UCF Postgame Thread

[JJTB]

Big CD fan. She also missed 2 layups, back to back, in the Mercer game. Hopefully things slow down for her and she gets back to where she was. Dang head injuries!

 

[Topsail]

If anybody thought that this game was going down any other way then they were less than honest with themselves. It will be be back to business against Indiana with a big win then on to NC state. Tough defensive teams make it hard to make shots , they disrupt the other teams offensive flow to the max. If we make it to the final against USC then it will be another defensive battle like last nite. The offenses will not look pretty.

 

[ProSkeptic]

The one where USF plays defense like their lives depend on it. Which one were you watching?

Uh, I think you mean UCF. Though USF also plays pretty good defense.

 

[Wbbfan1]

With the exception of Christyn, I'm still waiting for the Seniors to have good offensive games when UConn needs it the most. Evina Westbrook ZERO Points, Olivia Nelson-Ododa Five Points. Dorka Juhasz 3 Points.

UConn's Bigs of Aaliyah, Olivia and Dorka had a 12 points total with Aaliyah and Olivia fouling out. Eight of the 12 points were Free Throws. That means they made two baskets. If the players make their Layups they would have had 10-15 more points and the game would have been easier. In one of Geno's pre game press conferences, he said the Post Players have gotta be big factors. Well it didn't happen. UConn did win and that's important, but the Team will need more if they hope to win any more games this year.

 

[ProSkeptic]

Wow, did you see Coach Abes presser? She came off as very bitter and she refused to say either UConn or Geno’s name.

Thanks for reporting back! At some point maybe I’ll watch her presser, but for now, let her stew in her own juices. Classless.

 

[Wbbfan1]

Thanks for reporting back! At some point maybe I’ll watch her presser, but for now, let her stew in her own juices. Classless.

I watched the Presser a few minutes ago and had no problems with Coach Abe Press Conference. She was mainly just lamenting that the Committee put UCF in UConn's bracket. She also wanted to talk about her team and not UConn she let the reporters know when the Press Conference began. She wanted to go else where and while not said probably thought they should have been higher seeded.

 

[cwaduke]

Layups, layups layups!

 

[mhshuskies]

What happened very early in the game that they referred to something a chair? Was that when AE went after the ball in the corner?

 

[jaundicedeye]

I totally agree. Best descriptor of UConn's game: scared, tentative and indecisive.

First off, you list three descriptors, not one. You do know that being tentative or indecisive is not necessarily the same as being scared. Are you presuming to know what is going on in each of their heads? Perhaps they encountered a game situation for which they were not immediately prepared and had to figure out? If so, hesitation and deliberation, rather than reflexive play, can and should be expected.
Please, just stop with the scared stuff.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Lost a year or two last night. Where does UCF find these hockey players.

 

[Gabbyfan]

How can you tell that Caroline had a poor game when she was on the floor for all of 4 min? If missing 2 layups is the cause of her getting benched, other people would have been benched as well.

Has anyone considered the premise that it may have been a ooach's decision not to expose Caroline to the probability of extreme contact with a team known for its rough aggressive play? Another blow to the head so soon could end her career.

 

[oldude]

Unfortunately, missing lay-ups has become a UConn trait. Again, tonite they excelled. Between the missed lay-ups and the shuffle your feet traveling calls, it is hard to watch sometimes. I knew tonite would be a dog fight but never imagined it would be this bad.
Congratulations on toughing it out. I doubt you'll see another defense this ornery.

I’ll take an ugly win over a well-played loss any day.

 

[jaundicedeye]

With the exception of Christyn, I'm still waiting for the Seniors to have good offensive games when UConn needs it the most. Evina Westbrook ZERO Points, Olivia Nelson-Ododa Five Points. Dorka Juhasz 3 Points.

UConn's Bigs of Aaliyah, Olivia and Dorka had a 12 points total with Aaliyah and Olivia fouling out. Eight of the 12 points were Free Throws. That means they made two baskets. If the players make their Layups they would have had 10-15 more points and the game would have been easier. In one of Geno's pre game press conferences, he said the Post Players have gotta be big factors. Well it didn't happen. UConn did win and that's important, but the Team will need more if they hope to win any more games this year.

You forgot to mention the defense played by the bigs. You can't separate that important component. UCF's offense did not in any way have the upper hand on the inside. They paid for when they went inside. ONO had 4 blocks and Dorka had 2.
Tell me how much better UCF's offense looked than UCONN's? UCF played a very disjointed offensive game.

 

[dogpause]

So did their coach

That will probably get her some job offers.

 

[Urshurak]

To be honest, I thought UConn played defensively exactly as they needed to ( a bit of a let off at the end during that 9-0 run by UCF.) Bottom line, shots weren't falling. 2-12 on layups. I mean...damn. What a game for that to happen. BUT....they still did enough to win, and that's what matters. The PLUS is the FT's at the end. CLutch. As much criticism as this team gets on the FT's (and they earn it honestly) the FT's is what got them through.

I'm sure Geno will be working on some of that this week. They need to get those bunnies to start falling starting Saturday, or baseball season starts.

Of note, we started a go fund me for Dorka to buy her a bucket. Didn't work. 1.2 million, wasted. I kid, but I felt so bad for her. Not a good day under the basket, but she did get some good rebounds.

 

[oldude]

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.

I don’t quite see it that way. UCF has done this to everyone they played this year. They held TN to 49 points & high scoring Iowa to only 69 in close losses. They beat several P5 teams including UVA, Arkansas & USC, while dominating the AAC.

At the same time, UConn’s defense was tremendous after the 1st qtr. The 47 points UCF scored were their 2nd lowest total of the season. Last night was always going to be an ugly, low scoring game, no different than when UConn faced this team with a roster that included Lou, Pheesa, Gabby & Kia.

 

[GoUconn7961]

I would love to send this thread to Geno somehow and let him comment on all of you arm chair coaches. Wondering how many of you have won championships in your glory days.

 

[oldude]

My (over)reaction actually sent my wife to bed. I made Geno look calm.

Fortunately, we have several tv’s in the house. My wife left me after the 1st qtr and went upstairs to watch the rest of the game.

 

[SLY63]

Some thoughts:

1. Exciting game
2. UCF is a really good defensive team
3. UCF got in our players heads, as we expected to get hit every shot
4. Our offense executed well, we just missed the shots
5. Don't have much to say about layups except this would have been a 15-20 point win if we made uncontested layups
6. Geno will sit players that can't hit layups (DJ, CD) unless everyone else fouls out.
7. Our team D was excellent, and FT shooting came through
8. Survive and advance ... what happened yesterday has nothing to to with the next game, it is all about match-ups and we might win by 30 on Saturday.

 

[my2cents]

Gampel , when its packed, is the loudest arena in the country. If you haven't experienced that, then its hard to explain. You can not hear yourself think.
So, most of our players had never experienced that either. Last year they played in front of nobody. Of course it effects players the first time they play in front of boisterous crowds like that. Heart rates go up......what does that do? It speeds up your play.....so a simple layup becomes a clanker.
Have you seen how many "home" teams have been bounced in front of their large crowds? Iowa, Oklahoma, LSU...other teams have barely held on, IU , Tenn.
So, a win is win, and we should be all happy.

 

[Sluconn Husky]

Last night was always going to be an ugly, low scoring game, no different than when UConn faced this team with a roster that included Lou, Pheesa, Gabby & Kia.

For the record, UConn produced the following point totals against UCF from 2017-2019:

78, 84, 78, 80, 55, 93

 

[Rb335]

You don't call that a poor game? How about then Caroline made no contribution to the team, albeit Geno put a quick hook on her... Comparatively speaking though, you're right--if missing bunnies was the standard for being pulled, we wouldn't have been able to field a team....

My only issue with it is that we all saw what the quick hook did to her confidence to start the season. And she’s even on record saying she was scared to make mistakes to start the season which affected her confidence. You could tell she was nervous to start the game, but what does walking away from this game do to her confidence? I hope she chooses to respond aggressively and assertively.

It’s crazy how in a close game at DePaul, she pretty much carried us down the stretch and was the player Geno trusted most. Her mid season play literally kept us afloat. Now she’s an afterthought. I think she has the capability to make a real impact in this tournament, especially when we play teams that play less physical styles. A poor performance, but I haven’t given up on her.

 

[HuskyNan]

Gampel , when its packed, is the loudest arena in the country. If you haven't experienced that, then its hard to explain. You can not hear yourself think.
So, most of our players had never experienced that either. Last year they played in front of nobody. Of course it effects players the first time they play in front of boisterous crowds like that. Heart rates go up......what does that do? It speeds up your play.....so a simple layup becomes a clanker.
Have you seen how many "home" teams have been bounced in front of their large crowds? Iowa, Oklahoma, LSU...other teams have barely held on, IU , Tenn.
So, a win is win, and we should be all happy.

From the post game presser:

COACH AURIEMMA: I think we all have this vision of what toughness is. Some people think it's you making a show of how tough you are by how you act or what you say or your posturing or whatever. Or you knock somebody on their ass and it's a foul, and you think, I'll show you that's tough.

Toughness is making all those free throws at the end, making eight free throws. Toughness is getting a huge rebound at a big time. Toughness is Christyn making that 3 when she had to make it. And I think we showed that. I think all the other stuff was just fluff.

I thought the first quarter primarily we were so hyped up, I think between what our students did today, which is unbelievable, right? They made it feel like an extra special game. I think they reminded everyone why Connecticut basketball is Connecticut basketball and way our fans are viewed the way they're viewed.
But I think it also got us so amped up that shots that we normally make with our eyes closed in other games we struggle with. So it took us a while to settle in to the pace of the game.

 

[Sluconn Husky]

Some thoughts:


6. Geno will sit players that can't hit layups (DJ, CD) unless everyone else fouls out.

If this were the case CW would've barely seen the floor the past few years. This isn't the case.