Uconn South Carolina Series Over | Page 3 | The Boneyard

Uconn South Carolina Series Over

Status
Not open for further replies.
oldude said:
I will say this to those on the BY that believe games against Big East opponents don’t prepare UConn for the competition the Huskies will face in the Big Dance. This past season, UConn played SC on Feb 16, followed by 7 straight BE games before their 1st game in the BIg Dance over a month later. For the record Ark St was not as good as most BE teams and SD St was probably as good as some of the top BE teams not named UConn.

So how did Geno and his staff possibly prepare the Huskies for a gauntlet that included 4 straight powerhouse programs: OK, USC, UCLA & SC? The fact is that the BE is full of smart basketball coaches and players that run really sophisticated actions that force opponents to be well prepared and execute at both ends of the court.

I commented on that fact after attending the BE tournament at the Mohegan Sun. The truth is that many of UConn’s BE opponents gave them much better games than the 2 teams they faced in the FF.

Do you really think that playing a bunch of big, strong SEC or BIG teams in a series of “ugly wrestling matches” better prepares a team to face a small, quick team that spreads the floor, plays relentless defense, moves the ball and shoots lights out? Clearly that wasnt the case for Cory Close or Dawn Staley this past year.

Geno prepares his team for the Big Dance better than any coach on the planet, and he had more answers to roll out against every opponent he faced. That should be the case again this coming season. While I regret that WBB loses if UConn and SC don’t play, the Huskies will be absolutely fine. :)
Expand ...
I appreciate you trying to "promote" your straw man argument in sticking up for the Big East teams, but every statistical assessment on the conference contradicts your assertions, including our coach who has been extra vigilant in getting better teams from the P4 to play UConn.

To wit:
  • Every year since 2012-13 (last year of the old Big East), the conference UConn has been in has been ranked 6th or lower and this year with the P4, it was a distant 5th.
  • Offensively speaking, only DePaul ever ranked in the top 20 during this time.
  • Defensively, only Marquette in 2023 and St John's 2023 ranked in the top 40.
  • From a recruiting perspective, the other Big East or American schools when UConn was in the conference only signed 9 players from the TOP 100 HG ranking (2013 to 2024) in the 12 years since the old Big East broke up. Which means no top player went to the competition.
  • Since that 2013-14 season, the NCAAT conference bids were 2,3,2,3,2,2,2,3,5,3,2 for a total of 27 bids in 11 years. This proves that the committee selecting does not value the opponents.
You can "claim" all you want but again, no evidence supports this. I am not here to "dump" on the Big East but merely note the competition is not elite and really does not prepare us as you claim.
 
LwrcasefaN said:
You have to space out these heavyweight contests. That’s a bigger hill to climb for SC than us because of conference foes. I’m sure it’s just temporary.
Expand ...
Yeah! Till Geno retires!:cool:
 
Stagnant said:
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.
Expand ...
This is what I’ve been thinking. But I’m on the fence, because we were going to beat them anyways but the boost in confidence late helps. But I won’t say never because they are fine but I don’t like how Dawn constructs her teams. She builds it perfectly ALMOST! But never has too many good shooters. Until that changes. They won’t beat us anyways. Not set in stone, but they don’t scare me for that reason. Imagine her teams with at least 2 awesome shooters on the floor.
 
DefenseBB said:
I appreciate you trying to "promote" your straw man argument in sticking up for the Big East teams, but every statistical assessment on the conference contradicts your assertions, including our coach who has been extra vigilant in getting better teams from the P4 to play UConn.

To wit:
  • Every year since 2012-13 (last year of the old Big East), the conference UConn has been in has been ranked 6th or lower and this year with the P4, it was a distant 5th.
  • Offensively speaking, only DePaul ever ranked in the top 20 during this time.
  • Defensively, only Marquette in 2023 and St John's 2023 ranked in the top 40.
  • From a recruiting perspective, the other Big East or American schools when UConn was in the conference only signed 9 players from the TOP 100 HG ranking (2013 to 2024) in the 12 years since the old Big East broke up. Which means no top player went to the competition.
  • Since that 2013-14 season, the NCAAT conference bids were 2,3,2,3,2,2,2,3,5,3,2 for a total of 27 bids in 11 years. This proves that the committee selecting does not value the opponents.
You can "claim" all you want but again, no evidence supports this. I am not here to "dump" on the Big East but merely note the competition is not elite and really does not prepare us as you claim.
Expand ...
In your lengthy diatribe, you completely ignore my central point about the BE. The BE teams, “run really sophisticated actions that force opponents to be prepared at both ends of the court.” It’s not about rankings, talent or stats. It’s about preparation.

After preparing for Jim Flannery’s sophisticated motion offense, it’s a walk-in-the-park to deal with UCLA pounding the ball into Betts while everyone else stands around or SC’s throw up a shot and crash the boards in waves. When I look at P4 conferences, there are only a handful of teams that really make you work to prepare for them: ND, TN and maybe 1 or 2 others that don’t readily come to mind.
 
Last edited:
oldude said:
I will say this to those on the BY that believe games against Big East opponents don’t prepare UConn for the competition the Huskies will face in the Big Dance. This past season, UConn played SC on Feb 16, followed by 7 straight BE games before their 1st game in the BIg Dance over a month later. For the record Ark St was not as good as most BE teams and SD St was probably as good as some of the top BE teams not named UConn.

So how did Geno and his staff possibly prepare the Huskies for a gauntlet that included 4 straight powerhouse programs: OK, USC, UCLA & SC? The fact is that the BE is full of smart basketball coaches and players that run really sophisticated actions that force opponents to be well prepared and execute at both ends of the court.

I commented on that fact after attending the BE tournament at the Mohegan Sun. The truth is that many of UConn’s BE opponents gave them much better games than the 2 teams they faced in the FF.

Do you really think that playing a bunch of big, strong SEC or BIG teams in a series of “ugly wrestling matches” better prepares a team to face a small, quick team that spreads the floor, plays relentless defense, moves the ball and shoots lights out? Clearly that wasnt the case for Cory Close or Dawn Staley this past year.

Geno prepares his team for the Big Dance better than any coach on the planet, and he had more answers to roll out against every opponent he faced. That should be the case again this coming season. While I regret that WBB loses if UConn and SC don’t play, the Huskies will be absolutely fine. :)
Expand ...
We are on the same wavelength here. I made a post for easy rebuttal to zombie complaints about UConn in the Big East/ AAC.

I find the zombie complaints about UConn in the Big East/ AAC mildly annoying as I have yet to encounter someone who makes such complaints cogently explain why:
  • Would UConn be more successful than what it is currently: a 12-time national champion, the only one with 3 Power Decades of dominance, the pre-eminent farm system of talent that WNBA coaches recognize?
  • Would UConn’s “pretty basketball” admired by basketball legends be any more admired than it currently is?
If I had to hazard guesses, the reasons for the zombie complaints fall into two categories:
  • (a) a notion about a carbon-to-diamond thunderdome/ gladiator pathway to a national championship;
  • (b) utter boredom in blowouts.
Since 1995 (31 years), Geno and Muffet have combined for 14 out of 31 championships. So (a) as a null hypothesis cannot be stated with even a significant degree of confidence.

Re: (b). It is what it is. [cc: @boontonbomber re: this post]
  • Geno doesn’t have any control over conference affiliation;
  • Geno has some control over OOC games, but only if there is a willing counterparty;
  • Geno does have control &1 over the kind of basketball he teaches, and we fans are spoiled in witnessing blowouts — is it Geno’s fault that his teams are generally that much better than willing OOC opponents?
I realize that we are used to on-demand a la carte entertainment. Geno and CD try as much to oblige &1, but there are limits beyond their control.

&1 Geno is well aware that his brand of basketball is akin to a pinnacle entertainment a la “Broadway Show” that has cascading meaning:
  • Geno said he won’t retire for as long as he can consistently chase national championships (rebuttal to this @boontonbomber post);
  • He admonishes his players to have the same craft dedication to put on a show (symphony of movement) when the curtains go up (chase for championships);
  • etc.
Cc: @DefenseBB
 
boontonbomber said:
Yes, absolutely right that the Big East lacks size, similar to what is the case with most mid-majors.
Expand ...
I'd like to clarify my position on the Big East and this is a good spot. There are aspects of Big East play that prep UConn well for tournament play. We have a pretty good bunch of teams that are very physical and play really pretty excellent defense. They toughen us up and keep quickness in our game. So why do I wanna move: those big P5 checks.
 
.-.
If it was up to me the series would continue; it's a good game for both teams to see how everything runs at full throttle. But, for what ever reason, we'll just have to find a replacement game. Life goes on. Some other team gets the spotlight. I'm cool with that.
 
Although I’m sad that this game has been canceled, I wonder if we are making too much of the potential harm for UConn in not having that late season tester before the NCAAs. I mean, look at Kim! She routinely plays the sisters of the poor and still gets high seeds in the tourney. I do believe it would be better to have that tough matchup before the tournament but I do not think it will prevent us from winning!
Pretty disappointed (though not surprised) in Dawn’s imo self serving decision but what are you going to do? Clearly, it is a decision that is not in the best interest of Women’s Basketball but, there it is. Geno will either find an acceptable replacement, or he won’t. Either way, I have no doubt he and CD will have our girls ready (as they always are) when the tournament comes around once more! He’s a “curly wolf”, has been “over the mountain” and, has “seen the varmint!” Whatever happens, I’m pretty sure he’ll find a way to have our girls ready to play!
 
Cuango said:
Although I’m sad that this game has been canceled, I wonder if we are making too much of the potential harm for UConn in not having that late season tester before the NCAAs. I mean, look at Kim! She routinely plays the sisters of the poor and still gets high seeds in the tourney. I do believe it would be better to have that tough matchup before the tournament but I do not think it will prevent us from winning!
Pretty disappointed (though not surprised) in Dawn’s imo self serving decision but what are you going to do? Clearly, it is a decision that is not in the best interest of Women’s Basketball but, there it is. Geno will either find an acceptable replacement, or he won’t. Either way, I have no doubt he and CD will have our girls ready (as they always are) when the tournament comes around once more! He’s a “curly wolf”, has been “over the mountain” and, has “seen the varmint!” Whatever happens, I’m pretty sure he’ll find a way to have our girls ready to play!
Expand ...
How is it self-serving of Coach Staley when the Big East is going to 20 conference games from 18, along with the SEC new conference schedule format with the additions of Texas and Oklahoma? The logistics of arranging a schedule is a challenge as it is. Throw in these new factors, it makes it tougher for both teams, not just South Carolina.
 
oldude said:
I respectfully disagree. The BE has plenty of quick athletic teams. What the BE lacks is size. UCLA was big and slow. While SC had a couple of athletic players like Fulwiley, by and large this was one of the slowest SC teams I can remember in a long time.

There was one particular play that stood out to me. Azzi caught a pass in transition on the left wing where she was defended by Sania Feagin, a 6’3” forward who was named to the All-SEC Defensive 1st team. Azzi didn’t even have to pump fake. She put the ball on the floor and blew by Feagin for a layup as if Feagin was caught in quicksand.
Expand ...
There were a few quick players, but no teams that were even as quick as us, and we slow walked a lot.
 
Veteran said:
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.
Expand ...

The media will replace the loss of quality basketball with endless trading of insults on social media.
 
.-.
hoopsfan22 said:
South Carolina plays in the SEC. It's a loaded conference for WCBB. Playing us doesn't gain anything. Win the SEC regular season or tourney and you automatically get a #1 seed. What does South Carolina get out of playing UConn?
Expand ...
The idea isn't to get a 1 seed. It's to win the tournament. Steel sharpens steel. UConn is the toughest test in wcbb. Texas & LSU are good, but not UConn good.

Other possible factors;

It wasn't very good for the image of the SEC for UConn to gut their perennial queens so they are shunning UConn.

Maybe the 2 schools are playing hard to get with ESPN/FOX.
 
boontonbomber said:
What I find hard as a fan is watching so many yawner Big East games. Perhaps I'm an exception as a fan, as I almost prefer watching a really competitive game which we might even lose, compared to a 30 point win against mid-majors. I love the excitement of tough games, and seeing how the team and coaches handle it.
While watching games during the season the farthest thing from my mind is tourney preparation. I've never quite understood the obsession with that in the Boneyard. I would love to watch a season in a power conference; I'm sure that UConn can handle the more physical game. For sure, fans of those teams are treated to more exciting games.
Oh, and, yes, it looked like playing in the Big East did little to harm UConn's prep for the tourney. But let's keep in mind that they had three #1 high school players in their lineup.
Expand ...

UConn won the title with 3 "yawners" against the cream of the P4 conferences. I was excited as hell during all three games.
 
Alydar said:
The idea isn't to get a 1 seed. It's to win the tournament. Steel sharpens steel. UConn is the toughest test in wcbb. Texas & LSU are good, but not UConn good.

Other possible factors;

It wasn't very good for the image of the SEC for UConn to gut their perennial queens so they are shunning UConn.

Maybe the 2 schools are playing hard to get with ESPN/FOX.
Expand ...
ESPN is not broadcasting WCBB games anymore.
 
.-.
uconnfan68 said:
There were a few quick players, but no teams that were even as quick as us, and we slow walked a lot.
Expand ...
Yes. But there were no teams in the Big Dance that we played who were as quick as us either. That applies most definitely to UCLA and I also believe to SC, which could not match UConn’s quickness and execution when the Huskies went small with Sarah at the 5.
 
HuskyNan said:
Dawn’s isn’t afraid to play Geno, she’s shown that especially in the early days of her time at South Carolina. Perhaps the reason the series was canceled is because they’ll have a new coach

Yahoo Sports: News, Scores, Video, Fantasy Games, Schedules & More - Yahoo Sports

Sports News, Scores, Fantasy Games
sports.yahoo.com sports.yahoo.com
Expand ...
I saw that story. It seems to me that Dawn has talked down such rumors in the past. She also seems happy in Columbia and has made some early noises about retirement. I would be shocked if Dawn ends up as the HC of the Knicks.
 
We are where we are until UConn football starts consistently winning meaningful games. You can talk and talk but that's the only variable that counts in the money of college sports today.
 
oldude said:
Yes. But there were no teams in the Big Dance that we played who were as quick as us either. That applies most definitely to UCLA and I also believe to SC, which could not match UConn’s quickness and execution when the Huskies went small with Sarah at the 5.
Expand ...
I don't disagree with you. I think both sides are at a disadvantage with the way conferences are aligned right now. The slow it down, isolation, pound it down low aren't ready for healthy well oiled motion offense pesky defense UConn machine come March. They can get us possibly early in the season while things are coming together or if there are major injuries but not once the machine has been fine tuned.
 
DEpup said:
I don't disagree with you. I think both sides are at a disadvantage with the way conferences are aligned right now. The slow it down, isolation, pound it down low aren't ready for healthy well oiled motion offense pesky defense UConn machine come March. They can get us possibly early in the season while things are coming together or if there are major injuries but not once the machine has been fine tuned.
Expand ...
After watching a number of the p4 conference tournament “wrestling matches” vs UConn’s “fine tuned” machine that was a “beautiful symphony of movement” during the BE tournament, I was a bit dumbfounded by all the so-called pundits who picked someone other than UConn to win the Big Dance, particularly after the beat down the Huskies put on the Gamecocks in Columbia.

It made me wonder if my eyes were deceiving me? It’s good to know that I don’t need to make an appointment with my eye doctor for a new pair of glasses….;)
 
.-.
oldude said:
UConn’s “fine tuned” machine that was a “beautiful symphony of movement”
Expand ...
This is what I love best about UConn women's basketball. When it's clicking, it is, literally, beautiful to watch. Five individuals coming together to act as one. It is amazing, and yes beautiful, to watch regardless of the score.
 
RockyMTblue2 said:
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
Expand ...
College Basketball Sport GIF by NCAA March Madness

"Totally worth it."
 
HuskyNan said:
Dawn’s isn’t afraid to play Geno, she’s shown that especially in the early days of her time at South Carolina
Expand ...
This. Staley is one of the best coaches in women's basketball and innately a fierce competitor.

(As for the Knicks job, at this point who hasn't gotten a call from the them? I just let one ring through to Voicemail.)
 
oldude said:
I saw that story. It seems to me that Dawn has talked down such rumors in the past. She also seems happy in Columbia and has made some early noises about retirement. I would be shocked if Dawn ends up as the HC of the Knicks.
Expand ...
So would I especially after seeing the Knicks let go of a coach who got them to the Eastern Conference Final for the first time in 25 years.
 
Dove said:
SHOCKED!!!!!!

No, I'm not.
Expand ...
@Dove, I like you, am not shocked, but disappointed that this series has ended. However, some time after the February 16th beat down by UConn at the CLA, I thought that might occur. And then to top it off, the Huskies showed up in the National Championship game, and executed their crafted skills against the Gamecocks. Again.

So, I’m thinking, had UConn not won by 29 points in February, the Selection Committee would’ve awarded South Carolina the overall number 1 seed in the NCAAs, instead of UCLA. And the matchup in the Championship game would’ve been different. But wait a minute ………. UConn did play the overall #1 seed, and everyone was shocked by the outstanding end result. So, maybe if Dawn Staley’s team was the overall #1 seed, they probably wouldn’t have made it to the Championship game.
 
.-.
Status
Not open for further replies.

Forum statistics

Threads
168,350
Messages
4,566,454
Members
10,468
Latest member
ADD3LA


Top Bottom