Why Can't We Close It Out Against Notre Dame?

[schmendrick]

It seems that, more than once against Notre Dame in the last three years, we had a chance to put it away in the last five minutes or minute or 10 seconds and didn't.

I don't get it. Two insanely evenly matched teams but one comes ahead 5 out of 6 times?

So I put the question posed in the thread to those more in the know than I am.

 

[bmayuc]

Two words

Skylar diggins

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[concerned143]

Anyone at the game see diggins antics after the game. Screaming at the fans that this was her fuc@king house and our choice words.

 

[BRS24]

Anyone at the game see diggins antics after the game. Screaming at the fans that this was her fuc@king house and our choice words.

This is why I don't understand how folks think she's so great. Saw that on tv and immediately changed the channel.....

 

[Bestiarius]

Anyone at the game see diggins antics after the game. Screaming at the fans that this was her fuc@king house and our choice words.

I'm so glad she did that. It bodes well for the future.

I don't get it. Two insanely evenly matched teams but one comes ahead 5 out of 6 times?

We're very inexperienced at close games. Not something you necessarily want to practice, but this game should help.

 

[hoopfan515]

I don't understand why we didn't try and post up either Stephanie or Kaleena for the last shot. And why couldn't we take advantage of Notre Dame's thin post. I thought we were going to kill them in the post.
Would a healthy Kiah have made a difference? Notre Dame doesn't have any depth at the post but we still couldn't take advantage.
Now we know the real reason why Geno doesn't want to play Notre Dame in the future. lol. With the demise of the Big East we may need them more than they need us.

 

[HuskyNan]

I don't understand why we didn't try and post up either Stephanie or Kaleena for the last shot. And why couldn't we take advantage of Notre Dame's thin post. I thought we were going to kill them in the post.

With only three players for UConn doing any kind of scoring, ND was able to collapse on the UConn post players. It was like Christmas for ND when Kaleena went to the bench in foul trouble and Brianna or Carolyn subbed in for her.

 

[Buzzyboy]

It seems that, more than once against Notre Dame in the last three years, we had a chance to put it away in the last five minutes or minute or 10 seconds and didn't.

I don't get it. Two insanely evenly matched teams but one comes ahead 5 out of 6 times?

So I put the question posed in the thread to those more in the know than I am.

I can't believe that UConn has failed to finish games against Notre Dame better. The fact that they had two or three attempts to win the game in the last seconds and failed at all of them, Wow! Sue Bird teams of the past would have won at least 4 of the games that we lost, just by her leadership. To allow Skylar Duggins to snatch another victory, particularly in Storrs, is really hard to take.

 

[Waquoit]

We're very inexperienced at close games. Not something you necessarily want to practice, but this game should help.

UConn didn't make one good decision in the last 2 minutes, especially Dolson who should know better by now. You get the feeling that Geno let them go to see how they would handle it.

 

[VAUConnFan]

1. Close games usually go the team with the best player on the floor. When that player is a guard, that is even better.
2. My feeling is that you never throw the ball inside in a close game unless the player is going to put it right up. It is too easy to collapse on post players.
3. I have no problem with Dolson kicking it back out to Mosqueda-Lewis(if that's the play being discussed). she did not look comfortable with the ball in that particular spot and immediately found an open shooter.
4. Obviously, Caroline's foul late in the shot clock was not a smart play; Not easy to keep time and circumstance in one's head when there is an opportunity to make a play when you are on the wrong end of a mismatch.
5. UConn had their chances. It is not as if they allowed Notre Dame's defense to dictate the last 50 seconds or so.
6. Who called that timeout with Kelly on the floor? I did not see it, but Eric Brewton was on the call. He seemed inclined to want to make that call. It appeared to me that Faris had already rolled out of bounds with the ball in her hand before the timeout was called.

 

[RoyDodger]

Anyone at the game see diggins antics after the game. Screaming at the fans that this was her fuc@king house and our choice words.

I wasn't there and didn't see this but I did see, on CBS, Diggins chest bump one of her teammates after the final buzzer. I don't remember ever seeing a UConn player do anything like that after a victory and I've been watching their games since the 2003- 2004 season. In fact, all I can remember is seeing UConn players walk over to the opposite team and shake their hands. I got into trouble last year for saying something negative about Diggins, but I have to say that she comes across as an unpleasantly arrogant player. Just the way she struts around the court indicates that to me. I don't feel this way about any other young woman who play opposite UConn. I've seen some tough play by some very tough players, like Sims of Baylor, but they play hard and you admire them for their outstanding talent. Diggins is without a doubt an outstanding basketball talent. No question. But her talent would seem even greater if she displayed some character.

 

[HuskyNan]

I wasn't there and didn't see this but I did see, on CBS, Diggins chest bump one of her teammates after the final buzzer. I don't remember ever seeing a UConn player do anything like that after a victory and I've been watching their games since the 2003- 2004 season. In fact, all I can remember is seeing UConn players walk over to the opposite team and shake their hands. I got into trouble last year for saying something negative about Diggins, but I have to say that she comes across as an unpleasantly arrogant player. Just the way she struts around the court indicates that to me. I don't feel this way about any other young woman who play opposite UConn. I've seen some tough play by some very tough players, like Sims of Baylor, but they play hard and you admire them for their outstanding talent. Diggins is without a doubt an outstanding basketball talent. No question. But her talent would seem even greater if she displayed some character.

We've seen chest bumping before, plenty of times. You must not have been watching UConn wcbb during the Tasha Pointer years.

 

[UConnCat]

One more basket by UConn and we'd be talking about Diggins' 7 turnovers. That's how the game goes sometimes. Her two 3s were the biggest shots of the game, imo. UConn was beginning to take control of the game and she stopped that in its tracks. That's what really good players do. She didn't have a great floor game by any means but she made some great plays. UConn needed its own play-maker to step up and make big plays at the end.

 

[jplotinus]

Blowouts and the lack of close games is a benefit and a burden. Benefit is life is good, basketball easy and college is fun. Burden is, no experience in clutch play and pressure situations gets acquired, college exams happen and significant others are flakey sometimes.

I say take the disappointment out on Baylor.

 

[Fiftyish]

I wasn't there and didn't see this but I did see, on CBS, Diggins chest bump one of her teammates after the final buzzer. I don't remember ever seeing a UConn player do anything like that after a victory and I've been watching their games since the 2003- 2004 season. In fact, all I can remember is seeing UConn players walk over to the opposite team and shake their hands. I got into trouble last year for saying something negative about Diggins, but I have to say that she comes across as an unpleasantly arrogant player. Just the way she struts around the court indicates that to me. I don't feel this way about any other young woman who play opposite UConn. I've seen some tough play by some very tough players, like Sims of Baylor, but they play hard and you admire them for their outstanding talent. Diggins is without a doubt an outstanding basketball talent. No question. But her talent would seem even greater if she displayed some character.

Never saw a UConn player celebrate after a win?? I guess you missed many of DT's victories at TN or after winning the NC and popping out her jersey. Diggins has an attitude which I think translates confidence and to great play. UConn needs more players to cop an attitude like DT had.

 

[rjp172]

Never saw a UConn player celebrate after a win?? I guess you missed many of DT's victories at TN or after winning the NC and popping out her jersey. Diggins has an attitude which I think translates confidence and to great play. UConn needs more players to cop an attitude like DT had.

Exactly. I can understand demonizing players when your team has lost. It's natural. It isn't confined to one player or one team. I wouldn't ignore that Diggins and every UConn player that have played together at any point like Hartley or Faris have nothing but good things to say about each other.

 

[HuskyNan]

Never saw a UConn player celebrate after a win?? I guess you missed many of DT's victories at TN or after winning the NC and popping out her jersey. Diggins has an attitude which I think translates confidence and to great play. UConn needs more players to cop an attitude like DT had.

I'd love a player with Diana's 'tude. I just wish I could find a pic of her with her "call me" gesture directed towards the Cameron Crazies.

 

[cardfan]

I'd love a player with Diana's 'tude. I just wish I could find a pic of her with her "call me" gesture directed towards the Cameron Crazies.

here you go Nan. Found it on Courant site.
http://www.courant.com/sports/hc-taurasicall0202,0,3235402.photo

 

[HuskyNan]

here you go Nan. Found it on Courant site.
http://www.courant.com/sports/hc-taurasicall0202,0,3235402.photo

Thanks!

 

[Fiftyish]

Thanks!

Thats what I'm talkin about!! She had (has) attitude. I loved every minute of it.

 

[triaddukefan]

here you go Nan. Found it on Courant site.
http://www.courant.com/sports/hc-taurasicall0202,0,3235402.photo

Gee Thanks

 

[vtcwbuff]

With only three players for UConn doing any kind of scoring, ND was able to collapse on the UConn post players. It was like Christmas for ND when Kaleena went to the bench in foul trouble and Brianna or Carolyn subbed in for her.

What I am still trying to figure out is why Auriemma stuck with the hi/lo in hte first half with Stewart in the paint when it was so obvious that she wasn't getting it done. Dolson is an experienced quality post, a banger and a widebody. Yet she played the majority of the 1st half at the top of the key. I know Dolson is also a good passer but it doesn't dso much good if the receiver fumbles or misses the shot or gets pushed out of the way.

If you look at the box score it looks like lousy (outside) shooting was their downfall but I think the real blame lies with Auriemma's unwillingness to put Dolson in the paint.

 

[wbfree]

It seems that, more than once against Notre Dame in the last three years, we had a chance to put it away in the last five minutes or minute or 10 seconds and didn't.

I don't get it. Two insanely evenly matched teams but one comes ahead 5 out of 6 times?

So I put the question posed in the thread to those more in the know than I am.

Caroline Doty is 2 for 17 against ND the last two years.

 

[cardfan]

What I am still trying to figure out is why Auriemma stuck with the hi/lo in hte first half with Stewart in the paint when it was so obvious that she wasn't getting it done. Dolson is an experienced quality post, a banger and a widebody. Yet she played the majority of the 1st half at the top of the key. I know Dolson is also a good passer but it doesn't dso much good if the receiver fumbles or misses the shot or gets pushed out of the way.

If you look at the box score it looks like lousy (outside) shooting was their downfall but I think the real blame lies with Auriemma's unwillingness to put Dolson in the paint.

I had similar thought (not about blaming Geno per se, but thought Dolson could do more damage in paint). But guards needed to get her the ball vs. shooting as many 3s. Just my opinion. Still a great game, a very winnable game even with injured players, foul trouble and missed opportunities.

 

[UConnCat]

What I am still trying to figure out is why Auriemma stuck with the hi/lo in hte first half with Stewart in the paint when it was so obvious that she wasn't getting it done. Dolson is an experienced quality post, a banger and a widebody. Yet she played the majority of the 1st half at the top of the key. I know Dolson is also a good passer but it doesn't dso much good if the receiver fumbles or misses the shot or gets pushed out of the way.

If you look at the box score it looks like lousy (outside) shooting was their downfall but I think the real blame lies with Auriemma's unwillingness to put Dolson in the paint.

Actually Dolson was trying to post up in the lane and it was tough to get her the ball because ND was sagging off other players and clogging the lane or she was open and the pass wasn't made. Pulling Dolson up to the high post opens up the low block for Stewart or opens the lane for others to cut to the basket. Stewart doesn't pass the ball, period. She's not a particularly good passer right now but it doesn't matter because she doesn't pass the ball. She shoots it. Thus, when the two are in the game and they're running the high/low, it has to be Dolson at the high post. It just wouldn't work otherwise. Plus, Stewart had a match-up she should have taken advantage of.