UCF Postgame Thread

[oldude]

Some thoughts on the UCF game:

• Senior Day is always bittersweet. It was great to see all 5 seniors start. What was even better was to see that group of seniors come out and battle a tough UCF team, holding them scoreless before the cavalry arrived. I got a little emotional when Touly took that charging foul and then shouted in exhilaration.
• The cavalry was a little sluggish on offense, which I sort of expected. But UConn’s defense continued to be stifling, holding an opponent to single digits for the 4th straight qtr with only 4 pts.
• Against an active zone defense like UCF’s, the Huskies really need Liv on the floor. She makes attacking the zone much easier with her presence in the paint. While she didn’t score much in the 3rd qtr, the court opened up for UConn to knock down a bunch of 3’s.
• Megan really stepped up today with a solid all-around effort, and Anna really picked it up in the 2nd half with a number of big baskets.
• I’m all for the refs letting the teams “play,” but these games against UCF are just flat-out ugly. The Knights bang you with their bodies, slap you with their hands and throw an occasional elbow to your face, as Liv discovered, with a possible broken nose. UCF is increasingly pushing the envelope from playing physical to dangerous play. The AAC refs need to take control of these games. An ejection or two might send an appropriate message to UCF’s players as well as Coach Abe.

 

[hoopsfan22]

Player of the Game: Megan Walker!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[HuskyNan]

Player of the Game: Megan Walker!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

+1. She was exhausted by the end of the game, too, because she was a focus of UCF’s defense. She’ll spend some time in the whirlpool tonight

 

[Alydar]

Some thoughts on the UCF game:

• Senior Day is always bittersweet. It was great to see all 5 seniors start. What was even better was to see that group of seniors come out and battle a tough UCF team, holding them scoreless before the cavalry arrived. I got a little emotional when Touly took that charging foul and then shouted in exhilaration.
• The cavalry was a little sluggish on offense, which I sort of expected. But UConn’s defense continued to be stifling, holding an opponent to single digits for the 4th straight qtr with only 4 pts.
• Against an active zone defense like UCF’s, the Huskies really need Liv on the floor. She makes attacking the zone much easier with her presence in the paint. While she didn’t score much in the 3rd qtr, the court opened up for UConn to knock down a bunch of 3’s.
• Megan really stepped up today with a solid all-around effort, and Anna really picked it up in the 2nd half with a number of big baskets.
• I’m all for the refs letting the teams “play,” but these games against UCF are just flat-out ugly. The Knights bang you with their bodies, slap you with their hands and throw an occasional elbow to your face, as Liv discovered, with a possible broken nose. UCF is increasingly pushing the envelope from playing physical to dangerous play. The AAC refs need to take control of these games. An ejection or two might send an appropriate message to UCF’s players as well as Coach Abe.

The refs know better but their reply would be that if they called all the physical stuff UCF would run out of players. IMO that's a bogus excuse. Maybe if 4 UCF players fouled out their coach would be forced to change things. These refs are hired by the conference and I think that they know they won't be doing Big East games and UCF will have some say in whether or not they work next year in the AAC.

Maybe the AAC should add womens football so these frustrated linebackers can play a sport better suited to their skills?

 

[hoopsfan22]

UConn now has a 133-0 record in the American conference.

 

[Urshurak]

Offense continues to struggle. I guess it is what it is. Defense wasn’t that great in 4th quarter either. Refs sucked. Plain and simple. Something needs to be done. Nothing ever happens though.

 

[Centerstream]

And just think, Liv (and our other players too) might have to survive another UCF mugfest in the AAC Tournament.

 

[oldude]

And just think, Liv (and our other players too) might have to survive another UCF mugfest in the AAC Tournament.

 

[Blue Huskie]

Hope Liv is OK. Could have been much worse because of how physical it was.

 

[cohenzone]

Kinda like playing Rutgers in the BE. Maybe it has to do with being nicknamed Knights.

 

[Carnac]

 

[victor64]

Geno is not going to lose any sleep over the fact he may only have to face UCF one more time. The Knights defend knowing that everything is not going to be called.

 

[jabstep]

Some thoughts on the UCF game:

• Senior Day is always bittersweet. It was great to see all 5 seniors start. What was even better was to see that group of seniors come out and battle a tough UCF team, holding them scoreless before the cavalry arrived. I got a little emotional when Touly took that charging foul and then shouted in exhilaration.
• The cavalry was a little sluggish on offense, which I sort of expected. But UConn’s defense continued to be stifling, holding an opponent to single digits for the 4th straight qtr with only 4 pts.
• Against an active zone defense like UCF’s, the Huskies really need Liv on the floor. She makes attacking the zone much easier with her presence in the paint. While she didn’t score much in the 3rd qtr, the court opened up for UConn to knock down a bunch of 3’s.
• Megan really stepped up today with a solid all-around effort, and Anna really picked it up in the 2nd half with a number of big baskets.
• I’m all for the refs letting the teams “play,” but these games against UCF are just flat-out ugly. The Knights bang you with their bodies, slap you with their hands and throw an occasional elbow to your face, as Liv discovered, with a possible broken nose. UCF is increasingly pushing the envelope from playing physical to dangerous play. The AAC refs need to take control of these games. An ejection or two might send an appropriate message to UCF’s players as well as Coach Abe.

Liv is really starting to bang back against physical play and scoring by going up strong and finishing. Anna scored with pullup and a drive to the hoop. She had two more easy pull-ups but looked to pass out to the 3 point shot. It's very unselfish play but she needs to have confidence and shoot the shots in the lane. She has passed up way too many in past games as well. Defense will get us to the final 4 and hopefully we can hit some shots when we get there.

 

[Alydar]

Kinda like playing Rutgers in the BE. Maybe it has to do with being nicknamed Knights.

They are Rutgers without their finesse.

 

[Plebe]

They are Rutgers without their finesse.

Finesse isn't a word I've often heard associated with Rutgers.

 

[Alydar]

Finesse isn't a word I've often heard associated with Rutgers.

Exactly. Unless you are comparing them to UCF.

 

[Carnac]

Liv is really starting to bang back against physical play and scoring by going up strong and finishing. Anna scored with pull up and a drive to the hoop. She had two more easy pull-ups but looked to pass out to the 3 point shot. It's very unselfish play but she needs to have confidence and shoot the shots in the lane. She has passed up way too many in past games as well. Defense will get us to the final 4 and hopefully we can hit some shots when we get there.

I anticipate Olivia will make the same "junior" leap that Megan did. I think you're going to like what you see.
I'd like to see a little more finesse and consistency from her (under the basket) as we saw from USF's Kaba (14/12) today.

 

[oldude]

Kinda like playing Rutgers in the BE. Maybe it has to do with being nicknamed Knights.

I was thinking of the Rutgers games way back when, but in all honesty, I don't remember Rutgers taking so many swings at players heads with their hands and elbows. This really started a few years ago and continued through last year when every time Lou was even thinking about shooting the ball, a UCF player hit her in the face.

There is no justifiable excuse for a player to catch the ball in the low blocks and then violently swing their elbows upward towards a defenders head. There is no justifiable excuse for a defender who's beaten on a fast break to rake down with both hands across a player's face. What exactly is Coach Abe teaching these kids in practice?

 

[GRIFFBIFF20]

Great game by Megan Walker. Steady game by Crystal and Anna. Our lack of big bodies showed again today. Liv took a beating inside today, and when she went out, it showed (Aubrey cannot be expected to go up against someone the size of Messeny Kaba. AG is a wing player going up against a true big center. Kyla had done positive moments but is not as quick a foot to be able to handle Kaba). CW continues to be in her offensive funk. She has to get her confidence back for us to go far in the Tournament.

 

[hoopsfan22]

Great post-game interviews by Molly and Kyla.

 

[Dokey]

Liv is really starting to bang back against physical play and scoring by going up strong and finishing. Anna scored with pullup and a drive to the hoop. She had two more easy pull-ups but looked to pass out to the 3 point shot. It's very unselfish play but she needs to have confidence and shoot the shots in the lane. She has passed up way too many in past games as well. Defense will get us to the final 4 and hopefully we can hit some shots when we get there.

Someone said Anna didn’t have a pull-up and I recalled her hitting pull-ups when she tried. She could shoot more but she is pass oriented, either because that is her freshman mindset or coach ordered. Have you noticed she is more likely to shoot when her teammates are out or struggling? Plus she was once again open several times and ignored, a couple of times by ten feet. I do think she could work herself free a bit more.

Is Aubrey holding the ball too low under the basket allowing her lay-ups to be blocked? I do wonder why with her speed there aren’t more designed plays with her cutting to basket.

Meg had mvp game and Liv played extremely well before nose job.

 

[hoophuskee]

Today AM stepped up and AG did little. Next game it can swing the other way. Kind of funny how they compliment each other in a strange way. If there is a style that bothers AM it seems AG can step up and vice-versa (if not competing against an elite team.).

But I see yet again AG and Liv offensively are not a compliment to one-another though today I thought there was better passing when they played together.

Anyhow, some games AG's athleticism will impact the game, other times AM's skill will impact the game.

 

[hoopsfan22]

Geno post-game: ONO's injury doesn't appear to be serious and not broken.

 

[veryolddog]

Hey,....it's a win. Nothing fancy or splashy about this but a win. At times, there was some good ball movement that ended up with a 3 being made and a couple of nice passes for driving 2's. Gets them the AAC championship, I guess. Finish the season, win the AAC Tournament and at least their record will be unbroken for their tenure.

 

[UConn2SF]

I am really concerned about Christyn, wasnt up until now. Her confidence seems to be at an all time low. Shes just too talented to be struggling this much.

 

[huskeynut]

An ugly game. But then UCF plays ugly.

Officiating was poor, and I'm being nice, for D1 college basketball. I will continue to say that the NCAA needs to make a strong statement on head shots. Head shots should be a flagrant foul. Saw plenty of games at USF were the officiating was terrible. AAC needs to get its act together.

Glad we may only have one more game against UCF.

Olivia is improving and it showed in the first half.

Still concerned about the sluggish 1st quarters. The offense is what it is.

A W is a W. On to our next victim.

 

[wbball novice]

I was concerned about this game. UCF has always been trouble, pressures not to lose a conference game increases as the season closes, and senior day (though most of the seniors this time were bench players & CD is unflappable almost always). And one forgets sometimes "barring injury."

Megan/Livia doing a Sabrina/Ruthie, with Anna doing an Erin Boley. In a minor key, anyway. Crystal offense picking up a little from the last couple games. Seems to shoot better from further out, maybe because less chance of defender obscuring her field of vision. Hate to see her getting banged around along with Liv by rough play, though Liv really got the brunt of it this afternoon; hope her profile hasn't been marred. Treasure every game CD plays in. Christyn seemed to be out of the game this afternoon sometimes. Anna' s one handed passes led to turnovers; not enough oomph behind them, I guess. But her shooting contributions were major. All senior starters did a pretty good job, setting the tone for defense for the regulars. Nice to see Aubrey make a couple FTs, but she didn't seem to have too much of an effect on the game today. Both AG & Kyla weren't adequate subs for Liv, in part because Liv has improved so much this season.

UConn survived, and Cinci will probably be a bit more of the same. Fingers crossed for CW & Liv's nose. Congratulations to the whole team for winning the AAC Conference.

 

[Dokey]

Today AM stepped up and AG did little. Next game it can swing the other way. Kind of funny how they compliment each other in a strange way. If there is a style that bothers AM it seems AG can step up and vice-versa (if not competing against an elite team.).

But I see yet again AG and Liv offensively are not a compliment to one-another though today I thought there was better passing when they played together.

Anyhow, some games AG's athleticism will impact the game, other times AM's skill will impact the game.

Roomies stepping up for each other. I have noticed that as well. The difference is AM is a scorer and if CW continues her funk, Geno has to firmly tell Anna your job now is to score. He knows she can, we know she can, and maybe now she thinks so as well. Not just threes but drives to basket and pull-ups. She has demonstrated she can make any shot. And is a good FT shooter who needs to drive basket to collect more FT attempts. This girl could average 20 easily.

 

[HopJim]

Roomies stepping up for each other. I have noticed that as well. The difference is AM is a scorer and if CW continues her funk, Geno has to firmly tell Anna your job now is to score. He knows she can, we know she can, and maybe now she thinks so as well. Not just threes but drives to basket and pull-ups. She has demonstrated she can make any shot. And is a good FT shooter who needs to drive basket to collect more FT attempts. This girl could average 20 easily.

OK, I have to tell everyone's Geno's Anna secret. When the NCAA's come, he will start letting her shoot off the drive. Forecast 30+ points a game. Just kidding....maybe.

 

[Alydar]

I am really concerned about Christyn, wasnt up until now. Her confidence seems to be at an all time low. Shes just too talented to be struggling this much.

Last year all she was the third scoring option and this year she started the season being the 2nd. She also started getting much tougher defensive assignments. Sometimes the transition from regular season to post season can be a sort of reset for a player. I still think Williams as a future AA.