UConn vs ND in the second game on Friday night

[Robin]

Not always the case. There’s been games where Arike is off JY takes over and Arike kind of gets back in a groove. Plus I’d say the play of Arike doesn’t affect how Jess and Bri play. But yeah it can hurt when Arike isn’t hitting shots.

Last game Arike was of early, took a seat due to foul trouble, and JY went off. Arike comes back in and plays one of the best quarters she's ever played. I think she played better overall against ATM but she played a really great 4th quarter last game

 

[Robin]

Not when Muffet opens her mouth, and out comes a blatenly sexist remark. Of course ESPN is going to stoke up the fire. What better way for them to drum up interest in the final four. I mean, let's forget that we've got 4 stellar programs, great players, and it's a national championship weekend. NOOOOOO,
let's stoke the fires of sexism, by making a stupid remark. Nope sorry, ESPN isn't to blame for this.....it's Muffet and her mouth is to blame.

She was asked a question by a reporter and she answered. Geno even said he didn't plan to hire any male assistants either but didn't think Muffet needed to say it out loud, not thinking about the fact that he said the same thing, in an interview, when trying to take a dig at Muffet. And you have to listen to her entire interview to understand it was a question regarding Pat Summit's legacy and empowering women and Muffet said she didn't have plans to hire a male assistant and she wants to try to give more women opportunities because on the men's side there is only 1% of women coaching and less than 50% in women's bball, and only 10% of athletic directors are women. Her message was good. Should she have said it the way she did, about not planning to hire a male assistant, maybe not.

 

[j66kicker]

Not when Muffet opens her mouth, and out comes a blatenly sexist remark. Of course ESPN is going to stoke up the fire. What better way for them to drum up interest in the final four. I mean, let's forget that we've got 4 stellar programs, great players, and it's a national championship weekend. NOOOOOO,
let's stoke the fires of sexism, by making a stupid remark. Nope sorry, ESPN isn't to blame for this.....it's Muffet and her mouth is to blame.

ESPN is not just reporting it - they’re provoking it. Charlie Creme out there stirring up trouble with, “Kim Mulkey said...”, etc. They’re trying to make the news, not just report the news.

 

[uconnell]

T

I guess that's a compliment to Bri! She's definitely been noticed

Hard to not notice when a player has been around that long.

 

[HopJim]

I actually think the game will come down to which team maintains its composure.

Last year in the FF UConn looked hesitant and uncomfortable. Between unfavorable whistles, which made the game choppy, and inability to get into an offensive flow UConn just looked out of sorts. There is a lot of pressure being the favorite and UConn seemed afraid of losing.

Fast forward to our earlier match up this year and its a total role reversal. Muffet seemed like she was more interested in fighting with Geno than in coaching. Arike completely lost her focus on the game and instead wanted to scream at the UConn coaching staff. ND players seemed more interested in physically bullying UConn players than in winning. Suddenly the favorite became the hunted and ND wilted.

At the end of the day I will take UConn because we have Geno. Geno seems to have a special ability to get under Muffet's skin and that emotion will spill over into her team. IMO Geno seems to be able to turn it off and on while Muffet can't let it go.....a team feeds off its coach and if a coach is displaying negative emotions it will transfer over.

Would reword your comments to say it will come down to fouls. ND is very adept at driving into defender. Some refs call fouls, some let them play.

 

[Alibi Ike]

I am a Tennessee fan, and I hope UCONN beats ND by 30 points.

 

[ABCDFE]

I am a Tennessee fan, and I hope UCONN beats ND by 30 points.

really?!?!

 

[j66kicker]

I am a Tennessee fan, and I hope UCONN beats ND by 30 points.

So... You haven't been a Tennessee fan for very long? (Say, less than 10 years?)

 

[DeeHusky]

I just realized that the last time we played at Amalie Arena in Tampa, we won the Nat’l Championship vs ND on a Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis run. Don’t know if someone already pointed this out.

 

[DeeHusky]

I thought the first matchup ND was a little big headed coming off a championship and sporting a #1 ranking. They felt they were gonna roll over UConn and it was going to be an easy game. Then they saw that UConn isn’t gonna lay down for anybody and became fustrated. Hence Arike and others with the dirty plays after they saw how bad they were losing. I do not expect them to play like that tonight, they can be the best team when they are on.


With that said, “They gon’ have to come with it.” We coming to play!

 

[Alibi Ike]

So... You haven't been a Tennessee fan for very long? (Say, less than 10 years?)

I have been a Tennessee fan for decades.

 

[j66kicker]

I have been a Tennessee fan for decades.

Well, thanks for your well wishes

 

[Britt87]

or get O'wale frustrated... when she's off they're all off

Same with Lou. This team be struggling when she's not hitting shots. Louisville was not very physical with her and she torched them. ND will not make the same mistake.

 

[UConnNick]

I just realized that the last time we played at Amalie Arena in Tampa, we won the Nat’l Championship vs ND on a Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis run. Don’t know if someone already pointed this out.

I don't think we have ever lost an NCAA champ game in Tampa - St. Pete, men's or women's. For that matter, we've never lost one in 15 games played, period.

 

[DaddyChoc]

Jinx

 

[DaddyChoc]

Turner showed her age tonight, that block on Collier at the end was very mature! Congrats

 

[kenja]

I've never understood fans who get hot and bothered over what analysts say to the point they feel like they have to denigrate opposing players or coaches. Just win. I don't listen to talking heads and honestly there's been no one more blatantly pro-UConn than Doris Burke over the years. An opinion widely shared on other teams forums. After the upset loss to Mississippi State I thought someone was going to have to administer Doris last rites. Geno wore a wry smile and just congratulated Schaefer.

 

[kenja]

I am a Tennessee fan, and I hope UCONN beats ND by 30 points.

There is no way a legitimate Tennessee or ND fan is going to root for UConn. Just not natural. A UConn fan could be convinced to root for the lesser of 2 evils. Which is the Vols right now.

 

[eebmg]

Turner showed her age tonight, that block on Collier at the end was very mature! Congrats

Turner was the difference imho. She got the best of Collier multiple times. As much as I hate the result, after all her injuries, nice to see she has regained her explosive physical gifts.

 

[SLY63]

If we made our layups we would have been up 19 (as opposed to 9) in the fourth. Also gave up 22 offensive rebounds. ND stepped up when they had to over the last 5 minutes.

 

[HopJim]

Turner was the difference imho. She got the best of Collier multiple times. As much as I hate the result, after all her injuries, nice to see she has regained her explosive physical gifts.

Would have been nice to have a UConn true center in game so Collier could have gone against forward near her size.