Where was Dawn?

[sharris952]

Some of you posters are unbelieveable. If Dawn jumps up and down and screams, you criticize her and tell her she should control her emotions. If she sits down and coaches methodically, she has given up. Which one is it. You cannot have it both ways. As a former coach, her comment about the entry pass makes complete sense. In order to really help your post your guards have to be able to give a good entry pass that does not put the player off balance or put the ball in jeopardy and/or turn it over. It was one of the reasons that Aja Dozier got to play a lot even though she was not one of our best at the time. She was very good at getting the ball to Coates, Ibiam and Wilson in a manner that they did not have to get out of rhythm. Kind of like a quarterback that throws a receive open instead of trying the throw the ball right onto a receiver thus often causing bobbled passes or even tips leading to interceptions. Basically this year, Dawn has not yelled at these players as much because they are young and have to be developed. SC was outmanned in the backcourt so she has chosen to teach rather than scold. As they get older, the treatment will be different. Remember, these were not even the top line guards from a talent and experience skillset that started the year. As far as her being National Coach, I believe it was stated that Dawn as a National Coach, U18's U

 

[sharris952]

U17s, U19s, Pan Am games as a head coach has never lost. She has won gold, so I think she will be more than qualified to handle the national team and as much as you all think she can't coach, one big recommendation for that post came from none other than GENO. When you are outmanned, you are outmanned and after the hot start she knew it so she tried to stay calm for her team. If she reacted, our young girls may have really come apart. As for the game plan, if UConn was as off as they were for parts of the Duke game, her plan may have worked. SC shot over 50% as Geno stated in the presser, but he said no one could have beat them when they were that hot from the 3 to start the game. Dangerfield had been struggling but she came out of whatever slump she had been in. We needed our better guards but unfortunately they were back in Columbia with a knee and/or sitting out due to transfer. This happens to teams when you are a bad matchup and this year more than others UConn was a bad matchup. I don't see the need to disparage a coach over this loss because I saw UConn dismantle a ND team by 30 in the final four when ND came in 32-0. I also saw them do the same thing to a great Stanford team five years ago. Having the horses makes a difference for any coach and Geno has them and he is a good coach. Don't forget Dawn has brought a Temple team to Stoors the played a whale of a game and came within a bucket of also beating Pat at Tenn in the same year. She will be just fine as your National Coach. To think anything different is almost laughable. These are the comments of the players on the National team, not fans gushing over their dynasty.

 

[rugbymate]

That's because of their pitiful guard play. I'm shocked they made it this far this season.

I'm shocked they beat Miss State

 

[UcMiami]

In reading this I started to think about another second weekend game from a few years ago - Baylor v. Louisville - in that game Louisville went off for an ridiculous number of 3s in the first half and Kim never once changed her defense to guard the three point line. In her case she spent the whole first half complaining to the refs and not coaching. Dawn took a different approach going with some form of zen mind-meld kind of thing with the same result.

 

[sharris952]

I'm shocked they beat Miss State

Well they have beat them 11 out of 12 times. Just as Geno has Dawn's number, Dawn has Vic Shaffer's number. Miss. St is good but they are still a defensive orieinted team which also is Dawn's specialty. She knows actually how to play them and beat them and thus does it often. They are not UConn and though they have worked on their offense, Vivian is really the only girl on that team that combines athleticism with shooting prowess. The others are good shooters but not great athletes thus they are easier to guard. UConn combines great skills with athletes combined with a great system provided by a great coach. We have always been a bad matchup for Miss. St. as UConn is a bad matchup for us. It is not hard to believe. Earlier this year when they won their first game against SC, Aja was coming off her ankle injury, but they lost the first 3qtrs and had one outstanding 4th qtr that led them to a win in front of their largest crowd ever. So even this year with 8 qtrs. of play, they have lost 7 of them. SC beating Miss St. should not be hard to believe.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

"When you're in a zone like that," Nurse said, "and you're knocking in shots and making those reads, and for some reason the other team doesn't change their game plan to guard you, why not shoot it every single time? It was fabulous to see Crystal play that way."

Huskies reach Final Four destination but journey not complete

 

[NoelAustin]

I remember checking the stats at halftime and realizing that Crystal had, with the exception of one personal foul, played a perfect half. Arguably one of the best halves in UConn postseason history. When you coach against a superior team, you have to give something. If Dawn's game plan included "Make Dangerfield beat us", and she did just that, it must have been demoralizing.

 

[UcMiami]

I remember checking the stats at halftime and realizing that Crystal had, with the exception of one personal foul, played a perfect half. Arguably one of the best halves in UConn postseason history. When you coach against a superior team, you have to give something. If Dawn's game plan included "Make Dangerfield beat us", and she did just that, it must have been demoralizing.

When I re-watched the first half and I remembered they had said her half time stats had zero turnovers I realized what a really inexact science the statistics represent, because she fumbled a perfect pass from Gabby out of bounds in the first half but the TO must have been assigned to Gabby (incorrectly in my opinion - the fumble was caused by Crystal taking her eye off the ball as it arrived with a view to her making the next pass while forgetting about catching the ball.)

 

[psconn]

I commented to my wife early in the first quarter that Staley just didn't seem into the game. How could she not call a time out before things began to get out of hand? She rarely even stood up. I really think her demeanor communicated no hope to her team.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Dawn called no timeouts, but Joanne called one about 1 minute into the game. Very different approach.

 

[shizam]

As the game progressed, I was amazed the SC had no change in their game plan. I have no idea what Dawn was thinking but she just sat there. The part I found telling was Holly asking Dawn about the missed entry passes into the post. Dawn's response, and I paraphrase, was something like "I think its a skill set thing." Both my wife and I looked at each said and WHAT!.

SC came out flat, no energy. They got a little better in the second quarter but that soon ended. UConn, on the other hand, knew exactly what it wanted to do. Ball movement, with few exceptions, was crisp and accurate. Shot selection was on point. Defense was masterful. Geno and company had a well thought out plan that was smartly executed.

SC got outplayed and outcoached.

Geno does a nice job of showing opposing coaches and teams respect. Same for his players. If I had his team I’d be saying can’t we just get to the championship game and skip this nonsense. He has really matured. Boneyard fans do the same.

 

[mag 7]

I'm going to say this and then move on. It is not that I do not consider Dawn Staley a good coach. Nor am I trying to tell her how to coach. But she began the evening by making excuses. In her pre-game interview she made sure to say that the game was on an "almost neutral floor" (I'm not sure of her language but that was the gist.) I get it - the game was closer to UConn than USC... so what. It's not like UConn has never beaten them on their home floor. But that's the nature of the beast in the tournament. UConn earned that. So play the game without whining. Then the snippy remark about the world being set right. Then, instead of making a comment about Dangerfield with a little praise and recognition of her special game... well she hit a bunch of wide-open shots. Well, she did - and a whole lot more. This is similar to my gripe with MM who will sit with crossed arms while players who play for other programs are awarded over her players.

Quit being a sore loser. Geno and UConn live with a target on their back. Maybe it's easier to be gracious when you win but UConn has beaten many teams whose coaches have been gracious in defeat.

It did seem that Dawn was out of it during this game and maybe there was something going on that we do not know. But that is not an excuse for whining... for a lack of graciousness in defeat... that we have not only seen from her before, but from MM, BF and a few others.

So I got it off my chest... on to other things. That was a beautiful game. USC or anyone else would have found it impossible to deal with the shooting, defense and ball movement. I watched the game again last night and marveled.

 

[HuskylnSC]

Some of you posters are unbelieveable. If Dawn jumps up and down and screams, you criticize her and tell her she should control her emotions. If she sits down and coaches methodically, she has given up. Which one is it. You cannot have it both ways. As a former coach, her comment about the entry pass makes complete sense. In order to really help your post your guards have to be able to give a good entry pass that does not put the player off balance or put the ball in jeopardy and/or turn it over. It was one of the reasons that Aja Dozier got to play a lot even though she was not one of our best at the time. She was very good at getting the ball to Coates, Ibiam and Wilson in a manner that they did not have to get out of rhythm. Kind of like a quarterback that throws a receive open instead of trying the throw the ball right onto a receiver thus often causing bobbled passes or even tips leading to interceptions. Basically this year, Dawn has not yelled at these players as much because they are young and have to be developed. SC was outmanned in the backcourt so she has chosen to teach rather than scold. As they get older, the treatment will be different. Remember, these were not even the top line guards from a talent and experience skillset that started the year. As far as her being National Coach, I believe it was stated that Dawn as a National Coach, U18's U

Say what you want, but to not call a time out to settle her rattled team in the first quarter was a dereliction of duty and punishable by having it pointed out.

 

[Bronx23]

I'm shocked they beat Miss State

Think about it - why did it happen?
Basketball and some other team sports is all about match ups.
The most important matchup there is the two bigs, Wilson and McGowan. Wilson is an excellent well rounded center. McGowan while significantly improved, in my
mind at least gets way too much praise and props. She is very tall and very strong. Almost all of her scoring is in close and off put backs, often against much smaller players. Against Wilson who is significantly more mobile than her, her strengths are reduced. Also both Dawn and Vic are defensive coaches, yet except for Vivians, SC has more athletic players.
As we have seen multiple times against SC they struggle with the speed and quickness of Gabby and Pheesa on both ends of the floor.
MS is a very strong defensive team and Vic is a great defensive coach, as well as one of his assts (can't recall her name but she's daughter of a great defensive coach) being so as well.
MS really surprised U Conn last year but it won't happen again for quite a few reasons.
Bronx23

 

[mbr33ct]

I'm going to say this and then move on. It is not that I do not consider Dawn Staley a good coach. Nor am I trying to tell her how to coach. But she began the evening by making excuses. In her pre-game interview she made sure to say that the game was on an "almost neutral floor" (I'm not sure of her language but that was the gist.) I get it - the game was closer to UConn than USC... so what. It's not like UConn has never beaten them on their home floor. But that's the nature of the beast in the tournament. UConn earned that. So play the game without whining. Then the snippy remark about the world being set right. Then, instead of making a comment about Dangerfield with a little praise and recognition of her special game... well she hit a bunch of wide-open shots. Well, she did - and a whole lot more. This is similar to my gripe with MM who will sit with crossed arms while players who play for other programs are awarded over her players.

Quit being a sore loser. Geno and UConn live with a target on their back. Maybe it's easier to be gracious when you win but UConn has beaten many teams whose coaches have been gracious in defeat.

It did seem that Dawn was out of it during this game and maybe there was something going on that we do not know. But that is not an excuse for whining... for a lack of graciousness in defeat... that we have not only seen from her before, but from MM, BF and a few others.

So I got it off my chest... on to other things. That was a beautiful game. USC or anyone else would have found it impossible to deal with the shooting, defense and ball movement. I watched the game again last night and marveled.

Yeah caught that also. I doubt very much, since brackets came out, this was about the "almost neutral floor". This was all about UConn being in Albany regional. IMO, Dawn took another shot at the committee. Would she have also commented being an "almost neutral floor" if South Car was put in the Lexington Regional? After all Louisville is only 132 miles west.

 

[Charliebball]

to paraphrase Dawn's comments in the pregame press conference "when this game is over you will say that yes there is a God"

 

[Wbbfan1]

I believe Dawn's strategy was correct to limit UConn's possessions at the start of the game. However, like Coach P (Duke) in the prior game, it appears they didn't deviate/change that strategy during any part of the game. If I'm Dawn at the start of the 2nd quarter or the latest the start of the 3rd quarter, the score dictates, I need to ry something else. My first change is start to apply pressure on the UConn player bringing up the ball. Sure, So Carolina doesn't have an abundance of guards, but neither does UConn. If you can't pressure the ball on every possession, then how about every 2nd or 3rd possession. So Carolina had to find a way to disrupt UConn's offense. Then I would go to an uptempo offense to see if we can cut into the lead. If you're unable to, or that giving UConn more opportunities and they are succeeding then go back to the Slowed Pace. Do Something. By doing nothing, So Carolina was guaranteed to lose. The only question was by how much.

 

[Calbysdad]

That's because of their pitiful guard play. I'm shocked they made it this far this season.

Completely agree. Not only a lack of outside shooting but SC had a mindset of shying away from open shots over 15 ft.

 

[msf22b]

Geno does a nice job of showing opposing coaches and teams respect. Same for his players. If I had his team I’d be saying can’t we just get to the championship game and skip this nonsense. He has really matured. Boneyard fans do the same.

Geno can afford to show respect (or is it compassion) because he demolished the team by 29 and knows that it will not be a threat in the near future.
Also geographic and team USA loyalty plays a role.

We are in the business of observing and providing analysis (even if amateur).
In my case, I have even taken on the great sage as well.
To recommend that we be overly polite and disproportionately respectful would make for a very dull board indeed.
You misunderstand what is good in social media.
That the average Joe can mouth off his observations
knowing that they will then be open to scrutiny.

 

[mag 7]

Geno can afford to show respect (or is it compassion) because he demolished the team by 29 and knows that it will not be a threat in the near future.
Also geographic and team USA loyalty plays a role.

We are in the business of observing and providing analysis (even if amateur).
In my case, I have even taken on the great sage as well.
To recommend that we be overly polite and disproportionately respectful would make for a very dull board indeed.
You misunderstand what is good in social media.
That the average Joe can mouth off his observations
knowing that they will then be open to scrutiny.

I'm not talking about overly polite, I'm talking about respect and not whining.

 

[warbler1055]

If I remember correctly Dangerfield was 1/10 shooting in SC the last time we played. So SC coaches and players and myself included, never saw the coming of the perfect first half that Danger had, no TO, 5/5 threes, the last 3 as time runs out before half time. Dangerfield completely changed the game and any game plans SC ever had. She also opened up the UConn offense of the other players who were not playing well vs Duke. Shoot and run was not an option for SC vs UConn and of course neither is the run the clock off approach.

 

[Woof 101]

Some of you posters are unbelieveable. If Dawn jumps up and down and screams, you criticize her and tell her she should control her emotions. If she sits down and coaches methodically, she has given up. Which one is it. You cannot have it both ways. As a former coach, her comment about the entry pass makes complete sense. In order to really help your post your guards have to be able to give a good entry pass that does not put the player off balance or put the ball in jeopardy and/or turn it over. It was one of the reasons that Aja Dozier got to play a lot even though she was not one of our best at the time. She was very good at getting the ball to Coates, Ibiam and Wilson in a manner that they did not have to get out of rhythm. Kind of like a quarterback that throws a receive open instead of trying the throw the ball right onto a receiver thus often causing bobbled passes or even tips leading to interceptions. Basically this year, Dawn has not yelled at these players as much because they are young and have to be developed. SC was outmanned in the backcourt so she has chosen to teach rather than scold. As they get older, the treatment will be different. Remember, these were not even the top line guards from a talent and experience skillset that started the year. As far as her being National Coach, I believe it was stated that Dawn as a National Coach, U18's U

I will not insult or argue with you just express my difference of opinion. You have every right to defend your coach and you probably should if that is where your heart really lies. I would agree and say there are probably some posters here that are unbelievable, kind of like our team.
Your narrative here though is somewhat out of line and not really factual. Dawn chilled her jets on the officials after making a fool of herself by calling and complaining about an officiating crew before a game was even played. This type of news going national will somewhat humble one who has been named the Olympic coach.

As for "she has chosen to teach rather than scold". As a former coach one would think you realize timeouts are not only momentum breakers but teaching minutes in live action time. You get very few of these in a season and she left them all on the table. She could have taken two back to back after a TV time out just to show her team they were not going down alone. Maybe a little "we're going to break their momentum and by the way could one of you young guards step out on that little girl making practice shots"? Nothing at all, she as I and others have said gave the appearance of throwing in the towel lets get it over with. I agree SC played hard and gave it everything they had. Again no attack and I realize you are seeing this through garnet colored glasses but the saddest performance in that game was that of the coach.

 

[Puppy Love]

I actually stopped reading this thread and went back and watched the first half of the game again. I think this is the third time now. There were two points in the first quarter that were absolute backbreakers. The first was when Lou made the four-point play. The game went from 'maybe, with luck, SC can get back in this' to 'it's probably over' with that play. The second was when Dangerfield made the three point dagger at the end of the quarter. That was 'game over' because from that point forward SC was out of it emotionally . It's not that I'm defending Dawn, it's just that I think that time outs or Mulkey style rants wouldn't have made any difference. It would have been like standing on the tracks to try to stop a train.

 

[shizam]

Nothing would have worked once the game began. SC is who they are at this point . They lose to UConn.
Their big game was the SEC championship. They matchup w Ms St especially in the head. They’re still the bullies. The bully mentality ends there. They are totally psyched out and demoralized vs UConn though the effort is there.

 

[EricLA]

I think if anything, fans can point to the taking the air out of the ball strategy and blame SC for that. It's not like they played that way all season long. It's something they tried in the 1st quarter and it backfired spectacularly.

By the way, after the 1st Q massacre, UCONN only outscored SC by 10 the rest of the game. They played us much closer after SC went back to playing at their normal pace. It does go to show what a colossal mistake it is to try to adjust your game plan so far away from how your team usually plays when trying to beat UCONN...