What We Learned from Bay-Tenn

[cardfan]

And those 8 rebounds Kaleena got all bounced out to the perimeter?

Just because a player makes threes, she's not automatically a guard. UConn has almost always had a forward that can shoot from the perimeter - Maya, Ashja Jones and Rebecca Lobo are three such players that come immediately to mind (I haven't had my first cup of coffee yet). Stef Dolson has started shooting from the perimeter this season, btw, she's not a guard, either.

I understand that Nan. Stanford always has bigs who can shoot the 3. We also have had great perimeter players who rebound well (Powell and Wiggins).

CD and Geno said pre game that they thought their backcourt was stronger. I agreed with that pt as did most all here. They exposed our backcourt weaknesses with playing KML on wing. Had Nneka stayed in the game and had Tara exposed our front court advantage, things 'may' have been different, but I doubt it. I expected to lose because of our weaker backcourt.

 

[EricSD]

I understand that Nan. Stanford always has bigs who can shoot the 3. We also have had great perimeter players who rebound well (Powell and Wiggins).

CD and Geno said pre game that they thought their backcourt was stronger. I agreed with that pt as did most all here. They exposed our backcourt weaknesses with playing KML on wing. Had Nneka stayed in the game and had Tara exposed our front court advantage, things 'may' have been different, but I doubt it. I expected to lose because of our weaker backcourt.

Camp was a surprise to me. but none of the guards aside from Kokenis are lighting it up so far. it's only 5 games in but do you expect Orrange, Camp, and maybe 1 or 2 others to step up the production? of course the O-sisters are having huge years, but after that and Toni, there's not a lot of scoring punch coming from anywhere else...

 

[easttexastrash]

Actually, KML's best games have been against UConn's toughest opponents to date: Stanford and Dayton. In those 2 games she's averaged 24 pts, shot 57% from the floor, 50% on 3-pointers, grabbed 7 rpg, 1.5 steals and 0 turnovers. She had only 1 assist in those two games.

We're only 6 games in to KML's career. We believe she'll prove to be a big-time player who performs best in big-time games. She'll have plenty of opportunities this year and beyond.

Dayton is considered a tough opponent? UCONN has only had one opponent that should even be mentioned in the terms of tough.

KML is far and away a much more dangerous player than Spani, IMO. She will continue to drop big numbers on opponents. I don't see Spani as being a very high draft pick.

 

[UConnCat]

Dayton is considered a tough opponent? UCONN has only had one opponent that should even be mentioned in the terms of tough.

KML is far and away a much more dangerous player than Spani, IMO. She will continue to drop big numbers on opponents. I don't see Spani as being a very high draft pick.

It was relative comment about a group of opponents, hence the word "toughest." Having said that, Dayton has been an NCAA team the past two years (made it to the 2nd round in '10). Dayton is a co-favorite to win the A10 this year and will likely make the NCAAs again. One of its players, Justine Raterman, is on the preseason Wooden list. Dayton has struggled so far this year but I think it's still likely better than Howard, Yale, Texas Southern and Chattanooga.

 

[doggydaddy]

Dayton is considered a tough opponent? UCONN has only had one opponent that should even be mentioned in the terms of tough.

KML is far and away a much more dangerous player than Spani, IMO. She will continue to drop big numbers on opponents. I don't see Spani as being a very high draft pick.

To date...lol. But when it gets down to it, Uconn will be have a top 3 SOS before all is said and done.

 

[EricSD]

To date...lol. But when it gets down to it, Uconn will be have a top 3 SOS before all is said and done.

last year we were #1. we may have been #1 the year before too. since UCONN burst onto the national scene in 1995'ish, they've only been outside the top 10 SOS a few times, and in the past 15 years, i don't think we've been outside the top 7 or so.

i don't have the numbers handy but i researched it at some point last year when a tennessee fan made some comment about Geno's high winning % being due to cupcakes. it's another one of those untruths that some fans perpetuate until it becomes common knowledge like urban legend.

 

[doggydaddy]

last year we were #1. we may have been #1 the year before too. since UCONN burst onto the national scene in 1995'ish, they've only been outside the top 10 SOS a few times, and in the past 15 years, i don't think we've been outside the top 7 or so.

i don't have the numbers handy but i researched it at some point last year when a tennessee fan made some comment about Geno's high winning % being due to cupcakes. it's another one of those untruths that some fans perpetuate until it becomes common knowledge like urban legend.

I've had this "discussion" with a Tennessee fan about the difference in playing a 200 RPI team and playing a 100 RPI team. I said that at the level of teams like Tennessee, playing a team like MTSU is as much a challenge as Holy Cross, Pacific or any other team that people complain about.

UConn has a top heavy schedule this year and plays as many if not more top 25 teams than anyone else. And more top 10 teams as anyone else.

 

[UConnCat]

I've had this "discussion" with a Tennessee fan about the difference in playing a 200 RPI team and playing a 100 RPI team. I said that at the level of teams like Tennessee, playing a team like MTSU is as much a challenge as Holy Cross, Pacific or any other team that people complain about.

UConn has a top heavy schedule this year and plays as many if not more top 25 teams than anyone else. And more top 10 teams as anyone else.

One of the issues with UConn's schedule is that for the past few years 3 of its toughest non-conference games have been buried in the middle of its conference schedule, i.e., in Jan and Feb. The same is true this year. Thus, fans look at the traditional non-conference part of the schedule and see a lot of crappy teams and maybe 3 tough opponents when in fact 3 additional ranked non-conference foes are scheduled for later on. If UConn's games against Duke, OK and UNC were played in Nov and Dec with games against Baylor, Stanford and A&M, I suspect there would be less "discussion" of cupcakes. Whatever. I'm just glad a lot of these games are behind us.

 

[Vowelguy]

[quote="UConnCat, post: 96118] If UConn's games against Duke, OK and UNC were played in Nov and Dec with games against Baylor, Stanford and A&M, I suspect there would be less "discussion" of cupcakes.[/quote]

Doubtful. The debate was never about schedule strength. It was always about criticizing UConn, regardless of validity. No circumstance or facts are ever going to change people who do that. No point in arguing.

 

[triaddukefan]

last year we were #1. we may have been #1 the year before too. since UCONN burst onto the national scene in 1995'ish, they've only been outside the top 10 SOS a few times, and in the past 15 years, i don't think we've been outside the top 7 or so.

i don't have the numbers handy but i researched it at some point last year when a tennessee fan made some comment about Geno's high winning % being due to cupcakes. it's another one of those untruths that some fans perpetuate until it becomes common knowledge like urban legend.

Was just looking up the SOS from last year... and TAMU was #1, Duke was #2, and UCONN was actually #3. But anyway... UCONN's SOS should never be questioned.... its always among the top along with TENN.

 

[UConnCat]

[quote="UConnCat, post: 96118] If UConn's games against Duke, OK and UNC were played in Nov and Dec with games against Baylor, Stanford and A&M, I suspect there would be less "discussion" of cupcakes.

Doubtful. The debate was never about schedule strength. It was always about criticizing UConn, regardless of validity. No circumstance or facts are ever going to change people who do that. No point in arguing.[/quote]

Yeah, you're right.

 

[EricSD]

Was just looking up the SOS from last year... and TAMU was #1, Duke was #2, and UCONN was actually #3. But anyway... UCONN's SOS should never be questioned.... its always among the top along with TENN.

not sure which one you looked at but UCONN was #1 on the ones i saw. or maybe it was RPI and not SOS. either way, you are right, we were up there with you guys...

 

[triaddukefan]

not sure which one you looked at but UCONN was #1 on the ones i saw. or maybe it was RPI and not SOS. either way, you are right, we were up there with you guys...

collegerpi.com But yeah.... last years schedule was very very tough.... Xavier, TAMU, and Kentucky all at Cameron... plus Temple, BYU, Charlotte, James Madison, Ok State... and of course UCONN. Good mix of BCS and Mid Majors.

 

[speedoo]

[quote="UConnCat, post: 96118] If UConn's games against Duke, OK and UNC were played in Nov and Dec with games against Baylor, Stanford and A&M, I suspect there would be less "discussion" of cupcakes.

Doubtful. The debate was never about schedule strength. It was always about criticizing UConn, regardless of validity. No circumstance or facts are ever going to change people who do that. No point in arguing.[/quote]
Exactly. And the people who make those invalid criticisms are not worth reading, listening to, and certainly not having discussions with.