Why 2 blowouts

[boontonbomber]

when Iowa St/Seton Hall and LSU/UConn would have been better games ? And better for women's basketball. I know Iowa St. had been ranked, but LSU was in town !! What a great game that could have been. Again, 2 yawners that do nothing for the game. I didn't even watch the last quarter.

 

[huskyd]

Good point, btb. We can't have too many exciting games, I guess. Our early season competition was yawn except for ND, and that game was not a barnburner. If we lose to USC this weekend, it will be a long wait for another bit of excitement. There's a long string of Big Least sleep-inducers coming down the pike. I plan to hibernate in Jan. (Even if I could watch SNY, I wouldn't.) Bear up, y'all.

 

[BBallF]

when Iowa St/Seton Hall and LSU/UConn would have been better games ? And better for women's basketball. I know Iowa St. had been ranked, but LSU was in town !! What a great game that could have been. Again, 2 yawners that do nothing for the game. I didn't even watch the last quarter.

There will be a great one for women's basketball this Saturday night.

 

[Stagnant]

Maybe this isn’t fair, but I wonder if Mulkey and LSU would have agreed to come if they had been matched up against UConn.

 

[Next 12]

when Iowa St/Seton Hall and LSU/UConn would have been better games ? And better for women's basketball. I know Iowa St. had been ranked, but LSU was in town !! What a great game that could have been. Again, 2 yawners that do nothing for the game. I didn't even watch the last quarter.

I'm sorry,but, I have to disagree , as I will take all the blowouts Uconn can get. BIG boost for the EGO and team morale. Also a confidence builder for the team. If I knew in my heart Uconn was going to LOSE, then I would turn it off. I hate to SEE them lose. If they are winning, I will watch it to the last second, because that's what fans do. I know fans should watch the full game , even in a loss, but to me it's too painful. I have NEVER nitpicked a win , ever. GO FRESHMEN!!!! GO SOPHOMORES!!!! GO HUSKIES!!!!

 

[Jonathan14]

when Iowa St/Seton Hall and LSU/UConn would have been better games ? And better for women's basketball. I know Iowa St. had been ranked, but LSU was in town !! What a great game that could have been. Again, 2 yawners that do nothing for the game. I didn't even watch the last quarter.

I hear what you're saying, but in the preseason AP and Coaches' Top 25, LSU was ranked 7th and Iowa State 8th, so I don't think Geno was ducking a tough match-up. And the match-ups for this "showcase" were decided before the season.

 

[oldude]

Maybe this isn’t fair, but I wonder if Mulkey and LSU would have agreed to come if they had been matched up against UConn.

Bingo!

 

[Performance]

Her track record for playing big out of conference games would suggest no!!

 

[Stagnant]

One thing I will point out is our resume is weaker than many would have predicted before the season, given our wins. Neither Louisville or Iowa State have held up their ends of the bargain. Even Notre dame, if UConn had beaten them… they would have three losses.

I’m thinking if we want to be a number one seed this year; the USC game is pretty important and one we need.

 

[Zarathustra]

I'm sorry,but, I have to disagree , as I will take all the blowouts Uconn can get. BIG boost for the EGO and team morale. Also a confidence builder for the team. If I knew in my heart Uconn was going to LOSE, then I would turn it off. I hate to SEE them lose. If they are winning, I will watch it to the last second, because that's what fans do. I know fans should watch the full game , even in a loss, but to me it's too painful. I have NEVER nitpicked a win , ever. GO FRESHMEN!!!! GO SOPHOMORES!!!! GO HUSKIES!!!!

My guess is the GENO is finding what works for this mix of available
players. I am happy to see some "developmental" games mixed in with
occasional " Challenges". Tough games make teams "tougher" but
I am happy to see the future for now being USC, TENN, USC, and
the BIG EAST tournament as the current testing grounds.

 

[Zarathustra]

One thing I will point out is our resume is weaker than many would have predicted before the season, given our wins. Neither Louisville or Iowa State have held up their ends of the bargain. Even Notre dame, if UConn had beaten them… they would have three losses.

I’m thinking if we want to be a number one seed this year; the USC game is pretty important and one we need.

YES, USC and UCLA ( not on the schedule, but on MY MIND , should they
be in our Bracket for the NCAA)... I want the BRUINS on the opposite side of
the bracket/seeding.

 

[MSGRET]

Maybe this isn’t fair, but I wonder if Mulkey and LSU would have agreed to come if they had been matched up against UConn.

LSU has had numerous chances over the past 3 or 4 years to play UConn in these special tournaments. They both have been to the same early season tournaments. The first time I believe it was in the Bahamas where the sponsors wanted the LSU - UConn match-up. It was leaked that Kim said she would only come if they were in separate brackets. They have played in the same tournaments over the past few years and have yet to be in the same bracket.

 

[DefenseBB]

LSU has had numerous chances over the past 3 or 4 years to play UConn in these special tournaments. They both have been to the same early season tournaments. The first time I believe it was in the Bahamas where the sponsors wanted the LSU - UConn match-up. It was leaked that Kim said she would only come if they were in separate brackets. They have played in the same tournaments over the past few years and have yet to be in the same bracket.

What evidence do you have on this?

 

[boontonbomber]

Good point, btb. We can't have too many exciting games, I guess. Our early season competition was yawn except for ND, and that game was not a barnburner. If we lose to USC this weekend, it will be a long wait for another bit of excitement. There's a long string of Big Least sleep-inducers coming down the pike. I plan to hibernate in Jan. (Even if I could watch SNY, I wouldn't.) Bear up, y'all.

I'm a fan of women's basketball, and love to watch really competitive games. The more the better. Folks won't understand, but I enjoyed watching the ND game a lot more than last night's game,even though we lost. I want to watch our players go against the best players. The Big East used to be so competitive; now there are very few games worth watching.

 

[EricLA]

Sorry, but have some of you not paid attention to this season so far? Easy schedule?

Oregon state has traditionally been a power in the last 5-10 years
South Florida almost always has a tough team
North Carolina AND Ole Miss are both top 20 teams
Louisville preseason was #17
Iowa State preseason was #8
ND of course is a top 5 team and final 4 probability

That's a gauntlet of what has historically been a host of top 25 teams. And I agree with the OP - should have been LSU vs. UCONN and Seton Hall vs. ISU, but the schedule was set before the season started.

I enjoy EVERY single UCONN game, even the ones we win by 60+. I'll admit 5 games in a row against the dregs of the big east would not be exciting, but glorified exhibition games would not only give the team a chance to work on "stuff" in real game situations, but also allow lots of PT for the bench. I hardly think in big games Geno will go more than 8-9 deep, but when Aubrey/Azzi come back, he's going to have to really play with a core group of....

Paige, Azzi, Ice, Kaitlyn, Sarah
Ash, KK, Jana, Aubrey

I think that's the core 9 and doubt we'd see Morgan, Allie or Q in a big game.

BTW UCONN is #4 in the RPI and has the 17th toughest SOS this season so far...

 

[BRS24]

Perhaps there was a thought of trying to make both games a big draw, so if UConn played LSU, how many folks would come see Iowa State vs Seton Hall, especially as the game was in UConn "territory". If tix were for both events and I was nearby, I'd go see the LSU game, but if UConn/LSU was the 2nd game of the night, not sure many would show for the first game?

 

[Blond D.]

when Iowa St/Seton Hall and LSU/UConn would have been better games ? And better for women's basketball. I know Iowa St. had been ranked, but LSU was in town !! What a great game that could have been. Again, 2 yawners that do nothing for the game. I didn't even watch the last quarter.

How can you not watch every minute of a UCONN game? i don't care if were ahead or behind by 100, I love watching our girls.

 

[oldude]

Perhaps there was a thought of trying to make both games a big draw, so if UConn played LSU, how many folks would come see Iowa State vs Seton Hall, especially as the game was in UConn "territory". If tix were for both events and I was nearby, I'd go see the LSU game, but if UConn/LSU was the 2nd game of the night, not sure many would show for the first game?

Yes, maybe. But watching the LSU-Seton Hall game on tv, I observed a lot of empty seats at the Mohegan Sun that were filled only once the UConn-ISU game started. Maybe all those fans were in the casino playing blackjack.

 

[MooseJaw]

LSU has had numerous chances over the past 3 or 4 years to play UConn in these special tournaments. They both have been to the same early season tournaments. The first time I believe it was in the Bahamas where the sponsors wanted the LSU - UConn match-up. It was leaked that Kim said she would only come if they were in separate brackets. They have played in the same tournaments over the past few years and have yet to be in the same bracket.

No mystery here, Kim has hidden from playing top opponents until conference play begins. Once conference play begins there is no hiding from tough ranked conference opponents. This has worked in some years, not so much in others. It is Kim's m.o. and it looks like she will continue ducking the big guys, pre-conference.

 

[boontonbomber]

I hear what you're saying, but in the preseason AP and Coaches' Top 25, LSU was ranked 7th and Iowa State 8th, so I don't think Geno was ducking a tough match-up. And the match-ups for this "showcase" were decided before the season.

Never said anything about Geno "ducking" , just that I wished they'd played LSU. I understand how difficult it is to predict team strength well ahead.

 

[DefenseBB]

So..thanks @MSGRET for starting a rumor mill that is running amok. Let me give you information that I actually know vs. your "speculation" and "leaked" information....

The easy narrative is Kim plays cupcakes. That is not entirely true. Kim has been known to play easier home games early in the season to build her teams confidence and to support the local smaller schools like on this years schedule with Northwestern State, Grambling State, Louisiana, Tulane. When at Baylor, she played many of the small Texas universities. Now when she has had a strong and experienced team she has upped her OOC opponents. Back in 2011 with Griner, she played UConn, ND, Tennessee and a ranked Syracuse. Also were Minnesota and Clemson . In 2012 she played ND, Tennessee and UConn again along with UCLA, Minnesota and St John's (who was good).
In 2013, she played 6th ranked Kentucky,#2 ND, #10 Tennessee, #3 UConn and #4 Stanford along with her Big 12 conference.
In 2014 with a weak team, she only kept #5 Kentucky on the schedule.
When she had good teams again in 2017-18 she played #8 UCLA, Georgia Tech, #16 Stanford and #20 Kentucky
In 2018-19 (year that Baylor won) she played #23 ASU, #18 SCar, #11 Stanford and #1 UConn.

She has regularly played in The Hall of Fame game at Mohegan Sun with Baylor. My direct knowledge of those games including Tuesday night's game was LSU and in previous years with Baylor, her school would the 2nd headliner game to draw fans and attention to the event. She was not "ducking Geno". For this years event, I was told Geno recommended Anthony Bozello to play LSU.

Playing the Thanksgiving/November Island tournaments is always an interesting conundrum. The event wants to get name programs to come and their fans to show up and be tourists. They often split the pools into two groups of easy scheduling. Frankly the attendance at these events is putrid so why waste a marquee matchup for only 600 people when XL can hold 16,000? The ND-TCU game has 734 people at it. That was simply not a good look.

My point is the comments on her scheduling are rife with inaccuracies. Does she play hard OOC most years, absolutely not but to say she is "ducking" UConn is wrong and irresponsible to state.

As a reminder that before the Big East break up in 2013, Geno played a pathetic OOC as the Big East was the best conferency by far. Since the break up, UConn has significantly upped it's OOC because it HAD TO. Our current league opponents are abysmal. There is no sugar coating this fact. UConn needs a strong OOC to get competitive games.

Kim has her issues, no doubt, but she is as competitive a coach as there is and her 4 National titles prove this. Her job is to win and she does. She also has done quite a bit to promote the Women's game over the years so perhaps a bit of respect my be considered.

Respectively submitted,
DefenseBB

 

[HuskyNan]

LSU has had numerous chances over the past 3 or 4 years to play UConn in these special tournaments. They both have been to the same early season tournaments. The first time I believe it was in the Bahamas where the sponsors wanted the LSU - UConn match-up. It was leaked that Kim said she would only come if they were in separate brackets. They have played in the same tournaments over the past few years and have yet to be in the same bracket.

I don't think teams choose their opponents; I believe they are assigned, possibly in the order in which the team accepts the invite?

 

[yhun89]

LSU has had numerous chances over the past 3 or 4 years to play UConn in these special tournaments. They both have been to the same early season tournaments. The first time I believe it was in the Bahamas where the sponsors wanted the LSU - UConn match-up. It was leaked that Kim said she would only come if they were in separate brackets. They have played in the same tournaments over the past few years and have yet to be in the same bracket.

So she's purposefully ducking us?