UConn-South Carolina postgame thread

[hoopsnloops32]

2nd half is always the bigger deal.

Doesn’t matter if you are down double digits going into the half.

 

[BRS24]

this might sound a bit stupid but I actually think a really close loss is not remotely the worst thing in the world - of course a win would have been great, but I also think winning without CD and Azzi would have potentially shifted people's attention and the pressure could have started to shift to UConn come March. As it is now, SC are still favourites and have the pressure. UConn now knows they can absolutely compete with them + having 2 more players back will massively help if they have to play them again.

And according to "everyone" (well, not the BY), SC was supposed to win. So there was a decent amount of pressure on them before the game, and as it was close for a majority of the game, more pressure. For UConn, it would have been nice to win, but now they have a bevy of stuff to improve upon, regardless of who is playing.

 

[#12in21]

Just want to add to all that has been said: This years team is the toughest, most resilient, and cohesive squad that I can remember. When you factor in all the adversity they have had to endure, the injuries, playing with no rest and no safety net - all of it - and they just don't crack. These guys are warriors (talented ones, no doubt to boot). This game was winnable, but they will hold their heads up high even while absorbing a defeat that could have easily gone the other way. They will just channel those emotions into fuel to feed them all the way through cutting down the nets at seasons end. I just love these guys to death!

 

[Fairfield Fan]

Random thoughts...

• Great effort by the team
• Lack of outside shooting hurt today (Azzi addresses that)
• Wish Geno got the T earlier where it could impact the game more and when SC had the ball (not us)
• We need to have a better answer to the Boston-Cardoso combo
• AE in foul trouble might have been the difference
• Boston really gets preferential treatment with her shoulder on offense
• Incredible how much Lou is being grabbed and held
• If we play them again, we won't have more depth up front and need be better with front court fouls
• Can't be disappointed with this one
• I don't see us dropping in the polls (hopefully) and if we win out, should be a 1 seed
• Can't believe the refs missed the inbounds handoff !!!
• We lost to the undefeated #1 team with an All-American (well, really 2) on the bench

South Carolina has the best post player in the nation- again. And also, arguably, the second best post player in the nation in Cardozo. And a back-up center in Amihere.

Too much firepower. That simple.

 

[Littlemin]

Team showed a lot of grit and fight .. IMO Geno did the best with what he has and yea he picked up a tech but you can holding bite your tongue for so long Zz .. Boston is a bull in a china shop yea she is a great player but them shoulder checks I’m not sure will not get called at the next level .. Lou gets mailed over and over again and she gets the most ticky tack fouls against her …
Still do t get how people are still complaining about Geno’s coaching and criticism aimed at some of our players …
In all honestly SC should be disappointed they didn’t take UConn to the woodshed playing 11 deep vs 6 ?

Why is analyzing the game so wrong? I have criticized but I am not complaining in the least, I have the utmost respect for the program, the coaches and the players, especially this team. To me, it is merely discussing the game. I was rooting for Uconn and couldn’t care less what SC should be disappointed about; maybe the difference is that I thought Uconn had a legitimate chance to win before and during the game. There is no shame in the least in the loss, the team played all out and were right there, but discussing the reasons why they lost should not be considered “complaining” or blasphemous or heretical IMO.

 

[Zanzman]

It sure is when they had all the horses and we were shorthanded

Been that way along time and we are still number 5 game went as expected wither team could have won

 

[Fairfield Fan]

The gutsiest, most determined five-man team in the nation. But the other team had more than five. Just outgunned, and too many fresh bodies.

 

[brownale]

You actually think that the coaches have instructed her not to shoot, seriously ?

`The coaches should tell AP that

I hear what you're saying, and her reluctance to engage on offense is problematic, but Patterson did make a lot of hustle plays that don't show up in the scorebook - diving on the floor for loose balls, tipping rebounds away from their bigs, etc. - and fired up her teammates.

I wish Geno would tell AP that she has to drive hard to the hoop and put it up strong. If you get blocked - fine, if you get called for a charge - fine. if you miss the shot - fine, but no dribbling into the lane and hesitating.

 

[hoopsnloops32]

The gutsiest, most determined five-man team in the nation. But the other team had more than five. Just outgunned, and too many fresh bodies.

The other team only played 8 players significant minutes- two more than us.

 

[Zanzman]

South Carolina has the best post player in the nation- again. And also, arguably, the second best post player in the nation in Cardozo. And a back-up center in Amihere.

Too much firepower. That simple.

To much fire power they only won by 4

 

[HuskyNan]

For the record...the T on Cardoso was bs too. Bouncing the ball hard? To ME...that type of thing at least deserves 1 warning. It was a harmless and an undirected emotional response in the heat of the battle.

It’s been a T forever. It’s always called

 

[fomalhaut]

Another thing worth noting is that dozens of people (here and in the press) have been beating the drums about how fantastically deep South Carolina is. Well, the box score shows that Boston and Cooke (who have been playing under 25 minutes a game) played 39 minutes each, and Raven Johnson came in early for Fletcher and played the rest of the game. Saxton also started but only played 10 minutes. Almost all of the remaining minutes were eaten up by the fifth starter Beale, plus Amihere and Cardoso. When push comes to shove (no pun intended), in a close game against an opponent who can play with them, South Carolina only has six or so players they really trust.

 

[HuskyNan]

Does anyone know the names of the three officials today?

REFEREES Katie Lukanich, Jeffrey Smith, Pualani Spurlock-Welsh

 

[oldude]

But he followed up with, "I didn't say anything for a long, long time … I don’t like to see a kid get manhandled like that right in front of the officials. You should see the bruises all over Lou's body. And then they call a touch foul on Nika for reaching in". So, he apologized before justifying his technical.

As I said, I understand Geno getting upset with his players getting bumped. The apology was not during Geno’s presser. According to Lou, Geno apologized in the locker room to his players after the game.

In addition I wouldn’t say Geno justified the technical. I would say he explained why he lost his composure. Geno knows his technical was ill advised, and it probably had nothing to do with what he said, but rather his decision to throw a water bottle on the court during play. I love Geno Auriemma, but there is no excuse for anyone throwing something on the court during play.

 

[BBallF]

The game was called terrible both ways. Just a bad ref job all the way

Not relevant. The difference is that we didn't come into the game with the deliberate intention of holding their guards like that did to us and it wasn't called. So the implication that somehow it balanced out is just not accurate. Did they have any call go against them as critical and blatant as the handoff?

 

[CTinLA]

Seriously?! Who would be the subs against the #1 WCB team? Patterson? DeBerry? Bettencourt? Alexa Philippou said it best. "Yes, UConn has eight available players, but its three reserves would be the last ones off the bench if the team were healthy. Against Providence, that trio played a combined 27 minutes and finished with one point, one assist and zero rebounds." Geno is a great coach, not a magician.

Dorka and Aubrey needed to recognize that they were the ones who had to take the fouls. Lou, Nika and Aaliyah needed to stand back and let them.

 

[UConnCat]

REFEREES Katie Lukanich, Jeffrey Smith, Pualani Spurlock-Welsh

None of whom realized that a player trying to in-bound the ball is not allowed to hand the ball to a player who is on the court.

 

[Beemer]

This was a winnable game.

I confess I didn't think so when the game started, I just wanted them to get out of it uninjured.

Sometimes it's nice to be proven wrong. This is one of those times.

 

[Zanzman]

For the record...the T on Cardoso was bs too. Bouncing the ball hard? To ME...that type of thing at least deserves 1 warning. It was a harmless and an undirected emotional response in the heat of the battle.

If she had caught the ball on the way back up rather than let it go wouldn’t have been a T

 

[uconnfan68]

In my opinion the tech was warranted earlier when SC had the ball so UCONN didn't lose a possession.

Why would they hold Lou when they had the ball?

 

[Fairfield Fan]

Paige.
Azzi.
Ice.
CD.

Sigh.
What could have been...

 

[jaydee602]

As I said, I understand Geno getting upset with his players getting bumped. The apology was not during Geno’s presser. According to Lou, Geno apologized in the locker room to his players after the game.

In addition I wouldn’t say Geno justified the technical. I would say he explained why he lost his composure. Geno knows his technical was ill advised, and it probably had nothing to do with what he said, but rather his decision to throw a water bottle on the court during play. I love Geno Auriemma, but there is no excuse for anyone throwing something on the court during play.

Fair enough! But he would have received the technical even if he didn't throw the bottle. LOL.....he was almost at the three point line screaming at the ref!

 

[reelfan]

Lou got mugged every time she went down court..........NO fouls called. What gives ??????

 

[uconnfan68]

Does anyone know the names of the three officials today?

Larry, Moe, and Curly.

 

[freshler40]

Geno made exactly that comment after the game. In order to counter SC’s inside strength, UConn needs to make more 3’s.

Well, we only took five (5). If missed, they often provide long rebounds. SC hit three (3) three pointers late in game to provide some spread from us. The way SC dominated the boards almost any miss garnered them another opportunity. Staley had a good game plan, so did we to keep it close but our short inexperienced bench hurt.

We also had some trouble getting the ball in play resulting in unforced turnovers. With more starter quality experienced players expected back soon, the future is bright!