UConn - Notre Dame post game

[BBallF]

She's a heck of a defender when she's in the game. She's fiery and emotional and sometimes I think that gets the best of her. I also think she has a lot on her plate. She has had to make a lot of adjustments to her role, become more aggressive on offense, play part-time PG. It's a lot.

It is but as a senior, you have to be the one who is not chippy and who maintains the even hand and who makes the senior plays. She was a non-factor and we are not good enough to win a game like that with only 4 cylinders working in a 5 cylinder engine.

 

[HopJim]

While I agree with the comments about Paige, Nika, and Geno all underperforming, I'm not fully in the Overreaction Saturday/Sunday mode that we are doomed and without hope. While watching this game was humbling and made me sick, if Paige had been Paige and Geno, Geno, suspect we would have won. Find it hard to believe Paige would have another game like this and Geno would not make SOME defensive adjustments and run some different offensive sets (ie. Edwards was having a stellar game then didn't get the ball most of the 4th Q). UConn has been great on their 3 point shooting all year - can they get hot and do it against Top 10 teams? Sure. ND game pointed out all the weaknesses on this team and I'm resetting my expectations but would not want to play them as a 3/4 seeded team in NCAA's.

 

[Jumper33]

Considering that Syracuse had already beaten ND, I would highly doubt that.

I agree it doesn’t make sense, if anything they needed an ACC win more. But they looked so much better prepared and better coached last night. It was night and day.

 

[BBallF]

To me, this was the key to the game. Hidalgo went right every time and they never took that away. The defense on her was some of the worst I've seen UConn play.

She just went right past the pick and didn't even get challenged on the drive or the finish.

 

[Ct Dog]

We a a monster in conference, out of conference an above average club. We haven’t adapted or recruited to the new style. Sadly there it is I said it.

 

[BRS24]

Anyone notice we are forced to use a lot of freshmen?

At one point it was Ash, KK, Q, Ice, and Aaliyah out there.

 

[BRS24]

Our answer was Ice. At this stage of her development, she is a step slow and has trouble reading what is happening. Why we tried to get her the ball in the 4th qtr is beyond me other than she was open. Edwards was the answer but our players/coaches didn't see that........... Yes, Ines could have given us some good Nika minutes. Perhaps our game preparation was suspect?????

Although Ice is freshman from a college playing experience, let's not forget that while she was sitting out last season and not getting any sort of game reps and experience, Ash, KK, and Q were all playing basketball, albeit in HS. IMHO nothing can substitute actually playing the game.

 

[Urshurak]

Wow, I was out last nite and missed the game. I kept checking the score and could not believe we laid an egg in front of a sell out home crowd and distinguished alumni . I had been waiting for this game and SC to see if we were truly a top 5 team. I have my answer With the SC yet to come. The big East has given us a false sense of where we rank. I m now going to watch the game that I taped.

You’re still using tape? Cool.

 

[oldude]

She just went right past the pick and didn't even get challenged on the drive or the finish.

That’s where Aubrey was badly missed. On those high screens, the forward is supposed to hedge strong, driving the guard back while the defense recovers. Aubrey is exceptional at that technique. But when Hidalgo ran her defender into the screen, she frequently blew right by Ice, who was a step slow, directly to the basket.

 

[npignatjr]

She seemed to be transmitting instructions in a professional way by using hand signals & finger signs.
When the cameras focused on Geno, he seems to be either yelling or getting emotional.
I understand that coaches have different motivational styles & techniques, but it not very good optics for the natuonal audience & potential recruits to see Geno yelling & demonstrating to the players by faliing his arms around.
His delivery of instructions looks a little more haphazard.

Or walking around the bench with his head down. There were more than a few bad calls and he did little to standup for his team. We sat across from the bench and it appeared he gave up relatively early in the 4th quarter.

 

[Zonepress]

We a a monster in conference, out of conference an above average club. We haven’t adapted or recruited to the new style. Sadly there it is I said it.

Just a foolish post
We have 2 starters a
6th man and a 6/5 player injured
So it’s the recruiting
But u did say it

 

[npignatjr]

Vaszily is a terrible official, and he always makes sure we’re on the wrong side of most of his calls. Almost Kantner level bad.

If I never see him again will be too soon. At two points in the game early Paige got a block on a Hidalgo shot and she reacted excited he walked into the UConn huddle to chastise her, later the same thing after a Qadense block. The push of Aaliyah right I front of him end of first half then awarding the ball to ND for a half ending 3 epic fail.

 

[topogigio]

I thought Shade had a good game. She always plays really hard And is smart.

Correct, and she cuts very hard to the basket, is open, and does not get the pass!

 

[martyn]

To me, this was the key to the game. Hidalgo went right every time and they never took that away. The defense on her was some of the worst I've seen UConn play.

That's what puzzled me. How does a kid who is five feet six score at will at the rim for a whole damn game? Geno never figured that out?

 

[my2cents]

That’s where Aubrey was badly missed. On those high screens, the forward is supposed to hedge strong, driving the guard back while the defense recovers. Aubrey is exceptional at that technique. But when Hidalgo ran her defender into the screen, she frequently blew right by Ice, who was a step slow, directly to the basket.

Step slow is an understatement, there were several times she didn't even take the step to cover.

 

[npignatjr]

Looks to me like ND had a game plan and executed it. We didn’t have one.

The ND coaching staff had a game plan and executed it, UCONN'S coaching staff didn't or the players couldn't make the adjustment. Anyone who has played if you are getting torched by a player only going to one side, without the coach telling you, you should almost automatically know to force that player to show you they can effectively use the other hand.

 

[Kat]

I am going to give credit to the Notre Dame team. The basketball legend that is UConn brings out the best in their opponents. You walk into Storrs, see the full house, the banners, the past championship players, national tv, etc. and you either crumble or compete. They stepped up.

 

[Willy Gee]

Great game by ND, however, I believe the loss is directly related to the extended interview with Diana in the 2nd quarter. It took the UConn's Ju-Ju right out of the game! I know there are others out there who are as sick as me, and believe the same!

I honestly (and irrationally) thought the same thing.

 

[Linart]

Could anyone hear if the crowd was yelling "Boom" when we put up a three? I couldn't tell. Although, come to think of it, the way we were shooting threes, they should have yelled "Clunk."

 

[HuskyNan]

We are not trashing players today. It was a team loss.

Non-UConn fans - some sensitivity is appreciated.

 

[Soxx]

Azzi disappeared against quality competition and wouldn’t have made a difference.

She may have in the past, but that’s just speculation if she had been out there last night.

 

[CTrefugee]

HH is very good, but UCONN not stepping into the lane to challenge her drives made her look better.

Much of this was Freshman (and Ice) not having enough experience to automatically back up whoever was guarding HH. When she drove around her opponent, nobody was there or stepped in. Geno will work on this.

Another Freshman problem is KK driving one on two or one on three without a plan.
This is another common Freshman error. They got away with it in high school. She will learn fast.

 

[msf22b]

Nan once wanted to label me the contrarian
I feel some of of that today...

It was a humbling experience last night in front of some of the great teams of the past and surely Geno was a bit distracted.

But some of the "sky is falling in" comments are going way too far for me...

The first is all the talk of Nika's horrible game.
When she was on the court the team was at its best
When she was off, it collapsed. That is not an opinion but based on the plus and minus analysis that at least one of the reporters had at his disposal and noted in the news conference. There was even a point during our first run, that Nika had Hannah looking almost rattled.

So, renewed emphasis in staying out of foul trouble (if effective) will certainly help.

I'm not saying that we will beat SC...but I expect that we will play a whole lot better...just as ND did after losing to Syracuse.

And a lower ranking in the NCAA's would seem to indicate a trip out West, and less gimme's in the initial rounds...But you still have to win games...And I am hopeful; even confident that we will win our share.

I know that there are people on the board who have followed the team since those initial championships and before...But I've been around long enough to remember Geno bemoaning the state of coaching throughout the country...He can't complain of that any more.

And I surely remember...it was Stevie's initial season, where ND had our number and beat us in three hard fought games in a row...when no one could contain Skylar and company ...And then in the NCAA semi's, we did; decisively.

So, amidst, the horrible embarrassment and disappointment, have faith; the ski is not falling in.

 

[SLY63]

And a lower ranking in the NCAA's would seem to indicate a trip out West, and less gimme's in the initial rounds...But you still have to win games...And I am hopeful; even confident that we will win our share.

Barring a miracle in Columbia, we are looking at a 3 or 4 seed (hopefully not a 4), and an uphill battle in the sweet 16. If we get a 4 seed, and face a 1 seed, I can't see getting out of the sweet 16.

 

[Soxx]

We have no bench, we can't lose a starter, and Nika took the game off

She's also a great defender. Could have used her a little more

Paige didn't have a great game, ND had something to do with that, but we need great Paige to beat the best teams

Nika “took the game off”? A step too far with those words.

 

[BBallF]

That’s where Aubrey was badly missed. On those high screens, the forward is supposed to hedge strong, driving the guard back while the defense recovers. Aubrey is exceptional at that technique. But when Hidalgo ran her defender into the screen, she frequently blew right by Ice, who was a step slow, directly to the basket.

Exactly. Instead of being stymied by the forward defender, she either got a lay up or a short pull up jumper with only token resistance.

 

[JellyBean]

I was able to watch the game this morning. Shout out to Fox Sports for the replay at 1am EST. I was able to read through #231 comments and a lot of you hit the nail on the head, Notre Dame just executed their game plan better than we did. We just got out coached and out played. It happens. If there was a 7-game series in college basketball, we would win in 6. Hats off to Notre Dame and Coach Ivey. She bested the legend, this time. Now we learn from this game, move on, and get ready for Villanova.

I ride with my UConn squad win or lose.

 

[todbo]

Nika “took the game off”? A step too far with those words.

As I remember, Nika's fifth foul came as we had battled back from a halftime deficit to tie the game at 60-60. From then on, ND outscored us 22-7. I believe that we have no one on the bench who can replace any of our starters in a tight game.

 

[Soxx]

But some of the "sky is falling in" comments are going way too far for me...

Thank you.

 

[CONNCAN]

Well said, Charlie (I'm learning that's your name.. if not, my apologies). Well done with your lengthy, yet on-point synopsis.

The only thing I'd add or modify is that I feel Sonia Citron was much better than just doing her job. I thought her defense on Paige (with plenty of help from teammates), and the combination of her key points and rebounds were pivotal in opening the Irish's lead in the second half. For a player sporting a leg brace, she was very impressive.

Absolutely "POINT ON" - Sonia Citron's job last night was to try to STOP Paige Bueckers. Here is a player, who is essentially playing on a 1/2 a leg, with that bulky knee brace on. But Sonia did one heck of a job stopping UCONN's most important player. Offensively, yes, you need to point to Hildalgo and Westbeld. But from a critical difference maker, it was the defensive play of Sonia Citron against Paige Bueckers (as one poster said "Citron played Paige so tight, that Sonia could tell you what brand of Hair Conditioner that Paige wore last night")