The one hole in our armor

[Harry Mangurian]

Against St Joes, did anyone else notice the one thing ND will exploit?
Has me a bit worried (a bit).

Otherwise, it was a beautiful game.

(Swin and Nykesha were having a good time, but Swin had her hair covered. - one of her best features.)

 

[luckyhusky7]

I didn't notice anything.....mind telling us??

 

[Wbbfan1]

St Joe's guards were able to get open for their jump shots. They weren't able to make them, but many of their 3's were wide open shots.

 

[doggydaddy]

St Joe's guards were able to get open for their jump shots. They weren't able to make them, but many of their 3's were wide open shots.

Sorry, but that is just wrong.

 

[alexrgct]

I don't see any hole in UConn's armor. It's just a matter of respecting the opponents. There are some very fine teams left in the tourney, and yes, ND is one of them. If UConn plays to its ability, the Huskies will be an exceptionally tough out.

 

[pap49cba]

Obviously, the answer is highly classified. None of us have the proper security clearance.

 

[phil sampieri]

St Joe's guards were able to get open for their jump shots. They weren't able to make them, but many of their 3's were wide open shots.

what I commented on was the St. Joe's set more really good top of the circle screeens than any team I have seen this year. But many of what you call wide open were somewhat contested.

 

[ndmb]

Against St Joes, did anyone else notice the one thing ND will exploit?
Has me a bit worried (a bit).

Otherwise, it was a beautiful game.

(Swin and Nykesha were having a good time, but Swin had her hair covered. - one of her best features.)

I have no idea what you're talking about, but one of the things that I'm worried about with Notre Dame is that I don't think that having Stokes, Dolson, and Stewart on the floor at the same time will be very effective defensively against them. Zones have been ineffective so far this year against Notre Dame, which is what we usually do in that line-up. In a MTM, Stokes and Dolson guard Braker and Achonwa, but who does Stewart guard? Putting her on McBride seems like it could be rough. One interesting (and unconventional thought) is that Geno could put Stewart on Allen, but that's not a situation she's used to.

We could avoid the situation altogether by A) having Jefferson, Hartley, and KML all play 40 minutes or B) having Chong or Banks come in. The issue with B is that Stokes has been playing much better than Chong or Banks, and so ideally you'd like her coming in as the 6th person off the bench. It's certainly not a disastrous situation (although we are doomed), but it is a tricky one and, if we play Notre Dame, I'll be interested to see how Geno handles it.

 

[doggydaddy]

I have no idea what you're talking about, but one of the things that I'm worried about with Notre Dame is that I don't think that having Stokes, Dolson, and Stewart on the floor at the same time will be very effective defensively against them. Zones have been ineffective so far this year against Notre Dame, which is what we usually do in that line-up. In a MTM, Stokes and Dolson guard Braker and Achonwa, but who does Stewart guard? Putting her on McBride seems like it could be rough. One interesting (and unconventional thought) is that Geno could put Stewart on Allen, but that's not a situation she's used to.

We could avoid the situation altogether by A) having Jefferson, Hartley, and KML all play 40 minutes or B) having Chong or Banks come in. The issue with B is that Stokes has been playing much better than Chong or Banks, and so ideally you'd like her coming in as the 6th person off the bench. It's certainly not a disastrous situation (although we are doomed), but it is a tricky one and, if we play Notre Dame, I'll be interested to see how Geno handles it.

I don't think you will see much of the 3 big lineup against ND but when they do play it and they are in M2M defense, I would expect Dolson on Bracker, stokes on Achonwa and Stewart on McBride.

 

[reno tony]

Well, seeing a hole in the armor and being able to do anything about it are two different things.

4 TO GO​

 

[Icebear]

Sorry, but that is just wrong.

What were they 6 for 16 for 37.5%, 44.4% on 4/9 in the first half. Most were very wide open. It was very obvious during play that we were not doing our usual excellent job on the periphery. Geno was barking about it at one point in the first half. In the second half the %s caught up.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

What were they 6 for 16 for 37.5%, 44.4% on 4/9 in the first half. Most were very wide open. It was very obvious during play that we were not doing our usual excellent job on the periphery. Geno was barking about it at one point in the first half. In the second half the %s caught up.

I agree and it intensified in the second half. For a while I would just follow their wings - easier of course on the near side - and was amazed how far our defender wandered from the players. I know it is hard to maintain intensity with a 40 point lead, but intensity is not staying within contesting reach of your man. In the NCAA you don't want to let things slide due to score.

Besides, for the fans who enjoy a good slaughter (quilty) you want to maintain that margin to the end, if only as a disciplinary exercise.

 

[UcMiami]

The thing with that zone is while wings do get open, it is still a frightening prospect when you are shooting and either Kiah or Stewart are flying out at you. And driving past either one does not mean you are open for the midrange as they both have the ability and length to block you from the side/behind without fouling.

 

[rocky rococo]

There was one 3 by their redheaded outside shooter that was very impressive. She was perfectly defended, the UConn player had two arms up in her face, and she still knocked it down. Most impressive shot of the night, precisely because it was done against sterling defense.

 

[Harry Mangurian]

Our bigs took the up fake too many times. The opps were then able to drive around and get an easy shot that St Joes can miss, but ND will not.

Open threes did not bother me as much. Geno will fix that.

 

[doggydaddy]

What were they 6 for 16 for 37.5%, 44.4% on 4/9 in the first half. Most were very wide open. It was very obvious during play that we were not doing our usual excellent job on the periphery. Geno was barking about it at one point in the first half. In the second half the %s caught up.

No, they were 10-34 overall in the first half. 29%.

Yep, 4-9. I saw a couple of wide open 3's. Most were contested. Credit to Samson Johnson's for making 4.

I didn't see a chink in the armor.

 

[luckyhusky7]

Maybe it's not so much a hole in the armor but that St Joe's actually had some good plays and utilize it to how it's supposed to be and that's why they got their shots open?? Let's give them some credit and not make it about a weakness on our parts....just my humble opinion

 

[schmendrick]

Maybe it's not so much a hole in the armor but that St Joe's actually had some good plays and utilize it to how it's supposed to be and that's why they got their shots open?? Let's give them some credit and not make it about a weakness on our parts....just my humble opinion

Exactly. Maybe they are simply a very good shooting team.

 

[diggerfoot]

Every game I see plays like when Shields was covered like a blanket and still made a 3 and like when Shields made a fake that fooled Jefferson completely and gave her a wide open three. Every single game. I think the number of threes taken can be as telling as the percentage. If St. Joe's only took 9 3s in the first half, despite dismal shooting inside the arc against a taller line-up, chances are they weren't allowed to take more of them, but happened to be pretty successful with the ones they got. This wasn't a slow paced game, there were plenty of possessions yet, once again, only 9 3s taken by a team that likes to shoot them.

 

[Icebear]

No, they were 10-34 overall in the first half. 29%.

Yep, 4-9. I saw a couple of wide open 3's. Most were contested. Credit to Samson Johnson's for making 4.

I didn't see a chink in the armor.

I was talking 3s. They were 6 for 16 on the game 4 for 9 on the first half. Many were not contested even the announcers noticed it. It improved in the second half.

 

[chrissaran]

Our perimeter defense needs to be better. Too many threes throughout the year. We're not talking about Notre Dame, who is a different league, the league of UConn and ND. The rebounding was much better, and the passing incredible as always. The bench is a concern without Morgan. Brianna has been very iffy and Saniya plays well one game and not the next.

 

[doggydaddy]

I was talking 3s. They were 6 for 16 on the game 4 for 9 on the first half. Many were not contested even the announcers noticed it. It improved in the second half.

I know it's semantics but I don't think they had many open 3's at all. No more than most other games.

I usually have the sound off. Using the announcers to strengthen your position doesn't work in my opinion. They don't know much and once they latch on to a theme, they don't let go.

I believe that influences peoples opinions. Not necessarily yours.

 

[HGN]

I made a few f0uls , but that was about it.....Yeah , ND or anybody else are going to get some wide open looks from time to time. Making them is a different story. And if you are shooting from way out you better make them because UConn is going to be on the glass.

Our bench is not a strength...But it hasn'r been ever since Tuck went down after game 8. But thats not a serious hole ( small pot hole , maybe) in the armor unless you force us to you the bench because of foul trouble. Otherwise , I don't see a 'hole' in the armor.

 

[Blueballer]

First of all anyone who is thinking they got too many open threes last night must not be paying attention to the way defensive preparation works. You concentrate on the player or players who make the threes and let the others shoot because they will probably miss. That is why we scout teams. Shields was the focus last night and she was 4-11. Many of those attempts were from way outside the arc. When someone wants to shoot a 36 foot three pointer you usually let them.

Secondly from the comments made by Geno and players interviewed after the game the emphasis was on rebounding last night. They were very successful at that. You can be quite sure when we play a better team that has several players capable of regularly hitting threes we will be prepared for that. And please don't forget that there are some teams out there that are pretty good at setting screens to open up shooters. You're not going to contest them all no matter how good your players are.

 

[cferraro04]

As long as UConn stays out of foul trouble there is no chink in the armor.... If we do end up playing Notre Dame then it will simply be a case of two undefeated teams playing for a championship and the best team with the best game plan will win.