South Carolina post game thread

[ProSkeptic]

The zone really slowed us down. We like pace and space-Transition and kick outs for threes-Perimeter passing and interior duck ins. The zone takes away all of that. Then we start “thinking” on offense. Kudos to UConn because a lot of teams would’ve buckled under the pressure that SC was putting on both sides of the ball in that first half...

I love our style of play. I love having lots of guards that can put pressure on teams offensive and bigs that can run. We need to come out of halftime better. Jennings was a big disappointment today... she didn’t impose her will the way she could’ve. I couldn’t see Collier or Samuelson stopping her in this game. She missed a few shots, loss confidence and completely checked out. Saxton (a freshman that played 5 for us tonight) is going to be a REALLY good player for SC. She can learn a lot from Collier’s development.

Good game for UConn and good luck the rest of the regular season. We have a tough road ahead so the team needs to refocus on conference play. SC still has A LOT to play for.

Kara Lawson twice mentioned Jennings’ lack of effort. She was very pointed about it. BTW, aside from the usual shilling for upcoming programs and missing fouls and chatter, I thought there was some very sharp commentary on the game. Maybe someone at ESPN reads these boards?

 

[mbr33ct]

Kara Lawson twice mentioned Jennings’ lack of effort. She was very pointed about it. BTW, aside from the usual shilling for upcoming programs and missing fouls and chatter, I thought there was some very sharp commentary on the game. Maybe someone at ESPN reads these boards?

It sounded to me Kara would take Pheesa over any other player out there.

 

[oldude]

No team can sustain that level of hotness

There is one team that can...

 

[hoopsfan22]

How about when that fish thing ate the referee? ...guess you had to be there.

I was wondering about that. I thought it was a real referee.

 

[oldude]

It's finally nice FOR UConn to have their best game against pne of their opponent. (I would place this game along with the ND game early this season)...speaking of early season, maybe Dawn should move this game in January and not February. Both losses (Baylor, Louisville...although on their court) occurred in the month of January.

Both UConn & SC like to play this game in February to gauge where they’re at heading into the Big Dance.

 

[Gamecockfan77]

Kara Lawson twice mentioned Jennings’ lack of effort. She was very pointed about it. BTW, aside from the usual shilling for upcoming programs and missing fouls and chatter, I thought there was some very sharp commentary on the game. Maybe someone at ESPN reads these boards?

Coach Staley didn’t shy away from it in the presser.

Put it diplomatically.

Difference in the game, to me, was post play.

 

[oldude]

One nitpick from halftime. After the bracket reveal, Beth Mowins? started in again on how unfair it was, favoring teams like UConn & Oregon, suggesting again her ridiculous idea that the top 16 teams play the last 4 rounds of the tournament at a single destination, similar to the College World Series in baseball.

Fortunately, Andy Landers burst her bubble by pointing out just how much more difficult it would be for fans to all get to a single venue, perhaps over 2 weekends of games. Hopefully, we will not need to hear that nonsense again.

 

[mbr33ct]

One nitpick from halftime. After the bracket reveal, Beth Mowins? started in again on how unfair it was, favoring teams like UConn & Oregon, suggesting again her ridiculous idea that the top 16 teams play the last 4 rounds of the tournament at a single destination, similar to the College World Series in baseball.

Fortunately, Andy Landers burst her bubble by pointing out just how much more difficult it would be for fans to all get to a single venue, perhaps over 2 weekends of games. Hopefully, we will not need to hear that nonsense again.

That's Debbie Antonelli's MO for this Super Regional to happen in Vegas....it is getting old though.

 

[oldude]

That's Debbie Antonelli's MO for this Super Regional to happen in Vegas....it is getting old though.

Thanks for the correction. Debbie has always been one of those announcers who searches for any reason to throw shade at UConn, and she hates voting for the Huskies as the #1 team in the nation.

 

[eebmg]

Thanks for the correction. Debbie has always been one of those announcers who searches for any reason to throw shade at UConn, and she hates voting for the Huskies as the #1 team in the nation.

May I suggest we simply refer to her in future as Debbie Downer.

 

[HopJim]

According to Sue during the smack talk segment, that particular play has been around at least since her time, and I suspect long before. It's a standard BB play. She noticed Geno signaling for it.

Have to give Geno as much credit as Collier and Lou. Some of his tactics the past season have not worked, particularly in games like Baylor. Last night, his double high post and various zones were examples of old UConn plays that were dusted off at the perfect time.

 

[BroadwayVa]

Geno said it about Ono in the post game interview

Immediately after the game a Lobo mike in his face--he cheered Walker, Ono for her 3rd quarter. Then Pheesa was interview on the court . During the game my neighbors ( 2 miles away) came over and asked me to tone it down. ONO was that great. 3 great blocks ONE foul. To me she turned the game around. Kudos to Geno, it tough to trust 2 freshmen to do the right things in big games--but he did and they DID..

 

[oldude]

Have to give Geno as much credit as Collier and Lou. Some of his tactics the past season have not worked, particularly in games like Baylor. Last night, his double high post and various zones were examples of old UConn plays that were dusted off at the perfect time.

Lou is a great 3-pt shooter, but she’s a deadly mid-range jump shooter from the key. I think we’ll see a lot more ball screens for Lou for the rest of the season. It’s the oldest play in basketball, but when you have a 6’3” sharpshooter who’s money from 15-18’, and she’s also a great passer off the curl, it’s virtually impossible to defend.

 

[BroadwayVa]

Reading some comments on the chat and there are some negative comments, especially about the defense and Ono's play. Anyone who finds something bad to say about tonight's performance, is just being unfair. We already knew the defense needed to improve and it did in the third quarter when it was most needed. Seems some people are just hard to please.

Some awfully otherwise nice people get really nasty on the CHAT--I've heard of the Cesspool the only time I ventured into the Chat I was sure I found it.

 

[eebmg]

Lou is a great 3-pt shooter, but she’s a deadly mid-range jump shooter from the key. I think we’ll see a lot more ball screens for Lou for the rest of the season. It’s the oldest play in basketball, but when you have a 6’3” sharpshooter who’s money from 15-18’, and she’s also a great passer off the curl, it’s virtually impossible to defend.

and as Sue pointed out over and over, Posting up Lou after creating mismatches.

 

[BroadwayVa]

Lou is a great 3-pt shooter, but she’s a deadly mid-range jump shooter from the key. I think we’ll see a lot more ball screens for Lou for the rest of the season. It’s the oldest play in basketball, but when you have a 6’3” sharpshooter who’s money from 15-18’, and she’s also a great passer off the curl, it’s virtually impossible to defend.

Back before there was a Geno Auriemma Navy Basketball used a number of screening and back door plays. I'm sure Geno saw some of them because he uses variations of at 2 of those Navy plays. One screen for Lou was a double that took out her defender--big time.
The entire team, once they settled down, were playing in rhythm and sync. A pretty play from Danger to Walker in the corner to Phee, back to driving Walker -back to Phee for the layup over the front of the rim. Many plays, passes, last night were old time Geno Basket ball in motion. Beauty,

 

[oldude]

and as Sue pointed out over and over, Posting up Lou after creating mismatches.

There was a mismatch from the opening tip with SC’s 3-guard lineup. Cooper was matched up with Lou, quickness vs size. Cooper ended up with 20 pts, but she fouled out of the game and Lou ended up with 29. So I’ll have to give that matchup to Lou.

 

[BroadwayVa]

Have to give Geno as much credit as Collier and Lou. Some of his tactics the past season have not worked, particularly in games like Baylor. Last night, his double high post and various zones were examples of old UConn plays that were dusted off at the perfect time.

Absolutely, the real Badass of this game was the coaching staff. You could seen the number and variation of plays and situations that these kids obviously practiced and practiced and practiced---that wasn't done in a vacuum. KUDO"s to the Coaching staff--and well executed by the 6. I hadn't read this post of yours before I wrote my similar comment about old time WBB--perfections

 

[mbr33ct]

Thanks for the correction. Debbie has always been one of those announcers who searches for any reason to throw shade at UConn, and she hates voting for the Huskies as the #1 team in the nation.

She must be enjoying herself this year.

 

[Tenspro2002]

Lou is a great 3-pt shooter, but she’s a deadly mid-range jump shooter from the key. I think we’ll see a lot more ball screens for Lou for the rest of the season. It’s the oldest play in basketball, but when you have a 6’3” sharpshooter who’s money from 15-18’, and she’s also a great passer off the curl, it’s virtually impossible to defend.

The problem is, that 15-18' shot is basically the worst shot in basketball. The NBA is trending in this direction and for good reason.

Yes, sometimes Lou can heat up and make a bunch of those shots, but a lot of the time it's a contested 2 pointer that isn't as likely to succeed as a drive to the basket, and doesn't get you as many points as a 3 despite being only a little easier.

 

[SCGamecock]

It's finally nice FOR UConn to have their best game against pne of their opponent. (I would place this game along with the ND game early this season)...speaking of early season, maybe Dawn should move this game in January and not February. Both losses (Baylor, Louisville...although on their court) occurred in the month of January.

I can’t blame the losses on scheduling, but I don’t think it’s particularly beneficial to SC that this game is played mid-February. The Huskies are always clicking but by the time we play them they’re in NCAA Tournament mode lol.

 

[paisan]

Reading some comments on the chat and there are some negative comments, especially about the defense and Ono's play. Anyone who finds something bad to say about tonight's performance, is just being unfair. We already knew the defense needed to improve and it did in the third quarter when it was most needed. Seems some people are just hard to please.

That was because Ono clogged up the lane. Why Geno took her out baffles me.

 

[oldude]

I can’t blame the losses on scheduling, but I don’t think it’s particularly beneficial to SC that this game is played mid-February. The Huskies are always clicking but by the time we play them they’re in NCAA Tournament mode lol.

That’s the point of SC playing UConn in February. They get to test themselves against a FF caliber team to gauge where they’re at heading into the Big Dance. I think the game benefits both teams.

 

[BigBird]

Unfortunately, the Chat has become a place to avoid during close games.

I still participate sometimes, but I’m getting annoyed by some of the negative idiocy. Nobody is forcing me to participate, which makes my solution obvious.

 

[SCGamecock]

I was gobsmacked at the way SC played in the first half. Radically different from last year, when everything went through A’ja Wilson. No team can sustain that level of hotness, and they came unraveled in the second half. Still, SC will be a tough out in the tourney, and they could even challenge MSSU for the SEC crown. I certainly hope so!

As we saw earlier in the season with our losses, this team has no superstars. For the last 5 or 6 years there has always been a person the ball went to first for us while everybody else kinda fills in on the sidelines.. Sutton, then Mitchell, then Coates, then Wilson... so we went from a team that always had a ball dominant player to a team that truly shares the ball. Cooper is ball dominant but she’s getting better at picking her spots to dominate (something Tiff Mitchell was masterful at). It took time to develop that chemistry. Regardless of the UConn game, we are playing some good basketball right now. Baylor still scares me, but I’m putting my money on SC if there’s a rematch with Maryland, Drake or Oregon State. But anyway.. Our assists are up, shooting percentages, pace, three point shooting are all up. Our starting 5 has great chemistry and we no longer are one of those teams where you can sag off of 3 out of 5 players on the floor. You have to guard us now. We got thrown in the fire this year, but we just need more time to really ingrain this new style.