What did Miss State do?

[AdamOwe]

So we didn't get beat?

I didn't think we lost. I thought we got beat and in the way I hoped the streak would end, with us playing spirited and the opponent playing great. Only, the conventional wisdom was that to beat Uconn, you needed to outscore them and it turned out that the extraordinary play by the victors wasn't on the offensive end, it was on D.

I just don't recall anybody else playing that particular way but I bet a whole bunch of teams try next year (shhh, it's not going to be as effective.).

Folks have been asking about the streak v the NC, how bought from MissState's perspective, beating Uconn in the semi-final or rolling the dice and playing them in the final?

 

[AdamOwe]

LOL.

What movie is that?

Network (1976).

This is the film with "I'm mad as hell, and I'm not going to take this anymore." It's hard to watch a second time, not the least being how much of it has come true, so block out a good amt of time if you so decide. My fav is Dunaway threatening to "sack the lot of em". And God bless Sidney Lumet and Paddy Chayefsky.

 

[the Q]

I didn't think we lost. I thought we got beat and in the way I hoped the streak would end, with us playing spirited and the opponent playing great. Only, the conventional wisdom was that to beat UConn, you needed to outscore them and it turned out that the extraordinary play by the victors wasn't on the offensive end, it was on D.

I just don't recall anybody else playing that particular way but I bet a whole bunch of teams try next year (shhh, it's not going to be as effective.).

Folks have been asking about the streak v the NC, how bought from MissState's perspective, beating UConn in the semi-final or rolling the dice and playing them in the final?

I didn't find the effort to be very spirited. Except for Gabby.

 

[CocoHusky]

I didn't find the effort to be very spirited. Except for Gabby.

We've heard.

 

[Bestiarius]

Many opinions here as to why UCONN lost. To me, it all boils down to the laws of probability.

It's only a 40 minute game. Even when one team is much better than another, from a probability standpoint, the odds will eventually bite the superior team. That's what made the 111 win streak so remarkable.

 

[Rixxx]

It may be my imagination, but Geno mentioned the tight rims before the game. That stuck with me the whole game. Kia's three late in the game, I think, was half way down before it bounced out like a ping pong ball. Could this have had an effect on Napheesa's shots? I know, someone mentioned that her attempts dwindled late in the game. I still can't get "tight rims" out of my mind.

 

[Papa33]

It's pretty simple.

They played with heart and toughness.

6 of the 7 girls UConn played that night stained their shorts. Except Gabby, who was just incredible. Cannot say enough good things about Gabby.

MSU also moved on offense.

Lou and Nurse basically stood around most of the night.

And Nurse gave less effort on D once he shots didn't fall.

They also beat up UConn on the boards and flat out out-hustled them.

Bottom line, UConn played scared and soft, MSU played like the team who had been to 11 straight Final Fours. UConn played like the team there for the first time and was just happy to be there.

Mr. Q-- I really should have stopped reading once you claimed that the problem was "simple." Simple solutions are, by nature, suspect. But then you basically called out the UConn women for being "scared and soft," of giving insufficient effort, and allowing themselves to be outhustled. In other words, you accused them of losing because of character flaws. It would be a fine experiment for you to sign up for a single UConn practice session to see how you would fare trying to meet the coaches' demands.

 

[Geno-ista]

In no way did miss st beat UConn, it was UConn that lost the game. When a team is missing their foul shots and layups they don't deserve to win.

We certainly could have won the game. IMO Miss State did it to us. Pushing 6'7" and 6'5" off the blocks all gm. Their height altered our gm. Turnovers, blocked and altered shots. They were the better team that night. They made us play a slow down half court gm. Try watching the gm one more time. You missed them imposing their will on us.

 

[Geno-ista]

Mr. Q-- I really should have stopped reading once you claimed that the problem was "simple." Simple solutions are, by nature, suspect. But then you basically called out the UConn women for being "scared and soft," of giving insufficient effort, and allowing themselves to be outhustled. In other words, you accused them of losing because of character flaws. It would be a fine experiment for you to sign up for a single UConn practice session to see how you would fare trying to meet the coaches' demands.

Other than Gabby- we were rattled from the beginning. They dominated us- and we were in shock.

 

[the Q]

Other than Gabby- we were rattled from the beginning. They dominated us- and we were in shock.

Exactly. This one really isn't that hard.

 

[the Q]

We've heard.

I'm not gonna be a homer. Sorry if you that's what you expect here.

 

[j66kicker]

It may be my imagination, but Geno mentioned the tight rims before the game. That stuck with me the whole game. Kia's three late in the game, I think, was half way down before it bounced out like a ping pong ball. Could this have had an effect on Napheesa's shots? I know, someone mentioned that her attempts dwindled late in the game. I still can't get "tight rims" out of my mind.

He did mention that before the game, but I don't think Mark Cuban was in the control room softening the rims whenever Miss State had the ball...

 

[Buzzyboy]

Agree with MDakota. My snap shot is 17 UConn turnovers, a flock of missed free throws and lay-ups, and MSU's effective denial of the high-low pass.

Take away any ONE of these ills, and we're having a very different conversation.

UConn started off very, very slowly and then for the latter part of the first period and most of the second period, totally lost their composure, unlike just about any UConn team I've ever seen. The sloppiness in handling the ball and silly mistakes were beyond description. I think the only period of time I've ever seen anything like it was when we lost a game to Duke that we were totally in control of late in the second half when we just fell apart and I think the winning shot, a 3 point shot, was by some girl either originally from Connecticut or someone UConn had recruited very hard. I'm pretty certain that Diana Taurasi was with the Huskies when they lost that one and it was at the Civic Center. I think the only three Huskies that didn't play poorly (by their standards) were Gabby who played pretty well and Saniya and KLS who play okay. Not one Huskie played what I would call their "A" game though Gabby might have been a B+ with her extraordinary hustle throughout. You must give the Mississippi State game plan and their kids hustle and energy quite a bit of credit but the team wasn't close to playing to their potential. It took quite a bit of fortitude to come back from that 16 point deficit but once they came back, they seemed to run out of juice and then it was a back and forth, possession by possession game.

 

[Buzzyboy]

They played their A++ game and we played out B+/A- game... I think the biggest reason they won was they had 6'7" who ripped the rebounds out of the hands of Collier and then put it back up for 2. I wish we had some height this past season....

I think you give the Huskies too much credit in giving them anything close to a B+/A- game. It was a B- game for the Huskies, at best and maybe not even that good. The only thing I'll really give them is they made an impressive comeback from a big deficit (that never should have been) and that might have exacted a toll in their energy because after that comeback, they didn't seem to get any traction or play with any consistency.

 

[Buzzyboy]

Uhm.. MSU had 21 more shot attempts than UConn and shot a lower percentage (37% to 44%), MSU missed more layups than UConn. Try again!

Who shoots what percentage? I'm pretty sure that MSU shot the ball at a far lower percentage this year than did the Huskies. What is the norm for either team? UConn typically holds their opponents (even top ten type) at less than 40% from the field so that was pretty normal. What we also do is typically don't allow them as many shots. Meanwhile, how often has UConn shot less than 50% in a game and how often did we ever have fewer assists? Meanwhile, not shooting free throws very well didn't help and MSU didn't have much to do with that! MSU played tough and slowed our offense but we shot ourselves in the foot pretty badly, as well!

 

[Buzzyboy]

MSU played the best defense UConn has seen in years. A little credit where due. We could have won, but we didn't.

Really??? I've read post after post after post and the common theme has been to give MSU credit and even credit plus. Their defense was tenacious and had a big impact on the game but there is also a lot of things that UConn did or didn't do that had nothing to do with MSU that changed the outcome of the game. We lost composure for an extended period of the first and second period which is totally uncharacteristic of this team regardless of who we play (meaning top flight teams) and fell into a deep, deep hole and that was the difference in the game. We came back to tie and actually go ahead briefly but couldn't ever pull ahead, missing shots and free throws that we customarily make. The emotional impact of that big deficit and how it happened, stayed in our heads even after our comeback. I laud the kids for pulling themselves together but it taken it's toll.

 

[Buzzyboy]

It's pretty simple.

They played with heart and toughness.

6 of the 7 girls UConn played that night stained their shorts. Except Gabby, who was just incredible. Cannot say enough good things about Gabby.

MSU also moved on offense.

Lou and Nurse basically stood around most of the night.

And Nurse gave less effort on D once he shots didn't fall.

They also beat up UConn on the boards and flat out out-hustled them.

Bottom line, UConn played scared and soft, MSU played like the team who had been to 11 straight Final Fours. UConn played like the team there for the first time and was just happy to be there.

Don't agree about Lou standing around. I think some people here are watching an alternate universe rendition of this game, to continue to say that. Without KLS, the game doesn't come close to going to overtime. I agree that Gabby played well but KLS wasn't chopped liver.

 

[DaddyChoc]

It may be my imagination, but Geno mentioned the tight rims before the game. That stuck with me the whole game. Kia's three late in the game, I think, was half way down before it bounced out like a ping pong ball. Could this have had an effect on Napheesa's shots? I know, someone mentioned that her attempts dwindled late in the game. I still can't get "tight rims" out of my mind.

MSU had to use those tight rims as well

 

[the Q]

Don't agree about Lou standing around. I think some people here are watching an alternate universe rendition of this game, to continue to say that. Without KLS, the game doesn't come close to going to overtime. I agree that Gabby played well but KLS wasn't chopped liver.

It wasn't there entire game, she definitely made a few adjustments late in the 4th. Hit some big shots. No doubting that.

but most of the game she was standing in that corner or wing area just waiting for someone to throw her the ball.

And no one (not just KLS) ran many backdoor cuts, when their defensive style was begging for those to be run for many easy baskets.

 

[mhshuskies]

It looked like Miss. St was ready to play right from the start whereas UCONN needed some time to get going. Could that have been a reaction to a blowout win in the Elite Eight game? Geno always says that is the toughest game of the tourney, to get to the FF. I could see where the young players are thinking "oh, that was the toughest game, the rest should be easier"?

 

[RogueDave]

UConn started off very, very slowly and then for the latter part of the first period and most of the second period, totally lost their composure, unlike just about any UConn team I've ever seen. The sloppiness in handling the ball and silly mistakes were beyond description. I think the only period of time I've ever seen anything like it was when we lost a game to Duke that we were totally in control of late in the second half when we just fell apart and I think the winning shot, a 3 point shot, was by some girl either originally from Connecticut or someone UConn had recruited very hard. I'm pretty certain that Diana Taurasi was with the Huskies when they lost that one and it was at the Civic Center. I think the only three Huskies that didn't play poorly (by their standards) were Gabby who played pretty well and Saniya and KLS who play okay. Not one Huskie played what I would call their "A" game though Gabby might have been a B+ with her extraordinary hustle throughout. You must give the Mississippi State game plan and their kids hustle and energy quite a bit of credit but the team wasn't close to playing to their potential. It took quite a bit of fortitude to come back from that 16 point deficit but once they came back, they seemed to run out of juice and then it was a back and forth, possession by possession game.

Jessica Foley...hit the shot for Duke...She was recruited heavily by Uconn...

Always felt the officiating brought Duke back into the game at the end...

Duke could foul at will defensively, Uconn wasnt allowed to even give a dirty look...

 

[AdamOwe]

Other than Gabby- we were rattled from the beginning. They dominated us- and we were in shock.

Psst, Uconn overcame a 16 point deficit to take the lead. Only way to reconcile your position is with drugs.

 

[the Q]

UConn started off very, very slowly and then for the latter part of the first period and most of the second period, totally lost their composure, unlike just about any UConn team I've ever seen. The sloppiness in handling the ball and silly mistakes were beyond description. I think the only period of time I've ever seen anything like it was when we lost a game to Duke that we were totally in control of late in the second half when we just fell apart and I think the winning shot, a 3 point shot, was by some girl either originally from Connecticut or someone UConn had recruited very hard. I'm pretty certain that Diana Taurasi was with the Huskies when they lost that one and it was at the Civic Center. I think the only three Huskies that didn't play poorly (by their standards) were Gabby who played pretty well and Saniya and KLS who play okay. Not one Huskie played what I would call their "A" game though Gabby might have been a B+ with her extraordinary hustle throughout. You must give the Mississippi State game plan and their kids hustle and energy quite a bit of credit but the team wasn't close to playing to their potential. It took quite a bit of fortitude to come back from that 16 point deficit but once they came back, they seemed to run out of juice and then it was a back and forth, possession by possession game.

Outside of one 5 minute spurt in the 2nd qtr Chong was a big negative too. Her and nurse were both awful defensively.

 

[the Q]

MSU played the best defense UConn has seen in years. A little credit where due. We could have won, but we didn't.

The msu defense didn't cause those uncontested layups or FTs to be missed.

 

[the Q]

Mr. Q-- I really should have stopped reading once you claimed that the problem was "simple." Simple solutions are, by nature, suspect. But then you basically called out the UConn women for being "scared and soft," of giving insufficient effort, and allowing themselves to be outhustled. In other words, you accused them of losing because of character flaws. It would be a fine experiment for you to sign up for a single UConn practice session to see how you would fare trying to meet the coaches' demands.

I don't question they work hard in practice.

But they didn't that night.

Take the men against Cincy, couldn't have been more proud of that team and their effort. They played their hearts out and left everything they had on the court.

You can't say that about the girls against msu. Except gabby.