USF postgame

[bantamlaker]

to

It is interesting that after some past UCONN blowouts, Geno trashed his team and demanded perfection. Tonight, he praised their effort after a sloppy, lackluster performance. Have expectations been lowered or is Geno softening his demeanor?

He certainly didn’t praise them at the end of the first half. He said it was “a challenge running any offense with these guys” and that he “can’t make it simple enough with these guys.” That’s really not what you want to hear so late in the season. Based on prior comments I doubt it was directed at CD and Phee.

 

[eebmg]

Charlie Creme said that a UCONN loss tonight would have moved them out of the #1 seed in Albany. That surprised me.

Why? According to the Creme and I think the committee. they view UConn as the 4th 1 seed.

 

[Plebe]

Charlie Creme said that a UCONN loss tonight would have moved them out of the #1 seed in Albany. That surprised me.

USF isn't even in the RPI top 100. You better believe a loss tonight would've dropped them from a 1-seed.

 

[eebmg]

He certainly didn’t praise them at the end of the first half. He said it was “challenging running any offense with these guys” and that he “can’t make it simple enough with these guys.” That’s really not what you want to hear so late in the season. Based on prior comments I doubt it was directed at CD and Phee.

Better than "This is the worst game I have ever seen a UConn team play" or pulling his starters out. The offense struggle was so obvious, he could not say anything else and he is not one to hide assessment. I am sure he said that and more during half time.

 

[JoePgh]

Batouly was the one player who didn't play tonight, despite USF getting all those offensive rebounds. Why? Unless she had some unhappy physical after-effects from the minutes she played on Saturday, it's hard to understand Geno's decision.

 

[Blue Huskie]

Yes but what about all that talk about supposedly taking injuries and missing players into consideration? I guess not if your UCONN.

 

[eebmg]

USF isn't even in the RPI top 100. You better believe a loss tonight would've dropped them from a 1-seed.

almost our Vanderbilt. Whew.

 

[Centerstream]

This is the result of the coaching staff putting no effort into developing its bench for years now - when the team loses a single player, they’re going to struggle to beat an undermanned USF team.

That didn't take long...

 

[Blue Huskie]

Batouly was the one player who didn't play tonight, despite USF getting all those offensive rebounds. Why? Unless she had some unhappy physical after-effects from the minutes she played on Saturday, it's hard to understand Geno's decision.

Yeah we have this discussion a lot. Her physical status is always suspect because of her injury history. I'm not sure how many times she's even played in 2 consecutive games. It doesn't seem like that happens very often.

 

[tomcat]

A couple of points. At the start, Conn's defense was awful. Kylie could do nothing. Napheesa got schooled in way I had not seen before. Whatever the hell USF was doing, I hope no one else picks up on it. Olivia was huge on defense, and fortunately UCOnn had enough offense to pull out the win.

All that said, my wife had an interesting observation, one I agree with: "They just don't seem to extend themselves." Remember how Maya played at a amazing level and then would pull plays out of nowhere that elevated her game even more? Remember how we were pretty happy with Stef's play the first couple of year and then she transformed herself? There are lots of other examples, and I;'m not talking about players advancing from freshman to sophomore year.

Here's the thing: With Napheesa and KLS, what you see if pretty much what you get. Now, I'll grant you, what you get is pretty damn good, but you just tend to doubt there's a higher gear they can draw on when push comes to shove. Crystal, maybe. Hard to tell, and ditto Megan.. As for Christyn, it'd be a shame for a game halfway through freshman year be the one that defines her best level of play for a career. ONO is a different story, I hope she comes back bigger, stronger and with more offensive punch. She could be a real find.

Next year? Don't wanna think about it.

 

[Plebe]

almost our Vanderbilt. Whew.

Ha I made the comment after that game: "After all the good teams Vanderbilt had over the years, the one that finally wins at Knoxville is this 6-21 team."

Well, I must admit the thought did cross my mind that after all the pretty decent teams USF has had in the past several years, the one that is coming closest to beating UConn is this team.

 

['nuff sed]

Charlie Creme said that a UCONN loss tonight would have moved them out of the #1 seed in Albany. That surprised me.

I consider a #2 seed in Albany no disaster.

Might be the only one here that thinks that , but that’s what I think.

As far as tonight goes, you’re never going to see that line up in the tournament as long as Lou plays.

No triple teams on Phee with Lou on the court.

The bigger thing to me in the tournament is Crystal has to take control of keeping this offense balanced and moving.

 

[Centerstream]

Charlie Creme said that a UCONN loss tonight would have moved them out of the #1 seed in Albany. That surprised me.

So, they are the #2 seed in Albany, so what's the big deal?

 

[Charliebball]

Here's a sobering thought - take away Pheesa and you have a preview of what next season will look like.

you are right about that although hopefully we'll see the sophomore/junior jump................... also I thought Geno said they were expecting to get reinforcements for next year...............

 

[ochoopsfan]

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Kylie

Kyla. Kylie is her twin sister who went to Penn State.

 

[wbball novice]

Exciting game, maybe not in a good way, kind of like an SEC game. Hard to tell whether good defense or poor offense was the deciding factor.

Without KLS, USF was able to close up the passing lanes, clog the paint, and concentrate on Collier. Maybe Collier is only a scoring machine if another player can pull away some defenders. USF coach knew what he was doing. Might also have affected the poor interior passing under the basket, which led to UConn turnovers.

If Walker or Collier or Danger miss a shot, KLS would have their back and often get the rebound and often get fouled, and she's a better FT shooter than ONO or even Collier this year. Walker's scoring inside might have been less tentative if she knew KLS would bail her out..

UConn gambled in the second half by getting more aggressive in defense since they didn't have KLS -- and Kyla and Bent weren't successful substitutes. Offense could have been paralyzed if other key players had to sit.

Also, if UConn team fouls over the limit, USF gets to shoot more fouls earlier in the half. The gamble worked; USF's decimated and eventually exhausted team was turnover prone.

Intangibles: Christyn coming alive in the 4th quarter; instrumental in getting UConn over the hump.

Losing to USF would have broken UConn's record of wins in the AAC and losing to a weak team might have affected their seeding. Grinding it out might have a beneficial effect on the underclassmen next year. Yeah, I saw the Tenn-Vandy game (as much as I could stand).

 

[hoopsfan22]

Was tonight senior night for USF? They showed clips of what looked to be such a ceremony that I assume happened before the game? They also showed Geno giving a hug to Ferreira and congratulating the other seniors before the game.

 

[jaydee602]

So, they are the #2 seed in Albany, so what's the big deal?

Barring upsets, the #2 seed has to play #3 Oregon State. The #1 seed plays Miami.

 

[Bills Fan]

We need to gain some added height —-graduate transfer? . Assuming we do, we will still have Crystal , Williams and Walker all three of whom I believe will come more into their own next year. If ONO can bulk-up and fulfill her “promise” and if Griffin is the type of freshman many ( including Geno) say she’ll be....we should still be very competitive. Lose more than we have in the recent past,....but competitive.

UConn, the premier program in college WBB is now down to being resigned to be COMPETITIVE in 19-20! And frankly, that is likely the best to hope for next year. We lose 2 AA's who are both top 10 players in the country and they are being replaced by the # 33 ranked incoming Freshman.
If Geno schedules next year like he has in the past, we can look for a fair number of OOC losses along with a few likely in the AAC. Number 1 seed in the NCAA Regional? Ain't gonna happen next year. If UCONN ever hopes to get back to even being close to the "glory days" then next years' recruiting better kick it into high gear. The days of Geno being able to walk into recruits' homes and get most of whom he is after, being able to sell becoming part of a legendary program are over, especially with his likely impending retirement

 

[EricLA]

I'm a glass half full kind of guy. Liv and Chrystin are going to have big sophomore leaps, Megan will be better. Crystal will be a 1st team AA and Mikayla is going to shoot like she did in HS, while earning the NDPOY. Not to mention the fact that there will be some talented graduate transfers and/or international players showing up, plus one very talented freshman from Ossining who can do a little bit of everything,

If you assume the returnees don't improve at all in the next eight months, sure. I think Christyn makes a big jump. Megan will continue to steadily improve as will ONO. Crystal will be great. We'll see who gets that fifth spot, but I expect Batouly and Coombs to make bigger contributions next year as well.

you are right about that although hopefully we'll see the sophomore/junior jump.... also I thought Geno said they were expecting to get reinforcements for next year.....

You guys all make great points. I sort of had a brain fart and posted without thinking. I do believe that not only will Meg, Mikayla, Olivia and Christyn all show dramatic improvement next season, but that we will also have help other than just Griffin come to campus.

While a regular transfer can't play right away (unless she gets a waiver), I do believe we will have a combo of regular transfers, grad transfers, foreign players, and JUCO transfers. I'm thinking at least 2 more probably join the class of Griffin next season.

 

[Zanzman]

You guys all make great points. I sort of had a brain fart and posted without thinking. I do believe that not only will Meg, Mikayla, Olivia and Christyn all show dramatic improvement next season, but that we will also have help other than just Gordon next season.

While a regular transfer can't play right away (unless she gets a waiver), I do believe we will have a combo of regular transfers, grad transfers, foreign players, and JUCO transfers. I'm thinking at least 2 more probably join the class of Gordon next season.

Griffin not Gordon Lexi left this year

 

[BroadwayVa]

Here's a sobering thought - take away Pheesa and you have a preview of what next season will look like.

Please archive this and pull it out next December. You don't remember when Lou and Collier were Frosh/Sophs, huh?
CW and Walker, ONO, Coombs, Will all make a significant jump and with more responsibility will stand taller because of it. Who knows, maybe Molly (who has shown some potential) may make the Soph jump as a Senior. Add Audrey and maybe another one or 2--no telling what they may accomplish.
I don't like burying anyone until they are dead.

 

[BroadwayVa]

I'm a glass half full kind of guy. Liv and Chrystin are going to have big sophomore leaps, Megan will be better. Crystal will be a 1st team AA and Mikayla is going to shoot like she did in HS, while earning the NDPOY. Not to mention the fact that there will be some talented graduate transfers and/or international players showing up, plus one very talented freshman from Ossining who can do a little bit of everything,

I'm a glass empty kind of guy, yet I see jumps from CW, Meg Walker, Coombs, ONO, Audrey, maybe Molly, Irwin. I predict, put this in the bank, Meg Walker before she is done will be and AA, CW -ONO too, I won't count Coombs out she is making major strides. Geno and Christine like her, shea too. ONO has jumped to 3 different levels since November how far can she jump between April and Nov??
I'm not sure where Uconn goes this year but I'm certain that Collier and KLS ALONE won't carry Uconn to that end. CW has the talent and Walker has the strength, drive and skill to carry Uconn beyond where the Big 3 takes them.

 

[Plebe]

UCF is up 9 over Houston in the final minute, but regardless of the outcome of that game, the seeds are set:

Quite the cluster in the 5-12 range, only 2 games separating 8 teams. There was a 4-way tie for last place with a 5-11 record.