UCONN - UNC Post game thread

[tchalla1]

Turnovers are not always the fault of the person to whom they are assessed. Two of Nika's turnovers were the result of Ashlyn not paying attention and not seeing the ball coming. Perhaps Nika should not have thrown the pass (as Rebecca Lobo suggested), but timing is everything. Sometimes you need to pass to where the player is supposed to be rather than wait until she is there, fully set, and staring at you. That said, I have no doubt that Nika and Ash will be on the same page next time.

I thoroughly disagree-those errant passes to Ash were totally Nika's fault. You don't anticipate where a teammate is going to be unless it is a set play. All other tines, you make sure that your teammate is open and ready to receive your pass before passing it to her.

As a senior PG, Nika should know this--good thing she hit her 3s because her defense and breaking down the press was not good at all. The NC guards were singing Linda Ronstadt all night to Nika: "Blue Bayou".

 

[todbo]

It looked to me in the 4th quarter that Deja Kelly gave Nika a forearm while dribbling and Nika got called for a block??????

We were seated at the corner where this happened. No question that Kelly forearmed Nika. If that were the only bad call that the male ref called! He was reversed twice on out-of-bounds calls, within a minute. Our Huskies deserve extra credit for beating a team that had six representatives on the floor.

 

[hoopsnloops32]

Because it’s already been addressed. Caroline is suffering concussion symptoms that were triggered by turbulence to the Cayman Islands and won’t be returning to the court or the bench until they are fully cleared up this time which has no timeline.

 

[hoopsnloops32]

How far can they get using six players? We are about to find out because Ice is clearly no where near ready to contribute with and Q has somehow fallen into the doghouse !

Don’t see it this way. They both played in the second quarter but the match up wasn’t going to make it their game. They are rotational players that will play as the match up dictates.

 

[tchalla1]

Who is "she"?

Aubrey...

 

[Zonepress]

My forecast was right and wrong. I said Paige had to dominate for us to win, and she did. OMG, did she ever. But I also said her ability to do so would depend on the others scoring effectively. It turns out they didn't and Paige still dominated. So, much as I'd love to toot my own horn, I only deserve half a toot for that one.

I also thought Aubrey would be hard pressed to matchup well against Ustby, and she did very well against her. Though the stats don't really show it, I think Aubrey was instrumental. Also, it didn't hurt that Ustby got 2 quick fouls and sat much of the first half. Otherwise it might have been a rather different game.

Also, Deja Kelly got away with her usual BS hunting fouls, but wasn't able to get enough of an advantage from it. With 6 TOs (thanks mainly to Nika) I think she was a net negative for UNC. And I agree that last blocking foul against Nika was an obvious offensive foul by Kelly.

I was also impressed by Gakdeng, who played pretty well (14 pts on 6-9 with 13 rebounds) before fouling out. One of our Carolina members said in a different thread that she's a top 5 post player, and while that is clearly not true, she is better than I thought. Maybe top 10 or 15. Quick feet and a good positional rebounder.

Finally, we seemed to suffer from the layup-itis of two seasons ago. KK most of all. She has to make those when she breaks her defender down and gets to the rim. There was a stretch when it looked like Paige was trying to give the team a clinic on making layups. And Aaliyah missed a few bunnies, too. I think this is all the consequence of playing an unfamiliar group. In effect, we're playing a pick-up game against coached teams. UNC is not so different from us in that. respect, and that's probably why we prevailed. Paige is simply better than anyone on the other side.

I can't wait for conference play to begin. That's when the freshmen will learn what UConn basketball really is by getting to play a bunch of teams that won't be nearly as challenging as the OOC schedule has been.

We were seated at the corner where this happened. No question that Kelly forearmed Nika. If that were the only bad call that the male ref called! He was reversed twice on out-of-bounds calls, within a minute. Our Huskies deserve extra credit for beating a team that had six representatives on the floor.

Completely disagree te the referees it was called both ways
They clearly were determined to allow the physical play and both teams figure that out right away, and it was as intense and physical game as I can remember (saw the game live) yes, one of the refs missed two out of bounds calls right in front of him, but was quickly overruled by the other officials, which is the way it supposed to be
He also wasn’t looking at Paige’s feet when she was fouled on a three pointer again the other refs quickly went to the monitor
Sure they missed the Kelly forearm but in a game called this loosely a lot of fouls were “play on”
I don’t remember either coach complaining
To me this was as well officiated game as I’ve seen
Completely CONSISTENT

 

[Husky fanatic]

A shout out to@UConnFanMSM for offering her unused seats. It was fun not sitting in the nosebleed section.

 

[Zonepress]

Pretty sloppy game by Uconn. Lotts of unforced silly turnovers. And still can't make layups, how many times they hit the botttom of the rim or the backboard ?

You saw sloppy I saw incredibly intense defense by
Both teams in a very very physical game

 

[HuskyNan]

 

[HuskyNan]

 

[Centerstream]

I think that it was mentioned in a different thread that she was also not on the bench for the Ball State game

 

[RoadMaster]

Swipe Left..

 

[uconnfan68]

I think that it was mentioned in a different thread that she was also not on the bench for the Ball State game

No loud noises or bright lights.

 

[Bone Dog]

I enjoyed your post but have two thoughts. You simply had it reversed. Paige's ability to score makes the other players effective. Why? First, confidence by osmosis. Second, you are not getting doubled, she is. Third, everyone is watching her. Also, I think this is where the freshman learn UCONN. Not in easy games, but in hard games against the country's best players excluding that guard from Iowa. Losses are deemed to be tragedies by the BY, but for the frosh, they learn. I'm sorry but you don't learn anything by winning easy games just like you shouldn't practice foul shots until you are exhausted.

I like the spirit of your post. Look for the plus side in everything. I wouldn't except Iowa from the games in which our freshmen can learn stuff. Shutting her down would teach them a lot.

 

[Zonepress]

2 thoughts:
1. What was said in the Locker Room at half-time which sparked up Paige

2. Q has to get more playing time; she has great potential

Her defense would have to improve to get more
Time got beat very badly 2-3 times in 8 minutes
And most likely why her minutes were limited

 

[Bone Dog]

Sure they missed the Kelly forearm but in a game called this loosely a lot of fouls were “play on”

it's not a "play on" call if they whistle Nika incorrectly for a block.

 

[RoadMaster]

Swipe Left..

 

[MilfordHusky]

It looked to me in the 4th quarter that Deja Kelly gave Nika a forearm while dribbling and Nika got called for a block??????

Those of us in the crowd told the ref about it. Loudly!

 

[BBallF]

I like the spirit of your post. Look for the plus side in everything. I wouldn't except Iowa from the games in which our freshmen can learn stuff. Shutting her down would teach them a lot.

I excluded her because we don't play her. We play or have played almost everyone else who is a championship contender besides her, Mulkey's team and Palo Alto.

 

[Zonepress]

15 can turn into 5 really quick

Sure can 3 straight trips in the 2nd quarter all with
tUrnovers by nika and Paige and the 10 pt lead was almost gone

 

[Huskee11]

I was at the game and it was one of the more physical womens` games I have seen that did not involve UCF. Deja Kelly is especially physical. A lot of wrestling in the post but also a lot of players colliding into each other, getting whacked in the face, and falling to the floor. Our players were usually the ones getting knocked around and we were giving up a lot of size. Not sure television fully captures just how physical it is.

There were times when Aubrey was our biggest player and Nika was guarding a post player. They battled in there though although we did give up a lot of offensive rebounds.

The refs let a lot go and and also called a lot of fouls, but I could not get a sense of what the difference was, where was the line. As others have pointed out, the guy referee is clueless. He was overturned a couple of times and missed a whole lot more.

It seemed like great energy midway through the first quarter and at the beginning of the third quarter, but otherwise the offense seemed somewhat tentative and stagnant. Paige saved us with her ten second quarter points when we really couldn`t get much of anything going. The defensive intensity was there the whole time though, but too many weird, careless, lazy passes where the intensity and purpose was lacking.

Aaliyah came around in the second half but seemed passive on offense in the first half. We need her and Paige to be looking for the basket more.

After listening to the crowd host with the white high heeled boots, I have even more respect for the guy who does the great job at the Gampel and XL games.

It was a good crowd, place was pretty full and obviously pro-UConn. NC had a decent cheering section though behind their bench a couple of sections over from me.

Redshirt Toomey was there on the bench for NC - she looks very tall, probably their tallest player, and looks sturdier than I was expecting. Sigh.

NC is a good borderline top 25 team, will definitely make it into the NCAA tournament, very physical, a veteran team, not great shooters though other than Donarski. I was proud of how our younger players battled against their veterans.

In the end, Paige was the difference.

If we can handle Louisville at XL on December 16 I think we will be stacking wins ahead of the Notre Dame showdown on January 27.

 

[Fairfield Fan]

8 minutes for Q, 3 for Ice... Basically played 6

And Ice is still not showing up. I'm guessing it's physical.

 

[BBallF]

Completely disagree te the referees it was called both ways
They clearly were determined to allow the physical play and both teams figure that out right away, and it was as intense and physical game as I can remember (saw the game live) yes, one of the refs missed two out of bounds calls right in front of him, but was quickly overruled by the other officials, which is the way it supposed to be
He also wasn’t looking at Paige’s feet when she was fouled on a three pointer again the other refs quickly went to the monitor
Sure they missed the Kelly forearm but in a game called this loosely a lot of fouls were “play on”
I don’t remember either coach complaining
To me this was as well officiated game as I’ve seen
Completely CONSISTENT

Consistency is not the test. Calling the game the way the rules are written is. Pushing, elbowing, hacking, body contact on a shot, and shoving are fouls. If you as a referee decide you are going to alter the rules to make your job easier, go find another job. Encouraging physical, outside the rules fouls and physicality is a formula for serious injury to the players. It's going to come and when it does, it will be the league or the NCAA or both that will be called to task.