UCF Postgame Thread

[jaydee602]

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

Pam Ward & Stephanie White are very knowledgeable announcers. But they insist on talking nonstop instead of focusing on the action, missing baskets & important plays. The game becomes a backdrop for their endless conversation.

 

[Los24]

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 did she have a poor game? She was 0-2 in a few mins. When she is in she makes things happen. Those are Geno's past words. She can rebound and play defense. Also seen her come up big and gets open. I actually think she could have been impactful if she played.

 

[Littlemin]

I won't go as far as littlemin
And I didn't slep at a Holiday Inn Express last night
And I haven't won x amount of Championships

But I wasn't in love with the rotations
We all knew when Paige came back, someone would have to sit
Whatever....

Maybe Lttlemin's explanation is spot on.

Why did Bueckers have to start? The team was clicking, had great chemistry, and was getting off to tremendous starts. She was certainly and rightfully going to get her minutes but how could her starting add anything to the tremendous starts the team was already having? So Auriemma changed the lineup and they started rather sluggishly against Mercer but it didn’t show or matter. But tonight they were down 6 after one; so has changing the starting lineup been a positive? I say no, others may disagree, but I don’t see how. But not playing Muhl or Ducharme in the 2nd half at all is very surprising to me, especially in light of the way the team was playing.

 

[jchusky]

btw someone confirmed Ucf hasn't shaken hands with anyone since the pandemic so it was not something personal on Uconn.

 

[Plebe]

I can be a nervous type of fan, but I must admit that I had a similar queasy-to-sick feeling in my stomach before this game as I did before the Arizona game.

Several of us who watched UCF in the AAC tournament agreed that, as one poster put it, "whichever high seed draws UCF as a 2nd round opponent is going to be on upset alert," as their experience and veteran toughness really showed. Then the brackets came out, and that opponent was UConn. Win or lose, it promised to be an ugly affair.

I have watched UCF play many times against other opponents, and while they're always tough and physical, everything is just so "extra" from them when they face UConn. I have never seen them play any other team in just the same way. It's really a bit bizarre.

 

[huskeynut]

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...

I to wonder what Geno was thinking. Seems he is reverting to a short bench of one or two players. Not good.

When he didn't sub the line change in the first quarter, I was surprised. I hope this is not a harbinger of what is to come.

Using Nika for only a few minutes in this type of game is a very questionable move/ decision.

 

[tchalla1]

Good game very physical and tough but we win even with the refs' help of UCF.
Azzi is player of the game,

View attachment 74717

I thought the refs called a fairly even game though they did let them play and that probably benefitted UCF more. No, our wounds were self-inflicted: Dorka and Caroline missed 7 unmolested layups--uncontested layups, mind you--and clearly showed that they had the big game fuzzies. I can give some leniency to Caroline, being a freshman, but Dorka's play was just inexcusable. Liv and AE didn't show up and instead of our height being an advantage, I think we were outrebounded by UCF or it was pretty darn close.

I saw little or no leadership by anyone, and what the heck was going on with Paige? Did you see the breakaway she had and instead of passing the ball to a wide-open Azzi for a layup, she instead does this half-ass dipsy doodle flip shot. WOW.

Geez, the talent is definitely there, but this team has to get more Moxy--it's not at a championship level. The moment they feel pressure, most of them waffle....

 

[Stymie]

whatever that was that UCF played was not real basketball, easily the worst game I have had to watch.
Also in the future, if a certain user could stop wishing players injuries on the opposing team would be appreciated if you kept that to yourself.

I’m sorry and I don’t wish injury on any player on either team.
But when your opponent cheap shots your star, they gotta know that the there will be payment in kind. (There, I said it nicely),

 

[eebmg]

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.

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

 

[phil sampieri]

Both teams touch that same sweaty ball, bang into each other touching down low slap hands with everyone on the bench but can’t for slap hands. That coach hates Geno because he criticized her for pressing his bench players when the game was already settled. A shame as she is a good coach ,

 

[UConnCat]

Sometimes you can tell a player isn't ready for a moment or game like tonight and that's probably what Geno saw with Ducharme. That's what I saw. Maybe she would have handled it better in the 2nd half but Geno apparently didn't think so.

As for Nika, the team needed offense not defense. He probably felt the other guards provided the best chance at some kind of offense.

 

[jaydee602]

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.

The refs are getting destroyed on Twitter by fans nationwide. Even fans without a rooting interest were critical of the officiating, especially the male official. LOL....of course, nobody knew his name because ESPN hides their identity.

 

[Tonyc]

Tonite was a mental test and a physical test. We must be exhausted both mentally and physically after tonites game

 

[Littlemin]

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.

camis your point but if you mean Muhl, why? Pressure has never bothered her, who gets her TOs in the half court generally.

 

[pvdoggy]

Nobody shook hands in that Tourney - COVID

Uh.... they shook hands the previous game.

 

[Glenn]

How did she have a poor game? She was 0-2 in a few mins. When she is in she makes things happen. Those are Geno's past words. She can rebound and play defense. Also seen her come up big and gets open. I actually think she could have been impactful if she played.

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.

 

[HuskyNan]

The refs are getting destroyed on Twitter by fans nationwide. Even fans without a rooting interest were critical of the officiating, especially the male official. LOL....of course, nobody knew his name because ESPN hides their identity.

Not hidden

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

 

[AgStatesman]

Paige and CW are the two that had to be in there because when the shot clock in running down after another stingy UCF defensive stand, they are the only ones that can create their own shots.

I'll share my criticisms with Geno directly. I'm just waiting for him to leave the presser podium. On the bright side - we out defensed the best defensive team in the country. That is certainly something to be proud of.

 

[CONN78SEJ]

There are times in life and games where nothing else matters but surviving.

Afterwards, you can quote Nietsche to yourself and claim you're better for it. But the main thing is: it's over and you're moving on.

I don’t think there are too many people in the Ukraine quoting Nietsche.

 

[UConnCat]

Sometimes you can tell a player isn't ready for a moment or game like tonight and that's probably what Geno saw with Ducharme. That's what I saw. Maybe she would have handled it better in the 2nd half but Geno apparently didn't think so.

As for Nika, the team needed offense not defense. He probably felt the other guards provided the best chance as some kind of offense.

 

[jaydee602]

I think the UCF coach got burned that the refs were actually calling fouls. I think it’s a key to their strategy, but it backfired tonight.

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!

 

[jchusky]

Uh.... they shook hands the previous game.

yea if you gonna say Ucf was a sore loser in this game so was Uconn vs Arz and you could see it in their face too, they didn't want to shake hands with Arz because they felt they were "above them" and losing to them was beneath them. Again I personally am tirede of the handshake discussion, we saw what happened in Michigan-Wisconsin men's game. If you don't want to do it that's fine, but just make it clear so we don't get any of this sore loser stuff.

 

[psconn]

maybe someone can help me out here what kind of defense does Edwards plays she comes out to the top of the free throw line than comes off her person and goes under the basket leaving that person wide open and a passing lane to the basket ? Imo Nika should have played more our guards were getting tripled team and someone has to be open under the basket you would think I think she handles the press better ..Ugly ugly game glad we won .. but geez we missed probably 10 easy bunnies .. Team played hard just missed too many easy shots .. And Azzi love her shooting but geez some of her passes are head scratchers ..

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

 

[UConnCat]

 

[darkstar1]

So you think CW shouldn’t get that time? When she clearly showed she deserved to be out there?

Correct. Less time. I like the rotation of 9, tweaked once the game starts based on play and circumstances. Of course, it’s up to Geno. I see the underclass men as better players myself, but senior leadership can’t be discounted…and it’s just my opinion.

 

[uconnfan68]

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

I’m talking about bad passes, picking up dribbles, and short arming 1’ shots. Maybe scared isn’t the word you’d use, but it’s the one I would. Deer in the headlights looks. I fully understand UCF played good defense, and kudos to them, but I don’t remember a Geno team that unprepared for it. The wrong people kept ending up with the ball when the shot clock was short. Just unforced errors. If we made layups we win by 20.

 

[Carnac]

I was just gonna ask if anybody noticed
Yes

I don’t think they like us.

 

[PacoSwede]

Nika only played 6 minutes; this seems like the sort of game she should excel in. But she was the only Connecticut player who shot at least 50% from the field.

i figured she must be injured. but no, she did appear briefly in Q2, made a 3 (azzi also nailed 4 and christyn 1, i believe, for the game) to put uconn in the lead after they'd fallen way behind. ... the team also, as usual, played more confidently and efficiently immediately when nika apppeared. but she picks up a second foul and never appears again.

that's OK if the team was playing up to snuff, but under the circumstanes -- they returned to their less than inspired offensive play -- unbelieveable.

 

[jaydee602]

Not hidden

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

Thanks, Nan. I knew you would have that info.

 

[uconnever]

yea if you gonna say Ucf was a sore loser in this game so was Uconn vs Arz and you could see it in their face too, they didn't want to shake hands with Arz because they felt they were "above them" and losing to them was beneath them. Again I personally am tirede of the handshake discussion, we saw what happened in Michigan-Wisconsin men's game. If you don't want to do it that's fine, but just make it clear so we don't get any of this sore loser stuff.

Definitely sore losers