Was The Tennessee Game The Turning Point For This Team This Season? | The Boneyard

Was The Tennessee Game The Turning Point For This Team This Season?

CONNCAN

CONNCAN

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Looking at the Point Differential Spreadsheet below/attached, could one suspect that the game vs. Tennessee was the turning point for this season, for this team, factoring in the days between games. It would be interesting to get everyone's thoughts on this?
 

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Very well could be. What does everyone else have to say about this possibility, based upon the Speadsheet above?
 
The scary thing is the post Tennessee schedule is all Big East except for South Carolina. The early season out of conference games were much tougher, yet we did much better. The difference in play is even greater that the point spread differential.
 
I see the argument but the eye test to me makes it the SC game. We were a different team after that game. Exhausted, out of sync, sloppy and vulnerable. It took Aaliyah several games to recover and she is still not all the way back, as an example. I think it took the starch out of us and that is why we lost to Marquette the next game.
 
Interesting that TN was the last game where we scored 80+ points, and when looking at the original vs updated schedule with the 1/8 DePaul game being moved to 1/23, we went from a 6 day period b/w Butler and TN, with a bunch of 4 days in b/w games, to a mashup of 2-3-4 days. It also forced 3 away games in a row, albeit during the winter break (but still had to travel). The remainder of the season after the TN played out the same as original schedule, however wondering if that change didn't allow the recovery time needed.

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Yes, a turning point, but for a different reason. After Tennessee, teams perfected the formula that Georgetown had pioneered in its first Uconn game. Don't send anyone (or at most one person) to the offensive boards, drop everyone back as soon as a shot is released. That eliminates Nika creating transition baskets. How many times in the last 10 games have we seen Nika furiously pushing the ball upcourt, only to see more opposing players than than teammates?

Then, stick with Lou by whatever legal or illegal means are available. But sag off everyone else drastically. That creates the basis for triple teaming anyone in the post, and since Lou is still being shadowed, there's no reason to worry about a post player to pass out for a wide open jumper. It also means that anyone driving to the basket--especially Aubrey--will face a lane full of defenders.

Do these things, and UConn will be lucky to break 60. It's notable that the two national powers from this period didn't use this formula, since they could run and defend man on man--and those were the two best offensive games UConn played in this period.
 
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HuskerDo said:
Yes, a turning point, but for a different reason. After Tennessee, teams perfected the formula that Georgetown had pioneered in its first Uconn game. Don't send anyone (or at most one person) to the offensive boards, drop everyone back as soon as a shot is released. That eliminates Nika creating transition baskets. How many times in the last 10 games have we seen Nika furiously pushing the ball upcourt, only to see more opposing players than than teammates?

Then, stick with Lou by whatever legal or illegal means are available. But sag off everyone else drastically. That creates the basis for triple teaming anyone in the post, and since Lou is still being shadowed, there's no reason to worry about a post player to pass out for a wide open jumper. It also means that anyone driving to the basket--especially Aubrey--will face a lane full of defenders.

Do these things, and UConn will be lucky to break 60. It's notable that the two national powers from this period didn't use this formula, since they could run and defend man on man--and those were the two best offensive games UConn played in this period.
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This is exactly it. I think a lot of it has to do with playing teams twice in the the Big East and the kind of defense that is allowed in the leauge. I don't see teams from any of the P5 conferences playing us the same way because 1) Most teams don't plan to foul every single possession and 2) They won't be as undersized necessitating that style of play.

We'll see what happens in both the conference and the NCAA tournament. I could see the first weekend being much more difficult for us than the second weekend.
 
@HuskerDo and @hoopsnloops32, yes I think you guys are on to something but it only works because we can no longer spread the floor with multiple shooters. 5-22 from distance last night. If we go into the weekend with Dorka starting and CD and Azzi good for 20 minutes apiece, we'll be in a better place than we have been for the past few months.
 
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RedStickHusky said:
@HuskerDo and @hoopsnloops32, yes I think you guys are on to something but it only works because we can no longer spread the floor with multiple shooters. 5-22 from distance last night. If we go into the weekend with Dorka starting and CD and Azzi good for 20 minutes apiece, we'll be in a better place than we have been for the past few months.
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5-22 but at least 2 of those missed three's were half court heaves before the end of a quarter. 5-20 is 40%, not too bad.
 
No, the Marquette game was the difference maker. That's when the Big East teams realized play UConn in a half court game and do what ever is necessary to limit Lou Lopez-Senechal. I'm sure the Marquette coaching realized the defense that So Carolina played on Lou and how effective it was. If UConn is unable to score points in transition, they really struggle in their Half Court Offense. Big East teams are now packing the low post area daring UConn to shoot three point shots. UConn's low post players miss more contested shots in the low post then they make.
 
BBallF said:
I see the argument but the eye test to me makes it the SC game. We were a different team after that game. Exhausted, out of sync, sloppy and vulnerable. It took Aaliyah several games to recover and she is still not all the way back, as an example. I think it took the starch out of us and that is why we lost to Marquette the next game.
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Our results make it look as if the Big East is tougher than the SEC. This is the worst I’ve seen the SEC. There’s 1 really good team (with suspect offense), 1 pretty good team that really hasn’t been tested, 1 decent team that can’t beat ranked teams, and a few others.
 
hoopsnloops32 said:
You are correct! I knew that seemed off when I wrote it but trusted my mental math skills too much.

Dreadful!
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Like Geno said last week, "we should be hitting 10 threes a game".
 
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As Geno said, they play too many games in wcbb. Some of these games are so hard to watch when both teams are shooting under 40% and each team has 20 plus turnovers.
 
wingsfan055 said:
As Geno said, they play too many games in wcbb. Some of these games are so hard to watch when both teams are shooting under 40% and each team has 20 plus turnovers.
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It's not too many games for teams that have a full roster or close to it.
Every player needs to hone their skills by continuously practicing & having opportunities to play in games.
Most teams are playing at their highest level of ability at the end of the season because of all of the competition.
That's how schools prepare their players for the pressure of conference tournaments.
 
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HuskerDo said:
Yes, a turning point, but for a different reason. After Tennessee, teams perfected the formula that Georgetown had pioneered in its first Uconn game. Don't send anyone (or at most one person) to the offensive boards, drop everyone back as soon as a shot is released. That eliminates Nika creating transition baskets. How many times in the last 10 games have we seen Nika furiously pushing the ball upcourt, only to see more opposing players than than teammates?

Then, stick with Lou by whatever legal or illegal means are available. But sag off everyone else drastically. That creates the basis for triple teaming anyone in the post, and since Lou is still being shadowed, there's no reason to worry about a post player to pass out for a wide open jumper. It also means that anyone driving to the basket--especially Aubrey--will face a lane full of defenders.

Do these things, and UConn will be lucky to break 60. It's notable that the two national powers from this period didn't use this formula, since they could run and defend man on man--and those were the two best offensive games UConn played in this period.
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This is a really good analysis and I agree with the point regarding the two national powers. Most Big East teams know they face an uphill challenge against us and may have to drastically change their normal strategies and gameplans to beat us. South Carolina on the other hand knows what they do well and figure if they do what they normally do effectively they win. When you are the best team in the land, you are not so inclined to change what you do because of the opponent.

Tennessee may have had a similar mindset, but given they are not at South Carolina's or Uconn's level, perhaps they too, should have altered their gameplan to the one lessor teams have had great success with. Opponents have figured out how to attack this line-up, and only Caroline getting back to form and an Azzi return can make a substantial change in that. The usual 5 starters is the hand we were dealt during this rough period, and maybe there are some minor changes we can make, but there are flaws with this combination that other teams have figured out, and right now we do not have the pieces to counter that until we get more off the bench.
 
Really interesting. I'd probably say it was a combination of injuries, opponents adjusting their defensive scheme and a recognition of our weaknesses (TOs in the half-court, poor boxing out) that contributed to the turning point which occurred after the TN game as you have observed.
 
Teams figured out that Edwards, Griffin and Muhl can’t hurt them from behind the arc and Nika not being able to break down defenses in the half court. Marquette’s coach was the 1st to figure it out and everyone else has followed her lead.
 
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I agree. It was the Azzi and Caroline injuries and resulting cascade effect on the team that was the turning point.
 
This team, more than any other UConn team ive seen, has a really hard time finishing at the hoop. If "missed bunnies" was a stat, this team would be near the top. Its frustrating since the players make a good pass or move, but just can't finish even if there is no/little defensive obstacle. Maybe over-reacting to contact, nerves, fatigue, etc. Not to point anyone out, but Dorka's missed layup at the end of the game against Depaul is a great example. But, most players have been guilty of this even Lou and CD. Why hasnt this been getting better over the course of the season??
 
Millenial23 said:
I was thinking SC might be the turning point... we nearly beat them and then everything went downhill after that...
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Absolutely right...the quality of play has been significantly degraded since that game...missed lay-ups, defensive lapses, mind-numbingly bad turnovers. Hope that they can turn it around!
 
wingsfan055 said:
This team, more than any other UConn team ive seen, has a really hard time finishing at the hoop. If "missed bunnies" was a stat, this team would be near the top. Its frustrating since the players make a good pass or move, but just can't finish even if there is no/little defensive obstacle. Maybe over-reacting to contact, nerves, fatigue, etc. Not to point anyone out, but Dorka's missed layup at the end of the game against Depaul is a great example. But, most players have been guilty of this even Lou and CD. Why hasnt this been getting better over the course of the season??
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Wasn't "missed bunnies" also a big thread topic last season but with completely different players?????
Just wondering...
 
CONNCAN said:
Looking at the Point Differential Spreadsheet below/attached, could one suspect that the game vs. Tennessee was the turning point for this season, for this team, factoring in the days between games. It would be interesting to get everyone's thoughts on this?
Expand ...
Yes, the wheels came off after that game. They have had a couple of decent games in that 10 game stretch but most have been bad to horrific.

Why did the wheels come off after that game? Hard to say but even Geno isn't buying the tired excuse anymore. That may very well be a factor but there is more.
 
I'm in the camp that says UConn's play had diminished since the South Carolina game. It was almost as if SC "took the wind out of UConn's sails". I also believe that teams would not be able to apply the strategy of: 1. packing the middle for the triple teams on Edwards and Dorka; 2. sagging off on defense to make sure that they cut-off UConn's transition game; 3. harassing Lou by any means necessary if we had two three points threats on the floor like Azzi and Caroline in addition to Lou... That strategy goes "kaput" as soon as the three ball starts dropping.
 
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