose express a different opinion.

CT, I confess that I did not read every pregame post on the DePaul game. But those that I did read, including my own, did not disparage others who expressed different opinions. As such there should be no need to “apologize” to anyone for “belittling” comments. If you can point out one or more particularly obnoxious posts then I will stand corrected.

 

[HuskylnSC]

No. Definitely not legal in international play. She clearly just forgot that there hadn’t just been a made basket.

Right, that’s It, from a guy who started the second half in a high school game sinking a beautiful all net 20 foot jumper into the opponents basket, forgetting we had changed ends.
[/QUOTE]
I played international and it is legal to run the end line after an out of bounds. At least it was in teh 60's when I played. It was confirmed for me when Anna mouthed, "That;s not legal?"

Also when I was reffing we were taught to remind kids that they couldn't move

 

[Bigpetunia]

Some thoughts on the DePaul game:

• Immediately took notice that DePaul did not come out pressing UConn, after the past few years when the Huskies quickly broke the Blue Demons press for easy baskets. Even when DePaul pressed some in the 2nd qtr, it was very soft pressure.
• As Crystal was raining down 3’s from the cheap seats, I remembered her first game as a freshman when she took a long 3 pointer and Geno got all over her for shooting from that far out. No more complaints from Geno. Crystal’s shooting range is flat-out ridiculous!
• I thought UConn could have gone to Liv in the low post just about every time down the court. She was a huge mismatch for whichever Blue Demon was attempting to guard her.
• Crystal’s shooting from downtown lead to the oddest matchup of the night as Doug Bruno decided to have 6’2” Chante Stonewall, his best defender, take a shot at containing Crystal.
• Credit to DePaul in the 2nd half. Down 26 at intermission they just keep coming at you. They’re like Jason in Friday the 13th. They shoot 2/13 from the arc in the 1st half, but in the 2nd half, with UConn doing a pretty darn good job of contesting their shots, DePaul just started making everything.
• Much closer than I thought it would be, but the Huskies are 9-0.

Very good analysis! I especially wish to voice agreement with bullet point #3. Generally, I am never critical of Geno's tactical skills, but, in the first half, the most obvious conclusion that one could draw was as follows: Olivia had a huge size advantage over her defenders, and Depaul had no answer for any UConn effort to pound the ball inside to her in the post...low-hanging fruit time after time! They went to that strategy significantly less often in the second half, and paid a predictable price as a result...kind of head-scratching. I've been pleased to see that ONO has made a Sophomore leap in the sense that she now carries the ball to the rim a few inches higher than she did as a Freshman, shooting now more from shoulder level than chest level. One hopes that by next year the staff will encourage her to consistently use her natural advantages by routinely going in above head level...then she'll really be dangerous! We'll see!

 

[oldude]

Right, that’s It, from a guy who started the second half in a high school game sinking a beautiful all net 20 foot jumper into the opponents basket, forgetting we had changed ends.

I played international and it is legal to run the end line after an out of bounds. At least it was in teh 60's when I played. It was confirmed for me when Anna mouthed, "That;s not legal?"

Also when I was reffing we were taught to remind kids that they couldn't move
[/QUOTE]

Just to clarify the inbounding rule. Both NCAA and FIBA rules are basically the same. After a made basket a player can run the entire baseline to inbound the ball. After a turnover, a player can move their feet, but is restricted to no more than 3 ft (NCAA) or 1 meter (FIBA) to either side. So Anna was mistaken both in Chicago as well as Warsaw.

 

[meyers7]

What this team needs is more Molly!

Bent usually doesn't do that well in a chaotic environment. Don't think she would have fared well last night.

 

[Biff]

She was playing international rules where anytime you take it out from the end line you can move across. Not a bonehead play. The ref is responsible to remind players that they can't move.

We don't know that the Ref did or did not indicate (remind her) she needed to stay in place. They normally only do that with a hand gesture (which you understand if you are familiar with the rules) but in this case the TV view was a head shot of a retreating Liv and was not showing what was happening before the inbound play started. whether she was reminded or not it is her responsibility.

I expect it's a mistake she will not repeat no matter what the contributing causes were this time.

 

[HuskylnSC]

Thoughts;

1) Play of the game -- Crystal called a fourth quarter huddle at the foul line and firmly ordered everyone "Start playing hard now! Right Now!" A moment later someone (I think CW) was slack and Crystal gave her the Pat Summitt 'death stare' The game could have been lost, but for that moment. We were quickly back up by 10.

2) Play of the game number 2 -- Doug Bruno's masterful rant. With that one move, and clearly outclassed refs, he bought DeP about a half a dozen charge calls and uncounted no-calls when his players raked arms of the UConn player. (That was partially because the game was moving too fast for the refs to make a lot of calls)

3) Question - How did Campbell not foul out. I give her an A for effort because sometimes she looked like a child trying to guard an adult. But the endless holding and pushing on Liv should have resulted in a lot of calls.

4) Bench - Aubrey looked like she had never played in a game of such speed. She was frequently out of position with her head swiveling looking to understand what was happening on the offensive end. Anna - Great job.

5) Lesson learned -- Don't ever consider a game over until it's over. Hopefully DeP has engendered some killer attitude this team will need later

All in all; very enjoyable to watch and a great opportunity ti grow