Tulane Game Thread

[HopJim]

Uconn wasn't all having a BAD GAME--Tulane had a great game plan---offer up the 3 ball to Uconn until they prove they can make them---few tried. Then swarm the basket and take away Gabby an pheesa's put backs--they did. Gabby got 14 Rebounds--eventually. At home the Big green T was on fire and so was it's crowd--without winning the game--they won bragging rights with a 3 point loss --and taking the game to the wire.
Evenually KLS started hitting--great for us--she scored.

I know some ass will complain about Danger--not me--this kid in perhaps her 5 th or 6th game sitting out two injuries--and roving the Geno dog house--had no reason to be able to make very very pressure free throws---Geno should have protected her by having HER throw the ball in--Tulane doubled everyone except danger and the inbounder--and then fouled the weakest link--danger---Game plan.. The Game Danger played a s point was commendable--she hit a 3
and delivered passes in a helter skelter defense by Big T.

I'll take your bait. Danger had an ok game. Her biggest issue was passing into the paint-don't remember any. Lou had MANY open looks under the basket and rarely got ball. Appears Danger is too small to pass over or around bigger defenders.

 

[j66kicker]

One player being out can make a huge difference in the cohesiveness of a team. Nurse being out was a big factor but the right decision was made to hold her out. Mulkey commented that she was not going to risk the long-term health of Mompremier or the success of the team later in the season just to win games now.

So I would say what I told the folks on the Baylor board after the Texas loss, stay calm. It brings even more amusement to statements such as "we only won by 17 points" or "we struggled" when the margin of victory ilwas 30+ points.

Despite this game against Two Lane and Baylor's loss to Texas, I still expect to see both in the NCAA final.

Mompremier looked good off the bench today

 

[HopJim]

She bailed them out with a tough drive to the basket

Lou was open MANY times cutting under basket and never got ball, particularly when ball in Danger's hands. Lou had about a 6 inch height advantage and on about 50% of the plays was open with defender boxed out. Not her finest game but suspect if Kia was there it would have been a 30 point game for KLS.

 

[Gus Mahler]

Tulane Coach was pulling out all the tried and true--go after the weakest links--klS, Danger (Kls suffer illness slump) (Danger 's 5th or so game, while riding bench, dog house, concussion, foot problems)
This was no game for molly that's why i was surprised to see Kyla--although kyla at least throws up a shot or two--Molly rarely (this is why she sits) Second part of the tried and true ---swarm the boards and foul foul foul foul. it works, almost..
Saniya is the invisible person when credit is handed out--except for nice people likeYOU. Gabby got 14 boards 4 assists (I think)

Why thank you, Broadway.

I think you're right on the weakest link thing. Someone above offered that Stockton might have outcoached Geno at times. It looked like she did a good job in the second half on offense of staying away from Gabby and Pheesa and putting pressure on the guards, especially Crystal. When I watch the replay I'm going to watch for that. Vorpahl and Morgan had a lot of success in that second half.

 

[Plebe]

Um... Didn't we WIN that game?

Yes but not the half.

 

[easttexastrash]

Mompremier looked good off the bench today

She did. She played only 12 minutes but had 6 pointa and 6 rebounds and played some pretty good defense for having been out 6 or 7 games.

Chou is really the surprise at the moment. She is playing with a lot of poise and is shooting very well, as well as rebounding well.

 

[BroadwayVa]

I'll take your bait. Danger had an ok game. Her biggest issue was passing into the paint-don't remember any. Lou had MANY open looks under the basket and rarely got ball. Appears Danger is too small to pass over or around bigger defenders.

You are correct she doesn't see over the defense well--that is why she penetrates so often, not so much tonight. No bait--she did great for the amt of PT she has had as a Div 1 player---
i faulted the defense for swarming her under the basket--as the did Gabby an at time Napeesa for her not getting the ball--i was a bit unhappy she didn't play down low along side of Butler (who needed help) and allow Napheesa and Gabby roam center an high--KLS is big enough to rebound and score low.
No bait---

 

[j66kicker]

She did. She played only 12 minutes but had 6 pointa and 6 rebounds and played some pretty good defense for having been out 6 or 7 games.

Chou is really the surprise at the moment. She is playing with a lot of poise and is shooting very well, as well as rebounding well.

Chou shouldn't be a surprise - she's going to be a superstar

 

[HoopsFan21]

Baylor is the one team that scares me the most in the NCAAs because they have great players and a great coach. No doubt in my mind they have improved since that early November meeting in Storrs. I agree with what Geno said tonight: we're not as good as everyone thinks we are.

 

[Mdoggie]

I believe you have the most negative things tosay each game

Baylor is the one team that scares me the most in the NCAAs because they have great players and a great coach. No doubt in my mind they have improved since that early November meeting in Storrs. I agree with what Geno said tonight: we're not as good as everyone thinks we are.

And neither is the rest of WCBB.

 

[BroadwayVa]

Why thank you, Broadway.

I think you're right on the weakest link thing. Someone above offered that Stockton might have outcoached Geno at times. It looked like she did a good job in the second half on offense of staying away from Gabby and Pheesa and putting pressure on the guards, especially Crystal. When I watch the replay I'm going to watch for that. Vorpahl and Morgan had a lot of success in that second half.

I don't drink Geno's grape juice--or kool aid--but he wasn't out coached --the Tulane game plan was excellent, and after seeing it-- predictable--however had Uconn been able to nail 3's as per usual (missed Kia's 3's) the game plan would have failed.
Predictable with swarming the littles under the boards and not caring about foul calls, long bench.
Geno, with past performance from this team, except KLS's slump and Kia's injury, Geno had little reason to expect a bit of a melt down. once it got going it was hard to stop--A tribute to his coaching and players was--theWin..However--the inability of Geno to bring along the 1,2,3 4 off the bench better --did hurt this game and maybe future games. The bench needed lots of integration with the starting 5 with various combinations --cuz as we see =it does happen..

 

[BroadwayVa]

Baylor is the one team that scares me the most in the NCAAs because they have great players and a great coach. No doubt in my mind they have improved since that early November meeting in Storrs. I agree with what Geno said tonight: we're not as good as everyone thinks we are.

Not everyone!! Not every coach. Sometimes to their regret.

 

[BroadwayVa]

Baylor is the one team that scares me the most in the NCAAs because they have great players and a great coach. No doubt in my mind they have improved since that early November meeting in Storrs. I agree with what Geno said tonight: we're not as good as everyone thinks we are.

Not everyone!! Not every coach. Sometimes to their regret.

 

[Hongster]

This game was a little out of sync due to a few factors.
No Kia at the helm.
Pheesa got into foul trouble early.
And that's all folks!

 

[housekeys]

Baylor is the one team that scares me the most in the NCAAs because they have great players and a great coach. No doubt in my mind they have improved since that early November meeting in Storrs. I agree with what Geno said tonight: we're not as good as everyone thinks we are.

Baylor and Texas are the two teams that UConn should worry about because the FF is in Texas. We were fortunate to play both on our home court in the regular season. I am sure the committee will make sure that UConn plays one or the other, and by luck, both at the FF, assuming that UConn makes it that far.

 

[nyfanofwbb]

Watching now.. Lots of ticky tack bs foul calling and clearly lots of missed foul calls .. seems like Uconn didn't use their clock wisely.. I have to imagine that with the whistle blowing every 2 seconds it could take you out of your rhythm.

 

[Gus Mahler]

Saniya hurt her A/TO average tonight with 2 and 2. But two turnovers in 39 minutes is not bad. The ball was in her hands a lot.

Her 2 for 7 from three hurt her average there, too. But she'll balance it out.

 

[UC10NN]

UCONN lucky to leave NOLA with a win. The way things were going tonight, do they win had the Tulane starter not gotten injured in the 1st qrt? One possession could have made the difference in this game. Hoping the team really really really uses this as a much needed wake up call to finish the season with positive mojo.

 

[Monte]

No Molly tonight. I thought Geno might situation-substitute for defense late in the game. Of course, if she hasn't played at all in the game to that point, and being a freshman, that would be risky.

Seemed like Saniya played the whole game.

She had to; best ball handler.

 

[Gus Mahler]

She had to; best ball handler.

Turns out it was 39 minutes.

 

[hoophuskee]

UCONN lucky to leave NOLA with a win. The way things were going tonight, do they win had the Tulane starter not gotten injured in the 1st qrt? One possession could have made the difference in this game. Hoping the team really really really uses this as a much needed wake up call to finish the season with positive mojo.

Stop it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What happens then if we had Nurse.

Please stop this.

Please go back to 2000 - does UCONN beat Tenn in title game because Tenn lost their pg.
Or in 2001 UCONN lost two a/a's and ND beat us.
Or a few years ago ND lost their center. Or all the games ND lost to us lately other than this year because in several Turner didn't play.
Or UCONN beating Fla State, and Baylor and Texas without their other good players etc. stars.

 

[hoophuskee]

Even if UConn is able to win this game tonight they are putting a lot of their flaws on tape for the better teams in the country to see.

yes you are right-- a chink.
Get Nurse not to play.

There you go. No Nurse-- no title. There's your tape and your flaws.

 

[easttexastrash]

yes you are right-- a chink.
Get Nurse not to play.

There you go. No Nurse-- no title. There's your tape and your flaws.

I think that speaks to lack of depth more than anything. I can see UCONN struggling to beat a top 4 team without Nurse but one does not expect UCONN to struggle to beat the #80 team because of the absence of just one starter.

These UCONN players are definitely big-game players. I think this game was nothing more than a let-down after the historic 100th straight win, missing Nurse and just not shooting well based on the box score. I will have to go back and watch the game but other than a player being hurt, as you point out, I don't see that UCONN has anything to worry about. Nurse will come back and WCBB order will be restored.

 

[nyfanofwbb]

IMO you can't play tentative. And that's what happened. The refs were whistle happy. It looked like they didn't use their shot clock well either and could have slowed the tempo a bit to make better shots. They chuck up too many 3's early in the possession.. Tulane didn't back down defensively, they had a lot of missed shots also.. Time to reload and stay focused on the prize!

 

[Ron and Vida]

I always think the same thing! She is a good 2 ft behind the line and seems to love that shot.

Don't remember seeing that drive to the basket and bank it in off the basket for a while