Undecided recruits

[DefenseBB]

Fortunately for potential USC recruits, the game wasn't on prime time national TV.

Poor bags, I feel for you as most simply missed the sarcasm even with the emoji. What has this world come to if we must spoon feed everyone...argghhh

 

[HoopsFan21]

I do not understand Dawn Staley. She was interviewed after the Missouri win and the TV crew asked her about the upcoming contest with UConn and she said (paraphrase): We're going to just go out there and play the game. It's not as important as an SEC game so kids just go out and play. Well, maybe that translates into we can't beat em so it's not important? Just a strange remark from someone given to strange remarks. The interview is down the page a bit, here: South Carolina Women's Basketball Clubhouse - Latest Headlines, Standings, Schedule, and Leaders

Geno said something similar about the game as well though. I forget the exact wording, but he was basically praising Texas, South Carolina, and Louisville for scheduling these marquee match ups right in the middle of conference play and didn't understand why more coaches don't do it because even if you lose it doesn't matter.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Geno said something similar about the game as well though. I forget the exact wording, but he was basically praising Texas, South Carolina, and Louisville for scheduling these marquee match ups right in the middle of conference play and didn't understand why more coaches don't do it because even if you lose it doesn't matter.

Watch the video. To hear and see dawn's demeanor it was UConn SmooConn. No one can seriously think she'd equate a win over UConn with a win of an SEC game. She'd recruit off that into the next decade. She took that attitude cuz she didn't have a game plan to deal with UConn's Fab 5 and that is also why she kept her fanny in her seat when UConn was putting an Arse Whoopin on her team.

 

[Gus Mahler]

Mikayla Coombs is getting more minutes, at the expense of Molly, and is looking more comfortable each time she gets on the floor. This is the toughest position to play. So it'll take some time but I think Mikayla has the potential.

I think you're right, that MC has the potential. I feel bad for Molly but I will support her to the bitter end. I still think she could be a contributor in the future.

And I sure hope MC has time this summer to work on her shot!! I've not seen many UConn players with that technique (not that I would know anything about that ).

 

[JordyG]

It looked to me like Geno told the team to stop going for breakaways and start running the offense in the second half. That made sense. There were opportunities to score on breakaways but Kia or someone else would slow it down and run the offense. At least it seemed that way to me.

The problem was their PG was on the bench and the offense as well as Kia's shot suffered for it. I'm kind of hoping Geno rests Crystal for at least the next game.

 

[DefenseBB]

The problem was their PG was on the bench and the offense as well as Kia's shot suffered for it. I'm kind of hoping Geno rests Crystal for at least the next game.

You mean you're not worried about needing Crystal Dangerfield for Cincinnati?

 

[Gus Mahler]

@GoingPostal, one more follow-up on your post: I think it would be best for the team if MC ended up being eighth man.

 

[DefenseBB]

Watch the video. To hear and see dawn's demeanor it was UConn SmooConn. No one can seriously think she'd equate a win over UConn with a win of an SEC game. She'd recruit off that into the next decade. She took that attitude cuz she didn't have a game plan to deal with UConn's Fab 5 and that is also why she kept her fanny in her seat when UConn was putting an Arse Whoopin on her team.

My fine Ozymandias friend...we must respectfully disagree as I think 10 years around Geno as an assistant and the umteen dialogues they must have all the time, she clearly knows his thinking and agrees as she is playing him. Would she want to win? Absolutely, however, she's playing with the house's money-she gets her team a non-thug game, sees their weaknesses to work on it, sees how to evolve her motion offense and gets their fandom rockin' into the national discussion, right up there with ND.

 

[Bama fan]

Game was on ESPN in prime time. ESPN would likely qualify as “national TV.”

Merriam Webster defines prime time as typically the hours between 8 and 11. So I guess you were both partially correct

 

[GoingPostal]

@GoingPostal, one more follow-up on your post: I think it would be best for the team if MC ended up being eighth man.

I agree. With Crystal having shin splint problems I think it would be the time to give Crystal limited minutes and give Mikayla expanded game experience. Maybe the Louisville game being the excepton.

 

[ocoandasoc]

I think recruits are pretty impressed with South Carolina. Great coach. Great attendance. And the crowd was cheering when they were down 20 points. (Okay, maybe not when they were down 32 points, LOL.)

Remember, too, that SEC teams play a LOT of big games against tough teams during the second half of their season. In late January and February UConn has South Carolina and Louisville. The rest are walkovers. And then a walkover Tourney with an inevitable conclusion. During that same period South Carolina plays UConn, Miss State, Missouri, Tennessee twice, Georgia. LSU, Kentucky twice, and then probably gets to play at least two or even three top 16 teams in the SEC Tourney.

Overall, South Carolina will play at least twice as many games against Top 15 opponents as UConn, so you can't blame Dawn for trying to keep things tamped down and her team focused. Besides, if she had built up the UConn game as "the big must-win game" how deflated would her squad be now?

South Carolina probably won't win the NC this year... They're not as good as they were last year. They've got a big challenge tomorrow night at Miss State that will tell us a lot. I thought UConn played their best half of the season against SC, and I've seen about every game. (When the threes are falling UConn is impossible to defend.) SC almost got run out of their gym. It's a young team and they have their ups and downs. Mizzou got them once. And Mizzou almost got Miss. State. State has the edge because their home Monday night. But I wouldn't put money down against the Gamecocks. Neither team has shown great consistency lately, and both coaches know the other teams weaknesses.

Chances are that UConn will run into an SEC team or two in the Tourney. Not to mention Texas or Baylor. So they better keep their edge if they don't want a repeat of last year's semi-finals..

 

[RSHERMVIKES]

Most coaches that play UConn in the middle of their Conference Schedule have downplayed the importance of the UConn game in comparison to a Conference Game. Probably the only reason they agree to play UConn is the Game is usually Nationally Televised and they get exposure win or lose. What I don't understand about this years schedule is why Miss St didn't make an effort to get UConn on their schedule. Yes, its a presumption on my part, but I can't see Geno turning down the game if Miss St approached UConn. Just imagine what the Crowd would have been like at either school. Unlike the So Carolina game, a UConn vs Miss St would have been a great game.

Wbbfan1-- - Most schedules are made 3 years in advance and teams think they know what their rosters will be. But recently with all the transfers teams dynamics have changed and they can never be sure who they'll have!

 

[Mdoggie]

I think recruits are pretty impressed with South Carolina. Great coach. Great attendance. And the crowd was cheering when they were down 20 points. (Okay, maybe not when they were down 32 points, LOL.)

Remember, too, that SEC teams play a LOT of big games against tough teams during the second half of their season. In late January and February UConn has South Carolina and Louisville. The rest are walkovers. And then a walkover Tourney with an inevitable conclusion. During that same period South Carolina plays UConn, Miss State, Missouri, Tennessee twice, Georgia. LSU, Kentucky twice, and then probably gets to play at least two or even three top 16 teams in the SEC Tourney.

Overall, South Carolina will play at least twice as many games against Top 15 opponents as UConn, so you can't blame Dawn for trying to keep things tamped down and her team focused. Besides, if she had built up the UConn game as "the big must-win game" how deflated would her squad be now?

South Carolina probably won't win the NC this year... They're not as good as they were last year. They've got a big challenge tomorrow night at Miss State that will tell us a lot. I thought UConn played their best half of the season against SC, and I've seen about every game. (When the threes are falling UConn is impossible to defend.) SC almost got run out of their gym. It's a young team and they have their ups and downs. Mizzou got them once. And Mizzou almost got Miss. State. State has the edge because their home Monday night. But I wouldn't put money down against the Gamecocks. Neither team has shown great consistency lately, and both coaches know the other teams weaknesses.

Chances are that UConn will run into an SEC team or two in the Tourney. Not to mention Texas or Baylor. So they better keep their edge if they don't want a repeat of last year's semi-finals..

Be impressed. They will never compare to the dynasty the is Uconn. Come to Uconn and become legendary.

 

[Sluconn Husky]

Overall, South Carolina will play at least twice as many games against Top 15 opponents as UConn, so you can't blame Dawn for trying to keep things tamped down and her team focused.

Prior to the conference tourneys SC will play nine top-15 teams to UConn's seven going by the ESPN poll.

If you go by Sagarin's computer ratings, SC plays seven top-15 teams to UConn's six. Expanded to the top-30 both play eleven.

Not much of a gulf there.

 

[cbraarj]

Watch the video. To hear and see dawn's demeanor it was UConn SmooConn. No one can seriously think she'd equate a win over UConn with a win of an SEC game. She'd recruit off that into the next decade. She took that attitude cuz she didn't have a game plan to deal with UConn's Fab 5 and that is also why she kept her fanny in her seat when UConn was putting an Arse Whoopin on her team.

South Carolina would have celebrated like they won a National Champioship!

 

[cbraarj]

I think recruits are pretty impressed with South Carolina. Great coach. Great attendance. And the crowd was cheering when they were down 20 points. (Okay, maybe not when they were down 32 points, LOL.)

Remember, too, that SEC teams play a LOT of big games against tough teams during the second half of their season. In late January and February UConn has South Carolina and Louisville. The rest are walkovers. And then a walkover Tourney with an inevitable conclusion. During that same period South Carolina plays UConn, Miss State, Missouri, Tennessee twice, Georgia. LSU, Kentucky twice, and then probably gets to play at least two or even three top 16 teams in the SEC Tourney.

Overall, South Carolina will play at least twice as many games against Top 15 opponents as UConn, so you can't blame Dawn for trying to keep things tamped down and her team focused. Besides, if she had built up the UConn game as "the big must-win game" how deflated would her squad be now?

South Carolina probably won't win the NC this year... They're not as good as they were last year. They've got a big challenge tomorrow night at Miss State that will tell us a lot. I thought UConn played their best half of the season against SC, and I've seen about every game. (When the threes are falling UConn is impossible to defend.) SC almost got run out of their gym. It's a young team and they have their ups and downs. Mizzou got them once. And Mizzou almost got Miss. State. State has the edge because their home Monday night. But I wouldn't put money down against the Gamecocks. Neither team has shown great consistency lately, and both coaches know the other teams weaknesses.

Chances are that UConn will run into an SEC team or two in the Tourney. Not to mention Texas or Baylor. So they better keep their edge if they don't want a repeat of last year's semi-finals..

South Carolina looked like an AAC team to me!

 

[Bronx23]

I think recruits are pretty impressed with South Carolina. Great coach. Great attendance. And the crowd was cheering when they were down 20 points. (Okay, maybe not when they were down 32 points, LOL.)

Remember, too, that SEC teams play a LOT of big games against tough teams during the second half of their season. In late January and February UConn has South Carolina and Louisville. The rest are walkovers. And then a walkover Tourney with an inevitable conclusion. During that same period South Carolina plays UConn, Miss State, Missouri, Tennessee twice, Georgia. LSU, Kentucky twice, and then probably gets to play at least two or even three top 16 teams in the SEC Tourney.

Overall, South Carolina will play at least twice as many games against Top 15 opponents as UConn, so you can't blame Dawn for trying to keep things tamped down and her team focused. Besides, if she had built up the UConn game as "the big must-win game" how deflated would her squad be now?

South Carolina probably won't win the NC this year... They're not as good as they were last year. They've got a big challenge tomorrow night at Miss State that will tell us a lot. I thought UConn played their best half of the season against SC, and I've seen about every game. (When the threes are falling UConn is impossible to defend.) SC almost got run out of their gym. It's a young team and they have their ups and downs. Mizzou got them once. And Mizzou almost got Miss. State. State has the edge because their home Monday night. But I wouldn't put money down against the Gamecocks. Neither team has shown great consistency lately, and both coaches know the other teams weaknesses.

Chances are that UConn will run into an SEC team or two in the Tourney. Not to mention Texas or Baylor. So they better keep their edge if they don't want a repeat of last year's semi-finals..

 

[Papa33]

While Dawn wants to credit her team's defense in the second half for the Huskies poor shooting, I do not believe that is the explanation. The Huskies just frankly shot the ball poorly, which could be attributed to a vicious reversion to the mean (uh uh) or to the edge being off which affected timing AND too much passing leaving a shooter who had not anticipated shooting with releasing the ball while thinking X should have shot.

I agree with your analysis, Rocky, rather than attributing the fall-off to Crystal Dangerfield's absence. On several occasions, I thought we over-passed, such that I could count 6 potential open shots before someone pulled the trigger. The ball was moving so fast that USC's defenders had no time to move before the ball was in a different place on the floor; they just turned and watched. But we missed a couple bunnies and some very makeable short jumpers

 

[Bronx23]

You are more than a bit off in your statistic in that SC will play 2x as many top 15 teams. u Conn has already played and beat is it 6 or 7 of those teams so Sc would have to have played almost every one of them.
It's also not just who you play and how you do. SC has already lost 4 of those games and U Conn ZERO.
Yes it's unfortunate they are in a very weak conference as opposed to a very strong one but that is not their fault or seemingly much that can be done about.
Please, they whooped again whooped the prior national champion and with the likely NPOY. Up thirty at halftime and if they left their starters in would have won by 35.
Most great recruits would strongly prefer to play for Geno and U Conn unless a few personal type issues override their desire to be great pros. Or if you want to do stats how many of those has each team developed!
Let's get REAL!
Bronx23

 

[HopJim]

If I'm a teenage superstar, and not totally electronically challenged, I find a way to watch

There are so many ways to stream games, live or later, if you want to see a game you can get it.

 

[DefenseBB]

Be impressed. They will never compare to the dynasty the is Uconn. Come to Uconn and become legendary.

The zaniness of some of our fandom needs a reality check. With 12 slots on the team, that means the top 2/3 could only commit to UConn, thereby leaving plenty of great/very good players that would have to go elsewhere. Evina Westbrook was #2 last year but was not offered by UConn and chose Tenn. Cox I believe was offered but Joyner Holmes was not, both decided to stay in Texas. UConn is not for everybody and UConn does not want everybody.

Just because another program is complimented on this Forum does not mean the poster is denigrating UConn. SC, ND, Oregon, Stanford, Louisville, Baylor, Maryland have all done remarkable jobs building their brand and their programs to be in the discussion on a yearly basis. Texas, Miss St, Oregon St are trying to get to that next level. Duke and Tenn have taken steps back and are once proud programs trying to reassert themselves. Just because a player chooses another program if offered does not mean they can't become legendary and that the program is not preeminent.

No disrespect meant, just a balanced perspective given...

 

[Bronx23]

I agree with DefenseBB.
Only so many in a given year or cycle can or will come to U Conn. Once a certain type or style of player commits it might change it for another player who has similar strengths. Also from the students side they must consider many factors including how much they feel they are wanted or needed.
All in all there are maybe a handful of players that in retrospect would have significantly changed what U Conn is and has done.
One needs to learn to enjoy and accept what they have sometimes not always looking for more!
Bronx23