Tuesday's Womens Championship

[DarthGrumpy]

It should be an off year for UConn. But that could mean a Final Four for them.
I want their 10 straight FF.

I agree that it will be a 'tough' year for the women next year. They should still easily win the conference (AAC) and make the dance, which is considered a very successful season for most schools; but, not UConn. Having won half of the NCAA titles since 1995, our expectations are a tad bit higher. If UConn does not win it next year, as long as the team that does is not Syracuse (see above), Tennessee, Stanford (don't like their coach), and Duke (because its Duke), I'll be OK with that.

 

[Gurleyman]

Walk-ons always have a green light.

Yeah. Normally you don't shoot in that spot in a regular game. But a senior walk on in a national championship game? Hell, go for it. I'd feel the exact same about the other team. At least I think I would - we would have to actually lose a national championship game for me to know for certain what my mindset is in that situation.

 

[DarthGrumpy]

A former walk-on senior that they were just trying to get a final hoop for, but big shocker that the Cuse faithful took it as a shot across the bow. Knew they would and they didn't disappoint.

Syracuse ran into one of the best women's teams in NCAA history. What did they expect? This just shows that they are as clueless they are egotistical, after all, what school declares itself as the 'basketball center of the universe' before eitherof their teams play a final 4 game.

Some low lights from the 'Cuse board:

"Apparently you can't breath in the vicinity of a UConn player" - They play in the ACC with Duke and this is a surprise to them?

"I would just like to keep this "within an Oklahoma" - that was actually funny.

"...and here i thought the men's refs were bad. 16 ft's to 4. we had 4 fouls called on us in the first three minutes and the rout was on" - If this guy has followed Syracuse women during the Dance or the last time Syracuse played UConn, he would realize that part of Coach Q's strategy has always been to hack a star, in this case Stewie. They committed 19 against UConn, and averaged 16 throughout the dance in a sport where it very dangerous to foul because the FT shooting percentage of most of the women's teams.

"I see the women's team shoots fts as well as the men do. Also is there a play where Stewart isn't complaining?" - Really, have their fans watched Coach Boehiem at all in the last 30 or so years or in the last year complaining how he broke some rules; but, did not cheat, so they shouldn't be punished.

"On the bright side, at least we don't live in Storrs" - Uh, your school is in Syracuse, buddy. Enough said.

"That was classless. It's great to get the senior walk on in the game but in that situation you give her the ball and let her run out the clock. Geno acting like he had never been there before" - Clueless fan, that's called giving credit to a walk-on player who busted her but for 4 years and by scoring instead of just dribbling around, she can show her grand kids that she once got a basket in the national championship game playing with the best team in history.

"Back stabbing? Some of you are amazing. SU sucked then. Did you see the hugs her and Q were giving each other? Or the hugs between her and Sykes who have been friends since their AAU days. Seems like the hate is within some fans and not so much the actual competitors and coaches" - This guy gets it. Stewie picked UConn over Syracuse and the locals have been riding her about it ever since.

​

 

[businesslawyer]

the cuse board was killing her for that. "CLASSLESS! YOU DON'T SHOOT THE BALL THERE!" because a 29 point loss in the NC game is acceptable, but 31 is taking it too far.

then again, they also largely blamed the refs for losing last night.

they blamed the refs.

for a 31 point loss.

Let's be fair about the last shot. Syracuse clearly backed off on D, and send the message that UConn could just hold the ball uncontested and end the game. The UConn PG looked to the bench for instructions, and clearly got a signal from Geno to run the play Geno had told them to run to get the walk on a shot.

Does it bother me? No. Am I happy that we beat them by over 30 instead of under 30. Yup. But let's not pretend it just happened either. And knowing Geno, let's also not pretend that it was all about getting the walk on a shot (because he could have put her in with two or three minutes left if that was really so important) as opposed to sending a message to Syracuse (whether it was not giving Steward a homecoming, or realignment stuff, or older grudges, who knows).

 

[mauconnfan]

How can they make a tee shirt out of being the only team in college history to have a 16-0 run in the first 10 minutes of the 2nd half and still lose by 31?

I am sure there's a positive Cuse spin for a tee right?

 

[MattMang23]

This is an actual post on the Cuse board. It has received ten likes (!!!!!) from those arrogant Canadians who, because Central New York is apparently not connected to the rest of the world by internet, television or any other modern amenity capable of transmitting information to their sheltered community, actually think they are something special in basketball.

It just seems unseemly to listen to Doris Burke vomit up effusive praise about all these accomplishments of UConn and their players when it certainly appears like the equivalent of losing your mind over the 85 Bears going undefeated against the Rotary Club flag football team. When your sport's championship game has a 26 point line, it's more of an exhibition than a competition. I personally think what the SU players did is far more impressive than Yukon in relative terms. The SU women and coaches took a program from nothing to the championship game, while the Yukon women basically were a 15 year old who punched their 4 year old brother in the face 75 times and claimed the title of greatest fighter on planet earth with a record of 75-0.

What you have to totally ignore to get to that conclusion is that UConn had to actually lay a foundation for success. It didn't just come. Geno didn't just wake up one day and have 12 McDAAs on his roster. He had to put the work in before becoming the 85 Bears. Oh and BTW, it's not UConn's fault their opponents all look like the "Rotary Club flag football team." That's your fault, Cuse.

 

[Jimbo]

This is an actual post on the Cuse board. It has received ten likes. (!!!!!)

It just seems unseemly to listen to Doris Burke vomit up effusive praise about all these accomplishments of UConn and their players when it certainly appears like the equivalent of losing your mind over the 85 Bears going undefeated against the Rotary Club flag football team. When your sport's championship game has a 26 point line, it's more of an exhibition than a competition. I personally think what the SU players did is far more impressive than Yukon in relative terms. The SU women and coaches took a program from nothing to the championship game, while the Yukon women basically were a 15 year old who punched their 4 year old brother in the face 75 times and claimed the title of greatest fighter on planet earth with a record of 75-0.

Right…because "in relative terms" (?), it is far more impressive to take a Syracuse program "from nothing to the championship game" than to take a UConn program from nothing to 11 championships, 6 undefeated seasons, and the 3 longest winning streaks in the history of the sport. Makes perfect sense! Why didn't I think of that?

 

[CL82]

This is an actual post on the Cuse board. It has received ten likes (!!!!!) from those arrogant Canadians who, because Central New York is apparently not connected to the rest of the world by internet, television or any other modern amenity capable of transmitting information to their sheltered community, actually think they are something special in basketball.

It just seems unseemly to listen to Doris Burke vomit up effusive praise about all these accomplishments of UConn and their players when it certainly appears like the equivalent of losing your mind over the 85 Bears going undefeated against the Rotary Club flag football team. When your sport's championship game has a 26 point line, it's more of an exhibition than a competition. I personally think what the SU players did is far more impressive than Yukon in relative terms. The SU women and coaches took a program from nothing to the championship game, while the Yukon women basically were a 15 year old who punched their 4 year old brother in the face 75 times and claimed the title of greatest fighter on planet earth with a record of 75-0.

What you have to totally ignore to get to that conclusion is that UConn had to actually lay a foundation for success. It didn't just come. Geno didn't just wake up one day and have 12 McDAAs on his roster. He had to put the work in before becoming the 85 Bears. Oh and BTW, it's not UConn's fault their opponents all look like the "Rotary Club flag football team." That's your fault, Cuse.

What I love about that is that he out and out compares his teams ineptitude to a 4 year old playing against a teen.

 

[MattMang23]

Right…because "in relative terms" (?), it is far more impressive to take a Syracuse program "from nothing to the championship game" than to take a UConn program from nothing to 11 championships, 6 undefeated seasons, and the 3 longest winning streaks in the history of the sport. Makes perfect sense! Why didn't I think of that?

When you're Syracuse you take joy in the small victories and little things in life, I guess. Now go, little Cuse fans, and put in an advanced order to buy a "Basketball Capital of the World" shirt for making your first ever women's final and your first men's FF in 13 years (and getting crapped on in both) before they're released to an eager public.

 

[MattMang23]

What I love about that is that he out and out compares his teams ineptitude to a 4 year old playing against a teen.

Lol, yes. But I thought they are so academically superior up there. Shouldn't he have realised he was denigrating his own team as he was trying to detract from ours?

 

[Jimbo]

What I love about that is that he out and out compares his teams ineptitude to a 4 year old playing against a teen.

Or the flag football team at the Rotary Club playing against the '85 Bears. Take your pick.

 

[storrsroars]

I feel bad that the Cuse women's team doesn't have a Helms banner to make them feel better about themselves.

 

[intlzncster]

Even if Morgan returns, the lack of reliable ball-handlers will be worrisome but Geno's greatest strenghth, IMO, is his ability to cover up weaknesses. The women's board could be...interesting next year. Sigh.

They've gotten too used to the good times. A down year, with only say...32 wins, is going to be really tough on them. And you as a result!

 

[intlzncster]

I agree that it will be a 'tough' year for the women next year. They should still easily win the conference (AAC) and make the dance, which is considered a very successful season for most schools; but, not UConn. Having won half of the NCAA titles since 1995, our expectations are a tad bit higher. If UConn does not win it next year, as long as the team that does is not Syracuse (see above), Tennessee, Stanford (don't like their coach), and Duke (because its Duke), I'll be OK with that.

In Women's hoop...it must not be Notre Dame or Tennessee. Numbers 1 and 1a on the list.

 

[businesslawyer]

This is an actual post on the Cuse board. It has received ten likes (!!!!!) from those arrogant Canadians who, because Central New York is apparently not connected to the rest of the world by internet, television or any other modern amenity capable of transmitting information to their sheltered community, actually think they are something special in basketball.

It just seems unseemly to listen to Doris Burke vomit up effusive praise about all these accomplishments of UConn and their players when it certainly appears like the equivalent of losing your mind over the 85 Bears going undefeated against the Rotary Club flag football team. When your sport's championship game has a 26 point line, it's more of an exhibition than a competition. I personally think what the SU players did is far more impressive than Yukon in relative terms. The SU women and coaches took a program from nothing to the championship game, while the Yukon women basically were a 15 year old who punched their 4 year old brother in the face 75 times and claimed the title of greatest fighter on planet earth with a record of 75-0.

What you have to totally ignore to get to that conclusion is that UConn had to actually lay a foundation for success. It didn't just come. Geno didn't just wake up one day and have 12 McDAAs on his roster. He had to put the work in before becoming the 85 Bears. Oh and BTW, it's not UConn's fault their opponents all look like the "Rotary Club flag football team." That's your fault, Cuse.

What the heck did the Canadians ever do to you that they deserve to be lumped in with Syracuse fans?

 

[CL82]

I feel bad that the Cuse women's team doesn't have a Helms banner to make them feel better about themselves.

Well, they are imaginary, so they could give themselves one if they wanted.

 

[August_West]

When you're Syracuse you take joy in the small victories and little things in life, I guess. Now go, little Cuse fans, and put in an advanced order to buy a "Basketball Capital of the World" shirt for making your first ever women's final and your first men's FF in 13 years (and getting crapped on in both) before they're released to an eager public.

Syracuse men were in the FF in 2013.

 

[Gurleyman]

Syracuse men were in the FF in 2013.

Thank you Michigan. That might have been the best zone Cuse ever had, with MCW as a 6-6 long-armed point guard at the top of it. I thought they were going to win it.

 

[Marat]

Speaking of zone - playing zone seems to be both a mens and womens thing at Syracuse. It was fun watching UConn pick their zone defense apart.

 

[DarthGrumpy]

A fairly god read in the local paper in North Jersey (but of course UConn has no influence in the greater NYC area) on the dominance of UConn women's basketball with Stewie & co. Basically, don't criticize then, enjoy it as this caliber of a team on the court, as teammates, and off the court is rarely seen.

Sullivan: Don't take this for granted because UConn won’t be champs forever - News - NorthJersey.com

 

[MattMang23]

What the heck did the Canadians ever do to you that they deserve to be lumped in with Syracuse fans?

Good point. I apologize to Canadians.

 

[intlzncster]

Speaking of zone - playing zone seems to be both a mens and womens thing at Syracuse. It was fun watching UConn pick their zone defense apart.

Playing zone against the women the last 4 years has been an exercise in foolishness.

 

[mauconnfan]

What I loved about the game was Geno's attitude and pesonality came flying out from the beginning. I mean you heard how the Cuse girls were creating 24 TO's a game or whatever and havoc everywhere. Well what does Geno do? He presses their a**es and makes them play out of their minds or as Robin Wright and Kevin Spacey would say "We are the terror" LOL It was a thing of beauty.

 

[MattMang23]

Syracuse men were in the FF in 2013.

Totally forgot. When you don't win anything people tend to forget about you.

 

[intlzncster]

Going to be really, really tough to win. No depth and no size. And a lot of other teams have more key players returning.

Expecting to lose Morgan Tuck (who had a medical redshirt and could come back, but probably will turn pro since she's had knee troubles and a limited window). So they lose three transcendent players, and add only one promising freshman, a PG from Tennessee named Crystal Dangerfield (along with two low rated recruits who probably won't play). So they really only have seven players, including Saniya Chong and 6-5 Natalie Butler who were seldom-used juniors this year. Their core 5 will be really good: Dangerfield-Nurse-Samuelson-Williams-Collier, and Chong and Butler will be all the depth they really have.

Tuck coming back would solve a lot of problems, but even with her it will be tough.

I'm as excited for next year as I've been in a long time. There will be tension in the women's game again. We'll get to watch the ascension of KLS and Collier, the excitement of Dangerfield (kind of the women's Alterique). Geno's coaching will be on display.

Don't get me wrong, I LOVE banking championships, and would do it every year if I had the choice, but it was pretty hard to get up for the games this year. Especially in the FF, when we usually are treated to some excitement.