South Carolina Postgame Thread[merged thread]

[mudblood]

First 5 minutes of each half. Why start the same 5 that was a disaster in the 1st half a repeat of a final four loss to ND

Actually the starters blew it in the first quarter. Q2-Q4 score was 41-42. Nuff said.

 

[cferraro04]

Defense / Rebounding (SC was +25 on the glass) / Boston / Henderson = a very difficult evening. Tonight we got bet by a better team. SC's defense was unbelievable!!! Their length was incredibly frustrating.

Next year we are going to have to be stronger in the middle. I am so glad that Dorka is coming back...we need her to stay. We are truly going to need DeBerry, Brady and Pattison to be ready for prime time. Fudd is going to have to learn how to get open and get her shots off. Hopefully, our players will take the off season to heal and to work on bettering their game...hopefully, no off-season international play...getting healthy is the most important thing.

I think Geno should keep an eye on the transfer portal and see if there is a quality pick-up there...we could use another experienced piece. The loss of Evina, Ododa and Williams will be felt next year.

On a good note, I love the way Aliyah Edwards turned her season around. I love the way Paige turned on the switch for the play-offs. She wasn't at her best but she played like a champion.

 

[Twolf]

This is a wonderful bunch of athletes, and I applaud them, even as they lost tonight. They were pretty valiant in their attempt to stay in the game. I'm sure we'll find that Azzi was far from healthy and that Evina could barely walk. Everything had to go right, and very little did, but this was a great season. How long until next season?

In reality getting this team to the championship game was a major accomplishment, and tonight’s game exposed some holes on the UConn roster. It wasn’t that some players couldn’t hit a shot, it was they couldn’t get a shot. I thought UConn had a slight advantage on the perimeter, but Henderson outscored the 3 Husky smalls combined by 7. Of course her job was easier by having a dominant inside game, and more freedom to shoot and drive.
Tonight was great motivation for the younger players seeing exactly what they need to gain in skills and strength. I’m impressed by what this group did under adverse circumstances & look forward to the potential this group has. Tonight you just have to tip your cap to S.C.- they were the better team in almost every facet of the game.

JMO

 

[pghhuskydoc]

Hey, congratulations to SC. That team played their butts off. They remind me of their coach. Relentless.
Our young women played through so much adversity this year, and gave it a helluva ride. Couldn’t be prouder of them. My heart is heaviest for the seniors. I wish them all the best going forward.

 

[IamSidkin]

Great season considering what they've been through!!! I did not expect them to make it this far. Hopefully we'll learn from this and use this loss as a reminder.

Go Uconn!!!!

 

[GoChips20]

Great season, UConn fans. Enjoyed the analysis, enagagement, and discourse on this board throughout.

The game was not overly competitive but it certainly felt like it given the stakes and talent on each team.

I can promise you that with Paige, Azzi, and the new/returning corps, UConn’s title drought will end soon.

 

[Surly1]

Can’t argue with the outcome.Dawn had her team ready from the jump. Hard to win a game when you allow another team so many extra possession. Tonite, SC was clearly better. Unfortunately, both times UConn has faced SC, Azzi has been less than 100%. Not implying it would have changed the outcome.

My only disappointment was Paige’s lack of urgency in the second half. On too many possessions in the second half, she acted if she was a secondary option. I would have preferred her launching 30 shots and missing, particularly with Azzi missing in action and Williams not scoring. Maybe she wasn’t physically able, but I didn’t see the team screening and double screening, trying to free her up. She was the only player able to create for herself against SC’s stifling defense. Again, what she has accomplished coming back so quickly is astonishing, but for a person with her offensive skills, she doesn’t get to the free throw line nearly enough. Hopefully, she can add more of it to her stellar game next season after an off-season recovery and rebuild.

Great season, but sometimes the other team is simply better. Congrats to SC and Dawn Staley.

 

[SARG 2011]

Plain and simple the better team won tonight. This season was filled with so much adversity but they just kept fighting. Making it to the championship game was remarkable....so proud of them all. Nothing but gratitude and respect for the seniors. Looking ahead, I think we need a big and a guard from the portal

 

[huskeynut]

I applaud the the effort this team put in all season. They had to deal with more injuries than any team I can remember. For a team in December who looked like it was dead in the water they made it to the final four. The growth they showed this season was a joy to watch.

Fourteen straight final fours!!! Name a team that is even close. Its an amazing feat. UConn women's basketball is still the standard by which all others are measured.

Credit to SC. They were the better team. Give credit were credit is do.

To our negative posters, I say goodnight.

 

[CTrefugee]

I was surprised that I did not see one pump fake tonight. Our guards just shot into the big on them. Azzi better start doing that or she will underperform against good D. Ah well........hope we corral another big. The finesse game in WBB could be at an end. The women are getting too strong and fast.

 

[jaydee602]

For all those questioning Geno's substitutions & strategy, do you really think there was a combination or game plan that would have led to a UCONN victory? We needed a superlative performance from several players & we needed South Carolina's guards to have an off- night. Neither happened & the better team won tonight.

 

[Huskie837]

Best team won pure and simple. They will improve next season. Go Huskies!

 

[npignatjr]

Actually the starters blew it in the first quarter. Q2-Q4 score was 41-42. Nuff said.

Enough except at the start of the 2nd half down by 8. 5 minutes in UConn hadn't scored and now down by 16. Had to fight back again.

 

[salvagedsam]

We got crushed on the boards and the SC defense was smothering. Hard to win when that happens. Ducharme was a bright spot. Showed Muhl-like toughness.

The UCONN women gave it their best but lost to a better team.

 

[UConnCat]

After the Oregon loss I wondered if this team would make it to the S16. The Final Four was the last place I thought this team would be.

SC was the much better team tonight. UConn needs to get healthy and get stronger in the post.

 

[Dillon77]

It was a guard that caused the most trouble

Offensively, yes. However, that doubling up on rebounds didn't help much, either.

Great, great run by the Huskies in the latter part of the season and for giving WBB fans one of the great NCAA games in the last few years against NC State.

Just ran into an agile frontcourt, pressing defense and a guard having a career night.

 

[PJCLaw]

Eliminate the first quarter and the final score is SC 42 - UConn 41

Yeah, but the outcome would be the same...a loss! I am just happy the young ladies got this far considering where they were a few months ago. I look forward to next season.

 

[Baylorfan]

UConn fought hard and never gave up. Smaller players managed as well as they could inside. PB is a joy to watch.
On another note, Geno looks really worn out. Been a tough year on him, looks like he has aged a bit thru it all.

 

[NOI33]

Glad to see them go. We need players that are gonna fight. I wish them nothing but the best but honestly I felt they’ve held us back a lot. Basketball has changed in the way that you can’t win being to finesse oriented. Our guards need to be skilled but up front they need to be big, athletic and mean. CW just wasn’t mentally tough enough, Geno has been on her about that her entire time here.

You could not be more wrong with this evaluation. Held us back??? We would not be in the Final 4 without CW. Full stop. ONO shouldered a huge load throughout the season as our primary rim protector inside and facilitator from the high post. I agree that this was the worst time for both of these seniors to fade, but it is not indicative of their "mental toughness" or fight. It's extremely disrespectful for you to even make such claims. They've given their all to this program, in spite of tonight's outcome.

 

[UConnCat]

 

[hookshot]

Holly just announced the MOP of tournament was A Edwards…..

she wasn't too far wrong

 

[OviedoFLHusky]

Huskies, thank you for fighting so hard all year to overcome all the injuries, setbacks, etc. I'll miss you. Get well soon, Dorka!

To go through what this team did, and to make it to the last game of the year, is an accomplishment they need to be proud of. Tonight they lost a basketball game to a better team - but all year they've gained the mental fortitude that will benefit them for the rest of their lives. That makes them winners in my book.