UConn nearly turned complicated season into national title

[HuskyNan]

 

[BBallF]

I don't think that I would ever use the word "complicated" to describe this season. Snake-bit, unprecedented, star-crossed, ill-fated, luckless, or calamitous would fit the season more precisely. It was just relentless. I think the injury to Dorka, the groin pull for Liv, and the virus/sickness of Azzi were very understated in the final analyses of the NC game. Give Boston a pulled groin, Saxton a fractured wrist and Henderson an intestinal virus and it's a different game. I am not making excuses, I am simply reciting reality. I don't know if we win that game if we were fully healthy, but I know it would have been much closer. I also know that given the nature of this season with the injuries, some horrible, the sicknesses, the numerous different starting lineups, and the short bench, this may have been one of Geno's greatest coaching jobs.

 

[oldude]

For those of us who can get over the fact that the Huskies lost the last game, this past season was an extraordinary achievement by the players, coaches and training staff. The gauntlet of UCF, IN, NCSt & Stanford that UConn overcame to get to the championship game was the toughest I can ever remember.

While SC was clearly the better team. I would love to see the Huskies face them again with a healthy Liv, Dorka, Aubrey, Evina & Azzi. The Gamecocks might win 8 or 9 times out of 10, but with everyone healthy, UConn vs SC is a battle.

 

[Hoops66]

For those of us who can get over the fact that the Huskies lost the last game, this past season was an extraordinary achievement by the players, coaches and training staff. The gauntlet of UCF, IN, NCSt & Stanford that UConn overcame to get to the championship game was the toughest I can ever remember.

While SC was clearly the better team. I would love to see the Huskies face them again with a healthy Liv, Dorka, Aubrey, Evina & Azzi. The Gamecocks might win 8 or 9 times out of 10, but with everyone healthy, UConn vs SC is a battle.

All that, and if they would have been able to play together for the entire season or even the last two months, I would have bet a box of Baby Ruth candy bars that they would have gotten number twelve.

 

[JellyBean]

For those of us who can get over the fact that the Huskies lost the last game, this past season was an extraordinary achievement by the players, coaches and training staff. The gauntlet of UCF, IN, NCSt & Stanford that UConn overcame to get to the championship game was the toughest I can ever remember.

While SC was clearly the better team. I would love to see the Huskies face them again with a healthy Liv, Dorka, Aubrey, Evina & Azzi. The Gamecocks might win 8 or 9 times out of 10, but with everyone healthy, UConn vs SC is a battle.

Totally agree. This past season, what the coaching staff, the players, and the training staff was able to do was simply an extraordinary achievement.

 

[Inthepaint]

Now that some time has passed since the loss in the NC game, let’s all appreciate what it took for this edition of the Huskies to get there.
Lots of guts and determination.
Next year’s team should have a little extra “nasty”.

 

[veryolddog]

I would concur with Old Dude on this subject. Clearly, this was a season of challenge for the Coaching staff. However, there were some very good things that happened that probably would not have occurred without the injuries and sickness. Players who would not have received the time to play got the chance to excell i. e. Dorka, and Ducharme. Geno became comfortable with his bench to use boh mass and selective substitutions. And, he found the teams strengths and weaknesses. The Team also got back a healthy Fudd, Bueckers, et. alia (my memory fails me) that learned how to play like a team instead of a Paige centric team. Not to take away from Paige who was absolutely spectacular against NCState, Stanford and parts fo the SC game.

Overall, this team exceeded my expectations by a wide margin this season. They actually achieve more than I thought especially with the problems that they encountered. Good job!

I do hope that with the new help and with the potential of obtaining some great transfers, Geno allows the playing of multiple players during future games and develops this team as another contender.

 

[and one]

For those of us who can get over the fact that the Huskies lost the last game, this past season was an extraordinary achievement by the players, coaches and training staff. The gauntlet of UCF, IN, NCSt & Stanford that UConn overcame to get to the championship game was the toughest I can ever remember.

While SC was clearly the better team. I would love to see the Huskies face them again with a healthy Liv, Dorka, Aubrey, Evina & Azzi. The Gamecocks might win 8 or 9 times out of 10, but with everyone healthy, UConn vs SC is a battle.

SC was not an unbeatable juggernaut last year nor will they be in the coming year, and I don't think they would beat us 8 out of ten. Boston is why SC was and will be really good rather than just good. Find ways to limit her damage and/or out play the rest of the team and the wins will come.

 

[huskeynut]

This past season was a wild roller coaster ride!

From the moment Paige went down it was now what? How does the team and the staff react to this. Well we saw how all reacted. They didn't quit. They fought, scratched and clawed every game. Yet the injuries continued to pile up. And they continued to fight.

The run through the Big East tourney and the NCAA was a great ride. Defense was a beast and the offense playing 9 deep. Unfortunately, a title was not meant to be. We can all say "what if" but it makes no difference. SC was the better team. I'm ok with that.

Geno and the staff, the entire staff, did an unbelievable job all season. I think it may have been Geno's best coaching job. The growth of each member of the team and how they came together late season was pure joy to watch.

Despite some on the BY, UConn is still the gold standard for wcbb. We will be back.

 

[CL82]

So the question is would a completely healthy UConn team have beaten a completely healthy South Carolina team? I don’t know the answer to that, but that’s the game everyone wanted to watch, including, I’m sure, our South Carolina friends. For what it’s worth, I’m not sure the answer is “yes”, South Carolina is very good, but I sure would’ve liked to see two great teams coached by two outstanding coaches going at each other at full strength.

Maybe next year.

 

[PAHuskeyFan]

And with all that went on during the season, Geno didnt even get a mention in any of the Coach of the year awards.

 

[sun]

This season we lost one record in order to keep another record.
We lost the streak of being undefeated in NC games, but maintained the streak of making it to consecutive FF's.

UConn and Paige were big winners in this tournament despite the final score.
So many young fans all across Minnesota and the midwest were rooting for Paige & UConn which amounts to a successful season for everyone.

 

[sun]

 

[cferraro04]

I will keep it simple because sometimes brevity is a virtue... "What a difference a year makes."

 

[oldude]

And with all that went on during the season, Geno didnt even get a mention in any of the Coach of the year awards.

Except here on the BY.

 

[Ozimoto]

In my opinion, the coaching staff and the players themselves made a great batch of lemonade out of a whole boatload of lemons.

They may not of won the last game, but they surely won the hearts of a lot of us.