The UCONN team that beat ND earlier in year

[hoopfan515]

Can they get back to that same level during the Big Dance? They sure seemed to be firing on all cyclinders on that day didn't they.
My biggest concern is that I am not sure this TEAM can sustain or keep that level of play for 2 or 3 games in a row.

Lets hope Geno still has a few tricks up his sleeve.

 

[Charliebball]

keep in mind that Turner was pretty much a non factor for ND at the beginning of the season and Mabrey was playing at 50% in that game as she was still injured.............I would expect a much tougher test if the two teams are fortunate enough to play again

 

[Centerstream]

And what might happen if we meet Baylor and/or Louisville again and our game hasn't improved????? Now I am worried even more.

Jeesh.

 

[msf22b]

And what might happen if we meet Baylor and/or Louisville again and our game hasn't improved?????.

.I would expect a much tougher test if the two teams are fortunate enough to play again

(ND)

Both reasonable concerns.

It's possible that the team plays well, other's don't and we go all the way.

But a betting man (not me) would be concerned.

 

[Centerstream]

(ND)

Both reasonable concerns.

It's possible that the team plays well, other's don't and we go all the way.

But a betting man (not me) would be concerned.

Gee...I was being sarcastic.

 

[CocoHusky]

If UCONN plays well they can beat anyone.
If any of these teams play very well they might beat UCONN: Baylor, Oregon, Mississippi state, ND, Louisville. Kara Lawson says it is more wide open than it has ever been. I can't wait!

 

[Engineer90]

It all comes down to how the game is called. We were the better team last year and we are the better team this year. But if the refs allow a wrestling match in the paint, it gives the weaker team a chance.

When the team lost to Miss. State, they got beat by a team that was a matchup problem. The other guys won that day for a good reason. If we lose to Baylor this year it may be because they are the better team. ND was not and is not the better team. Last year it wasn't even close. The refs kept the game close and they won on a low percentage shot. It was criminal. It has been criminal every time we have lost to ND in the tournament. Ever notice that each loss has not been in the finals? It is always an earlier round with crappier refs that are under far fewer eyes and scrutiny than the refs in a finals game.

 

[CocoHusky]

It all comes down to how the game is called. We were the better team last year and we are the better team this year. But if the refs allow a wrestling match in the paint, it gives the weaker team a chance.
When the team lost to Miss. State, they got beat by a team that was a matchup problem. The other guys won that day for a good reason. If we lose to Baylor this year it may be because they are the better team. ND was not and is not the better team. Last year it wasn't even close. The refs kept the game close and they won on a low percentage shot. It was criminal. It has been criminal every time we have lost to ND in the tournament. Ever notice that each loss has not been in the finals? It is always an earlier round with crappier refs that are under far fewer eyes and scrutiny than the refs in a finals game.

 

[HuskyNan]

Basketball is a game of match-ups. With Skylar Diggins, UConn didn’t match up with ND and now ND doesn’t match up well with UConn, especially if Christyn and Meg are playing well. Now, with Olivia playing well, I’d rather play ND than Baylor.

 

[kenja]

Can they get back to that same level during the Big Dance? They sure seemed to be firing on all cyclinders on that day didn't they.
My biggest concern is that I am not sure this TEAM can sustain or keep that level of play for 2 or 3 games in a row.

Lets hope Geno still has a few tricks up his sleeve.

It's not really the same ND team for the reasons Charlie ball expressed. I personally still believe those are two best teams IF they play to their potential. UConn 2 losses on the road to top 5 teams. ND acting early on (there were some physical issues too) like a jaded NBA team that just didn't take a lot of games as seriously as their opponents. They talked the talk about having a target on their back but didn't walk the walk.

 

[Alydar]

And what might happen if we meet Baylor and/or Louisville again and our game hasn't improved????? Now I am worried even more.

Jeesh.

Remember, those teams, like ND, were at home for those games. Away from their home court they aren't quite the same team. Baylor lost at Stanford. Louisville lost at N Dame. N Dame lost at Miami and at UNC.
I am uncertain about UConn but that's only because I'm used to them being clearly superior. Remember, N Dame wasn't favored nor S Car the previous year. It comes down to coaching and execution at this time of year.

 

[tomcat]

Talk about match up problems, talk Baylor. UConn just does not have an answer when Baylor is playing well. Not really well, either. Just well. I really think UConn can take Louisville in a rematch, and it'd be very close but I'd pick UConn over ND, all things being equal, even taking revenge into account. I just haven't seen enough of MsST to judge.

 

[Plebe]

Basketball is a game of match-ups. With Skylar Diggins, UConn didn’t match up with ND and now ND doesn’t match up well with UConn, especially if Christyn and Meg are playing well. Now, with Olivia playing well, I’d rather play ND than Baylor.

As they say in boxing/fighting, "match-ups make fights."

Baylor and Louisville were successful against UConn largely because they slowed the game down and bottled up UConn into a half-court game. Notre Dame didn't, or couldn't. Their style and instinct runs counter to that tactic.

It's also worth noting that Notre Dame just didn't have a good game. I believe they really cracked under the pressure of being the favorite. They had almost everyone back from last year and added Turner, AND were playing at home with the #1 ranking against the hated rival. A team known for outside shooting, Notre Dame went an abysmal 1-12 from the arc. First they choked and then they came unglued.

 

[uconnfan68]

keep in mind that Turner was pretty much a non factor for ND at the beginning of the season and Mabrey was playing at 50% in that game as she was still injured...I would expect a much tougher test if the two teams are fortunate enough to play again

And Meg had a poor game too. Also had no Mikayla iirc.

 

[Charliebball]

And Meg had a poor game too. Also had no Mikayla iirc.

my point was simply that the ND team UConn played earlier in the season was not playing at full strength....................anybody who thinks UConn has ND's number based on that result would be misguided..........

 

[meyers7]

IEver notice that each loss has not been in the finals? It is always an earlier round with crappier refs that are under far fewer eyes and scrutiny than the refs in a finals game.

I don't know that there is much difference in semi-final refs and final refs. And there certainly isn't much difference in scrutiny in any of the FF games.

 

[Engineer90]

View attachment 40603

An excuse with data is a reason. Compare the two games in 2018. They were separated in time by about 7 months. ND returned all of their key players. UConn lost two key players. First game was at a neutral site. Second game was at ND. Given the OT result in the first game, one would expect a comfortable win for ND in the second game. The exact opposite happened. Could Maybry being at 50% explain the unexpected? Only if you want it to. The bigger reason is in the box score. Big difference in fouls and free throws. Funny how a team known for not fouling and having a big positive FT differential only seems to see the exact opposite happen against one team and always in the NCAA tournament and never in a finals game.

The difference was how the game was called. It is an inconvenient truth of sports, not an excuse.

 

[Engineer90]

I don't know that there is much difference in semi-final refs and final refs. And there certainly isn't much difference in scrutiny in any of the FF games.

You don't think more people watch the finals than the semi-finals? And we know that the NCAA tries to put the highest rated refs in the finals and that there are few to no good refs in the women's side. Hell, there are very few good refs on the men's side.

 

[CocoHusky]

An excuse with data is a reason. Compare the two games in 2018. They were separated in time by about 7 months. ND returned all of their key players. UConn lost two key players. First game was at a neutral site. Second game was at ND. Given the OT result in the first game, one would expect a comfortable win for ND in the second game. The exact opposite happened. Could Maybry being at 50% explain the unexpected? Only if you want it to. The bigger reason is in the box score. Big difference in fouls and free throws. Funny how a team known for not fouling and having a big positive FT differential only seems to see the exact opposite happen against one team and always in the NCAA tournament and never in a finals game. The difference was how the game was called. It is an inconvenient truth of sports, not an excuse.

An excuse with data is still an excuse and your post was full of them. I can't even give you 1/2 credit for this new theory because it so unimaginative. Based on your theory ND would get better calls at the FF than they would in there home stadium. If you really looked at the box score the most noticeable discrepancy should have been Jackie Young who balled out to the tune of 31 points in the FF game. Sometimes the other team just plays better and on that night ND did. If you are looking for a reason ND won then the reason was Jackie young. If you are looking for reason UCONN won there was a freshman who balled out to the tune of 28 points.

 

[uconnfan68]

my point was simply that the ND team UConn played earlier in the season was not playing at full strength.....anybody who thinks UConn has ND's number based on that result would be misguided.....

Just showing that UConn wasn’t either.

 

[Charliebball]

Just showing that UConn wasn’t either.

for me there's a difference between simply having an off night and being unable to perform up to expectations due to injury or rustiness................I expect ND to attack UConn with all guns blazing if they play again...............just saying the first "easy" win should not lull anybody into a state of complacency................Ms Walker and the entire team will all need to be on the games to make it two wins in a row.............

 

[bbballfan23]

for me there's a difference between simply having an off night and being unable to perform up to expectations due to injury or rustiness......I expect ND to attack UConn with all guns blazing if they play again.....just saying the first "easy" win should not lull anybody into a state of complacency......Ms Walker and the entire team will all need to be on the games to make it two wins in a row...

I agree ND will be better but we also only got 15 points from Lou & 16 from Collier. Crystal Dangerfield was 4-15. Our big 3 only shot 36% all together and we still won by 18 on the road so there are two sides to the argument. I’d much rather face a team like ND that runs than MS St or Baylor that slows it down and has height.

 

[Charliebball]

I agree ND will be better but we also only got 15 points from Lou & 16 from Collier. Crystal Dangerfield was 4-15. Our big 3 only shot 36% all together and we still won by 18 on the road so there are two sides to the argument. I’d much rather face a team like ND that runs than MS St or Baylor that slows it down and has height.

I think ND is the best of the three offensively..............certainly Baylor's formidable front court is problematic....................I think Miss State is a bit offensively challenged but their defense is usually what wins the games for them...................beating two of the three is not going to be easy........

 

[Engineer90]

An excuse with data is still an excuse and your post was full of them. I can't even give you 1/2 credit for this new theory because it so unimaginative. Based on your theory ND would get better calls at the FF than they would in there home stadium. If you really looked at the box score the most noticeable discrepancy should have been Jackie Young who balled out to the tune of 31 points in the FF game. Sometimes the other team just plays better and on that night ND did. If you are looking for a reason ND won then the reason was Jackie young. If you are looking for reason UCONN won there was a freshman who balled out to the tune of 28 points.

Nope, it is a reason. Put the two box scores side by side and if you don't see it, it is because you don't want to see it.

I get it. For someone that loves the game, it is a very inconvenient truth. But the truth is that refs are often the deciding factor in close games. In games where 150 points are scored and the differential is only a handful, a few bad calls or how tightly a game is called can decide the game. No one wants to see it but it has been there, lurking, the whole time.

I love the game. I love my Alma Mater. I love Geno. But, maybe, it isn't as pure and perfect as we want it to be. Maybe the refs do decide some games and maybe that is a wart we have to accept if we want to follow the sport. But make no mistake, they do decide some games. Geno has been so successful because our teams have been so dominant so often that the refs could never be a deciding factor.

 

[CocoHusky]

Nope, it is a reason. Put the two box scores side by side and if you don't see it, it is because you don't want to see it.

I get it. For someone that loves the game, it is a very inconvenient truth. But the truth is that refs are often the deciding factor in close games. In games where 150 points are scored and the differential is only a handful, a few bad calls or how tightly a game is called can decide the game. No one wants to see it but it has been there, lurking, the whole time.

I love the game. I love my Alma Mater. I love Geno. But, maybe, it isn't as pure and perfect as we want it to be. Maybe the refs do decide some games and maybe that is a wart we have to accept if we want to follow the sport. But make no mistake, they do decide some games. Geno has been so successful because our teams have been so dominant so often that the refs could never be a deciding factor.

What I will never see or believe in is any chorus that says that "refs are often the deciding factor in close games". Players decide games!