UConn-USC Postgame Thread (The Huskies back to the Final Four!!!) | Page 8 | The Boneyard

UConn-USC Postgame Thread (The Huskies back to the Final Four!!!)

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Seems like ESPN and Yahoo feel the same way. I was watching right after the game when she mentioned her faith, and she always does. I’ve read a number of articles about the game quoting her and none have quoted that portion. A lot of these high performance athletes refer to their faith. It can be cringy sometimes but with Paige you can tell it’s real. I can respect that. ESPN did post that interview on their YouTube page. I haven’t found it on espn.com. I’m not saying it’s a conspiracy or intentional but I haven’t seen it so…….. Kidding aside, when I see her unafraid to say that in that moment it restores my own faith. Fun game to watch. Never saw Watkins play before. She’s goood!!!
Just my two cents:
I applaud anyone, and everyone, especially young people, who openly proclaim their faith. And not that they have to do it, but kudos to Paige and others who are not afraid, or shy away from this topic — you have to believe in something, if not, you will fall for everything.
 
It's the scoring from Ice Brady that was miraculous! She's been a huge disappoint and non-factor the entire season. Yet she's woken up suddenly!!! A miracle!!!
Yes, Ice Brady hasn’t played to her potential most of the season, but this statement is a little harsh. Remember, she sat out all of last year due to a severe knee injury. Anyway, she did played in the BE tournament, and did very, very well. Her coaches, as well as her teammates, know her contribution to the team’s success is vital, and she knows that also. She just needs to be a little bit more confident in herself. And she proved that last night.
 
If this is the same play I posted about in the Chat, it happened on a made UConn basket and with Aaliyah laying on the court, Antonelli was praising USC (Marshall?) for inbounding the ball so quickly in hopes of getting a fast break going. My jaw dropped as Deb completely ignored the flagrant foul that most everyone saw.
It’s one of those Debbie Antonelli‘s finest moments!!
 
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These things I know after the last 48 hours:
  • Never try to play tennis at 9 am the day after a 9:30 pm E8 game and then coach a 9 y/o soccer team at dinner time (I’ll let you know tomorrow how the latter went :D)
  • I’m not washing my Everybody Eats shirt and red shorts until after next weekend.
  • I’m staying out of the BY chat because it’s working
  • The team beat both the mental hangover sweet 16 hump AND the elite 8 hump, so now they’re playing with house money.
  • Nika is the bubble gum-duct tape-glue-heart leader of this team
  • Seeing CD give Q a huge hug made me cry all over again this morning
  • We’ve got Paige and they don’t.
  • Paige is the POY. Period.
  • Geno is COY. Double squared to infinity and beyond. Period.
 
If this is the same play I posted about in the Chat, it happened on a made UConn basket and with Aaliyah laying on the court, Antonelli was praising USC (Marshall?) for inbounding the ball so quickly in hopes of getting a fast break going. My jaw dropped as Deb completely ignored the flagrant foul that most everyone saw.
Not only that, as the replay was shown, while Edwards was being thrown to the floor, Antonelli was still bellyaching about a perceived missed call from the previous play!
 
Scary thing about JuJu is not just that she's got 3 more years, but she has the #1 recruiting class coming in to play with her for the next few seasons. USC isn't going away any time soon.
I was not referring to USC's JuJu, but my West African magical powers which came through last night. But yes @hoopsfan22 USC is not going away.
 
Late to the party. I am very happy to be wrong about my prediction for this game. We just witnessed another chapter in the legend of Paige Bueckers and her Merry Sisters as they move on to the Final Four. I hoped, but never expected this team to get this far with the way the season started and as the injuries piled up. What a ride it's been.
 
These things I know after the last 48 hours:
  • Never try to play tennis at 9 am the day after a 9:30 pm E8 game and then coach a 9 y/o soccer team at dinner time (I’ll let you know tomorrow how the latter went :D)
  • I’m not washing my Everybody Eats shirt and red shorts until after next weekend.
  • I’m staying out of the BY chat because it’s working
  • The team beat both the mental hangover sweet 16 hump AND the elite 8 hump, so now they’re playing with house money.
  • Nika is the bubble gum-duct tape-glue-heart leader of this team
  • Seeing CD give Q a huge hug made me cry all over again this morning
  • We’ve got Paige and they don’t.
  • Paige is the POY. Period.
  • Geno is COY. Double squared to infinity and beyond. Period.
You obviously didn't watch the first game
 
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I am still waiting for the NCAA to name the final four referees. Dee Kantner and Maj Forsberg are usually on the list of the dozen or so they name. The men’s side has ready named their officials. Maybe it is taking a little longer on the women’s side to perform a more thorough review of the ref’s background so they don’t get embarassed replacing a ref in the middle of a game.
They’re both on the list. NCAA website.
 
I think JUJu is a great player but she likes to lean into the defensive players to get that and 1 call I wish they would stop that .. but as a defender you have to be ready for that also .. Ash was leaned into on her 1st fouls imo
Little more than a lean-in. The player jumped left into her. Gotta say the one Ash foul, Ash was grabbing the players arm with both hands.
 
We did take more free throws than USC. If you take out the last 8 FTs it was 19 for us and 20 for USC. Thats even.
So you think it was fairly officiated? I thought it was the most horrific job done to us in decades.
There were many no-calls and God-awful calls (especially most of the ones on Nika) but one play I replayed several times I think sums it up pretty well was when in the fourth Q JuJu from the wing position did a back cut to the basket that was wide open. Two points. But the reason it was so open was because Aaliyah wasn't able to make the switch to stop her because she was being held (literally right in front of the ref who was twiddling his thumbs or something). On replay you can see it clearly. Terrible.

But guess we should forget the griping since we got the dub and are moving on to the Final Four! (with a happy, positive attitude - while hoping - praying - that the officiating is better - and most of all fair!)
 
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IN the post game presser Geno said that he suggested to JuJu (at the end of the game) that she
was "ready" for the WNBA draft. ( He was joking about saying that (I assume) but in his
heart ......

I was wondering if JuJu might be age-eligible for the WNBA in 2026, but she's not. She should be in college for 3 more years and in the 2027 draft.
 
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I don't know who could check this, but I'll bet UConn has never missed seven foul shots in a row!

In one of the 2013 games against ND--I think in the triple-header--we led Notre Dame in regulation and in the first 2 overtimes, but we couldn't put them away because we missed several free throws. I believe that ND never lead in either of the first 2 OTs.
 
A couple thoughts on tonight’s game:
  • YESSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!
  • When you come to UConn and play for Geno, these are the games you dream about…..the Big Dance in March & April…..with everything on the line. After all that UConn has been through this season; the injuries, the lack of size, experience and depth, somehow this Husky team found a way to take down the #1 seed in their bracket on their way to the program’s 23rd Final Four!!!
  • Once again UConn was led by their incomparable superstar. Paige continues to play a brilliant, complete brand of basketball the likes of which I have never seen before. Paige’s stat line tonight: 28 pts, 10 rebounds, 6 assists, 3 steals and 2 blocks.:eek::eek::eek:
  • Ju Ju Watkins is the most talented freshman scorer in WBB since Caitlin Clark. Tonight, she was dogged by Nika, KK and Paige. Despite all the attention, Watkins still managed to put up 29 points. She is the future of WBB. But tonight belonged to UConn!!!
  • I also want to recognize the extraordinary efforts of Aaliyah over the past four games. She’s been playing out of position at center all season. Coming back after a broken nose, Aaliyah has been matched up against a string of players who go 6’3”, 6’6”, 6’5”, 6’6”, 6’5”, 6’4” & 6’6” in games vs Jackson St, Syracuse, Duke & USC. In those games Aaliyah has been nothing short of spectacular, battling heroically in the paint against a wave of opposing Bigs.
  • UConn got some solid and much needed PT from Ice & Q tonight, particularly with KK & Nika in foul trouble.
  • The Huskies were fighting fatigue at the end of the game. It certainly showed at the foul line. Somehow they hung in there and pulled it out. YOU GOT TO LOVE THIS TEAM! :)
  • Against all odds, UConn has made it back to another FF. Iowa and CC will be waiting for the Huskies in Cleveland. On paper, Iowa has more experience, more depth and should be the favorite to end UConn’s championship run this year. Yessiree, UConn has them right where we want them…..:cool:
Very happy for UCONN and Paige.
 
I believe Maj Forsberg has been a referee in Big East, including UConn, games.
And the infamous Dee Kantner has officiated in games with teams from almost every conference playing and odds are that she will be on the court in the Final Four.
Is Dee considered to be a poor ref?
Oh please, say it ain’t so!
 
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The play of Ice and Q lend support the contention that Geno underutilized them in the Duke game.
In Geno's post game press conference, he mentions how he wasn't going to put Ice in the game unless he had to because of the way she acted during practices in the lead up to the weekend games. He said she was acting as if she lost all confidence, but something clicked once she got into the game and she got her confidence back. Q on the other hand showed much more confidence. Before the USC game she told the assistant coaches "Hey, I think I got my shot back." So she was the first off the bench in the USC game when fouls became an issue.
 
Is Dee considered to be a poor ref?
Dee is a contrarian ref. She will ignore obvious violations, even shaking her to indicate that everyone is wrong & she is smarter than everybody. Then, she calls fouls nobody else sees that impact the game. You will always know when she refs because she makes the game about her.
Dee lasted in the WNBA for less than a season because of her inconsistency.
But due to her long tenure, she always gets assigned to the biggest games.
 
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