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Message: [QUOTE="JoePgh, post: 2568413, member: 1131"] I would make these observations that I don't think have been made in this thread so far (which I've admittedly just skimmed): [LIST=1] [*]There was a HUGE difference between the first half and second half. I didn't see UCF doing anything differently with their press in the 4th quarter vs. the 1st quarter, but in the early part of the game UConn had no problem with turning the ball over against that press. The halftime score was 37-12, which means it would have been a 74-24 game if the second half had been like the first. I think Geno had the right explanation: "We got tired". Holding a pretty good team to 20 points in three quarters, especially when they make you play nearly the full shot clock on every one of their possessions, is no mean feat -- but last night UConn could not sustain that into the 4th quarter. [*]What I noticed was the major difference in Geno's reaction to this game vs. the Tulsa game at home. He didn't say that the 4th quarter was disgraceful or that the fans should get their money back. He actually defended the way his team played. The fact that he is allowing tiredness as an excuse for poor play (which is how I took his comments) tells me that he fully understands that it is a real problem. I don't think anyone on this board is more anxious to play the bench players than Geno is, but he isn't willing to lose a game doing that, which is why Lou and Kia each played 38 minutes. Or maybe this is just part of the seasonal "break down, then build up" approach that he has taken in other seasons -- he is critical of his players through January, but starting in February he is more concerned with building up their self-belief, so his tone and reaction changes even with similar input from the team on the floor. [*]I agree about the huge number of missed layups, which I'm sure is to a great degree a symptom of tiredness. But there is also a bright side to that -- it shows that UConn was still executing on offense (up to but not including the bunny shot) and that it was working against the 5th best defensive team in NCAA land. [/LIST] Tiredness should not be such an issue in March. There is a two-week break between the conference tournament and the first round of the NCAA's, and then two games per week during the NCAA tournament. The first two games of the NCAA tournament will probably be laughers. So by the time things get serious, the players should be fresh. I don't foresee a problem of this nature against Louisville, because their modus operandi is not to run out the shot clock on every possession for four quarters. If it is more "run and gun", UConn will probably get a significant lead as it did against South Carolina, and the players will be having fun -- which usually means that they won't get tired. [/QUOTE]

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