Villanova post game thread | Page 11 | The Boneyard

Villanova post game thread

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Centerstream said:
And we are only in this position because we have played less games not due to our actual W-L record. Granted this could change dramatically in the next 10 days or so. Change to the better or...
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Actually, it is because we gave a game away last night and greatly reduced our margin of error.
After last nights episode, there are no more gimmes.
They can drop one at any time; even to East Penciltucky State.
 
uconnfan68 said:
Oregon was favored. We were ranked last night. We were an 18pt favorite, but down by 19 in the 3rd quarter. This was the worst.
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And if it had been known that Liv was not going to play and both Dorka and Evina had some health issues, do you believe that UConn would still be an 18pt favorite?
 
LwrcasefaN said:
The disparity in rebounding was offensive rebounds. Mostly....Siegrist who often was not matched up against a big. I saw several times where she was matched up against Nika under the basket. Don't ask me how that happens. Most of UCONN's rebounds were by UCONN guards because a lot of the rebounds were long. They were slow to some others, but unless you have a gifted motor you will fatigue after chasing a team filled with perimeter shooters. You can't afford to play all out with 6 players. I would be concerned about rebounding if this were the norm. They loss a close game by 3...to a hot shooting team. It happens. And I don't think Dorka would have played if Liv were healthy and AE wasn't in foul trouble. I'm satisfied that all the components are present on this team. They just aren't all present now. I just don't see the sky falling.
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This is how it happens:
UConnCat said:
Because Villanova spreads the floor with 5 players and Amari would have been lost out there trying to guard one of Nova's forwards on the perimeter.
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Stymie said:
Actually, it is because we gave a game away last night and greatly reduced our margin of error.
After last nights episode, there are no more gimmes.
They can drop one at any time; even to East Penciltucky State.
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And if we lose 1 more, we are still 1 up in the loss column.
I just don't know what would happen BE ranking wise, if we end the season having played 2, 3 or 4 less games. Especially when the other teams in contention currently have 3 losses.
 
LwrcasefaN said:
Some of you folks are dramatic. There, I said it. You're just not accustomed to UCONN looking average. Well, you would be average too under these realities. UCONN isn't dead. They are hobbled...and despite the loss...still kicking and fighting. Apply reality and you'll find the answers to most of your questions. Stop bashing the players. They haven't quit. They are tired. It showed. When Ducharme was scratched before the TN game I saw panic. You can check my posts...I wasn't worried and stated...I still got UCONN. They are STILL that good. Lose three starters...and naturally, the odds of winning get slimmer. They STILL almost won. Some of you hang on Geno's every word, for example...they weren't hustling. That's him needling his players...it's not for you to take literally. He KNOWS it's hard. He KNOWS they haven't quit. I get that fans, some more than others, have this rabid emotional attachment to their team, but sometimes it clouds reality. I shook my head every time I read a TN fan saying that their slide was because Keyen Green got hurt. Now I'm doing the same when UCONN fans can't accept that losing THREE starters (not backups) is somehow not going to impact outcomes...even against Villanova. Villanova...hats off to your efforts. See you in the tourney.

BTW...the dominating thought I had in the game last night was that Fudd might earn the tag...unguardable.
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hoophuskee said:
Because maybe their defense on the perimeter would be worse?
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The key word there is “maybe”! You don’t know what would have happened if Geno had played them (Amari and Piath) for five or six minutes. I’m not going to second guess Geno here because I think there is probably a deeper reason why he didn’t play them, but I do agree that, at least from our (fan) perspective, it’s puzzling why they didn’t get a look in a game where our two bigs managed two total rebounds between them!
 
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ABCDFE said:
Tough loss. There was a chance to possibly take it to overtime or at least have another possession but CW miss near the basket was big. I will give the team a pass. They didn’t play great as a team and relied a little too much on one one and forced it to Azzi trying to have her same the game. For those who think Liv is expendable she will be sorely missed we do not have a defensive presence like her and rebounding big would’ve helped tonight.

  • Now seeing Azzi healthy it just shows we have a found another dawg on our team. Cannot wait until her, Paige, Caroline play together with ONO and CW.
  • Nika did not play well enough for us. Too many times she picks up her dribble and stagnates the offense. Too bad was hoping she could’ve stepped up for us.
  • Dorka is hurting I give her a pass
  • AE needs to be smarter with her moves inside especially the way the refs were calling it, her foul trouble really limited her impact tonight.
  • CW - though she played great. Wished she could’ve finished a couple more tough inside layups even with the contact but she played hard
  • Evina - was ok. She has a stiffness in her movements probably from the knee surgeries, but we needed a little more from her tonight.
Overall this season the team has faced so much adversity. I think if any year they were going to lose it would be in the pandemic with tons of injuries and lineup changes. I don’t want to take away from Villanova. This team with Caroline, Fudd and a healthy rest of the team even without Paige I think can be very dangerous. I just hope that there’s a way that we can see all three big dawgs play together this year oh the post season. We just gotta get in and be healthy and then let the chips fall where they may.
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Evina still has back issues.it would be better if she could play fewer minutes, especially when her back is really tender, but with all the other injured/sick players, that isn’t possible.
 
LwrcasefaN said:
The disparity in rebounding was offensive rebounds. Mostly....Siegrist who often was not matched up against a big. I saw several times where she was matched up against Nika under the basket. Don't ask me how that happens. Most of UCONN's rebounds were by UCONN guards because a lot of the rebounds were long. They were slow to some others, but unless you have a gifted motor you will fatigue after chasing a team filled with perimeter shooters. You can't afford to play all out with 6 players. I would be concerned about rebounding if this were the norm. They loss a close game by 3...to a hot shooting team. It happens. And I don't think Dorka would have played if Liv were healthy and AE wasn't in foul trouble. I'm satisfied that all the components are present on this team. They just aren't all present now. I just don't see the sky falling.
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The final score may show that game as a “close game” but it really wasn’t that close.
 
I have no idea its applicability but when I had a girl in our program, up to and including AAU who was ‘a big’ I worked her on footwork (jump rope Ali style) and hand/eye coordination drills, each and every practice, sometimes before practice and after. Edwards could use some of this to cut down on those charges and spending less time on the deck.
 
Almost every game that UCONN plays against BE competition is decided before the 4th quarter even begins. This was just another one.
 
hoophuskee said:
I think we do know zones are worse but regardless.
But Nova shot 10-22 from 3. That is an EFG% of 68.1%. The zone encourages 3 point shooting. That's the type of defense you are suggesting would work? For UCONN to "hold" Nova to 68.1% while encouraging them to shoot more?
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Seemed like the 68.!% 3 pt shooting was against a man to man for the most part, why wasn't that effective, could a zone have provided better protection against man to man drives and strong offensive rebounding have been worse???? We need to change up our defensive look from time to time if the original look isn't working???? Give the opponent something to respond to.
Sometimes it's what you give that you get.
 
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HuskyNan said:
Wasn’t #10 UConn beating #7 Tennessee a mild upset?
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yes, if you really put much stock in those rankings. I didn't think it was any kind of an upset. my original post had to do with last night's game, and the pressure on Villanova to complete what was a real upset.
 
I've been a diehard UCONN WBB fan for almost 30 years throughout the highs & lows. I celebrated when they dominated & was devastated when they lost those heartbreakers. But I have never witnessed so much hostility toward a Husky team until this season. Last night's in- game chat room was inflammatory & I checked out by halftime.
Like all UCONN fans, I was disappointed by last night's defeat & have been frustrated during their most of their losses. But this team has been decimated by long term & last minute injuries. While the great majority of this forum are unconditional & loyal supporters, I do not see the need for vicious attacks & malicious comments from the fair weather "fans".
OK, I'm getting down from my pulpit!
 
They have done the best they can with what they have to work with. This may end up a year where injuries and covid impact were just too much to overcome. Or it may be a year of incredible triumph after gelling during the tournament and winning it all. All outcomes are still open which makes this season particularly compelling. I didn't get to see the 2nd half of yesterday's game and I still want to see it. This is a compelling experience, full of human interest stories and people worth rooting for.
 
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UC77 said:
He seemed pissed that Liv told him before the game that she couldn't go. Is there something going on that's not injury related.
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He seemed more surprised than pissed. Chris said on her post-game show that she learned about it during player intros. Not sure whom Liv told.

Is what it is. I doubt we hear what Geno thinks about it unless Liv says something. It was Stef who told the media (months later) what Geno thought about her not playing in the St John’s game in 2013.
 
EricLA said:
First off, congrats to Villanova. They must be thrilled.

For me, I'm sort of Zen about this. The season has been SO hard - so many injuries, illnesses, missed games, changes, etc. I hardly think there is another team in the country who has been hit as hard as we have with all the issues. No Paige and no Aubrey. No Caroline was known, but no Olivia? It apparently was too much for the team tonight. We've not had any consistency with who practices, and then who is available to play for almost any game. Constantly changing.

I hope the fans take a pause and think before posting. As much as we've hated the season, I'm betting it's even been less fun for the team.

Just chalk it up to a rough game, bad loss, whatever. Nova is no slouch. Azzi and Christyn were ballers, but other than that, a frustrating game from the rest of the team. We made a nice run in Q4, but the game was too far out of hand at that point. We needed more of Q's 2 and 4 and less of Q's 1 and 3...

BTW, Azzi is flat out a stud. And her demeanor - cool as the other side of the pillow!

So, on to the next game. Let's hope those who were out get better soon, and Paige can't return soon enough! ;)
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In an odd way, I was ready to have our endless winning streak against weak opponents come to an end. Clearly, UCONN played the game " wounded," but Villanova was hot as a pistol, until the very end. And only two UCONN players had their game on ( AZZI and Williams ). No one else could hit a shot at a big moment. The contributions from the Tennessee game ( Edwards, Westbrook, Muhl ) went cold. I think the team may also have been shocked that Caroline still had to sit. Certainly, I was. And, of course, we are largely kept in the dark as to what her injury is. That brings me to the point that we also have no bench. DeBerry, despite being a high-rated prospect in the freshman class of Caroline and AZZI, is regarded by Geno like "a visiting 8th grade prodigy, whom UCONN is trying to interest when she graduates from high school." It stuns me that she isn't even considered as a player who might contribute, when they have gotten so much from the other two freshmen, and when they were in dire need of a fresh contribution. From somebody. From anybody. It pains me to accept the notion that both DeBerry and Gabriel are long term dreams that will likely never play out. If the same UCONN team shows up tomorrow ( pretty likely, actually) we will see our first " two losses in a row" circumstance. That is no big deal, but it would be nice to see a more competitive outing. The Villanova game was over when we went down by 20, despite the intense heroics in the last two minutes, which no one really believed were going to matter.
 
Solid highlight video of yesterday's game and Fudd's involvement. She has been there before.

 
Regarding Deberry and Pia, Geno watches them in practice and he thinks we are better off with Dorka, Liv and AE. I fault Geno sometimes but I don't generally fault his ability to evaluate talent. He plays the right people. I just wish he didn't have to play some of the ones he has no choice but playing.
 
MSGRET said:
And if it had been known that Liv was not going to play and both Dorka and Evina had some health issues, do you believe that UConn would still be an 18pt favorite?
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No, and they shouldn’t be. Azzi is playing well on offense, Chrystin did yesterday, the rest not so much. Defensively and rebounding were glaring problems. Their scheme is to switch every pick, but they just have a lot of mental lapses. Poor communication, lack of practice with the others on the floor… I don’t know. I guess what bothers me most is none of my business. CD and ONO both looked well enough for a few minutes. Might have helped.
 
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