Thoughts on Syracuse game

[VAUConnFan]

Ok...so I'm lost here. Which games? What players? It's a general comment without much statistical basis.

Which is often the point of a discussion in trying to get people to jog their memories; possibly counter my point. UConn has lost so few games over the years, it is easy to say they were all upsets. Still, there are a number of nagging losses that should never have happened.

 

[msf22b]

VAUConn mentioned the lack of productivity in the back court, which I noted as well.
Is Geno pondering along those lines with this quote?

"It is a fine line," Auriemma said. "It is a delicate situation sometimes. Kids are funny and they have short memories. Say a kid comes to Connecticut as a freshman, they are not really that concerned with who else is there so if there is a junior at Connecticut, Syracuse or Duke or anybody else that has been playing for a couple of years and they are a lot better, that freshman is not worried that 'well I don't want to be too good because I don't want to take their minutes.' That same freshman when they become a junior they seem to forget that and they think you owe them something when the next freshman comes in. It is a fine line you have to walk. You owe it to your team to play the best players at the most opportune times and then there is a part of you that 'yeah, we can trust this kid or that kid because they have been there and done that.' I think each year there is a scenario that pops up if your freshmen are really good that you have to deal with. Ideally you love to have a situation where your freshmen are never good enough to take over for one of upperclassmen."

 

[FairView]

Both teams played at a "mid-season" level, where the effects of daily practice and a game every 3-4 days showed. UCONN is higher ranked and deeper than 'Cuse.

Separate and apart from all that, I wanna say I enjoyed my FIRST BONEYARD MEET UP @ Sec. 118 near DunkinDonut, at halftime at the game!

That was truly enjoyable.

I want to give a special shout out to a boneyarder who introduced me to the group when I approached the area and simply picked him to ask as he appeared to be friendly and congenial. And so he was. He said he's a long time lurker and doesn't post. Perhaps that is because he is friendly and he is congenial?

I am just asking? :-p

It was a pleasure meeting Kibitzer and Doggy Daddy. I was tempted to ask for their autographs, for my granddaughters, of course, but I d'int.

As to ND v Tenn, I am assuming a ND win is better for UCONN in terms of RPI and such like and will therefore hope ND beats Tenn convincingly. This "hope" is not at all the same as rooting for ND. That I will not do.

I tried to have my first Boneyard meet up, but I didn't see what appeared to be a group of people meeting there, so we moved on. I guess I should have asked around. Next time I'll watch more closely for people sharing the secret handshake.

 

[Sonny44]

The most entertaining thing about playing Syracuse is the looks on Quentin's face, especially when directed toward the refs.

 

[doggydaddy]

VAUConn mentioned the lack of productivity in the back court, which I noted as well.
Is Geno pondering along those lines with this quote?

"It is a fine line," Auriemma said. "It is a delicate situation sometimes. Kids are funny and they have short memories. Say a kid comes to Connecticut as a freshman, they are not really that concerned with who else is there so if there is a junior at Connecticut, Syracuse or Duke or anybody else that has been playing for a couple of years and they are a lot better, that freshman is not worried that 'well I don't want to be too good because I don't want to take their minutes.' That same freshman when they become a junior they seem to forget that and they think you owe them something when the next freshman comes in. It is a fine line you have to walk. You owe it to your team to play the best players at the most opportune times and then there is a part of you that 'yeah, we can trust this kid or that kid because they have been there and done that.' I think each year there is a scenario that pops up if your freshmen are really good that you have to deal with. Ideally you love to have a situation where your freshmen are never good enough to take over for one of upperclassmen."

What does this have to do with a lack of productivity in the back court?

 

[doggydaddy]

Which is often the point of a discussion in trying to get people to jog their memories; possibly counter my point.

In other words, have other people look it up to counter you, otherwise we should take you at face value.

How about last years SJU game. Care to explain the lack of good guard play that cost UConn this game?

All 3 losses to ND were "games UConn shouldn't have lost"? Doesn't ND get any credit?

Please explain the lack of good guard play that cost UConn these games?

 

[ChicagoGG]

You must have been talking about David, who is nice and friendly only because he doesn't post. It was typical of the 'Yard that on the day of the biggest crowd of the season, we had one of the smallest crowds of Boneyarders. Where was Nan and Tony and Danny? Sure Biff and Dogdad and Kib were there, but there was no-one there who really matters. Except that woman drinking a beer, of course!

Had all intentions of getting over to 118, but crowd was so dense in the concourse I figured you all would be gone by the time I got there from 108....will try again on the 29th. Speaking of which, any 'yarders going to the season tix reception from 5-7 at that game??

 

[VAUConnFan]

In other words, have other people look it up to counter you, otherwise we should take you at face value.
If one has a difference of opinion, by all means, jump in. A good discussion is often a function of varying opinions. Facts to counter an argument are ideal.
You brought up the games against Notre Dame last year. Last year, I thought Notre Dame was the better team, so I never thought they were games UConn should not have lost. the St. John's game definitely falls into the category of games UConn should not have lost. Truth be told, not only did I not see the game, but I have no recollection of it, so I do not recall how the front court performed in that game. But, without looking at the stats, I am more than confident stating that the backcourt probably did not play well.

Please explain which games that in your humble opinion the lack of good guard play (cut out a word) cost UConn(I cut out the word) games?

(In the interest of integrity here is the original doggydaddy quote that was changed:
Please explain the lack of good guard play that cost UConn these games?)

Go back in history.
1994 North Carolina
1997 against Tennessee
1999 against Iowa State
2001 Notre Dame
2003 Villanova
2007 Rutgers
2008 Stanford
2011 Stanford

UConn lacked good guard play in the 2007 loss to LSU, but LSU was the better team, so as with last year's Notre Dame games, this was not a game that UConn should not have lost.

To define game in which UConn should not have lost - A game in which UConn enters as clearly, unequivocally, the better team.