UConn a 1 Seed????

[oldude]

Correlation <> causation
I suspect the issue was not playing in Bridgeport but the fact that UConn was a great team (that had earned that 1 seed) and would’ve crushed those teams regardless of location.

Maybe so. But if the Huskies end up in Bridgeport, Webster Bank is a single-tiered arena that holds about 10,000 fans, the vast majority of whom will be loudly rooting for UConn, and they are right on top of you. It’s the closest thing possible to playing at Gampel, and it’s intimidating as hell to anyone not named UConn.

 

[The CDR-Ret]

No actually more the opposite. Those are just games, like any other game.
That said, if a team beats 3 high quality teams on the way to winning the conf champiionship, that can only help their resume.
But the committee has been clear that the regular season matters a lot. Good or bad play on one weekend is not going to significantly change a team's status.

I mostly agree with your points, but losing to unrnked teams before the conference championship game still can hurt a team.

That said, many Power 5 conferences will have four ranked teams in their semi-final match-ups, so minimal damage for them.

As the only currently ranked team in the Big East, UCONN must play well - continuing the current performance and improving - will bring them the BE Championship, and should solidify the #2 seed in Bridgeport for the Huskies. To become a #1, two of the top five [in the nation] wouldl need to lose before the semi-finals of their conference tournaments to an unranked team IMHO, and in the CRAZY season we have seen, it could happen....

 

[Stymie]

My only question is:
What is Geno’s game plan to have Olivia, Aayliah and Dorka neutralize Boston?
Not too worried about Brink from Stanford.
And UCONN will crush Louisville in any rematch.
Game plan to thwart Boston is the championship gambit.

 

[The CDR-Ret]

I don’t think there’s any way they put UConn with SC. I’m pretty sure Dawn would go ballistic, and while they don’t take their marching orders from her, I’m quite sure they don’t want to deal with that unless it’s absolutely necessary, which it does not seem to be. I would bet on UConn as the #2 seed in Bridgeport. I have no doubt they would love to stick it to us in an effort to reduce our chances of yet another Final Four, but I think money and fear of Dawn Staley will outweigh that inclination.

100% agree! Dawn is the US National coach, and deserves the respect that goes with that distinction, just as Geno had while he was on the unpresidented run of World and Olympic Gold medals (with lots of UCONN alums on the teams).

Previous National Championship programs [in the previous ten years] should be kept apart in the regional stage IF AND ONLY IF they are having relatively good seasons. My definition of "relatively good seasons" is if they win their Conference regular season AND their conference tournament as a check on their current performance heading into the NCAA Tourney.

Not sure how to get that approved for the tournament selection committee....

 

[oldude]

My only question is:
What is Geno’s game plan to have Olivia, Aayliah and Dorka neutralize Boston?
Not too worried about Brink from Stanford.
And UCONN will crush Louisville in any rematch.
Game plan to thwart Boston is the championship gambit.

What is SC’s plan to neutralize Paige, Azzi, Caroline, Christyn & Evina, among others?

 

[The CDR-Ret]

For some time now, Tony and I have failed to agree about Bridgeport...My argument, the flip side of
Tony's is...if they're ever going to send us away, this is the year.

But where Tony adjusts the script to have UConn play in CT., I put my foot down that it is impossible to punish Dawn by putting UConn in her regional, creating a real likelihood of SC not getting out of the elite-8 (my view) and near certainty (Tony's view)

Not going to happen...they may send us away, but no way to Greensboro to threaten Dawn's season.
That would be a bit unfair.

Anywhere else would be fun.

I certainly wouldn't be surprised to see this team go all the way, causing confusion and destruction in its path, but let's leave SC for the final-4.

Why not Witchita?

Avenge the December loss against Louisville, after doing the same to Villanova in the BET. Kind of like erasing mistakes on a test and writing down the correct answer before handing in the test....

 

[Tonyc]

What is SC’s plan to neutralize Paige, Azzi, Caroline, Christyn & Evina, among others?

Agree with you oldude because guards win championships and we have them in abundance. We are also deep down low and we have height we can play at the top of the key. Bottom line is we're healthy and UConn is Back

 

[LwrcasefaN]

My only question is:
What is Geno’s game plan to have Olivia, Aayliah and Dorka neutralize Boston?
Not too worried about Brink from Stanford.
And UCONN will crush Louisville in any rematch.
Game plan to thwart Boston is the championship gambit.

I don't think you need to spend a ton of capital neutralizing Boston. She's going to score. I think a more probable strategy is keeping their guards out of the paint and turning them into jump shooters. AND...limit the offensive rebounds. I was also wondering if Boston would be up to playing close to 40 minutes. She's been pulled early in a lot of their games.

 

[ME Husky Fan]

I agree that SC and Stanford would be unfavorable matchups prior to a Final Four. I realize that Louisville demolished ND, thrashed Michigan early in the season and already beat UConn, but I believe they are more easily beaten now.

The way to beat Louisville is through superior guard play and getting Emily Engstler into foul trouble. Last year, against Syracuse in the tournament, she was a non factor. Having Paige available, reading and reacting will negate their pressure defense, which is where Louisville generates much of their offense. The ND game notwithstanding, Louis like is not a great outside shooting team, although Hailey Van Lith could make me eat my words.

In the end, it doesn’t matter where UConn is seeded. As a team, they are light years ahead of where they were in December, and all but the most optimistic fans then had a hard time seeing light from the tunnel.

I wasn’t impressed with Engstler last year, thought she was more than a bit lazy but she’s surprised me with her play but I agree to get in her grill (for Doris Burke reach-out) is the way to upset her. Van Lith is a bull and can put that team on her back but they’ve shown inconsistencies, but who hasn’t.

 

[marti3td]

We absolutely will be and should be a 2 seed in Bridgeport.

 

[jchusky]

What is SC’s plan to neutralize Paige, Azzi, Caroline, Christyn & Evina, among others?

probably do the same thing that they did in the Bahamas. Also they can only have 3 of those at the same time, unless you're willing to gamble with 4 guards and take your chances one on one outrebounding Boston.

 

[Jds]

So?

If the committee only cared about money, the regional finals would be in Storrs, Columbia SC, Knoxville, and Waco every year.

I don't believe the only thing the committee cares about is money. Whether there is 4 regionals or 2 regionals the tournament probably loses money (which the NCAA can afford). It doesn't look good if the arena is empty. Reinforces the image that no one cares about women's basketball. If image didn't matter they wouldn't be going to only 2 regionals in the future.

 

[Jds]

Webster Bank Arena in Bridgeport is a really tough place to play the Huskies for whatever reason. I’ve been to 4 of UConn’s regional games there and the MOV’s were as follows:

• MS St +60 (piranhas on a roast game)
• TX +21
• UCLA +21
• Oregon +38

Not saying that the same fate awaits the Wolfpack, but an MOV by UConn of +15 or greater would not surprise me at all.

UConn has only lost 1 game in Bridgeport and that was the 2006 regional final where #1 seed Duke beat #2 seed UConn. UConn was the #2 seed in 2004 in Hartford regional.

 

[CocoHusky]

Agree with you oldude because guards win championships and we have them in abundance. We are also deep down low and we have height we can play at the top of the key. Bottom line is we're healthy and UConn is Back

We probably need to update that adage unless we want to go back to 2004 and Diana Taurasi. Since then every NCAA champion has been propelled (led) by a front court player. This current UCONN roster has an abundance of guards, I agree including 3 players ( Paige CW, Azzi) that were consensus #1 in HS class + a #2 ( Evina) and a #5 ( Caroline). Better balance, consistency, and front court play are going to be needed if UCONN is truly "back" -to winning championships.

 

[Vowelguy]

I don't believe the only thing the committee cares about is money. Whether there is 4 regionals or 2 regionals the tournament probably loses money (which the NCAA can afford). It doesn't look good if the arena is empty. Reinforces the image that no one cares about women's basketball. If image didn't matter they wouldn't be going to only 2 regionals in the future.

2 regionals, where 1 is in the west, is not going to improve attendance

 

[HuskyNan]

Agree with you oldude because guards win championships and we have them in abundance. We are also deep down low and we have height we can play at the top of the key. Bottom line is we're healthy and UConn is Back

They need to prove it. The Huskies’ best win is Tennessee and that’s looking pretty iffy right now

 

[bballnut90]

You can argue seeding all night long but remember 2001, Notre Dame beat UCONN during the season and was seeded #1 and UCONN #2 in the Big East Tournament held at Gampel. The finals were ND vs UCONN and UCONN pulled out the victory on Sue Bird's last second shot!
When the NCAA Committee finished seeding the National Tournament, ND was the overall #1 seed to UCONN's #2 overall seed and when asked why ND was the overall #1 seed when the Chairwoman of the committee was asked how ND was given the #1 seed, she replied "Notre Dame beat UCONN in the Big East Tournament finals!" When told UCONN won the Big East Finals. she said, "Did they?"
So there's no predicting what the committee will do!
Reason goes out the window when the committee gets in that room!

Wasn't Tennessee #1 overall that year? UCONN/ND met in the semis so they likely weren't 1/2 unless the committee did things differently back then.

 

[bballnut90]

2023: Greenville SC and Seattle
2024: Albany and Portland OR
2025: Birmingham and Spokane
2026: Fort Worth and Sacramento

This also proves that the NCAA cares about more than money. Because most of those western regionals are going to stink.
Why on earth the west got exactly half of the regionals for the next 4 years is beyond me. The west has the fewest D1 schools, the fewest major schools, and each western site has only a handful of schools within 500 miles. Just an awful terrible move.

If you wanted to attract fans, then the south should be the region that had 1/2 the regionals.

My guess is the NCAA was banking on Oregon/Oregon State being strong. Both programs draw extremely well when their team is doing well.

 

[oldude]

No doubt. But my point is simply that, just as UConn has to contend with SC’s Bigs, SC has to contend with all of UConn’s guards. Add to that that UConn’s defense has been stifling over the past few weeks, and a rematch between the Gamecocks & the Huskies looks like a pretty tight game to me.

 

[oldude]

probably do the same thing that they did in the Bahamas. Also they can only have 3 of those at the same time, unless you're willing to gamble with 4 guards and take your chances one on one outrebounding Boston.

Neither Azzi or Caroline were factors during the game in the Bahamas. This UConn team has a lot more firepower and depth then the one SC played in November.

 

[Stymie]

My point was- we somewhat neutralize Boston- we win (going away).
If this game comes to pass - it will prove to be Oliva’s Legacy Game.
She plays to her abilities- UCONN wins-and she delivers a championship.
This game will be won or lost in the paint.

 

[oldude]

My point was- we somewhat neutralize Boston- we win (going away).
If this game comes to pass - it will prove to be Oliva’s Legacy Game.
She plays to her abilities- UCONN wins-and she delivers a championship.
This game will be won or lost in the paint.

As much as everyone focuses on SC’s size, imo the key to beating the Gamecocks is to control their guards who both initiate the offense and can knock down shots.

In SC’s one loss to Mizzou, the Tigers did an exceptional job controlling Cooke & Henderson, who scored 17 points combined on an abysmal 6 for 31 shooting night.

 

[GoUconn7961]

A 1 seed? No. Not this year.

 

[Plebe]

Correlation <> causation
I suspect the issue was not playing in Bridgeport but the fact that UConn was a great team (that had earned that 1 seed) and would’ve crushed those teams regardless of location.

Also, Mississippi State was a 5 seed in 2016 going against one of the greatest college teams ever. Texas was a low 2 seed going against that same team. UCLA in 2017 was a 4 seed, and Oregon was a 10 seed. None of those teams were as strong as this year's NC State team, a deserving 1 seed.