Three comments on OSU game.

[Wbbfan1]

Espn Video with Moriah: http://espn.go.com/espnw/video/14148890/defense-sets-tone-uconn-win

 

[WestCoastFan]

OSU is only 2 games into their season. Don't cross them out in the Elite 8/FF4 before April. Look at UConn's 2nd game last year.
The will learn and Uconn will learn. If we are that much better at years end--wow. For the first quarter OSU must have thought they were playing a WNBA championship team--they were that good.

You're correct...only the second game. OSU might also get worse. We'll see. Not impressed with the coaching. Better learn to play defense. Great recruiter, I guess.

 

[Aluminny69]

Reminded me of Gulf War I - SHOCK and AWE!!!!

 

[CBus13]

I was at the game. This was my first time ever seeing UCONN in person and boy (or girl) was it a treat.

Moriah looks even faster in person than on TV. She disrupted so many passes, granted a lot of poor passing from OSU makes it easier for the picking. She made our (OSU) guards look like freshmen. She was a pest, as usual, on defense, hitting all the right shots on offensive, and just an all-and-all great point guard. It was a pleasure to see her dispatch a team like that, even if it was at the expense of my home team.

I feel like I had more thoughts about the game but now that I'm home I can only think of all the great things Mo did. Haha.

I forgot Breanna was even playing until I saw the box score and she had 23 points...quiet killer this game. She wasn't phased by anything.

I love watching Morgan Tuck play. She is strong and powerful and then she pulls these quick steps to turn past a player and it looks so smooth. I hope she stays around another year.

Gabby looked impressive to me. Quick and strong. Didn't see many mistakes from her.

Collier will be special for you guys. Quick hands for her size and moved well.

Hart has looked uninterested in playing in both games this year. Not the same player as last year. Alston and Mitchell both dribbled too much (shocking) but without the typical results. Cooper played well but she doesn't pass much, but this game it worked for her. Seems like rebounding will be another weakness for OSU this year, I don't remember seeing any boxing out...Holland looks smooth though. She hopefully will keep improving, she looked a bit gassed but she was guarding Mo.

OSU didn't look like themselves today, a mix of UCONN's play and mental psyching themselves out. I don't think the season is in jeopardy yet, but I think a FF is an extremely optimistic goal for this team. S16 is probably the distance unless they figure things out.

 

[johnnyc]

Sometimes we don't take notice of some things Geno says because they are not headline grabbers but how many times has he said he is looking forward to seeing what this team can be? He has also mentioned a few times how impressed he was with Nurse and Williams from practices. We really shouldn't be surprised on what went on tonight.

 

[Huskies Rule]

My 3 comments, Kib:

1) Geno is a tricky dude, going well into Q2 in a very uncharacteristic, suffocating zone D, and then he unfairly confused the Buckeyes further by starting Q3 with his usual killer man-to-man. which McGuff wasn't ready for and resulted in a major sweating episode for him and his enormous sidekick.. That was cruel, Geno. It was nice, however, to see McGuff chill out and relax several minutes into Q3 when he realized the futility and inevitable doom.

2) Commentator Beth Mowins was a disgraceful ESPN shill who went entire minutes at a time ignoring the game and doing a disservice to all those who expected her to do her job and talk about the game, not all that irrelevant crapola. Stephanie White is great, but rarely had a chance to get an intelligent word in edge-wise.

3) I loved watching Stewie take a moment while running off the court after the game to sign an autograph for a very young girl (and obviously really smart) clad all in OSU red.

 

[HoopsFan21]

Sometimes we don't take notice of some things Geno says because they are not headline grabbers but how many times has he said he is looking forward to seeing what this team can be? He has also mentioned a few times how impressed he was with Nurse and Williams from practices. We really shouldn't be surprised on what went on tonight.

This is it for us. This is the pinnacle year of UConn WCBB in my opinion, so I'm just going to savor this one more than the others.

 

[msf22b]

Anybody see an attendance figure?...didn't look like so many.

 

[huskyd]

]

Absolutely correct, right on, naturally.
I was impressed with Geno using Collier and KLS early . Also when Stewie went out the score changed little (negatively)

Lou subbed in for a guard as Saniya would have done had she been healthy. I saw something in KLS tonight that reminded me of why she is so highly regarded: she seemed to be catching on not only to how UConn plays but the WAY the Huskies play. As she gains confidence and regains her shooting stroke, she WILL pan out as the next great UConn player.

 

[HoopsFan21]

My 3 comments, Kib:

1) Geno is a tricky dude, going well into Q2 in a very uncharacteristic suffocating zone D, and then he unfairly confused the Buckeyes further by starting Q3 with his usual killer man-to-man. which McGuff surely didn't expect and resulted in a major sweating episode for him and his enormous sidekick.. That was cruel, Geno. It was nice, however, to see McGuff chill out and relax several minutes into Q3 when he realized the futility and inevitable doom.

2) Commentator Beth Mowins was a disgraceful ESPN shill who went entire minutes at a time ignoring the game and doing a disservice to all those who expected her to do her job and talk about the game, not all that irrelevant crapola. Stephanie White is great, but rarely had a chance to get an intelligent word in edge-wise.

3) I loved watching Stewie take a moment while running off the court after the game to sign an autograph for a very young girl (and obviously really smart) clad all in OSU red.

Stewie would give you the shirt off her back. Heck, she might even offer up her bed to a stranger and sleep on the couch! Geno said that Stewie is reserved and if she was more like Maya or DT, she might be the best ever. Anyone catch that quote? Geno also said she can touch 11 feet, and in practice can drop in a put-back and on the next trip down the court make a 24 ft jump shot.

 

[WestCoastFan]

The announcers were too busy talking football!!

Typical ESPN (alias SEC) broadcast...gotta talk CFB crap instead of analyzing a special performance. Come on, SNY.

 

[Kaizen]

Watching ESPN2 in the half, when they talked about Stewie. I found the following words in the left bottom of the screen is amazing:
Stewart, world class set skill

 

[Kibitzer]

My 3 comments, Kib:

1) Geno is a tricky dude, going well into Q2 in a very uncharacteristic, suffocating zone D, and then he unfairly confused the Buckeyes further by starting Q3 with his usual killer man-to-man. which McGuff wasn't ready for and resulted in a major sweating episode for him and his enormous sidekick.. That was cruel, Geno. It was nice, however, to see McGuff chill out and relax several minutes into Q3 when he realized the futility and inevitable doom.

2) Commentator Beth Mowins was a disgraceful ESPN shill who went entire minutes at a time ignoring the game and doing a disservice to all those who expected her to do her job and talk about the game, not all that irrelevant crapola. Stephanie White is great, but rarely had a chance to get an intelligent word in edge-wise.

3) I loved watching Stewie take a moment while running off the court after the game to sign an autograph for a very young girl (and obviously really smart) clad all in OSU red.

As usual, your comments are more enriching than mine -- so thanks.

And BigPetunia had perhaps the most insightful post of all -- pointing out how remarkable it was to win the game by playing suffocating defense, yet scoring 100 points!

I was really disappointed in Beth Mowins, whom I had regarded as one of the best.

I have the feeling that McGuff is a terrific recruiter but the jury is still out about his coaching skills.

Finally, a confession. My expectations of Gabby were short of what we are all seeing -- which is a reincarnation of Ashley, Kalana, and Kelly -- with better hops!

 

[CocoHusky]

--is UConn REally that good?.

YES!

 

[MilfordHusky]

Stewie would give you the shirt off her back. Heck, she might even offer up her bed to a stranger and sleep on the couch! Geno said that Stewie is reserved and if she was more like Maya or DT, she might be the best ever. Anyone catch that quote? Geno also said she can touch 11 feet, and in practice can drop in a put-back and on the next trip down the court make a 24 ft jump shot.

I liked that anecdote. Her hand is a foot over the rim on one play, and the next possession, she nails a 24' stepback. Even Maya would be proud of that.

 

[John Glass]

i expected more from kelsey..... she had a bad shooting night.... and of course, our D had much to do with that

the defense deserves credit for shutting down Mitchell. Kelsey does too, with her crazy shot selection.

Ohio State went on a 9-0 run when Mitchell left the game. The Ohio State has no discipline, unless they learn how to play defense and handle the ball, they are going nowhere .

 

[CBus13]

Anybody see an attendance figure?...didn't look like so many.

A tweet I saw said 11,435. There were a bunch in the upper bowl.

 

[Kibitzer]

the defense deserves credit for shutting down Mitchell. Kelsey does too, with her crazy shot selection.

It wasn't a matter of crazy shot selection. There was no thought of selection st all -- she just kept jacking them up.

 

[johnnyc]

Lou subbed in for a guard as Saniya would have done had she been healthy. I saw something in KLS tonight that reminded me of why she is so highly regarded: she seemed to be catching on not only to how UConn plays but the WAY the Huskies play. As she gains confidence and regains her shooting stroke, she WILL pan out as the next great UConn player.

Geno said in the presser that Lou was 'under the weather' tonight.

 

[EasyEd]

Since no one seemed to notice, I think Courtney looks like she has made major step up over last year and I expect a lot more from her over the season.

 

[tjhusky]

What is scary is how good they all looked tonight in game 1. They will evolve and improve over the next 4 1/2 months.

This was the first college game for Lou and Collier. There was a dropoff from the starters, but great experience for both of them. Rest of the bench also looked really good and will get better.

They will still need to figure things out when adding Butler, Boykin and Chong back into the mix.

I like the start. It is going to be fun ride.

 

[HoopsFan21]

Geno did say in his post-game that his team should look like they've played together before, because they have, a lot.

 

[RoyDodger]

I'm not sure anyone noticed, but Saniya Chong played for three minutes in the game. I was surprised to see her. Obviously, her injury can't be that bad.

Also, I have a question for those who saw the game. I've noticed that when ESPN covers the games, their sound can be awful. I could barely hear Mowins and White over the noise of the crowd. And I've had that experience before. It was a little better in the second half when the OSU fans quieted down due to the score. But at the beginning, I could barely hear the announcers. And it's certainly not my TV or my sound system which are first rate. Anyone else notice this?

 

[HoopsFan21]

I'm not sure anyone noticed, but Saniya Chong played for three minutes in the game. I was surprised to see her. Obviously, her injury can't be that bad.

That was up to Saniya. Geno said she hadn't practiced in a week, but left it up to Saniya whether or not she played tonight. It will be good to get another player back and healthy.

 

[Kaizen]

Junior guard Saniya Chong, who had been sidelined recently due to IT Band Syndrome, was not expected to play due to the practice time she missed but she did get enough done in the last day or two to take part in warmups before the game and checked into the game late in the fourth quarter.

"I was surprised because at shootaround today she went through it and all of a sudden, 'hey if she feels good coming out of this, she wants to play,'" Auriemma said. "I was the most shocked person in the gym because I thought there was no way she was going to play. I said to myself I am not going to play her, she hasn't practiced in a week. I gave her a choice and said. 'do you want to play a little bit?' and she said yes. Now we can get started when we get back so it was a pleasant surprise for me."

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