tired of those who bash Bria Hartley

[OneTrickPony]

No, but the spitball thrower sometimes annoys the battleship . . .

Notre Dame and Louisville would no doubt agree...

 

[blackbird]

I don't know what it is about Bria, but in general..Uconn fans (even Meghan Culmo) don't give enough credit to her and are often far too quick to point out her faults.

My hypothesis...she doesn't play like a girl. And I don't mean that in a way that DT didn't play like a girl. DT was still fundamentally sound, she still looked to play flawless basketball and her game fit into a team structure.(Although Diana certainly had elements to her game that didn't quite fit in..)

Bria on the other hand..often looks like she grew up playing pick up. She'll often go one on 3 on the break, and when healthy..she'll usually score. But that doesn't matter to a lot of people because she didn't do the fundamentally sound thing. Her dribbling could be called for carry in the women's side, where as no one on the men's would even consider calling it that. Her shot fake is exceptional, and would be considered as such if she was a man..but she's not..so a lot of times it's considered a travel. The way she plays basketball is effective, it's just not something Uconn fans are used to seeing.

KML with her pretty shot, we're used to seeing. Dolson with her skilled post game, we're used to seeing. Bria..with her Manu Ginobili style...unorthodox and unpredictable. (A steal, followed by a layup, followed by a fancy pass, followed by a turnover that is thrown three feet above Dolson's head..) it's just not what Uconn fans are used to watching.

 

[slimmer56]

Hear, hear...
I say the same thing cferraro !

 

[alexrgct]

When it comes to Bria, some of it is simply that she progressed nicely from her freshman to sophomore seasons and then regressed as a junior. And you can say she didn't cost us the Baylor game or the three ND games, but when the final score is as close as they were, one thing being different could have changed the outcome. Bria playing like she did even as a sophomore was one such thing different.

For some of us, we are disappointed for her because, as competitive as she is, we knew she hated not playing like she is capable of playing. Others are entitled and think WCBB exists for the exclusive purpose for Uconn to be champions of it. Those people were likely to simply be frustrated and express that frustration in an unproductive and pointless way.

 

[Geno-ista]

I love

I have been reading on various message boards how bad Bria Hartley is, that Geno is disappointed in her because she doesn't listen. What a crock of baloney. Geno expressed frustration with Bria because she played while she was hurt and probably made her injury worse instead of giving it time for it to heal. He never said she didn't listen to his on court instructions. Why people have to distort reality in an effort to make a player look bad is beyond me. Truth be told, Hartley was an All American last year, got hurt in the summer, had the flu twice during the season, her body, emotions and confidence took a hit and it has taken time for her to get back on track. At the end of the day she was a contributor on a national championship team. She will have the summer to train with her personal basketball skills and shooting coach in New York and my guess is she will come back for her senior season in her former All American form.

I think some people forget how clutch she was last year against ranked opponents. Additionally, despite the challenges she faced this year she was fairly consistent and I'm glad we had her. Would I like to see her cut back on her turn overs? Sure I would, but nobody's perfect and knowing that Bria will be back to form next season, I think Bria is just fine.

Here is Bria's stats against ranked opponents during her All American 2011 - 2012 season

2011 - 2012 (ranked opponents)

#3 Stanford - 11/12/11 - 19 pts; 3 RBs; 4 Asts; 2 TOs; 3 Stls.
#7 Texas A&M - 12/6/11 - 13pts; 4 RBs; 8 Asts; 3 TOs; 0 Stls.
#1 Baylor - 12/18/11 - 25 pts; 3 RBs; 2 Asts; 4 TOs; 1 Stl.
#3 ND - 1/7/12 - 25 pts; 9 RBs; 6 Assts; 7 TOs; 2 Stls.
#24 North Carolina - 1/16/12 - 17 pts; 3 RBs; 8 Asts; 3 TOs; 3 Stls.
#19 DePaul - 1/21/13 - 10 pts; 4 RBs; 2 Asts; 5 TOs; 6 Stls.
#5 Duke - 1/30/12 - 15 pts; 5 RBs; 7 Asts; 4 TOs; 2 Stls.
#20 Louisville - 2/7/12 - 9 pts; 1 RB; 2 Asts; 2 TOs; 1 Stl.
#14 Georgetown - 2/11/12 - 18 pts; 5 RBs; 3 Asts; 1 TO; 3 Stls.
#3 ND - 2/27/12 - 8 pts; 7 RBs; 0 Asts; 2 TOs; 1 Stl.
#21 Rutgers - 3/4/12 - 8 pts; 1 RB; 0 Asts; 3 TOs; 2 Stls.
#18 St. Johns - 3/5/12 - 11 pts; 1 RB; 3 Asts; 2 TOs; 1 Stl.
#3 ND - 3/6/12 - 18 pts; 7 RBs; 2 Asts; 3 TOs; 4 Stls.
#12 Penn State - 3/25/12 - 20 pts; 2 RBs; 4 Asts; 2 TOs; 0 Stls.
#11 Kentucky - 3/27/12 - 13 pts; 3 RBs; 3 Asts; 4 TOs; 2 Stls.
#4 ND - 4/1/12 - 18 pts; 3 RBs; 3 Asts; 5 TOs; 1 Stl.


Here is Bria's post season play for our championship run during this past season (2012-2013):

DePaul: 3/10 - 12 points; 5 RBs; 6 A; 1 TO; 1 St.
Syracuse: 3/11 - 11 points; 3 RBs; 7 A; 4 TOs; 1 St.
Notre Dame: 3/12/13 - 9 points; 2 RBs; 2 Assists; 6 TOs; 2 Sts.
Idaho: 3/23/13 - 13 points; 5 RBs; 7 Assists; 2 TOs; 3 Stls.
Vandy: 3/25/13 - 8 points; 3 RBs; 4 Assists; 3 TOs; 1 Stl.
Maryland: 3/30/13 - 5 points; 3 RBs; 2 Assists; 3 TOs; 0 Stls.
Kentucky: 4/1/13 - 10 points; 4 RBs; 2 Assists; 1 TO; 4 Stls.
Notre Dame: 4/7/13 - 15 points; 5 RBs; 2 Assists; 6 TOs; 4 Stls.
Louisville: 4/9/13 - 13 points; 4 RBs; 4 Assists; 3 TOs; 3 Stls.


I believe we witnessed in the post season the beginning of Bria's return to All American form. A task she will complete over the summer. She is going to bring smiles to UConn fans faces next year. I think the biggest problem UConn is going to have next year is that there may not be enough basketballs to go around next year. This team is going to be an offensive juggernaut next season...records are going to fall. Assuming the defense is as good as it traditionally is...Teams are not going to look forward to facing UConn.

I have been reading on various message boards how bad Bria Hartley is, that Geno is disappointed in her because she doesn't listen. What a crock of baloney. Geno expressed frustration with Bria because she played while she was hurt and probably made her injury worse instead of giving it time for it to heal. He never said she didn't listen to his on court instructions. Why people have to distort reality in an effort to make a player look bad is beyond me. Truth be told, Hartley was an All American last year, got hurt in the summer, had the flu twice during the season, her body, emotions and confidence took a hit and it has taken time for her to get back on track. At the end of the day she was a contributor on a national championship team. She will have the summer to train with her personal basketball skills and shooting coach in New York and my guess is she will come back for her senior season in her former All American form.

I think some people forget how clutch she was last year against ranked opponents. Additionally, despite the challenges she faced this year she was fairly consistent and I'm glad we had her. Would I like to see her cut back on her turn overs? Sure I would, but nobody's perfect and knowing that Bria will be back to form next season, I think Bria is just fine.

Here is Bria's stats against ranked opponents during her All American 2011 - 2012 season

2011 - 2012 (ranked opponents)

#3 Stanford - 11/12/11 - 19 pts; 3 RBs; 4 Asts; 2 TOs; 3 Stls.
#7 Texas A&M - 12/6/11 - 13pts; 4 RBs; 8 Asts; 3 TOs; 0 Stls.
#1 Baylor - 12/18/11 - 25 pts; 3 RBs; 2 Asts; 4 TOs; 1 Stl.
#3 ND - 1/7/12 - 25 pts; 9 RBs; 6 Assts; 7 TOs; 2 Stls.
#24 North Carolina - 1/16/12 - 17 pts; 3 RBs; 8 Asts; 3 TOs; 3 Stls.
#19 DePaul - 1/21/13 - 10 pts; 4 RBs; 2 Asts; 5 TOs; 6 Stls.
#5 Duke - 1/30/12 - 15 pts; 5 RBs; 7 Asts; 4 TOs; 2 Stls.
#20 Louisville - 2/7/12 - 9 pts; 1 RB; 2 Asts; 2 TOs; 1 Stl.
#14 Georgetown - 2/11/12 - 18 pts; 5 RBs; 3 Asts; 1 TO; 3 Stls.
#3 ND - 2/27/12 - 8 pts; 7 RBs; 0 Asts; 2 TOs; 1 Stl.
#21 Rutgers - 3/4/12 - 8 pts; 1 RB; 0 Asts; 3 TOs; 2 Stls.
#18 St. Johns - 3/5/12 - 11 pts; 1 RB; 3 Asts; 2 TOs; 1 Stl.
#3 ND - 3/6/12 - 18 pts; 7 RBs; 2 Asts; 3 TOs; 4 Stls.
#12 Penn State - 3/25/12 - 20 pts; 2 RBs; 4 Asts; 2 TOs; 0 Stls.
#11 Kentucky - 3/27/12 - 13 pts; 3 RBs; 3 Asts; 4 TOs; 2 Stls.
#4 ND - 4/1/12 - 18 pts; 3 RBs; 3 Asts; 5 TOs; 1 Stl.


Here is Bria's post season play for our championship run during this past season (2012-2013):

DePaul: 3/10 - 12 points; 5 RBs; 6 A; 1 TO; 1 St.
Syracuse: 3/11 - 11 points; 3 RBs; 7 A; 4 TOs; 1 St.
Notre Dame: 3/12/13 - 9 points; 2 RBs; 2 Assists; 6 TOs; 2 Sts.
Idaho: 3/23/13 - 13 points; 5 RBs; 7 Assists; 2 TOs; 3 Stls.
Vandy: 3/25/13 - 8 points; 3 RBs; 4 Assists; 3 TOs; 1 Stl.
Maryland: 3/30/13 - 5 points; 3 RBs; 2 Assists; 3 TOs; 0 Stls.
Kentucky: 4/1/13 - 10 points; 4 RBs; 2 Assists; 1 TO; 4 Stls.
Notre Dame: 4/7/13 - 15 points; 5 RBs; 2 Assists; 6 TOs; 4 Stls.
Louisville: 4/9/13 - 13 points; 4 RBs; 4 Assists; 3 TOs; 3 Stls.


I believe we witnessed in the post season the beginning of Bria's return to All American form. A task she will complete over the summer. She is going to bring smiles to UConn fans faces next year. I think the biggest problem UConn is going to have next year is that there may not be enough basketballs to go around next year. This team is going to be an offensive juggernaut next season...records are going to fall. Assuming the defense is as good as it traditionally is...Teams are not going to look forward to facing UConn.

 

[Geno-ista]

I love the premis of your note re Bria Hartley. She obviously was not quite the same as she had been the prior years, but we never would have won without her. I actually watch every game on dvr numerous times- not much of a life I guess. But she does so many positive things, that everyone would continue to just pick out and remember her errors and missed shots. She also played awesome defense and like Kelley was disrupting the passing lanes and the offense numerous times in the regionals and final four, without getting the formal stats for it- like Kelly Farris also does so much! Bria does push the ball, and against Notre Dame, her three, a Kelly steal and lay up, and then her push with the pull up jumper, came when the game was very much in doubt and started the husky run that really put them ahead to stay at a very crucial time with a few minutes left to halftime. she is a great person to meet, and plays her heart out all the time. What more can we ever ask of these young ladies?

 

[Geno-ista]

Fine post Charlie...

With all the things to look forward to this year- I can't wait to see Morgan Tuck make the next step to super stardom! I think she has so many gifts, and is such a natural player, she is going to be a bigger Kelly Farris like player! While they try to defend Stewie and KML, and Steph, I think Morgan is going to be scoring 15 per night and have a lot of big games in the biggest games as opponents do their best to defend the obvious weapons. Threes, posting up, and she can take almost anyone off the dribble- She is a force and plays with no fear! Calm and Cool in the tournament!

 

[FairView]

Question?? Bria wares glases, Game time, does she ware contacts???

No.
As a child Bria was bitten my a radioactive bat. As a result of that bite, she has amazing sonar powers. She emits high pitch sounds far above the human hearing range and then figures the position of the ball, basket and other players based on when and how the sound waves are reflected back to her. That eliminates the need for her to wear any corrective lenses during the game. Geno is keeping this quiet because he is concerned that opposing teams may flood arenas with phantom sound waves to throw Bria off.

 

[DaddyChoc]

Bria played well... shots just didnt drop thru the net

 

[cferraro04]

Thanks guys...So happy to see Bria getting the love she deserves in this thread. She is a Husky through and through... She will have a great senior year of that I am sure. With that I must bid you all adieu as I am heading to Italy tomorrow. My first true vacation (10 days) with my wife in 30 years. Too much work only permitted us to take work related short vacations up to now... We are so much looking forward to seeing the sights of Rome, Florence and Venice with a few smaller towns mixed in. See you all in 1o days...Arivederci!