Uconn injured in a game again

[UConnCat]

Tony,

I'm getting tired of whining about "gee, they're so mean to us." Take off the NFB glasses and you'll find that UConn usually gives as good as they get. Can you cite exatly what injuries that UConn has suffered because of an opponent's "ruff" play?

KML twisted an ankle last night, possibly because she was off balance because an opponent stepped on her other foot. Is that the kind of thing you're talking about? I didn't see any other UConn players get injured.

The only thing I saw last night was Stewart getting knocked on her a** by a player half her size and getting pushed around in the paint like she was a sissy.

Muffett watched the MD and PSU games and saw the weaknesses in UConn's game and Geno walked right into her trap.

I was with you until the trap. What trap?

 

[cferraro04]

What Muffet did was watch game tape and figured out how to negate UConn's man to man pressure. She set up the in-bounding run-outs and ND ran them to perfection. After she pulled it off the first two times I thought UConn was going to adjust...they didn't. The other thing strategically that I noticed was we played Stefanie at the high post too much. I think we should have played Stewie at the high post and let Stefanie take Achonwa down low. Stefanie was using her all day long down there. She was too much for Achonwa to handle under the basket. JMHO

 

[huskyharry]

Unfortunately, I didn't get to see the game but there has been a disturbing trend in the officiating, really the last few years. The Old Guard in women's basketball resent UConn's dominance (you certainly hear it in the diatribes by announcers like Doris Burke as well). They tend to allow UConn's opponents to get away with a greater degree of physical play than UConn, which is particular notable because Geno has never wanted his players to deliberately play rough the opponent up type of basketball anyway. This could potential lead to UConn players becoming injured and certainly makes the game tougher from a mental perspective (I.e. it becomes very frustrating when the opponent always gets the benefit of the doubt).

 

[Vowelguy]

Unfortunately, I didn't get to see the game but there has been a disturbing trend in the officiating, really the last few years. The Old Guard in women's basketball resent UConn's dominance (you certainly hear it in the diatribes by announcers like Doris Burke as well). They tend to allow UConn's opponents to get away with a greater degree of physical play than UConn, which is particular notable because Geno has never wanted his players to deliberately play rough the opponent up type of basketball anyway. This could potential lead to UConn players becoming injured and certainly makes the game tougher from a mental perspective (I.e. it becomes very frustrating when the opponent always gets the benefit of the doubt).

1) You didn't see the game.
2) Doris Burke is not anti-UConn.
3) There is no referee conspiracy to allow teams to play rough against UConn.
4) UConn is as physical as most other teams. They are far from shrinking violets.

 

[chrissaran]

You know what Im getting tired of UConn players on the floor, and getting injured during games. Its one thing to be physical its another to have your key players sitting because of ruff play. Take it for what its worth but Im getting tired of seeing KML Stef Doty Bria getting bashed around and end up sitting the bench to recover and non calls. I better stop there.

What bothers me isn't the physical play but the disparity in the number of foul calls. I'm not saying foul calls alone are responsible for UConn losing five out of six to ND, they've done plenty of damage to themselves, but during that time ND has shot 58 more free throws. That's quite a gap.

 

[huskybill]

What bothers me isn't the physical play but the disparity in the number of foul calls. I'm not saying foul calls alone are responsible for UConn losing five out of six to ND, they've done plenty of damage to themselves, but during that time ND has shot 58 more free throws. That's quite a gap.

Just talking about yesterday's game, ND got called for 16 fouls and the Huskies for 17. Hard to blame the officials for a disparity in fouls called.

 

[Biff]

Just talking about yesterday's game, ND got called for 16 fouls and the Huskies for 17. Hard to blame the officials for a disparity in fouls called.

You betray your own argument with your statement. 16 does not equal 17. Therefore, there was a disparity. Get with the program Bill.

 

[huskybill]

You betray your own argument with your statement. 16 does not equal 17. Therefore, there was a disparity. Get with the program Bill.

You are absolutely correct. Inadvertently I left out the word "large".

 

[Jonathan Husky]

You know what Im getting tired of UConn players on the floor, and getting injured during games. Its one thing to be physical its another to have your key players sitting because of ruff play. Take it for what its worth but Im getting tired of seeing KML Stef Doty Bria getting bashed around and end up sitting the bench to recover and non calls. I better stop there.

Tony

Just accept the fact that ND played very well and won the game. UConn had a weak first half and couldn't get separation in the 2nd half. UConn didn't lose because of rough play they just were not quite as good as ND yesterday. Next time will be different if Breanna can raise the level of her game (5 for 17 ?) and Bria plays a far better game at the point.

 

[Tonyc]

Tony

Just accept the fact that ND played very well and won the game. UConn had a weak first half and couldn't get separation in the 2nd half. UConn didn't lose because of rough play they just were not quite as good as ND yesterday. Next time will be different if Breanna can raise the level of her game (5 for 17 ?) and Bria plays a far better game at the point.

What are you talking about with ND? I never mentioned ND in my post. In fact it was a weird game. We filled up the stat sheet and beat them on almost every stat and lost by a point. How many times does that happen? We lost and my post has nothing to do with our loss to ND but does have alot to do with every game we play and if ND knocks us to the floor and no foul then so be it.

 

[HuskyNan]

Biff or Santini need to put together clips of UConn players that are getting away with physical play that's not strictly legal.

And whoever said Geno doesn't want his team to play rough - you haven't been listening to Breanna talking about Geno wants her to "embrace" physical play. UConn's most physical plyer, Asjha Jones, knocked people down with some regularity and was never benched for it, not once. I'll even bet Geno gave her an Atta-girl after the game.

 

[Icebear]

Looking at the number of fouls called is the most foolish thing one can do. If one team takes a path of outright grabbing and intentional fouls and the other team plays good old fashioned bodying up defense an equal number of fouls is a travesty.

 

[huskybill]

It isn't usually the fouls which ARE called that determines the outcome of a game but the fouls which AREN'T called. Anyone that doesn't see the issue with the bias given to ND and against Geno is just being dishonest with themselves. At what cost being a "good fan"? The integrity of the game? Why bother watching if the refs are just going to help ND knock UConn out of the final four again?

I think what some of us are saying is that UConn also committed some fouls that weren't called. The fact that only 33 fouls were called all game tells me that the officials were "letting them play." Apparently you don't believe that the team that drives the lane continually draws more fouls than the team that takes mostly jump shots. To you there is a conspiracy against Geno; not even one against UConn. It may be a lot easier to get Geno fired and get a new coach that it will be to stop all the people who may be in the conspiracy.

 

[huskybill]

Looking at the number of fouls called is the most foolish thing one can do. If one team takes a path of outright grabbing and intentional fouls and the other team plays good old fashioned bodying up defense an equal number of fouls is a travesty.

As foolish as it may be, I thought it was more foolish to state something without any proof. Since the Icebear never says anything foolish, I know you have the stats to prove your theory. I'm sure it was just an oversight on your part that you neglected to give the numbers. How many fouls should ND have been called for and how many should have been called against our Huskies?

 

[arch]

I think what some of us are saying is that UConn also committed some fouls that weren't called. The fact that only 33 fouls were called all game tells me that the officials were "letting them play." Apparently you don't believe that the team that drives the lane continually draws more fouls than the team that takes mostly jump shots. To you there is a conspiracy against Geno; not even one against UConn. It may be a lot easier to get Geno fired and get a new coach that it will be to stop all the people who may be in the conspiracy.

Is this post irrational, were some words left out, or should I take a nap and try reading it again.

 

[Drumguy]

I guess you guys didn't see Kelly shoving Loyd around or Stef banging with Achonwa in the paint?

Or McBride pulling KML's arms as she was beat around screens. We didn't lose due to the phsical play but we tend to end up on the worse end.

 

[ThisJustIn]

And don't fool yourselves about the impact of these games on the game itself. I saw a lot of people ripping women's basketball the last couple of days after they watched this game. It makes them look unathletic and makes for an ugly game. It makes women's basketball look like a joke.

I totally agree. When I watch college men's games, it is a delicate, fluid, finesse filled experience.

 

[speedoo]

I totally agree. When I watch college men's games, it is a delicate, fluid, finesse filled experience.

And the NBA is even more so as I understand it. If I had watched an NBA game in the last few years, I might know for sure.

 

[huskybill]

I always loved the "put words in other people's mouths" approach to make it look like they said something they didn't so you can argue against something which doesn't exist. I never said there was a conspiracy. I said there was bias. There is bias in favor of ND just like there is bias in favor of the Duke men's team. There is bias against Geno for reasons I won't go into as it will get people's undies in a bunch. And, yes, in college the coach is the program. Geno is UConn women's basketball.

And the whole jump shot versus drive argument is a chicken and egg one, even if you can't see it. Which comes first, a team shooting jumpers resulting in no foul calls or a team getting fouled with no call resulting in them settling for jumpers? If you don't think the latter ever happens, you haven't played or watched enough basketball. I saw it yesterday in a CYO game. I have nice kids on my team. Too nice. They finally fought back yesterday when playing against a team that was fouling them with no calls. I found myself talking to them a lot more than the refs because, in this case, the refs were calling the game evenly. I still don't like it but it was fair and my kids needed to respond appropriately. In the UConn/ND saga I have rarely ever seen it called fairly.

And don't fool yourselves about the impact of these games on the game itself. I saw a lot of people ripping women's basketball the last couple of days after they watched this game. It makes them look unathletic and makes for an ugly game. It makes women's basketball look like a joke.

There is bias on this board against ND. There is bias on the men's board against Duke. So what? The only bias that means anything in the college basketball games is bias the officials would have since they're the ones calling the fouls. When different officials are continually favoring one team against another, that sounds like a conspiracy to me.

 

[rjp172]

Laugh all you want guys but you won't be laughing if the game coverage starts regressing due to a decreased interest. It has been nice to be able to watch these games on national and regional TV. It has been nice to get national media coverage. I, for one, don't want to see it go back to the way it was in the 80s and prior.

If anything a game like this good for the game and coverage. The rest of the basketball world is thanking UConn and ND for putting on a good show and saving face. What's bad for basketball is all the blowouts we've seen because of the dominance of UConn the last decade.

 

[Vowelguy]

If anything a game like this good for the game and coverage. The rest of the basketball world is thanking UConn and ND for putting on a good show and saving face. What's bad for basketball is all the blowouts we've seen because of the dominance of UConn the last decade.

The UConn-ND games have been the most exciting, competitive games in years for UConn, if not the entire sport. While UConn-Stanford has become a great rivalry, many of the games have been duds in terms of score and/or game play.

 

[CL82]

o
There was nothing odd about it. She simply rolled her right ankle, happens all the time and ND had nothing to do with it.

Well I suspect that the ND defender standing on her left ankle may have had a little something to do with it.

I didn't think there was anything wrong with the OP's question 'is standing on someone's foot a foul?' I don't know the answer. I don't think it was intended but it was contact. What would call be though? Reach? (to the extent that that actually is treated as a foul) No. Push? No. So what it is it? Seems like too much contact for a 'play on.'

 

[blackbird]

I think the teams are equally physical. And it's pretty evenly not called.

However, one team has a player that gets a call every time she falls down. Bria and Kelly got hammered as they went to the basket with no call, meanwhile, if Skylar attempts a layup, she's "fouled."

It's not that one team gets the calls and the other team doesn't. It's that one player gets a separate set of calls than everyone else.

 

[Bestiarius]

However, one team has a player that gets a call every time she falls down. Bria and Kelly got hammered as they went to the basket with no call, meanwhile, if Skylar attempts a layup, she's "fouled."

It's not that one team gets the calls and the other team doesn't. It's that one player gets a separate set of calls than everyone else.

I don’t think the refs are intentionally biased. In the case of Skylar, she has a special gift for making the refs think she is the victim of a foul. She seems to be able to contort her body in such a way that it appears that she has been clobbered senseless. For instance, with 1:43 remaining in the 1st half, Skylar is dribbling across the lane when Bria poked the ball away cleanly to Faris. Skylar went sprawling onto the floor like she had been hit by a Mack truck when in fact she hadn't been touched. At 13:31 in the 1st half, Diggins shoved Jefferson several feet, then raised her arms and staggered backwards as though she was the one being pushed. These two events didn’t end up in her favor, but she is always trying to fool the refs. Not sure if I'd call that technique unethical or smart.

 

[Tonyc]

BB is a contact sport. It is not a wrestleing match. When a player goes to the floor in most cases its a foul. When a player is bumbed in most cases its not a foul. When a player on offense initciates the contact most time its a foul. This is where the problem is. Diggins drives the lane jumps into a defender and a foul is called not a charge. This is where I think were at. There was a play in the ND game right infront of me where the ND player was dribbleing in the open court and KML was defending and it appeared the ND player was off balance and not in complete control of the ball and both players bumped each other. IMO a no call the male ref called a foul on KML. This is where the problem is too. Consistent calls and better judgement on charges and contact underneath. If your not sure its a no call or somebody elses call.

We didnt lose the game because of a call or two. We won the stats contest we lost on score. There are many reasons why we lost and couldve beens but comes down to defense first. ND scored over 70 pts in our gym. Thats not suppose to happen.

 

[ChicagoGG]

Tony,

I'm getting tired of whining about "gee, they're so mean to us." Take off the NFB glasses and you'll find that UConn usually gives as good as they get. Can you cite exatly what injuries that UConn has suffered because of an opponent's "ruff" play?

KML twisted an ankle last night, possibly because she was off balance because an opponent stepped on her other foot. Is that the kind of thing you're talking about? I didn't see any other UConn players get injured.

The only thing I saw last night was Stewart getting knocked on her a** by a player half her size and getting pushed around in the paint like she was a sissy.

Muffett watched the MD and PSU games and saw the weaknesses in UConn's game and Geno walked right into her trap.

Sorry, that is uncalled for - the kid is a freshman in her first Big East game. So she got knocked on her a**, she got back up. She had a bad game. Let's not start with name calling like that.

 

[blackbird]

I don’t think the refs are intentionally biased. In the case of Skylar, she has a special gift for making the refs think she is the victim of a foul. She seems to be able to contort her body in such a way that it appears that she has been clobbered senseless. For instance, with 1:43 remaining in the 1st half, Skylar is dribbling across the lane when Bria poked the ball away cleanly to Faris. Skylar went sprawling onto the floor like she had been hit by a Mack truck when in fact she hadn't been touched. At 13:31 in the 1st half, Diggins shoved Jefferson several feet, then raised her arms and staggered backwards as though she was the one being pushed. These two events didn’t end up in her favor, but she is always trying to fool the refs. Not sure if I'd call that technique unethical or smart.

Of course, some of it's Skylar's acting ability. And I'm going to call it smart, because it was smart when Kemba Walker did it.

But sometimes she gets calls where she was just so obviously not fouled, that it shouldn't matter what she does. That's on the refs. Some players get calls, others don't. It's always been that way.

 

[slimmer56]

Every other team has watched us steamroll opponents up to now. The games that were the closest were the ones that were physical and ugly. Let's face it, this year brings us our best chance to win the Nat Championship in a couple of years. Everybody sees what we have, and then all the teams hear about the # 1 recruiting class. Thae get sick of hearing that so they will do anything they can to beat us. Geno loves up tempo, pretty passing bball. So what is the best way to beat us ! Muck the game up,
be physical, push and shove, ans see if they can challenge Stewie and the rest to lose it.

I still think we are the best team in WCBB with Baylor in 2nd, ND IN 3RD. We have our work cut out for us, but I bet we get it done. You get at least one more shot against us ND, so enjoy this one as long as you wish 'cause I don't see it happening again !
Oh..I woild be happy for Kaleena to shoot the same 3 shots again. She will NOT miss next time !
GO UCONN GO !

 

[msf22b]

One foul that always gets called, regardless of the physicality of the game is when a guard penetrates into the lane and draws contact while she shoots...
Remember Stewie doing it to perfection against Stanford?
Diggins is no slouch in that dept. In fact it's a ND trademark. Let's not whine about it. It's throughout all levels of BB even the pro's. Remember how many times Jeremy did it last season?
If you think about it, it's not been an important part of our offense for years; maybe it should be.

 

[VAMike23]

One foul that always gets called, regardless of the physicality of the game is when a guard penetrates into the lane and draws contact while she shoots...
Remember Stewie doing it to perfection against Stanford?
Diggins is no slouch in that dept. In fact it's a ND trademark. Let's not whine about it. It's throughout all levels of BB even the pro's. Remember how many times Jeremy did it last season?
If you think about it, it's not been an important part of our offense for years; maybe it should be.

This post is absolutely correct. The primary reason behind the so-called "conspiracy" wherein ND has a decided advantage in FT attempted is that they are coached and developed to be strong with the ball and to force the action by attacking with the dribble+shot more often than many other teams do. You need experience and talent to do this and that's what they have also been able to bring to the table the last few years, even this year with some key players graduated.