The Glaring Weakness

[Gordo]

Pure and simple, our TEAM (with the exception of Paige) wasn't close to being ready to face the totally unexpected fire power of NC State. They out did us in every phase of the game. Their stars shined much brighter than ours. Everything they threw up went in. Rivers told Holly at halftime that they had nothing to lose, so they were just going for it. We were in a state of shock. Very similar to how we played against Ohio State to end last season. We appeared to have no clue what to do.

Those trying to make something positive out of the 81 points we scored, must be overlooking the fact that NC State knew they had the game won and ease up defensively as the margin of victory was totally unimportant to them.

 

[Twolf]

1.We must become more athletic! So moving forward I would expect to see more Aubrey, Qadence, and KK on the floor as the season progresses. Especially against certain teams.

The players UConn recruits don’t lack athleticism and I don’t think that was the biggest weakness on defense. Lack of communication was evident all game long & cost several easy baskets, and when you give up backboard shots in basketball you are going to be playing uphill all game long. If you aren’t talking you aren’t defending. In my mind the most glaring weakness on defense was a lack of commitment to playing defense with your feet and your heart. This is one of the few Auriemma coached games that I felt like the players looked as if they thought they would win by out scoring the opponent. We all know that is not how GA builds his squads, and his best teams won games when they weren’t lights out on offense by making the other team play bad, and they did it without fouling. Whatever the defensive game plan was I sure hope we don’t ever see act II.
JMO

 

[ccwarrior]

Pure and simple, our TEAM (with the exception of Paige) wasn't close to being ready to face the totally unexpected fire power of NC State. They out did us in every phase of the game. Their stars shined much brighter than ours. Everything they threw up went in. Rivers told Holly at halftime that they had nothing to lose, so they were just going for it. We were in a state of shock. Very similar to how we played against Ohio State to end last season. We appeared to have no clue what to do.

Those trying to make something positive out of the 81 points we scored, must be overlooking the fact that NC State knew they had the game won and ease up defensively as the margin of victory was totally unimportant to them.

So, either poor coaching or a lack of effort (something that Geno has said they never have to coach at UConn) - or both?

 

[Gordo]

So, either poor coaching or a lack of effort (something that Geno has said they never have to coach at UConn) - or both?

It was that hard for you to determine?

 

[Tonyc]

“IF “. A big word. Make a better percentage of our shots. Rebound better. And slow down Rivers. If rivers scored 25. We got 10 more rebounds and scored 8 pts on those and had Caroline Azzi and Griff score 6 more points each it may have been different

 

[RedStickHusky]

Actually we need to make shots. Azzi went 1 for 7 from the point line and 4 for 14 in total shots. While Aaliyah 8 for 17 in total shots with 4 of the misses being lay ups, that is unacceptable.

This... Our shooting is supposed to overcome our lack of a front court, and nobody thought going in that that meant Q. If we don't shoot we're going to have problems. Those were good looks for Azzi too. FWIW, that Wes Moore is a heck of a coach.

 

[Ct Dog]

Some of our players are soft, the culture has changed over the last few years. There I said it

 

[Conndog]

I don’t know if it is the type of athletes that they recruit or if it is game planning philosophy, but some games they need less pretty and more gritty. Change the game strategy to increase inside play- play attacking players more (KK especially) and try Aaliyah and Ice together for longer periods. Have Caroline play more inside where she can isolate against smaller defender, especially if Aaliyah pulls her big away from basket- she can still flash outside behind screens for 3-point attempts. There was much less screening against NC State, or maybe their defense just snuffed out screens too well.

 

[BBallF]

True…but they gave up 92 points! The issues i see are on the defensive end. They drove by us all night at will.

Yup. Defense is mostly desire, focus and intensity. You don't need much more to play it. It's more a mind set than anything else. They can't just go out and play. They are undersized in both height and width and have to compensate for that with great defense. We will see Thursday if the likely tongue lashings and drills had an impact.

 

[boontonbomber]

Watching that game Sunday I was struck by the way that everyone but Paige looked the way they did last season. Of course, it may be way to early to be commenting. But who looks improved? Azzi,Caroline and Aubrey may very well still be getting back from injuries. But Aaliyah and Nika? People talking about defense and rebounding have been talking about those things for years now. Offense looks sluggish. Oh well, Geno will clear all that up in practice . Really? I guess what struck me most were the looks on some faces. And the lack of urgency. For more of that, just look at that coaching crew on the bench. Everyone looks tired already! It's really up to that crew to make this team much better than they looked Sunday. Paige can't do it alone. Ok, it's early.

 

[hoopsfan22]

I guess what struck me most were the looks on some faces. And the lack of urgency. For more of that, just look at that coaching crew on the bench. Everyone looks tired already! It's really up to that crew to make this team much better than they looked Sunday. Paige can't do it alone. Ok, it's early.

I noticed the same thing. As soon as the game got tight in the second quarter, they were beat and looked the part. Someone above mentioned a change in culture over the last few years, and that is a possibility.

 

[boontonbomber]

I noticed the same thing. As soon as the game got tight in the second quarter, they were beat and looked the part. Someone above mentioned a change in culture over the last few years, and that is a possibility.

What meant be meant by "a change in culture"? I have my own thoughts,but just curious.

 

[hoopsfan22]

What meant be meant by "a change in culture"? I have my own thoughts,but just curious.

Good question. Ct Dog would have to tell us since he originally came up with the idea.

 

[Rowdy831]

I didn't read the postgame thread -- too long and (from past experience after losses) too likely to be hysterical ("UConn Loss Derangement Syndrome"?)

BUT ... what I don't see in this thread is any mention of an unusual weakness against NC State in UConn's 3-point shooting. Azzi was 1-for-7 from 3; if she hit 4 of those instead of 1 (about her expected performance especially when her looks were wide open), that would be 9 more points, and UConn only lost by 11. And maybe if Azzi had hit a few more of the 3's she took, she would have taken and made more. All of her 3-point looks were wide open, or at least that is how they looked to me when I watched the game on TV.

It is notable that both offensive rebounds (11 for UConn vs. 12 for NCS) and turnovers (12 for UConn vs. 13 for the Wolfpack) were essentially equal, and NC State only led in second-chance points by a margin of 12 to 6. As several posters have noted, UConn actually led in points in the paint by a significant margin: 42-30 (which refutes the "UConn is soft" argument).

So I think the emphasis on rebounding as the "glaring weakness" is misplaced. It's true that the Carolinians led in total rebounds by 41-29 because they got a lot more defensive rebounds than the Huskies, but that is merely a reflection of UConn's uncharacteristically poor shooting percentage (46.5%) and especially the Wolfpack's unusually high shooting percentage (52.5% -- when was the last time Geno's team allowed opponents to shoot over 50%?). There were simply a lot of defensive rebounds to be had when UConn was shooting, and not so many when NC State was shooting.

So I would agree with those who say that the glaring UConn weakness was defense, and the next-most-important weakness was 3-point shooting. The first should be correctible in practice sessions, and the law of averages should mostly take care of the second. But I won't be surprised if UConn has trouble in the future with teams who have very fast guards and small forwards as NC State did. I don't think there are a lot of teams like that on the upcoming schedule, however.

Great points. I wouldn't ask Azzi to hit three point shots especially outside the flow of the offense. She has traditionally been a decent long range shooter but is an exceptional mid range shooter. Her and Paige could score 25 points a game just taking shots around the free throw line. Defense was less than you would expect from a UConn team but I think that is something they can change just by playing with some urgency.

This team is loaded and will play some great ball, when they don't though the fans will be frustrated and that is okay.

 

[Jronp]

I didn't read the postgame thread -- too long and (from past experience after losses) too likely to be hysterical ("UConn Loss Derangement Syndrome"?)

BUT ... what I don't see in this thread is any mention of an unusual weakness against NC State in UConn's 3-point shooting. Azzi was 1-for-7 from 3; if she hit 4 of those instead of 1 (about her expected performance especially when her looks were wide open), that would be 9 more points, and UConn only lost by 11. And maybe if Azzi had hit a few more of the 3's she took, she would have taken and made more. All of her 3-point looks were wide open, or at least that is how they looked to me when I watched the game on TV.

It is notable that both offensive rebounds (11 for UConn vs. 12 for NCS) and turnovers (12 for UConn vs. 13 for the Wolfpack) were essentially equal, and NC State only led in second-chance points by a margin of 12 to 6. As several posters have noted, UConn actually led in points in the paint by a significant margin: 42-30 (which refutes the "UConn is soft" argument).

So I think the emphasis on rebounding as the "glaring weakness" is misplaced. It's true that the Carolinians led in total rebounds by 41-29 because they got a lot more defensive rebounds than the Huskies, but that is merely a reflection of UConn's uncharacteristically poor shooting percentage (46.5%) and especially the Wolfpack's unusually high shooting percentage (52.5% -- when was the last time Geno's team allowed opponents to shoot over 50%?). There were simply a lot of defensive rebounds to be had when UConn was shooting, and not so many when NC State was shooting.

So I would agree with those who say that the glaring UConn weakness was defense, and the next-most-important weakness was 3-point shooting. The first should be correctible in practice sessions, and the law of averages should mostly take care of the second. But I won't be surprised if UConn has trouble in the future with teams who have very fast guards and small forwards as NC State did. I don't think there are a lot of teams like that on the upcoming schedule, however.

The players UConn recruits don’t lack athleticism and I don’t think that was the biggest weakness on defense. Lack of communication was evident all game long & cost several easy baskets, and when you give up backboard shots in basketball you are going to be playing uphill all game long. If you aren’t talking you aren’t defending. In my mind the most glaring weakness on defense was a lack of commitment to playing defense with your feet and your heart. This is one of the few Auriemma coached games that I felt like the players looked as if they thought they would win by out scoring the opponent. We all know that is not how GA builds his squads, and his best teams won games when they weren’t lights out on offense by making the other team play bad, and they did it without fouling. Whatever the defensive game plan was I sure hope we don’t ever see act II.
JMO

“IF “. A big word. Make a better percentage of our shots. Rebound better. And slow down Rivers. If rivers scored 25. We got 10 more rebounds and scored 8 pts on those and had Caroline Azzi and Griff score 6 more points each it may have been different

I agree…but still my issues are mainly defensive! Which is why Geno went zone. We could not stop them from driving and penetrating. And to be the to 5 teams…we are going to need to solve that problem. Because the blueprint is out.

 

[Cornell Lt]

Pure and simple, our TEAM (with the exception of Paige) wasn't close to being ready to face the totally unexpected fire power of NC State. They out did us in every phase of the game. Their stars shined much brighter than ours. Everything they threw up went in. Rivers told Holly at halftime that they had nothing to lose, so they were just going for it. We were in a state of shock. Very similar to how we played against Ohio State to end last season. We appeared to have no clue what to do.

Those trying to make something positive out of the 81 points we scored, must be overlooking the fact that NC State knew they had the game won and ease up defensively as the margin of victory was totally unimportant to them.

I'd surmise that is more of an indictment on the coaching staff rather than the players

 

[Conndog]

Good question. Ct Dog would have to tell us since he originally came up with the idea.

If you mean me- Conndog- I said “game planning philosophy” and was talking about having 3 point shooting oriented game strategy (with 3 point shooting players) as opposed to recruiting more aggressive players who pound it inside and play a more attacking style and going after the rebounds. Can’t argue with UConn’s overall success but the game seems to be changing.

 

[Gordo]

I'd surmise that is more of an indictment on the coaching staff rather than the players

Yes, your guess is accurate.

 

[JBK]

Yup. Defense is mostly desire, focus and intensity. You don't need much more to play it. It's more a mind set than anything else. They can't just go out and play. They are undersized in both height and width and have to compensate for that with great defense. We will see Thursday if the likely tongue lashings and drills had an impact.

Agree. But defense also needs speed of which Caroline and Azzi seem to lack.

 

[#12in21]

I decided to rewatch the game today. NC State, once they got rolling played an excellent game, their shooters were hitting shots at a rate I doubt that was typical, contrary to quite a few posts, many while being well covered. That is not to say what they did in that game was a fluke, I expect that they will be a very good team this season, but this may very well end up being their best outing of the season. Kudos to their players and to Wes Moore!

We missed a tremendous number of very makable shots, some open looks and some at the basket. Azzi and Aaliyah in particular uncharacteristiclly missed several (for them very doable) shots. Defensive assignments were missed at times but often the NC State players simply made some tough shots. On defense, KK and Q missed a switch or were a bit late on getting out on a player a couple times but that will correct itself with time. Aubrey's head injury and sitting for a long stretch didn't allow her to be nearly as effective as I'm sure all of us would have hoped. Nika, I felt played a good game, she forced some passes and blocked some penetrations on D and would have had double digit assists if some shots had fallen and catchable passes handled. Paige showed she is not the least bit tentative, hit some very tough shots, made big plays and would also have had a couple more assists if passes were handled and/or shots made.

After rewatching the game I am pretty confident that the needed corrections will be made. Chemistry (on both ends) and flow are not there yet. The foul discrepancy was exaggerated by the intentional number committed in the last 1:24 and turnovers are considerably down from last season. We have a great group of diversely talented players that just need to figure out ( guided by the coaching staff) how to mesh while maximizing all their skillsets. The only real concern is how to cover the other front court position, Hopefully between Ice, Ayanna, Aubrey and Amari answers will be found.

I expect a win Thursday night against Maryland and am looking forward to a great season!

 

[martyn]

The simple answer is they shot 50 percent from the floor while Azzi was 4 of 13, 1 of 7 on 3's, and neither Griffin or Caroline
did much of anything.

 

[#1florida]

People, THIS WAS ONE GAME (1), and the season did not end. Stop whinning.

 

[Bald Husky]

Yes, your guess is accurate.

I said it on another thread, and I will say it again. We had a bad second quarter, sound familiar with last year's team? We finally have the depth, we have some very good aggressive players, so still having that small lead at the half, why in God's name would we not full court press them right out of the gate?? The coaches have mentioned that more than once that that is an option this year, and the start of the third quarter was the perfect time to do it. The coaches failed us in that game, why not put Ash in for toughness, play KK more because of her quickness, and why wouldn't they put Aubrey or KK on Rivers to slow her down. This loss was as much as the coaches' fault as the players. We want the players to step up, well, the coaches better do the same against Maryland.

 

[#1florida]

1.We must become more athletic! So moving forward I would expect to see more Aubrey, Qadence, and KK on the floor as the season progresses. Especially against certain teams.

We.

 

[JBK]

So, either poor coaching or a lack of effort (something that Geno has said they never have to coach at UConn) - or both?

All great leaders take accountability for their unprepared teams. The last 2 UConn loses were embarrassing for the standard that this coaching staff has created. In the past Geno would say we win because we have better players. Going forward talent distribution equal - coaching will be the competitive edge.
With a team filled with top 20 player talent - I am confident we should figure it out ..
We must improve on making adjustments during the game to avoid the landslide.
If rivers dominated the 1st half - we need to make adjustments and shut her down in the 2nd half.