Why Saturday's Game Is So Important

[HuskyNan]

Yeah, I wish he'd stop telling his kids to miss shots and give up offensive rebounds.

Maybe he could stop pulling his starters in Q3, too

 

[CL82]

. I will tell you this. If she is healthy for the FF and in true form, we win it all.

 

[Dugway]

Hey all, here is update on Azzi's status for tomorrow, "The word is questionable. Probable, doubtful?” - Geno Auriemma

Well, now we all know

 

[Geew1992]

 

[Steelerone]

I think it's time for people to stop agonizing over Azzi. She has not been a vital piece on the floor for the past two years and we've survived without her. At this point perhaps it might be better served to concentrate on players who are able to go out onto the hardwood and contribute.

 

[Stagnant]

UConn needs this win for their ncaa tournament resume. If they want any chance to be a one seed that is.

Three losses with their best win against North Carolina probably won’t get it done.

 

[RSHERMVIKES]

It sounds like some people are BLAMING Azzi for her injuries!
She has been dealt a horrible hand and is working her butt off to come back and play healthy the rest of the season!
Azzi has so much talent and WBB has been robbed of watching that talent grow and mature!
I wish her only the best and let her have her moments of glory!
Lord knows she deserves it!

 

[drweo]

It is UConn's ONLY home game against a ranked opponent. Think about that. All the other big games are away or at neutral sites.

Iowa State is not ranked but that was not technically a home game anyhow. Louisville was in Brooklyn.

It is a sellout. The crowds at XL can be iffy though, unlike Gampel. The students are off so that isn't good.

The crowd that is there better show up big time. It is the one and only time this year that they need to make a difference. (That includes me.)

I think UConn will win but I would feel a lot better if Azzi was good to go. She did not participate in any of the pregame Iowa State warmups. As I recall she was doing so in a couple of games leading up to her return earlier this year. So I don't see it, unfortunately. Hope I'm wrong.

Wasn't Iowa State ranked in the Coaches' Poll when UConn played them? How does that shake out, when a team is in one but not both "top 25's"? How does that get evaluated for seeding etc??

 

[Jonathan14]

Wasn't Iowa State ranked in the Coaches' Poll when UConn played them? How does that shake out, when a team is in one but not both "top 25's"? How does that get evaluated for seeding etc??

You are correct, @drweo . Iowa State had fallen out of the AP Top 25 when we played them on Tuesday, but they were still #23 in the Coaches' Poll. I'm not sure how and which rankings are considered when the selection committee is determining strength of schedule for seeding.

 

[Plebe]

You are correct, @drweo . Iowa State had fallen out of the AP Top 25 when we played them on Tuesday, but they were still #23 in the Coaches' Poll. I'm not sure how and which rankings are considered when the selection committee is determining strength of schedule for seeding.

The polls (AP or coaches) are not considered by the committee. They use the NET rankings (at time of selection) to evaluate opponent quality and strength of schedule.

Iowa State is currently #57 in the NET.

 

[The deacon]

Ouch. Azzi is great talent on both ends of the court. It's just a matter of health. She has a great shot, good pull up J, can go left and right, moves without the ball classically and is a great defender. She is also a very smart player. She has averaged in double figures every year she has played and never had a really injury free season. I will tell you this. If she is healthy for the FF and in true form, we win it all.

She carried us in Ole Miss, especially in the end. She’s probably one of our best defenders in the three games she was back for. She’s faster, stronger. Can create a shot, drive, get open, cut, pass, handle, etc. I’d say that’s pretty high level basketball to me.

Only a short distance from Jerusalem, up the Mount of Olives, is small town housing the tomb of Lazarus. He is famous for being raised from the dead. I can personally verify that the man's tomb is empty.
For some reason, this story made me think of Azzi Fudd, surely not the stuff of bibles. Sometimes I feel it's going to take a miracle to see her whole again. And I think that the reason so many of us mention her as she goes through her latest injury is that we feel cheated not to see her in her natural environment. She is a very great baller, great shooter (obviously), excellent defender, precision passer, instant court vision, really nice young woman.
It bothers me a bit that some feel the need to raise doubts about her. What satisfaction does that bring? She is a victim of circumstances; she has worked hard and long to get her body right.
I definitely feel cheated by her absence, and very sad. This is, after all, her life, and time lost cannot be reclaimed.

Heck, fellow BYers, I'm with you all, a big fan of Azzi and hopeful she can contribute again for the Huskies. My point, which seems to have eluded some of you, is that some here have already made the Strong/Bueckers/Fudd triumvirate out to be something it isn't, at least yet. I don't doubt her potential.

I want to see Azzi succeed, especially because a healthy Azzi would make the Huskies likely as good as anyone (they might be already). But I just want to see her do it consistently, as Sarah and Paige do it, game in and game out, before I raise her to that level.

I'll be at the XL Center tomorrow and will cheer if Azzi sets foot on the court, and for anything she can bring to the UConn cause.
If not tomorrow, vs. Providence next week... whenever, Go, Huskies! Thanks for listening.

 

[Cuango]

She carried us in Ole Miss, especially in the end. She’s probably one of our best defenders in the three games she was back for. She’s faster, stronger. Can create a shot, drive, get open, cut, pass, handle, etc. I’d say that’s pretty high level basketball to me.

There is simply no question that Azzi is a very good player! It is difficult to say just how good she really is because we have been unable (due to multiple injuries) to see any extended healthy play from her! However, I feel confident that if she can stay healthy she is easily our third best player and will likely be in the All American conversation. I’m guessing HM or third team, perhaps even second team!

 

[hart2hart]

Can’t wait til this game tonight. My guess is Geno switches the ladies on Watkins. Get her tired, face guard her and let’s Play! I’ll be there in my white! Anyone else?

 

[packwrap]

Only a short distance from Jerusalem, up the Mount of Olives, is small town housing the tomb of Lazarus. He is famous for being raised from the dead. I can personally verify that the man's tomb is empty.
For some reason, this story made me think of Azzi Fudd,

If she does put together a streak of healthy games, can we call her Lazzi?

 

[browns]

Will Sarah get to guard Juju in this game? Her size and strength would be difficult for Juju to overpower which is her game. To me I like Sarah's game better than Juju's at this point and I think games like this are where stars are really revealed.

As far as scoring goes I loved the shooting last game from distance but I am still not convinced UConn is a consistently good 3pt shooting team, at least not the current starters. On the other hand I think UConn will bring the hammer this weekend to USC and it will be the coming out party for Jana on the inside. Geno has had this thing lately where he lets teams get back in games, I hope in this one it is pedal to the metal all game long.

If Sara guards JuJu who guards Iriafen ? Jana/ice are going to have to guard Marshall

 

[VAUConnFan]

It is important psychologically because TCU beat USC and South Carolina destroyed TCU in Fort Worth. UConn gets its own shot at South Carolina down the line; which would become a must win regular season game if they do not prevail today.

 

[BBallF]

If she does put together a streak of healthy games, can we call her Lazzi?

That’s actually very witty.

 

[MooseJaw]

I think it's time for people to stop agonizing over Azzi. She has not been a vital piece on the floor for the past two years and we've survived without her. At this point perhaps it might be better served to concentrate on players who are able to go out onto the hardwood and contribute.

I'm with you. Hope all our walking wounded make it back to active status, while it's not in our nature to ignore our rehabbing players, time is ripe to move most of our attention to available players.

 

[Cuango]

I think it's time for people to stop agonizing over Azzi. She has not been a vital piece on the floor for the past two years and we've survived without her. At this point perhaps it might be better served to concentrate on players who are able to go out onto the hardwood and contribute.

I think you’ve misread the room. People aren’t “agonizing” over her, they simply are hoping she can finally be healthy for more than a few games here and there. Furthermore, many, most, I would say, are hoping this not merely for the anticipated effect on the team but simply because we feel empathy for this poor girl, who possesses all this God given talent but who has been injured for most of her UConn career! We just want her to be able to play the game she loves with her friend who will be leaving at the end of this season! Sure, we also hope she will help our team win but I believe most of us simply want her to finally get a break!

 

[HuskyNan]

It is important psychologically because TCU beat USC and South Carolina destroyed TCU in Fort Worth. UConn gets its own shot at South Carolina down the line; which would become a must win regular season game if they do not prevail today.

Why a must win?

 

[Goodgood]

It would be very interesting to see how WNBA teams evaluate her. On the one hand, there is no question that she is a great talent, on the other hand, they have hardly seen her play healthy again top competitions. She would certainly be in the top 3 if she can stay healthy for the remaining of the season.

 

[Bone Dog]

She would certainly be in the top 3 if she can stay healthy for the remaining of the season.

Even I would temper this optimism. Nothing is certain. But I certainly think a healthy season could unleash the Azzi who spanked Texas, NC St and Iowa in quick succession two years ago. That Azzi would have a shot at AA and Paige would finally have her shot at an NC.

Please, please let this happen.

 

[BBallF]

Why a must win?

It isn't. I believe the perspective is that one of those two wins would be necessary for a top seed. Too much basketball ahead yet to be thinking that way. Geno is focusing right now on the different pieces that will fit to form his team and on individual development. Then he will ratchet down for March.

 

[VAUConnFan]

Why a must win?

Tournament seeding. If UConn loses to USC, their path to a Number 1 seed rests on beating a very formidable South Carolina squad.

 

[Dugway]

I'm sure there are many points of view on this, and maybe some think it is just another game without transcendent importance, but I don't. Here are my reasons why:

1) It is considered a home game for us and the results will be important come March because USC will be right up there in consideration for a #1 seed. We want to have an edge over them.

2) Paige v. JuJu- A rematch of last year's Elite 8 game and two of the very best players in the country, both of whom have name recognition. It will be viewed by many fans, casual or otherwise, and the curious.

3) Basketball is a game of nemeses. Russell-Wilt, Bird-Magic, and now Clark-Reese. This could be the continuation of a new one that can last a decade. It should be a great show but also can demonstrate just how great both players are in a sport which has burst onto the national consciousness.

4) For our team, there are so many areas of importance. First, the post game against the other pre-season All-American on USC. Second, the Ash phenomenon becoming consistent. Third, Paige taking charge. Fourth, Sarah being Sarah at this level and several other areas.

This could be a watershed moment for the sport, a regular season game people want to watch because of the teams and players. Don't kid yourself, it's a major big deal.

Regarding your:

1) Now that they have beat us, particularly given that they traveled clear across the country to our home, you would expect the Trojans to be more favorably placed in the bracket. However, they still have Conference play and likely to lose some. We still have Tenn and So Car both on the road. Lots of games before now and the tournament to determine seeding but this one sure would have helped!

2) Yes, big viewership and fanfare. And I could hardly stand listening to the announcers blathering!

3) Back to #2, Watkins vs Bueckers, “Hurrah for our TV ratings, blah, blah, blah” … thanks Fox, but basketball is a team game.

4) So, about those other players, and the ‘Team Game’, as it turns out the USC team was better than ours, at least last night. It was close in the end, but overall we were not the best team. And had it been our team flying in Los Angeles, I don’t know that we would have even been in the ballpark of their score.

In conclusion with your conclusion, I agree, this was a showcase game and we got beat. This was one of our three hallmark games on the roster. Or at least one of the three that when the schedule came out I saw to be the most challenging and also the most eyeballs!

Notre Dame on the road, So Car on the road, and USC at home. When I saw that I thought, would it ever be great to win all three of those games! Without a doubt we would be the Number 1! In the pit of my stomach, I thought we would win one of the three…. well, we are down to the Gamecocks on the road.

With nothing else but Tenn and So Car to showcase between now and then, when it comes to the Bracket, we are probably looking at a #2 seed in what will likely be a tough regional.