UConn women

[Perspective]

Have watched exactly 1 women's basketball game in the last few years. It was Baylor/UConn. Not being a fan of the game, here are my observations:

Griner is not as great as many are painting her to be. She's got decent skills, but her mental game, at least in the UConn game, was poor. She also appears to have a single preferred move - back to defender, spin to her left around left of defender, shoot with right hand. Did not play particularly hard. Missed a bunch of shots. Had stupid fouls. She appears to be tall with a nice touch, but lacking in the desire. Let her get her 25 on 20 shots - she's not the one who will beat you.

In my opinion, Griner wasn't even the best player on the court. That player would be . . . the Lewis girl. My G-d she was unreal. More points, much higher shooting %, several more boards - - the announcers didn't highlight how she was a one-man gang.

The game was completely winnable. I think Geno did a lousy job managing players. Dolson, who had a very good game as well, doesn't even get a minute of bench time? Not smart. Her game clearly wore down, and she was less effective as the end neared. There aren't many Kemba walkers out there who can be relied on to drain shots after playing 38 straight minutes.

I also thought Baylor's defense was porous - UConn had a load of wide open looks.

UConn lost for the following reasons -

33% from 3 despite most of those not being heavily contested.
A huge number of telegraphed, weak passes to the wings resulting in TOs and layups.
Coaching mistake triple teaming Griner, leaving too many open layups. Not sure what the strategy is there. Double team might make sense, but Griner's reach is too high for passing purposes to put 3 defenders on her, and a layup is higher % than whatever Griner throws up.
Not sure if it makes sense to play an up and down transition game. With Dolson defending Griner being such a huge part of the defense, and knowing you're going to play her 40 minutes, the running game seems to work against UConn.

It does not seem to me at all that Baylor was unbeatable. On the contrary - if UConn cleans up mistakes (18! turnovers) and hits a few more open shots, they win this game by 5 to 10.

And I thought the officiating (with possibly one missed obvious call), was excellent. I'd take that crew any day for the men's team.

 

[HuskyNan]

Not sure if it makes sense to play an up and down transition game. With Dolson defending Griner being such a huge part of the defense, and knowing you're going to play her 40 minutes, the running game seems to work against UConn.

Geno didn't plan to play Dolson 40 minutes but it was obvious that he needed to. Stewart was overwhelmed and Stokes - who knows what her problem is. He could have played Buck, who was able to defend Griner well in past games, but Buck won't shoot the ball and Geno needed to put points on the board.

The lack of depth this game did the Huskies in. Thank goodness for Morgan Tuck, the freshman, who played pretty fearlessly. Otherwise it would have been a blowout.

 

[Dogbreath2U]

I've only watched a handful of the big games over the past few years but there has been one consistent fact. Dolson is GASSED by the end of the games. I swear every time I watch, the opposing post players production goes through the roof the last 5-10 minutes of the game.

To me, Dolson has come an incredibly long way in terms of her conditioning and ability to play with greatly improved quickness and strength. Compared to what she was like when she got here, she is a different player. I certainly did not see her as the reason for the loss last night.

 

[WhereistheDove?]

To me, Dolson has come an incredibly long way in terms of her conditioning and ability to play with greatly improved quickness and strength. Compared to what she was like when she got here, she is a different player. I certainly did not see her as the reason for the loss last night.

I'm not going to put the loss on her. I think for most of the game she did a good job of facilitating and defensively. But when the game got tight at the end, Griner was just imposing her will. Dolson was always a step behind and out of position, which led to a bunch of easy layups and fouls. I can't fault her for it because she's definitely not someone who should be playing all 40 minutes. I understand the other options weren't all that, but I can't imagine that they would have been worse over a couple of minutes here and there during the middle of the game, than Dolson was in crunch time.

 

[Perspective]

The lack of depth this game did the Huskies in.

?
Bizarre conclusion given that they turned the ball over 18 times and shot poorly from 3, and only lost by 6.

They shot poorly, they passed poorly, and they got outcoached. They had the players to win, but they didn't get it done.

Is this the girly-girl way that the women's fans review the game? "It's not that we played poorly or made mistakes, we just didn't have the depth they had." Yuck.

 

[blackbird]

By lack of depth, I think nan meant that Dolson had to play 40 minutes, because the other two post players were like deer in headlights. She couldn't recharge and she was playing against Griner.

The women's refs, are consistently the worst part of WCBB. They are a significant reason why, when the best teams play each other, there's a lack of offensive flow. They let players get way too physical, then they only let one team be physical, then they call touch fouls, then they just make the wrong call..on a simple call.

Turnovers have been a problem for the Huskies this season. So long as Doty is incapable of doing anything offensively, forcing an injured Hartley to play point for longer than she should..we'll see them. However, IMO, the huskies win this game if Faris has her typical game. First big game all year she hasn't been spectacular.

 

[Perspective]

The women's refs, are consistently the worst part of WCBB.

I just saw the one game, but I thought that they were outstanding.

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

Is this the girly-girl way that the women's fans review the game? "It's not that we played poorly or made mistakes, we just didn't have the depth they had." Yuck.

Thumbs down.

 

[uconnfan68]

I've only watched a handful of the big games over the past few years but there has been one consistent fact. Dolson is GASSED by the end of the games. I swear every time I watch, the opposing post players production goes through the roof the last 5-10 minutes of the game.

You mean when she's on the bench?

 

[WhereistheDove?]

You mean when she's on the bench?

No, I mean when she's on the floor. Keep in mind, I only ever watch the big games, so she's out there quite a bit down the stretch.

 

[Bryan Lord]

Lets be fair, it's brutal watching any other women's games besides the "big ones". That doesn't make me a fair weather fan because if the lady huskies were actually worse I'd watch them more.

 

[mauconnfan]

Geno didn't plan to play Dolson 40 minutes but it was obvious that he needed to. Stewart was overwhelmed and Stokes - who knows what her problem is. He could have played Buck, who was able to defend Griner well in past games, but Buck won't shoot the ball and Geno needed to put points on the board.

The lack of depth this game did the Huskies in. Thank goodness for Morgan Tuck, the freshman, who played pretty fearlessly. Otherwise it would have been a blowout.

Sorry because I know the women's fans think Geno is the greatest thing and he is in the womens game, I agree. But he killed himself. Stewart HAS to play more. Overwhelmed comes from your coach not allowing you to make mistakes - she's "potentially" one of the best players on the court and she needs to play her way into being comfortable and confident. And also that makes them bigger - smaller didn't work. Much of that loss weighs heavily on Geno........not a great time for lessons!

 

[mauconnfan]

I just saw the one game, but I thought that they were outstanding.

Womens refs are absolutely clueless and brutal, but consistent!!!

 

[HuskyNan]

Sorry because I know the women's fans think Geno is the greatest thing and he is in the womens game, I agree. But he killed himself. Stewart HAS to play more. Overwhelmed comes from your coach not allowing you to make mistakes - she's "potentially" one of the best players on the court and she needs to play her way into being comfortable and confident. And also that makes them bigger - smaller didn't work. Much of that loss weighs heavily on Geno........not a great time for lessons!

He didn't bench her for a lesson, he benched her because she looked scared. She played no defense whatsoever and rather than go at Baylor's big girl, Stewart settled for shooting threes. And Geno has been playing her, In the three games before Baylor, Steward played:

22 minutes vs woeful Providence - shot 4-11 against a bad team that plays no one that's over 6-1
21 minutes against DePaul, which plays almost no defense, taking only 8 shots
24 minutes in a 57 point win over Marquette, she took 10 shots, making 4 in listful play

Stewart has struggled against physical play. After she lit it up in her first 10 games as a freshman, teams started grabbing and pushing her and she hasn't responded well. It's not a matter of playing time, it's Breanna having to learn to deal with it. She hasn't yet. Geno tried her against a very physical Baylor team and she wilted so Geno pulled her. After seeing Dolson get mauled on the court, he probably didnt want her injured as she's obviously not willing to let defenders know she's not going to take abuse from them.

 

[UCONNGIRL]

Sorry because I know the women's fans think Geno is the greatest thing and he is in the womens game, I agree. But he killed himself. Stewart HAS to play more. Overwhelmed comes from your coach not allowing you to make mistakes - she's "potentially" one of the best players on the court and she needs to play her way into being comfortable and confident. And also that makes them bigger - smaller didn't work. Much of that loss weighs heavily on Geno........not a great time for lessons!

Sorry because I know the women's fans think Geno is the greatest thing and he is in the womens game, I agree. But he killed himself. Stewart HAS to play more. Overwhelmed comes from your coach not allowing you to make mistakes - she's "potentially" one of the best players on the court and she needs to play her way into being comfortable and confident. And also that makes them bigger - smaller didn't work. Much of that loss weighs heavily on Geno........not a great time for lessons!

Sorry because I know the women's fans think Geno is the greatest thing and he is in the womens game, I agree. But he killed himself. Stewart HAS to play more. Overwhelmed comes from your coach not allowing you to make mistakes - she's "potentially" one of the best players on the court and she needs to play her way into being comfortable and confident. And also that makes them bigger - smaller didn't work. Much of that loss weighs heavily on Geno........not a great time for lessons!

Sorry because I know the women's fans think Geno is the greatest thing and he is in the womens game, I agree. But he killed himself. Stewart HAS to play more. Overwhelmed comes from your coach not allowing you to make mistakes - she's "potentially" one of the best players on the court and she needs to play her way into being comfortable and confident. And also that makes them bigger - smaller didn't work. Much of that loss weighs heavily on Geno........not a great time for lessons!

How many games have you watched prior to the Baylor game? Geno clearly HAS allowed Breanna to play while trying to work out the kinks, she has been allowed to shoot when open [ note: she is 0-13 from the 3 and he still wants her to shoot out of her funk], play significant minutes, etc., you can't blame Geno for players feeling "overwhelmed". Every player coming into a Division I program knows it is going to be a transition, every UCONN player has had their struggles as a freshman, KML, Bria, Moriah, Morgan, etc, why would Breanna be any different? Geno has seen it all, and he is very caring toward all of the girls to help them get through their "freshman wall".

In regards to your comment," Stewart HAS to play more."
Playing time is EARNED in practice and through PRODUCTION! Not through sympathy or what a player's high school accolades or ratings. At UCONN most of our girls are All American's, USA basketball members, etc, that doesn't nor should it guarantee their playing time... they know they have to earn it every day. Breanna has the potential to be one of the greats at UCONN just like everyone else on the team... it is up to her. It is time for the fans to support her and all of the girls when they have their struggles (and yes they all will) but stop blaming everybody else when our "golden girl" proves to have things to improve on. She was ineffective Monday period. Geno gave Breanna three different attempts to make a positive imprint in the game, it was obvious she wasn't ready for the game. Thank God he didn't leave her out there to be destroyed, I think that would have been much more damaging to her confidence and to the team.

In regards to your comment," And also that makes them bigger - smaller didn't work."
You are right height would have helped but it has to be the right height, we needed height that can take physical play, players that are fearless, that can score too. Personally, I think Geno played who he trusted who met that criteria, Stef and Morgan. Kiah and Heather should've been better options but they were not for whatever reasons, Breanna's area of weakness is her ability to play well in physical games.








It's time to put to rest all the HS accolades and hype, the 3 freshman have been with us almost a year, let's judge them on their college merit now.

 

[mauconnfan]

How many games have you watched prior to the Baylor game? Geno clearly HAS allowed Breanna to play while trying to work out the kinks, she has been allowed to shoot when open [ note: she is 0-13 from the 3 and he still wants her to shoot out of her funk], play significant minutes, etc., you can't blame Geno for players feeling "overwhelmed". Every player coming into a Division I program knows it is going to be a transition, every UCONN player has had their struggles as a freshman, KML, Bria, Moriah, Morgan, etc, why would Breanna be any different? Geno has seen it all, and he is very caring toward all of the girls to help them get through their "freshman wall".

In regards to your comment," Stewart HAS to play more."
Playing time is EARNED in practice and through PRODUCTION! Not through sympathy or what a player's high school accolades or ratings. At UCONN most of our girls are All American's, USA basketball members, etc, that doesn't nor should it guarantee their playing time... they know they have to earn it every day. Breanna has the potential to be one of the greats at UCONN just like everyone else on the team... it is up to her. It is time for the fans to support her and all of the girls when they have their struggles (and yes they all will) but stop blaming everybody else when our "golden girl" proves to have things to improve on. She was ineffective Monday period. Geno gave Breanna three different attempts to make a positive imprint in the game, it was obvious she wasn't ready for the game. Thank God he didn't leave her out there to be destroyed, I think that would have been much more damaging to her confidence and to the team.

In regards to your comment," And also that makes them bigger - smaller didn't work."
You are right height would have helped but it has to be the right height, we needed height that can take physical play, players that are fearless, that can score too. Personally, I think Geno played who he trusted who met that criteria, Stef and Morgan. Kiah and Heather should've been better options but they were not for whatever reasons, Breanna's area of weakness is her ability to play well in physical games.

It's time to put to rest all the HS accolades and hype, the 3 freshman have been with us almost a year, let's judge them on their college merit now.

Yeah I just started watching GIRL??!?! Some day I will get it like you!!!.........please

 

[UCONNGIRL]

Yeah I just started watching GIRL??!?! Some day I will get it like you!!!.........please

my, my... a bit crabby I'd say.... okay, I'll retract...how many games did you watch, if that got you're undies in a bunch... geesh, chill out!

 

[mauconnfan]

my, my... a bit crabby I'd say.... okay, I'll retract...how many games did you watch, if that got you're undies in a bunch... geesh, chill out!

Crabby? I've watched as many as I can, maybe 15-20 and she needs to play more but Geno does the same things JC did with the kids so i get it....just think even when she's not so good she's more valuable than some of the others because she's long, changes shots and gets rebounds others can't........and how else can she "play" out of it? She is probably the most talented player the gals can put on the floor minus Mosquito!!

And I'm not wearing undies........