Some thoughts on last nites game

[Cuango]

At home UConn will beat SC by 20!

I doubt that seriously. I’ll be very happy if we win the game but I think it will be a real dogfight! Next year, and for the next three years after that, I think we will be a dominant team but this year we’re just too young to be talking about 20 point wins over really good teams.

 

[BobbyJ]

I will be very surprised if UConn looses to SC. They lack good guard play this season and they are still a very very good team. I expect they may try and slow it down against UConn much like Tenn. If it turns into UConn controlling the tempo, I think UConn wins by double digits. One other point if we beat Arkansas by 20+ and SC didnt then most fans will think UConn is the better team. SC @ UConn is gonna be the game of the year.

Yeah, after reading your Tenn. predictions about ONO having no problem scoring inside and UConn winning by 32, I think I'll pass on this SC guess.

 

[cbraarj]

I doubt that seriously. I’ll be very happy if we win the game but I think it will be a real dogfight! Next year, and for the next three years after that, I think we will be a dominant team but this year we’re just too young to be talking about 20 point wins over really good teams.

I don't see SC even close to last year and though UConn is young they are a better team than last year. No one beats them at home for a while again and 20 seems like a lot but with better shooting it's not that farfetched The 3 teams from last year are back on earth.

 

[DEpup]

I'm glad Paige got this first big away game with fans out of her system. She did it when it counted. Just think, put a 1 in front of Paige's point total last night which would be around her average and the win would be over 15 and we'd be saying good win. I know its Paige but she still gets to have her college freshman overwhelming moment.

 

[MD#12Fan]

I'm glad Paige got this first big away game with fans out of her system. She did it when it counted. Just think, put a 1 in front of Paige's point total last night which would be around her average and the win would be over 15 and we'd be saying good win. I know its Paige but she still gets to have her college freshman overwhelming moment.

It was a good win. Watch the first 5 minutes of Geno's presser and you'll see that he thought it was a good win. Sometimes it's gonna be ugly. It's basketball, not Swan Lake.

 

[CocoHusky]

I don't think South Carolina is not going to slow down the game.

Huh ? Hit me with that again. I can't figure out if i agree or disagree with you .

 

[Tonyc]

Yeah, after reading your Tenn. predictions about ONO having no problem scoring inside and UConn winning by 32, I think I'll pass on this SC guess.

BobbyJ your right I wouldnt agree with my prediction either based on the Tenn prediction and after missing Tenn game so badly Hey I was wrong on that one. Good Catch

 

[Blue Ghost]

With all the cancellations and postponements, this was their first big road game of the year. Lack of playing quality teams hurt them for sure. But even when your shooting goes south, playing good defense keeps you in the game. In the fourth quarter they made a couple of crucial stops and with CW scoring and Evina hitting two clutch threes and Paige hitting that last one it was enough to win. They will continue to improve and will look completely different by tournament time. Looking forward to it.

 

[Jingo]

With all the cancellations and postponements, this was their first big road game of the year. Lack of playing quality teams hurt them for sure. But even when your shooting goes south, playing good defense keeps you in the game. In the fourth quarter they made a couple of crucial stops and with CW scoring and Evina hitting two clutch threes and Paige hitting that last one it was enough to win. They will continue to improve and will look completely different by tournament time. Looking forward to it.

Yes .. ONO's rebounding [she led both teams in rebounding] and her two game-altering blocks and a crucial putback in the decisive 4th quarter should be mentioned here, eh?

 

[DEpup]

With all the cancellations and postponements, this was their first big road game of the year. Lack of playing quality teams hurt them for sure. But even when your shooting goes south, playing good defense keeps you in the game. In the fourth quarter they made a couple of crucial stops and with CW scoring and Evina hitting two clutch threes and Paige hitting that last one it was enough to win. They will continue to improve and will look completely different by tournament time. Looking forward to it.

I'm really glad they figured a way out of that game. I have to say that last year's team probably would have folded in the 4th and lost. I think that's the difference between last year and this year.

 

[itsasport]

Hopefuly Ono has learned her lesson about shooting 3 point shots. Who is supposed to get the rebound on a miss?

 

[Jingo]

At home UConn will beat SC by 20!

Yes .. they can rough Boston up without having to worry about foul trouble .. UConn has 15 fouls to give b/n ONO, AE & Piath .. unless we play zone, I think AE should start out on Boston and 'give as good gets' .. !!

 

[Jingo]

Hopefuly Ono has learned her lesson about shooting 3 point shots. Who is supposed to get the rebound on a miss?

That's not the point...

 

[MD#12Fan]

I'm really glad they figured a way out of that game. I have to say that last year's team probably would have folded in the 4th and lost. I think that's the difference between last year and this year.

Not sure. Last year's team had some grit too. And that team had more trouble moving the ball and themselves on offense. I was still holding out on them doing something special in the tournament.
I think it was a UConn victory. A UConn victory when they didn't have their best stuff. It's no accident that Geno has so few losses in his career. They're not all works of art.
My definition of a good coaching year: 1) beat people you're supposed to beat, 2) also, see #1, not get upset by someone that shouldn't beat you and 3) win some game(s) that maybe you shouldn't win. Think about how infrequently he gets upset.

 

[JellyBean]

Games like these, where it is a struggle and teams are facing teams that are taller, physical, basically a contrast in styles of play & you playing 5 vs 8 (refs), it is always nice to which player(s) show up and can keep their composure. This was one of those games. On the road. Playing in front of quite a few fans. And dealing with the refs and suggestive calls. UConn players did well overall. A good test going forward for the young program.

My other thoughts:
1). Never have I ever been so happy to see C-Dub shooting and knocking down shots.
2). Olivia and that 3 point shooting...why?
3). Still love my Anna. She can do no wrong in my eyes. LOL. I just wish she got that F it vibe a few times and just go for it. Just not in her DNA though. Love that young lady. Team player to the max.
4. Aubrey. Dang!! She is slowly starting to come out of her shell. Playing like we knew she could. It is getting there. Just waiting on that game when it all clicks and comes together.
5). Evina. She is what we have been saying since the start of the season, that calm steady force. The Zen Master. AKA Mama out there.
6). Paige. This young lady continues to impress. This was one of those games where you want to see leadership, guts, and that all important piece...grit! Paige has that grit that you love to see. When you get knocked down. Shots aren't falling. Passes are not going where you want them to land. You can't rebound. Some players give up and just stop trying. Not our young lady, Paige. None of the players displayed poor body language. Paige stood in there and helped out where ever it was need it. A key rebound. A key deflections. A sweet dime pass to C-Dub. And that shot with time running down on the shot clock. That is what I like to see. Who is going to take that shot? Who has the stones to go for it. Paige is that young lady. Nice.
7). Aaliyha-Oh man. A little more seasoning and she is going to bed one heck of a piece in the rotation. I am starting to really like her high reaching shooting form. It is nice and pretty solid. Rebounding. She is a force.

This game showed that we are still a work in progress. Offense and defense. If we face a team with size, we can hang with them. Good game and thank you, Lady Vols and the great fans of Tennessee.

 

[topogigio]

After watching replays of some of the great Husky teams of the past, here is what I have not seen much of the past few years , including this year; ball movement - no dribble; just pass, pass, pass, pass, pass - easy shot. Also, the back door cut was used effectively a few times a game - just don't see it anymore. A much more stifling defense.

 

[SCspur]

I will be very surprised if UConn looses to SC. They lack good guard play this season and they are still a very very good team. I expect they may try and slow it down against UConn much like Tenn. If it turns into UConn controlling the tempo, I think UConn wins by double digits. One other point if we beat Arkansas by 20+ and SC didnt then most fans will think UConn is the better team. SC @ UConn is gonna be the game of the year.

Obviously you haven’t watched SC much this year. Lack good guard play? Henderson and Cooke are one of the best backcourts in the country. Dawn won’t try to slow this game down at all. Watching the game last night showed me all I needed to see. SC will dominate the glass against UConn and they don’t lack the killer instinct that UT did. They couldn’t smell the blood in the water going into the fourth with the lead but SC won’t fail to put the game away like UT did. I think it’s going to be a tough contest but your statement was ludicrous so I had to add a reply lol.
JMHO....

 

[JordyG]

Also, the back door cut was used effectively a few times a game - just don't see it anymore

Sad but oh so true.

 

[donalddoowop]

I'm missing something. Why would UConn want to slow down a game? When has UConn ever been inclined to slow down a game? Huh? Our height disadvantage is accentuated when the game is slowed down.
Zone defense doesn't affect the pace of a game. There are 50 variants of zone defense. IMO Geno is actually pretty aggressive in his 2-3. We got deflections, steals, and loose balls out of our zone. The coolest 2-3 I've ever seen was John Thompson and Georgetown with Allen Iverson at the top with another guard named Jacques. So active! I tried it in my coaching. I called it "23 Hard", with traps in the corners and free-throw-line-extended.
Please, stop talking about slowing down. Speeding up, YES!

They slowed it against DePaul and did not let DePaul run and gun. They slow it down when necessary.

 

[Waquoit]

Lot of JV games there. How'd they shoot against the varsity?

 

[donalddoowop]

Huh ? Hit me with that again. I can't figure out if i agree or disagree with you .

I don't think SC will slow the game down is what I meant to write. Now whether you agree or disagree matters little to me. I was responding to a poster/s statement.

 

[CocoHusky]

I don't think SC will slow the game down is what I meant to write. Now whether you agree or disagree matters little to me. I was responding to a poster/s statement.

Well how can I agree with if I don’t understand what you are saying.

 

[CocoHusky]

Yes .. they can rough Boston up without having to worry about foul trouble .. UConn has 15 fouls to give b/n ONO, AE & Piath .. unless we play zone, I think AE should start out on Boston and 'give as good gets' .. !!

Piath on Boston? Boston be like...

 

[Bigboote]

I think we found out more about this team by them pulling out a tight game than we would have had they won by a comfortable margin.

I'm still smarting from those two years in a row when they won just about every game by double figures before losing in the final four. I've been hoping for a game like this.

 

[donalddoowop]

Well how can I agree with if I don’t understand what you are saying.

I forgot to add a smiley face. You left yourself open with that remark. I couldn't pass it up.