We may never win again

[HuskyBandDad]

Yes, for the Incoming Class of 2018, we do have the # 1 and # 5 recruit coming in (they committed awhile ago). But start looking at who Louisville, Notre Dame, Oregon, South Carolina and Texas has marked to come in for 2019, 2020, and 2021. (and I didn't even mention MSS with their recruiting class added to AEH transferring out of UCONN)

So you have a crystal ball and know what is going to happen in 2021? Recruiting goes the way the wind blows. Constantly changing.

 

[CocoHusky]

Yes, for the Incoming Class of 2018, we do have the # 1 and # 5 recruit coming in (they committed awhile ago). But start looking at who Louisville, Notre Dame, Oregon, South Carolina and Texas has marked to come in for 2019, 2020, and 2021. (and I didn't even mention MSS with their recruiting class added to AEH transferring out of UCONN)

I have been. Many of those players going to those schools are players that UCONN has evaluated and said not thanks to.
Hopefully Aubrey doesn't follow that same path.

 

[UConnCat]

Yes, for the Incoming Class of 2018, we do have the # 1 and # 5 recruit coming in (they committed awhile ago). But start looking at who Louisville, Notre Dame, Oregon, South Carolina and Texas has marked to come in for 2019, 2020, and 2021. (and I didn't even mention MSS with their recruiting class added to AEH transferring out of UCONN)

Wait, you know which kids these schools will be getting in 2019, 2020 and 2021? Please, please tell us. Break it to us gently though.

 

[BostonCanuck]

Geno's stock fell last night, no question about it. (Of course, there was no where else it could go but down.)

I've listened to Geno all year complain about the soft mindset of his players and their inconsistency on the court, as though he's powerless to do anything about that. I've listened to his default refrain about how hard it is to win a national championship, as though his main communications strategy is to counter some kind of media narrative. And when he talks about the expectations of the program, and how much pressure it puts on his players, I can't help but wonder why we never also hear about the things he and his staff are doing to counter that.

The best thing Geno could do next year is establish with his players what their true goals are for the season. If they say they want to win a national championship, he should explain exactly what changes and sacrifices it will take from each of them to make that happen, and ask them if they really want to go there.

If they say yes, then they should commit to one another that failure is simply not an option, which would be a very good first step towards the mental adjustments that this group needs to make. From there, Geno should come flat out and say publically at some point that winning a national championship is the team's goal this season. That's what he did in 1994-95. No more beating around the bush. Do, or do not.

Alternatively, after explaining the absolute hell they would have to put themselves through to ensure that outcome, the team may decide that it has more modest goals. There would be no shame in that. But right now Geno is trying to have it both ways, and it's not working.

 

[CocoHusky]

Geno's stock fell last night, no question about it. I've listened to him all year complaining about the soft mindset of his players and their inconsistency on the court, as though he's powerless to do anything about that. I've listened to his default refrain about how hard it is to win a national championship, as though he's trying to counter a media narrative more than anything else. And when he talks about the expectations of the program, and the pressure it puts on his players, I can't help but wonder why we don't also hear about the things he and his staff are doing to counter that.

The best thing Geno could do next year is establish with his players what their true goals are for the season. If they want to win a national championship, he should explain exactly what changes and sacrifices it will take from each of them to make that happen, and ask them if they really want to go there.

If they say yes, then they should commit to one another that failure simply is not an option, which will be a very good first step towards the mental adjustments that this group needs to make. From there, Geno should come flat out and say at some point that winning a national championship is the team's goal. That's what he did in 1994-95. No more beating around the bush. Do, or do not.

Alternatively, the team may decide it has more modest goals, and there would be no shame in that.

But right now Geno is trying to have it both ways and it's not working.

The bolded part is SOP for this program, nothing new there. The underlined part is kind of strange: We going to ask the UCONN players if they really want to win a National Championship? Wake me up when one of them says no, because that would be a major scoop.

 

[UConnCat]

The bolded part is SOP for this program, nothing new there. The underlined part is kind of strange: We going to ask the UCONN players if they really want to win a National Championship? Wake me up when one of them says no, because that would be a major scoop.

I think they all should be willing to put it in writing. Maybe then they'll really, really mean it.

 

[Vowelguy]

The best thing Geno could do next year is establish with his players what their true goals are for the season. .

WOW! What a novel idea.

Geno must've missed day 1 in coaching school.

 

[Chong-Master]

Wait, you know which kids these schools will be getting in 2019, 2020 and 2021? Please, please tell us. Break it to us gently though.

Aubrey Griffin has indicated that she has already received an offer from Louisville (Incoming Class of 2019) and although she hasn't given any commitment yet (with still being open to UCONN and MSS), she is allegedly leaning towards Louisville. Just one of many (just to break it to you gently - lol)

 

[CocoHusky]

Aubrey Griffin has indicated that she has already received an offer from Louisville (Incoming Class of 2019) and although she hasn't given any commitment yet (with still being open to UCONN and MSS), she is allegedly leaning towards Louisville. Just one of many (just to break it to you gently - lol)

Well as that saying goes "a bird in the hand (so to speak) is worth two in the bush. Aubrey shood jump righ on that Cardinal offer instead of waiting for the UCONN one-that may never come-allegedly!

 

[BostonCanuck]

WOW! What a novel idea.

Geno must've missed day 1 in coaching school.

So it's that easy, is it? You just ask, and you get an answer, and that box is checked?

 

[UConnCat]

Aubrey Griffin has indicated that she has already received an offer from Louisville (Incoming Class of 2019) and although she hasn't given any commitment yet (with still being open to UCONN and MSS), she is allegedly leaning towards Louisville. Just one of many (just to break it to you gently - lol)

Wait a minute. You suggested you know which recruits are headed to Notre Dame, South Carolina, Oregon and Texas from the classes of 2019, 2020 and 2021. That's what I want to know. Do tell.

 

[Chong-Master]

Well as that saying goes "a bird in the hand (so to speak) is worth two in the bush. Aubrey shood jump righ on that Cardinal offer instead of waiting for the UCONN one-that may never come-allegedly!

When all of that AEH vs. Geno stuff was publicly being displayed just after she left the program, I don't think that her HS Coach (Ricci) was none to happy with Geno, regarding how it all played out. So, I suspect that we will not see another Ossining HS recruit going to UCONN anytime soon (but I may be wrong). Saniya was such a strong willed individual, who wouldn't stay down and worked her butt off to become the player that she was in her senior year and now in the WNBA (and overseas). It was all about Saniya's personal will to be the very best player she could be.

 

[CocoHusky]

When all of that AEH vs. Geno stuff was publicly being displayed just after she left the program, I don't think that her HS Coach (Ricci) was none to happy with Geno, regarding how it all played out. So, I suspect that we will not see another Ossining HS recruit going to UCONN anytime soon (but I may be wrong). Saniya was such a strong willed individual, who wouldn't stay down and worked her butt off to become the player that she was in her senior year and now in the WNBA (and overseas). It was all about Saniya's personal will to be the very best player she could be.

We've been over this! Coach Ricci and Aubrey attended a UCONN game after you informed us that he was not happy with Geno. Aubrey has been around the UCONN program for a while now. Aubrey, Anaya Peoples, Aliyah Boston visited UCONN on first night of 2016. Anaya is headed to ND, you are now dropping hints that Aubrey is head to Louisville. My guess is UCONN will eventually end up with the player they really wanted from among those three visitors.
We also been down this Saniya path also. Of course Saniya worked her butt off while at UCONN, what player hasn't?

 

[Chong-Master]

We've been over this! Coach Ricci and Aubrey attended a UCONN game after you informed us that he was not happy with Geno. Aubrey has been around the UCONN program for a while now. Aubrey, Anaya Peoples, Aliyah Boston visited UCONN on first night of 2016. Anaya is headed to ND, you are now dropping hints that Aubrey is head to Louisville. My guess is UCONN will eventually end up with the player they really wanted from among those three visitors.
We also been down this Saniya path also. Of course Saniya worked her butt off while at UCONN, what player hasn't?

As it is always said "Time Will Certainly Tell How This All Plays Out"

 

[Gus Mahler]

But right now Geno is trying to have it both ways, and it's not working.

UConn has won six NCs in the last 10 seasons.

 

[GoUconn7961]

Geno can recruit. Geno can develop players. But in close games, I don’t feel confident.
He refuses to use TOs in the 1st half. He’s stubborn in many ways.

Tonight. azura played 27 minutes out of45. Walker played zero. No screens set for Lou in 2nd half. Very little hi-lo v zone.

We should’ve been up double-digits at half. He refused to use a USE IT or LOSE IT timeout ALL YEAR.

And it looked to me Collier refused to pass to an open Lou ... but if I have the stomach to watch the game again, I can confirm it then

OK then...lol

 

[Zanzman]

Your allegedly and suspicions are not supporting your comments about knowing where all recruits are going . Are you to assume next

 

[donalddoowop]

UConn has won six NCs in the last 10 seasons.

UConn has won six NCs in the last 10 seasons.

We need to stop talking about what UCONN has done. That is ancient history to some of these new recruits. Many players today have that "What have you done lately" attitude. I believe and I'm just speculating, that someone in Australia talked to Ezi about how very seldom freshmen get much playing time at UCONN. Stay home and you will get tutelage from someone at home and get plenty of playing time. If UCONN had won it all this season, there would be very little to be concerned about. But as some were stating earlier this season, the publicity that came about concerning Megan not playing and the comments made about AEH, will eventually hurt UCONN's recruiting. That was mainly what the concern was and many did not want to hear it. Talking about what UCONN has done in the past has gotten old. UCONN had more players who had experienced playing in a FF than ND had. They had none. However, ND played as if they had been there before and UCONN seemed as if it was their first time. Gen sat Z because she missed a defensive assignment. How many bad passes did KLS, Nurse, and Gabby make? Vivians was sat down early because she was not playing well. Nurse was playing very poorly early but continued to play. They were not taken out after their mistakes.

 

[Zanzman]

We need to stop speculating

 

[Gus Mahler]

We need to stop talking about what UCONN has done. That is ancient history to some of these new recruits. Many players today have that "What have you done lately" attitude. I believe and I'm just speculating, that someone in Australia talked to Ezi about how very seldom freshmen get much playing time at UCONN. Stay home and you will get tutelage from someone at home and get plenty of playing time. If UCONN had won it all this season, there would be very little to be concerned about. But as some were stating earlier this season, the publicity that came about concerning Megan not playing and the comments made about AEH, will eventually hurt UCONN's recruiting. That was mainly what the concern was and many did not want to hear it. Talking about what UCONN has done in the past has gotten old. UCONN had more players who had experienced playing in a FF than ND had. They had none. However, ND played as if they had been there before and UCONN seemed as if it was their first time. Gen sat Z because she missed a defensive assignment. How many bad passes did KLS, Nurse, and Gabby make? Vivians was sat down early because she was not playing well. Nurse was playing very poorly early but continued to play. They were not taken out after their mistakes.

I'm quite puzzled by your response. Another poster wrote, essentially, that what Geno is doing isn't working. It seems to me it is, so I cited what I consider to be empirical evidence that it is working. And two of the four years during that span that they didn't win it took a buzzer beater in overtime to do it. Finally, three of the years they didn't win they were knocked out by a Notre Dame team that was quite good and played the better game that day.

So I would say things are working.

 

[Charliebball]

What is YOUR record in life? I'll bet not one "equivalent achievement" to a national title. Not even close, I'm betting. Geesh!

I'm 147-43 but I've never made it past the regionals.................

 

[Papa33]

We need to stop speculating

++++++++++

 

[Chong-Master]

++++++++++

While I love the UCONN Women's BBall Program, I fear that Geno has been out coached in these 2 Semi Final losses. Geno should have had Z in the game, starting in the 2nd half and sat Crystal Dangerfield. Muffet allowed Dangerfield to shot it from beyond the arc, figuring that until she could show that she could consistently hit the 3, she would sag her defense in closer to the basket.

 

[inthisopinion]

Geno can recruit. Geno can develop players. But in close games, I don’t feel confident.
He refuses to use TOs in the 1st half. He’s stubborn in many ways.

Tonight. azura played 27 minutes out of45. Walker played zero. No screens set for Lou in 2nd half. Very little hi-lo v zone.

We should’ve been up double-digits at half. He refused to use a USE IT or LOSE IT timeout ALL YEAR.

And it looked to me Collier refused to pass to an open Lou ... but if I have the stomach to watch the game again, I can confirm it then

She did not make the pass to KLS and for the most part the other players do not look for KLS especially in the half court and most of the time when the ball hits the half court it starts on the opposite side that KLS is on. That is not the way to run an offense with a supreme offensive player. There is also very little iso for KLS and that prevents constant pressure on the defense and limits her trips to the line. What's remarkable about all of this and almost comical is that the opposing coaches put more value on KLS as an offensive threat than her own coach does.

 

[Twolf]

While I love the UCONN Women's BBall Program, I fear that Geno has been out coached in these 2 Semi Final losses. Geno should have had Z in the game, starting in the 2nd half and sat Crystal Dangerfield. Muffet allowed Dangerfield to shot it from beyond the arc, figuring that until she could show that she could consistently hit the 3, she would sag her defense in closer to the basket.

What I fear is that there are UConn fans who think it is their birthright to win National Championships every year or the season is a failure, or it’s somebody’s fault, or the moon and stars weren’t aligned, or the officials wanted someone else to win for a change. Games are won by players making plays, and ND’s backcourt made more plays than UConn’s backcourt did, UConn couldn’t get in transition, where they are at their best, because they couldn’t get consistent stops. When Stephens was in for Dangerfield who would defend ND’s other guard? UConn played 1-3-1 zone, 2-3 zone, triangle & 2, and man and failed to get consistent stops in any of them. Nobody needs to defend the coaching staff, they’ve lost 2 overtime games in two years, and my guess is that GA has forgotten more about basketball than any poster in this forum knows, so if he all of a sudden has gotten stupid I’ll bet dollars to donuts there are bunches of AD’s who would sacrifice their first born to get his name on a contract. Enjoy the continued success of the program, it won’t last forever.