What's coming up, none of it good

[Biff]

You need to post more.

"I'm not going to let a sluggish game against a borderline dirty team in their home gym send me to worry central. "

Fantastic.

Agreed!

 

[pinotbear]

Took a closer look at Suger's stats. She is the definition of volumn shooter.

What, Shoni's got competition?

 

[schmendrick]

Not to mention Stef will no doubt be honey-badgering for Tia Magee, after being "used" by her last year, at least according to Terri W-F.

 

[rocky rococo]

This is a stimulating discussion.

First, the impression of Gtown as a good shooting team. If I had to guess, I'd say it has its origins in a player that's no longer there. UConn fans have lots of memories of some Hoya knocking down all sorts of crazy 3s against them over the past few years. Since Rodgers is the star, people are thinking that person must be Sugar. But it wasn't, it was Monica McNutt, who obviously got very inspired by playing the Huskies, and she's gone. I'll bet 10,000 of Mitt Romney's dollars that's where people's impression of the Hoyas as a good shooting team come from.

Every freshman hits the freshman wall sooner or later, to one degree or another. When they hit it hard, as KML has, it's useful if they also hit it relatively early, as she also has. Hitting the wall now gives her time to play through her struggles,and be ready to play like a sophomore round about tournament time. I rather like that.

The issue of being outmuscled is structural, and only Geno and the staff can resolve it by recruiting more physically strong and athletic players. Although I haven't seen any pictures of her, I'm going to go out on a limb here and venture to say that bringing in DeWanna Bonner's sister is not likely to be the answer to the Huskies lack of physical authority. More Asjha Joneses, please. In the meantime, the existing posts and forwards might be well-served to be encouraged to adopt Heather's weight training regimen.

The one player that UConn cannot afford to have in a slump going down the stretch if they wish to win the BET and go deep in the NCAA is Bria. But that's a factor that can't really be controlled for.

 

[doggydaddy]

The issue of being outmuscled is structural, and only Geno and the staff can resolve it by recruiting more physically strong and athletic players. Although I haven't seen any pictures of her, I'm going to go out on a limb here and venture to say that bringing in DeWanna Bonner's sister is not likely to be the answer to the Huskies lack of physical authority. More Asjha Joneses, please. In the meantime, the existing posts and forwards might be well-served to be encouraged to adopt Heather's weight training regimen.

First let me say, I love you posting name. I'm a HUGE Firesign theater fan.

And to fill that slot of a physically strong player next year??? Let me introduce Morgan Tuck.

 

[speedoo]

Again this is supposed to be a "transition" year. A down year by our standards. Next year we have Bre, Moriah, and Morgan coming in and only lose Tiffany. We will be a top 2 team with Baylor. And after BG leaves well whose gonna stop what we have?

I don't know about anyone else but I am enjoying the hell out of this "transition" year. I'm not going to let a sluggish game against a borderline dirty team in their home gym send me to worry central. We are on pace to go around 33-4 and make the Final 4 before things get really good next year. And if we catch some breaks perhaps we even steal one this year. The pressure is on Griner and Diggins and Nneka this year to finally crack gold. If they fail we maybe there to grab it a year early. Not bad for a "transition" year. I'll start worrying next year when we will actually have the most talent of anyone in the country. This year on paper we don't so I am not worried about ND/Baylor. They technically should beat us this year. But we have already shown the ability to play them in their home gyms so who knows? In the meantime, I'd sit back and enjoy whatever we get this year.

Great post, both this and your prior one. If you have not already figured it out, we have some folks here who always, always see the glass at half full, and that's fine, it generates good discussion.

My only disagreement with your comments is that I give our team a better chance to beat both Baylor and ND than you do. UConn was in position to win both those games on their home courts, just did not finish. Since those losses, Kiah has come on to provide great post depth, and terrific defense and rebounding, and this young team has grown, especially on defense.

 

[msf22b]

I'm with TomCat/glass half empty. My views are all over the other threads last night and this morn so I won't repeat myself but I have a time hard time seeing this win through rose colored glasses as do many of the posters on this thread. The team got beat up last night, looks mentally exhausted, as is vulnerable. I'm not particularly worried about GT (although, I think we're rife for the taking at this moment) but the bigger fish coming up are all seemingly in a better place. The first step to Nirvana is recognizing the issues. Just assuming that everything will go swimmingly as in the past seems naive.

 

[rocky rococo]

First let me say, I love you posting name. I'm a HUGE Firesign theater fan.

And to fill that slot of a physically strong player next year??? Let me introduce Morgan Tuck.

So you think the Huskies can impose Morgan Tuck Rule on the game, Mr. Danger? Or as everyone here at Lil's saloon knows you, Mr. Doggydaddy?

 

[Georgestarr7]

First let me say, I love you posting name. I'm a HUGE Firesign theater fan.

And to fill that slot of a physically strong player next year??? Let me introduce Morgan Tuck.

Gosh, DD I was going to use "Ah, Clem" for mine but I didn't think anyone would remember The FT.
I agree that Morgan will not be easily pushed around, but I would remind everyone that Geno had some cards he was holding close to his tie. I'm sure if he sent Heather "The Beast" Buck out there with instructions to enforce the peace (at the expense of some fouls which we were getting anyway) that she would be very ready for that assignment by now.

 

[JS]

If you have not already figured it out, we have some folks here who always, always see the glass at half full

We even have some who always, always see it completely full.

Makes it easy to steal their drink.

 

[cferraro04]

If UConn gets to the final four...anything could happen....who'd have thought that last year's final was going to be Notre Dame and Texas A & M?

 

[doggydaddy]

So you think the Huskies can impose Morgan Tuck Rule on the game, Mr. Danger? Or as everyone here at Lil's saloon knows you, Mr. Doggydaddy?

Kcin Regnad, if you don't mind.

 

[doggydaddy]

I'm with TomCat/glass half empty. My views are all over the other threads last night and this morn so I won't repeat myself but I have a time hard time seeing this win through rose colored glasses as do many of the posters on this thread. The team got beat up last night, looks mentally exhausted, as is vulnerable. I'm not particularly worried about GT (although, I think we're rife for the taking at this moment) but the bigger fish coming up are all seemingly in a better place. The first step to Nirvana is recognizing the issues. Just assuming that everything will go swimmingly as in the past seems naive.

Well, I don't think I have rose colored classes. Maybe a little Huskie Blue, but mostly I like to use facts to back up my opinion.

They had a tough outing offensively at the Yum. Turned the ball over too many times. Missed too many 3's. And even the "all empty" fans would agree that Louisville was given a lot of latitude in their defensive efforts by the refs. I didn't get to watch the game until last night. I replayed many situations and confirmed the bad calls or non-calls. At least that is how I saw it.

Yet in front of 16+ screaming fans, under extreme pressure, they held on to a 10 point win.

I look at that as a good thing. And I don't think I'm being naive at all.

Now, going foward, some posters would have you believe that how they played against Louisville will be reflected going forward in their play. And that all of a sudden, Louisville exposed UConn and every team will now play them defensively the same way.

This is just some bad analysis, in my opinion and one we have heard before. Last year, after the Stanford loss, we heard how teams would now play Maya the same way. Leave Faris/Dixon open and play 4-5. Etc...etc... Well, they did lose after that. 24 games later. They beat a similar ND team, one that went to the final game 2 times and Duke by 30+ two time.

Now, I'm supposed to be concerned about how the team played for part of a game on the road against a tough and well coached team? They had a double digit lead for 90% of the game. I'll save my concern for things that have impact.

The best two things about that game was that Caroline showed she can be a factor this season. Offensively and defensively, it was her best game. And no one got hurt.

" The team got beat up last night, looks mentally exhausted, as is vulnerable. I'm not particularly worried about GT (although, I think we're rife for the taking at this moment) but the bigger fish coming up are all seemingly in a better place. "

I sure don't see the mentally exhausted part. I think the shooting slump for Lewis is wearing on her some. Nothing a hot game won't help. And you can bet she will have one soon. (cheap shot coming up) She is no Simmons. (you were warned!).

Rife for the taking? That's not half empty, that is all empty. And you smashed the glass too.

And lastly, who are these bigger fish coming up all seemingly in a better place? The remaining schedule is Gtown, Oklahoma, Pitt, Marquette and then ND. I guess you just mean ND. The BE Tourney? ND again.

Yeah ND is good. They beat them in OT the first time. UConn had every opportunity to win that game. Now they will probably play 2 times in the next month. Those might be good games to analyize to see where UConn is and how it might impact the NCAA tourney.

UConn is not perfect. They have issues that Geno is constantly addressing every day in practice. But ND has it's own issues. So does Baylor. And I haven't seen another team that UConn can't handle in a neutral court.

So, half full? Sure. Naive? I hope not.

Confident? Yep...having the best defense in the country that never rests will do that to me every time.

 

[Icebear]

I''d say more about 3/4s full, DD, and I think that is about right. I believed this was a FF team at the start of the season with a chance at an NC. I feel even better about that now than I did then.

 

[HuskyNan]

Yeah ND is good. They beat them in OT the first time. UConn had every opportunity to win that game. Now they will probably play 2 times in the next month. Those might be good games to analyize to see where UConn is and how it might impact the NCAA tourney.

People fret about how to guard ND but no one seems to ask, how is ND going to guard UConn? Since the Jan. 7 game, CD, Tiff, Kiah and even Stef have picked up their games. But more importantly, what has been happening is that someone has been stepping up to lead the team each game, not just depending on Bria to score 25 every night. That makes UConn harder to defend. So, will teams seeing UConn for the second time be at an advantage or disadvantage?

 

[doggydaddy]

People fret about how to guard ND but no one seems to ask, how is ND going to guard UConn? Since the Jan. 7 game, CD, Tiff, Kiah and even Stef have picked up their games. But more importantly, what has been happening is that someone has been stepping up to lead the team, not just depending on Bria to score 25 every night. That makes UConn harder to defend. So, will teams seeing UConn for the second time be at an advantage or disadvantage?

That is what makes the next ND game so exciting. We should get some answers.

 

[HuskyNan]

That is what makes the next ND game so exciting. We should get some answers.

I have my tickets an am going to rest my voice for 2 days before the game. The crowd will be the 6th man that night, I'm determined to make it so.

 

[msf22b]

Ice, Doggy: I fervently hope that I am wrong, nothing would give me greater pleasure than to eat crow on this one. My concern is that we continue to look forward based on past expectations and results and tend to ignore unwanted trends that are appearing right in front of us. That just might not turn out to be a correct approach (the essence of my Rose-colored analogy). I particularly fret about the GT game upcoming.

 

[doggydaddy]

Ice, Doggy: I fervently hope that I am wrong, nothing would give me greater pleasure than to eat crow on this one. My concern is that we continue to look forward based on past expectations and results and tend to ignore unwanted trends that are appearing right in front of us. That just might not turn out to be a correct approach (the essence of my Rose-colored analogy). I particularly fret about the GT game upcoming.

I totally understand. But I am basing my opinion on more than one game (really one half), and it appears that is what you are doing.

What unwanted trends are occuring? IMO, any trend that doesn't occur over more than 2-3 games is not a trend, it's just what happened THAT game.

 

[msf22b]

I'm not a statistics maven but:
KLM has been off
Bria has been off (but ice in her veins with the game on the line).
Kelly has actually been criticized by the staff, has fouled more and is not a scoring threat.
Tiff has been banged a lot lately

 

[meyers7]

We even have some who always, always see it completely full.

Makes it easy to steal their drink.

And then you have a couple like me who sees it neither half full or half empty, but rather lying shattered on the floor.

 

[trisailin]

We really have to be careful - that Georgetown team is a juggernaut. They just disposed of the mighty Pirates of Seton Hall by 5 points. Obviously G'town is peeking at precisely the right moment ready to play UCONN firing on all 1 cylinder just like a Yugo missing a spark plug.

I honestly have no idea what some of the posters here have for breakfast that makes them have this much gloom and doom.

Though I will say "WE ARE DOOMED"

 

[ctfjr]

Hey I'll be there on Saturday and don't have the slightest intention of walking out of there with anything but a big smile on my face. UConn by 18

 

[HuskyNan]

I'm not a statistics maven but:
KLM has been off

She is a freshman. Freshman! Those that were counting on KML to step in and be Maya this season were being unrealistic. She is still rebounding and defending but more importantly, she is someone defenses can't ignore so she removes a double-team from Tiff, Bria, Caroline, Stef or whoever.

Bria has been off (but ice in her veins with the game on the line).

She is still winning games. As long as UConn has one more point than the other guys, I don't care how many shots she misses. This is the time of the year to learn how to win tournament-type of games, like Louisville, not worry about making the wins look pretty.

Kelly has actually been criticized by the staff, has fouled more and is not a scoring threat.

True, but others have picked up their games and been greatly improved (Caroline, Kiah, for example) Why is Kelly's slump alarming while others' improvement is not taken into account?

Tiff has been banged a lot lately

? And this is new? She's still doing good stuff on the floor.

 

[doggydaddy]

I'm not a statistics maven but:
KLM has been off
Bria has been off (but ice in her veins with the game on the line).
Kelly has actually been criticized by the staff, has fouled more and is not a scoring threat.
Tiff has been banged a lot lately

I agree that Lewis has been off. She has had some terrible shooting games. But inbetween the games have been a 2-5 3 point night against Cinnci, 5-7 against Depaul, 3-7 against RU. So I would call her inconsistant. Not surprising from a freshman and it's a little pessimistic to think that her poor shooting will continue.

Hartley does so much more than score for the team. After a tough 2 assist and 5 TO game against Depaul, she had 4 game of 7/2, 6/3, 7/4, and 7/3 in assists/TO's. You can't be worried about Hartley.

Faris had a tough game against UL. 4 fouls. And she fouled out of the USF game 3 games prior. But she had 2,2,2,0,3,1,2 in the other prior 7 games. I don't see this being a big issue either. And she has never been a real scoring threat. IMO it won't impact if UConn wins or loses. They have enough weapons without her. And she is more of a threat than last year.

In regards to Tiff, is she hurt now? Everyone gets banged up. I don't see the issue.

I know I can't convince you to be more upbeat. But I just don't see what you are so worried about. Especially GTown.