UCF Postgame Thread

[uconnfan68]

They called a foul on Battles

Then how did UCF get the ball?

 

[Glenn]

Can’t second guess Geno, but I agree. Nika was sorely needed. As wasDucharme. Just seems Geno wants to stick by his seniors.

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

 

[RedStickHusky]

Will watch game again tomorrow and try to understand why Geno didn't play Muhl more. Granted, Muhl was out of control on her two quick fouls, but Paige needs some rest and wasn't playing at full speed. I felt UConn was playing like the best team in the country at the end of the year. Having Paige add to the teams's success made them an unbeatable team - playing most of the game, Paige at times looked a half step slow. Understand the decision to start Paige. Not giving her much rest, not so much.

Nika's two quick fouls were both bail out fouls negating ucf turnovers, really unsmart plays.

 

[phil sampieri]

Will watch game again tomorrow and try to understand why Geno didn't play Muhl more. Granted, Muhl was out of control on her two quick fouls, but Paige needs some rest and wasn't playing at full speed. I felt UConn was playing like the best team in the country at the end of the year. Having Paige add to the teams's success made them an unbeatable team - playing most of the game, Paige at times looked a half step slow. Understand the decision to start Paige. Not giving her much rest, not so much.

Nnnnn no

 

[Conndog]

UConn looked very tentative when dribbling against their pressure. I was shocked that they had such trouble advancing the ball. IT was a disappointing game, oh well they did win. Hopefully, this will be their only stinker game.

 

[Marbles90]

That foul call on what should have been an illegal screen was god-awful.

This one was horrible but the worse call was the illegal screen the small guy ref called on Dorka in the first half. I had to rewind it four times because I couldn’t believe he made that call and sure enough, not only was she not moving, the UCF player didn’t even make contact. And then the call on CW was almost the exact same call but in reverse where the UCF girl did stick out her leg but he called it the other way.

Look, I don’t blame officiating ever because I know how difficult it is to call a game with elite athletes like that, but in all my years of watching basket ball, those were two of the worse calls I have ever seem. Especially the on on Juhasz.

 

[ProSkeptic]

Look on the bright side: we scored three more points than SC did against Miami.

BTW, will someone watch the postgame presser with the UCF coach and report back? So I don’t have to? Thanks, guys!

 

[CTGirl15]

There were times in the 2nd half that I thought Nika was exactly what the team needed; energy, defense, and ball handling. But, I also don't know if I would have traded Evina for Nika? While the numbers don't show Evina having a major impact in this game, she was important today and I can understand why Geno may have gone with Evina over Nika. It almost felt like Geno was trying to will the three seniors to win this game and that's why CD and Nika were on the bench.

I still think that if UConn makes it to the Final Four and beyond, they will do so through Azzi and Paige, but they need the three seniors to make an impact too.

 

[darkstar1]

Free throws...they shot 18-23 (78.3%) for the game. That is waaaay better than their season average (68%). If they had shot their season average, they'd lost.

Didn’t check stats. Sure seemed they missed critical ones. Or maybe I was just reacting to the misses because of the excitement of a close low scoring game. In any event, that observation is only accurate if every other stat remained the same. Luckily UCF couldn’t shoot well either. As they say, defense wins championships. Defense we got.

 

[Sluconn Husky]

UCF plays dirty basketball and has no class. Walking off the court without shaking hands with your opponent just proves it. At least their head coach should have made her way towards Geno. But, if the leader has absolutely no class or integrity how could you expect the players to act any different?

GO HUSKIES!!

 

[Glenn]

Then how did UCF get the ball?

The play I am thinking of, which started with a steal by UCF and then a breakaway with the foul, ended up with UConn getting the ball

 

[Boreifs]

Did they ever explain what happened when Paige took a throat punch? No. When they got back from commercial, UCF was taking it out from under our basket. No one heard any whistles from the previous full court play.

The producers replayed it several times. It was bedlam in the arena; quite possible that the announcers couldn’t hear the producer. I give them a pass, particularly since Stephanie White was a fantastic player and certainly knows the game.

 

[DrummerDee]

Have never seen a UConn team play that scared. Scared to dribble, shoot, pass. Don’t even get me started on making layups. Hope they figure it out by tomorrow.

Guess ya had to be there. It wasn't as easy as you may think.

 

[GoUconn7961]

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.

 

[dtbtbtb]

Few thoughts;
a. hated playing UCF in the AAC and hated playing them tonight. They basically hold and foul on every possession and know the refs will not whistle a lot of it.
b. UCF is a team with no class. What is up with not shaking hands in the end of the game?
c. A better offensive team than UCF would have won this game against UConn as UCF missed a lot of free throws.
d. Why did UConn appear scared?
e. our bigs do not have a back to the basket game and it showed tonight.
f. Credit to Azzi and CW on a good 4th quarter...the rest of the team, not so much.
g. Paige was rusty and while i want the ball in her hands, she didn't seem as confident as she usually is.
h. Lay up, Lay up, lay ups...tonight was beyond puzzling...
i. CD played like a nervous freshmen and Geno was right not to play her in the 2nd half.
j. Nika was pretty good in the first half when she played and Geno should have played her in the 2nd half. While i understand that he wanted Paige, Azzi and CW and preferred E for her experience, she should have played in the 2nd as this is exactly the type of game that she excels in.
k. Survive and advance. Indiana is next and UConn will have to play much better on offense to beat them.

 

[Tonyc]

This was a great experience for UConn We will not face another team that plays like UCF and every team we play will face the tuffest defense in UConn. Im not sure of the right words but we will not face a team who plays defense like UCF and our opponents are in for a shock when they face our defense

 

[GoUconn7961]

Guess ya had to be there. It wasn't as easy as you may think.

I never understand people saying they played scared. The offense was playing rushed because if UCF’s defense.

 

[msf22b]

BTW:
Did Paige and Aaliyah flop?
Seemed a bit suspicious...at least, grandstanded

 

[Dove]

Guess ya had to be there. It wasn't as easy as you may think.

Have never seen a UConn team play that scared. Scared to dribble, shoot, pass. Don’t even get me started on making layups. Hope they figure it out by tomorrow.

Post/Avatar.

 

[pvdoggy]

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

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.

 

[eebmg]

Did UCF walk off without shaking hands?

Glad. They may have crushed some fingers.

 

[drweo]

I'm a huge fan of Geno, but didn't understand his lineup tonight. Paige no help in scoring, looked weak on passes and dribbling ...Muele came in and played great...never saw her again! Caroline? absent....Odd combinations. Refs were terrible both ways. All the stops in the game-commercial breaks were weird. I hope we don't see UCF again for a loooooong time! I also just texted someone at the game to see if they saw the coaches shake hands. UCF=no class! We had to look at their coach sooooo much on TV. ugh...

And why was she crying??? Actually crying on the sideline??? Did I miss an explanation?? WT-???

 

[psconn]

UConn missed a lot of bunnies, but the one Dorka missed at 6:52 in the game caused Geno to do a pirouette on the sideline lmao. Check it out when you can

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

 

[Zarathustra]

I thought it would be ugly... and it was......... I think the Nietzsche quote is:
"What doesn't kill me... makes me stronger". Go Huskies!!

 

[BobbyJ]

So the four guards who saw the most minutes shot 11-33 overall, 5-17 from 3, had 3 assists and 6 TOs but the player Auriemma called several times the “leader” of the team and the catalyst to quick, intense starts to games never saw the court in the 2nd half, never mind Ducharme also being benched for the 2nd half. They won but were very ripe for the picking, the game was really decided on the foul line. The advantage Uconn had with their depth has seemingly been abandoned and IMO Auriemma committed a cardinal sin of coaching, don’t fix what isn’t broken.

I don't disagree with your point at all. However, anyone who has watched Auriemma coach for a long time should not have been surprised by who he was NOT going to trust with the ball against pressure defense in the 2nd half of a close game.