UConn-South Carolina postgame thread

[Boreifs]

Without sounding like a Pollyanna, this game just confirmed that UConn can win against SC. UConn, playing to its strengths, will win. SC is a dominate team and if allowed to use its muscle, will win. Great game for women's basketball fans to watch.
I viewed today's game as a well-played game for SC; OK for UConn. In the playoffs, if the two teams play again, I don't expect:
-Edwards to only get 4 rebounds. All American quality game by her today but pushed out of position so many times. Credit SC but doubt it would happen again.
-Geno will not get a technical at a key time. Gave SC 3-5 points that turned out to be critical.
-UConn will not get (2) 5 second calls and one step in (i.e. by Aubrey) turnovers.
-Nika will have more than 4 assists. UConn will move throughout next game.
-UConn will have another 3-point shooter the next time. If Azzi, forecast but she and Lou will have big games. SC does not have two defenders that can shut both down at same time. I will not comment on the beating Lou took. Suspect Geno will make sure one way or another her getting hammered shows up in fouls.
-Geno will not let UConn's big guards get caught under the basket helping out. UConn was beaten under the boards but killed on the long rebounds. UConn's guards need to release to go after long rebounds. 1-2 more rebounds could have been the difference.

This is a very different UConn than I have seen in several years. Virtually all of the players can go one on one and create their own shots if needed. Boston and the other SC bigs are excellent but I don't view their defense as strong enough to keep a hot shooting UC team from winning if/when Azzi and Caroline come back.

Very astute. Just adding that Geno admitted in the postgame presser that one on one play was the game plan. Even Nika got involved.

 

[Geew1992]

 

[SVCBeercats]

Geno didn't help them at all with his substitutes

Right now Geno has exactly 5 basketball healthy players who can compete in a game with South Carolina. The two substitutes he needs for March are Azzi and Caroline. Ines, Amari, and Ayanna are not qualified subs for such games. Ayanna - 14 min. 0 pts. 0 rebs. 0 asst. 1 stl. 1 blk. 2 to. pf 3

 

[HuskyNan]

Right now Geno has exactly 5 basketball healthy players who can compete in a game with South Carolina. The two substitutes he needs for March are Azzi and Caroline. Ines, Amari, and Ayanna are not qualified subs for such games. Ayanna - 14 min. 0 pts. 0 rebs. 0 asst. 1 stl. 1 blk. 2 to. pf 3

Ayanna played well today. She bodied up Boston and boxed her out pretty wel. Ayanna also caused a couple tie ups and she defended well. None of that shows up in the box score

 

[Wonder 12]

Could not agree more. I stopped watching the NBA decades ago because it’s no longer basketball but indoor rugby. If the NCAA doesn’t address the issue of freedom of movement and start calling fouls when defenders grab offensive players, especially when they don’t possess the ball, I’ll stop watching the collegiate women. What was played today is not basketball.

I feel the same way.

 

[OldSchooler]

Only one official missed the handoff - the official administering the inbound pass. The other two have other areas of responsibility to watch. If all three are watching the inbound pass, no one is paying attention to what is happening on the baseline, in the paint or at the 3pt line.

That being said, the inbounding official clearly missed it, and I guarantee he'll regret it when viewing the film. He and I worked high school games together back in the day. I had, and still have, great respect for his body of work. He's a class act, a stand-up guy, and will be haunted by it.

My question is technical, and you're one who can answer it. Is this not a "reviewable" call?

 

[Redux]

Ayanna played well today. She bodied up Boston and boxed her out pretty wel. Ayanna also caused a couple tie ups and she defended well. None of that shows up in the box score

Both your post and the one you are replying to are true. I have been a big fan of Patterson but right now, despite the positives you point out well, she is not ready for a game at this level except for emergency. A month from now she could be; she's close (but that was true 5-6 weeks ago).

 

[uconnfan68]

Ayanna played well today. She bodied up Boston and boxed her out pretty wel. Ayanna also caused a couple tie ups and she defended well. None of that shows up in the box score

To be fair, one of the TOs was trying to pass to someone (Aubrey) who should have been cutting to the basket. My take.

 

[Bone Dog]

Wasn't it a relief not to see a lot of flopping! These are both real teams who play real basketball. Not cheap shot artists. Sure, it was rough at times, but other than the missed call on the handoff, I don't think the whistles made a difference.

Now, about that handoff....

 

[donalddoowop]

Geno didn’t have enough time outs to sub in every other possession

When the foul was committed the clock would stop. Sub then. Then, after UConn got the ball, sub on the next dead ball. It could have worked at least twice. As for cohenzone, who went in after players fouled out?

 

[Bone Dog]

Was this the best game in the country all year long? I think so!!!

 

[darkstar1]

Wasn't it a relief not to see a lot of flopping! These are both real teams who play real basketball. Not cheap shot artists. Sure, it was rough at times, but other than the missed call on the handoff, I don't think the whistles made a difference.

Now, about that handoff....

Totally disagree. In a close game like this, the failure to call even two obvious offensive fouls on Boston and calling them blocks, was huge. Then add the fouls that were uncalled when Lou was mugged and the handoff, and that could easily be the game.

 

[Bone Dog]

Totally disagree. In a close game like this, the failure to call even two obvious offensive fouls on Boston and calling them blocks, was huge. Then add the fouls that were uncalled when Lou was mugged and the handoff, and that could easily be the game.

Totally different question. I'm not talking about actual fouls. I'm talking about fake fouls -- hence the term flopping. I was relieved the game was free of this baloney. Neither team was interested in stealing an advantage that way.

 

[jaydee602]

Ayanna played well today. She bodied up Boston and boxed her out pretty wel. Ayanna also caused a couple tie ups and she defended well. None of that shows up in the box score

I thought Ayanna played with confidence & determination on defense. She was hesitant on offense, but that will improve with time.

 

[GoChips20]

One of the craziest facts about today’s game is that UConn shot 52% against the nation’s best defense and still lost the game.

To be clear, that’s not a dig at UConn. Can’t remember the last time somebody shot 45% against SC. Pretty incredible offense today.

 

[MSGRET]

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.

There were more Boneyarder's favoring SC in their Prognostications for this game then the one's favoring UConn.

 

[MSGRET]

Anyone ever keep the game books? I'm curious how many fouls will be contributed to Cardoso. 5 or 6? I thought that technical fouls counted as a personal foul.

6

 

[MSGRET]

I watched the replay and tried to count all of the holds and hip checks on Lou, the best that I could come up with was 22 times, 7 each in the first two quarters, with 5 in the third and 3 in the fourth. So maybe Geno's T did help some, but it would have been better if he had done it sometime in the 2nd quarter.

 

[JellyBean]

Like the rest of the Yard, I am very proud of this team. Came pretty close to pulling off the win today. But I was impressed with how the team, especially Aaliyah, did not back down from South Carolina. The team had a nice game plan on the defensive end and offensively, they went at South Carolina. Aaliyah had one of those "I am coming at you" games. She made a huge statement in this game. I am proud of the team.

 

[Littlemin]

She had a really strong offensive game but there are two ends of the court when you hoop, her complete lack of presence on the defensive boards was a big factor in the game.

So for those who dislike the truth, Edwards getting only 2 defensive boards had no affect on the game? Why is objective truth such an anathema to some? I thought this was a discussion board, I could care less about the “dislike” reactions, that is childish IMO without some type of counter argument or opinion, because frankly, I thought it was a huge factor in the loss; as I think her points were huge in keeping Uconn in the game. In my mind both are very true. Some of you seem so used to Uconn only winning, all objectivity is lost, and blaming refs is the only point worth attributing to any and all close games and losses.

 

[HuskyNan]

Both your post and the one you are replying to are true. I have been a big fan of Patterson but right now, despite the positives you point out well, she is not ready for a game at this level except for emergency. A month from now she could be; she's close (but that was true 5-6 weeks ago).

Aaliyah had foul trouble. It was (kind of) an emergency

 

[HuskyNan]

So for those who dislike the truth, Edwards getting only 2 defensive boards had no affect on the game? Why is objective truth such an anathema to some? I thought this was a discussion board, I could care less about the “dislike” reactions, that is childish IMO without some type of counter argument or opinion, because frankly, I thought it was a huge factor in the loss; as I think her points were huge in keeping Uconn in the game. In my mind both are very true. Some of you seem so used to Uconn only winning, all objectivity is lost, and blaming refs is the only point worth attributing to any and all close games and losses.

It’s not that you’re making your point. It’s that a huge chunk of UConn fans that had been expecting the Huskies to be blown out were delighted and proud to see their team stand toe to toe with the defending national champions for the entire 40 minutes. The fans were reveling in how well the team played.

And then the people that feel the need to pick apart every facet of every game come along to tell us how bad someone was or point out all the errors or let us know where someone failed to live up to that fan’s expectations. All of the air suddenly goes out of the room and we’re unable to like the way our team played without being told how unrealistic we are

The people that complain they “can’t “ criticize are the ones that “won’t” let those of us who were enjoying our team have even a sliver of satisfaction.