UConn-USF post game thread

[f1f1ferrari]

If you want to get technical, it's Azurá

 

[wbball novice]

Good prep for the NCAAs; UConn will definitely meet some "physical" teams. It seemed to me Chat was piling on Pheesa, but she made some key shots. Memorable performance by injured Gabby Williams. KLS has been unconscious during the season; I hope her tournament slump does not continue. Can we still count on Kia's offense if she has to expend a lot of energy on a top quality shooter like Laksa? Z is great but the greatness is dependent on great passes, especially from Gabby. Gabby: the fruits of veganism does not mean pineapple pizza!

 

[UConnNick]

Am I completely crazy (don't answer that), or did I hear the "Seminole War Chant" faintly in the background early in the 3Q during the game broadcast on TV???

It's OK with me. Florida State is one of my other favorite teams.

 

[Sifaka]

Azura! MOP Lou, Gabby, and Danger also on all-tourney,

The lady's name is Azurá Breeona Stevens. Not Azurà, nor Azurâ. Just plain old
acutely accented Ź.

 

[UConnNick]

Good prep for the NCAAs; UConn will definitely meet some "physical" teams. It seemed to me Chat was piling on Pheesa, but she made some key shots. Memorable performance by injured Gabby Williams. KLS has been unconscious during the season; I hope her tournament slump does not continue. Can we still count on Kia's offense if she has to expend a lot of energy on a top quality shooter like Laksa? Z is great but the greatness is dependent on great passes, especially from Gabby. Gabby: the fruits of veganism does not mean pineapple pizza!

I don't care what Gabby or anybody else says...pineapple on pizza is an abomination to the pizza gods!

 

[BigBird]

UConn plays its B- game and beats a ranked team by double digits. Life is good.

I would give the offense a C, mostly because they got good looks but couldn’t make them fall, and the defense a B. Laska was too open 4th quarter. But as Geno has apsaid, it’s hard to beat a good team three times in a season.

Z won the award but Gabby is my MOP.

Yes. It’s tough to choose between the game-changing play of Azurá, and the pure courage of Gabby. They are separate categories for me.

 

[EricLA]

Why is being challenged in the 4th quarter "forgettable"? If it wasn't a challenge, then the bench kids would've played and that would have been forgettable , right?

I don't know - did you think UCONN played really well in the 4th Q? Were we tired? Our subs certainly were not in the game so it was all starters, yet USF took it to us. do you think Geno will look at the game tape of the 4th Q and say "this is how we want to remember the game and this is how we want to play"? So yeah, forgettable in that it wasn't a great quarter for them...

 

[MD#12Fan]

Congrats to all! Crystal and Gabby were in charge tonight.

Good job giving props to Crystal. She was excellent! I love watching her talk hoops with Geno. She's always over there standing next to him.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

The Z award will pay dividends. Z is starting to turn into a Beast. Need interpretive illumination?

 

[Centerstream]

I don't know - did you think UCONN played really well in the 4th Q? Were we tired? Our subs certainly were not in the game so it was all starters, yet USF took it to us. do you think Geno will look at the game tape of the 4th Q and say "this is how we want to remember the game and this is how we want to play"? So yeah, forgettable in that it wasn't a great quarter for them...

USF took it to us in the 4th quarter because they took off the 2nd and 3rd quarters. Unfortunately due to our shots not falling in those quarters we weren't up by 30 or 40.
We slowed the offense down for the 1st half of the 4th quarter.

 

[MD#12Fan]

Call me a "conspiracy theorist" but I think Geno wanted a game like this. He's got 10 days to rest, heal, and work on "deficiencies".
Their press has been golden for a couple of weeks. He didn't press tonight. Was he afraid USF would exploit it. I don't think so. At the very least, he could show the press and call it off if they got loose off it and hit a couple of 3's. (they did that anyway) Worried about fatigue? USF would be tired too. He's got 10 days to rest.
I bet deep down, he's tickled to death. He can bear down a couple days in practice now. Everyone will be doing extra shooting.
Heck- if you don't believe me- does this mean he's not going to show his press against any of the big boys. I for one think that would be a mistake.

 

[OldAlum]

I thought Geno pulled the plug a bit in the fourth. Slowed the offense to pass and burn more clock. Laksa got hot and made open and covered shots. I thought the defense was trying to be a bit careful and lost some fire.
In some ways the game reminded me of Mississippi State game. Gabby playing great and others having a hard time. Two differences were that USF isnt quite as talented - And we had Z and an improved Dangerfield!

PS. How do you get the accent for the a in Azura? I used to know...

 

[vtcwbuff]

Gabby was all-world.

We missed at least 6 layups.

I still think Laksa is a great shooter. She helped cut the deficit in the 4th.

Just my humble opinion, but we were behind the USF bench and I concluded that Laksa comes off as a petulant little brat. I saw a little of it in yesterday's game but it was on full display tonight. She pouted her way through the entire awards ceremony. As UConn was receiving their awards Laksa left the bench and stood behind her team. On off the USF assistants had to fetch her and tell her to join her team mates.

 

[HuskyNan]

Just my humble opinion, but we were behind the USF bench and I concluded that Laksa comes off as a petulant little brat. I saw a little of it in yesterday's game but it was on full display tonight. She pouted her way through the entire awards ceremony. As UConn was receiving their awards Laksa left the bench and stood behind her team. On off the USF assistants had to fetch her and tell her to join her team mates.

She gave Lou a couple of gratuitous shoves tonight, away from the ball. I guess she's has her fill of being frustrated by UConn's defense.

 

[vtcwbuff]

The Z award will pay dividends. Z is starting to turn into a Beast. Need interpretive illumination?

I hope she remembers how the house lit up when she was announced. All that love from all those UConn fans might be just the nudge to encourage her to return.

 

[Siestakeyfan]

I'd rate it more like a C or C+ game against our standard, but even though the offense wasn't the well oiled machine it usually is, the D bailed us out. Hopefully it was good for us to get a game like this out of our system prior to the NCAA's.

Give credit to USF... they're a top 25 caliber team. They made us look almost ordinary for an undefeated team.

A PHYSICAL game !

 

[Carnac]

UConn looked tired, beaten up, and injured. They played a good and tough team in South Florida. Just want our kids to get a lot of rest, and to heal.

Wonder how far South Florida will go. Sweet Sixteen at least. They're good.

Piggy backing on your comment.......USF was more tired than UConn's starters. It was said by the game announcers that most of USF's starters played 40 minutes yesterday, so I would imagine that they had tired legs.

4 things I noticed today.
1. Gabby can play some defense.
2. USF has some players that can shoot.
3. UConn can hold A team way under their normal scoring average when they want to.
4. UConn has USF's number. Try as they will, USF can't beat UConn. No doubt they would give king's ransom to beat them just once. They are more tired of losing to UConn than Notre Dame is, and they are tired!!! USF= 6 losses to YConn in the last two years. ND only 2.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

I hope she remembers how the house lit up when she was announced. All that love from all those UConn fans might be just the nudge to encourage her to return.

I have 100% certainty that Z will be in a Husky uniform next fall. This, of course, should be a matter of concern for everyone else.

 

[PAHuskeyFan]

She gave Lou a couple of gratuitous shoves tonight, away from the ball. I guess she's has her fill of being frustrated by UConn's defense.

Saw that too...and the look of shock and amazement she gave the Ref when called for the straight arm/push off of Danger when Danger was going for a steal... yes, Danger did initiate the move toward the ball, but straight arms are for football running backs and not legal in basketball.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Just my humble opinion, but we were behind the USF bench and I concluded that Laksa comes off as a petulant little brat. I saw a little of it in yesterday's game but it was on full display tonight. She pouted her way through the entire awards ceremony. As UConn was receiving their awards Laksa left the bench and stood behind her team. On off the USF assistants had to fetch her and tell her to join her team mates.

This is news to you! Gotta get out more @vtcwbuff

 

[Carnac]

I'd rate it more like a C or C+ game against our standard, but even though the offense wasn't the well oiled machine it usually is, the D bailed us out. Hopefully it was good for us to get a game like this out of our system prior to the NCAA's.

Give credit to USF... they're a top 25 caliber team. They made us look almost ordinary for an undefeated team.

Three games in three days with three of your starters nicked up I'll take it.

 

[vtcwbuff]

She gave Lou a couple of gratuitous shoves tonight, away from the ball. I guess she's has her fill of being frustrated by UConn's defense.

She got in a mini kerfuffle last night against a UCF player. I think they both got T'd up but IMO it was Laksa that was running her mouth. If she feels a need to be frustrated she only needs to look at her team mates. It wasn't UConn's defense on her - she got her shots - but the rest of the team was nowhere to be found for most of the game.

 

[UConnNick]

Three games in three days with three of your starters nicked up I'll take it.

Plenty of time to heal up now.

 

[veryolddog]

Forget the missed 3's by UConn, there were about 24 points in layups that were missed that would have changed the total outlook of this game.

 

[vtcwbuff]

Three games in three days with three of your starters nicked up I'll take it.

While I agree that the defense was very good, I believe that the offense also played well. They got good shots, especially early but they just wouldn't go in.

It's like those days on the course when the cup is the size of a dinner plate and the next round it's a shot glass. Missed bunnies and wide open threes.