UCONN - NC State post mortem thread

[Zarathustra]

We'll be fine and figure it out. It's only November. Today is only a detriment to those who thought we would go undefeated.

I hope to see ICE Brady get into her potential.... That will make a difference! IMO

 

[SARG 2011]

So does Geno have a new starting 5 next game? He even commented on starting both Ice and Aaliyah at some point to finally look like a "real college team".

 

[Topdawg]

Congratulations to NC State on their signature victory.

UConn looked like a deer in headlights for much of the game.
1. They got out-rebounded 41 to 29. Defensive rebounds were 29-18.
2. Did not attack the basket as much as NC State. This resulted in their getting 28 free throws to UConn’s 11.
3. Defense was the weakest I have seen in some time. Cannot let an opponent score 92 points.

Relative to my expectation, Paige played very well, as did Q. Aaliyah and Azzi had their moments but also looked sluggish.

My worry for the team going forward is that we play good team basketball. Team has to do more than watch Paige do her thing. That will only win some games.

Much to work on. I hope the team learns fast!

 

[Cheddie]

We needed more KK because otherwise, we are too slow at guard. Lots of missed shots. Out toughed and we’re definitely too small. TERRIBLE defense

YEs, needed more KK. And I would have liked to see Shade get a few minutes to see if she might have added more hard nosed play.

 

[Rdkid]

Tons of work to be done on D and rebounding. They are clearly short an upperclassman big. Nobody looked good on D and they were awful in the 4th on that end when the game opened up. They’ll be better and for sure will play some nice offensive basketball. But the other end of the floor - yikes!

 

[ABCDFE]

Super disappointing defensive effort. NC State got everything they wanted and we left lots of wide open jump shooters. As for us, outside of Paige and Qadence, and Aedwards late, we didn't have people show any passion or fight.

I think the most disappointing maybe Azzi Fudd. missed tons of wide open shots, passes to no one and missed layups. But I just didn't see the intensity, taking over the leadership role when the team was down.

My positive is Paige looked great today and QSamuels is going to be a great player for us if you she can develop a scoring threat outside of the 3 ball.

I've never felt so deflated from a loss given we had a healthy Paige and Azzi. We got exposed and don't know where the solutions are unless Paige tries to score every time.

 

[Mandoo]

The look on Azzi's face during this game was shocking. It was not the look of a confident player. I don't understand.

I'm simply amazed how poorly Azzi has shot. What happened to the high school deadeye?

 

[GaMo]

I was very disappointed like everyone else here. I thought we were out hustled, outplayed and perhaps most disturbing to me very outcoached. I saw no second half adjustments on Rivers, no defensive changes of any kind of tangible substance. I don't understand why we did not use a Box and 1 with Aubrey or Nika on Rivers and simply face guard her like Kia used to do and make the rest of the team beat us. If we tried it, I didn't see it. Being outhustled is simply not acceptable for UCONN. I also thought that the early substitutions of Q, KK and Brady hurt the team, because it altered the early flow and fluidity of the starters and Aubrey and was counterproductive. We were up by double figures at that point. Finally, while everyone is praising Q here, who deserves it, her defense is weak but it did not stand out because our entire defense is weak, uncharacteristically disorganized, and fundamentally unsound with regard to boxing out and switching at this point. If it doesn't change and fast, it is going to be a long season with several out of league losses. Final note, referees were awful as they usually are in women's basketball. I don't understand how, after last year's NC embarrassment of an officiated game, it just never changes.

Where is Moriah Jefferson when you need her?

 

[pk1234]

I'm simply amazed how poorly Azzi has shot. What happened to the high school deadeye?

Everyone is going to have poor shooting games. The issue with Azzi is that when she has a poor shooting game she gets in her own head or something and seemingly becomes useless on both ends of the court.

 

[Husky fanatic]

Shooters can’t shoot. Defense can’t defend. Expectations diminished.

 

[BBallF]

I always love the “out coached” people. Short of tackling Rivers and breaking her legs there wasn’t much UConn could do. She was in the zone today and pretty much unguardable. She had a great game. Congratulate Rivers on a job well done.

Disagree. First of all, I don't know what "outcoached people" means. I am not suggesting Geno is not the better coach, he just wasn't today. As far as this, "you can't do anything "mantra, it just is not true. We used to regularly shut down the best player on the other team. Rivers was open so much not because she was just in this magical "zone' but rather because there were awful switches, mistakes in communicating and not staying on your man, meaning her., that she became open. Case in point, Rivers has the ball and drives right ( the way she went all game) and Nike and Q are there and don't talk and she goes in for an unchallenged lay up. Where was the inside help all game, the classic switches that are a UCONN trademark, the boxing out, the focus, the intensity? No, you are wrong, even if you can't shut down a player that is basically the team, you try to limit them or at least make it hard on them to score. We didn't to her and everyone was open on that team for shots which is proof of a systemically weak defense. They all weren't in the "zone', they were in the UCONN poor defense today "I'm open zone". If you are willing to accept this game with a "nothing we could've done" attitude because of Rivers, then our views on basketball are completely different.

 

[BBallF]

Did anyone want the starting lineup changed after the blowout win over Dayton? Geno sees the chemistry or lack thereof in practice every day. If he changes the starting lineup for next game by inserting Q, where do the points come off the bench?

I think he has to start Aubrey. Caroline's defense is a lot weaker than I remember. You may also want to put in Caroline quickly for Nika also to get more shooting and give Paige the ball. Caroline is a lot more comfortable at the 3 than the 4.

 

[GaMo]

Geno has some serious work to do. He has to rethink his starters and rotation. Maybe Samuels, Aubry and should start next game.

7 - 22 from the three point line is not the mark of a good shooting team. Being out rebounded by 41 - 29 is not good. Defense was porous all game. NC State guards drove right thru us. Poor offense, bad passes.

This was a poor perfomance. Outside of Paige and Samuels, not great.

I'll give NC State credit. They played lights out. Beat us in every phase of the game. Saniya Rivers has a career game. She is the real deal.

Geno is all about chemistry with starters. But he needs sparks off the bench in some games. Nika and CD going to provide that, if Q and AG start? Just wondering.

 

[Jmsdawg]

Not a fun day for anyone in our group....Bueckers was off the charts, the rest of the team was so so. We were out rebounded 28 to 18, and for a UConn defense to give up 92 points is very unusual.

I thought Bueckers and Edwards play well but the rest were subpar. This game was a real shock to me. Obvious weakness is rebounding, Geno needs to get Edwards some help, maybe Ice Brady! NC State had an exceptional game, if this was not a fluke then they are a FF candidate

 

[Cuango]

There not making the final four!! They won’t beat SC, UCLA, UNC, I will be very surprised if they win any games against ranked teams. They might not even beat Maryland on Thursday. The teams will multiple bigs will eat this team alive. We can’t defend guards going to the basket. Geno has done a horrendous job getting true bigs to come to UConn. Until this team can sign bigs this team will struggle. We have no depth. Edwards and that’s it. Brady was a non factor, and let’s just throw the towel on Amari. She will never be a impact player. She’s been at UConn long enough to figure it out. Guards can only take u so far. SC will absolutely kill is on the boards. UCLA is huge .. they will own the paint. UNC is huge as well. I hate to be a Debby downer but this team will struggle. I just don’t see them making a final four. Azzi was horrible.. the only ones that played well was the freshmen Samuels and Paige..everyone else was a non factor. Very disappointed. Enjoy the ride but sadly its going to be a very sad season.

Look, we were bad! No question! But let’s not get crazy! SC is a big problem, no doubt but no wins against ranked teams? That’s just silly! Also, we will definitely beat UCLA! We played as bad a game as I can remember (with a full roster) against a super hot shooting team, with a transcendent performance from their best player, on the road, in a very tough venue, with one veteran and one rookie playing up to expectations, and still scored 81! Sure, we gave up 92, but I don’t see every other team being as hot as NC State was today! I’m super disappointed, but let’s try to maintain some sense of reality here?
PS- Every time we touched someone, it was a foul! I’ve never seen a UConn team foul so much!

 

[OldSchooler]

Except for Paige and Q, we couldn't hit open shots. NCSt consistently hit theirs.
No motion to the offense. I give Wes a lot of credit for that. Look at all the offensive fouls called when we tried to weave. That's good scouting and coaching.

 

[HuskyNan]

I thought Bueckers and Edwards play well but the rest were subpar. This game was a real shock to me. Obvious weakness is rebounding, Geno needs to get Edwards some help, maybe Ice Brady! NC State had an exceptional game, if this was not a fluke then they are a FF candidate

Ice is returning from an injury and may be in a minute restriction

 

[BBallF]

Where is Moriah Jefferson when you need her?

Or Kia. I think Aubrey on a Box and 1 would have done a good job on Rivers. Not stop her but limit her.

 

[The deacon]

The men's team did win the national title just seven months ago. That's gotta count for somethin'

 

[Conndog]

I'm simply amazed how poorly Azzi has shot. What happened to the high school deadeye?

Her 3-point shot wasn't there (although she hit her first one), but she did well with her pull-up jumper. If she can concentrate on those, it'll help compensate and she'll add more to the scoring column.

 

[Conndog]

Hope UConn grabs some quality bigs a la Dorka in the portal!

 

[Big Daddy]

Terrible loss, but just one game. But we can’t call out enough the lack of height and size on this team. No amount of effort is going to help lack of height when it comes to straight up rebounding. This is on Geno and his latest recruiting strategy. Understand about El Alfy, but it’s not like she was a top ten prospect and he recruited bigs and posts to have depth of size. He has to be accountable for this.

 

[BobbyJ]

I don’t understand what happened with her. It’s so disappointing.

Not surprising. She does what the rest of team does and did two years ago with Bueckers on the floor. She's the only kid they have that can create her own shot when the finesse offense predictably breaks down against quick, physical defense. They then defer and look for her and watch to see what she can do to bail them out. You need a couple of other confident, creative offensive players to play with someone as good as Bueckers. You'll notice that NC St. had Brooks and James who didn't stand around watching Rivers. They attacked and got good shots of their own.

 

[jaydee602]

Some of the Prognositcator predictions were borderline insulting for Wes Moore and the program he's got there.

Considering that the spread was 9 points & NC State wasn't in the top 25, it's hard to blame fans for expecting a convincing UCONN win.
NC State was underrated by EVERYONE!