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Tennessee Post Game Thread (merged)

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I posted DEFENSE was the key to this game and 24 Points in the second half for Tennessee was it. They could not play the way they did in the first two quarters. 96 points for Uconn was their normal scoring, as all season. 38 game win streak and 10 more to the BE Title is a 48 game win streak and finally, a 6 game win streak and a 54 game final win streak for 2026 and NO 13 N.C. IT Is so nice to see Women's Basketball bact to normal. GO HUSKIES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Actually there are eight regular season games left, then 3 games in the Big East Tournament if UConn gets to the Championship game. So if UConn wins out they would be 40-0. They are currently on a 39 game winning streak and if they win it all they would have a 58 game winning streak.
 
This seems to be a milestone game for this season, so I would like to indulge in a few random thoughts

- K9 and allie seem to developed ESP. Heckel drives and the one person she caan always find is Allie - uncanny and a instant assist

-Azzi has a cooler head than Sarah, for the first time today I saw a few times where Sarah was angry. Her play, no calls missed chances. She allowed it to show a tiny bit.

- We better pray that Ash and K9 never collide in practice. The energy released might be dangerous for everybody.
 
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Just a few things to add: I'd been thinking at halftime that maybe I've been too hard on Kim Caldwell. But in the second half, I thought, no, Tennessee looked pretty much as they did in the Mississippi State game. They looked selfish and dejected and by the fourth, tuned out. I saw a little bit of jawing between a couple of their players. She really needs to get them under control.

One thing I noticed in looking at their roster: Three players are on their third school. If a player can't be happy at her first two schools, I don't see any reason she'd be happy on my team.

I thought this was by far the most satisfying game of the season. UConn punched UT in the mouth, and UT punched back. Then UConn righted the ship and really put on a show. Geno tightened up the rotation as expected -- apparently even despite the large margin late in the fourth, treated it as a playoff game. Jana just got a few minutes, but I thought everyone else who played made a significant positive contribution. I was totally pumped with Serah's game, especially in the second half. At different points of the game, each player seemed to be keeping UConn together (or driving the bus). Really fun game to watch.
 
Maybe I missed this discussion but I thought early in the game, Sarah was taken out at 7:04 minute mark and looked a bit distressed, sort of like she took a shot to her stomach. It looked like she then left the bench area. She was only gone a couple minutes, returned to the bench and re-entered the game. And the rest is history.
 
This was from the Miss St presser. but in the presser linked above in the thread, I thought Kim was honest and balanced. Also, Janiah was gracious, which seems atypical for her. It's good to hear her voice in this mode.
I also thought Janiah was gracious and complementary of UConn. We recruited her, right?? She and Geno spent time talking in the handshake line. Maybe there is some regret in her about a decision she might wish she had made? I'm not sure the style of play she's part of now at TN will help her succeed in the W. She might see that now and wish she thought differently before committing to TN
 
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Just a few things to add: I'd been thinking at halftime that maybe I've been too hard on Kim Caldwell. But in the second half, I thought, no, Tennessee looked pretty much as they did in the Mississippi State game. They looked selfish and dejected and by the fourth, tuned out. I saw a little bit of jawing between a couple of their players. She really needs to get them under control.

One thing I noticed in looking at their roster: Three players are on their third school. If a player can't be happy at her first two schools, I don't see any reason she'd be happy on my team.

I thought this was by far the most satisfying game of the season. UConn punched UT in the mouth, and UT punched back. Then UConn righted the ship and really put on a show. Geno tightened up the rotation as expected -- apparently even despite the large margin late in the fourth, treated it as a playoff game. Jana just got a few minutes, but I thought everyone else who played made a significant positive contribution. I was totally pumped with Serah's game, especially in the second half. At different points of the game, each player seemed to be keeping UConn together (or driving the bus). Really fun game to watch.
I know she only played a couple of minutes, but I thought that Jana looked good (though, obviously, not the best match-up situation for her).
 
Did anyone else notice KK's right pointer finger in a wrap (and maybe splint??) in the 2nd half??? I didn't notice that in the 1st half and never heard the announcers mention it...perhaps that explains her off game???
Yes, noticed several potential issues-KK's wrap, Sarah speaking to Geno early in game with a pained expression on her face, several Huskies thrown/pushed to floor, etc. that seemed to slip by the announcers.
 
Maybe I missed this discussion but I thought early in the game, Sarah was taken out at 7:04 minute mark and looked a bit distressed, sort of like she took a shot to her stomach. It looked like she then left the bench area. She was only gone a couple minutes, returned to the bench and re-entered the game. And the rest is history.
It was discussed in the chat, but the announcers didn't say squat about it.
 
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Full house in Hartford and lots of energy for the biggest remaining game of the regular season.

Tennessee is a very long and athletic team, you could see that right away in warmups, it jumps out at you. There were many times in the game where they had a height advantage at every position. Yet oddly enough, they had zero blocked shots and UConn outrebounded them by nine.

In an game where many UConn players were terrific, AZZI was the star of the show today for many reasons. Her offense early, shaking off her recent shooting woes, and her defense was outstanding as well. But most importantly, she provided terrific ball handling and passing - that was the most pressure UConn has faced this season and Azzi was very instrumental in breaking it.

This game should also provide a great jolt of additional confidence for K9, Shade, Allie and Serah, all of whom played very well in what is likely the last real test for UConn before the NCAA Tournament. UConn will have a long stretch now to get healthy and get ready for March and April.

Scoring 96 against that pressure defense was pretty impressive. 58% shooting and here is a stat for you - every UConn player shot at least 50% from the field and at least 40% from three. I also like that Azzi (17) and Sarah (18) took a total of 35 shots.
I didn't see any of their games this year and was concerned about the length and maybe it was a factor in parts of the first half. But length is most effective when the length is very good in the passing lanes and this Tenn team isn't. They play like they have no Plan B. Over in VollieLand more than a few were grumbling that the Vols were winded and Kim's constant subbing was suppose to produced exactly the opposite result. Also saying worst beatdown since 41 years ago.
 
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The lesson learned this game is that no matter how good you are, you have to bring it the whole game without significant lulls or the game will get away from you. UConn was far from perfect, too many needless turn overs, too many second chance scores for UT and still ground UT down. What could have been a close game turned into a rout. This was as a terrific game for UConn to take into the final push toward the NCAAs.
 
Sheeyit. Somewhere I read the game was at 3pm on ABC. Well, now I'm irked.
I saw that somewhere also. About 12:00-ish I checked to verify who was carrying the game and it was just about to start.
 
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I also thought Janiah was gracious and complementary of UConn. We recruited her, right?? She and Geno spent time talking in the handshake line. Maybe there is some regret in her about a decision she might wish she had made? I'm not sure the style of play she's part of now at TN will help her succeed in the W. She might see that now and wish she thought differently before committing to TN
No, she wasn't offered by UConn. And she's on her 4th committment. She ditched Georgia out of HS when the coach left for Texas A&M and followed her there. Then left for stardom and probably $$ at UCLA. Now she's wrapping up at Tennessee. Not quite UConn material.
 
The difference between UConn and Tennessee has widened considerably over the past few years. It's not a talent disparity as much as a philosophy difference. UConn is very structured and Tennessee relies on a helter-skelter run up and down the court structure. I'll take the structured approach each and every time.
 
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I thought Tennessee played really well… for a while. And even the third quarter; I don’t totally blame them for that quarter. But they quit in the 4th quarter. That was a pathetic quarter from them.
 
this game showed why Serah and K9 were the perfect transfers from the portal for UConn. Both are such important parts of who this team is, the toughness, the willingness to play a specific role for a team success. So happy with and for both!
 
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