South Carolina Postgame Thread

[DEFCONN1]

Free throw shooting
SC 18-22
UCONN 4-6
14 pt. differential
‘ nuff said
Draw your own conclusions

 

[Gusaford]

We didn't play well, SC played better and won. In sports, teams have bad games and lose, sometimes in a tournament when it ends your season. No biggie, it happens, no team never loses. Soon enough the loss and season fade and the next season rolls around.

What will linger from this season will be the memory of Geno's lousy behavior in the loss. I hope he finds a way to make a decent apology but even if he does there will be a permanent blot on his legacy as a coach. As far as UConn women's basketballs legacy goes, todays loss is only a blip compared to the damage inflicted by Geno.

Good grief. Hyperbole anyone?

 

[BugsyCT]

The Big East is a huge problem. 23 straight scrimmages. Last year was a super team and able to overcome it.

Yes, well we all know what the long term solution to that is but - still waiting for that invitation.

 

[EricSD]

Outclassed? I assume that is a veiled allusion to Geno. You have no idea what the back story is and neither does anyone else. Our team outclassed by Dawn and her team? Remember her mouthed words on the sideline last year? There is more to the story and I don't think we should be throwing Geno under the bus without knowing all the facts.

There was plenty to complain about Dawn last season and her F-bombs and rightly so. I called her out and so did many others. But What Geno did after the game in the handshake line was not a good look at all as many have pointed out. I know it was heat of the moment, but it's on national TV for everyone to see and no one will forget the way he acted any time soon.

 

[bantamlaker]

Apparently, Dawn wouldn't shake his hand at the beginning of the game

Wrong. They showed a replay of Dawn shaking hands with Geno and all the coaches.

 

[jaydee602]

If I was told that South Carolina was being held to 60 points, I would have put the champagne on ice.
Scoring 60 points and beating UCONN by double digits was never supposed to happen!!

 

[VA Blue Dog]

Azzi Fudd was afraid to shoot the entire game except for the end, Sarah Strong hardly touched the ball in the second half, whe she did she didn't want to shoot, They both missed easy layups. Some very sloppy passing. Huskies played just like they played against Michigan. Only difference was that they did not have a 18 point lead in the first half.

 

[BBallF]

We didn't play well, SC played better and won. In sports, teams have bad games and lose, sometimes in a tournament when it ends your season. No biggie, it happens, no team never loses. Soon enough the loss and season fade and the next season rolls around.

What will linger from this season will be the memory of Geno's lousy behavior in the loss. I hope he finds a way to make a decent apology but even if he does there will be a permanent blot on his legacy as a coach. As far as UConn women's basketballs legacy goes, todays loss is only a blip compared to the damage inflicted by Geno.

We should wait until we know all the facts before we demand an apology. You think Dawn would ever apologize? Not in this lifetime.

 

[baggerbob]

I think this answers whether we were better with Paige.

There is no one on that UConn team that is near the level of Sue, Tarasi, Maya, Stewie, or Paige. Charles also was better the anyone on that team.

 

[WLT1717]

Some thoughts on the South Carolina game:


Some thoughts on the SC game:

• A couple weeks ago, a YouTube video asked the rhetorical question, “UConn, unbeatable or untested?” highlighting the fact that the Huskies had not played SC, TX or UCLA this season. Unfortunately, that question was answered today as UConn was tested by a formidable SC team.
• No team or player expects to lose the last game of the season, and yet, for most, that’s exactly what happens. In his postgame remarks, Geno will undoubtedly remind everyone that, “Winning a championship is hard.” But nobody much will listen, as the expectations by UConn fans are both incredibly high and, at times, unreasonable.
• For the players, coaches and fans, the loss to SC today is very disappointing. That’s normal. Unfortunately, there will always be those who will look to blame someone for the loss: Geno, the players, the refs, whoever. DON’T!!! The game is basketball. Sometimes good teams get beaten by better teams, and in this instance, SC was the better team.
• To those players who will be moving on from UConn: Azzi, Caroline, Serah and perhaps Ice & Ayanna as well, we thank you for all you’ve given to UConn WBB and wish you great success wherever your path in life leads you.
• To the entire team, the coaches and the support staff, Thank you for a great season. UConn WBB fans are truly fortunate.
• We can take some comfort in the knowledge that next season the Huskies will once again be loaded, and they are still coached by the best coach in basketball. #13 will have to wait a year. Only 8

I hope he apologizes

Felt the whole time like everyone in F4 had an equal chance this year. And also wasn’t feeling great about the team.

The great UConn teams have been dominant in the tourney. This one had some struggles.

While everyone blames the big east, I think the bigger issue was the nonconference. No SC game in Feb and a bad Tenn team. MLK game was a no contest against an ND team that was a mess.

I said early in the season, and was promptly shouted down, that the concern for UConn was tightening up in a big game.

Azzi has always had a mix of big games and lesser games. I thought she had gotten past it but it showed again during the NCAAs.

Blanca and Sarah also got overwhelmed and sped up. For SS I think it was the combo of physical play wearing her down a bit, but also SCs quick ability to close out — it got her rushed abit.

And for those who want to say it was one bad game — there have been signs of this for several games.

Biggest kudos to Shade and Heckel. They came out to play and were the stars for the night.

Nailed it; thanks.

 

[ec33]

Geno did laugh early on in the season when people talked about this year's team being better than last year's team with Paige.

It was apparent that wasn't the case, even though last year's team lost regular season games. Sarah is young and Azzi showed signs late in the season of not being able to meet the moment when the spotlight has been on her rather than Paige.

The lack of toughness and rebounding in the post has been an issue all season. I wish Serah Williams well but she wasn't the answer and that was apparent early on.

The long exhibition season ended and the actual competition began today. And the team came up wanting.

 

[305Husk]

Geno left without shaking Dawn’s hand.

I think it shows how emotionally invested in these recent teams he’s become. More than in the past. I suspect when he saw Kayleigh crying at midcourt after that missed layup it may have been too much for him.

Every team in the tourney is invested. Not a good excuse.

 

[WLT1717]

Disappointing in geno taking the limelight for the seniors final game .

You’ll get over it.

 

[willie99]

Sarah looked tired in the 4th quarter. Maybe next year Geno will give her more playing time even in the blowouts to build up her stamina.

Are you actually telling Geno how to coach? 😊

 

[cancontent]

Apparently, Dawn wouldn't shake his hand at the beginning of the game

That seems unlikely. Makes no sense.

There's footage that contradicts this. ESPN showed the coaches shaking hands prior to tip off after the game.

 

[Ctedgeman]

I doubt it was about some mystery missing handshake at the beginning of the game. It seems more likely he was mad about Dawn instructing her players to press on the last UConn offensive possession when there was absolutely no reason to. The game was over.

 

[msf22b]

Blame Geno. He seems to think he can win with a smaller lineup. Sorry, not against a tall, athletic team. Who was the last center that geno fully developed? I was disappointed with his inability to develop Serah.

Interesting point

 

[Husky Alien]

SC was in full attack mode from start to finish. Like one of the analysts said, they play very physical right from the opening tip, set the tone early, and never really looked back. The refs let that pace go, and they took advantage. They attacked and we didn’t, that wore on us.
Our bench never really got into the game either since there wasn’t much of the usual rotation. When you go undefeated, expectations get sky high, so a loss like this hits hard. Tough one, but credit to SC, good luck to them in the championship but I'm rooting for the other team.

 

[Gusaford]

I had a bad feeling about this game. For the past few weeks, it seemed like every time I turned on a sporting event, a commercial involving one or more Huskies came on the TV. Azzi was almost as ubiquitous as Caitlin Clark. Sarah was in a couple of them. Was the team locked in? They haven't seemed that way for a while. The revenue opportunities are obviously great, but at what point do they become a distraction?

 

[BBallF]

There was plenty to complain about Dawn last season and her F-bombs and rightly so. I called her out and so did many others. But What Geno did after the game in the handshake line was not a good look at all as many have pointed out. I know it was heat of the moment, but it's on national TV for everyone to see and no one will forget the way he acted any time soon.

The question is what was the motivation, the reason? He is not a sore loser, never has been, and I don't think it was emotional. She exploded at him right away so I think there was something there.

 

[JungleLobo]

Geno said “Geno’s is still better than Ishkabibbles.”

 

[Fishy]

Geno acted like a jerk and was in meltdown mode from the third period through the end of the game,

Enough lectures from the mountaintop about whatever is in head at a given moment. Apologize for the post-game stupidity and then move on to next year.

Recruit some folks who will smack SC back,

 

[1974yankees]

The Big East is a huge problem. 23 straight scrimmages. Last year was a super team and able to overcome it.

Yep. Playing in the Big East gives us a false sense of invincibility.

 

[Doctor Hoop]

They played meh in the last 2 games but simply had more talent. Tonight shooting 7/31 by your two stud players is a death blow.

 

[JBK]

Outhustled all game long. Very sad performance.

Lots of love for K9, though. She played with a ton of heart.

She will be a gamer going forward. My new favorite

 

[HuskyNan]

Interesting point

It takes more than one season

 

[cockhrnleghrn]

Congratulations on a great season; both teams have been on both sides of the results. We play next season at Mohegan Sun and I'm planning on being there.

 

[Bomber36]

Apparently, Dawn wouldn't shake his hand at the beginning of the game

But she did. I saw the video of it, so I don’t think that was the issue.

 

[Stinger92860]

Recruit some folks who will smack SC back,

This

 

[JBK]

Congratulations to SC. We seemed a little tentative, unlike last year, where we were the aggressor. It was not the ref’s fault we lost the game, but the foul discrepancy should be addressed. I hope Geno goes out and gets a big that can really grab rebounds. I love KK and I think our defense is amazing, but we really need her to score more.

Agreed. She loses her confidence very fast and does not shoot. We all love Nika but it is not the NC recipe