UCONN/OSU comparison

[winlots]

Thought it might be fun, if any of you folks have now seen both UCONN and Ohio State in action, to compare the two teams regarding their strengths, weaknesses, potential and any other dimensions you'd enjoy discussing.

 

[Centerstream]

Well, the obvious...UCONN is 1-0, OSU is 1-1, losing to a very good lower ranked team.
One thing that was curious to me was why in the OSU/Stanford game, OSU played the Cardinal much better in the second half than UConn did. OSU increased their lead, UConn lost the second half, score wise and possibly effort wise.
OSU has two monster players, UConn 6, possibly 7 monster players.

 

[mbr33ct]

Here's one thought on the Ohio St and Louisville game. Good lord man, when is/was Kevin McGuff going to put a player to "shadow" Asia Durr? After 20, 30, 40 points?

 

[PAHuskeyFan]

OSU will score points from one or 2 players... but can only pray they score more than their opponent because they don't like to play defense.

UCONN can score from anyone on the floor... and will defend most teams as well.

 

[JordyG]

Here's one thought on the Ohio St and Louisville game. Good lord man, when is/was Kevin McGuff going to put a player to "shadow" Asia Durr? After 20, 30, 40 points?

Did you have the same thought when Morgan William was lighting UConn up?

 

[PAHuskeyFan]

Did you have the same thought when Morgan William was lighting UConn up?

Yes, Morgan hit the winning basket with the National Defensive Player of the Year covering her... but "lighting Uconn up????" She only had 13 points for the whole game.

 

[EricLA]

Did you have the same thought when Morgan William was lighting UConn up?

Yes... And I bet in hindsight Geno did too. I recall hearing/reading a quote from him saying he made coaching decision mistakes during that game. Not sure if he ever elaborated, but that would probably be one of them...

 

[mbr33ct]

Did you have the same thought when Morgan William was lighting UConn up?

I wrote that game up to lack of depth, "stuff" happens...but Asia Durr, it kept happening....kept happening...kept happening...

 

[Tonyc]

Hey the score tells it all no defense on either side and Durr was on fire. UConn plays defense and either team would get blown out by UConn. I wont compare UConns second half to either team because the circumstances were different. Both Ohio St and LVille were fighting to win and UConn game was over in the second qtr.

 

[TitleTown]

Did you have the same thought when Morgan William was lighting UConn up?

"Lighting UConn up"? William was 6-17 for all of 13pts! Since when is that "lighting" a team up?

 

[JordyG]

"Lighting UConn up"? William was 6-17 for all of 13pts! Since when is that "lighting" a team up?

Of course you're right and I take responsibility for trolling. Still, in my mind Morgan scored 50 in the loss.

 

[PAHuskeyFan]

Of course you're right and I take responsibility for trolling. Still, in my mind Morgan scored 50 in the loss.

She did "light up Baylor

 

[BroadwayVa]

Did you have the same thought when Morgan William was lighting UConn up?

Bigggg difference!! Ohio St had McGuff and Uconn had Geno---see the difference???

 

[JordyG]

Bigggg difference!! Ohio St had McGuff and Uconn had Geno---see the difference???

There's a difference? Didn't OSU light up the Husky's in their last meeting?

 

[pacific 44]

OSU wouldn't light up Uconn if they were the Uconn chihuahua's.

 

[huskeynut]

Can tOSU have more than 2 players score in double digits consistently? Maybe.
Can UConn have more than 2 players score in double digits consistently? Absolutely!

Can tOSU play consistent defense? No.
Can UConn play consistent defense? Absolutely!

End of discussion.

 

[BroadwayVa]

There's a difference? Didn't OSU light up the Husky's in their last meeting?

Ok let me rephrase my comment: Uconn is Uconn and OSU is OSU---simple isn't it?? You got it wrong: It was Edison who lit up Manhattan.

 

[CamrnCrz1974]

Hey the score tells it all no defense on either side and Durr was on fire. UConn plays defense and either team would get blown out by UConn. I wont compare UConns second half to either team because the circumstances were different. Both Ohio St and LVille were fighting to win and UConn game was over in the second qtr.

I have to respectfully disagree with this assessment (and it is always risky to disagree with the highly respected and revered @Tonyc on this board), especially as it pertains to high-level basketball among elite teams.

People on this board often say things such as, "No defense is played in the NBA." This simply is NOT true. In the NBA, great offense beats great defense. Players' abilities, such as elevating, leaping ability, creating space in the air, and pure athleticism, can overcome great defense. Yes, there are players - even great players - who do not hustle on the defensive end (e.g., James Harden). But someone allowing a putback dunk is not necessarily due to bad defense or not blocking out; it is because the offensive player has such incredible leaping ability to "go over the top" or has the athletic prowess/skills to overcome the defender.

Now, it is very different in women's basketball, which is below the rim and does not have nearly the shotmakers or players who can create their own shots as in the NBA.

BUT to say "the score tells it all no defense on either side" fails to account for the prowess of both Asia Durr and Kelsey Mitchell, two players are among the elite in terms of creating their own shots. It is a misleading statement.

Now, if you watched the game and saw that multiple attempts were unguarded, that is one thing. But making a conclusion about the defensive effort from the box score alone is not accurate, IMHO.

 

[JordyG]

Ok let me rephrase my comment: Uconn is Uconn and OSU is OSU---simple isn't it?? You got it wrong: It was Edison who lit up Manhattan.

Darn skippy! Yet it should have been Tesla. Are you saying Edison is better than Tesla?

Man I'm such a sad/bad troller.

 

[JordyG]

OSU wouldn't light up Uconn if they were the Uconn chihuahua's.

Yeah yeah, blame it on the dog. But what's generally coming out of OSU these last years was a human smell.

 

[bbsamjj]

I have to respectfully disagree with this assessment (and it is always risky to disagree with the highly respected and revered @Tonyc on this board), especially as it pertains to high-level basketball among elite teams.

People on this board often say things such as, "No defense is played in the NBA." This simply is NOT true. In the NBA, great offense beats great defense. Players' abilities, such as elevating, leaping ability, creating space in the air, and pure athleticism, can overcome great defense. Yes, there are players - even great players - who do not hustle on the defensive end (e.g., James Harden). But someone allowing a putback dunk is not necessarily due to bad defense or not blocking out; it is because the offensive player has such incredible leaping ability to "go over the top" or has the athletic prowess/skills to overcome the defender.

Now, it is very different in women's basketball, which is below the rim and does not have nearly the shotmakers or players who can create their own shots as in the NBA.

BUT to say "the score tells it all no defense on either side" fails to account for the prowess of both Asia Durr and Kelsey Mitchell, two players are among the elite in terms of creating their own shots. It is a misleading statement.

Now, if you watched the game and saw that multiple attempts were unguarded, that is one thing. But making a conclusion about the defensive effort from the box score alone is not accurate, IMHO.

Agree with Cam. I only saw the first half, but Louisville did a MUCH better job guarding Mitchell while OSU seemed to lose Durr too many times (that being said, she made some amazing shots). The reason OSU was only down 1 at the half though was that Mitchell smartly found the open players, and to their credit, they knocked down a ton of 3's.

 

[nwhoopfan]

tOSU crushed Stanford on the boards, especially O boards, while Stanford outrebounded UConn. That probably says more about Stanford's response/adjustments after the first game than it does about either tOSU or UConn. Louisville crushed tOSU on the glass and only gave up four O boards. Mavunga only had 6 rebounds after grabbing 26 against Stanford. Bottom line: can't really draw any strong conclusions after 1 or 2 games.

 

[eebmg]

I have to respectfully disagree with this assessment (and it is always risky to disagree with the highly respected and revered @Tonyc on this board), especially as it pertains to high-level basketball among elite teams.

People on this board often say things such as, "No defense is played in the NBA." This simply is NOT true. In the NBA, great offense beats great defense. Players' abilities, such as elevating, leaping ability, creating space in the air, and pure athleticism, can overcome great defense. Yes, there are players - even great players - who do not hustle on the defensive end (e.g., James Harden). But someone allowing a putback dunk is not necessarily due to bad defense or not blocking out; it is because the offensive player has such incredible leaping ability to "go over the top" or has the athletic prowess/skills to overcome the defender.

Now, it is very different in women's basketball, which is below the rim and does not have nearly the shotmakers or players who can create their own shots as in the NBA.

BUT to say "the score tells it all no defense on either side" fails to account for the prowess of both Asia Durr and Kelsey Mitchell, two players are among the elite in terms of creating their own shots. It is a misleading statement.

Now, if you watched the game and saw that multiple attempts were unguarded, that is one thing. But making a conclusion about the defensive effort from the box score alone is not accurate, IMHO.

I definitely agree. In this game, stellar shot making and high pace led to the high scoring game. I did not see lack of effort or intensity on defense.

 

[huskyd]

Bottom line: Offense--UConn better; Defense--UConn better; Coach--UConn better. Ergo: No comparison. Huskies are incomparable!

 

[BroadwayVa]

Darn skippy! Yet it should have been Tesla. Are you saying Edison is better than Tesla?

Man I'm such a sad/bad troller.

'

No but Tesla had no skin in the game; all the money belonged to Westinghouse, who used Tesla's AC to create a use-able long distance Transmission system. Edison, a childhood hero, was a prolific inventor and user of inventors and poor judgement about DC. Tesla was a demented genus. Westinghouse used him. His wacky invention was his Long Island power transmission site--but the best is: he is living in the jungles of Brazil in an underground country with Edison and a dozen or more supposedly dead scientists--with a space port and space submarines. How can that be denied???