UConn vs UCLA post game thread

[HuskyNan]

If we are going to the FF this year we need Lou to be Lou. We were lucky to escape last night with a W! Pheesa really played her butt off, she really is an amazing player. I feel bad, Lou must be really hurt cause she wasn't looking for her shot, wasn't rebounding, and really looked slow on defense.

The other problem is we play 6 deep and expend so much energy we cannot press much or really ratchet up the defense. We don't force turnover and score in transition. That used to be our key!! We really miss gabby and kia. I think if we had a normal rotation and we plan Coombs some more we can be more aggressive and force turnovers.

I sure hope Lou recovers and can become Lou again. We only won last night cause we have better talent and can survive in the half court offense. Moving forward, that will not be the case...

The Huskies used a 1-3-1 press successfully in the 4th quarter when UCLA was gassed. I’m not sure what you’re referring to.

The problem last night was that Geno went to a zone in the third quarter to limit Onyewere and because UCLA normally shoots horribly from the perimeter. It was a good strategy but UCLA was able to make the Huskies pay for it. Then Geno switched Christyn to the point and made Crystal, who was open most of the night, the shooting guard and she went off for 11 points. He’s a great in-game coach and the players were able to make the adjustments needed. They couldn’t do that earlier in the year. It does seem to be coming together for the team in the post-season.

The game was not as horrible as some of our doomsday posters would like to think.

 

[HopJim]

I have to chuckle when I read the posts about KLS not looking like herself, etc. She looks exactly the same now as she looked in December. The only difference now that teams are playing tight defense on her. KLS cannot create her own shot and has never been a jump shooter. I think she got 3 open shots and missed all 3. Her biggest asset now is taking one of the other team's best defenders away from Pheesa and setting good screens, which she did. I think she had a good game. As Geno has often said...You don't have to score a lot of points to have a good game.

I'm more concerned about MW not being able to score inside. How many shots in the paint is she going to miss without drawing a foul?

It was a hard game to watch at times, but a win is a win.

While Lou did seem a half step off, her arms must be black and blue from being held as soon as she crossed half court.

 

[victor64]

The Huskies used a 1-3-1 press successfully in the 4th quarter when UCLA was gassed. I’m not sure what you’re referring to.

The problem last night was that Geno went to a zone in the third quarter to limit Onyewere and because UCLA normally shoots horribly from the perimeter. It was a good strategy but UCLA was able to make the Huskies pay for it. Then Geno switched Christyn to the point and made Crystal, who was open most of the night, the shooting guard and she went off for 11 points. He’s a great in-game coach and the players were able to make the adjustments needed. They couldn’t do that earlier in the year. It does seem to be coming together for the team in the post-season.

The game was not as horrible as some of our doomsday posters would like to think.

Great post. I am sure Geno is concerned about the large gap of time in the last two games where they went scoreless. I don't think they can beat Louisville if they go 5 minutes plus without scoring.

 

[PAHuskeyFan]

The look on Lou's face as the team left the floor at the end of the game gave me pause. Danny captured it in one of the later photos. She may have just been disappointed Ted that she did not contribute more...or she was hurting.

 

[UConnCat]

I was at the game and spent time a lot of time watching Lou. That was an extremely physical game and a lot of UCLA’s physical play was directed at Lou. Drummer should have fouled out by the 3rd quarter.

I was surprised by Lou’s movement. I thought she would have been moving better by now but she was clearly limited last night. She played with a lot of guts.

Louisvillle does not crash the boards like UCLA does, though maybe they should. They are also not as physical and athletic as UCLA. Shook starts now and although big is not an especially physical or mobile post. Still, it will be a tough game to win especially with Lou at much less than 100%.

 

[VillageHusky]

The Huskies used a 1-3-1 press successfully in the 4th quarter when UCLA was gassed. I’m not sure what you’re referring to.

The problem last night was that Geno went to a zone in the third quarter to limit Onyewere and because UCLA normally shoots horribly from the perimeter. It was a good strategy but UCLA was able to make the Huskies pay for it. Then Geno switched Christyn to the point and made Crystal, who was open most of the night, the shooting guard and she went off for 11 points. He’s a great in-game coach and the players were able to make the adjustments needed. They couldn’t do that earlier in the year. It does seem to be coming together for the team in the post-season.

The game was not as horrible as some of our doomsday posters would like to think.

The game was horrible only for those who fail to recognize that the UConn women’s run of 11 straight final four appearances is singular, unprecedented, and mind-blowing. I thought it telling that Geno made the point in last night’s post-game conference that this feat simply should never have happened in competitive sport and that, in essence, he cannot see it happening ever again.

Geno’s tremendous pride and satisfaction in the performance of his current team in the 4th quarter of yesterday’s game was evident for all to see at the press conference. Unlike many who post on this site, he clearly does not believe in the inherent superiority of his team and in its divine entitlement to be best year in year out. Yesterday was a very special victory for these players and him, and Geno treated it as such.

The reason UConn continues to perform at the level it did during this year which has dissatisfied so many on this site is because its 60+ year old coach who has won everything there is to win more times than all other active coaches combined remains so passionate, enthusiastic, uncynical, unjaded and unspoiled by his prior successes.

We should all continue to marvel and enjoy this extraordinary ride for as long as it lasts and not waste time lamenting this team is not as good as some or many of its predecessors!

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Hmmmmm:

WNBA is going to be a piece of cake after this years' opponents strategy directed at Lou.

 

[BobbyJ]

Really... I thought she was supposed to be able to dunk, but that sure doesn’t seem correct.

ONO is the only one capable of dunking on this team.

 

[Plebe]

Hmmmmm:

View attachment 41602

WNBA is going to be a piece of cake after this years' opponents strategy directed at Lou.

Sometimes the static nature of a photograph makes something look much worse than it was in real time. Drummer had jumped with Lou's shot fake and lowered her arms to brace her fall. It is clear from the video that there was no malicious intent about the play.

 

[UConnCat]

Sometimes the static nature of a photograph makes something look much worse than it was in real time. Drummer had jumped with Lou's shot fake and lowered her arms to brace her fall. It is clear from the video that there was no malicious intent about the play.

I'm not sure how you know Drummer's intent. I don't either. I would say she showed a reckless disregard for the consequences which is why it was a flagrant 1. BTW, Drummer played like that throughout the game.

 

[shakes65]

I was at the game and spent time a lot of time watching Lou. That was an extremely physical game and a lot of UCLA’s physical play was directed at Lou. Drummer should have fouled out by the 3rd quarter.

I was surprised by Lou’s movement. I thought she would have been moving better by now but she was clearly limited last night. She played with a lot of guts.

Louisvillle does not crash the boards like UCLA does, though maybe they should. They are also not as physical and athletic as UCLA. Shook starts now and although big is not an especially physical or mobile post. Still, it will be a tough game to win especially with Lou at much less than 100%.

Absolutely agree. Can’t understand those who maintain she appears the same as before her injury. She seems unable to really jump or drive to the hoop. Her pull-up jumper, usually so reliable, is gone for now. It’s possible that both her back and ankle are limiting her. All said, her defense was acceptable, and her knowledge of the offense and ability to play two man ball with Napheesa is all so valuable. Say a prayer she feels better tomorrow.

 

[UConnNick]

Hmmmmm:

View attachment 41602

WNBA is going to be a piece of cake after this years' opponents strategy directed at Lou.

She's our Shaq. He got hammered like this during his junior year at LSU, prompting coach Dale Brown to recommend he forego his senior season and head to the NBA, before getting permanently maimed by some college goon.

 

[Plebe]

I'm not sure how you know Drummer's intent. I don't either. I would say she showed a reckless disregard for the consequences which is why it was a flagrant 1. BTW, Drummer played like that throughout the game.

She jumped to go for a block, got caught in the air, and tried to brace her fall. I've watched way too much basketball to jump on the victim complex bandwagon.

 

[UConnCat]

She jumped to go for a block, got caught in the air, and tried to brace her fall. I've watched way too much basketball to jump on the victim complex bandwagon.

Victim complex? Whatever that means. You're not the only one on this board who has watched a lot of basketball.

 

[NewCorn]

I think Geno said she is not 100% in his presser. She definitely seems slower to me.

I think Geno said she is not 100% in his presser. She definitely seems slower to me.

I thought Lou's outside shots lacked their typical arc, which to me always suggest a lack of confidence in the shot.

 

[HuskyNan]

Absolutely agree. Can’t understand those who maintain she appears the same as before her injury. She seems unable to really jump or drive to the hoop. Her pull-up jumper, usually so reliable, is gone for now. It’s possible that both her back and ankle are limiting her. All said, her defense was acceptable, and her knowledge of the offense and ability to play two man ball with Napheesa is all so valuable. Say a prayer she feels better tomorrow.

She can jump a little. From Danny’s pictures from last night....

 

[Vowelguy]

She can jump a little. From Danny’s pictures from last night....

View attachment 41605

You don't know she's jumping. she's just really that tall. You haven't been paying attention.

 

[MD#12Fan]

She's our Shaq. He got hammered like this during his junior year at LSU, prompting coach Dale Brown to recommend he forego his senior season and head to the NBA, before getting permanently maimed by some college goon.

Ugh, sorry, terrible analogy! Shaq was absolutely unstoppable! Duh! What would another year of college have proved.
A buddy of mine has a cousin that refs in the NBA- Foster. Early in his career he was criticized for calling fouls against Shaq's defenders because if those kind of fouls were called, there would be a foul on every play!
I honor KLS for her accomplishments, but as we speak, she is more like the graybeard NBA player that is playing out the string, like maybe Dirk or even Larry at the end. (except Larry had that shootout with Chuck Person in the playoffs. He still had that explosive J.

 

[MD#12Fan]

….. maybe KLS has an arrow or 2 left it the quiver.

 

[FanHam]

Lou never has been what one would call a sky merchant. And it seems like she is reticent to jump at times since her return from injury. That being said, her spirit, her basketball knowledge, her hustle and her almost supernatural connections with Pheesa make it worthwhile to have her in the game even if she is using a cane.

 

[UConnNick]

Ugh, sorry, terrible analogy! Shaq was absolutely unstoppable! Duh! What would another year of college have proved.
A buddy of mine has a cousin that refs in the NBA- Foster. Early in his career he was criticized for calling fouls against Shaq's defenders because if those kind of fouls were called, there would be a foul on every play!
I honor KLS for her accomplishments, but as we speak, she is more like the graybeard NBA player that is playing out the string, like maybe Dirk or even Larry at the end. (except Larry had that shootout with Chuck Person in the playoffs. He still had that explosive J.

That's pretty funny. If Shaq was so unstoppable, please explain how an 11 seeded UCONN team beat him and his 6 seeded LSU team rather comfortably in the first round of the 1991 NCAA tourney? BTW, our starting center on that team, Rod Sellers from Florence, SC, was listed as 6-9, which means he's likely 6-7 or 6-8 at best. He handled Shaq just fine.

 

[baggerbob]

I thought Geno made the biggest choice which won the game. After a bad end to the 3rd, he sat Walker, and put ONO in to start the 4th. Uconn took control on both ends, and the game was theirs.

 

[PacoBlaze]

I thought Geno made the biggest choice which won the game. After a bad end to the 3rd, he sat Walker, and put ONO in to start the 4th. Uconn took control on both ends, and the game was theirs.

And for all the "Lou is not herself and she's a liability" doomsayers around, when Geno went to the "Liv on defense, Megan on offense", why did he not take Lou out?

I am sure that the 20+ "I can coach better than Geno" posters here will have the answer...

 

[Bigboote]

That’s something about Napheesa that’s largely overlooked: she can defend someone 2-3” taller in the low post, but she’s also an excellent perimeter defender. When they go to a 2-3 zone, she’s usually up top with Lou, and does an excellent job on the guards. That might be a crucial role against Louisville. Fuehring and Shook are both shooting very well from the perimeter, and having length out there will be key.

 

[Bigboote]

….. maybe KLS has an arrow or 2 left it the quiver.

Or ten.

Her shot hasn’t been there the last two games, but those were two very physical games. I don’t remember who on Louisville will be guarding her, but I’m hopeful she won’t get beat up the same as the last two games and UConn’s screening will be more effective at freeing her up. I’m looking for four threes from her Sunday.

I’m also hoping she wasn’t beaten up so badly last night that she’ll be hurting more tomorrow.