Where’s the Fight??

[Conquistador]

I haven’t seen any posts about this yet, so if it was brought up already, I apologize. That said, where’s the fight??!!

There is no doubt Oregon is better this year. But what I didn’t see was a player with attitude, with a fighting spirit. Diana, Maya, Swin... man they would have taken this personally and gotten pissed! It bothers when the other teams screams, postures, plays with attitude and our team just quietly takes it.

Our “Star” players were docile and let the other team hoot and holler and beat them down! I’m not upset with the loss, but I am disheartened with the lack of fight in our dogs!

Just my take.

 

[Sonny44]

CD and CW (sick) had plenty of what you call fight.

 

[Alydar]

UConn's upperclassmen are not that type. No Kia Nurses on this team. They need a sports psychologist. They play good teams like they don't trust themselves and when you don't trust yourself it's impossible for your team mates to trust you.
Dangerfield and Makurat are the best of the lot with respect to not fitting the above. The rest spend their time questioning every move they make.

Maybe Geno needs to spend more time with the team and less time getting his bread right?

 

[cbraarj]

They play the game not to lose! When they play the game to win they will be better!

 

[BostonBay]

Parts of lack of effort, lack of intensity, lack of focus, and lack of court awareness. I cant remember how many times a UConn defender ran out to guard the shooter, got easily beat by a fake or dribble, ran by them, and then literally just stood there while the play was still going on. C'mon - get back in the play, crash the boards, etc. It wasnt just 1 player. Last night did not look like a typical UConn team.

 

[VaConnFan11]

The team looks robotic.

If something happens they don't expect it takes a second or 2 for them to make the next decision instead of acting on instinct. It's too late then.

 

[hoopsfan22]

I mentioned a few weeks back that this season we've seen more jogging and halfhearted attempts to get loose balls than I can remember. Some of these top recruits we have just look like they'd rather be anywhere else other than the floor of XL or Gampel. Think it's time for another Geno "I can draw you a picture of a heart but I can't give you one" speech. How many of Oregon's kids last night were top 10 or even top 30 recruits besides Sabrina?

 

[BostonCanuck]

Frankly, I no longer see much of that spirit and attitude in the head coach, either, so that tone is also being set at the top. In my view, the program has essentially gentrified in the years since the big three were first recruited, and unfortunately, we are increasingly seeing the effects of that shift.

 

[JonathanXIV]

Frankly, I no longer see much of that spirit and attitude in the head coach, either, so that tone is also being set at the top. In my view, the program has essentially gentrified in the years since the big three were first recruited, and unfortunately, we are increasingly seeing the effects of that shift.

Twelve straight Final Fours. Sorry, don’t see the shift you describe. We see things differently.

 

[HuskieDawg]

I think it's what has been mentioned in a lot of other posts, and even by Geno himself, the players in most cases are being asked to do things they haven't had to fo before. So you see a Crystal fight, but Walker struggle, or Anna fights but Williams struggles. The team just hasn't clicked in the big moments, they just need to keep at it for the tourney.

 

[Twolf]

I haven’t seen any posts about this yet, so if it was brought up already, I apologize. That said, where’s the fight??!!

There is no doubt Oregon is better this year. But what I didn’t see was a player with attitude, with a fighting spirit. Diana, Maya, Swin... man they would have taken this personally and gotten pissed! It bothers when the other teams screams, postures, plays with attitude and our team just quietly takes it.

Our “Star” players were docile and let the other team hoot and holler and beat them down! I’m not upset with the loss, but I am disheartened with the lack of fight in our dogs!

Just my take.

You make some good points, but I would add, that to play well in big games a player has to play with a free mind. JMO, but the only player on the team that consistently does that is CD. The young players have worries about their execution, ability to play against top level competition, and doubts that creep into their minds after a missed shot or mistake. A player’s personality can also play a part in how difficult this is to achieve, while it comes naturally to others.

All I know for sure is that when you play a high level team, to have success, your best players have to look like your best players, and that definitely didn’t happen versus Oregon.

 

[JoePgh]

In the Oregon game, Crystal and Anna played with confidence, determination, and toughness -- as much of each as you would see on any UConn team. It does seem that Megan and Christyn are afflicted by self-doubt about their shooting (although not about their rebounding), as Geno has mentioned. Olivia is afflicted by self-doubt with respect to many aspects of her game, including whether she is playing the way Geno wants her to play. The same appears to be true of Aubrey -- she knows that she is supposed to make plays (steals, rebounds, and penetration), but she is not sure about where to pass or when to shoot anything other than a layup.

Against an Oregon-caliber opponent, those are serious limitations. Likewise against Baylor. But it's notable what a big change in attitude took place inside Anna's head between the Baylor game (where she made one 3-pointer but was mostly a non-factor) to Oregon (where she was commanding and clearly the second best UConn player on the floor).

It will be interesting and revealing to see what happens next week against South Carolina. Tyasha Harris is a good point guard, but she ain't no Sabrina. The Gamecock offense does not include any of the Tom Brady-type passing that we saw from Oregon. Against South Carolina (if it follows past years), the "fancy" offense should be all on the UConn side, and it will be a physical battle on the boards and in the paint that decides the game. In other words, it will be more like the Baylor game.

Megan and Christyn have to hit their season averages in shooting percentages for UConn to win the South Carolina game, but if they do (and others including Anna play as they have recently), UConn should win the game.

 

[eebmg]

In trying to dissect the tough performances of Meg and CW, I do not really see them as equal. Meg seemed more aggressive and wanted the ball and tried to get alot done. Some of her early 3's just barely missed and her drives to the basket were often stuffed or challenged hard by Ruthie/Sabally. It is somewhat understandable in my mind why Meg never could get the upper hand

CW on the other hand is beyond explanation. Hits the first shot of the game and then goes into background mode.

Maybe the flu recovery was a big factor but generally,

 

[mbr33ct]

Is this one of them "negative" thread?

 

[cbraarj]

Meg barely missed on some of her 3s! She didn't make them that's it!

 

[Glenn]

Meg had plenty of fight--watch the replay she worked extremely hard on defense--more than Anna or CD. But They had plenty of fight. Indeed, they all showed more aggressiveness than usual. The shots did not fall and they were beat by a very good offense with a pick and roll that we did not figure out how to defend. The fight, determination, and effort was pretty obvious to this viewer. Go Huskies!

 

[Dokey]

Meg barely missed on some of her 3s! She didn't make them that's it!

What was the line from the old Indian in Big Little Man? Sometimes the magic works.

 

[willtalk]

I think some players efforts are tied to how well they are playing. The perfect example is the Sparks Candice Parker. When her game is on she will give a lot of effort, but when she is not on she just seems to coast. What you want are players who play harder when the going is tougher. The old adage " When the going gets tough- the tough get going.

I think that is a quality you are born with. I have seen too many very talented and skilled players who lack that aspect. Their skills and height, athleticism etc. only will take them so far. That desire to not lose takes them much farther. Or even if you are losing and have no hope of winning you still suck it up and go down with more fight than if you are winning.

 

[jabstep]

UConn's upperclassmen are not that type. No Kia Nurses on this team. They need a sports psychologist. They play good teams like they don't trust themselves and when you don't trust yourself it's impossible for your team mates to trust you.
Dangerfield and Makurat are the best of the lot with respect to not fitting the above. The rest spend their time questioning every move they make.

Maybe Geno needs to spend more time with the team and less time getting his bread right?

Paige is coming next year and will bring the swag!!!!

 

[tower1]

I haven’t seen any posts about this yet, so if it was brought up already, I apologize. That said, where’s the fight??!!

There is no doubt Oregon is better this year. But what I didn’t see was a player with attitude, with a fighting spirit. Diana, Maya, Swin... man they would have taken this personally and gotten pissed! It bothers when the other teams screams, postures, plays with attitude and our team just quietly takes it.

Our “Star” players were docile and let the other team hoot and holler and beat them down! I’m not upset with the loss, but I am disheartened with the lack of fight in our dogs!

Just my take.

SO TRUE !!!