UCONN - Butler Postgame thread [merged]

[vtcwbuff]

Was it my poor old eyes deceiving me or did UConn actually play a 2 - 3 zone in the 4th quarter?

My only other comment was that I felt that the bench provided valuable minutes. I just wish DeBerry had gotten more touches.

 

[vtcwbuff]

I am probably the only one that wasn't disappointed in the 1st quarter. I found myself actually rooting (a little) for Butler. Mostly it was because the game was never in question in my mind and I wanted to see how UConn would react to such a poor shooting 1st quarter.

 

[Huskee11]

I was at the game.The upper section of the student section was not completely filled and it wasn`t noisy by Gampel standards, but it was a fun afternoon after a rocky start.

Isaac sang the National Anthem and knocked it out of the park. No big winners in the shoot to win contests and no game at halftime. "Emcee" Conor Geary was back, he missed the last game due to the birth of a child. Congrats, Conor!

I thought our offense relied more on individual effort than usual and Aaliyah, Lou and Aubrey led the way in that regard.

What really struck me was the way in which the UConn defense shut almost everything down for the final 3 1/2 quarters with movement, effort, switching, and communication. Everyone was on the same page, in sync. It was really something to watch, a clinic in team defensive basketball.

A few times in the second half it appeared that UConn was in zone for about 12 seconds or so and then jumped into a man to man defense for the remainder of the possession.. Very sophisticated.

Butler tried to post up Amari a couple of times and I was happy to see that she did not foul. In fact, I think she drew an offensive foul.

Dorka went to the line after a drive with a few minutes left and she appeared to be rubbing the back of her right leg. She was replaced after making the second and seemed to jog off the court fine without favoring it.

Odd substitution of Ines for Lou with about a minute gone in the third period. That kind of thing is very un-Geno like, but Lou came back in later so all good. If I were a reporter I would ask him about that one.

 

[Blakeon18]

Regarding Geno taking out Lou late in the 3rd quarter: looked to me that he was having a serious heart-to-heart with Lou
and Nika....sitting next to each other....directed at both...mostly Lou though. They both seemed fine....mentally and
physically after the [friendly] chat. Bet they learned something that will help them going forward.

 

[darrell]

 

[RockyMTblue2]

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!.

To hear Lou tell it UConn chose her. Everything about Lou has been refreshing and endearing. "when UConn reached out to me they became my top one priority...." @topogigio not being critical, just any excuse to bring this back:

 

[vtcwbuff]

Regarding Geno taking out Lou late in the 3rd quarter: looked to me that he was having a serious heart-to-heart with Lou
and Nika....sitting next to each other....directed at both...mostly Lou though. They both seemed fine....mentally and
physically after the [friendly] chat. Bet they learned something that will help them going forward.

He was probably asking for their help with dancing lessons.

 

[Boreifs]

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

I think if she stood next to her the perspective would be different.

 

[DefenseBB]

Just one comment for now, repeating what Geno said yesterday: "Aaliyah is playing like an All-American." She even has AA in her name!

Personally, I think she’s the unanimous Canadian Player of the Year…

 

[Boreifs]

Good solid game for the whole team. I liked the defensive effort, keeping up with the Butler players, through screens and switches. Offense flowed more smoothly. Players were taking care of the ball, making wise decisions. It seemed from the substitution pattern that Geno wanted to mix up the squad to see how they'd perform. Some inconsistency, some hesitancy with shots/passes, but that's why you do it. Get everyone involved with game experience. You need the next woman up mentality, especially the way the season has progressed, and with upcoming battles with UTN and SC.

My impression was he was trying to rest everybody in the starting five once the game was out of reach. That is incredibly difficult with only seven players.

 

[Bigboote]

Isaac sang the National Anthem and knocked it out of the park. . .

Who's Isaac?

Thanks as always for your in-person perspective. I always look forward to your comments.

 

[tkaes]

A lot of deserved praise for Lou in this thread. Does anyone think she deserves consideration for a 10 person All-American team? We know that pre-season hype means a lot in determining the eventual team and Lou certainly had none. If Paige or Azzi had the same stats and meant as much to a top 5 team they would almost certainly be on an All-American team. I think AE is definitely playing at an AA level.

I hate to be an "I told you so" and I try to avoid doing that, but this time I just can't let it go. Way back on Nov. 6, I posted the following and was lambasted pretty good.

If she (Lou) plays like she did today which one of the pre-season best 5 will she knock out for first team All-American? Of course she won't have the same time and space against the top opponents and we don't know about her defense against the top players she'll face. She can shoot from outside, closer to the basket, she drives and puts it up with either hand, she can pass the ball, and she can grab a few rebounds.

Convince me Clark is better.

Since then, after almost every game I read post after post praising Lou and her game. Virtually every game I 've seen what I expected to see. I'm not looking for any acknowledgement. However if you think I might have known what I was taking about perhaps those of you who negatively reacted to that post could quietly to yourself agree that I might have been right.

Lou Lopez-Senechal is an outstanding all-around player and deserves some AA recognition.

 

[Heytherego]

Does anyone have a link for the replay? Not sure if it’s available yet

 

[hoopsfan22]

Regarding Geno taking out Lou late in the 3rd quarter: looked to me that he was having a serious heart-to-heart with Lou
and Nika....sitting next to each other....directed at both...mostly Lou though. They both seemed fine....mentally and
physically after the [friendly] chat. Bet they learned something that will help them going forward.

He had the whiteboard in his hand I think and was showing them something. Not sure what, but Nika came back in later while Lou got the rest of the day off.

 

[Huskee11]

Who's Isaac?

Thanks as always for your in-person perspective. I always look forward to your comments.

Thanks for that!

Isaac is not famous. I didn't catch his last name. I think they said he works at UConn. He has a strong voice with lots of range and did a nice rendition.

 

[HopJim]

Some observations:
-If you isolate on Lou, she is one of the smartest basketball players I have seen. Constantly moving, she often creates opportunities by making passes, setting picks, or creating mid-range shots when the offense breaks down. She's much more than simply a shooter.
-If the Butler coach gets to 12+ wins (7 year to date) he should get votes for Coach of the Year. His team is small, not overly athletic, and not great shooters but they played hard, boxed out the bigger Huskie players, and didn't give up. Give this guy a few more years and predict they will have a solid team.
-This is the best Huskie motion offense and mid-range game I have seen in some time. Not sure if there are stats for this, but UConn is also driving to the basketball more than I can remember.
-I've mentioned this before, but this one of the most relaxed UConn teams I have seen. Their smiles before the game are infectious and carry through the game.
-Doesn't DeBerry have one of the best smiles in college basketball?

 

[OldSchooler]

Odd substitution of Ines for Lou with about a minute gone in the third period. That kind of thing is very un-Geno like, but Lou came back in later so all good. If I were a reporter I would ask him about that one.

Had Lou just picked up her 2nd foul?

 

[Husky fanatic]

Fun game but was concerned when Caroline left the game early in the first half. Too much noise? Troubling

 

[OldSchooler]

I think Lou, Aubrey, Aaliyah and Nika have learned -- and execute quite well -- an important principle about driving toward the basket: If you feel the foul coming, never give up on finishing the shot, no matter how impossible it might seem. Many of the shooting fouls they bring would only be floor fouls if they didn't complete that effort. And some of those shots end up going in. Ines tried that late in the game, but she miscalculated, got off a poor shot, and the whistle never came. It takes practice, kid.

And speaking of whistles, the only thing that frightens me, with a short roster going forward, is some night with a whistle-happy ref. So far, great coaching, and super stamina and discipline among the starters, have kept us out of trouble.

 

[Bama fan]

I hate to be an "I told you so" and I try to avoid doing that, but this time I just can't let it go. Way back on Nov. 6, I posted the following and was lambasted pretty good.



Since then, after almost every game I read post after post praising Lou and her game. Virtually every game I 've seen what I expected to see. I'm not looking for any acknowledgement. However if you think I might have known what I was taking about perhaps those of you who negatively reacted to that post could quietly to yourself agree that I might have been right.

Lou Lopez-Senechal is an outstanding all-around player and deserves some AA recognition.

Maybe you will get a "prescient award" also. If you do, I will hate to be an "I told you so", but I will not be able to let it go.

 

[JellyBean]

View attachment 83283

I am just gald that Coach is starting to trust Ines and Amari more.

 

[Cornell Lt]

I am just gald that Coach is starting to trust Ines and Amari more.

Your over thinking it, he doesn't have a choice, he has to play them and I don't think it's because he trusts them.

 

[Valleyfan]

Another fun game to watch, this short handed team really knows how to play. Everyone contributed and it showed with quite a balanced box score. You can see they might need another shooter in upcoming games to spread the floor more. That defensive effort was impressive. Well done!

 

[Gordo]

Fun game but was concerned when Caroline left the game early in the first half. Too much noise? Troubling

Yes, I was hoping someone else noticed that.