This game will say a lot and I consider it a must win

[arty155]

I'd call it a nice to have win...if the goal is the NC (it is)...then this game is to indoctrinate our freshman into big-time D1 basketball, and experiment with various ways to attack Stanford's personnel. If we just go for the win, we miss an opportunity to learn about ourselves and a likely Final Four opponent...

A December game against #1 Stanford on its home court is not a must win. It just isn't. It's more important that the team play well and handle the environment. But no game in December falls in the must win category,...

I hope we win and think we will. However it would be just a first loss and provide lots of info on things to work on against the best teams.
Only must wins are in March unless you are on the bubble for the tournament imo

There are no "must" wins in December for either Stanford or UConn. A loss now is a road map for the coaches for improvement later.
The only "must" wins are in the NCAA's where you are eliminated if you lose.

- Nice posts. I believe you have neatly summarized Coach Auriemma position .
- This team's goal is a National Championship, and that will not change in the slightest after today's results.
- We'll all be pumped up. It seems only natural that a loss feels like a sports catastrophe (for a few weeks) to either team’s enthusiastic, true blue, loyal fan(atics). But in truth, superb leaders like Coach Auriemma and Coach VanDerveer use these big games – won or lost - to simply make their teams stronger.
- Or as Coach Auriemma put it...
……

“If you win that game then you know you beat a really good team on their own court, and it kind of validates some of the things you’re doing, where you are at this point of the season. And…

“ If you lose, then, you know as a coach you can go back and tell your team “See I told you guys you weren’t that good!”

“You can do a lot with this particular game.”

Coach Geno Auriemma, at ESPN, commenting on impact of today’s game: Published 28 Dec 12,
The Interview is here: http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=8787130

 

[01Neaggrad02]

With less than 6 minutes left and a 24 point lead... can we resume our schedule? I mean since this was a MUST win we can resume our season. No need to cancel everything right?