UCONN - UNC Post game thread

[Next 12]

It seems that N. Carolina has the same problem that we have, no players. NC only played 5 players that scored. But, a win is a win. Ashlynn and KK are still carrying their weight as starters and Paige looked like the Paige in her freshman year. Aaliyah was solid as always and Nika was a scorer Audrey was a contributor also. The defense was good enough to make this win possible. We will get even better and the wins will come.Geno is learning what he has as a team and is now processing his strategy for the season. With his brilliant mind I am sure he will get the max that this team can bring to the table. GO GO GO HUSKIES!!!!

 

[Huskie837]

We had Paige and they didn’t…

 

[Stinger92860]

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

I know I am not a hall of fame coach, but when you are up 15+ you have to find a few minutes for Ice and Samuels. Maybe the thought is they get minutes in conference.

 

[Aluminny69]

Two observations:
1. Paige was great, obviously. But can she survive an entire season getting beat up the way she was this game?

2. UConn as a team looked tired in the fourth quarter. Because they basically played with 6 players? How far can they get playing this way?

 

[BBallF]

Paige was brilliant. 4 blocks? Who’d a thunk it?

On the negative side, Nika made 4 threes but had 6 turnovers and was beaten on numerous occasions off the dribble defensively.

Great win against a well coached, somewhat depleted NC team.

Yes, Nika had the 6 turnovers recorded and threw the ball away twice almost instantly when they pressed. Shades of Ohio State. I just think she has to be the one to make sure that the receiver knows the pass is coming. Just very loose with the ball. You see the difference when Paige is in there and how she perfectly orchestrates breaking the press. It's textbook. We were saying we want her to take 20 shots but when you go 11-14 then 14 is fine.

 

[freshler40]

Geno called a good game today. He got Paige going early rather than late and put a slow ball control in the 4th qtr. This can be scary as we have a tendency to throw away the ball and run the shot clock down to 3 seconds for a panic finish to our 30.
The team played with more passion and fought hard though out the game. That effort wins. Our turnover numbers are numbing and often come when we have an opportunity to put the other team away. Why???

 

[BBallF]

I know I am not a hall of fame coach, but when you are up 15+ you have to find a few minutes for Ice and Samuels. Maybe the thought is they get minutes in conference.

I think you have to win the game and Ice is turnover prone and still appears nervous and uncertain out there and he had his best defensive team on the floor and basically kept them on a 6 man rotation.

 

[Rb335]

This team has been consistently shooting the ball pretty well. Especially given how efficient Paige always seems to be. If they can really learn how to not turn the ball over, they’ll be a lot harder to beat.

Good win against a solid team. We showed flashes of what could be. Overall a step in the right direction.

 

[huskeynut]

It's a convincing win against a ranked team. Job well done.

As to nit picking, forget it. This team and the coaching staff knows what needs to be done.

Take the win. Get ready for Louisville.

 

[Monte]

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

 

[freshler40]

I know I am not a hall of fame coach, but when you are up 15+ you have to find a few minutes for Ice and Samuels. Maybe the thought is they get minutes in conference.

Well, the two mentioned players had their minutes in the first half and looked somewhat dazzed so I'm good that Geno did what he did. We need more practice with a first unit against a good, ranked team.

 

[Stinger92860]

This team has been consistently shooting the ball pretty well. Especially given how efficient Paige always seems to be. If they can really learn how to not turn the ball over, they’ll be a lot harder to beat.

Good win against a solid team. We showed flashes of what could be. Overall a step in the right direction.

And the entire team needs to body up and box out much better.

 

[BBallF]

Geno called a good game today. He got Paige going early rather than late and put a slow ball control in the 4th qtr. This can be scary as we have a tendency to throw away the ball and run the shot clock down to 3 seconds for a panic finish to our 30.
The team played with more passion and fought hard though out the game. That effort wins. Our turnover numbers are numbing and often come when we have an opportunity to put the other team away. Why???

Some were just focus mistakes, some were frosh errors like trying to drive when you can't, some were getting used to who you are playing with, some were just rushing or trying to make a play that isn't there. We need to move on offense, that stops turnovers because a teammate can become open when they move and are not stationary.

 

[Latecomer]

Two observations:
1. Paige was great, obviously. But can she survive an entire season getting beat up the way she was this game?

2. UConn as a team looked tired in the fourth quarter. Because they basically played with 6 players? How far can they get playing this way?

These risks are real. But given the alternatives, I still think Geno picked the best strategy today.

 

[Crossover]

Paige was brilliant. 4 blocks? Who’d a thunk it?

On the negative side, Nika made 4 threes but had 6 turnovers and was beaten on numerous occasions off the dribble defensively.

Great win against a well coached, somewhat depleted NC team.

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.

 

[BBallF]

Two observations:
1. Paige was great, obviously. But can she survive an entire season getting beat up the way she was this game?

2. UConn as a team looked tired in the fourth quarter. Because they basically played with 6 players? How far can they get playing this way?

Both valid.

As to 1- This is especially concerning when the refereeing in women's basketball has become so contact happy and so collectively unwilling to blow the whistle. As a group, they are ensuring more injuries when they allow pushing, shoving, hitting in the face etc. If the men's game were called like this there would be a fist fight every 5 minutes.

As to 2- They need Q and Ice to improve and be assets out there in crunch time. With Q it is her defense and with Ice it is her foot speed and uncertainty. She also has to box out much better and work on her elevation. I think she lost a lot by missing last year.

 

[Blueballer]

Two observations:
1. Paige was great, obviously. But can she survive an entire season getting beat up the way she was this game?

2. UConn as a team looked tired in the fourth quarter. Because they basically played with 6 players? How far can they get playing this way?

Response #1 : She isn't getting a lot of help from the refs. If her name was Caitlin she would have gotten a half dozen more free throws based on the contact she absorbed today.

Response #2: Unless you're SC and you have about 15 quality players most teams are going to be tired in the 4th when the game is as physical as it was today.

 

[Bigboote]

#5 still alive! Please do not disassemble. Nika finally shoots. Shade for the most part played good defense on Donarski. Deja Kelly throws a mean elbow. Aubs was real good tonight.

Okay, you've opened up Pandora's box. I'm gonna have to quote Short Circuit after every time Paige has a really good game.

 

[BBallF]

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 agree but I think Nika is weak against the press. That was shown last year against Ohio State. On the other hand, Paige broke their press like a chess master today.

 

[SLY63]

Felt like this was the opposite of the UCLA game. This time we won Q1 and Q3, and the game.

 

[my2cents]

Lots of good, and lots of head scratching plays. You would think our seniors, at this point would have fewer turnovers, make lay ups and point blank shots, and be able to grab the ball. Maybe the balls were greased today?

 

[Bigboote]

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

I saw the same thing you did.

 

[Crossover]

I know I am not a hall of fame coach, but when you are up 15+ you have to find a few minutes for Ice and Samuels. Maybe the thought is they get minutes in conference.

This was only the second game with KK and Ash starting. I think that it was more important to give the new starting unit reps and an extended opportunity to build in-game chemistry than to "find a few minutes for Ice and Samuels". Plus North Carolina had already reduced a double digit lead to zero and a 15 or 16 point lead to 5. Victory was hardly assured.

 

[Happydad745]

Paige made it to 1000 plus points in 55 games..tied with Maya Moore as the fastest to it. The game was up and down in the 1st half, lots of miscommunication, but in the end, we won. This is probably least talented team UConn has had in years, but if every team in the NCAA played our schedule to this point in time, there might not be any undefeated teams.

 

[BBallF]

I want to know, did it seem to anyone else that the male referee was watching a different game, especially in the first half?

He always does. Finding a good referee in women's college basketball is almost impossible. The other two let tens of fouls go including pushing, hacking and shoving.