UCONN-Creighton Post game thread | Page 3 | The Boneyard

UCONN-Creighton Post game thread

Papa33 said:
Yes, there were far too many uncharacteristic and defensive errors, with defenders either guarding the wrong opponent, or not making the right switch, or not seeming to know where the ball was. In many of those cases the Creighton player was wide open for a 3-pointer, or mismatched on the Uconn defender, or . . . Well, you get the picture. As I said not the usual defensive sharpness and efficiency from a Uconn team.
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The big girls had to guard the perimeter and they were not comfortable there. Drawing Dorka and Aaliyah out opened the lane for easy drives to the basket
 
I think that our players have to understand that there is another player now with Caroline back who should be getting the ball to score and who can score and that trying to score every time you get the ball underneath no matter what the defensive pressure is counter productive. There were far too many forced shots against double teams and poor quality attempts. Our bigs shot 7-24.

There were also far to many bad switches and lack of close outs by some of our players. The defense has to be lower, have more foot movement and a hand has to be up all the time on a shot. There were many such mistakes and while we are tired as a team, you do not help your team if you try to do things you simply can't and you have to realize that. The return of Caroline was very demonstrative of our biggest weakness- the ability to score, because it showed the importance of another offensive weapon. It's a W but Saturday will not be easy at all and we have to play better. Caroline made everyone remember just how impactful and gutsy a player she is.
 
So glad that Caroline played her "20 minutes". As her game progressed, she returned to the Caroline that many of us wanted to see. I hope that she silenced the "few" members of the Chat that seemed to be very negative towards her return.
 
Bama fan said:
We won, in spite of sooo many defensive missed assignments. Creighton played tough, and expected to win. Too bad they drew some late fouls, but they did commit the fouls. Lou drew a great charge, the Creighton free throw queen missed a critical one, and Caroline was just magnificent. Take the win, hope we play better this weekend against a darn good team. Go Huskies!
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Glad the Creighton player missed the first free throw. I did not want them to go overtime. I believe winning this game will give UConn more confidence when they play Villanova. Just think, if Dorka and Edwards had hit their close in shots like they had earlier, the game would not have been close.
 
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Surly1 said:
Aaliyah seems to be in a funk
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Totally agree, seems like since SC she’s been a bit off. It’s crowded where she likes to operate, but she’s not recognizing the triple teams quick enough. But even her normally good hands have been failing her. Maybe it’s time to remove the mask.
 
I'm glad for the win, but if the refs were decent, it would not have happened. Either they would still be playing, or Creighton would have won. That last foul call was just bad.
 
An absolute heart attack of a game but way to pull it off. And take a bow Caroline Ducharme! I will admit, I was thrilled she was cleared to play but expected very little beyond her simply getting back into the flow with limited minutes. But MAN does that kid love to step up and play to the moment!

I hope that one of positive things the team can take away from today is that they FINALLY have some help. Caroline is rusty, she’s not in game shape, and she’s going to need time and patience to get back to firing on all cylinders. But she is an absolute competitor and today proved that even when she’s a step behind and still getting her groove back, she is a dangerous weapon that’s now back in our toolbox. Fresh legs are huge, but she is also a totally different player from any of our starting 5 in terms of her shooting, cutting and driving ability. Just by being on the floor, she should open some things up for others. And if defenses don’t respect her, I hope she makes them pay!

Hopefully today was a huge boost to her confidence, but also a relief to her teammates who desperately needed some good news after months of gut punches one after the other. Take a deep breath and on to nova this weekend.
 
Geno’s Angels at the Dailey Planet!

SuperMühl
Count Dorkula
Captain Aaliy-ica
Loubo Cop
Flash Griffin
Azzi the Vampire Slayer
Duch Vader
The Inêsible Hulk
PattMan
Captain Amarvel
Hannibal Bueckers

… and beware, the Iceman cometh!!!
 
tomcat said:
I'm glad for the win, but if the refs were decent, it would not have happened. Either they would still be playing, or Creighton would have won. That last foul call was just bad.
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I disagree. Creighton’s game plan was to hold push and pull everyone we got the ball below the free throw line. Don’t cry when the backfires on you and the end and refs finally blow the whistle on it.
 
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Curious if anyone who was at the game saw what caused Geno to almost go into the stands after the handshake line took place. Jamelle showed her strength and pushed Geno to midcourt. In the interview immediately after the game, Geno mentioned some issues with a Creighton fan or fans. Maybe this is an issue better left alone.
 
Rough notes from Chris post-game:

First half – defense was great. Whatever we drank and the half, we should change it 'cause oof.

Everyone did a little bit.

They’re a drive and kick team - need to be smart. We’re going to have to be a lot smarter and make the same kind of plays v. ‘nova.

When a team takes as many 3s as they do, long rebounds .Off rebounds because we were going in to chase.

Cant say enough about our toughtness. They’re a really good team – they went to the elite 8 - remember! All back.

We knew it wasn’t going to be like when we first played them. Too prideful.

Few TOs: Previous games turnovers would cascade. This time, make a bad play, but we stopped the bleeding.

Caroline. She’s shot well in practice. Thought she was going to knock one it. Didn’t phase her.She has a knack, gets the ball on the rim, knocked in her free throws.

Last possession? Designed for Caroline? Clock was winding down – she kept dribbling until she found a lane to basket. You just have to make good plays against a good team. We kept our composure. Didn’t force it. Caro being Caro (depaul game – so many games she’s picked up where she’s left off.)

Big win. Last decade, up three or four games in leagues...

Schedule din’t fall in our favor – who, when, where – playing 3 best teams in our league back to back. That’s just the way.. At least now, there’s a little more breathing room (thought St. John’s was Wednesday. Whoops!)

Coming back for a win, where we haven’t played our best. Made enough big plays to get the win. Like the Old Big East. No easy games. Excitiong. This is what you play for.

Fans – were great.

Academics: 9 3.0 athletes (most were better than that. Dorka 4.0. Gets overlooked. Glad you mentioned it.
 
oldude said:
Some thoughts on the Creighton game:
  • UNBELIEVABLY GUTSY WIN!!! :cool:
  • Unlike the last game in Omaha, Creighton came to play tonight, and the Bluejays gave the Huskies all they wanted. Creighton shot it much better from the arc, swarmed UConn’s Bigs in the paint and battled UConn on the boards.
  • Unless and until UConn can field a team with better shooting, enabling the Huskies to spread the floor on offense, this is exactly how every other opponent will play UConn for the rest of the season.
  • Getting Caroline back feels as if it should be a really BIG deal for the Huskies. She was somewhat rusty, to be sure, but she finished strong and will get better each and every game she plays.
  • Lou looked much sharper tonight then she has in prior games. But like many of her teammates, she’s banged up and hanging in there the best she can with few options available to give her a break.
  • Stat of the game: UConn was +32 rebounding the first time these teams met. Tonight UConn was -8.........:(
  • Geno's postgame characterization of Caroline: "She's one tough mother!" :)
  • It's been many years since UConn was not favored in a conference matchup. The Huskies could be an underdog Saturday at Villanova. Time for an upset! ;)
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Not your comment, olddude, but Geno could have characterized Caroline a bit differently.
 
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OK, boys and girls, by a show of hands, how many honestly believed, when we were down by 11 and on the ropes early in Q4, that we would pull this one out?

Forget about who picked an MOV of 2 in the prognosticators' thread. Who -- in the "3 things you'd like to see" thread -- picked 1) a W, 2) reduction of TO's, and 3) return of CD big-time?
 
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tomcat said:
I'm glad for the win, but if the refs were decent, it would not have happened. Either they would still be playing, or Creighton would have won. That last foul call was just bad.
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Nope, the Creighton player's hand met Caroline's as she was releasing the ball, that's why it was short. I couldn't see it at first but did finally catch it upon subsequent viewing. The ref couldn't have been closer and had perfect view of it too. But the charge call against Creighton when Senechal was defending should have been a foul on Senechal- Lou moved right into the Creighton player.
 
Conndog said:
I watched the replay 3-4 times of the foul against Caroline's defender, finally on last one I did see Creighton hand make contact with Caroline's as she was releasing the ball. It was a foul and it was right in front of the ref who called it. But the charge call against Creighton where Senechal was defending was, in my opinion, a bad call- Lou was moving on the contact, she moved in front of the Creighton player. Should have been a foul on Lou.
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The charge was a good call. The defensive player doesn’t have to be statue-still, she just needs to establish position. The offensive player was out of control - how many times have we seen Nika called for that?
 
I decided to watch the game tonight in bed. I saw the first quarter when UConn was ahead by 6 or 7 going into the second quarter and then I fell asleep. I woke up just when the announcer said UConn wins by two and Geno made a comment about gutting out a win. I went out to tell my wife and she said that it was a good thing that I did not watch that game as I might have had a heart attack. I'll try to watch a replay. I am glad they won and I am glad that Caroline came back and was a clutch player.
 
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