UCF Postgame Thread

[jaydee602]

Lots of coaches sub defense for offense in certain situations, no? Maybe by that point he was comfortable with how things were going. That said, I know Muhl would not have stood feet away from three-point shooters when UCF desperately needed points late.

No, but she might have fouled a three point shooter. And these refs were calling fouls on anything close.

 

[Littlemin]

I am just trying to think why a hall of fame coach made his decisions, but yeah, maybe he is an idiot. But, I will put my money on Geno over the BY.

Some of us have said all along that when the going got tough players 8 and 9 on the depth chart would not be out there but over and over it was discounted. Well we did see didn't we.

That still doesn’t mean it isn’t the wrong strategy. If you think 1 through 7 got tough when the going got tough you watched a different game than me.

 

[NU2BY]

I’ve never seen so many missed layups in one game . Dorka and Caroline missed all of their layups! Quick teams like ucf are not a good match up for UConn.

In defense of Caroline she did miss one layup, but the other was an over-the-shoulder, back to the basket shot. That's hardly a layup! We've seen her make these numerous times this season and we expect her to be perfect. She isn't and never will be, nor is anyone else on the team.

 

[TeamFirst!]

Everyone speculating on why Geno didn’t sub more (Nika, Caroline, etc) he always sends a message. And I would bet that Dorka will be practicing layups over and over until the next game.

Dorka's biggest weakness is finishing in traffic. She NEEDS TO LIFT WEIGHTS.

 

[Sluconn Husky]

No, but she might have fouled a three point shooter. And these refs were calling fouls on anything close.

Ok, even if we assert some high-odds scenario of Muhl fouling three-point shooters, they still have to make the foul shots, three of them, to equal what they got from the uncontested threes they actually took.

And UConn's foul shooting defense was top-notch tonight.

 

[Littlemin]

Or just maybe he chose to play his best players. Caroline missed two easy bunnies. It wasn't her night. He needed scoring and that's not Nika's game. He's going to continue to need scoring. We can't beat a top 10 team with 4 players on the offensive side.

And he didn’t get scoring from his scorers, so I guess scoring wasn’t their game tonight. And to suggest Muhl is a non-entity on offense is nonsense.

 

[Forego]

Rather than counting missed layups I am more interested in knowing how many UConn baskets were called off by UCF fouls (supposedly before the shot) or inane violation calls by the refs like everyone’s favorite game stopper, three seconds. Has UCF perfected the art of fouling a split second before the shot and were the refs good enough to know when the foul preceded the shot? No they are not good enough to make that call. That is the reason that the NBA has a continuation rule and the reason why rules were changed to negate any basket made immediately before a charge.

 

[Sluconn Husky]

Ok, even if we assert some high-odds scenario of Muhl fouling three-point shooters, they still have to make the foul shots, three of them, to equal what they got from the uncontested threes they actually took.

And UConn's foul shooting defense was top-notch tonight.

Though my main gripe is with the lack of efforts by EW and CW more than Muhl not being in, but I still think a case could be made for her to be in there at that point. Up 10, UConn needed defense more than anything else.

 

[jaydee602]

Coach Abe complained this week that her team was being sent North instead of staying in a site closer to home. But I think she knew that Geno was familiar with her team's tactics & they couldn't surprise a team with their physicality. UCF could beat many of the tournament teams that aren't used to their attacking style.

 

[freekimchee]

I know we won but why do I feel like we just lost. Not going to second guess a HOF coach, but I can still be very disappointed with his coaching esp with the rotations. Geno's loyalty to his seniors will once again be our downfall this year. The players he played the most tonight were scared and flat out soft. I saw no leadership on the floor tonight. Same thing I've seen the last three years. I wouldn't have been surprised if we actually lost tonight.

My MVP is CD for not allowing Geno to get a stupid technical after that bad call on CW at the worst possible moment in the game.

 

[UConnCat]

Lots of coaches sub defense for offense in certain situations, no? Maybe by that point he was comfortable with how things were going. That said, I know Muhl would not have stood feet away from three-point shooters when UCF desperately needed points late.

Kind of feels like picking at nits. The team went up by 12 and UCF called a timeout. I'm sure Geno's thinking the group he had out there which built up the lead and knowing Geno he hoped they would extend it. UCF hit one more open 3 after that timeout. I think that was EW's mistake. I was sure glad Williams was out there to make those 2 FTs.

 

[CONN78SEJ]

Whew! What a sweat. Think they’ll use the week to practice layups and free throws?That offensive foul call on CW was horrid at such a critical time. Surprised Nika and Ducharme got so little time. Ball moved best when they were in. First 1/4 I kept waiting for the “2nd team” to come in. Hope Geno rethinks which players get the most time, except Paige and Azzi of course.

Caroline missed some easy chippies right after Geno put her in, and he then quickly yanked her for good reason. I think she sat the whole game after she came out.

 

[tower1]

Again, the announcers were dreadful. I had to rewind to find out that Liv and Aaliya had fouled out.

They where terrible! Why do they have all these announcers that don't shut up for a minute, So annoying.

 

[Jingo]

I'm obviously glad UConn won, but they looked venerable, didn't they? Don't even count the UCF chippieness, that even a word?...UConn was rattled at the end. UConn is talented, no doubt, but they don't seem tough enough to carry through to the championship. Recruiting has recruited talent, but maybe not the muscle.

"vulnerable"

 

[Jingo]

That male ref was clueless. He should not be allowed to ref another tournament game. On the CW foul he was about to signal "offensive" and then got confused. He took away a UCF free throw saying the shooter stepped over the line... she hesitated in her motion, but her feet never moved. There were many, many more examples. Embarrassing.

No .. when the shooter hesitated in her motion, at least two of her teammates stepped into the lane, eh?

 

[Littlemin]

He was looking for offense, and did not think they would provide it. I think Nika was hoping, but Ducharme had a poor game

Geno has always been a defense turned to offense, generate easy baskets coach. So now he abandons that philosophy and stays with offensive players that were generating no offense and nothing easy off their defense? Uconn scored 22 points in the 2nd half via the offense. Willians and Fudd made 4 pressure foul shots but they went to the line by end of game fouling, not through the offense.

 

[RedStickHusky]

That male ref was clueless. He should not be allowed to ref another tournament game. On the CW foul he was about to signal "offensive" and then got confused. He took away a UCF free throw saying the shooter stepped over the line... she hesitated in her motion, but her feet never moved. There were many, many more examples. Embarrassing.

He called her for a pump fake, which is a good call... Paige had to talk him into it though.

 

[RedStickHusky]

It's called a hard hedge and it's a very common defense tactic.

Especially in Storrs

 

[Sluconn Husky]

Kind of feels like picking at nits. The team went up by 12 and UCF called a timeout. I'm sure Geno's thinking the group he had out there which built up the lead and knowing Geno he hoped they would extend it. UCF hit one more open 3 after that timeout. I think that was EW's mistake. I was sure glad Williams was out there to make those 2 FTs.

I went back and checked. Had my sequence of events off with the first play. Was thinking EW's play happened later, but both were just after UConn got the lead to double digits.

Westbrook stood still and several feet away from Sanders as she made a three with 8:05 left with UConn up 41-30.

Williams for some reason sagged off Sanders while guarding nobody for a corner three with 3:45 remaining and UConn up 48-38.

I'm glad CW made those free throws but I did not want her taking them. She's got a history with late free throws missed in a big game.

 

[TeamFirst!]

Yeah, Coach Abe was praying for refs that would let the teams play a physical game. She had to be disappointed when these inept refs called everything in sight. But she has to admit the game was called tight for both teams!

I don't think they called the game tight. There was a foul every time down the court but a lot of them didn't get called. When the refs let things get out of control like this people get hurt and no one wants to watch such a game. They call one BS traveling call after another but let players literally foul every time down the court. Look at that play when Paige was knocked on her rear when "Battles" was going up the court. That is how they play. Even that play was almost not called.

 

[RedStickHusky]

Not hidden

DATE 03/21/22T
ATTENDANCE 10167
SITE Harry A. Gampel Pavilion, Mansfield, CT
REFEREES Benny Luna, Katie Lukanich, Gina Cross

The names were on screen during the b'cast.

 

[TeamFirst!]

Me too! Obviously, Geno has lost all confidence in her. Yes, she missed two bunnies (so-to-speak), but no one on the team played a perfect game.

I'm a huge Caroline game but she was clearly nervous and I think Geno made the right decision. These games are a new experience for some players. It's like the US national men's soccer team goes to Honduras or Panama and it's always debris thrown at them from the stands and they are lucky to get out of there alive. One foul after another. And what happens is they lose or draw at best as it's lowest common denominator soccer. The same thing happened to them tonight. He needed to go with the seniors and players who have experienced that sort of environment before. And he needed his absolute best players on the floor who had the nest chance of understanding that game and winning it. He barely scrapped by. Hopefully Caroline will adjust. I'm sure she will.

 

[TeamFirst!]

That still doesn’t mean it isn’t the wrong strategy. If you think 1 through 7 got tough when the going got tough you watched a different game than me.

We won the game didn't we.

 

[DefenseBB]

I wish UConn played half as hard as the Knights.

Sorry Sluconn but this post is WAY off base. I was at the game and given the shear number of shoves, pokes pushes and knockdowns, our team played VERY HARD. To say otherwise is just not logical. Hopefully you taped it or can watch the replay somewhere but I do strongly disagree.

 

[uconnfan68]

Simple personal foul. I think ot was more on the shoulder than the throat.

On who? UCF had the ball after commercial, unless the tv audience missed more of the game.