UConn - Notre Dame post game

[LwrcasefaN]

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

Yea. And I think they played fine.

 

[maple]

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

And who was the best player on the floor last night? A freshman. Just not ours.

Our freshman did not play as good as we have seen them play before.

 

[SLY63]

Well, what can I say that wasn't already said. Completely STUNNED. Nor looking forward to SC, and I'll leave it at that.

South Carolina could be a bloodbath

 

[maple]

Speaking of the alumni, the 4 championship teams in attendance lost a combined 9 games. The margins were 4, 1, 15 (at ND), 3, 3, 1 (ND), 6, 9 (ND in 3 OT), and 2 (ND). Four of the losses were to ND, and the only loss in regulation by more than 6 points was at ND. This year's team has already lost by 11, 11, 12, and 15.

Those were the days.

 

[BBallF]

You could tell the entire game that ND was going to win this game. They just had a certain edge that UCONN simply couldn't match. However, there are three reasons why UCONN lost.

1. Nika Muhl. The worst game of Nika's collegiate career. 0 points. Fouled out early in the 4th quarter. An embarrassing display of no game sense and being overly aggressive and she was ineffective in stopping Hildago even when she was in the game.

2. Paige Bueckers. Arguably the worst game of her collegiate career but was also triple teamed all night. She simply didn't show up and got outclassed by two different opponents (Hildago and Westbeld)

3. Geno. I know Geno is a coaching god and a legend but he simply refused to adjust to the Hildago pick and roll all night and the team continuously got burned by it. UCONN is very very prone to a quick guard torching them and it's happened time and time again over the past couple years and happened yet again.

The last big game of the year is South Carolina and they are gonna get torched by 30 if they play like they did tonight.

I think that too much was made of this game with the teams being honored, the white out, the "Boom" etc. ND was coming off a bad loss and had nothing to lose and played like it. Loose as a goose as my high school coach used to say. We were tight from the start. Also, KK's defense disappears as soon as there is a pick and Ice does not know how to defend a drive. It's a very flawed team but there is really no one to blame because we are flawed for a reason. Instead of a team starting Paige, Azzi, CD, Jana( or Aubrey), and Liyah with Aubrey or Jana and Nika coming off the bench, or some combination of the above, and maybe Ash and KK and Ayanna, you have 4 freshmen having to carry the load. They can't do it. They, with the exception of Ash to a certain extent, are still trying to do things that they should have stopped doing a while ago. You root for this team because you love them, but they really disappointed last night.

 

[freshler40]

Yeah, when NIka played dumb with faults why not try Ines to stop Hidaldo? Let Ines fault out if thats what it takes ?? Where is the coaching CHANGE ?? ( Just don't tell me putting Ines could lose more, so what ?)

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?????

 

[AmeriConn]

It's amazing to me, that as a senior, she still makes that many mental errors. That was the worst game she's ever played.

Pure frustration.

 

[BBallF]

Yes that was a mystery to me. They just kept letting her drive never made any adjustments.

She went off a pick each time and nobody switched and stopped it and when she went in, Ice did nothing to stop her. See the pick coming, get through it or call the switch ahead of time.

 

[AmeriConn]

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

 

[Fairfield_1st]

3. Geno. I know Geno is a coaching god and a legend but he simply refused to adjust to the Hildago pick and roll all night and the team continuously got burned by it. UCONN is very very prone to a quick guard torching them and it's happened time and time again over the past couple years and happened yet again.

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.

 

[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.