UConn vs So Carolina game thread

[Zinethar]

well actually I would not make more puts even if the hole was 5 times bigger . Geno once said he wished the women played with the men's ball as it bounced of the rim truer and his team seemed to shoot it equally well when they have used the men's ball.

 

[SVCBeercats]

How many of those rebounds were her own missed shots?

Your statement reminds me of Geno talking about all of the offensive rebounds Tina Charles was getting back in the day.

 

[RSHERMVIKES]

If she's the best, we are in trouble.

MilfordHusky- - - There are no good WBB referees! ZERO! They wouldn't know a BB game from a Junior HS Soccer match!
Over-rated and under-performance game after game after game! It's unbelievable they get $600.00+ a game for incompetence!
I watched the 2nd 1/2 of Miss St. vs MO and bodies were flying all over, collisions and no calls! 1/3 of the players should have fouled out.
I can understand some contact, but when 2 players collide, both fall down and no call is made something isn't kosher!
And the biggest offenders are the ones with the biggest reps. They should have retired 5 years ago!
The WNBA, unbelievably, is much worse than WCBB!

 

[RSHERMVIKES]

They should have a statistic for officials that tallies the number of calls they make in favor of the home team vs the guest team. I do not have such statistics. My guess is that Dee is more likely to average close to 50%, especially relative to the rest of the other officials I have seen. I would love to see such a statistic because I can be proven wrong. Otherwise it is MHO.

housekeys- - -Check out the wbbstate.com site, (Women's BB State.com). Check right side column in purple 2nd from the bottom OFFICIALS!
It has all sorts of ref stats, most prove my point that WBB refs stink! How many games a week they call, # of fouls called, etc.

 

[rugbymate]

Wow... Aja is totally disrespectful. She gave little to no credit to UCONN... She is very arrogant

Not sure which interview you watched but i thought she gave a very balanced interview and referred to UCONN as great twice and was deferential to their program

 

[Zinethar]

Random thoughts from tonight's game: Yes national announcers will never be as good as your teams own. I bet if you told the UConn bench players they would all get to play in tonight's game - some for significant minutes - they would not have believed you. First half when the intensity level was up UConn played as good as I've seen all year.In my view good refs are not noticed in a game - they control the action, call real fouls, don't affect the outcome, let the players play because it is under control, and rarely have to call a technical. WNBA teams pretty much know what is available and what they need and are not that easy to deceive. And lastly thanks to my kids for getting me fantastic UConn t-shirts to wear during the game! They are working .

 

[DefenseBB]

This game is only going to cause more grief for Dawn and A’ja as with UConn dominating them, people will bring up that SC was lucky to play MSU last year...it will get especially loud if they win on Monday...

 

[MilfordHusky]

MilfordHusky- - - There are no good WBB referees! ZERO! They wouldn't know a BB game from a Junior HS Soccer match!
Over-rated and under-performance game after game after game! It's unbelievable they get $600.00+ a game for incompetence!
I watched the 2nd 1/2 of Miss St. vs MO and bodies were flying all over, collisions and no calls! 1/3 of the players should have fouled out.
I can understand some contact, but when 2 players collide, both fall down and no call is made something isn't kosher!
And the biggest offenders are the ones with the biggest reps. They should have retired 5 years ago!
The WNBA, unbelievably, is much worse than WCBB!

I agree that reffing is not great and is even worse in the WNBA.

 

[MSGRET]

as I watch the ladies continue to kill it from 3 pt range, I started thinking to myself. The ball women use has a smaller circumference than men's. Does anybody now why women don't use a rim with a smaller diameter? I was thinking if you take the best women's shooter compared to the best men's shooter if you could really measure an apples to apples comparison because the smaller size ball with the same sized rim seems to give more margin for error with a women's ball. Had me thinking what the difference in shooting percentage would be for women in A vs. B.

I thought this game would be way closer, but instead my mind started to wander as I watch and the ladies pull further away and for some reason remembered back to middle and high school when we used to have a fundraiser boys vs girls game and I remembered I always shot much better with the women's ball

The woman's ball is the same size as the FIBA international basketball for all to include the men's game. That is why the USA men's basketball team has to get used to it for International games.

 

[SCGamecock]

This game is only going to cause more grief for Dawn and A’ja as with UConn dominating them, people will bring up that SC was lucky to play MSU last year...it will get especially loud if they win on Monday...

I’ll never understand this argument though because UConn didn’t beat last year’s team tonight. They beat a significantly less experienced/talented squad. Not even close to last year’s team in terms of talent level really...

I saw this game result coming from 100 Miles away... SC lost too much last year and had too many important players for this year’s team sitting on the bench. They just don’t have it. The rosters aren’t comparable.

Coming into the season I didn’t think the disparity was that bad but it’s glaringly obvious after tonight. SC is not at the point where they reload on talent.. this looks like a roster that needs rebuilding and Dawn needs to consider that when she schedules teams next year because it’s not going to get any easier once they lose A’ja. You want to schedule good teams of course, but I don’t think getting your brains bashed in by 25 points helps your team’s confidence (and I can’t imagine it helps recruiting when it happens primetime on National TV)... and tonight won’t be the last time it happens if she doesn’t allow her roster to “grow up” a little bit next year. Lol, it sounds weird to say, but she might need to take a page out of Mulkey’s book!

What a disappointing showing by the Gamecocks...

 

[mbr33ct]

Can't imagine why so many of us don't care for ESPN

Sometimes wish ESPN was not in CT, they brought so much grief for UConn.

 

[connie]

Wow... Aja is totally disrespectful. She gave little to no credit to UCONN... She is very arrogant

Huh. Really? I did not hear anything disrespectful (totally or even partially). And I don't think one could conclude from her answers that she gave no credit to UConn.

Look, these are college players. True, by the time a standout like Wilson reaches senior year she has a lot of experience in press conferences. But even among professionals, that forum is not one in which everyone shines. It is hard to come out after a loss -- esp. in a big game -- and answer questions as to why you lost. I thought she conducted herself respectfully. She tried to find things to spin positively (even if not entirely convincingly). She spoke positively of her coach and teammates. She acknowledged that UConn played well and was effective. And she provided the appearance of maturity, explaining that this is after all only one game, and the point now is to try to learn from it and move one. Good for her.

 

[the Q]

When they play like that, not a team in the country can stay within 20.

I think my only complaint was they had too many turnovers by being too unselfish....a nice problem to have

 

[mbr33ct]

I believe both Gabby & Wilson each had 14 pts & 14 rebounds, and Wilson played more minutes. Now you tell me who should be the NPOY?

I would give it to the shorter player.

 

[mbr33ct]

I like the rooster sound they play at the beginning of those videos.

You mean this sound?

 

[JavaMan]

​

 

[SwingDog]

What a disappointing showing by the Gamecocks...

Agreed. For all the hype that this was going to be a showdown it was a huge disappointment.

 

[JustinesGuy]

I’ll never understand this argument though because UConn didn’t beat last year’s team tonight. They beat a significantly less experienced/talented squad. Not even close to last year’s team in terms of talent level really...

I saw this game result coming from 100 Miles away... SC lost too much last year and had too many important players for this year’s team sitting on the bench. They just don’t have it. The rosters aren’t comparable.

Coming into the season I didn’t think the disparity was that bad but it’s glaringly obvious after tonight. SC is not at the point where they reload on talent.. this looks like a roster that needs rebuilding and Dawn needs to consider that when she schedules teams next year because it’s not going to get any easier once they lose A’ja. You want to schedule good teams of course, but I don’t think getting your brains bashed in by 25 points helps your team’s confidence (and I can’t imagine it helps recruiting when it happens primetime on National TV)... and tonight won’t be the last time it happens if she doesn’t allow her roster to “grow up” a little bit next year. Lol, it sounds weird to say, but she might need to take a page out of Mulkey’s book!

What a disappointing showing by the Gamecocks...

Good post. Well your crowd was great it was nice too see, great atmosphere.

It's very hard to deal with uconn when they are hitting threes and forcing turnovers on the defensive end. When gabby has these types of games we become almost unbeatable.
I don't understand your coach not calling a TO when chit was hitting the fan. Just overmatched, it happens. It was a clean and hard fought game. Keep your head up.

 

[HoopsFan21]

I would have called time out as quickly in the 2nd quarter as she did in the 3rd. In 2015 once the score got to 36-19 after a quick bucket from Kia and a KML 3, she called a time out.

 

[SCGamecock]

Good post. Well your crowd was great it was nice too see, great atmosphere.

It's very hard to deal with uconn when they are hitting threes and forcing turnovers on the defensive end. When gabby has these types of games we become almost unbeatable.
I don't understand your coach not calling a TO when chit was hitting the fan. Just overmatched, it happens. It was a clean and hard fought game. Keep your head up.

Thanks. I agree, Gabby is just a freak of nature, and I mean that with the utmost respect. What was perhaps most disappointing to me was the lack of intensity on defense. This is perhaps the most lackadaisical defense we’ve had in 5 or so years. Going into this game I probably watched 3 UConn games this season (any by “games” I mean the 1st half).. but even I knew that if there’s a person you DO NOT want to leave open on the perimeter it’s Kia Nurse.. and I could’ve counted 5 or so times where Nurse was wide open on the perimeter. If Nurse is my assignment then I’m on her like white on rice the entire game. You play man to man and let UConn beat you 1-on-1. I can live with getting beat 1-on-1.. but I can’t live with Nurse and Samuelson making it rain from the perimeter. I was borderline disgusted by our play on defense.

 

[eebmg]

Thanks. I agree, Gabby is just a freak of nature, and I mean that with the utmost respect. What was perhaps most disappointing to me was the lack of intensity on defense. This is perhaps the most lackadaisical defense we’ve had in 5 or so years. Going into this game I probably watched 3 UConn games this season (any by “games” I mean the 1st half).. but even I knew that if there’s a person you DO NOT want to leave open on the perimeter it’s Kia Nurse.. and I could’ve counted 5 or so times where Nurse was wide open on the perimeter. If Nurse is my assignment then I’m on her like white on rice the entire game. You play man to man and let UConn beat you 1-on-1. I can live with getting beat 1-on-1.. but I can’t live with Nurse and Samuelson making it rain from the perimeter. I was borderline disgusted by our play on defense.

I agree. Not what I expected. SC may have issues on offense at times but I always thought their defensive commitment was there. If I were Dawn, I would have followed Geno's temper tantrum after the Tulsa game saying this was the worst effort I have seen etc. etc. The defense seemed better in the second half but we were still getting good shots. I think UConn mentally was not as sharp in the second half because they knew the game was theirs, Hard to play on a razor's edge when you are already celebrating internally. Not sure how this affects your next game against Miss ST . Do they come out with renewed commitment or do they shrink on the road feeling defeated from the start? Making life harder, Miss St will definitely be out for revenge as well and may want to send a message to UConn as well. Also, I think McGowan's game against Mizzou where she missed so many easy shots (and free throws) will want to make up for that game.

 

[the Q]

I’ll never understand this argument though because UConn didn’t beat last year’s team tonight. They beat a significantly less experienced/talented squad. Not even close to last year’s team in terms of talent level really...

I saw this game result coming from 100 Miles away... SC lost too much last year and had too many important players for this year’s team sitting on the bench. They just don’t have it. The rosters aren’t comparable.

Coming into the season I didn’t think the disparity was that bad but it’s glaringly obvious after tonight. SC is not at the point where they reload on talent.. this looks like a roster that needs rebuilding and Dawn needs to consider that when she schedules teams next year because it’s not going to get any easier once they lose A’ja. You want to schedule good teams of course, but I don’t think getting your brains bashed in by 25 points helps your team’s confidence (and I can’t imagine it helps recruiting when it happens primetime on National TV)... and tonight won’t be the last time it happens if she doesn’t allow her roster to “grow up” a little bit next year. Lol, it sounds weird to say, but she might need to take a page out of Mulkey’s book!

What a disappointing showing by the Gamecocks...

Fair point. But you’re never gonna convince me that had the 4 starters not named gabby hadn’t stained their shorts in the semi final they wouldn’t have steam rolled usc again.

But that happens sometimes, especially the one and done format. Uconn’s Title Stewart’s freshman year required one of the biggest upsets in tourney history with Louisville over Baylor.

 

[JustinesGuy]

Thanks. I agree, Gabby is just a freak of nature, and I mean that with the utmost respect. What was perhaps most disappointing to me was the lack of intensity on defense. This is perhaps the most lackadaisical defense we’ve had in 5 or so years. Going into this game I probably watched 3 UConn games this season (any by “games” I mean the 1st half).. but even I knew that if there’s a person you DO NOT want to leave open on the perimeter it’s Kia Nurse.. and I could’ve counted 5 or so times where Nurse was wide open on the perimeter. If Nurse is my assignment then I’m on her like white on rice the entire game. You play man to man and let UConn beat you 1-on-1. I can live with getting beat 1-on-1.. but I can’t live with Nurse and Samuelson making it rain from the perimeter. I was borderline disgusted by our play on defense.

Yea great post. The way to slow CT down is to defend the three and pressure the perimeter, deny passes and be aggressive.

Best of luck rest of the way.

 

[housekeys]

housekeys- - -Check out the wbbstate.com site, (Women's BB State.com). Check right side column in purple 2nd from the bottom OFFICIALS!
It has all sorts of ref stats, most prove my point that WBB refs stink! How many games a week they call, # of fouls called, etc.

Thanks for that info. I actually agree that WBB refs stink, last night a good example. In fact I probably think so, more than you. But I understand they are human. My comment on Dee rustled some feathers, and I understand that also. It is not like I have data and facts to back up my observation, and find it comical that somehow I boxed myself into defending Dee Kantner on fans message board. LOL.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Agreed. For all the hype that this was going to be a showdown it was a huge disappointment.