Sunday Post game thoughts

[jsloanjr]

After watching parts of the game today, UCONN loses its focus and get's away from its game plan and allows ND to fight back. As a BB junkie, UCONN players are not very good 1 on 1 defensive players or have not learned how to keep their player in front of them. How many games does UCONN need to lose before the coaching staff starts to adjust the way the teach better team defense. How many times does ND players need to drive to the hoop uncontested and then get fouled when no one steps in the path to force them away..The last play by ND in the 2nd half and nobody stop the dribble until she got to the hoop. Until they fix that issue, they will not beat top 5 teams....Its that same reason they lost to ND last April.........

ND won the game by hanging around when they should have been down by 15 not 4 points. Again, UCONN does not have a leader or a go to player who grabs the players by the shirt and tells them what they need to do. IMO, Bria needs to set up her on court influence and demand more toughness and BB IQ from Dolson, Hayes and KML... Its very difficult to win big games when you only have 40% (Farris and Bria) of the team on the same page.......

Do you think there are any current players who will get their number and name on the Wall of Fame?........

 

[sarals24]

I bet Bria and KML both do before all is said and done.

 

[VAUConnFan]

1. A few years ago, a point was made to curb hand checking; Which significantly reduces a defenders ability to keep a player in front of him.
2. There is no way to eliminate basketball IQ from these discussions, so if one chooses to do so, then please point out specific examples so that we, as posters and commenters can be on the same page.
3. The Wall of Fame will work itself out. However, if your point is that UConn cannot win a national championship without such a player on the team, then I am totally in agreement.

 

[Tonyc]

Two Couldve been wins. Baylor and ND. Both away, Both we had good leads and both they won at the line. I dont think that happens again. Now we must be patient til we face ND at UConn and most likely in the BE.

 

[DESERTDOG]

In your criticism of Dolson, Hayes & Kml you forgot to mention Doty. In 29 minutes of playing time she shot 2 for 8 from the field(a poor 25%) , scored 5 paltry points, & had only 1 assist but 2 turnovers. If she could have scored 1 more measly point we would have won the game in regulation. In Uconn's 2 losses this season Doty has scored a whopping total of 5 points - a 2.5 avg.

 

[Ruffian75]

Minutes played.....Hartley 45 (all), Faris (43), Diggins (42), Novocel (41).

Bria's game kind of hit a wall with about 5 minutes left. Diggins took over. I just think BH was worn out. Muffet did a good job of giving her two stars a breather.

One thing about this team so far....we all thought we would be much deeper this year than last. So far that has not really been the case.

 

[Ozzie Nelson]

Minutes played.....Hartley 45 (all), Faris (43), Diggins (42), Novocel (41).

Bria's game kind of hit a wall with about 5 minutes left. Diggins took over. I just think BH was worn out. Muffet did a good job of giving her two stars a breather.

One thing about this team so far....we all thought we would be much deeper this year than last. So far that has not really been the case.

Guarding Diggins, leading the offense...how much can one person do?

 

[John Fryer]

Minutes played.....Hartley 45 (all), Faris (43), Diggins (42), Novocel (41).

Bria's game kind of hit a wall with about 5 minutes left. Diggins took over. I just think BH was worn out. Muffet did a good job of giving her two stars a breather.

One thing about this team so far....we all thought we would be much deeper this year than last. So far that has not really been the case.

Well, we are deeper player wise.

But I agree that our bench has not been either productive or effective in the 2 real big games, so far.

Most of us had high hopes for Heather, but her injury has set her back a bit.

All most all of us have high hopes for KML, but like several posters have reminded us: She is still a freshman and she is still learning the Division 1 level game.

It appears that Brianna, Lauren and Michala are all works in progress.

I have always admired Doty's competitive spirit. Unfortunately, her injuries have impaired her effectiveness. As a consequence, I really feel that she and the team would benefit greatly if she would focus more on being "a spot-up shooter!'

The lady can shoot the ball. So, lets creative situations where she can do her thing more effectively.

There really isn't any need for her to try to do all of the things that she could do before her injury.

These are, of course, just my opinions.

Peace,

John Fryer

 

[UConnCat]

The posts in this thread have to be some of the more ridiculous and arrogant posts I've read on this board in quite some time. Think about it: the question posed in the original post is "[h]ow many games does UCONN need to lose before the coaching staff starts to adjust the way the teach better team defense?" And this question is asked because the team dared to lose it's second game of the year to the #3 team on the road in overtime, after losing for the first time this year to the #1 team in the country by five points on the road. Oh, and last year the team lost a whopping total of 2 games, both to highly ranked teams and one loss coming in the Final Four to a team it had just beaten 3 times in a row. And before those losses? The team won 90 freakin' games in a row and back to back national championships. And the question asked is how many losses is it going to take before changes are going to be made? And we're talking about changes made defensively? Oh, and the BB IQs aren't high enough. And the guard who's had 3 ACL surgeries isn't scoring enough. Is it any wonder that fans of other teams refer to UConn fans as arrogant?

Notre Dame is really good. It's guards are big and very difficult to defend. Still, UConn held ND's two best guards -- Novosel and Diggins -- to a combined 12-39 shooting and held the ND team to 36% FG shooting. Novosel and Diggins were put on the line 19 times in 45 minutes of basketball. That was one of the keys to the game but it wouldn't have mattered had the team made it own FTs or not turned the ball over.

As UConn fans there are many reasons to be disappointed with yesterday's game and the performance of the team. The team gave the game to Notre Dame. But posts like those in this thread suggest that some fans are bigger fans of winning than they are fans of the team. That's also disappointing.

 

[pap49cba]

In your criticism of Dolson, Hayes & Kml you forgot to mention Doty. In 29 minutes of playing time she shot 2 for 8 from the field(a poor 25%) , scored 5 paltry points, & had only 1 assist but 2 turnovers. If she could have scored 1 more measly point we would have won the game in regulation. In Uconn's 2 losses this season Doty has scored a whopping total of 5 points - a 2.5 avg.

Yeah, let's single out Doty for not scoring "1 more measly point". Stupid.

 

[alexrgct]

After watching parts of the game today, UCONN loses its focus and get's away from its game plan and allows ND to fight back. As a BB junkie, UCONN players are not very good 1 on 1 defensive players or have not learned how to keep their player in front of them. How many games does UCONN need to lose before the coaching staff starts to adjust the way the teach better team defense. How many times does ND players need to drive to the hoop uncontested and then get fouled when no one steps in the path to force them away..The last play by ND in the 2nd half and nobody stop the dribble until she got to the hoop. Until they fix that issue, they will not beat top 5 teams....Its that same reason they lost to ND last April.........


Do you think there are any current players who will get their number and name on the Wall of Fame?........

Gee, I could have sworn UConn had already beaten a top 5 team this season. I'd think a BB junkie would be aware of that.

As Sara indicated, there is little doubt in my mind that Bria and KML will end up on the Huskies of Honor. Those players happen to be a freshman and a sophomore, which should tell you something in and of itself. Everyone realized before this season started that this would be a transitional year for UConn, and as it happens, they're playing pretty damn well. They've had two of the other three best teams in the country on the ropes in their gyms.

And the notion that you or anyone else on this board is in a position to tell Geno and his staff how to teach team defense is laughable. Really a staggeringly poor comment in every sense of the word "poor".

Guess what? WCBB doesn't exist for the sole purpose of having something for UConn's WBB program to be champion of. Geno is as good as it gets, and recruits a ton of very good players to Storrs. That does not mean that there aren't other good players and coaches in other locales. Teams lose. As it happens, Geno has by far the two longest winning streaks in WBB. That does not mean he's incapable of fielding a team incapable of going through growing pains such as learning to close out good teams on the road. In fact, the journey of player/team development is part of the joy of watching sports, as much so, I'd argue, as the destination of (hopefully) winning championships. If you can't acknowledge that, you're missing out.

 

[Sonny44]

The posts in this thread have to be some of the more ridiculous and arrogant posts I've read on this board in quite some time. Think about it: the question posed in the original post is "[h]ow many games does UCONN need to lose before the coaching staff starts to adjust the way the teach better team defense?" And this question is asked because the team dared to lose it's second game of the year to the #3 team on the road in overtime, after losing for the first time this year to the #1 team in the country by five points on the road. Oh, and last year the team lost a whopping total of 2 games, both to highly ranked teams and one loss coming in the Final Four to a team it had just beaten 3 times in a row. And before those losses? The team won 90 freakin' games in a row and back to back national championships. And the question asked is how many losses is it going to take before changes are going to be made? And we're talking about changes made defensively? Oh, and the BB IQs aren't high enough. And the guard who's had 3 ACL surgeries isn't scoring enough. Is it any wonder that fans of other teams refer to UConn fans as arrogant?

Notre Dame is really good. It's guards are big and very difficult to defend. Still, UConn held ND's two best guards -- Novosel and Diggins -- to a combined 12-39 shooting and held the ND team to 36% FG shooting. Novosel and Diggins were put on the line 19 times in 45 minutes of basketball. That was one of the keys to the game but it wouldn't have mattered had the team made it own FTs or not turned the ball over.

As UConn fans there are many reasons to be disappointed with yesterday's game and the performance of the team. The team gave the game to Notre Dame. But posts like those in this thread suggest that some fans are bigger fans of winning than they are fans of the team. That's also disappointing.

I'm with you Cat. Most of the gripers are the very ones who predicted this team would lose 2 - 5 games this year or more So now we've lost just two and they are blaming ang and complaining already. I predicted we would lose 2 - 4 games and steal the NC at the end. I think we're right on track with this young and learning team of great kids.

 

[HuskyFan1125]

I may be crazy, but I was one of the people that circled this as one of the 3-4 losses this team was going to have this season.

This is why I am in no way upset wit the loss or the team.

UCONN will be just fine.

I trust Geno and the staff

and I trust the girls!!

GO UCONN!!!!

 

[VAUConnFan]

Let us not stifle the flow of free dialogue here. UConn put itself in this position by being consistently being other-wordly fabulous with very little to criticize, so their small mistakes get maligned to the point of over scrutiny. In a small town newspaper, one is likely to read about a neighbor who was fined for writing a bad check at a convenience store. In New York, there are major assaults that might not make it into print. UConn Women's Basketball is that small town where expectations seem unreasonably high, yet frightfully realistic. The point at which we will separate the fans of winning from the fans of the team is when UConn loses games that they should not lose and/or lose all hope of a national championship. And why do we even care if other fans think we are arrogant? Or spoiled? It's just an opinion. There have been a number of fans from other teams who come here praising us for our loyalty, knowledge, and and passion.

 

[Vowelguy]

One thing about this team so far....we all thought we would be much deeper this year than last. So far that has not really been the case.

I still don't know why anyone thought that.

 

[huskyharry]

UConn proved last year that they can't beat ND 4 out of 4 games. I'm glad that they got the one annoying loss from the series out of the way early!

 

[Vowelguy]

How many games does UCONN need to lose before the coaching staff starts to adjust the way they teach better team defense. ... Until they fix that issue, they will not beat top 5 teams........

Totally agree. It stinks that these players are saddled with such an incompetent coaching staff.

 

[UConnCat]

Let us not stifle the flow of free dialogue here. UConn put itself in this position by being consistently being other-wordly fabulous with very little to criticize, so their small mistakes get maligned to the point of over scrutiny. In a small town newspaper, one is likely to read about a neighbor who was fined for writing a bad check at a convenience store. In New York, there are major assaults that might not make it into print. UConn Women's Basketball is that small town where expectations seem unreasonably high, yet frightfully realistic. The point at which we will separate the fans of winning from the fans of the team is when UConn loses games that they should not lose and/or lose all hope of a national championship. And why do we even care if other fans think we are arrogant? Or spoiled? It's just an opinion. There have been a number of fans from other teams who come here praising us for our loyalty, knowledge, and and passion.

No one is "stifling the flow of free dialogue here." No one was told not to express an opinion. What happened was that certain opinions were met with counter-opinions. It's what happens on this board every day.

 

[Georgestarr7]

I don't know....I'm reading complaints about our defense.....what happened to the oft-praised swarming defense that effectively shut down Stanford and TAM and almost beat Baylor? Offense came up short against ND. We're sputtering (both here and on the court) but I believe that this team will will get to the NC game.
My turn for arm-chair coaching: With the lead at 4 minutes and lots of fouls looming, why not platoon Heather or Kiah for Steph on defensive plays? Both can block better than her. Speaking of which, I wonder if Steph is ailing. We seem to be getting very few tip-offs lately. She doesn't seem to be going up for rebounds like she used to.

 

[VAUConnFan]

I don't know....I'm reading complaints about our defense.....what happened to the oft-praised swarming defense that effectively shut down Stanford and TAM and almost beat Baylor? Offense came up short against ND. We're sputtering (both here and on the court) but I believe that this team will will get to the NC game.
My turn for arm-chair coaching: With the lead at 4 minutes and lots of fouls looming, why not platoon Heather or Kiah for Steph on defensive plays? Both can block better than her. Speaking of which, I wonder if Steph is ailing. We seem to be getting very few tip-offs lately. She doesn't seem to be going up for rebounds like she used to.

I have a theory to throw out there. Is it possible that Ms Dolson has lost a tad too much weight and that, in her efforts to maintain her current level of svelte, she is not consuming enough calories to adequately propel the required level of energy? Some people are just not meant to be skinny and are every bit as effective with the added bulk. She looks great, but how is she feeling, really?

 

[Bestiarius]

Totally agree. It stinks that these players are saddled with such an incompetent coaching staff.

Yes, the Uconn coaches need to attend a "how to coach" class. I wonder who will be teaching that class?

 

[msf22b]

I agree with Ruffian that Bria may have hit a wall. I think Muffit had two reasons to take Diggins out, not only for rest.Her taking off her headband was a real indication that she felt she needed to change something. Let's not forget that for much of the game, the UCONN defense really frustrated her which was one of my keys to the game. At the end, as in the NCAA's, the Notre Dame guards just had a little more in the tank and poise and took the game. And she and Natalie are great BB players.

With regard Caroline, was it not in the past conventional wisdom on the yard that it was the 2nd season after an ACL that a player regained her form. Sure we need her to be great now, but its just going to take some time. Its unfair for us to be so impatient.

Bria played an amazing game. the coaching staff will figure out how to get her a little rest

In many ways, the ND defense was just as stifling as ours, putting lots pressure on the guards, forcing us away from the basket. Muffit knows a thing or 2 about BB and they have the big bodies, confidence and experience to execute.

I imagine that when Geno and the staff get together the problems that they have is how to get more positive output from Tiff, how to get Steff to dominate (reminds me of the first 2.5 Tina years) and how to get this team to fight through endings in which they virtually have won the game, but then for whatever reason, cough it up. The Baylor and ND game had many parallels in that respect.

It was a sad loss. I'll be curious how the entire squad bounces back

 

[Dairyair]

I almost couldn't face coming to the yard today, the loss was painful...I hurt more for the girls than for myself: in all reality win or lose it doesn't effect my life much. Well, I might be grouchier than usual for a while.
My point is thoughtful posts by Cat and Alex make me glad I came aboard today, thanks to both of you!
BTW, the poster who said our defense wasn't there: didn't ND only shoot like 35%? We shot 40%, so yes, ND played good defense on us, but we weren't too shabby, either. They were 23 of 29 from the FT line, we were 12 of 20. But the refs were NO factor whatsoever!

 

[BrianUC]

It's now clear who the top four teams are and I think they have separated themselves from the pack. In the games between Baylor, UConn, Stanford and ND, the games have been close and the home team is 4-0. We're 1-2 in these games as two of our 3 were on the road.

It is a readjustment when you're used to being the undisputed #1 going to one of four teams who can win it all (every one of the 4 elite teams has a decent shot to win it all). I'm feeling good about our team. I like our defensive intensity on the road. I like the new offense with Stef out high and the guards cutting to the hoop. ND must have been frustrated and certainly their coaching staff will be troubleshooting this. I think this offense will progress further and we'll have other looks ready by the time the tournament rolls around.

 

[semper]

I was so pleased with Bria Hartley! What a great great player, and such grit. I am not complaining about this loss. They played really well, and it was a very good game to watch. Also, the ND players are more experienced, and this, in the end served them in good stead. We will be just fine.