Toughness prevails

[the Q]

Man, it's nice to play that poorly and still win.

But the good:

- Yes, this team showed heart. It's tougher than last year's team already. This game is a good thing to have happen now so it's really ready for March.

- Z. She completely took over down the stretch. They had no answer for her. There's still so much left in the tank for her, let's hope Geno can extract it out of her.

- Walker was just huge on the boards down the stretch. She was getting decked by ND still holding on. And she had a nice move to the basket as well.

- Dangerfield is gonna be about as good of a PG as we've had here when it's all said and done. Maybe not in the collaborative sense, but in the peak sense. her improvement is beyond what I could've reasonable expected after year 1. Simply amazing. That 3 she hit from basically the seat next to Geno was ridiculous.

- Nurse and Lou hit some absolutely huge 3s to swing the tide.

The bad:

- Turnovers. The one thing I really harped on during the blowouts, almost came back to bite the girls in this one. A lot of dumb, long, telegraphed passes that turned into points.

- Rebounding. ND built their lead on the offensive glass, i was a little miffed because a couple of those early rebounds and put backs were 100% fouls on ND (and was more agitated after they nailed Z with a few lesser over the back calls...still fouls, but nowhere as egregious as what they let go earlier in ND's favor). Gotta control the boards. The 4th quarter the rebounding started to come together though. Hopefully this one improves as the year goes on.

- Shot selection. Way too many long 2s early in the shot clock. A few of them were particularly frustrating with collier not knowing where she was on the court.

- Collier and Nurse couldn't guard anyone on the floor.

 

[Kaizen]

Another Lou's toughness, 2 NDs fouled on Lou.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Another Lou's toughness, 2 NDs fouled on Lou.

It is pathetically funny to read "Lou the flopper" comments on Muffet's Bench.

 

[wallman]

Another Lou's toughness, 2 NDs fouled on Lou.

The thing that sticks out to me is the fact that Ogunbowale never dibbles and looks up, as she never intends to pass the ball.

 

[the Q]

It is pathetically funny to read "Lou the flopper" comments on Muffet's Bench.

Yeah, she lowered the shoulder and isn’t even looking at Lou. She’s basically looking for contact there.

 

[j66kicker]

It is pathetically funny to read "Lou the flopper" comments on Muffet's Bench.

At least they get her name right ("Lou"). That's respect.

 

[Papa33]

Next time I'm betting a 20+ win by us. Gabby gets her revenge.

Speaking of Gabby . . . Recall that in last year's game vs. Notre Dame, Gabby was THE difference maker on both ends of the floor; take her out of that game-- as she was neutralized by her illness yesterday-- and that game plays out quite differently. Might some of UConn's problems for much of the game-- both offensive and defensive, especially the latter-- have their roots in her much reduced capacities and eventual absence?

 

[jaundicedeye]

Both teams were incredibly tough. Don't lay it on ND that their shots didn't fall at the end. There was no quitting and no chocking. Just law of averages.

UConn is the better team. They won on talent. But Notre Dame played the better game.

I politely disagree that Notre Dame played the better game. That might have been true for quarters 2 and 3 but not so for the entire game. Notre Dame did not follow a smart game plan in the 4th quarter and took ill-advised outside shots (AO in particular) and failed to attack the UCONN post player (AZ) who had four fouls. That was not good decision making and certainly not good coaching. A team will not win scoring single digits in the fourth quarter vs. many teams, no less UCONN.

 

[jaundicedeye]

Deciding to come to UCONN rather than stay comfortably with her sisters at Stanford, was the exact same kind of LOU toughness!

Great insight!

 

[CMC'72]

I don't worry about ball-handling at all when Crystal has the ball.

If you could capture and bottle the look(s) on Crystal's face when she is goin' hard, we could sell it and pay for the whole program!

 

[CMC'72]

It is pathetically funny to read "Lou the flopper" comments on Muffet's Bench.

Where did you see that?

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Where did you see that?

? On Muffet's Bench. Not the first time and it is a fan board and so stuff is said. Last night it included: "Queen of flops is samuelson" in reaction to Ogunbowale charge. Lots of intelligent fans there too. One of who remarked anyone can get a charge on Ogunbowale because she's going to never pass and just charge on in.

 

[CMC'72]

? On Muffet's Bench. Not the first time and it is a fan board and so stuff is said. Last night it included: "Queen of flops is samuelson" in reaction to Ogunbowale charge. Lots of intelligent fans there too. One of who remarked anyone can get a charge on Ogunbowale because she's going to never pass and just charge on in.

WOW!

 

[Orangutan]

It is pathetically funny to read "Lou the flopper" comments on Muffet's Bench.

If Mabrey had taken the same charge that Lou did, this board would have been howling at the perceived injustice.

It is what it is. The charges your favorite team draws are great hustle plays. The charges your opponents draw are "flops".

 

[Kaizen]

? On Muffet's Bench. Not the first time and it is a fan board and so stuff is said. Last night it included: "Queen of flops is samuelson" in reaction to Ogunbowale charge. Lots of intelligent fans there too. One of who remarked anyone can get a charge on Ogunbowale because she's going to never pass and just charge on in.

I will say "lots of flopped fan there too" ...

 

[Orangutan]

Lucky the ref didn't give Mabrey a technical foul at the end of 4 Q. I don't like her from what she did to Pheesa.

I really don't know what you saw. I saw Collier trying to rip the ball out of Mabrey's hands and Mabrey not letting her. If anything, Collier was trying to get under Mabrey's skin there (and it worked).

I don't know what the basketball purpose of grabbing the ball away and not waiting for Mabrey to hand it to the official could be.

 

[chrissaran]

As you said she wanted to get under Marina Mabrey's skin. Smart play.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

If Mabrey had taken the same charge that Lou did, this board would have been howling at the perceived injustice.

It is what it is. The charges your favorite team draws are great hustle plays. The charges your opponents draw are "flops".

Of course. It's part of fandom. Wouldn't have it any other way.

 

[wallman]

If Mabrey had taken the same charge that Lou did, this board would have been howling at the perceived injustice.

It is what it is. The charges your favorite team draws are great hustle plays. The charges your opponents draw are "flops".

Nah, I have to disagree, Mabrey wouldn't be taking charges she would reaching and hacking

 

[eebmg]

If Mabrey had taken the same charge that Lou did, this board would have been howling at the perceived injustice.

It is what it is. The charges your favorite team draws are great hustle plays. The charges your opponents draw are "flops".

A flop is if you try to sell the contact and make it look more intesne than it really is. What happened on that play is that Ogunbowale drove hard and Lou did her best to stay in front. Lou anticipated the move so the refs often give the defensive player the benefit. I am not sure it was the right call since Lou was moving but it seems you do not have to be stationary to earn a charge if you anticipate well. In any case, Lou took a lot of real contact so no flopping. Lou is queen of everything else

 

[Kaizen]

I really don't know what you saw. I saw Collier trying to rip the ball out of Mabrey's hands and Mabrey not letting her. If anything, Collier was trying to get under Mabrey's skin there (and it worked).

I don't know what the basketball purpose of grabbing the ball away and not waiting for Mabrey to hand it to the official could be.

Hope you see this photo and look at her finger ...

 

[the Q]

A flop is if you try to sell the contact and make it look more intesne than it really is. What happened on that play is that Ogunbowale drove hard and Lou did her best to stay in front. Lou anticipated the move so the refs often give the defensive player the benefit. I am not sure it was the right call since Lou was moving but it seems you do not have to be stationary to earn a charge if you anticipate well. In any case, Lou took a lot of real contact so no flopping. Lou is queen of everything else

You don't have to be stationary. You just have to be in legal guarding position and "own the real estate" first. Or in a shot attempt before the offensive player starts their shooting motion.

 

[Orangutan]

Hope you see this photo and look at her finger ...

Which one? Her thumb that is pointing back at herself. Or her index finger pointed towards the ceiling?

 

[Kaizen]

Which one? Her thumb that is pointing back at herself. Or her index finger pointed towards the ceiling?

If you are blind that is fine to me. There are only 2 fingers in the photo ...LOL
I do wish both her fingers were pointing to herself, the loser of the game.

 

[Bigpetunia]

Because I take so much pleasure in any victory over Notre Dame, especially when the possibility of a victory is dangled before them, I used to indulge in the perverse pleasure of scanning their message board and observing the very predictable nature of their whining. I stopped doing that long ago because it got boring, but the one hallmark that always populated their post-loss posts focused on how the refs "stole" it from 'em. It's just in the nature of fans who perpetually feel persecuted...maybe too much religious imagery in their midst. I'm sure their football fans feel cheated that they will not be in the NCAA final four! So, for those of you who still visit there...was it all the refs fault...yet again??

 

[eebmg]

Because I take so much pleasure in any victory over Notre Dame, especially when the possibility of a victory is dangled before them, I used to indulge in the perverse pleasure of scanning their message board and observing the very predictable nature of their whining. I stopped doing that long ago because it got boring, but the one hallmark that always populated their post-loss posts focused on how the refs "stole" it from 'em. It's just in the nature of fans who perpetually feel persecuted...maybe too much religious imagery in their midst. I'm sure their football fans feel cheated that they will not be in the NCAA final four! So, for those of you who still visit there...was it all the refs fault...yet again??

Maybe I am nuts but the 4th quarter was almost foul free on both sides and no real complaints on either side. The Mabrey call was not a physical one. The game played out very fast in the 4th and was a great exhibition of skill by UConn.

 

[Orangutan]

If you are blind that is fine to me. There are only 2 fingers in the photo ...LOL
I do wish both her fingers were pointing to herself, the loser of the game.

Are you trying to say she is giving somebody the middle finger? Because that's not what is in the photo.

If not that, I genuinely have no idea what you are saying.

 

[eebmg]

As much fun as it is to think Mabrey gave the finger, there is at this stage no real visual evidence that it was anything other than a ring finger. I am sure if it happened, we will get a nice HD image but until then no go. Also, I think she has much more animus for the ref than the UConn player so if a finger came out, it would have been directed at the ref.

 

[Kaizen]

If you're going to make accusations, make them. Are you trying to say she is giving somebody the middle finger? Because that's not what is in the photo.

If not that, I genuinely have no idea what you are saying.

I am making the accusation now. She was rude, non-polite and pointed her pointer finger to sky. Anything wrong with that?

If you don't know the difference between middle finger and pointer finger you can find in Google.

 

[Kaizen]

As much fun as it is to think Mabrey gave the finger, there is at this stage no real visual evidence that it was anything other than a ring finger. I am sure if it happened, we will get a nice HD image but until then no go. Also, I think she has much more animus for the ref than the UConn player so if a finger came out, it would have been directed at the ref.

Agree, Mabrey is much more animus for the ref than Phessa. But that makes it even worse...

As for the finger photo, it was just a joke at beginning but I will let you people to figure out.