Uconn South Carolina Series Over

[irsh4242]

https://www.ctinsider.com/sports/uconn-womens-basketball/article/south-carolina-series-non-conference-schedule-20397026.php

 

[Jackalope]

Methinks Dawn doesn't want to loose again to the National Champions during next year's regular season. That would be, what, three in a row!

 

[Jim R]

Once we got Maya, our arch rival said, “no mas”…we got Sarah Strong, and after the first couple of games, our arch rival decides…….

 

[triaddukefan]

 

[Centerstream]

I'm kinda happy to see this. Just one less school for people to include in their "bigs" posts.
And a 12 year long OOC rivalry is long enough, especially with a dwindling number of OOC games.

 

[Veteran]

This is disappointing. Losing such a high-profile national platform is a bad decision for the sport. Especially at a time when WCBB is in a unique position to showcase competitive excellence and grow its popularity. But I guess some people don't care about such concerns.

 

[CL82]

That's disappointing. I looked forward to the game because South Carolina is a formidable opponent. I think the game was a good measuring stick for both teams. I know that Dawn was unhappy with the timing of the game in the middle of the conference season. Perhaps in a future year it can be rescheduled for earlier in the season, perhaps as an MTE game.

 

[Forego]

In all fairness, the article does not report which team did not want to continue the series. Thankfully, I have never been considered fair. I did hear a rumor from a friend of a guy I just met that exclusive use of Wilson basketballs in the series was the deal breaker. (I’ll never let that one go.)

 

[Boreifs]

SC did not want to play OOC games during the conference schedule , which is entirely reasonable. I’m sure UConn would also love to have a Bye as well. Why must everything end up being a conspiracy theory??? It is really getting old.

 

[SCGamecock]

That's disappointing. I looked forward to the game because South Carolina is a formidable opponent. I think the game was a good measuring stick for both teams. I know that Dawn was unhappy with the timing of the game in the middle of the conference season. Perhaps in a future year it can be rescheduled for earlier in the season, perhaps as an MTE game.

I think what likely happened is that SC pushed to move to the Non-Conference and the schools could not come to an agreement on when during the non-conference.

It’s unfortunate, because it has become a marquee game for the season, but the timing of it benefits UConn more than SC. Early on, SC didn’t care as long as we got UConn on the schedule. But with the SEC being what it is now, I can see Dawn wanting to get that game earlier in the season. Some seasons our February gauntlet (which includes UConn) is worse than others.

I don’t think we’ll be off the schedule for too long. Dawn is pretty adamant about participating in those thanksgiving tournaments that we all love to WATCH on ESPN (sarcasm).

 

[Bigboote]

With 20 in-conference games, losing a highly-ranked opponent hurts.

I hope UConn can find another team to play late in the season. Geno wants those games to prepare the team for the quick turnarounds in the postseason.

 

[reelfan]

Real share some arrangement couldn't be worked out.

 

[SVCBeercats]

SC did not want to play OOC games during the conference schedule , which is entirely reasonable. I’m sure UConn would also love to have a Bye as well. Why must everything end up being a conspiracy theory??? It is really getting old.

I like your conspiracy theory best.

 

[oldude]

I’m sure there will be a lot of finger pointing on both sides on this one. I think that WBB is the big loser here. I also believe that both teams benefited by the late season OOC matchup.

Yes UConn wiped the floor with the Gamecocks in Columbia. But subsequently, SC ran the table to win their conference tournament and storm into the national championship game. From UConn’s perspective, after beating SC, the Huskies confidence was undeniable as they beat everyone else in sight on their way to #12.

All I can say is that if these two teams meet again in the FF, I am not sure that I would want my kids thinking about whether or not they could get blown out again like last season. It would be far preferable to play the Huskies in CT in February and battle them through a tough game, win or lose.

 

[EricLA]

Finger pointing? Geno has ALWAYS said he'd play anyone, anytime, anywhere. More or less. I'd bet a LOT of $$ the decision did NOT come from UConn.

If there is a will there is a way. If Dawn didn't want the game to be in February, but was still willing, I have NO doubt UConn would have moved around their schedule to acommodate.

Side note - I am TOTALLY opposed to the increased slate of games in the Big East. Let's be honest. The conference sucks. Sure there are some "decent" teams, but as it stands right now, it's a total drag on UConn's RPI, SOS, etc. And MORE games this coming year? IMHO UConn should have thrown its' weight around and said "HELL NO - we want LESS games."

 

[Stagnant]

I think the UConn schedule looks weaker than usual next year.

Also, I talked to a friend that supports South Carolina. He mentioned that he wanted to cancel the series because he thinks it helps UConn more than it helps South Carolina. South Carolina gives UConn a test late in the year when they are beating up on bad big east teams every week. He thought it didn’t make sense to keep doing this favor for UConn. So, I think the decision to cancel the series has at least some support in the gamecock fan base.

 

[EricLA]

I think the UConn schedule looks weaker than usual next year.

Also, I talked to a friend that supports South Carolina. He mentioned that he wanted to cancel the series because he thinks it helps UConn more than it helps South Carolina. South Carolina gives UConn a test late in the year when they are beating up on bad big east teams every week. He thought it didn’t make sense to keep doing this favor for UConn. So, I think the decision to cancel the series has at least some support in the gamecock fan base.

Not surprising. In a way, while the loss to Tennessee last year made me puke every time I thought about it, it probably jump started the chemistry, team cohesiveness, and drive to #12. Hated losing, but I'll take that every day and twice on Sunday if it was really instrumental in winning a NC...

 

[Boreifs]

SC did not want to play OOC games during the conference schedule , which is entirely reasonable. I’m sure UConn would also love to have a Bye as well. Why must everything end up being a conspiracy theory??? It is really getting old

Finger pointing? Geno has ALWAYS said he'd play anyone, anytime, anywhere. More or less. I'd bet a LOT of $$ the decision did NOT come from UConn.

If there is a will there is a way. If Dawn didn't want the game to be in February, but was still willing, I have NO doubt UConn would have moved around their schedule to acommodate.

Side note - I am TOTALLY opposed to the increased slate of games in the Big East. Let's be honest. The conference sucks. Sure there are some "decent" teams, but as it stands right now, it's a total drag on UConn's RPI, SOS, etc. And MORE games this coming year? IMHO UConn should have thrown its' weight around and said "HELL NO - we want LESS games."

I would guess the majority of BE teams wanted more games, not fewer. With the expansion of all conferences, it is becoming more difficult to schedule OOC games. That would make most schools less likely to support fewer games.

 

[Zonepress]

With 20 in-conference games, losing a highly-ranked opponent hurts.

I hope UConn can find another team to play late in the season. Geno wants those games to prepare the team for the quick turnarounds in the postseason.

the tv powers will try to set up
two more marquee games for Uconn
but nothing short of UCLA will have the appeal
os S Carolina

 

[AzzisBraids]

This was decided a few years ago, I don't think either had plan to renew the series and I don't think it's less political or relational and more of a result of the NCAA seedings. South Carolina and UConn playing really didn't do much for either as it relates to seeding for the tournament. It nearly knocked SC off the 1 line and just solidified UConn at the 2 which they were already projected.

I think teams will begin to start question tough out of conference match-ups because the NCAA tournament is the big show and they do not use NET rankings as much as they purport. Strength of Schedule is beginning to matter less and less. Although the game will have eyeballs, the two teams don't have to prove anything anymore. South Carolina has series with USC and UConn has Notre Dame.

 

[hoopsfan22]

Losing a big game against a top opponent and replacing with two garbage Big East games probably won't help SOS. It's going to start getting tougher to get a #1 seed as a non-power conference team.

 

[Cuango]

SC did not want to play OOC games during the conference schedule , which is entirely reasonable. I’m sure UConn would also love to have a Bye as well. Why must everything end up being a conspiracy theory??? It is really getting old.

Come on! Now that UConn is no longer kneecapped by multiple injuries, and having had a taste of what happens when UConn has a fully healthy roster, Dawn has decided that playing a non conference game during conference season (which she has loved doing for the last twelve years) is not in her teams best interest.
I knew this was going to happen when she completely lost her mind in the NC beatdown. No surprise here at all. It is sad though, as it will deprive the Women Basketball audience of a rare marquee game between the two preeminent programs in the sport. Not a good look for Dawn, that’s for sure. I’m pretty sure everyone knows it wasn’t Geno who canceled this series. If timing were the issue, which it apparently was not all those years when they were beating up on a crippled UConn squad, I have no doubts that Geno would have been willing to move the game to another date. I find myself sad on the one hand and enormously amused on the other that my prediction during the NC has come to pass. Well, well, what are you going to do? Kim? I doubt it. Vic? Maybe. Cori Close? Nah. Banghart? ? Lawson? ? Little Sisters of the Poor? Yes!

 

[RockyMTblue2]

I heard a rumor that it was Dawn's personal decision after the NCAA said it was going to levy a hefty fine for each F bomb uttered from the bench. Seriously though, I am major league bummed. It is extremely hard for us to come up with enough high calibre opponents every year. I remember Geno sitting at a fan forum grousing about that and "if only we knew" how many quality opponents just simply would not play us.

 

[boontonbomber]

Terrible loss, doesn't matter who's to blame. Once again points out what a sad situation it is for UConn (women) to be in the Big East.

 

[Dugway]

I sincerely hope that UConn can get Notre Dame on the schedule again. The Irish and perhaps Texas, or Duke, maybe UCLA! Even the likes of Oklahoma, or NC State, ...

We are in the Conference that we are in. We can complain about it all that we want, but that and fifty cents still does not buy a cup of coffee. We need off conference games that will challenge the team.