USF postgame

[meyers7]

Now let’s be fair. The Bills almost won 4 Super Bowls.

Well they were close in 1 Super Bowl (wide right). But the other 3, yea they didn't "almost win" any of them.
37-24 Redskins
52-17 Cowboys
30-13 Cowboys

If only their coach "developed" their bench players more...maybe, just maybe they would have won more super bowls.

You gotta win at least 1 to be able to win "more".

 

[meyers7]

Yes --- because Stamford and South Carolina are allowed "off years" to reload and redevelop.

UConn is not

So, the expectation is to develop players with limited talents into starter quality - magically, with dragon farts and pixie dust

Or, recruit very good D1 talent and get them to spend 1- 2-3-4 years sitting on the bench playing mop up time for the 5-6 AA's.

Just to make happy the one half of the fan base who doesn't deserve this team to begin with.

Question for everybody ----- how far down the competitive league ladder did Natalie have to go down to become the dominant player in her league.

Truth is , at this level, nobody has a bench. Nobody can withstand an injury to a starter without a major problem.

Except ND last year.

 

[ME Husky Fan]

I was especially disappointed in Irwin & Bent tonight. I always wonder why Geno bypasses them, but South Florida attacked Kylie because she seemed clueless on defense. Molly was tentative & was out-hustled. They weren't playing a top teir team & they should have been able to contribute with more confidence.

Agree 100%. If it's not a mop-up role, both seem disinterested in being any part of the offense, deferring to the others on the court at the time. I don't know why Geno had them in a game that seemed to be slipping away, except it being another lesson to both Ono and Williams. Head scratcher that Batouly wasn't in the game, she would have had an impact on those second chances USF had in the 1st quarter/half, or so I think.

 

[phil sampieri]

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.

Or could it be that the subs didn't deserve the coaches trust by the way they practiced. Aha that's it

 

[hoopsfan22]

Games like last night and the first one against Cincinnati make me thankful (from a win-loss perspective) we play in the AAC. If we were in any of the P5 leagues, we'd have a handful of additional losses.

 

[eebmg]

If only their coach "developed" their bench players more...maybe, just maybe they would have won more super bowls.

Why did they not use their backup quarterback more?

 

[mbr33ct]

Well they were close in 1 Super Bowl (wide right). But the other 3, yea they didn't "almost win" any of them.
37-24 Redskins
52-17 Cowboys
30-13 Cowboys


You gotta win at least 1 to be able to win "more".

That makes it worse, at least Geno has never lost in a championship game.

 

[oldude]

(wide right).

“Wide right”, two words that create more discomfort in Buffalo then either “lake effect” or “white out” in wintertime.

 

[Yorkeez4]

Over the last 11 years I have questioned how much better UConn would have been had Geno recruited better and learned how to develop a bench. I personally thought he should have been pushed into retirement after losing the last two semi-finals.

 

[oldude]

Over the last 11 years I have questioned how much better UConn would have been had Geno recruited better and learned how to develop a bench. I personally thought he should have been pushed into retirement after losing the last two semi-finals.

Not sure if you’re serious or your tongue is firmly planted in your cheek. If it’s the latter, then I’m smiling along with you. If it’s the former then It’s one of the most ridiculous and nonsensical posts I’ve ever read on the BY, and that’s saying a lot.

 

[CocoHusky]

Games like last night and the first one against Cincinnati make me thankful (from a win-loss perspective) we play in the AAC. If we were in any of the P5 leagues, we'd have a handful of additional losses.

Don't see how. I think you are letting a few recent losses cloud your judgement here. UCONN has a significant body of work (blowouts) against P5 conference teams that you are conveniently forgetting about. Four of the blowouts were at the start of this season: Ohio State 85:53, Vandy 80:42, Ol'Miss 90:50 Purdue: 86:40. UCONN has also played and beaten the top 1-3 teams in EVERY P5 conferences within the past four years.
SEC: South Carolina, Mississippi State
Big 10: tOSU, Maryland, Nebraska, Michigan State
Pac 12: Oregon, Stanford, UCLA
Big 12: Baylor, Texas
ACC: Louisville, ND
I don't think it would matter much which conference you put UCONN WBB in, UCONN would still be competing for that conference championship and contending for national championships. I could see an additional loss possibly but 5 more losses sounds a little is outrageous.

 

[oldude]

Don't see how. I think you are letting a few recent losses cloud your judgement here. UCONN has a significant body of work (blowouts) against P5 conference teams that you are conveniently forgetting about. Four of the blowouts were at the start of this season: Ohio State 85:53, Vandy 80:42, Ol'Miss 90:50 Purdue: 86:40. UCONN has also played and beaten the top 1-3 teams in EVERY P5 conferences within the past four years.
SEC: South Carolina, Mississippi State
Big 10: tOSU, Maryland, Nebraska, Michigan State
Pac 12: Oregon, Stanford, UCLA
Big 12: Baylor, Texas
ACC: Louisville, ND
I don't think it would matter much which conference you put UCONN WBB in, UCONN would still be competing for that conference championship and contending for national championships. I could see an additional loss possibly but 5 more losses sounds a little is outrageous.

One additional point that it pains me to say, if UConn played in a P5 conference, many of the recent recruiting misses would have been reversed. Right now Tara, HW, Dawn and others can all legitimately tell prospective recruits they will be facing much better talent every night then they will face in the AAC.

 

[mbr33ct]

Not sure if you’re serious or your tongue is firmly planted in your cheek. If it’s the latter, then I’m smiling along with you. If it’s the former then It’s one of the most ridiculous and nonsensical posts I’ve ever read on the BY, and that’s saying a lot.

Now if he said last 2 years I might buy in his argument.

 

[DefenseBB]

While the exact quality of the teams may not be the same, we are also alot better and more is expected of us that TN (even without Lou)

A USF win would have been the same (or worse) shock to the WCBB community as Vandy's win had. You know, the first time we lost to USF, the first AAC loss ever, first loss to an unseeded team since xxxxx.

I understand your worry, but I liken it more to ND losing to NC without Jackie Young than Tenn with 4 AA’s losing to the 2-14 Commodores at home for the 1st time in 38 years, that’s bad!

That is correct. We have season tickets for the Bulls. After she went down with the ACL she went AWOL. Talking with Bulls fans, they were puzzled too. Ferreira and Jordeo made all the games after their seasons were over.

Mmm, Geno stayed in Florida? Laksa didn’t go to any Bulls games until yesterday vs. UConn? Laksa graduates in May? UConn has a dire need for outside shooting next year? Geno has courted European players before and is now accepting transfers.....interesting set of items to contemplate

 

[huskyd]

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

Exactly.

I grabbed my Roget's this morning looking for a stronger word than “ugly” to describe last night's proceedings. “Repulsive” jumped out at me. I suppose that this was another of those wins that Geno says had to be earned not just expected. But at what price? Missing lay-ins, handing the ball to the opposition, abjuring rebounds? (With a smidgen of bad luck mixed in.)

It appeared at first as if everyone was trying to personally compensate for the absence of Lou. The team was playing out of control, especially Christyn and Meg. But even steady Crystal started taking circus shots. It's important to note that Lou is not important just for her scoring; she is a coach on the court who settles and instructs the younger players. She also leads by example, asserting herself in every way she can. 'Pheesa, for all she does, hasn't Lou's aggressive personality.

Geno's first solution was to yank Liv and insert Coombs. Then he injected Kyla for a short time. Finally, when nothing seemed to work, UConn employed its full-court pressure, and that did the trick.

Something good did come out of all this chaos during the second half. For the first time Liv became a force in the middle. She was positively intimidating with her long arms extended and her excellent hands blocking shots, rebounding and deflecting passes; USF steered clear of the center of the defense then, which they had exploited all game long. The combination of defensive pressure and Liv's presence turned the game the Huskies' way. Whew.

As Eric wrote, the game was a look into the future when Lou and 'Pheesa are gone. Scary.

 

[DefenseBB]

One additional point that it pains me to say, if UConn played in a P5 conference, many of the recent recruiting misses would have been reversed. Right now Tara, HW, Dawn and others can all legitimately tell prospective recruits they will be facing much better talent every night then they will face in the AAC.

Normally I am with you 100% but I must diverge on this premise. So your contention is a 17/18 year old recruit will listen to a coach play up the competition their team goes against in conference and that recruit will use that knowledge as the determining factor, yet that same recruit will then ignore a lack of development that doesn’t occur at these same P5 schools (see Tenn, Texas, Baylor, Cal, Louisville, Duke, NC, MD, tOSU, KY, etc) to chose a P5 school?
I am not buying it at all. If they are as smart as you indicate, their development concerns would be FIRST based on what that program has produced in the past, not what competition the team might play. Most are enamored by the love they get during the recruiting process and promise of playing time. There is very little thought given about conference opposition. I mean UConn is on TV more than any other program, they play the best OOC teams year in year out, no fluff opponents except for the dregs of their own conference). Look at the cream puffs Tenn, MD and Baylor regularly play in OOC. If the athletes were truly adroit they could see a history of UConn’s RPI or Massey rating. Do give too much credit to a teen!
Respectfully DefenseBB

 

[MSGRET]

Games like last night and the first one against Cincinnati make me thankful (from a win-loss perspective) we play in the AAC. If we were in any of the P5 leagues, we'd have a handful of additional losses.

We won the first game against Cincinnati 82 - 38, I don't think we would loose a handful scoring like that.

 

[huskyd]

You all must be yankee fans cause you spend to much time talking about Next Year

"Wait 'til next year" was a Brooklyn Dodger refrain dating back to the 50s and the hapless Bums.

 

[hoopsfan22]

Don't see how. I think you are letting a few recent losses cloud your judgement here. UCONN has a significant body of work (blowouts) against P5 conference teams that you are conveniently forgetting about. Four of the blowouts were at the start of this season: Ohio State 85:53, Vandy 80:42, Ol'Miss 90:50 Purdue: 86:40. UCONN has also played and beaten the top 1-3 teams in EVERY P5 conferences within the past four years.
SEC: South Carolina, Mississippi State
Big 10: tOSU, Maryland, Nebraska, Michigan State
Pac 12: Oregon, Stanford, UCLA
Big 12: Baylor, Texas
ACC: Louisville, ND
I don't think it would matter much which conference you put UCONN WBB in, UCONN would still be competing for that conference championship and contending for national championships. I could see an additional loss possibly but 5 more losses sounds a little is outrageous.

I think if we were in a P5 league and having to play Louisville, ND, Miss St, Baylor, etc. two or three times every season there would be more losses. We already know this based on our experience with ND in our league, and that's when we had Maya. An off night like last night or against Cincinnati or Tulane most likely results in a loss in a P5 conference where the teams are a bit more talented. Five additional losses probably not, at least not this year, but an extra 2-4 isn't crazy.

 

[hoopsfan22]

We won the first game against Cincinnati 82 - 38, I don't think we would loose a handful scoring like that.

Sorry meant the one last month which I guess was the second game, but it was very much like last night's game, margin of victory may have even ended up the same.

 

[DefenseBB]

Who said anything about poor coaching? UConn has the best coaching staff in the game by a wide margin.

But it’s a fact that they haven’t done a good building their bench over the past several years, and it’s burned them a couple times now.

The past several years??? Let’s review for your edification:
2013-14 National Champion
2014-15 National Champion
2015-16 National Champion
2016-17 Semi-Finalist Lost in OT
2017-18 Semi-Finalist Lost on last second shot
Do I need to go back further? Bench strength shows one of 2 ways:
Constant losing in-season due to fouls, injury, ineffective play. Not an issue this year as we are 28-2 ranked 2nd overall
Second way is poor follow up seasons from the prior one where players aren’t prepared for new expanded roles-again, given the continued success shown, there is NO EVIDENCE. Show me some facts and I might not think you’re illogical.

 

[oldude]

Normally I am with you 100% but I must diverge on this premise. So your contention is a 17/18 year old recruit will listen to a coach play up the competition their team goes against in conference and that recruit will use that knowledge as the determining factor, yet that same recruit will then ignore a lack of development that doesn’t occur at these same P5 schools (see Tenn, Texas, Baylor, Cal, Louisville, Duke, NC, MD, tOSU, KY, etc) to chose a P5 school?
I am not buying it at all. If they are as smart as you indicate, their development concerns would be FIRST based on what that program has produced in the past, not what competition the team might play. Most are enamored by the love they get during the recruiting process and promise of playing time. There is very little thought given about conference opposition. I mean UConn is on TV more than any other program, they play the best OOC teams year in year out, no fluff opponents except for the dregs of their own conference). Look at the cream puffs Tenn, MD and Baylor regularly play in OOC. If the athletes were truly adroit they could see a history of UConn’s RPI or Massey rating. Do give too much credit to a teen!
Respectfully DefenseBB

Agree that getting inside a teenager’s head is a perilous endeavor. While I’m not sure to what extent it influenced her, when Haley Jones announced her decision to attend Stanford, she indicated that the tremendous competition in the Pac12 was one of the factors. Of course, staying near home was probably the most significant factor.

 

[MilfordHusky]

I think if we were in a P5 league and having to play Louisville, ND, Miss St, Baylor, etc. two or three times every season there would be more losses. We already know this based on our experience with ND in our league, and that's when we had Maya. An off night like last night or against Cincinnati or Tulane most likely results in a loss in a P5 conference where the teams are a bit more talented. Five additional losses probably not, at least not this year, but an extra 2-4 isn't crazy.

The only time Maya lost to N.D. was in the final game of her career. It was post-Maya that N.D. beat us in the conference.

 

[HopJim]

Next year is going to be a nightmare!

It's just reality. We've lost the great players, and the replacements- ONO, Walker- just don't measure up. And we're getting one freshman next year to make up for the loss of Pheesa and KLS.

Ouch!

May be the case, but until we see the final roster, I am reserving judgement.

 

[Jaybird65]

Mmm, Geno stayed in Florida? Laksa didn’t go to any Bulls games until yesterday vs. UConn? Laksa graduates in May? UConn has a dire need for outside shooting next year? Geno has courted European players before and is now accepting transfers.....interesting set of items to contemplate

Not permitted to have any contact with her at this point in time. The transfer portal for basketball hasn't opened & she hasn't graduated