This loss doesn't bother me a bit...

[EricLA]

We knew going into this year that parity is pretty much here. I was a bit frustrated thinking about having 5 HS AA's start and 1 come off the bench (how many does L'ville have???), but the reality is that this team lacks the toughness of past teams. We don't have a Gabby in the high post with her skills and athleticism, or a hockey player like Kia lending her toughness to the rest of the team (or an experienced big like Azura).

My point about the 6 AA's is that we have the talent to beat teams like L'ville and Baylor and ND (or any top team). But we have zero margin for error. The problem is two-fold IMHO. I already mentioned the toughness. The other problem is size and depth which leads to the bigger problem of defense.

Keep in mind that we not only lost Kia and Gabby, but Azura as well. We replaced it with ONO and Christyn. Frankly I'm surprised we are as good as we are this year. I think Geno has done a great job of masking our weaknesses, but this team just doesn't have it at this point. Don't get me wrong - they will compete hard and play their hearts out. They are all great kids who we all love to root for. But we lost too much - size, strength, talent and toughness.

But this loss doesn't bother me because better to lose now than in March, and this team is still searching for its' championship identity. They have an identity, it's just not enough to win it all. They will either get it or they will not. That's why this loss doens't bother me - another lesson in what they need to do to win it all.

It hardly makes a difference if we are a 1 or 2 seed. That just means we have to play a 15 seed, 7 seed and 3 seed to be in the regional finals vs. a 16 seed, 8 seed, and 4 seed. Frankly I'm more concerned about facing any team in the top 8 than I am about teams lower than that. I sure hope they get it, but I fear that "we are who we thought we are"...

 

[Rb335]

Doesn’t really bother me either. I’d rather lose now than in April. But some observations:

1. Samuelson can’t create her own offense, and our other players aren’t able to set screens to get her open.
2. Williams game against ND seems like a huge outlier. That win blanketed a lot of our issues, as they occurred against ND too.
3. The personnel management seemed super odd down the stretch. I didn’t like the choice to use Coombs in an instance when we need offense. Hopefully Williams can learn from this because she is a much better option.
4. Collier is our best option on every trip down the court. She needs more touches.
5. The offensive rebound and put back (miss) by ONO was a tiny glimpse into the future? She looked strong and athletic.
6. We just need better shot selection. The fading jumpers by Crystal are forced. Samuelson forced some. And having ONO shooting a jumper and Coombs a wild drive in a critical stretch was just poor execution.

Lots to learn from. I like these mid season losses better because we have the chance for redemption. Hope they put the pieces together!

 

[PAHuskeyFan]

I won't give up!!! I know the Team wants to improve and learn from every game. I expect a great game vs Cinci... and continued dominance through AAC tournament. UCONN will be ready and play great in NCAA Tourney! With a couple improvements and things going their way a couple times... who knows...

 

[msf22b]

Eric

I agree with your thread title and partially so for your first few sentences...but at a certain point, we diverge.

My take on the team is that it still doesn't know who it is....its identity is still a work in progress...the talent is there (as you point out) but smooth functioning and trust isn't.

Remembering the three (or was it four?) loss season; Stewie was in a funk; the other two frosh were only partially trusted, the rest of the team had lost the ability to win the big ones...Still by tourney time, Geno had the confidence to say publicly that the team was ready to win.

I thought that tonight would be the night that it would all come together...it certainly didn't. But I am not particularly worried since I believe that the potential is still there for it to happen. It still might.

And If it doesn't...an alarm i've been raising since prior to the beginning of the season and again this week for which not a single participant has commented...not one...is best raised through an analogy.

Some years ago (1986 to be precise) the master violinist, Issac Stern who had done wonders in saving the Carnegie Hall from the demolition folks, returned us the favor with a inane renovation that lessened the beauty of the sound perhaps forever.

Among ( many) of the major changes was the removal of a false ceiling, thereby heightening the proscenium by about 100 feet.
When the acoustician announced that every attempt was made to keep the sound exactly the same as before, I shook my head in derision and told him that his statement was nonsensical.

To return to woman's BB...This summer we lost an effective coach, hired another whose skills do not replace those that had been lost...another coach was lost to maternity duties for some unknown period of time and those primarily responsible took on added duties....And you want and expect the results to be the same?
Unlikely (as above)

What I find most alarming is an unwillingness of the board to at least broach some discussion of this potential issue.

 

[Kaizen]

Me too. Just feel sad that our girls played so hard but .....
Well tomorrow is another new day. Go Husky Go UConn ...

 

[Bedford fan]

Eric

I agree with your thread title and partially so for your first few sentences...but at a certain point, we diverge.

My take on the team is that it still doesn't know who it is....its identity is still a work in progress...the talent is there (as you point out) but smooth functioning and trust isn't.

Remembering the three (or was it four?) loss season; Stewie was in a funk; the other two frosh were only partially trusted, the rest of the team had lost the ability to win the big ones...Still by tourney time, Geno had the confidence to say publicly that the team was ready to win.

I thought that tonight would be the night that it would all come together...it certainly didn't. But I am not particularly worried since I believe that the potential is still there for it to happen. It still might.

And If it doesn't...an alarm i've been raising since prior to the beginning of the season and again this week for which not a single participant has commented...not one...is best raised through an analogy.

Some years ago (1986 to be precise) the master violinist, Issac Stern who had done wonders in saving the Carnegie Hall from the demolition folks, returned us the favor with a inane renovation that lessened the beauty of the sound perhaps forever.

Among ( many) of the major changes was the removal of a false ceiling, thereby heightening the proscenium by about 100 feet.
When the acoustician announced that every attempt was made to keep the sound exactly the same as before, I shook my head in derision and told him that his statement was nonsensical.

To return to woman's BB...This summer we lost an effective coach, hired another whose skills do not replace those that had been lost...another coach was lost to maternity duties for some unknown period of time and those primarily responsible took on added duties....And you want and expect the results to be the same?
Unlikely (as above)

What I find most alarming is an unwillingness of the board to at least broach some discussion of this potential issue.

Perhaps you are being a bit hard on the renovated Carnegie Hall. The boxes still offer sound that is unequaled in any seat, in any hall that I have experienced. It might be a bit dim up in the upper balcony but I can accept that, you can't hardly see from there either. Almost anywhere in the two rings is perfect.
As to the team, they have returned to the pack. Shoot 50% and they can beat anyone. That's not the way its going these days.

 

[FanHam]

I'm not hung up on the whys and the wherefores. They lost. They have enough talent to win a national championship if they pull it all together at the right time against the right opposition during the last few games of this season.

I'm enjoying watching the best parity I've ever seen in WCBB since I started watching it in 1995. Every year in the past it's been a few teams at the top. This year there are several teams, and from all over the country: UConn (as usual), Notre Dame (as usual), Louisville, Baylor, Mississippi State, South Carolina (they're coming on strong), Oregon (believe it), and maybe Oregon State. DePaul could pull it all together. I'm sure I've forgotten several more. There are several mid-major teams looking good.

Everyone is vulnerable. Yeah, they looked particularly vulnerable most of the time last night for a UConn team, but they only lost by nine in a hostile environment against a possible national championship team which played possibly the best game it ever has played.

Their weaknesses are completely uncovered. Geno and Chris know what to focus on going forward. The team will either respond or it won't.

 

[Jmsdawg]

We knew going into this year that parity is pretty much here. I was a bit frustrated thinking about having 5 HS AA's start and 1 come off the bench (how many does L'ville have???), but the reality is that this team lacks the toughness of past teams. We don't have a Gabby in the high post with her skills and athleticism, or a hockey player like Kia lending her toughness to the rest of the team (or an experienced big like Azura).

My point about the 6 AA's is that we have the talent to beat teams like L'ville and Baylor and ND (or any top team). But we have zero margin for error. The problem is two-fold IMHO. I already mentioned the toughness. The other problem is size and depth which leads to the bigger problem of defense.

Keep in mind that we not only lost Kia and Gabby, but Azura as well. We replaced it with ONO and Christyn. Frankly I'm surprised we are as good as we are this year. I think Geno has done a great job of masking our weaknesses, but this team just doesn't have it at this point. Don't get me wrong - they will compete hard and play their hearts out. They are all great kids who we all love to root for. But we lost too much - size, strength, talent and toughness.

But this loss doesn't bother me because better to lose now than in March, and this team is still searching for its' championship identity. They have an identity, it's just not enough to win it all. They will either get it or they will not. That's why this loss doens't bother me - another lesson in what they need to do to win it all.

It hardly makes a difference if we are a 1 or 2 seed. That just means we have to play a 15 seed, 7 seed and 3 seed to be in the regional finals vs. a 16 seed, 8 seed, and 4 seed. Frankly I'm more concerned about facing any team in the top 8 than I am about teams lower than that. I sure hope they get it, but I fear that "we are who we thought we are"...

Interesting post and I agree with everything you said but all the top eight have problems and on any given night any of them can lose a game against top competition. UCONN two losses were away and against elite teams, I would venture to say the probability of any of today’s elite winning those games would be low.

 

[Chong-Master]

Here's where I see things:

1) clearly something is wrong with Lou. Is it the lack of strong pre-season conditioning (coming off the surgery) catching up with her? She looks spent, with nothing left in the gas tank
2) Pheesa is trying to do too much to make up for some of the other deficiencies that others on the team are not doing and things that are simply outside of "her game", that are resulting in silly fouls called against her.
3) Megan, although much improved since the Baylor game, needs to play like she has recently shown, consistently for a solid 4 quarters. This team needs her to do this to succeed
4) CW, right now, has ZERO confidence in her game. Passing up shots that she SHOULD be taking (and making), and not being more agressive out on the court, is evident. She has hit the Freshman Wall hesd on, and the crash may not be repairable this season. CW's personality (refer to her pre-season predictions) are such that her expectations of her own game and how it would impact this team, are much different than what Geno and this team needed of her. Maybe next season she will come in with a different mind set and attitude
5) Dangerfield has clearly been the most consistent player on this team. But she has recently looked perplexed over what the others aren't doing. She can't do it all.
6) As it has been said, adnausieum, on the Boneyard, the Bench clearly is a big problem against the elite teams in the country. Ono needs to bulk up and pack on "Dangerfield Type Muscles". She came into this season, thinking that she would be a big contributor, simply based on her size and what she did in High School. A "Tierra McCowan" she's not (yet). Coombs cannot be counted on to produce points, although a decent defender, but that's not what this team needs now. Kyla is what she is. A nice kid who has a inconsistent outside shot who gets out muscled on the boards. Molly, as I have said before, is the type of player and role that the 2 walk on's had a few years ago. And Camara is just being buried on the bench, be it due to physical injuries or Geno feeling that she just no longer serves a need on this team, is questioned. Don't look for her to return next season.
7) Bottom Line - This team is simply not as good as many here on the Boneyard believe and I don't seeing them getting past the Elite 8 this season. And things are only going to get worse next season, with only 1 solid and very promising recruit (Griffin) coming in [praying that she leaves the injury bug behind her at Ossining HS]. Losing Pheesa, Lou, and most likely Camara and not being able to replace them, added to a schedule that will be much tougher than this seasons, will make the road that much more harder. Thus the expectations of "The Boneyarders" need to tempered.

 

[BroadwayVa]

We knew going into this year that parity is pretty much here. I was a bit frustrated thinking about having 5 HS AA's start and 1 come off the bench (how many does L'ville have???), but the reality is that this team lacks the toughness of past teams. We don't have a Gabby in the high post with her skills and athleticism, or a hockey player like Kia lending her toughness to the rest of the team (or an experienced big like Azura).

My point about the 6 AA's is that we have the talent to beat teams like L'ville and Baylor and ND (or any top team). But we have zero margin for error. The problem is two-fold IMHO. I already mentioned the toughness. The other problem is size and depth which leads to the bigger problem of defense.

Keep in mind that we not only lost Kia and Gabby, but Azura as well. We replaced it with ONO and Christyn. Frankly I'm surprised we are as good as we are this year. I think Geno has done a great job of masking our weaknesses, but this team just doesn't have it at this point. Don't get me wrong - they will compete hard and play their hearts out. They are all great kids who we all love to root for. But we lost too much - size, strength, talent and toughness.

But this loss doesn't bother me because better to lose now than in March, and this team is still searching for its' championship identity. They have an identity, it's just not enough to win it all. They will either get it or they will not. That's why this loss doens't bother me - another lesson in what they need to do to win it all.

It hardly makes a difference if we are a 1 or 2 seed. That just means we have to play a 15 seed, 7 seed and 3 seed to be in the regional finals vs. a 16 seed, 8 seed, and 4 seed. Frankly I'm more concerned about facing any team in the top 8 than I am about teams lower than that. I sure hope they get it, but I fear that "we are who we thought we are"...

@Eric---All or any of the problems Uconn has, can't be fixed this season, and maybe not the next (we will see). Other teams/coaches know the failing of Uconn and exploit them.
That is the GAME. So what does Geno do (I can't say what do we do because we can only sit and watch and Witch (with a B). Early this season I addressed all those things by questioning and truth is there is little or nothing us fans can do except complain or cheer and wonder.
The question all must answer is: If Uconn ends this season 2,3, 5, 10 what does it really matter in your daily life beyond the day of the loss?? In mine, except for that day, I will go in a funk because of no more WCBB until next Nov, other than that it matters little.
Uconn has been in this place so few times--fans(?) have a hard time facing it.

 

[Gamecockfan77]

Interesting post and I agree with everything you said but all the top eight have problems and on any given night any of them can lose a game against top competition. UCONN two losses were away and against elite teams, I would venture to say the probability of any of today’s elite winning those games would be low.

Being "one of the elite" is precisely the thing that UCONN fans are mourning.

 

[HopJim]

Against teams like Baylor and Louisville with tall, powerful bigs, we get overpowered and at times seem to speed up unnecessarily. Collier and ONO good examples, missing lay ups they normally make. Williams seems to frequently have a height advantage and often has open 10-15' shots that she is passing up. Geno trying new defenses that are not working. Baylor didn't bother me. What I saw last night did.

 

[meyers7]

Against teams like Baylor and Louisville with tall, powerful bigs, we get overpowered and at times seem to speed up unnecessarily. Collier and ONO good examples, missing lay ups they normally make. Williams seems to frequently have a height advantage and often has open 10-15' shots that she is passing up. Geno trying new defenses that are not working. Baylor didn't bother me. What I saw last night did.

Just the opposite. They played much better than they did against Baylor. Granted, still not good enough, but there is some improvement. Need more. Got another month and a half to get there.

 

[CL82]

You are what your record says you are. UConn is a good, but not great, team. That doesn't mean we should roll up the bleachers and call it a season, but fans will be a whole lot happier if they recognize, and celebrate, what this team is, rather than what it isn't.

Pheesa and Lou have had great careers. I'm going to enjoy every minute of their last season.

CW and ONO are getting valuable game experience. It will pay dividends next year and more over their Junior and Senior years. Same with Combs.

Megan is looking more and more comfortable in her role as a scorer. That's a good thing.

I haven't given up on the season, but I am realistic about it. Winning a national championship is hard. If this year's team can do it, it may well be one of my favorite seasons.

If not being certain that every game is win is a problem for you, you might want to take the rest of season off. Probably next year as well. But for me at least, I enjoy the struggle and hard work our girls are putting out.

 

[Roger G]

They've got to hit shots. They are a shooting team and they are playing like it one game and not playing like it the next. They had plenty of open shots and layups that they missed. Clean that up and they probably get ten to fifteen more points (and they only lost by nine) so they would have won. It ain't over 'til the....

 

[LoTrader]

I know the standards of a UCONN WBB fan are different from that of an OSU Beaver fan, but, I can tell you that after OSU got thumped last season by UCLA (30+) and then by USC, the season was over.....or so some thought. Great coaching and great kids committed to getting better, and by the time the season ended, they only got thumped one other time....by Louisville in the Elite 8. Message is there is plenty of time for the UCONN coaches and players to improve and get to the championship game. Who knows, maybe your opponent will be Oregon State (I certainly think it could happen).

 

[Plebe]

You are what your record says you are. UConn is a good, but not great, team. That doesn't mean we should roll up the bleachers and call it a season, but fans will be a whole lot happier if they recognize, and celebrate, what this team is, rather than what it isn't.

Pheesa and Lou have had great careers. I'm going to enjoy every minute of their last season.

CW and ONO are getting valuable game experience. It will pay dividends next year and more over their Junior and Senior years. Same with Combs.

Megan is looking more and more comfortable in her role as a scorer. That's a good thing.

I haven't given up on the season, but I am realistic about it. Winning a national championship is hard. If this year's team can do it, it may well be one of my favorite seasons.

If not being certain that every game is win is a problem for you, you might want to take the rest of season off. Probably next year as well. But for me at least, I enjoy the struggle and hard work our girls are putting out.

Hear hear! This comment should be its own pinned thread.