UCONN - Butler Postgame thread [merged]

[EricLA]

After scoring the 1st 4 points of the game, UCONN went on a dreadful "run" letting Butler score 13 unanswered. Q1 was not great to say the least. Q4 was Meh too, until the last 3 minutes or so - strong finish! In between, some great play from everyone, everywhere, all at once. A 40 point beatdown - was wondering if that would happen given Q1. We have generally started games out strong, but this one was definitely not that!!

• Aubrey is such a great all around basketball player. I know there are some games where she is a defensive beast, and her offense disappears, but I think she's good enough to be great at both at the same time. She is my biggest surprise this season insofar as her improvement from 2 seasons ago is off the charts.
• Lou showed what a complete player she is. Assists, rebounds, scoring, even when her 3 is off. I say it every game - SO thankful we have her.
• Aaliyah - what a solid all around game. The confidence she is playing with this season - just wow.
• Dorka - another player who I am so thankful we have. I will say that she does some head scratching thing out there, but then you look up and she has (or is close to) a double double.
• Nika - off game assist wise but few TO's.

Some good minutes for Amari and Ines.

As a whole, the TO's were way down. Butler is solid. Not sure why they are near the bottom of the league. Seems like every player can shoot the 3.

 

[oldude]

Some thoughts on the Butler game:

• It took a quarter for UConn to get into rhythm today against a feisty Bulldog team. Once they did, Butler was no match for UConn’s Magnificent 7.
• One limitation of a short roster is that UConn can’t start the game off pressuring a team like Butler full court, something that Geno loves to do, which often leads to turnovers, easy transition baskets and big early leads for the Huskies. As a result, UConn needs to score out of their half-court offense. Opponents have figured out that against this UConn team, you chase Lou all over the court and pack everyone else in tight to combat UConn’s size, taking your chances by forcing other UConn players to beat you shooting the ball from outside.
• I love Lou’s aggressiveness on offense. Whether she’s hitting her shots or not, she never stops looking to score. That is the mark of a true scorer. Today, Lou also stuffed the stat sheet with 17 pts, 7 rbs, 5 ast, 1 steal & 1 block.
• UConn needs to weather shooting droughts by playing consistently tough defense while limiting turnovers. After a hot start by Butler and 4 early TO’s by UConn, the Huskies really turned up the defensive pressure, blocked a bunch of shots, forced a bunch of Butler TO’s, holding the Bulldogs to 26% shooting, while limiting their own TO's the rest of the game.
• Aaliyah has been outstanding for UConn this season. She is literally doing everything better than last season, so much so, that it’s easy to lose sight of all the little things she does on the court. She no longer commits silly fouls. Her defensive positioning and awareness is flawless. She’s dropping beautiful dimes on teammates and attacks the basket like a freight train. Aaliyah has become a smart, seasoned veteran.
• Aubrey is playing like a racehorse who’s finally been set free. Her speed and athleticism gives opponents fits. The 3-pt play she made on the break, while getting hammered by 2 Butler players was an extraordinary play that very few WBB players could make.
• Other game highlights for UConn included a couple poick-6's by Nika, some really solid post defense by Amari and a lot of PT for Ines at pg.
• Not sure what to make of Geno's dance moves in the huddle and on the sideline?

 

[Redux]

Ines and Amari good enough for Geno to to leave them on the floor for extended minutes. A big, big deal.

 

[Bone Dog]

 

[Kaizen]

Good team effort. 4 players with double. Almost like the Seton Hall game.

 

[pacific 44]

Gonna be a real logjam at the guard position next year given that we now have a 6-5 3-point specialist for that position.

 

[hoopsfan22]

Player of the Game: Aaliyah Edwards!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[EricLA]

Gonna be a real logjam at the guard position next year given that we now have a 6-5 3-point specialist for that position.

NOT to be Debbie Downer but... Given the plethora of injuries, illnesses, etc. that has caused missed games in bunches for so many players, IMHO you cannot have too many players at any position. I have no doubt that next season we will see (hopefully way less) injuries, etc. and it will be essential to have other solid players at all those positions.

 

[pghhuskydoc]

Lou. Lopez. Senechal!
Provided much needed stability and points after that first quarter. She’s going to be a great pickup for someone in the WNBA next year.

 

[JordyG]

The best things about the game? Amari's positioning throughout the game was the best she's shown in her CBB career. She didn't leave her feet and she made shooters shoot over her length. That's good basketball. She made good decisions with the ball, but Geno had her on the block for the most part. Secondly, as I said from the beginning of the chat, Geno looked more like the old Geno today. He was complaining, bitching, pointing, talking, sometimes loudly, and dancing. Think these young women didn't notice their coach? On to the next.

 

[Surly1]

Even though LLS will wear a UConn uniform for one season, in my mind she has UConn blood running though her veins. I will be a fan of hers for life.

Lou could have scored 30 today, just like Aaliyah and Aubrey could as well, but the team mentality and unselfishness will always preclude individual glory, especially for our United Nations starting five.

When Geno's half-time comments were relayed to Lou, she replied, "Merci beaucoup, je suis un baller."

Lastly, who doesn't love to see Amari smile. She seems like such a great kid and teammate.

 

[JordyG]

Oh, also forgot that Geno gave Lou a nice rest in the 2nd half. She's been dealing with a couple of nagging little injuries and she needed to sit for an extended period. Good on Geno.

 

[Blakeon18]

POG: lots of candidates....but Lou was the one who shot us out of our doldrums in the second quarter.

 

[brownale]

Lou. Lopez. Senechal!
Provided much needed stability and points after that first quarter. She’s going to be a great pickup for someone in the WNBA next year.

My wife thinks that Lou doesn't look old enough to be in college!

 

[topogigio]

Lou. Lopez. Senechal!
Provided much needed stability and points after that first quarter. She’s going to be a great pickup for someone in the WNBA next year.

This kid is such a big time player! If she wasn't so unselfish with the ball, she would be averaging mid-20's, easily. However, she is a team player and fits in so well. So glad she chose UConn!.

 

[Centerstream]

NOT to be Debbie Downer but... Given the plethora of injuries, illnesses, etc. that has caused missed games in bunches for so many players, IMHO you cannot have too many players at any position. I have no doubt that next season we will see (hopefully way less) injuries, etc. and it will be essential to have other solid players at all those positions.

Especially if it has nothing to do the game that was just completed.

 

[HuskieDawg]

Another W!

Another quality performance by the team. Some may have shined more than others, but based on the circumstances surrounding all the injuries, they are winning as a team.

Let’s get some of these girls healthy and watch out rest of women’s hoops!

 

[Bone Dog]

On one drive in the 2nd quarter, Lou took the ball into the lane knowing she'd get fouled, tucked it under both arms and then scored through contact. She looked like a pro right at that moment. "We need a basket? I'll make sure it happens."

 

[hoopsnloops32]

NOT to be Debbie Downer but... Given the plethora of injuries, illnesses, etc. that has caused missed games in bunches for so many players, IMHO you cannot have too many players at any position. I have no doubt that next season we will see (hopefully way less) injuries, etc. and it will be essential to have other solid players at all those positions.

This person was making a joke.

 

[Next 12]

All I can say is , everyone is regaling in Lou Lopez Senechal and I would like to add, thank God for Aubrey Griffin. I really don't like thinking what this team after all the injuries would have been without them. With Aaliyah's resurgence in scoring and rebounding and Nika's assists and scoring and Dorka's great play over-all , adding Lou and Aubrey was the magic mix that made this team what it is now. Tennessee will be a challenge , but the tram will prevail. GO HUSKIES!!!!

 

[Next 12]

I meant the team will prevail.. GO HUSKIES!!!!

 

[jaydee602]

File another game under, "So you wanna be a gambler"!
UCONN was favored by 37 1/2 points today & I took the Huskies. It looked like a sure loser for much of the game.
But Amari sank an unlikely three pointer & the lead spread to 40 in the last minute. Then Butler answered with a three in the last seconds that would have cut the lead to 37 & made me a loser. But by a split second, that shot was late & disqualified giving UCONN the spread covering win.
So, while this game was a laugher for UCONN fans, it was a nailbiter for this gambling fool.

 

[hoophuskee]

I missed the game, I thought it was later! I can't believe I was posting on here while they were playing.

Thanks for all the comments.
Have to catch the game another time.

 

[Bone Dog]

I meant the team will prevail.. GO HUSKIES!!!!

And the Tram, too, though? I live near Albuquerque and we have a famous Tramway up the local mountain. We like to say, "The Tram must prevail." It's like a local saying.