UConn-Texas Game Thread

[hugefan]

Give Pheesa a break, when you keep getting called quickly for fouls it is really hard to get into a game. Plus the charge call was bogus.

 

[donalddoowop]

I’ll never understand why these teams, like Texas, don’t play with this kind of heart and fight every single game. They lost to TCU last week. Absolutely no way that happens if they play with this fight.

To me that’s a big reason why UConn has been so good for so long. UConn plays up for every game. Many of these top teams only do so against UConn.

Watch and see that Texas will lose at least two to three more games because they don't play against other teams like they did tonight against UCONN.

 

[hoophuskee]

1995- 7 players 2000- 8+ 2002- 7 2003- 7 2004- 7 2009- 8 2010- 8 2013- 8 2014- 7 2015- 7 2016- 6 (with Gabby, Napheesa as the 7th and 8th).

So really only in 2016 did we go that route of 6. And that was having 3 seniors who were smart and experienced and obviously talented enough where it didn't hurt us. It was also the year the field pretty much cleared out. Usually 6 is a recipe for a 2011 or 2017 type Final Four loss where foul trouble and lack of depth hurt.

The 2013-2014 team was a 6man team.

 

[UConnCat]

One thing that has to change going forward is Gabby has to take and make that foul line jumper. She developed confidence in that shot last year and this year that confidence is gone. Texas gave her that shot all night and she didn't take one until the 4th quarter and she made it. Taking (and making) that shot will open things up for Z and Napheesa.

 

[HoopsFan21]

The 2013-2014 team was a 6man team.

That was one heck of a team though. Went 40-0 and had Mo, Bria, KML, Stewie, and Stef as starters with Kiah as the bench.

 

[BostonCanuck]

One thing that has to change going forward is Gabby has to take and make that foul line jumper. She developed confidence in that shot last year and this year that confidence is gone. Texas gave her that shot all night and she didn't take one until the 4th quarter and she made it. Taking (and making) that shot will open things up for Z and Napheesa.

I remember seeing Gabby take and make that very shot as a freshman in that very competitive 2015 National Championship game against Notre Dame. I kind of like that she uses it sparingly and at high-impact moments!

 

[JordyG]

Her three close in baskets helped UCONN tremendously in the second half. Her defense will come but without her 16 points on a night when Collier was struggling, were very crucial.

Honestly she scored as many points as she gave up. The problem was Pheese, although she played defense better, still gave up more baskets than she scored.. Today I'll take the one who played her opponent to a draw.

 

[LasVegasYank]

<<What a win but Jesus KLS eye is really bad.
No wonder she missed those foul shots, her eye looks swollen shut.>>

Just loved the dumba** announcer who stated that KLS "ran into the Texas player's elbow." Yeah, like she bent over at the waist to do it.

 

[UConnCat]

I remember seeing Gabby take and make that very shot as a freshman in that very competitive 2015 National Championship game against Notre Dame. I kind of like that she uses it sparingly and at high-impact moments!

I don't think so. Gabby didn't score in that 2015 championship game. She didn't take that foul line jumper as a freshman or sophomore but certainly did last year as a junior. She can make that shot and needs to start taking it again.

 

[hoophuskee]

You are so right. The last two Stewart teams would have throughly beat the team that was on the court tonight. If anyone thinks this years team is better than those they have no idea what there talking about.

Yet those Stewie teams we're looking at the end of season. So it is completely unfair comparison. Yet we know for a fact that there are many posters on this very board that look at everything half-empty. These type of posters were clamoring after 2014-2015 loss to Stanford the same paranoid stuff "that UCONN can't stop penetration." And "this 14-15 team doesn't have a leader." And back in 14-15 this very site many of the half-empty posters were still clamoring that Stewie should be more of a 3 because she would wear down.

And in 15-16 the two below links -- we heard the same noise we heard back then we hear now from the glass is half-empty posters. With DePaul you can see they lit up UCONN from 3-- there was the concern - "what happens if we play a team better that DePaul and as the game shows we can't defend the 3." DePaul cut the lead to 6 with 4 minutes left. Or how about the MD game? Heck even Rebecca Lobo after the game made a lunatic statement though many agreed with her that the "formula" to beat UCONN was pound them inside. Uconn was losing with 4.5 minutes left.

The 3pt shooting was further highlighted when UCONN palyed a banged up ND at home. ND shot 13-20 from 3 and they couldn't stop "freshman Marina Mabrey."

As stated before -- many problems are just noise along with a bit of romanticism from the past.

With hat said I agree with you though I'm no good with point spreads. But imo 2015-2016 was best ever. SO year I think they'd win. But again I'm looking at the finished 2015-2016 UCONN product. If the 2015-2016 team played like they did v DePaul or like they did vs MD -- ofc I'd think on "that day" this team playing just "pretty good" could beat them. But the finished products of Stewie last 3 years -- absolutely is better than this team at the moment. Those teams knew for example who the ball goes to. This year's team it seems has their best scorer come off the bench. An off-topic comment- This is why I thought AZ would start. I thought her defense would be terrific too which obviously it isn't. - Yet. . . .


http://www.uconnhuskies.com/sports/w-baskbl/stats/2015-2016/120215.html

http://www.uconnhuskies.com/sports/w-baskbl/stats/2015-2016/122815.html

http://www.uconnhuskies.com/sports/w-baskbl/stats/2015-2016/120515.html

 

[mhshuskies]

I think the ref was helping UConn...lol

Nonsense

 

[hoophuskee]

This could have saved the game for UConn. Instead of shooting 3 for tie, two foul shots, one of which was missed.

Or it more than likely would have settled the game earlier.

 

[mhshuskies]

Some interesting stats: assists UCONN had 12, Texas had 15; UCONN 13 turnovers to Texas 9; UCONN leading rebounder was Gabby with 11, Z only had 3 to go with her 16 points

 

[hoophuskee]

Can blow by Crystal any time she wants. Unfortunately, she appears to be the only Texas player in 100% game shape. Seems to be a yearly issue for Texas. Never understood why good players and OK strategy never was complimented by commitment to being best shape.

Absolutely. But as slu pointed out -- even Geno said this team has the capability of being his best ever. There are potential 6 all-americans on this team. We had 3 1st teamers last year and two of them may have been better than Lou but aren't yet playing like last year. ANd as a poster metnioend Danger may very well be an Olympian today and she was certainly terrific today. And AZ is only going to get much better. And as Geno said last year she might be better than anyone else.

 

[UConnCat]

That's right. UConn had post combinations (Dolson/Stewart/Tuck/Stokes) that controlled the paint and the boards. This team is small up front and is going to struggle in half-court games against big and physical front lines. They have to find ways to hide or minimize that weakness but it's going to be there.

From Geno post-game:

“There are so many things we can’t make up for. We aren’t going to get a lot bigger as the season goes on, this is who we got and we’ve got to be better,” UConn coach Geno Auriemma said. “For everything we aren’t going to be able to handle defensively, we have to be really good at the offensive end and create problems for the other team. Today for long stretches, we had trouble doing that. When we got into a little bit of a rhythm in the second half, that calmed everybody down. Sometimes these games don’t happen until too late. You can’t manufacture these kinds of games, you just have to play these games. If you win by a lot, it is not anybody’s fault so when you get a game like this, it is perfect. They were good and made some huge plays.”

 

[Sluconn Husky]

From Geno post-game:

“For everything we aren’t going to be able to handle defensively, we have to be really good at the offensive end and create problems for the other team. Today for long stretches, we had trouble doing that. When we got into a little bit of a rhythm in the second half, that calmed everybody down. Sometimes these games don’t happen until too late.

Wait till he sees next year's team with more Stevens and Walker and no Nurse or Williams. They're going to have to pound teams into submission on offense. Unless Coombs develops.

 

[hoophuskee]

Wait till he sees next year's team with more Stevens and Walker and no Nurse or Williams. They're going to have to pound teams into submission on offense. Unless Coombs develops.

What about CWill too?

 

[Sluconn Husky]

What about CWill too?

Based on scouting reports and what I've seen on video, I don't think defense is Christyn Williams' strength. That will likely be a work in progress. Perhaps ONO will be able to contribute there. She has the skills. Still, I put an asterisk by almost any freshmen considering how many need time.

 

[Mdoggie]

Based on scouting reports and what I've seen on video, I don't think defense is Christyn Williams' strength. That will likely be a work in progress. Perhaps ONO will be able to contribute there. She has the skills. Still, I put an asterisk by almost any freshmen considering how many need time.

Not too many high school players are defensive minded. They have to learn in college and at college game speed.

 

[UConnCat]

What about CWill too?

C Will has the size and athletic tools but may be too much to ask of a freshman. ONO will need to get stronger.

May be some help from down under.

 

[hoophuskee]

Based on scouting reports and what I've seen on video, I don't think defense is Christyn Williams' strength. That will likely be a work in progress. Perhaps ONO will be able to contribute there. She has the skills. Still, I put an asterisk by almost any freshmen considering how many need time.

Okay. Thanks! You and others follow more than I these future recruits. Though I don't have optimism for Ono her frosh year. She looks way thin.

 

[UConnCat]

Team seems happy. Crazy, I know.

 

[hoophuskee]

C Will has the size and athletic tools but may be too much to ask of a freshman. ONO will need to get stronger.

May be some help from down under.

As a frosh though - if she could play defense-- she'll be playing with potentially 4 all-americans. First team caliber all-americans. And all 4 will be upperclassmen. But you think as well her defense or just her overall game - she probably couldn't fit like Nurse did?

 

[UConnCat]

As a frosh though - if she could play defense-- she'll be playing with potentially 4 all-americans. First team caliber all-americans. And all 4 will be upperclassmen. But you think as well her defense or just her overall game - she probably couldn't fit like Nurse did?

I don't know enough about Williams's game. I love her size and athleticism and there's no doubt she could be a good defensive player but I don't know whether she'll be ready as a freshman. We'll see. Nurse had the reputation as a player whose defense and toughness were ahead of her offense and we saw some of that in the way she played for Team Canada before arriving at UConn.

 

[hoophuskee]

Team seems happy. Crazy, I know.

Did Geno remind the players later that there was no cause for celebration? UCONN only won by 4. And they were lucky to get calls and the other team missed shots. It's time to revamp the whole system!