UCF Postgame Thread

[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.

 

[psconn]

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

I'm not sure where you heard that was the call. His hand signal indicated a line violation. I agree the pump fake was sketchy but is it actually against the rules? Rule citation would be appreciated if you happen to know it.

 

[fomalhaut]

The one saving grace of an ugly win in an ugly game is that we now know Connecticut is capable of winning a tight game by making free throws down the stretch.

 

[Boreifs]

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.

Geno defined what playing hard is in the post game presser quite eloquently.

 

[STLCardinal]

I think the bad call on Christyn near the end was a makeup call for the free throw line violation call against UCF. Makeup calls have no proper place in a game. He was weak and he was in over his head, and it showed.

 

[Sluconn Husky]

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.

You're entitled to your opinion and at no point did I say UConn didn't play hard. I said I'd like to see them play as hard as UCF. Watch both teams play defense and then say it's "way off base."

 

[RedStickHusky]

I'm not sure where you heard that was the call. His hand signal indicated a line violation. I agree the pump fake was sketchy but is it actually against the rules? Rule citation would be appreciated if you happen to know it.

The announcers discussed it but not very clearly. It looked like a lane violation because that's what a fake does. If you watch Paige come running in from half court, she's telling him what the call should be.

Faking on Free Throws - The Official Forum

Two funny moments from the NBE.... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=55zID...ture=rec-HM-r2 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1j8ucgdVgCY&NR=1

forum.officiating.com

 

[Cuango]

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.

Here we go!

 

[Cuango]

I avoid the chat room altogether.

Disgrace is definitely the right word! I went there once and was so appalled I’ve never been back.

 

[Cuango]

I wish UConn played half as hard as the Knights.

? What game were you watching?

 

[Cuango]

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.

He was looking for scoring! That is not exactly Nika’s strong point!

 

[Cuango]

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

“I’m going with the players I think will have the best chance of winning this game!”

 

[fomalhaut]

This is actually two pregame comments, regarding the fact that the start of the game had to be carried on ESPN News because Tennessee ran late.
(1) They need to stop scheduling games two hours apart; games run late too often. 2-1/2 hours would be much better.
(2) Why can't they change the rules so that when a ball goes out of bounds and it's not clear who touched it last, it's just determined by the possession arrow? The Tennessee game was held up by two very long referee reviews back to back in the final minute.

 

[tchalla1]

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

As I saw it, guards picked up their dribble prematurely and would not advance the ball--our front court missed easily seven layups--we were passing up open shots. If you want a cuter, more pleasant word, how about UConn looked rattled... We lost our composure...

 

[Cuango]

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.

This was a unique game/opponent and he played the players he thought were most likely to play well under those circumstances. I think you will see a bigger rotation in the next game.

 

[Cuango]

A couple of observations;
What was up with all the slow lob passes tonight? Is that something that is dictated by the intense defense? I was cringing on practically every pass!

I am reading post after post about how poorly we played offensively. Don’t forget, that was elite defense we were playing against. Should we have done better? Sure, but it’s not easy to play against that kind of defense. Also, not enough has been said imo, about the tremendous defensive effort our team gave tonight! That’s what really won this game! Our defense was really something!

 

[tchalla1]

I'm not sure where you heard that was the call. His hand signal indicated a line violation. I agree the pump fake was sketchy but is it actually against the rules? Rule citation would be appreciated if you happen to know it.

Yes a pump fake at the free throw line is a rule violation; especially if the ref feels it was done willfully to garner a line violation. Once you go into a shooting motion, you have to follow through with the shot, otherwise the free throw is forfeited.. She obviously did a pump fake...

 

[Cuango]

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.

Sure, she’s not a non-entity on offense. That would be nonsense. However, comparing her offensive abilities to PB, , or CW would also be nonsense! She is simply not much of a threat offensively and that, (as Geno himself said after the game) is why she wasn’t on the floor in the second half.

 

[Cuango]

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.

Agreed! In a game like this, he doesn’t have the luxury of second guessing himself. He has to decide (quickly) because if he leaves her in to let her play through it and she gives up a couple of scores, or misses a couple more bunnies, it could mean the difference between winning and losing. Those are brutally tough decisions that are often made very quickly and which must be based on his own personal experience and feelings at the time. I certainly don’t envy him in those moments but overall, I’d have to say he has made the correct choice more times than anyone I can think of!

 

[Cornell Lt]

Could be worse....ala Jim Beoheim

If your going to mock someone at least spell his name correctly

 

[NU2BY]

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.

Of course she was nervous, and I know you are a great student of the game. However, I'm also sure you have noticed through the season (a season where Caroline has lead us to many victories) that she is a player who needs a bit of time to work herself into the game when coming off the bench. When given this time she almost always comes through for us and in numerous ways. I totally understand what you're saying, but to classify her as not one of his "best" players is absurd!