We lost because.......

[Harry Mangurian]

It was a really great season and a gutsy team with a short bench achieved more than I expected.

Geno is too classy to say it, but the game came down to us (in his past words) "playing like our hair was on fire" toward the end of the game.

A more experienced and deeper team will overcome that next year.

I can't wait !

 

[vtcwbuff]

They lost because -
1. The refs
2. The altitude
3. Doris Burke
4. All of the above

 

[SportsPageMike]

We lost because we didn't box out, because we didn't rebound, because we turned the ball over to often, because we didn't connect on our open shots in O/T, because we were outplayed in O/T, because ND wanted it more. That's ok thought. The Huskies will be a force for the next four years and so on depending on what is coming in.

 

[Ctpaul0825]

We lost because were young and ND is led by seniors. Next year with the experience from this year we'll be ready.

 

[Jonathan Husky]

It was a really great season and a gutsy team with a short bench achieved more than I expected.

Geno is too classy to say it, but the game came down to us (in his past words) "playing like our hair was on fire" toward the end of the game.

A more experienced and deeper team will overcome that next year.

I can't wait !

Kelly Farris played like her whole body was on fire in the last 2 minutes and almost stole the game for us. If KML had boxed out Novosel on the last play we would have won. Give credit to Novosel she played the whole game like she was on fire and is IMHO the most underated guard in WCBB.

 

[Blueballer]

And how refreshing was it to hear Geno take the blame for the loss saying he should have had Stokes in the game. How many coaches have we seen throwing the players under the bus in recent years after not winnng it all? Looks like the girls and the coaches are all taking responsibility for not beating ND. That's because they are a TEAM first and foremost. Love-em!

 

[Tonyc]

We had Stef and Kelly on the bench most of the second half. We stayed in the game and were right there. When they came back in we were back on track and did what we had to do to win the game. We fought hard and took the lead back then with 8 seconds on the clock Diggens drove and our defender planted her feet in plenty of time to take the charge. It wasnt called and imo we had earned that call with our come from behind play to take the lead. It wasnt called. Thats what cost us the game. It was a terrific effort by UConn. We had ND on their heels and the refs didnt make the call. PERIOD. That was wrong. If they call the foul there is approx 6 seconds left, and the ball is ours. Im not sure if we go to the line. I am really disappointed that the charge wasnt called but on Diggins and Novesel we've seen it happen all season. I dont care what happened before or during the game, we put ourselves in postion by playing hard and not giving up and to have the game end like it did is wrong.

 

[vtcwbuff]

I agree about Auriemma's comment. In a couple of days after the dust has settled perhaps the board can have a discussion about how the game got away - without too much name calling.

 

[neutral_site]

I'd like to have seen what Buck could have brought while Dolson was in foul trouble; she is huge and eats up space and fouls.

You can pick plays and pick plays...

but really you lost because UConn played ND's game more than it played UConn's game. ND is all about getting to the stripe; UConn enabled that, and really Steph has to get much, much smarter on her screens and blocks; that chop-down volleyball spike can get you fouls in a heartbeat.

Folks are forgetting: UConn almost had the dagger shot: up by 3, a UConn 3 in OT rattled down and came out...and ND scored on the rebound. That 3 maybe puts ND under too much heat to come back by 2's.

If you sit back, you are looking at a UConn team with a very weak bench (by UConn standards), a very large woman at the 5 trying to run in fricking DENVER, and a very weak senior leader in Hayes.

Your two best players, Dolson and Bria, did pretty well. KML did some good things. Farris and Doty did their jobs. With that said, it was virtually 4 on 5 at times in terms of scoring threats, maybe 3 on 5 because neither Farris or Doty are real threats. Compare that to ND, who always has 4-5 scorers on the floor.

For all that, UConn came within a lucky board of winning, and pushed a team that on paper should have easily won.

That ain't bad basketball, even if the result stunk.

 

[semper]

Right! What we did is just amazing and we should take joy in it!

 

[McHuskyFan]

we lost 'cuz ND scored more points. Our kids played their hearts out and I'm so very proud that they came within a bucket of playing in the title game. Could I be happier? yes. Could I be prouder? nope

 

[DESERTDOG]

I'd like to have seen what Buck could have brought while Dolson was in foul trouble; she is huge and eats up space and fouls.

You can pick plays and pick plays...

but really you lost because UConn played ND's game more than it played UConn's game. ND is all about getting to the stripe; UConn enabled that, and really Steph has to get much, much smarter on her screens and blocks; that chop-down volleyball spike can get you fouls in a heartbeat.

Folks are forgetting: UConn almost had the dagger shot: up by 3, a UConn 3 in OT rattled down and came out...and ND scored on the rebound. That 3 maybe puts ND under too much heat to come back by 2's.

If you sit back, you are looking at a UConn team with a very weak bench (by UConn standards), a very large woman at the 5 trying to run in fricking DENVER, and a very weak senior leader in Hayes.

Your two best players, Dolson and Bria, did pretty well. KML did some good things. Farris and Doty did their jobs. With that said, it was virtually 4 on 5 at times in terms of scoring threats, maybe 3 on 5 because neither Farris or Doty are real threats. Compare that to ND, who always has 4-5 scorers on the floor.

For all that, UConn came within a lucky board of winning, and pushed a team that on paper should have easily won.

That ain't bad basketball, even if the result stunk.

 

[DESERTDOG]

Doty did her job??? What game did you watch? She played 22 minutes & we got ZERO points from her! Just 1 point from Doty in reg. puts Uconn into the championship game!! For that matter, here are her nbrs. for the 8 tournament games this season - 2.4 ppg, 1.5 assistspg, 1.5 turn-overspg - simply awesome!!

 

[Icebear]

I'd like to have seen what Buck could have brought while Dolson was in foul trouble; she is huge and eats up space and fouls.

You can pick plays and pick plays...

Thank you for your interest in UConn basketball.

 

[pap49cba]

The one stat I haven't seen mentioned is ND had 16 assts. on 29 baskets and Uconn had 13 on 31. Very un-Uconn like.

 

[neutral_site]

Doty did her job??? What game did you watch? She played 22 minutes & we got ZERO points from her! Just 1 point from Doty in reg. puts Uconn into the championship game!! For that matter, here are her nbrs. for the 8 tournament games this season - 2.4 ppg, 1.5 assistspg, 1.5 turn-overspg - simply awesome!!

DD:
what does Geno want from her, though?? that's the correct question.

 

[neutral_site]

Thank you for your interest in UConn basketball.

Thank you for your interest in posing "Thank you for your interest in UConn basketball'.

 

[Tonyc]

When the game comes down to the last few seconds you need to make plays. UConn did and the refs didnt. ND was panicing. Diggins drive was out of control and she was trying to draw a foul, however UConn was firmly planted and so was the ref......and no call. The refs stole our bid for another NC .

 

[VAUConnFan]

When the game comes down to the last few seconds you need to make plays. UConn did and the refs didnt. ND was panicing. Diggins drive was out of control and she was trying to draw a foul, however UConn was firmly planted and so was the ref......and no call. The refs stole our bid for another NC .

Tony, when time allows I will record Notre Dame's last scoring play in regulation, slow it down, and post it on youtube for all to see. If you are still convinced that the UConn defender had her feet set before Skylar Diggins left her feet, then so be it. Icebear believes that the UConn player had her feet set one frame ahead of Diggins. Digital television is broadcast anywhere between 25 and 60 frames per second. Even if the UConn player was set as per Icebear, it is an awful lot to ask of a human being to make that split second determination. I saw it differently than Icebear, yet still believe that it was a correct no call.

 

[chris63]

the charge call against hartley on diggins was one call that should have been a non call. bria barely made contact with diggins shoulder and miss basketball got the call wiping out a layup

 

[Icebear]

Tony, when time allows I will record Notre Dame's last scoring play in regulation, slow it down, and post it on youtube for all to see. If you are still convinced that the UConn defender had her feet set before Skylar Diggins left her feet, then so be it. Icebear believes that the UConn player had her feet set one frame ahead of Diggins. Digital television is broadcast anywhere between 25 and 60 frames per second. Even if the UConn player was set as per Icebear, it is an awful lot to ask of a human being to make that split second determination. I saw it differently than Icebear, yet still believe that it was a correct no call.

It is a lot to ask I agree. It is as always important to understand the rule to which doesn't require the player to be set but only to have the right to the space on the court by occupying it first. Doty was set but all she has to do is be in the space prior to another player entering or leaving the ground. Second she was on the court albeit on her tip toes as she rolled up on them to be as tall as possible. Ex. If Doty was back pedaling on the same line as another player with the ball and the player overruns her position even if she is not set it is a charge. On the opposite side getting one's feet in place is not occupying the space either. Frequently players get their feet on the floor in place but their body has not come upright over them and as it does it takes away space the offensive player has already started occupy. Foul on the defender even though her feet are set. Ex. Of this was the charge Kelly drew in the last minute. Peters had her feet there but her momentum had not brought her body fully into the space yet. Another very tough call. Getting "set" simply is a technique that attempts to clarify occupation of the space on the court in the eye of the official.

 

[Deadrody]

It was a really great season and a gutsy team with a short bench achieved more than I expected.

Geno is too classy to say it, but the game came down to us (in his past words) "playing like our hair was on fire" toward the end of the game.

A more experienced and deeper team will overcome that next year.

I can't wait !

Eh. Frankly, it came down to failing on an open court 2 on 1, Hartley and Hayes vs. Diggins. You can't have that. Period. In that one play and the subsequent 3, they go from what should have been a +1 to down 4. Ballgame.

 

[Icebear]

Corrected and edited text. I missed the deadline by 1 minute. I hate the editing limit.

It is a lot to ask I agree. Doty's feet were under load from the spot they do not leave 8 frames or about .2 seconds before Diggins leaves her feet meaning both. Doty is over her feet. That is roughly how long a batter has to decide to swing at a pitch in the major leagues. It is a very short window at speed.

It is as always important to understand the rule which doesn't require the player to be set but only to have the right to the space on the court by occupying it first. Doty was set but all she has to do is be in the space prior to another player entering or leaving the ground. Second she was on the court albeit on her one tip toe as she rolled up to be as tall as possible.

Ex. On occupying the space but not set, if Doty was back pedaling on the same line as another player with the ball and the player overruns her position even if she is not set it is a charge because Doty had occupied the space first even if in motion back pedaling.

On the opposite side getting one's feet in place is not occupying the space either. Frequently players get their feet on the floor in place but their body has not come upright over them and as it does it takes away space the offensive player has already started occupy. Foul on the defender even though her feet are set. Ex. Of this was the charge Kelly drew in the last minute. Peters had her feet there but her momentum had not brought her body fully into the space yet when Kelly has left the court for the shot. Another very tough call. Getting "set" simply is a technique that attempts to clarify occupation of the space on the court in the eye of the official.

I offer this for understanding why Doris said 500 times it is the hardest call in basketball.

 

[AboutWeston]

You can pick plays and pick plays...

but really you lost because UConn played ND's game more than it played UConn's game. ND is all about getting to the stripe; UConn enabled that, and really Steph has to get much, much smarter on her screens and blocks; that chop-down volleyball spike can get you fouls in a heartbeat.

Folks are forgetting: UConn almost had the dagger shot: up by 3, a UConn 3 in OT rattled down and came out...and ND scored on the rebound. That 3 maybe puts ND under too much heat to come back by 2's.

If you sit back, you are looking at a UConn team with a very weak bench (by UConn standards), a very large woman at the 5 trying to run in fricking DENVER, and a very weak senior leader in Hayes.

Your two best players, Dolson and Bria, did pretty well. KML did some good things. Farris and Doty did their jobs. With that said, it was virtually 4 on 5 at times in terms of scoring threats, maybe 3 on 5 because neither Farris or Doty are real threats. Compare that to ND, who always has 4-5 scorers on the floor.

For all that, UConn came within a lucky board of winning, and pushed a team that on paper should have easily won.

That ain't bad basketball, even if the result stunk.[/quote]

And to complete ICE's thought...have a nice day!

 

[easttexastrash]

We had Stef and Kelly on the bench most of the second half. We stayed in the game and were right there. When they came back in we were back on track and did what we had to do to win the game. We fought hard and took the lead back then with 8 seconds on the clock Diggens drove and our defender planted her feet in plenty of time to take the charge. It wasnt called and imo we had earned that call with our come from behind play to take the lead. It wasnt called. Thats what cost us the game. It was a terrific effort by UConn. We had ND on their heels and the refs didnt make the call. PERIOD. That was wrong. If they call the foul there is approx 6 seconds left, and the ball is ours. Im not sure if we go to the line. I am really disappointed that the charge wasnt called but on Diggins and Novesel we've seen it happen all season. I dont care what happened before or during the game, we put ourselves in postion by playing hard and not giving up and to have the game end like it did is wrong.

I watched the replay of the game and there was no way that the ref was going to call a charge on Diggins. Faris (or was it Dot?) was already falling backward before any contact was made. Had she remained vertical she may have drawn a charge.