UCONN - Marquette postgame thread (merged)

[Shenandoah]

After the Georgetown game, give the team Sunday and Monday off. Close the gym and locker room, no practice no film study. Nothing. Get away from basketball for a couple of days.

 

[Fairfield Fan]

Just exhausted. Five kids. Getting beaten up night after night. Traveling across the country. Trying to go to class.

We saw the exhaustion in the Providence game. A mediocre team was relentless in defense, getting physically all over the UConn players, especially our two front court players.

Coach Geno said it months ago- he didn't know how long these kids could hang on.

They're human.

 

[Shenandoah]

When 2/5 of the player on the floor are not even a threat to shoot, never mind score, it's no wonder that the other 3 are getting beat up so badly. It doesn't change at all when the bench players are inserted. Amari has shown a good shooting touch out to the 3 point arc, but lately she doesn't even look to shoot. Ines has to understand that when she is on the floor with Nika, she has to become the 2 guard, NOT the 2nd point. Ayanna has a nice touch from 10': USE IT.

 

[Jmsdawg]

Double disappointment for me last night, for some reason my Fox Sports channel was not available to me last night and when I wake up this morning I find out UConn lost the game. Still trying to find out what went wrong with Fox Sports last night but hopefully I can find the game on YouTube. Just hope no one was hurt last night and the game was just a fluke.

 

[MSSportsGuy]

I didn't watch but remarked how incredible the no back to back losses in 30 years are plus the 14 straight FF appearances truly are. In some ways it's as impressive as the 11 NCs that were collected along the way.

The Iron 5 have been through a lot this year. We saw ND win a NC in 2018 in a similar fashion with mainly using 5/6 players so it's definitely possible to win with that number but the margin for error is almost zero.

This may turn out to be Geno's best job in years if he can pull this team back to the FF and if he wins a NC, it will be the most unlikely of them all.

 

[freshler40]

When 2/5 of the player on the floor are not even a threat to shoot, never mind score, it's no wonder that the other 3 are getting beat up so badly. It doesn't change at all when the bench players are inserted. Amari has shown a good shooting touch out to the 3 point arc, but lately she doesn't even look to shoot. Ines has to understand that when she is on the floor with Nika, she has to become the 2 guard, NOT the 2nd point. Ayanna has a nice touch from 10': USE IT.

We do need more threats to score. With the opponents only having to focus on three of our five our job is much harder for the few! We often turn down open shots for harder ones it seems. Being less passive will help all our players. We are pass happy which often results in turnovers. Our guards need to penetrate, not pick up their dribble then pass. Our half-court offense with the double high posts needs a makeover.

We seem laser focused on one thing and don't see other possibilities. This change is coachable. We have great bones, just need to get them arranged in the right order.

 

[Beemer]

IMO everybody needs to give this team a break. These 5 young women are physically, mentally & emotionally exhausted. They simply did not have any more to give last night. It doesn't help either that IMO Geno is also physically, mentally & emotionally exhausted as well, he didn't have any more to give either. Give Marquette credit too, they played very well.

What the starters really need is rest. I know they have to travel to Georgetown but I see no reason why the starters should practice, let them get as much rest as possible. I don't know what to say about the bench, I don't know why none of them has really stepped up. Yes I know they're freshmen & sophomores but even so, their performance has been lacking to say the least.

Losing 2 in a row for the first time in 30 years isn't the end of the world. The sun still came up this morning and the world is still turning.

Go Huskies!

 

[GoUconn7961]

There goes that #1 seed. Unless there a lot of losses by other top teams and we run the table (which we were supposed to do starting with this game) we're a #2 seed at best.

Honestly, who cares? I'm not trying to be snarky in my reply. The tournament still feels miles away and the most important thing these kids need is rest.

 

[VA Huskie]

I've given likes to the few UCONN fans here on the BY above, who know why this and several other losses happened!
It's sicking to read the comments of most of you!
It sounds like "How can the players do this to ME!" As if they tried to lose these games!
These girls over the course of the past 2 injury riddled seasons have exhibited a courage and a passion to fight through enormous odds to win a vast majority of their games against huge odds!
UCONN has approximately 62 points, divided up:
Paige 20+ points
Azzi 20+ points
Caroline Ducharme 16+ points
Ice 6+ points
Sitting on the bench in warmups, sick inside because they're unable to help their healthy teammates out!
If they were healthy we'd be blowing out every opponent by close to 30 points a game!
I don't know what the future holds for this team, but I'll remain proud as "H-ll" for whatever they accomplish the rest of the way!
Forget what this means to YOU and think what it means to THEM!
Be a Fan NOT a Fanatic!
I know I'll be belittled by some but that's ok, my 75 year old back is strong enough to take it!

Is there a way to give your post 1000 “likes”? You nailed it! And my 76 year old body appreciates how well you expressed my thoughts.

 

[Rb335]

After sleeping on this loss, I’ve come to the conclusion that this shouldn’t necessarily have come as a surprise. Losing to a decent Marquette team stings but more than usual because we’ve clung to the absurd back to back losses. We just haven’t seen this happen in a long time.

We’ve been running on fumes with a tight rotation, coming out of a tough stretch of games. The team really performed so well through all the adversity, and I’m really proud to be a fan of theirs. True grit.

We had a really good showing against South Carolina, but we can’t undervalue how much energy was used to compete in that game. Add in the turnaround travel, and the team is tired.

Lastly, our first matchup against Marquette was by no means an easy one. Marquette played us nearly even for Q2-Q4, and we got 19 points from Ducharme. Consider the fatigue factor, playing a team who was confident they could compete based on our first matchup, and remove a player from the lineup that was integral to the initial win. The perfect storm for a loss.

No doubt they’ll regroup, and refocus. But looking ahead, the big east schedule is primarily against teams in the top half of the league. It’s going to continue to be a grind until we get healthy, or someone on the bench takes our lack of depth personally.

 

[LwrcasefaN]

Some of you "fans" are just WAY too extra right now. OK...we get it. You're upset, disappointed, or whatever. But, bashing young adults while having a tantrum like a toddler is just...kinda crazy.

 

[JellyBean]

Tough loss but you gotta tip your hat to Marquette. Great win for them and Coach Duffy. For our ladies at UConn. Like others have stated and I agree 100%. I am proud of them. Win or lose, I am proud of them. From the starters to the bench players. I am proud of each and every player and coach on this team. I am just shocked that folks are worried about seeding placement. SMH. I am just glad that we are going to be in the tournament, and we go from there. Are we not grateful for this team and their sacrifices? We are looking at team that is 21-4 and we are missing some big-time players but we got some big-time players that are stepping up and playing well.

 

[Jmsdawg]

Double disappointment for me last night, for some reason my Fox Sports channel was not available to me last night and when I wake up this morning I find out UConn lost the game. Still trying to find out what went wrong with Fox Sports last night but hopefully I can find the game on YouTube. Just hope no one was hurt last night and the game was just a fluke.

Fixed Fox, it was a user error, I just messed up, my son was able to fix it in less than a minute. Sometimes I wish I was still computer literate, BtW, I was a professional engineer heavy into computer tech in my younger days!

 

[sun]

AFAIK the bench didn't cause UConn to fall a single point behind because both teams were going back & forth missing shots, committing turnovers & making steals when they played.
I thought the officials did a really good job.
The ball just took a lot of bad bounces and wouldn't go into the hoop enough times for UConn.

Believe it or not, UConn's loss probably helped Marquette's program & Duffy with their future recruiting by generating some good publicity for themselves.
That was one of the reasons why UConn was allowed to join the Big East in the 1st place, to raise the level of play for the whole league.
In a few years the women's NCAAT will be paying the conferences prize money to help support their sports programs just like the NCAAT does on the men's side.
The more BE teams that can win more games in the NCAAT will help generate more funding which is important to the business side of the sport & for UConn.
The UConn players can handle the loss just fine, it will only make them more determined to avoid repeating mistakes.
There's always going to be some blips in the schedule.

 

[Rowdy831]

Really?

Aaliyah, #23 out of high school
Aubrey, #33
Lou, unranked transfer from Fairfield
Nika, ranked 23rd best point guard in her high school class, not top 100 overall
Dorka, 12th best European recruit
Amari, #5
Ayanna, #4
Ines, unranked

These young women are exceptional for their ability to elevate their games and move beyond others’ opinions of them. But, no, they weren’t all highly rated recruits

My point is the girls he has on the bench right now are quality players that should be able to give his starters a break. I apologize that it came across as something other than that. I don't think this game changes what this team can accomplish this season and I expect they will still challenge for everything they have on their goal sheet.

 

[Fairfield Fan]

I’m not one to question Geno, but this feels like something maybe the coach should be responsible for, to at least some degree.

On the contrary, I believe this has been one of his most amazing coaching jobs ever. He lost the best player in the nation before the season started (Paige), he lost perhaps the second-best guard in the nation shortly into the season (Azzi), he lost what could have been one of the best front court players in the nation before the season started (Ice), and he has lost for most of the season a talented outside shooter (CD). He has one relatively undersized freshman front court player without experience who is overmatched when she gets in (Ayanna). He is playing just five players for almost all of the game. Game after game. Yet until last night he had beaten five top 25 ranked teams, and barely lost to the undefeated #1 team in the nation. Oh, and last year, after losing the POY Paige for most of the season, and getting back a still-recovering Paige, his team made the NC game.

What other coach in the nation, this year or any year, could have pulled this off?

The legend of Geno Auriemma grows.

 

[Ralph]

I understand SNY showed a clip of fouls on Lou in the pre game. Can anyone post that?

Also when you see Lou miss two free throws in a game you know she is exhausted/wiped out. She has been shooting poorly for the last few games. Like the rest of the team, she needs some rest, but Geno can't give it to her. Same issue for Edwards. 8 points after 25 against the best defense in the country? She gave 100% a few days ago, nothing left last night. Not only is the tank empty, the fuel line is empty. Kind of like a marathon runner hitting the wall. You just have to stop, their is nothing left in your muscles. I just hope, unlike a marathoner, they don't need a month or two to recover their strehgth. It would be such a shame for such a wonderful group who have worked so hard against so much adversity to close out with an exhausted whimper. WE need to just cheer them on as best we can, until we are exhausted too.

 

[ThetaZoo]

Saturday, against Georgetown, I'd consider starting the bench.

That would mean we have only 3 starters. Hmmm

 

[BRS24]

LOL...I had to leave the chat room to avoid all the hostile negativity. Criticism is fine, but they were attacking our team's character, desire, and dedication. And they spared nobody!
These women have worked so hard to provide thrills & enjoyment for their fans during an unprecedented season. They overcame unfathomable injuries & a gruelling schedule to maintain a high ranking. The personal attacks from fair weather fans were unnecessary & unwarranted.

I glanced at the chat a few times and it brought to mind the adage of "If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all.". I'm all for discussion and debate, however when posts in the chat attack players when none of us know what's going on behind the scenes? SMDH.

 

[maple]

On the contrary, I believe this has been one of his most amazing coaching jobs ever.

I meant more of that I felt like maybe he should have been quicker on TOs when it was clear the team was struggling mentally (due to fatigue or whatever) and maybe what he said just wasn't working last night. Idk, I am not a coach nor ever have been. I don't know what was said in any of the TOs or during halftime. That was just my immediate opinion after the game.

I agree that most - if not maybe all other - coaches could not have had this season's level of success with such a tough schedule and so many players suffering injury.

 

[The deacon]

Lots of grieving in this thread. Time to watch the next game on Saturday against Georgetown. This is still a very good basketball team. We should be grateful that we have a team with these kind of young competitive women that can play with the excellence that they pursue. The men's and women's basketball programs make UConn.

Excuse me, veryolddog, I certainly hope you didn't mean what you wrote for your last comment: our state university is not solely the basketball teams, much as I love the women's team.

 

[sun]

I not sure that only having tired & fatigued muscles is what ails the UConn players.
I'm thinking that it's being sore, in pain & bruised with inflammation in their joints, bruised bones & all over their bodies.
They've all been hitting the floor really hard at times.
They've all been repeatedly landing on their butt, back, hip, shoulder, knee, head, neck...you name it.
They stress out their ankles & their feet.
The causes of pain from all the wear & tear, bruising & hematomas, doesn't get much of a chance to heal when they're playing so often.
Muscle pain is probably only part of it.
They probably aren't even allowed to have much in the way of drug treatment that the pro athletes get.
It's easy to understand how the suffering can cause the players to lose a step and some of their edge.

 

[Rixxx]

Fixed Fox, it was a user error, I just messed up, my son was able to fix it in less than a minute. Sometimes I wish I was still computer literate, BtW, I was a professional engineer heavy into computer tech in my younger days!

I feel you dawg. Anybody remember DOS and COBOL?

 

[Rixxx]

I know Geno is the GOAT, but I personally take issue with the few words "checked out"' Anybody else feel the same way?

 

[SJF]

I know Geno is the GOAT, but I personally take issue with the few words "checked out"' Anybody else feel the same way?

No!

 

[Tufkas]

For me, as long as there only 7 or 8 players, game approach requires a new paradigm, as the current approach of 5-until-they-drop is clearly having more than just in-game effects. That everyone is mentally / physically drained is, again, for me, a self-inflicted wound. Sort of like, in a driving rainstorm, heading out without an umbrella, and fussing about getting drenched.

Point is, there are EIGHT available players, two of which are highly recruited scholarship resources, yet play meaningless minutes. Miss a shot, force a bad pass, back to the bench. One surmises, playing them each significant minutes, 15-20+ each, depending on the physical / mental condition of the starting 5, and opponent, would be better long term, for the well-being of the 5 as the season winds down. Once the injured players return, the minutes of the three can correspondingly decrease.

Results: healthier players, with the increased productivity from the bench players, through more reps.

Sure, results will suffer a bit in the short term. But after this past game, with all the postgame focus on fatigue, this seems one way to address it.

 

[KY Card Fan]

Excuse me, veryolddog, I certainly hope you didn't mean what you wrote for your last comment: our state university is not solely the basketball teams, much as I love the women's team.

Way too many folks here in Kentucky define their universities (my alma mater Louisville and, even more dramatically, Kentucky) by the success of their basketball teams. This from a state that perennially ranks near the bottom in most education-related metrics.

 

[HuskyNan]

I guess we’re no longer discussing the game