We may never win again

[inthisopinion]

She doesn't do it all the time - no one could. And there were plenty of years when UCOnn simply was on a higher level than ND and was not going to lose no matter what. But I think that was can be said is that if anyone could come up with a strategy to use limited resources and beat UConn., it's probably Muffet.

UConn has had at least as good a group players as ND EVERY SINGLE YEAR and the vast majority of the time clearly superior players. At one point ND won 7 out of 9 vs UConn and leads UConn in tourney play 4-3. Just something to think about.

 

[UConnNick]

UConn has won six NCs in the last 10 seasons.

Yes, in the past 24 hour window, we have learned that Muffet McGraw, a coach who has one natty and 13 Ws vs. Geno, routinely outcoaches Geno, a coach with 11 nattys and 35 Ws vs. Muffet, and the wheels have come completely off the Genowagon.

 

[donalddoowop]

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.

Your post are always, to me, quite well thought out. All I'm saying now is that as some on here thinks, the only thing that matters is winning a NC. A team with FF experience and four AA level players is going home again without a NC. Maybe Geno should simplify his offense some. Not one of the other teams in the FF has an offense as complicated as UCONN's, but their offenses work and allows freshmen to play. UCONN's offense overall is very good, but the past two FF not any better than teams whose offense is not as complicated. When UCONN's offense runs up against a stout defense, the players don't seem to know how to adjust or improvise. Maybe in fear Geno will get on them for deviating from the regular offense. Geno said he tells recruits to come to UCONN to win NC. Well, that will be hard to sell now. I know UCONN has gone consecutive years without winning NC, but Geno was younger then and player's attitudes have changed. What Geno is doing is working for making players reach their full potential basketball wise and in other areas and to become very intelligent young ladies. It's just my opinion that some things should change. It's going to be harder to win any NC in the near future because some other teams have even more talent than UCONN and UCONN will still be missing he one thing they have not had the past two years, a big, tall, strong inside player.

 

[Gus Mahler]

Your post are always, to me, quite well thought out. All I'm saying now is that as some on here thinks, the only thing that matters is winning a NC. A team with FF experience and four AA level players is going home again without a NC. Maybe Geno should simplify his offense some. Not one of the other teams in the FF has an offense as complicated as UCONN's, but their offenses work and allows freshmen to play. UCONN's offense overall is very good, but the past two FF not any better than teams whose offense is not as complicated. When UCONN's offense runs up against a stout defense, the players don't seem to know how to adjust or improvise. Maybe in fear Geno will get on them for deviating from the regular offense. Geno said he tells recruits to come to UCONN to win NC. Well, that will be hard to sell now. I know UCONN has gone consecutive years without winning NC, but Geno was younger then and player's attitudes have changed. What Geno is doing is working for making players reach their full potential basketball wise and in other areas and to become very intelligent young ladies. It's just my opinion that some things should change. It's going to be harder to win any NC in the near future because some other teams have even more talent than UCONN and UCONN will still be missing he one thing they have not had the past two years, a big, tall, strong inside player.

OK. You are clearly in the camp of those who think Geno needs to tweak his approach. And certainly the landscape has changed over the past many years and will probably continue to do so. I welcome your opinion.

 

[CMC'72]

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

YOU, I trust. You've earned a voice much more than most of us, including me, a beginner.

 

[Dove]

@huskyblooz

push...the...bottle...away.

 

[Woof 101]

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.

Your undeniable quantified evaluator abilities to dissect the game takes away from your ability to convey common sense.
OOOPS...Kinda meant hindsight is easy...

 

[Charliebball]

Your post are always, to me, quite well thought out. All I'm saying now is that as some on here thinks, the only thing that matters is winning a NC. A team with FF experience and four AA level players is going home again without a NC. Maybe Geno should simplify his offense some. Not one of the other teams in the FF has an offense as complicated as UCONN's, but their offenses work and allows freshmen to play. UCONN's offense overall is very good, but the past two FF not any better than teams whose offense is not as complicated. When UCONN's offense runs up against a stout defense, the players don't seem to know how to adjust or improvise. Maybe in fear Geno will get on them for deviating from the regular offense. Geno said he tells recruits to come to UCONN to win NC. Well, that will be hard to sell now. I know UCONN has gone consecutive years without winning NC, but Geno was younger then and player's attitudes have changed. What Geno is doing is working for making players reach their full potential basketball wise and in other areas and to become very intelligent young ladies. It's just my opinion that some things should change. It's going to be harder to win any NC in the near future because some other teams have even more talent than UCONN and UCONN will still be missing he one thing they have not had the past two years, a big, tall, strong inside player.

in the last six years UConn has won four NCs and reached the semi finals the past two years.............can you name any other programs that are remotely close when it comes to those results? Notre Dame, Baylor, Louisville, Texas, South Carolina, Oregon, UCLA, Miss State, Ohio State, Missouri, Syracuse, Stanford..........................am I forgetting anybody?

If there are recruiting issues going forward I don't think prospective players worrying about going to the big tournament is one of them............. ..what will continue to be an issue is that you simply have to work much harder at UConn then anywhere else.........nothing new about that............the other biggie which was made more obvious this past season..............freshman simply don't play major minutes at UConn unless they come in performing at an almost All American level (and I mean college AA).............now that is a big deal for many.............pretty daunting for 99+% of high school recruits.............almost every other Top 20 program utilized some of their freshman this past season due to injury or by choice................can Geno still count on getting those fearless few that are willing to risk not seeing court time?..............that's a real question............

 

[DEpup]

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

I do see some risk adversity creeping into Geno's decisions. Multiple starters were ineffective in the first half. Z was effective so she should have started tje 3rd. When Lou started getting fouls then put Walker in for a couple minutes. Get a feel for the game because when he needed to put Walker in when Lou had 4 it was too late to do so. He is becoming too risk averse. It was sad to see him make those crazy decisions and no one on that bench challenged it. I mainly follow uconn for his leadership skills and that game was not a good display of them. Nothing will change until he decides to do a post mortem and see the issue and I fear his personality will not allow him to truly be introspective. The dynasty is over if he doesn't take a step back and analyze the issues of the past 2 years and make some changes. You just can't win it all these days with 5 players.

 

[willingtonfan]

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

Note: As of 2017-18 there are no more "use it or lose it" time outs. The NCAA changed that rule.

See https://www.ncaa.org/sites/default/files/2017-19WBB_Rules_Changes_20170614.pdf.

Rule 5-14 was changed as follows: "To delete the requirement that when a team does not use a 30 second timeout in the first half, they lose a 30 second timeout. Rationale: Permits coaches to use timeouts as necessary and have additional opportunities to advance the ball at the end of the game."

By the way, I completely agree with the original poster about the ill usage of Azura in that game; I just wanted to point out the change in the time out rules this year that eliminated the "use it or lose it" time out.

 

[SVCBeercats]

Tonight. azura played 27 minutes out of45. Walker played zero.

Weeeellllllll, looks like this year's frosh will be sophomores playing lots of minutes next season. Unless Geno starts only three players. No need harangue about Geno not playing his bench ... his bench will be his starters and rotation.

This sucks! She cannot believe she is a finished product. Yikes!

 

[MilfordHusky]

I do see some risk adversity creeping into Geno's decisions. Multiple starters were ineffective in the first half. Z was effective so she should have started tje 3rd. When Lou started getting fouls then put Walker in for a couple minutes. Get a feel for the game because when he needed to put Walker in when Lou had 4 it was too late to do so. He is becoming too risk averse. It was sad to see him make those crazy decisions and no one on that bench challenged it. I mainly follow uconn for his leadership skills and that game was not a good display of them. Nothing will change until he decides to do a post mortem and see the issue and I fear his personality will not allow him to truly be introspective. The dynasty is over if he doesn't take a step back and analyze the issues of the past 2 years and make some changes. You just can't win it all these days with 5 players.

Geno tends to be risk averse. I’d like to see him gamble a little more—when the situation calls for it.

 

[MilfordHusky]

in the last six years UConn has won four NCs and reached the semi finals the past two years...can you name any other programs that are remotely close when it comes to those results? Notre Dame, Baylor, Louisville, Texas, South Carolina, Oregon, UCLA, Miss State, Ohio State, Missouri, Syracuse, Stanford......am I forgetting anybody?

If there are recruiting issues going forward I don't think prospective players worrying about going to the big tournament is one of them... ..what will continue to be an issue is that you simply have to work much harder at UConn then anywhere else....nothing new about that..the other biggie which was made more obvious this past season....freshman simply don't play major minutes at UConn unless they come in performing at an almost All American level (and I mean college AA)...now that is a big deal for many...pretty daunting for 99+% of high school recruits...almost every other Top 20 program utilized some of their freshman this past season due to injury or by choice......can Geno still count on getting those fearless few that are willing to risk not seeing court time?....that's a real question..

Active streaks of making the Final Four:

UConn 11

Mississippi State 2

Notre Dame 1

Louisville 1

Everyone else 0

 

[Shorty Dee]

Win, lose or draw...I bleed blue. With that said, I believe UConn will win again, and I believe it will be more than once.

 

[willie99]

 

[mbr33ct]

I would have never imagined the Boneyard becoming like VolNation...but I think we're on the cusp of doing just that. While I'm at it, might as well steal a motto from the LadyVols of past and make it going forward for UConn...."Grind for 12"!

 

[BostonCanuck]

It strikes me that Geno is not exactly the best game-day coach out there. He's very good in that regard, but not outstanding, at least not at this stage in his career.

If my life depended on winning just one game, I'd much rather have Muffet do the scout, come up with the strategy, and then coach the team from the sidelines that day.

In most all other aspect, Geno is probably the greatest basketball coach who has ever lived.

 

[meyers7]

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


View attachment 30303

Or get T-shirts. That'll really, really help.

 

[meyers7]

If my life depended on winning just one game, I'd much rather have Muffet do the scout, come up with the strategy, and then coach the team from the sidelines that day.

Really, you must not value your life much.

In the biggest game of the year, NC, McGraw is 2-4. Geno is 11-0. Head to head Geno is 35-12. Now in Semi's she' very good, 6-1. While Geno isn't quite as good, but still winning. 11-8.

But hey, it's your life.

 

[HuskyBandDad]

Active streaks of making the Final Four:

UConn 11

Mississippi State 2

Notre Dame 1

Louisville 1

Everyone else 0

Yup looks like the Uconn dynasty is over.
LOL.
This fan base is absolutely delusional.

 

[HuskyBandDad]

It strikes me that Geno is not exactly the best game-day coach .out there. He's very good in that regard, but not outstanding, at least not at this stage in his career.

If my life depended on winning just one game, I'd much rather have Muffet do the scout, come up with the strategy, and then coach the team from the sidelines that day.

In most all other aspect, Geno is probably the greatest basketball coach who has ever lived.

You have to be a troll.

 

[SVCBeercats]

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

Let me guess. You are from Tennessee. Correct? Of course, I am correct.

 

[boontonbomber]

It just seemed to me that Samuelson, our best player and consensus All American, should have taken more than 3 shots in the second half( she made 1). I think she had 13 points in the first half And she did not take a shot in the overtime! How come? Notre Dame's vaunted defense? Playing hurt? Any screens set? I thought she was out of the flow of the offense, this for perhaps the best offensive player in the country. Whose fault is that? Just my opinion that I think of her as UConn's go-to player, so it's puzzling to me that they didn't go to her. Any thoughts?