UCF Postgame Thread

[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!

 

[Sluconn Husky]

? What game were you watching?

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

 

[Littlemin]

Sure, she’s not a non-entity on offense. That would be nonsense. However, comparing her offensive abilities to PB, Azzi Fudd, 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.

Who compared offensive abilities? It is a TEAM game and Uconn for years generated offense through defense; I have heard countless interviews where Auriemma emphasized that philosophy. They looked like a legitimate NC contender by playing that way for the last month or so against what turns out to be a much better conference than the perceived one most on this board insisted on ridiculing and knocking.
Funny, none of you comment or are willing to discuss that UConn’s best statistical quarter by score, the only stat that counts, was the only quarter that Muhl and Ducharme played. Or that when Muhl came in the game Uconn was down and when she left they were up. Or that the ”offensive” team Auriemma played generated no offense at all and almost folded down the stretch? That Uconn was extremely fortunate UCF shot so poorly from the line, especially down the stretch?
Because that’s the game I saw and no one will convince me Auriemma did not make two mistakes; first by changing the starting lineup and then going a step further and shortening his bench last night. Spin all you want but basketball is about chemistry; Auriemma created it in the last month, acknowledged what had happened to the team, in fact, seemed to rejoice in what was happening. HE then decided to change that chemistry for no good reason and it showed to their detriment last night.
No lame argument about “going with offense” and leaving a team that generated no offense on the floor for the whole half is going to make me think those were anything but very poor coaching decisions, both of them. And for all of you who fall back on nothing but HOF credentials in refuting my criticisms, Auriemma is a GREAT coach, the best, but HOF, GREAT even BEST, do not equate to infallible.

 

[Kat]

I watched S. Carolina play Miami the other day. Ugly game. I couldn't believe how many layups were missed by SC. Saw similar misses in this game. The players don't need more practice (as some have suggested), they just get tired. The energy required to work inside is great, and these are players who have been in a lot of games in a short amount of time, what with their league post season tourney and now here. I will always trust in Geno but I do hope that he will give everyone a day off now to re-energize (most of that, between the ears.)

Loved the way they finished, like real champions.

 

[CB360]

I'm late to the conversation, recorded the game as I can't watch the late games. VERY glad I did as I wouldn't have been able to sleep after the "FOULFEST" / UFC match!?!?!? I don't know if I've ever seen a game with so many fouls!! They found a way to win despite missed Layups, foul shots early and dare I say the Ref's??? I'm still shaking with the Anxiety of watching that....

 

[CB360]

And the UCF players seem to walk off without congratulating our kids. Speaks volumes and yes, I'm sorry.

I noticed that to. Did the coaches shake hands????