Warning...This thread is going to be wildly unpopular...

[JustinesGuy]

Just as most boneyarders, I watch every Uconn game and am a huge fan of this team and program for decades. If anyone follows my posts they would know that even though I love this program I still can be critical of the team, or the future of the program. After watching the early season schedule(with some great wins) and now getting into the conference portion of the schedule I feel like theres something missing with this team. Im thinking to myself other than the obvious that has been discussed and discussed is there anything else going on? Watching today It hit me what is kinda been killing us, and thats not having an experienced 2 guard. We all love CW and early on she was playing on such a high level but she has hit a freshman wall as of late its its really killing us. When UCONN is firing on all cylinders the guards turned the ball over and lead to easy fast break points. With out Kia and Gabby this year we just cannot defend and create these turnovers. Today when CW was out of the lineup in foul trouble we had one ball handler on the floor!!! I mean Pheese and walker are ok at handling the ball and Lou is not much better and you can really see the offense just doesn't look like it has in past years.

We won today by like 20 something but it was so ho hum, we just are more talented than Temple but we really didn't play that great! We didn't play like last past years Uconn. My other concern... Yes this is going to be very unpopular is Geno. Im not debating the greatness of Geno, im worried for Geno!! I heard his comments with Lobo and Frede at the end of the last game and he was just shaking his head talking about the modern Uconn athlete, that there going to do what they want and nothing phases them etc. If he mentioned it once then it would come off as a joke but he actually kept talking about it and how when he subbed all five out, there was no lesson learned cause the players knew that they would be back in at some point soon!!! He looked like he had it with this team!! Fast forward to today. Did you see Geno on the bench with his hands on his head and head on his lap?? Geno never looked like or acted like this in years past. All I can infer from this is Geno is not going to get a heart attack over this team. When you add in the transfers, decommitments of the past few year, and the recruiting class of one(with many misses) its only going to get worse around here before it could get better.. Is Geno going to be able to take that? Im not so sure..

I hope I wrong! The games just seems lacking that finely tuned uconn we have all come to love and expect....

 

[Centerstream]

I also think that every other AAC team we play is going to do their best to beat us up, literally. We have been known as a finesse style team but that doesn't work when you are getting manhandled and a lot of them are being "missed" by the officials. I am thinking that Geno doesn't have an answer to this type of play and it is probably hard to prepare for.
And to me the proof of how our future opponents are going to play us, when have we seen a player go after a Husky like that Tulane player went after CD (other than ND)? It certainly made an impact on CD!!! Expect more...

 

[HuskyNan]

300+ other teams would love to have UConn's problems.

 

[Charliebball]

when this UConn team is not hitting shots it simply doesn't have the consistent defensive ability/intensity to take over a game and manufacture baskets....................losing two great defensive players sure doesn't help nor does not having an intimidating presence in the middle.....................for this UConn team, getting deep into the championship battle is going to depend more on great shooting then great defense, that's for sure

 

[JustinesGuy]

300+ other teams would love to have UConn's problems.

When uconn was firing on all cylinders in years past it was like listening to a Motzart Symphony, it was a thing of beauty. Maybe the problem is, Geno is not driving an 8 cylinder car this year. With AS in the pros and a novice at the 2, there is a limit to how beautiful the music can be.

 

[DEpup]

I have to agree with you as I was at the game too today. CW looked basically like a deer caught in headlights with absolutely no idea what was going on. Just wondering around the court which led to fouls because she was trying at the last minute to clean up being late to the play. I was close enough to see her face when she took some shots and she was just throwing them up with absolutely no intention or focus. The wall is hitting her hard.

On the other hand ONO seemed to have much more focus then I've seen recently. If she could just get stronger and muscle through and finish those shots where she gets fouled and then make the and 1 (her free throw shooting is atrocious) she could be unstoppable.

I love Geno and use so much of his leadership examples and style managing my organization of 230 people. I do have a concern of my own though.... I feel like his UConn Kid recruit is becoming an angel type with no edge and then he complains that his team has no edge ( hence overtime losses and getting outmuscled sometimes)..... Maybe he has to think about recruiting some kids with an edge. In the old days, the great players would fight with him on the sideline, get in people's face, and have fire. As much as I love these players, they are all the same personality with no edge or fire. I think a good team of any kind in life needs some diversity of thought and personality which this team doesn't seem to have. All just too nice. And now I have circled back to your point, where is the JRizz, Sveta, Shea, DT, Kia, or even Tiff Hayes who could mix it up a bit....I had also hoped that MW would have an edge but she seems to have been broken down now too personality wise.

I still have hope that CW will get past the freshman wall and make a run in March. It only takes her and MW to get it together consistently and #12 is in the bag. The talent is all there.

 

[KnightBridgeAZ]

300+ other teams would love to have UConn's problems.

Remember, FWIW, years ago at the WBB Hall of Fame there was an exhibit of various coaches in huddles or the locker room exhorting their team. Geno was discussing at halftime a game against Villanova and said to the team what you just said "they would love to have our problems".

And yes, as you say. Although the last couple of games for Tennessee have been a little more of an issue, what you say is also true of Tennessee (over all) under Holly - a lot of team would love to have Tennessee's problem (or record).

 

[donalddoowop]

If CW has hit the freshman wall has KLS hit the senior wall? CW will be fine.

 

[JustinesGuy]

I have to agree with you as I was at the game too today. CW looked basically like a deer caught in headlights with absolutely no idea what was going on. Just wondering around the court which led to fouls because she was trying at the last minute to clean up being late to the play. I was close enough to see her face when she took some shots and she was just throwing them up with absolutely no intention or focus. The wall is hitting her hard.

On the other hand ONO seemed to have much more focus then I've seen recently. If she could just get stronger and muscle through and finish those shots where she gets fouled and then make the and 1 (her free throw shooting is atrocious) she could be unstoppable.

I love Geno and use so much of his leadership examples and style managing my organization of 230 people. I do have a concern of my own though.... I feel like his UConn Kid recruit is becoming an angel type with no edge and then he complains that his team has no edge ( hence overtime losses and getting outmuscled sometimes)..... Maybe he has to think about recruiting some kids with an edge. In the old days, the great players would fight with him on the sideline, get in people's face, and have fire. As much as I love these players, they are all the same personality with no edge or fire. I think a good team of any kind in life needs some diversity of thought and personality which this team doesn't seem to have. All just too nice. And now I have circled back to your point, where is the JRizz, Sveta, Shea, DT, Kia, or even Tiff Hayes who could mix it up a bit....I had also hoped that MW would have an edge but she seems to have been broken down now too personality wise.

I still have hope that CW will get past the freshman wall and make a run in March. It only takes her and MW to get it together consistently and #12 is in the bag. The talent is all there.

Your point is fantastic. My dad was just saying that the stars of this team, especially Lou and Pheese are just way too nice, and maybe with the exception of Danger the team is just not that intense. Geno said it somewhere(maybe on the first Geno Show) that the team is zero personality?! No egde- Well said and dead on..

 

['nuff sed]

Just as most boneyarders, I watch every Uconn game and am a huge fan of this team and program for decades. If anyone follows my posts they would know that even though I love this program I still can be critical of the team, or the future of the program. After watching the early season schedule(with some great wins) and now getting into the conference portion of the schedule I feel like theres something missing with this team. Im thinking to myself other than the obvious that has been discussed and discussed is there anything else going on? Watching today It hit me what is kinda been killing us, and thats not having an experienced 2 guard. We all love CW and early on she was playing on such a high level but she has hit a freshman wall as of late its its really killing us. When UCONN is firing on all cylinders the guards turned the ball over and lead to easy fast break points. With out Kia and Gabby this year we just cannot defend and create these turnovers. Today when CW was out of the lineup in foul trouble we had one ball handler on the floor!!! I mean Pheese and walker are ok at handling the ball and Lou is not much better and you can really see the offense just doesn't look like it has in past years.

We won today by like 20 something but it was so ho hum, we just are more talented than Temple but we really didn't play that great! We didn't play like last past years Uconn. My other concern... Yes this is going to be very unpopular is Geno. Im not debating the greatness of Geno, im worried for Geno!! I heard his comments with Lobo and Frede at the end of the last game and he was just shaking his head talking about the modern Uconn athlete, that there going to do what they want and nothing phases them etc. If he mentioned it once then it would come off as a joke but he actually kept talking about it and how when he subbed all five out, there was no lesson learned cause the players knew that they would be back in at some point soon!!! He looked like he had it with this team!! Fast forward to today. Did you see Geno on the bench with his hands on his head and head on his lap?? Geno never looked like or acted like this in years past. All I can infer from this is Geno is not going to get a heart attack over this team. When you add in the transfers, decommitments of the past few year, and the recruiting class of one(with many misses) its only going to get worse around here before it could get better.. Is Geno going to be able to take that? Im not so sure..

I hope I wrong! The games just seems lacking that finely tuned uconn we have all come to love and expect....

Blame the coach ....hahaha

If the Pats lose tomorrow somebody will say fire the coach.

Somebody, at least one, in Alabama said fire the football coach.

Entitlements .... they’re killing everything

 

[huskyd]

When uconn was firing on all cylinders in years past it was like listening to a Motzart Symphony, it was a thing of beauty. Maybe the problem is, Geno is not driving an 8 cylinder car this year. With AS in the pros and a novice at the 2, there is a limit to how beautiful the music can be.

Yes, that's the word: "beauty." The beauty is gone. It was always interesting to watch UConn in years past because they played such an aesthetically pleasing game even against inferior teams. Not now. I find so much of my former pleasure gone when I watch this year's team play. We've always been about defense, chemistry, passing, not fouling. No more. The defense is spotty, the offense staggers, everyone isn't on the same page as passes regularly go awry, few clean looks, little transition. We can't make foul shots dependably. We play "ugly" now. I don't know quite what's wrong, but I sense a malaise that has more or less permeated the whole season. If parity means that the Huskies play the way most others play, it is a very bad thing. "How do you keep the music playing?" is the title of a song. The answer is: it's not always possible.

 

[victor64]

Valid points Justine and DE.

Couple of comments.

1. This is the worst UCONN team in the last seven years, yet they are 16-1 and #2 in the country.
2. What little of other women's teams that I watch, few if any match the quality of play of past UCONN teams.
3. The team doesn't have to be as good as past teams. They have to better than the teams they play this year. They are close to that. With some improvement, they can win every game on their remaining schedule.
4. They ARE good kids. Great kids probably. Easy to cheer for. I am sure that the board would be upset with the attitude and behavior of some of the edgier kids.
5. BYers often start posts with "the team really misses..." I have not thought about how AZ could help this team once. It is waste of time.
6. The team is flawed. So is everybody else. If they stay healthy, it is going to take a really good team to beat them.

 

[tomcat]

I have to agree with you as I was at the game too today. CW looked basically like a deer caught in headlights with absolutely no idea what was going on. Just wondering around the court which led to fouls because she was trying at the last minute to clean up being late to the play. I was close enough to see her face when she took some shots and she was just throwing them up with absolutely no intention or focus. The wall is hitting her hard.

On the other hand ONO seemed to have much more focus then I've seen recently. If she could just get stronger and muscle through and finish those shots where she gets fouled and then make the and 1 (her free throw shooting is atrocious) she could be unstoppable.

I love Geno and use so much of his leadership examples and style managing my organization of 230 people. I do have a concern of my own though.... I feel like his UConn Kid recruit is becoming an angel type with no edge and then he complains that his team has no edge ( hence overtime losses and getting outmuscled sometimes)..... Maybe he has to think about recruiting some kids with an edge. In the old days, the great players would fight with him on the sideline, get in people's face, and have fire. As much as I love these players, they are all the same personality with no edge or fire. I think a good team of any kind in life needs some diversity of thought and personality which this team doesn't seem to have. All just too nice. And now I have circled back to your point, where is the JRizz, Sveta, Shea, DT, Kia, or even Tiff Hayes who could mix it up a bit....I had also hoped that MW would have an edge but she seems to have been broken down now too personality wise.

I still have hope that CW will get past the freshman wall and make a run in March. It only takes her and MW to get it together consistently and #12 is in the bag. The talent is all there.

I hate to pile on, but honestly, I have never ever seen free throw shooting like ONO's. It's the ultimate crap shoot, The first one she shot in the Tulane game, IIRC, missed everything. I thought maybe the ball slipped out of her hand but after watching her chuck 'em up there against Temple, I guess not. What is amazing is that she makes any at all, which she does.

 

[UcMiami]

Has ANY past Uconn team played 12 of their first 17 games on the road, and not just on the road, but taking road trips - this last one Tulane and Temple over 5 days. They have been out of classes for a month and on the road (including their Christmas break for most of that time. Hard to get anything done in practice with that kind of schedule. Yeah, 5 home games

FYI
ACC: ND has played 10 home games, NCST 11, Louisville 9
Big12: Baylor 7, TX 10, Iowa 13
Big 10: Rutgers, Maryland, and Iowa 9
Pac12: Oregon 9, Stanford 8, OrSt 10
SEC: MsSt 10, SC 9, KY 12
BigE: Marq 12, DePaul 9

 

[PAHuskeyFan]

I still support our team. They have lost ONE game and beat the only team ranked above them by 18 points on their court. They are "in a rough patch" right now, but there are still stars shining, Meg 34 pts, Pheesa 30, Danger 26. Lou will be fine and Chrysten will come back to form as in ND game.

They lost ONE game.

 

[SVCBeercats]

The games just seems lacking that finely tuned uconn we have all come to love and expect....

If you think this team is lacking just wait for UCONN's first season without Geno and CD. Then you will know what is lacking ... winning 88% of the time. Just enjoy the ride. This isn't wine tasting. Reminds me of a dinner with a group of IT professionals. One fellow and the sommelier went on and on and on tasting, sniffing, and wine words BSing. Finally a fellow from Bell Labs snatched the cork from the table, sloshed about in his mouth, spit it on table, and pronounced the wine drinkable. Just enjoy the wine and the games ... wins.

 

[uconnfan68]

I still support our team. They have lost ONE game and beat the only team ranked above them by 18 points on their court. They are "in a rough patch" right now, but there are still stars shining, Meg 34 pts, Pheesa 30, Danger 26. Lou will be fine and Chrysten will come back to form as in ND game.

They lost ONE game.

This ^^^^... everyone is capable of 30. I hope they all do it together in the Baylor rematch.

 

[DefenseBB]

...and we think many on the VolNation board feel entitled...something about a mirror is coming to mind.

 

[HuskyNan]

I still support our team. They have lost ONE game and beat the only team ranked above them by 18 points on their court. They are "in a rough patch" right now, but there are still stars shining, Meg 34 pts, Pheesa 30, Danger 26. Lou will be fine and Chrysten will come back to form as in ND game.

They lost ONE game.

 

[SVCBeercats]

Can I get an AMEN!

 

[uconn34]

Stop looking backwards, you are not going that way

 

[FridaFriend]

This thread has really opened my eyes.

I now know what Geno was thinking with his head down today, "I wonder when that job opening at Tennessee will become available."

 

[UcMiami]

I am just so thankful this team is limping along a little better than that 2012-13 team - at least they have beaten ND and haven't lost to stanford (yet, thank you TaraV for not renewing that series!) And at least our star freshman hasn't been pulled from the starting line-up, what a disappointment Stewie was during that freshman year!

 

[Los24]

What does everyone want? A perfect season every year otherwise UConn is in a downward cycle? Coach can't recruit right anymore?

To quote Dominic Torreto (no sure if spelled right) "A win is a win whether it was by an inch or a mile"

This is what the regular season is for... most teams, even the last two national champions who we both beat in regular season struggled at times. That said, we are in a rough patch and not playing our best ball, but that is what every team goes through. I can find close wins against non top teams by every team. Funny thing is there are plenty of positives from today including more use and value from bench, Pheesa breaking out, Crystal Dangerfield with almost another double double with assists...

I also disagree that Lou is not good with ball. Geez she was in top ten in assist turnover and is very good again this year (also backup PG.) She had a bad game and it seemed like things were getting to her, making it snowball.

The biggest thing for the team right now are the missed shots and continuing to build a rhythm with each other and on offense. I would believe in the next 2+ months it will get better. To much talent, experience and coaching for it not too. Will it be enough to win it all? That's why they play the games.

 

[Los24]

300+ other teams would love to have UConn's problems.

Something I think supports your point that I read in today's game write up:

"The Huskies, who entered leading the country with an average margin of victory of 27.8 points, won easily despite a sub-par shooting performance from long range. UConn was 7 for 25 (28 percent) on 3-pointers. The Huskies led 42-25 at halftime despite missing 10 of 13 3-point tries."