UConn-UCF postgame press conference

[huskeynut]

A couple of comments:

1. A team takes on the personality of their coach. UCF fits the bill. Combative, some arrogance and the belief that no one can stay with them.
2. Coach Abe feels they are better than their ranking and seeding. The committee disagreed.
3. Next year, I believe, UCF will be playing in the Big 12. Good luck with that. You loose 4 seniors and now you rebuild.

 

[justme]

I know this is not going to be a popular post but IMO Geno looked exhausted. I see the UCF game as a real indication of true parity, I loved the tough play on both sides. iMO, UCF was the better defensive team tonight and UConn was by far the better offensive team. Overall the better team won. IMO, it will be tough for any team to win the NC because there are no pushovers in this tournament.

UCF played a good game, but UCF is the team that scored 5 points in the 2Q and 7 points in the 3Q. That wasn't because they missed shots; it was because they turned the ball over or got their shots blocked over and over. I don't know if we didn't have enough gas to continue that pressure for the 4Q, but we were almost INCREDIBLE defensively for two quarters.

 

[justme]

She was gracious in many ways, hard to detect with her style. For example, 3-4 times she took softball questions designed to get her to complain about UConn getting beneficial calls and she specifically went out of her way to point out that both teams suffered from the ineptitude. She also ignored other baiting opportunities to badmouth. I thought well of her for that.

She's a very good coach and leader, of a style of basketball I don't happen to care for, and there's a meanness and self-centeredness and emotionality to that approach that doesn't make for likability outside their own bubble. The other team is the enemy, on an emotional level, can be part of that approach and it's tough to get your balanced humanity back in the few minutes between game and press conference.

A few of the knocks to her are unfair. As far as not mentioning Geno's name or UConn by name in the presser, Geno didn't mention her name or their team's either. As far as the lack of handshake, that happens in many games in this Covid era. In this case, UConn players spent a more than average amount of time at midcourt celebrating, and I can't blame any team for not waiting around (I understand that they might not have waited anyway).

If I were hiring a coach for that style of basketball, Coach Abe would be top of the list. like her or not. I think Geno has a problem with her about the pressing issue in that one game, but overall and over time I think he's expressed respect. She's a top notch coach IMO.

I don't agree about the hand shake line. I only saw one angle, but what I saw is that we got together as a team and celebrated for a few seconds as is normal/acceptable. Then, Paige looked up and UCF was leaving the court. We didn't spend more time than average; UCF wanted no part of the handshake line. UCF kept saying, "We're the best defensive team in the country" and acted like they were so bad; then we out-defensed them. We're better than anyone UCF played in the American Conference. UCF is a good team, but they were 1-3 against the ranked teams they played this year.

 

[justme]

The UCF coach was 'okay' in the presser, but she was dead-on about having to play us at Storrs.

The tournament should be, "Get your best players. I'll get my best players. We'll roll the ball out on a neutral court and see who wins." It's not right that for 20+ years we play home or pseudo-home games in the tournament.

I'm sorry the $$$ must be making this kind of decision. I get it, but I don't like it.

The above said, I think we'll beat Indiana by 15-25, and think we might similarly smack NC State if we start well. NC State does not have the experience of big tournament wins, so I'm hopeful.

 

[Fossil]

Not dirty? What game did you watch? No to mention the games in the past conference. This style of play comes directly from the coach and I know they don’t apologize a bit about it. We let them ” rent space” in our head (UConn of course) and you can’t do that and be focused.

I didn’t say they weren’t overly aggressive and fouled a lot but this game was not close to how dirty the game was where they almost Ended KLS ‘a career.

 

[mudblood]

Her assistants came over and congratulated UConn.

Duh - assistant is one of the first UConn greats, Nykesha Sales, was hugging her former coach…

 

[uconnfan68]

Thank you all for your reports on Coach Abe and the UCF players. I have bad memories of UCF from UConn’s time in the AAC. She has certainly built up a program from scratch and her players play their hears out for her, so that’s worth a lot. Wonder if she’ll end up at a P5 school. Hopefully not in the BE!

UCF is going to Big12… is that still P5 without Texas and Oklahoma?

 

[npignatjr]

Duh - assistant is one of the first UConn greats, Nykesha Sales, was hugging her former coach…

Assistants. Notice plural. Sales was obviously going over, she wasn't the only one.

 

[phil sampieri]

UCF’s coach is still upset with Geno because one or two years
ago, we were up like 20+ so Geno put his whole bench players in .
Geno was upset with her and told her why did you decide to press
with little time left.

 

[my2cents]

Coach Abe also stated twice that UCF’s RPI was 4. The first time she said it, I thought she was just complementing her team. But when she repeated it, clearly she was complaining that UCF should have been a higher seed, probably playing at home in Orlando.

As I have read the national media write about the game, I have concluded that the only positive spin about, in this case UCF, comes from the coach of the team we play.
They get no positivity from the press. UCF was an excellent defensive team ( best in the nation) that had a record of 25-3. The people we beat never get credit as to their ability.
If we win by 30, its "why they didn't win by 40', if the game is a battle, it's about how bad we played, a new term from this game, UConn "almost lost" the game.

 

[PAHuskeyFan]

I didn’t say they weren’t overly aggressive and fouled a lot but this game was not close to how dirty the game was where they almost Ended KLS ‘a career.

@Fossil the Game where KLS got kneed in the lower back was actually her Senior Day Game against Houston.... not UCF.

 

[ochoopsfan]

@Fossil the Game where KLS got kneed in the lower back was actually her Senior Day Game against Houston.... not UCF.

Perhaps Fossil was thinking of this game. Make sure you have the sound on, although it is distorted a bit. By the way way there should be a 2nd tweet below that one where KLS tells the UCF player look at the score.

 

[ochoopsfan]

Here is the 2nd tweet/video

 

[Fossil]

@Fossil the Game where KLS got kneed in the lower back was actually her Senior Day Game against Houston.... not UCF.

Tho one where she got elbowed in the ribs crossing the lane each time. In some other thread someone actually had the date of the game so the back injury was a different game in a different time. There was definitely a UCF game that was brutal and dirty and Lou was the recipient of it.

 

[oldude]

Tho one where she got elbowed in the ribs crossing the lane each time. In some other thread someone actually had the date of the game so the back injury was a different game in a different time. There was definitely a UCF game that was brutal and dirty and Lou was the recipient of it.

There was a UCF game where Lou scored double figures, but didn’t have a single field goal. All her points were from the foul line. In defending Lou, UCF came at her, not with their hands up, but with their arms extended out towards Lou’s head. They probably hit Lou in the head or face ten times or so, not all of which were called.

 

[ochoopsfan]

Tho one where she got elbowed in the ribs crossing the lane each time. In some other thread someone actually had the date of the game so the back injury was a different game in a different time. There was definitely a UCF game that was brutal and dirty and Lou was the recipient of it.

Back injury was Senior day. Lou missed the AAC tournament that year, 2019, but returned for the NCAA Tournament.

 

[eyeroll]

UCF’s coach is still upset with Geno because one or two years
ago, we were up like 20+ so Geno put his whole bench players in .
Geno was upset with her and told her why did you decide to press
with little time left.

I'm pretty sure they are both adults and got over it. Something folks on this board could use some practice in.

 

[Kaizen]

Next time if a team plays with UCF and if they lose, they have the right reason not to shake hands with UCF ....

 

[RedStickHusky]

She was gracious in many ways,

Yeah, on second watch and including the Q&A, I thought she did pretty well. I really don't think it's fair to thrust cameras and mics at someone that just lost a tough game but I understand it's part of the deal. It's generally impressive that more people don't just flat out embarass themselves in that situation.

 

[Eweconn]

So much energy spent on the opposing coach (who cares ), I am more concerned with Geno's assessment of Paige and what he expects going forward in the Tournament. (around 35' mark). He does not expect Paige to be the Paige of last year. Yes, she has great moments but he does not expect her to play at the highest level.

Hopefully, this is more psychological games but you can see that while she must feel pretty confident physically getting into the scrum for example and playing 32 minutes, she is not seeing the floor the same. The clearest example to me and something Geno said after the Mercer game is that she is not finding quick connections with the post players (not that they are helping) . I think she is most comfortable connecting with Azzi and being connected to the guards on the perimeter

Hopefully, another several days of practice can help.

Obviously, the people that posted about the opposing coach care or they wouldn't have posted about it. Complete lack of respect for other poster's thoughts. Should they only post what you're concerned with? It's free press and an open forum, my friend. Don't tell people what they should or shouldn't post about based on YOUR preferences. Don't like what's being written? Don't read it. Problem solved.

 

[HuskyNan]

I'm pretty sure they are both adults and got over it. Something folks on this board could use some practice in.

Hence the drive by handshakes after Monday’s game

 

[npignatjr]

Back injury was Senior day. Lou missed the AAC tournament that year, 2019, but returned for the NCAA Tournament.

Played with a brace