UCF Postgame Thread

[LarryLegend]

Another night of an ugly chat room. What a disgrace some of the comments were.

These are young women playing a GAME. I see so many people saying they’re like daughters to them. Doesn’t seem that way in close games.

That being said it was a game dictated by defense, poor shooting and bad officiating.

A win is a win. NEXT!

But the announcers were terrible so there was that

 

[jchusky]

I understand your reaction. Personally, I like hardnosed play when it's well-coached and under control, which it mostly was here. Play like ruffians to the extent they let you get away with it.

UCF played to intimidate and wear down UConn and they were fairly successful, until UConn simply wore them down.

no I totally understand the physicallity part, it's the let's take 30 seconds to get no shot off or a bad one that makes no sense to me. Is that suppose to be a recipe to win? Maybe in the American that stuff flies but in the tournament you're not sniffing a long run doing this.

 

[darkstar1]

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.

What’s the message? I’m going with my seniors?

 

[Iluvacc2]

UCF is a tough team. If they were in Knoxville instead of Bridgeport tonight, the Vols would not be going to the Sweet 16.

 

[RedStickHusky]

Did anyone see the Civil ConFLict Trophy under the UCF bench?

Was it really? Thank you ESPN for not bringing it up.

 

[jaydee602]

Many of you here are on the refs, and perhaps rightly. But that was a tough game for officials guys. Literally, they could have called a foul on every play. There were questionable and missed calls on both sides. In the end UCF was called for 24 fouls, UConn 21, so I really fail to see any bias there. Now, some may have been uncalled for, some not, but in the end, the calls favored neither team. I would say the officiating was equally inept. So let's move on.

My complaint is with the NCAA for sending inexperienced refs. There are veteran officials who call these types of games all season. I'd bet that male ref is from a smaller conference & hasn't experienced this pace & physicality. He made some curious, unnecessary calls.
LOL...both coaches wanted to kill him, so you are right. He did equal opportunity damage!

 

[Conndog]

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

As first Liv and then Aaliyah fouled out, I was worried that he would finally have to put Ducharme in who would have been cold, and I was yelling why he didn't have her in sooner.

 

[Blueballer]

Uconn didn't shake hands with Arz in the final 4 either

Nobody shook hands in that Tourney - COVID

 

[ProSkeptic]

So let’s see if I have this straight. They just spent 40 minutes playing Bball in an arena with over 10,000 fans, and they’re worried about getting Covid from a handshake line? REALLY? Lame excuse.

 

[RowdyFan]

Win and move on, I guess. The game had to test the patience of even the most optimistic boneyarder. I admit I yelled at the TV more than once. I don't think they heard me from here in Ohio.

The Ohio State women heard you.

 

[DennieEddy]

Some thoughts on the UCF game:

• WOW!!! I'm completely exhausted and I didn't play a minute.
• I was really worried about UCF ahead of tonight's game. Unlike past UCF teams, this year’s version is longer, more athletic, and more experienced than any Black Knight team UConn ever faced back in the AAC days.
• UConn clearly felt the pressure from the start of the game, getting sped up, turning the ball over, and missing an extraordinary number of layups.
• This game was always going to be won on defense, and from the second quarter on UConn dug down deep and really stepped up their defensive effort, holding UCF to 47 points. The Huskies blocked 9 shots, forced numerous charging calls and turned the Black Knights over 20 times.
• While UCF is a very good team, they still employ their infamous “HACK A HUSKY” defense. UConn benefitted to the tune of 8 more made FT’s.
• Some really big shots in the 4th qtr from Azzi, Christyn & Paige helped the Huskies hold on to this one by their fingernails, with Christyn & Azzi icing it with 4 clutch FT's.
• For those who keep track of these things, with the win tonight, UConn has qualified for the Sweet 16 for the 28th straight time….Ho hum…..
• NOTE TO BONEYARD: I’ll be at the games in Bridgeport next weekend, so thanks in advance for someone else initiating the postgame thread. If UConn makes it to the FF, I’ll be back on the job in 2 weeks.

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.

 

[GoUconn7961]

From Her Hoop Stats:

UConn joins South Carolina (R32) and Kansas St (R64) as one of four teams to win an NCAA tournament game when shooting less than 30% from the floor since 2010.

Prior to this year, since 2010 only Stanford had won a tournament game shooting less than 30%, in the 2019 Sweet 16.

 

[01Neaggrad02]

That foul on CW at the end of the game... what BS.... refs were horrid

 

[jdote33]

like a lot of people, I was just really disappointed with the rotations. I thought the team really bought into the identity of being deep and everyone contributing. I think Geno's more putting the onus on PB, Azzi and CW to lead the team. CD and Nika really played great all year, and I think could've helped this game. But Geno said prior to the game, most games against UCF are ugly, and he was right, so credit has to go their way as well. But I just feel UConn is most dynamic when everyone is involved, and nika and CD are built for these moments.

 

[Redux]

Nika only played 6 minutes

It may have been the most important six minutes of her career. She was not at all intimidated and that was important to not letting us be overwhelmed by the rough play early. Geno knows best; but I would have played her for as long as she could keep from fouling out.

 

[ctchamps]

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.

Do not understand when UConn was up twelve Nika was not put in. If she makes another silly foul then take her out. But in that moment of the game I would think the situation was perfect for the BE player of the game.

The Refs were equally bad for both teams. That fifth foul on Lewis was Evina pushing off. That was an important bad call for UCF imo. Down three and on a 7-0 run. It was a momentum killer for them. But for all the bad calls the refs made it was less a factor than both teams playing tight and missing many open opportunities.

Felt the chat room had a couple of OTT statements which would have been better left unsaid. The overwhelming commentary was decent imo and I feel that should be stated and less focus made on the few times people lose control.

 

[victor64]

The Ohio State women heard you.

They were too busy whipping Kim's crew in Baton Rouge.

 

[GoUconn7961]

What’s the message? I’m going with my seniors?

Ugh.. so done with the sarcasm.

 

[UConnCat]

Yeah, I'm sure that's it. The players have been touching, sweating and spitting on each other for 2+ hours but can't shake hands. That's what UCF is about. Always.

 

[eebmg]

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

More than a pirouette.

This team needed a game like this. gut check.

I think it is safe to say, we won't be overconfident in the Tournament this year.

 

[OldSchooler]

I don't know who was more outrageous -- the refs (especially that last call on CW) or Pam Ward. Everybody had some good and some bad. Azzi, with ice water in her veins, was steady at the line and from deep (when she could shake free), but she also had some throwaways. Ducharme was totally absent; I guess this game answers the question as to which of our freshmen is more clutch. Paige's last 3-attempt could have put the game away; she's not 100% back. I give credit to ON-O and AE for the effort they made before fouling out. Dorka stunk on layups, but grabbed some key rebounds down the stretch. Ironic that she was our only remaining big at the end; not sure how we would have done in OT. The steady hand on the court, in the waning minutes, was Mama E. But Ass't Coach CD deserves the game ball for restraining Geno on that last foul call on CW, or he would have been teed up. . . . Coach Abe will say we won it at the foul line. But who's fault was that?

 

[peace & love]

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.

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

 

[uconnever]

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

That ref was HORRIBLE as I have never seen a ref have as bad of a game as this guy. I’ve never felt compelled to complain about officiating but tonight really was bad.

 

[psconn]

I almost put that in my OP. They had just called a questionable illegal screen on Liv for her 5th foul and then with the UCF player spreading her legs wide out to trip Christyn, unbelievably they called a foul on Christyn. Fortunately it did not affect the outcome of the game.

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.