Understatement of the Year, by Karen Aston

[oldude]

Texas = Overrated

 

[Centerstream]

I probably should have explained my point better. TX was rated 2nd in the country, but only has 2 starters from last year’s team presently available. Their front court is average right now and they are overrated. A lot of people questioned why they played so badly vs TN. To me, it’s pretty simple. The Longhorns are not a top 10 team, maybe not even top 20.

When UConn graduated the Big 3, they were ranked in the top 5 the following season. You could probably argue that the Huskies were overrated, except for the fact that they played wonderfully and replaced the 3 graduated AA’s with 3 new AA’s.

I agree with the ranking statement as of now. In another thread I posted that neither team should be ranked in the top 15, based upon the performance. TN fans are going to say that they deserve it because they beat the number 2 team but in reality, the Longhorns are not and should not be considered a top 15 or, like you said, even a top 20 team.

 

[Shades]

Not everyone in the AP media panel is going to examine things as closely as we do. Not everyone is going to realize that Texas is short Joyner Holmes until conference play.

In the same vein, not everyone is going to realize that Baylor was short their second best player and coach for the one game they lost at UCLA. That loss isn't really indicative of how good of a team they are.... so I would say the AP are under rating them. But it's hard to say for sure until they play somebody else that's good.

 

[Plebe]

What was really surprising to me is that Texas not only did not run offense, they seemed to have no concept of running offense. No drive and dish, no screens, no nothing except bring the ball down and jack up a shot! You expect that from Tennessee (who actually did do a little passing, especially in the fourth quarter) because that is the way Tennessee has always played. But Aston has the reputation of being a coach. One has to wonder.

It occurred to me this morning that this game might have set the record for lowest number of passes.

 

[huskeynut]

Hays writeup of game at ESPNw

Fearless freshmen help Tennessee topple No. 2 Texas

The quote I found most interesting is

"I've taken a different approach to our turnovers," Warlick said. "As long as we're trying to make a play -- if the ball gets stuck in our hands or it goes off our foot dribbling, then I'm going to be upset about that. But a lot of our turnovers are attacking, trying to get the open player the ball. We're trying to get it inside and those type of things. We'll go back and watch it. ... Do we have to get better with our turnovers? Absolutely. I haven't seen the tape, but I think the majority of them were trying to get us better looks. And I'll take that. I'll take that right now."

Very strange sounding to BY ears but this is the reality of just about every other team in wcbb.

Holly won a big game. So she's doing a little "bragging" about her team.

In reality, I don't think Holly values every possession/ play. I was struck by her comments during one of the timeouts. Her advice was rebound and play defense. Sound familiar? If she will take a lot of turnovers for now, no way do they get better. She has already accepted it.

 

[skilz]

1 UConn
2 ND
3 Louisville
4 SC
5 Miss State
6 Baylor
7 Tenn
8 Texas
9 Oregon
10 West Virginia

 

[Rocket009]

Holly won a big game. So she's doing a little "bragging" about her team.

In reality, I don't think Holly values every possession/ play. I was struck by her comments during one of the timeouts. Her advice was rebound and play defense. Sound familiar? If she will take a lot of turnovers for now, no way do they get better. She has already accepted it.

The announcers spotted it pretty early - every time Texas reversed the ball, they found big gaps in TN's zone defense. The problem was that they hardly ever passed it enough to get to reverse the ball. Too many quick shots (mostly contested) and too many mistakes at both ends. What is remarkable is that as poorly as they played, they were still in the game until the final minute.

If a disciplined offense took on TN, they would pick them apart.

TN's offense looks pretty much the same as last year. Lots of 1-on-1, dribble drive, get fouled, poor shot selection, big bodies going for rebounds...

Their attitude looks much better though - of course they haven't lost yet.

 

[billnaples]

She's probably thinking that next year Texas plays Tenn in Austin and I'll be there to help Texas win that game not sitting on the end of the bench with a coach that tells me Freshmen aren't doing enough in practice to play in games and it's a lot closer to home than Storrs, CT.....

I ind that observation almost...nah take that back....really laughable. With enough time and inclination we could go back over the 33 year career of the Coach and see how the minutes of his freshman progressed over the remainder of year 1 and the next three. Then take a look at how many made significant gains in their playing ability, and further went on to pro careers, here or abroad. And not insignificant 11 national titles in the last 22 years and 18 Final Fours in the last 27 years. Oh yeah, go back and look at the success level of all of the players who left UConn and that mean SOB of a coach for greener pastures. While some, maybe more then half, realized more playing time, if that's the criteria for "success" then maybe they reached it. I can tell you that other then Della Donne who was a non playing transfer of extraordinary talent I don't think there was even an honorable mention in All America lists for any of them. Yet some underclass members of the roster that stuck in for the full experience at UConn, think not even Maya Moore was a starter when her freshman season began.

 

[iamcbs]

I ind that observation almost...nah take that back....really laughable. With enough time and inclination we could go back over the 33 year career of the Coach and see how the minutes of his freshman progressed over the remainder of year 1 and the next three. Then take a look at how many made significant gains in their playing ability, and further went on to pro careers, here or abroad. And not insignificant 11 national titles in the last 22 years and 18 Final Fours in the last 27 years. Oh yeah, go back and look at the success level of all of the players who left UConn and that mean SOB of a coach for greener pastures. While some, maybe more then half, realized more playing time, if that's the criteria for "success" then maybe they reached it. I can tell you that other then Della Donne who was a non playing transfer of extraordinary talent I don't think there was even an honorable mention in All America lists for any of them. Yet some underclass members of the roster that stuck in for the full experience at UConn, think not even Maya Moore was a starter when her freshman season began.

There have been a plethora of Freshman that haven't attended Connecticut and have gone to schools that don't have 11 Nattys and whose coaches aren't in the HOF that have gone on to have very successful BB careers and some have even become HOF players themselves without the tutelage of Geno Auriemma or having matriculated at Connecticut. It isn't a necessity to go Connecticut to be a great player and every player, by Coach Auriemma's own admission, isn't the type of player he wants to coach. Every player that attends Connecticut isn't a great player, AA, or HOFer and that's fine. Some players don't want to play for name on the front of the jersey they want to play for the name on the back. I'm not making a judgement, I'm just being realistic.....

 

[RockyMTblue2]

There have been a plethora of Freshman that haven't attended Connecticut and have gone to schools that don't have 11 Nattys and whose coaches aren't in the HOF that have gone on to have very successful BB careers and some have even become HOF players themselves without the tutelage of Geno Auriemma or having matriculated at Connecticut. It isn't a necessity to go Connecticut to be a great player and every player, by Coach Auriemma's own admission, isn't the type of player he wants to coach. Every player that attends Connecticut isn't a great player, AA, or HOFer and that's fine. Some players don't want to play for name on the front of the jersey they want to play for the name on the back. I'm not making a judgement, I'm just being realistic.....

This was a fun little skit to run into. After Kelsey "back of the jersey" Mitchell leaves will McGuff look for another or settle down to do some really serious program development?

 

[Dillon77]

The announcers spotted it pretty early - every time Texas reversed the ball, they found big gaps in TN's zone defense. The problem was that they hardly ever passed it enough to get to reverse the ball. Too many quick shots (mostly contested) and too many mistakes at both ends. What is remarkable is that as poorly as they played, they were still in the game until the final minute.

If a disciplined offense took on TN, they would pick them apart.

TN's offense looks pretty much the same as last year. Lots of 1-on-1, dribble drive, get fouled, poor shot selection, big bodies going for rebounds...

Their attitude looks much better though - of course they haven't lost yet.

Regarding your point in green, I think I know just such a team and Tennessee will be traveling north to South Bend on January 18th to play the Irish.

Agree with you that with some quick ball reversal and/or passes into the elbow/top of the key, there could be some massive "field of opportunities," so to speak. Luckily, the high post in ND's motion offense is set right there and Kat Westbeld and-- increasingly -- Jessica Shepard hang out there to then look down low, shoot it or continue the passing to the next open slot.

 

[huskyd]

I posted this elsewhere, but I think it works better here:

Announcers at the Tenn/Texas game yesterday kept talking about “the Holly Warlick Error.” Clearly, after watching this study in futility, the “error” was with the coaches. (Especially the error of assuming that sitting next to Pat Summitt alone conveys useful knowledge by osmosis.)

We were told there were 15 high school AA's on the two teams. Certainly there were an abundance of high school players. Making the point, if need be, that it doesn't matter how many “stars” you have on a team but on how that team is assembled and coached. These two squads are utterly clueless. The object seemed to be to run down the court and shoot whether the players had a good shot or not. Offense was a No Passing Zone. There were no discernible “plays” as such, Whatever you do, do not pass the ball to anyone.

The sorry Vols won because the ball seemed to always wind up in their hands (bad refs, lucky bounces). Texas, in gray unis even uglier than ours, were equally as lost. Number 2 team in the country? What country?

The Holly Warlick “error” or “era”; select (a).

 

[Zorro]

Suppose, and Heaven forfend, that all but two (any two) of UConn's top seven players were felled by flu and unable to play, and that those two starters were playing with, say, any three of our bench players, against, again say, Notre Dame. They would undoiubtedly lose, but they would be doing their damndest best to run the offense that Geno and the staff had taught them and if any of them came down the court and jacked up a stupid shot, the way both teams did yesterday, Geno would pull her and put in Water Girl!!

 

[Kaizen]

Mercedes Russell is incredibly slow, and Z could run her to death. Also, Mercedes got away with one yesterday. She knew exactly where she was and that there was a player behind her, so she just stopped. Ariel Atkins being out after that shot affected Texas. She was the only consistent scorer.

I still don't understand why Atkins has that suicide attack on Russell. Was it just an accident or Atkins was really mad about TN or herself?

 

[oldude]

I still don't understand why Atkins has that suicide attack on Russell. Was it just an accident or Atkins was really mad about TN or herself?

I had the same reaction. Didn't she see Russell with her peripheral vision? Atkins is a heck of a player, but I'm a little worried about her. She basically concussed herself last year vs UConn and last night vs TN. The way she plays, maybe she should wear a helmut

 

[dogged1]

Regarding your point in green, I think I know just such a team and Tennessee will be traveling north to South Bend on January 18th to play the Irish.

Agree with you that with some quick ball reversal and/or passes into the elbow/top of the key, there could be some massive "field of opportunities," so to speak. Luckily, the high post in ND's motion offense is set right there and Kat Westbeld and-- increasingly -- Jessica Shepard hang out there to then look down low, shoot it or continue the passing to the next open slot.

Not to be offensive Dillon, but what is with that awful shade of green you guys have been using, similar to the font you chose. Couldn't you use shamrock green or Emerald Isle green, or even blue and gold?

 

[oldude]

Not to be offensive Dillon, but what is with that awful shade of green you guys have been using, similar to the font you chose. Couldn't you use shamrock green or Emerald Isle green, or even blue and gold?

I don't know. Gangrene can be pretty of you accessorize properly.....

 

[msf22b]

1.Alston is the first to admit her team looked terrible yesterday but most would she's still a very good (though unproven) coach . .

Sorry, not me.

Even when you win, playing better teams reveals your weaknesses much more clearly than playing teams far inferior to you does

UTenn doesn't run an offense, shouldn't be very difficult to guard

 

[dogged1]

I don't know. Gangrene can be pretty of you accessorize properly.....

Yes!!!! That is the shade, exactly.

 

[Dillon77]

Not to be offensive Dillon, but what is with that awful shade of green you guys have been using, similar to the font you chose. Couldn't you use shamrock green or Emerald Isle green, or even blue and gold?

Do you mean the green that the fans wear at home? If so, you won't get any argument from me on it...geesh. Maybe it's an electric shamrock green? And maybe it's power is subliminal because I didn't mean to pick one that got the readers' attention. Aw, maybe that's it

I'll have to dig around McGraw's Bench to see the history of that...we have a few season ticket-holders that can hopefully enlighten us.

 

[hugefan]

I thought it was green for envy sorry couldn’t resist.

 

[LoTrader]

With respect, I think this misses the OP's point, and, more pertinently, Karen Aston's point. Yes, the Texas guards did, indeed, play "that badly." And yes, they may indeed play much better vs UConn. But the Texas team was shockingly out-coached...by Holly!!! Geno, who would have been too apoplectic to survive the experience of coaching the performance and effort of either of these teams, speaks often about how talented teams are sometimes required to "grind out" wins on occasions when lots is going wrong and the ball isn't dropping. What he means is that teams in such situations must return to basketball fundamentals, lots of movement, good spacing, crisp passing, aggressive rebounding and smothering defense, all in an effort to compensate for poor shooting. The idea is to use fundamentals to get one's team easier shots and force one's opponent into tougher shots. This is called coaching. Karen is right...her team looked terribly coached, and shockingly so. This wasn't just what folks charitably call an "off-night." Texas was a team looking lost, with nowhere to turn. Tennessee was only slightly better. Full disclosure: I tuned out at halftime...couldn't take it any more.

From my seat, both teams were highly undisciplined, out of control, and certainly didn't look like a TOP 10 "team". Not impressed with either Texas or Tennessee after seeing a lot of other teams play this year. Not to say they won't improve, even dramatically, as the year progresses.

 

[SCGamecock]

I didnt see the game..... Sundays in December are made for the NFL.... but yall are saying there isnt much need of me to go find a replay?

Absolutely don’t waste your time.... unless you want to see “inspiring” play from Tennessee’s freshman who looked way more composed late in the game than Texas did.

I expected a lot from Texas as well. They have WAY too much talent to play that way. No effort on defense for most of the game, they barely ran any offense.. it was all 1-on-1 off the dribble (maybe that’s their offense?)..

I don’t think Texas is doomed at all but that game was proof that they’re not their yet. Coaching matters. I’m green with envy at what Dawn could do with 10+ McDonald’s All-Americans...

 

[iamcbs]

This was a fun little skit to run into. After Kelsey "back of the jersey" Mitchell leaves will McGuff look for another or settle down to do some really serious program development?

McGuff won't ever develop any talent, he's a terrible coach but a great recruiter....

 

[oldude]

McGuff won't ever develop any talent, he's a terrible coach but a great recruiter....

McGuff is the HW of the Big10.

 

[iamcbs]

McGuff is the HW of the Big10.

As long as he keeps a spot or two open on his staff for player's fathers he'll be fine.

 

[JordyG]

I said it on another thread, but it was as if both teams were coached by Kevin McGuff while having a bad fever dream. Two intramural teams, ugly shirts versus very ugly shirts.

 

[hussybulldog]

Absolutely don’t waste your time.... unless you want to see “inspiring” play from Tennessee’s freshman who looked way more composed late in the game than Texas did.

I expected a lot from Texas as well. They have WAY too much talent to play that way. No effort on defense for most of the game, they barely ran any offense.. it was all 1-on-1 off the dribble (maybe that’s their offense?)..

I don’t think Texas is doomed at all but that game was proof that they’re not their yet. Coaching matters. I’m green with envy at what Dawn could do with 10+ McDonald’s All-Americans...

Agree, Dawn would be able to defend her NCAA championship season with that many AA on her team like Texas. Can you imagine how many 4-letter words would coming out after seeing her AA rich team (if she has as many as texas team, that is ) lost to UT like that. She would be exploding! We saw Mulkey threw her jacket off, Dawn would top that if her team collapse like that .

 

[Carnac]

What is RPI?

Current RPI rankings for D-1 WCBB thru Dec 11,2017 -

The remaining undefeated D-1 women's teams thru Dec 11, 2017

Rank Team W L SS Rk RPI
1. Connecticut 8 0 .8011 1 .7974
3. Louisville 11 0 .6487 23 .7164
4. Villanova 9 0 .6477 24 .7001
6. Mississippi St. 9 0 .6088 45 .6913
8. Florida St. 10 0 .5794 60 .6794
9. Tennessee 10 0 .5626 81 .6746
11. New Mexico 10 0 .5651 77 .6684
15. West Virginia 9 0 .5074 163 .6529
23. Syracuse 10 0 .4890 194 .6363
28. Southern Cal 8 0 .4879 195 .6277
43. UC Davis 9 0 .4169 275 .6016
48. Ball St. 8 0 .3885 300 .5937

 

[SCspur]

What is RPI?

Current RPI rankings for D1 WCBB thru Dec 11,2017 -

Seven undefeated teams remain, but which will survive the longest?
Two Big East and SEC teams along with one each from ACC, Big 12, and Pac-12 remain unblemished

Through games of December 11 there were 7 teams that were undefeated so far this season.
Five of the seven teams were ranked in the top 25 AP and Coaches polls, with Georgetown and Mississippi State missing the cut. Georgetown had the worst schedule strength in the country at No. 351, thus its low RPI rank as shown below. All of these teams have competitive games coming due by early January and therefore a potential loss. The seven teams with their RPI rank through December 11, record, and two upcoming games that are potential losses are shown below. Mississippi State is first up, with a game against Cincinnati on December 12 in Highland Heights, Kentucky, on Northern Kentucky's home court (BB&T Arena), which UC is using while Fifth Third Arena is being renovated.

Team (RPI Rank, Record) Potential Loss
TCU (11, 10-0) Dec. 30 Oklahoma; Jan. 2 at Baylor
Villanova (1, 10-0) Dec. 13 at Temple; Dec. 30 at Butler
Arizona St. (3, 9-0) Dec. 17 Vanderbilt; Dec. 30 at Arizona
Florida St. (30, 9-0) Dec. 16 vs. Oklahoma St.; Dec. 30 at Duke
Georgetown (196, 8-0) Dec. 16 Syracuse; Dec. 27 Butler
Miami-FL (49, 8-0) Dec. 16 at George Wash.; Dec. 22-25 Diamond Head Cl.
Mississippi St. (31, 8-0) Dec. 12 at Cincinnati; Jan. 2 Arkansas

looks like the undefeated men's teams Scoop.