Tennessee Postgame Thread

[hoopsfan22]

Until the women’s game does something about the flop/charge/block call, this is what you are going to get. It is getting worse. The one guy gets a lot of big games.

I think you mean Vasily? I had a suspicion either he or Dee Kantner was going to get this game because they like the spotlight so whenever they hear national TV they are johnny on the spot.

 

[LwrcasefaN]

I can't remember any UCONN game in recent times where the starters scored all the points.

 

[Dezoworld]

Uconn gave up way too any offense boards gonna have to do better with South Carolina coming up next weekend.

 

[BBallF]

Great great win. Never heard Geno that direct about the officiating but it was spot on. They called 1 foul in total in the 1st quarter and it seemed like every time UCONN defended it was a foul in the 2nd quarter. To a cynic, it seemed like they wanted the game to get closer to keep the TV audience. Perish the thought! Games have to be called consistently to preserve the integrity of the sport. Geno summed it up very adroitly and politically in his post game interview describing the game as a flow of energy and a flow of momentum as a result of it. I was disgusted once again by the level of physicality that is being allowed in our sport.

Nika not only had 14 assists, she also had 4 steals. She also was as tough as nails on defense out there but in a controlled way. She has become very smart as a player. Lou was just lights out and is so poised and clutch, in the old fashioned use of the word. Aaliyah had an All American type of game. I thought she forced more than usual but they had no answer for her. Dorka had a bad hands day in the sense that there were several balls knocked or taken out of her hands but her contributing numbers were big and her 3 from the corner was the dagger. 5 assists from your center is huge. Aubrey was Aubrey out there. Great floor game, terrific defense, and solid points and rebounds with 2 steals. Ayanna had a strong game. When she plays within herself and allows the game to come to her she is a solid contributor.

And now for the Captain Obvious statement. We really need Caroline back. It instantly creates a rotation for the front court and she can play some 2 if she has to and it gives us instant offense off the bench. She moves classically without the ball, can post up on a smaller player, has a wide offensive repertoire including the 3, and is fearless. I think if she gets back and stays back and gets her game back, we get to the NC game. We really need her. Pl,aying with 6 players takes its toll.

I am blown away by the heart, guts, and endurance of this team. They were badasses tonight to be sure.

 

[msf22b]

Alexa Philippou

@alexaphilippou
·
Tennessee allowed UConn to shoot 55% from the floor and 57% on 3-pointers, worst it has allowed in any game under Kellie Harper's tenure in Knoxville

_________________
I don't know if I would characterize it in this manner
UConn set up their hot shooters with wonderful motion, carefully orchestrated picks and bringing their forwards to the 3-point line....

Then the shots, almost all of them reasonable, went in.

Hard to blame UTenn for that.

 

[hoopsfan22]

Love the hug from geno after the game

Geno has been known to be liberal with the hugs lol even if they happen in game like with Pulido at the end of the 2016 title game.

 

[Carnac]

Those 2 points stood out all game.
Lou was shooting lights out and Aaliyah driving to the basket and getting to the foul line time after time really helped to pull out this game when it got close.
Nika was an absolute rock handling the ball and was a stabilizing influence all game long even when it got close.
If I had one wish it would be that Lou could have one more year left so that we could make an all out blitz run with everyone back and healthy next year. She has become my favorite player on this team.
My second wish would be lets go win the Natty this year anyway!!!

That's a tall order. UConn would have to win 3 games like this one tonight with the same intensity and physicality against a top 5 team..................and probably lousy refereeing. Those last 3 games are brutal, and really separate the men from the boys.

 

[huskeynut]

Does anybody have the attendance figures for this game

According to ESPN, 13,804. 64% capacity.

 

[Carnac]

Love the hug from geno after the game

Yeah..............he lost his composure again.

 

[LwrcasefaN]

Rickea better work on her defense. She's lucky Edwards played nice with her.

 

[bantamlaker]

Don’t particularly care for Alexa’s tweet that Tennessee “allowed “ UConn to shoot 55% and 57% from three. Makes it sound like they forget to play defense. Sure there were a few easy layups but there were also a lot of contested shots, especially by Lou. Perhaps UConn is a very good shooting team and I think the season stats will also show that.

 

[ThisJustIn]

It's coached. Chris complemented the players physicality in the second half.

 

[Carnac]

According to ESPN, 13,804. 64% capacity.

I'm glad they all went home angry and upset.

 

[jaydee602]

Until the women’s game does something about the flop/charge/block call, this is what you are going to get. It is getting worse. The one guy gets a lot of big games.

Charlie Creme has just tweeted that the charge call isn't being administered properly. He claims that if the offensive player got the benefit of the doubt on close calls, the defense would be more hesitant to take a charge. Right now, it is dominating the game in a negative way.

 

[Tonyc]

You know what. We had a huge lead and Tenn was mystified. Then a little southern cookin from the refs in the second quarter . Maybe UConn was tired as Geno said but some of the calls a blind man couldve dont better. Im sorry for the comment but Im not happy. Those of you who have been following UConn Tenn games know what happens when UConn goes on a run at Tenn. We get into foul trouble and that allow Tenn to come back.

If you think we're good now wait until Azzi and Caroline get back. Im hoping we see them before the BE tourney. We are gonna be a really tuff out with them. Did you notice again we had 4 players in double figures and Nika had 14 assists. We put on a show even in foul trouble. Geno said it years ago. Funny things happen when you play in Tenn. Tonight it happened again and again we found a way to keep our poise and beat them good. Now we wait for Azzi and Caroline to get back and get healthy and we may be looking at Number 12.

 

[hoopsfan22]

Don’t particularly care for Alexa’s tweet that Tennessee “allowed “ UConn to shoot 55% and 57% from three. Makes it sound like they forget to play defense. Sure there were a few easy layups but there were also a lot of contested shots, especially by Lou. Perhaps UConn is a very good shooting team and I think the season stats will also show that.

Some of those jumpers by Lou were shades of Paige late in the game against South Carolina her freshman year.

 

[Next 12]

Holly Rowe asked Geno what he thought about the 2 nd quarter and the firsthalf and in my estimate, he blew a gasket. First time I have seen him so mad he couldn't talk. I would have loved to be in the locker room at halftime to listen to what he had to say. The game was predictable as they are between UCONN and TENN. Hard fought , plenty of bumping and pushing and the same result , 10 wins in a row against TENN. The last time TENN beat UCONN was in 2007. I hope they keep the tradition alive with more home and home games. Fantastic win and now let's show Villanova who's the boss in the BIG East The tougher the games the better we become. UCONN will be ready for SC Feb.5th and we will take care of business as usual. GO HUSKIES!!!!

 

[and one]

First Q - all UConn.
Second Q - ouch!
Second half - wouldn't let UT get their foot back into the door and winning margin surprisingly large.

Lou is officially a UConn legend. Sticking it to UT on their home court and leading UConn to the win won't soon be forgotten by the UConn faithful.

 

[Centerstream]

Until the women’s game does something about the flop/charge/block call, this is what you are going to get. It is getting worse. The one guy gets a lot of big games.

Joe Vaszily...the new Dee Kantner, seems to be on the court for a lot of our big games nowadays

 

[DEpup]

They just fought so hard short handed... If you had Azzi starting with Caroline and Aubrey coming off the bench, that 2nd quarter doesn't happen and they win by 30-35 pts..

I agree they were tired but the foul calls were atrocious, especially Lou's third. I'm not sure that group got one charge/block call correct on either side. Jackson should have been the only one who got a technical. She intentionally held Aaliyah down and tried to injure her.....All the falling and on players is dangerous. I just don't feel like I see as much in the men's game.

 

[ed4ourgirls]

I know this sounds heretical, but I'll be rooting for the LVs Monday night against LSU.
That would enhance our claim on a 1 seed.

Of course if we should happen to knock off South Carolina that would ice it.

 

[uconnfan68]

Charlie Creme has just tweeted that the charge call isn't being administered properly. He claims that if the offensive player got the benefit of the doubt on close calls, the defense would be more hesitant to take a charge. Right now, it is dominating the game in a negative way.

I was just happy they evened out their bad calls for us.

 

[jaydee602]

So how much does Geno get fined for that outburst at half time? Any one know what the penalty is?

I wonder if it had an effect on the refs. They started calling fouls on the Vols that they ignored in the 1st half. If they got the message, Geno will gladly pay the fine.

 

[BobbyJ]

Unbelievably, UT was more gassed than UConn at the end. A tribute to the fact that when you play your regulars so much their conditioning is incredible. This team shot really well tonight at every level, and that was the reason they won the game. But man, where were the rebounds? AE had one rebound the entire 2nd half, Dorka had 2. Dorka had perhaps her worse game all year. She was continually out of position on defense all game, and when she was in position she couldn't get rebounds or even loose balls. Tenn's physicality really had UConn reeling in the first half, and yes, the refs were really bad tonight. First time in a long time I've complained about the refs. In the second half, after Geno's explosion, the refs played even up. AE had a great game at both ends but, needless to say, it was Lou who saved the day offensively. Nika had a lot of problems, again, when pressured on the perimeter. When Azzi was healthy, it was she that often brought the ball up and handled it on the perimeter. When she went down that was left to Nika and Lou, and they've had their issues. When Nika is stuck at the perimeter because of pressure, the offense has to come above the nail to help, and that slows the offensive pace, and makes the team run their actions late in the clock. UT also showed that when AE sits, full court presses are very effective. Geno previously had AE come in the center of the press, but UT smartly had a forward press AE tight, Dorka and Nika had issues with it. However, this team finds a way. Ladder screens, down screens, flair screens, cross screens, all worked this game. 57% from the arc is tough for any defense to handle. 83% from the foul line is just as tough. Nika got beat time and again to her left until the 4th period when she said, "no more", and shut that stuff down. Again, as Joe Louis used to say, "tough fight, glad I won". On to the next.

Bolded areas are all a preview of the SC game. Staley will have them pressure the ball screens, gum up the handoffs, take away the post entry passes and pound the offensive boards.

 

[SCHuskiedad]

Great win! My only gripe is Dorka needs to stop tipping and tapping at the ball! Grab it with both hands!

Love Dorka! But agree- Grab the ball with Both hands and keep it up high. She’s 6’5” and plays 5’5” by bringing the ball down below her head.