UConn - SC post game | The Boneyard

UConn - SC post game

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EricSD

EricSD

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Well... that was not what any UConn fan wanted, but what many of us feared. Congrats to SC for not only overwhelming us, but in beating us in every facet of the game. It's even more disappointing when one realizes that our result was no better than middle of the pack SEC teams vs. SC lately (Vandy lost by 17, Auburn by 22). What a get Paopao was for them from the portal.

The warning signs were there. A fair amount of lively debate recently by UConn fans over "who cares how you win - even if it's not pretty". Well, all the issues we saw, even in recent wins, were magnified and exposed in this game.

SC got contributions from almost everyone. Hall had an off shooting game, but SC had 4 starters in double figures, and got 19 points from the bench (UConn got 3 points from our bench - late 3 by Q).

Paige and Ash shooting 4-17 from 3 is not a recipe for anything good. The TO's and fouls from UConn actually weren't bad. We did show signs of life in the 4th quarter, but really had the end result of making the corpse more pretty. I think all our injuries really showcased just how little depth we have. When you start 2 freshmen and your only bench players are also freshmen, it's going to be inconsistent at best.

I think the team did do the best we could. Can't fault anyone for lack of effort or anything like that. SC is just the better team and while we are solid, all our flaws were exposed. I'm disappointed, but not down on the team. Look at what they have had to try to overcome this year!
 
502BE241-E3CD-4754-83DF-26BF135916B5.jpeg
 
Thoughts...

  • Everyone on the floor gave it their all, just not enough talent or depth (available).
  • Not surprising, I expected a 15-20 point loss (prognostication was 82-63). SC is a bad matchup for us.
  • Gotta admit, I respect Dawn, and SC is the big favorite this year
  • Without the injuries this would have been different, but this is our team, no excuses.
  • Depth really killed us. Our bench (Ice, Q) can't compete at this level.
  • Really only had contributions from 3 players (offensively)
  • With Cordosa (sp) it would have been worse.

  • I thought Shade played well. Never gets tired. Can't wait to see her in a couple of years.
  • AE and Paige just could carry the team and got worn down quickly
  • Nika just really can't contribute much against elite teams
  • KK is athletic enough, just not polished enough (yet) offensively
  • I really expected more out of Ice by now. Hope the upside is there eventually.

We really need good matchups in the NCAA tourney to get past Sweet 16
 
EricLA said:
Well... that was not what any UConn fan wanted, but what many of us feared. Congrats to SC for not only overwhelming us, but in beating us in every facet of the game. It's even more disappointing when one realizes that our result was no better than middle of the pack SEC teams vs. SC lately (Vandy lost by 17, Auburn by 22). What a get Paopao was for them from the portal.

The warning signs were there. A fair amount of lively debate recently by UConn fans over "who cares how you win - even if it's not pretty". Well, all the issues we saw, even in recent wins, were magnified and exposed in this game.

SC got contributions from almost everyone. Hall had an off shooting game, but SC had 4 starters in double figures, and got 19 points from the bench (UConn got 0 points from our bench).

Paige and Ash shooting 4-17 from 3 is not a recipe for anything good. The TO's and fouls from UConn actually weren't bad. We did show signs of life in the 4th quarter, but really had the end result of making the corpse more pretty. I think all our injuries really showcased just how little depth we have. When you start 2 freshmen and your only bench players are also freshmen, it's going to be inconsistent at best.

I think the team did do the best we could. Can't fault anyone for lack of effort or anything like that. SC is just the better team and while we are solid, all our flaws were exposed. I'm disappointed, but not down on the team. Look at what they have had to try to overcome this year!
Expand ...
We were completely outclassed
 
ok, that's over. Paige did what she could, but Hall played well against her. Aaliyah did her usual excellent thing, and Ash did what she could, as did Nika. But it wasn't enough. I'm proud of them and they can only grow from this one. Paopao hit 4 3s early on and it was hard to recover from that.
 
.-.
Was expecting a loss but was also hoping it would be a closer game. :(

IMO, the game was lost in Q1 when UConn had many chances to score but simply struggled to put up points. Let SCar establish and dominate too early.

It sucks that for the last 3 seasons we have had to play “short handed” against South Carolina. How different things might have been for every game if we hadn’t been beset by multiple injuries. Not saying UConn would have won them all (or any of them), but it would have been a more even playing field.

We are average this year, unfortunately. Not unlike last year. Just gotta close out the BE, win the BE tourney, and hope for the best going into the Big Dance.
 
Biggest concern was, similar to the ND game, no adjustments by UConn, particularly on defense. All year, the pick and roll at the top of the key has been an issue. Kudos to Edwards for strong game at both ends. She made mistakes but looked like a future pro the way she battled.
 
EricLA said:
Well... that was not what any UConn fan wanted, but what many of us feared. Congrats to SC for not only overwhelming us, but in beating us in every facet of the game. It's even more disappointing when one realizes that our result was no better than middle of the pack SEC teams vs. SC lately (Vandy lost by 17, Auburn by 22). What a get Paopao was for them from the portal.

The warning signs were there. A fair amount of lively debate recently by UConn fans over "who cares how you win - even if it's not pretty". Well, all the issues we saw, even in recent wins, were magnified and exposed in this game.

SC got contributions from almost everyone. Hall had an off shooting game, but SC had 4 starters in double figures, and got 19 points from the bench (UConn got 0 points from our bench).

Paige and Ash shooting 4-17 from 3 is not a recipe for anything good. The TO's and fouls from UConn actually weren't bad. We did show signs of life in the 4th quarter, but really had the end result of making the corpse more pretty. I think all our injuries really showcased just how little depth we have. When you start 2 freshmen and your only bench players are also freshmen, it's going to be inconsistent at best.
Expand ...
Two common things I have witnessed in our 5 losses, quick guards who can score give us problems, and when we get behind we resort to one-on-one basketball. We stopped sharing the ball and then it was a free for all. I have no doubt an experienced KK next year will be better suited to guard quick guards than Nika, but we really needed Aubrey's defense, Azzi's shooting and Jana in the paint to allow AE to come out more on the perimeter. Simply put, we are a team that can beat 98% of the teams in the country, but clearly are not capable of winning against the elite teams, not this season. I am okay with that and have resigned to just enjoying the remainder of the season and the BE tournament.
 
.-.
Tough game, especially on the road....our 2 All Americans had 20 each in a hard fought game. Picture Fudd shooting those 3s instead of Shade, and KK pulling up short for a quick jump shot instead having the same result over and over under the basket. 12 assists is not a good sign either, but the turnovers were even. Who knows what would have happen without injuries this year, all we can do is be happy with what we have.
 
I expected a 20 point loss. Close enough.

I think UConn had some good looks, but shots just not falling. SC was hitting everything. Like, everything.

Ice was not very good today. She needs to get a lot better. A lot.

SC is number one for a reason. Imagine if Cordosa was playing? Yikes….clearly Dawn wasn’t worried about her not being there. At all.

Too many disparities with this team. Injuries have killed them. Zero depth, zero bench. I will be impressed if they get to the sweet 16, but kind of doubt it.

It is what it is.
 
SLY63 said:
Thoughts...

  • Everyone on the floor gave it their all, just not enough talent or depth (available).
  • Not surprising, I expected a 15-20 point loss (prognostication was 82-63). SC is a bad matchup for us.
  • Gotta admit, I respect Dawn, and SC is the big favorite this year
  • Without the injuries this would have been different, but this is our team, no excuses.
  • Depth really killed us. Our bench (Ice, Q) can't compete at this level.
  • With Cordosa (sp) it would have been worse.

  • I thought Shade played well. Never gets tired. Can't wait to see her in a couple of years.
  • AE and Paige just could carry the team and got worn down quickly
  • Nika just really can't contribute much against elite teams
  • KK is athletic enough, just not polished enough (yet) offensively
  • I really expected more out of Ice by now. Hope the upside is there eventually.

We really need good matchups in the NCAA tourney to get past Sweet 16
Expand ...
And extremely accurate post

I
 
The game went about as expected by me and other UConn fans...It's difficult to play (essentially) 5 against 8.

Their bench scored 19 points against the one 3 for Q and that was most of the difference between the teams.

We didn't play particularly well; no interest in singling out individual players...but they were bigger, more experienced, shot better and defended well...and without their huge presence inside ...as noted; we can compete with a lot of teams but SC is a bridge too far.
 
.-.
I was waiting for one of the announcers to inevitably reference SC missing Cardoso. "Impressive win, even without C" Really!?!? Did you not notice the talent sidelined on the UConn bench (not to mention Caroline).

You play with what you have, and SC looked great. But please don't add on by making gratuitous comments.
 
How does EVERY PLAYER make every single
Shot they shoot when they play us!!!????

Just heartbreaking.

Uconn 2024 we are NOT done, but we have to make
Our layups man..

Just a sad day, but I am
Proud of our girls for fighting with what we had

#GoHuskies
 
I was hoping that we would go into Columbia just like the Golden Domers went into Storrs, and we would get an unlikely win. That didn't happen. Our starting 5 did their best but it was not enough. I could say that they only outscored us by 4 in the 2nd half but that don't mean "nuthin".
The good thing is that we should not face any other team that is close to SoCar's abilities until well into the Big Dance and as a result won't have to practice to play as good of a team for a while.
I'm glad that we played the whole game but SoCar is just the BEST "TEAM" in the country and the only way they lose is if 4 or 5 of their players don't "show up" for a game.
Looking forward to the next UConn game!!!!
 
Cheddie said:
I was waiting for one of the announcers to inevitably reference SC missing Cardoso. "Impressive win, even without C" Really!?!? Did you not notice the talent sidelined on the UConn bench (not to mention Caroline).

You play with what you have, and SC looked great. But please don't add on by making gratuitous comments.
Expand ...
Did you not see when they listed all the UCONN players out with injuries?
 
One of UConn’s weaknesses expected was rebounding. Need to boost that. Hoping program takes a different direction soon.
 
.-.
Right now, there is big disparity between UConn & SC as programs. This year's SC team is better, more well-rounded than last season's team, which only lost one game to Iowa & Caitlin Clark. Kudos to Dawn for going out and addressing the one weakness they historically have had - outside shooting. That isn't the case anymore. Unlike UConn, who rely primarily on 2 players, SC has different players step up from game to game, depending on the situation.

Since the ND game, Paige has looked like a different player. She has notably slimmed down - the muscle she entered the season with has been trimmed away. Her outside shooting has been affected, the legs don't appear to be what they were at the start of the season. For her sake, I sincerely hope she returns next year, using the offseason again to build her body back up. She's had a fantastic season coming back after missing so much time. Next year, Paige will be fully back.

For now, UConn is outgunned against the top tier teams. No shame, but they will be hard pressed to beat teams with a combination of size and speed. This game displayed where Azzi, Aubrey and help for Aaliyah could have made a difference. Not saying they would have beaten SC, but the game would have been more competitive.
 
Until we are healthy next year, this is how it’s going to be. Aaliyah and Paige don’t have the help they need and they get tired having to do everything. Getting a player like Strong and good health can sway things back our way. It actually isn’t as bad as it is. This year we have to just gain experience and each player get better because the final four is not happening this year.
 
UCONN will not lose another game this season until the Round of 16 in the NCAA'S. Then it will be over.
 
.-.
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