Winning Ugly

[Tonyc]

You know with all the injuries and Covid and UConn still finds a way to win and win ugly. This squad does not play the UConn BB that we are accustomed to seeing. The reason is simple. We have not had the same starting lineup out there all season and have been missing key players all season. We've heard it all. No energy, alot of standing around, turnovers, not enough scorers etc etc. The problem comes down to not having the same players on the floor for consecutive games to learn how to play in the game together as a team. You cant build on team chemistry until you play together for a few games. UConn hasnt had that this season and just when we get Nika Azzi and Christyn back Dorka is now out. Griff and Paige are still out. Its almost amazin we have only 4 losses. Many teams with pretty much their full roster have that many losses. What else can go wrong? That phase we have been repeating all season. Now we wait for Dorka and Paige to get back and hope things will change. Lets face it she was everything last season. Now we have Caroline and Azzi to play along side her.

We're all disappointed with the play and so is Geno and you can see it on his face and hear it in his interviews. Im sure the team is disappointed too Those of you who have played sports know it takes time to build team chemistry. In BB it all starts with a good point guard. We've lost alot of key players this season and still managed to win Ugly. We didnt look good last nite against Providence. Providence did look good against us and we still maintained a double digit lead most of the game. Yeah Providence isnt ranked but either was Missouri when they beat SC without their top player. Either was Auburn and they beat Tenn. Stuff happens.

Last nite Evina shot the ball better, Edwards looked more confident and played well and Christyn looked really good for the third game in a row and she played with energy. Again we had 4 players in double figures and we shot over 50% Christyn is taking on the status much like Caroline has and thats encouraging. So there is improvement and we're learning to play without Paige which IMO is huge going into the NCAA's with Paige or without her. Without her we may still struggle. With her we are right up there with SC and Stanford.

You know what? We dont look like we're playing together as a team and thats because of all the continued injuries and players in the lineup and out of the lineup. It is very difficult to put a team together that can play together when you dont know who is playing, game after game. Christyn has stepped up big time. Caroline has stepped up big time. Azzi is showing signs of being a star. We have to get them the ball in position to score because they are our scorers.

We have a tuff game with Creighton at home followed up with Butler and a tuff Tenn team all home games The familiarity of being home with a home crowd should help motivate the Huskies. Hey things are going to get better. Right now we are stumbling forward almost like we're not sure whats gonna happen next and we're finding a way to win. Thats the way it is for now until everybody gets back and even then it will take some games to gain chemistry. We've got the pieces to the puzzle to win it all however we are missing some of those the pieces right now and thats why we cant finish the puzzle.

 

[ritter]

I don’t mind an ugly win. I don’t like getting out hustled by any team. Good or bad.

 

[hoopsfan22]

The Creighton game is at Creighton. The Friday night Butler game is home.

 

[Huskie02]

You know with all the injuries and Covid and UConn still finds a way to win and win ugly. This squad does not play the UConn BB that we are accustomed to seeing. The reason is simple. We have not had the same starting lineup out there all season and have been missing key players all season. We've heard it all. No energy, alot of standing around, turnovers, not enough scorers etc etc. The problem comes down to not having the same players on the floor for consecutive games to learn how to play in the game together as a team. You cant build on team chemistry until you play together for a few games. UConn hasnt had that this season and just when we get Nika Azzi and Christyn back Dorka is now out. Griff and Paige are still out. Its almost amazin we have only 4 losses. Many teams with pretty much their full roster have that many losses. What else can go wrong? That phase we have been repeating all season. Now we wait for Dorka and Paige to get back and hope things will change. Lets face it she was everything last season. Now we have Caroline and Azzi to play along side her.

We're all disappointed with the play and so is Geno and you can see it on his face and hear it in his interviews. Im sure the team is disappointed too Those of you who have played sports know it takes time to build team chemistry. In BB it all starts with a good point guard. We've lost alot of key players this season and still managed to win Ugly. We didnt look good last nite against Providence. Providence did look good against us and we still maintained a double digit lead most of the game. Yeah Providence isnt ranked but either was Missouri when they beat SC without their top player. Either was Auburn and they beat Tenn. Stuff happens.

Last nite Evina shot the ball better, Edwards looked more confident and played well and Christyn looked really good for the third game in a row and she played with energy. Again we had 4 players in double figures and we shot over 50% Christyn is taking on the status much like Caroline has and thats encouraging. So there is improvement and we're learning to play without Paige which IMO is huge going into the NCAA's with Paige or without her. Without her we may still struggle. With her we are right up there with SC and Stanford.

You know what? We dont look like we're playing together as a team and thats because of all the continued injuries and players in the lineup and out of the lineup. It is very difficult to put a team together that can play together when you dont know who is playing, game after game. Christyn has stepped up big time. Caroline has stepped up big time. Azzi is showing signs of being a star. We have to get them the ball in position to score because they are our scorers.

We have a tuff game with Creighton at home followed up with Butler and a tuff Tenn team all home games The familiarity of being home with a home crowd should help motivate the Huskies. Hey things are going to get better. Right now we are stumbling forward almost like we're not sure whats gonna happen next and we're finding a way to win. Thats the way it is for now until everybody gets back and even then it will take some games to gain chemistry. We've got the pieces to the puzzle to win it all however we are missing some of those the pieces right now and thats why we cant finish the puzzle.

The quality of our current seniors is simply not as good as other teams in the top ten rankings. Liv and CW are good but not great even though both were highly rated coming out of high school. Both have had up and down seasons during their career. I think the problem started when we lost Boston to South Carolina. She would have been the difference maker for us and put us over the top.

 

[JellyBean]

Yeah it was an ugly win but I will take it. Great points about the constant adjusting lineups due to injuries or covid. Having to adjust to those changes does throw off the rhythm a lot. The way this year is playing out, who knows what can happen going forward. I just hope that we can keep getting better, get into the gym and put in some extra minutes or hours working on shooting, and stay healthy.

 

[visitingcock]

Outsiders view: There are no ugly wins.

Of course, I have never experienced sustained stompdowns by my team like UConn has had in the past. Indeed, we might be 20-1 with a gaudy list of teams we have beaten but very few were stompdowns and many could be considered "ugly." Indeed, two of our ugly wins had our opponents jumping out to huge first quarter leads.

A win is a win.

 

[Zarathustra]

UCONN , hopefully, will soon find it's "core" group of
starters and "rotation". The "mix and match" teams that
we have seen in recent games
are necessary based on the limits of our injury list, but
it does take time to get the chemistry clicking. If something
is not " in line" by the time Tennesses comes around, then
it needs to begin once Paige returns (hopefully). The timeline
necessary to make so many moving parts " jell" is
getting on the short side. Let's go Aaliyah!. Keep up
the excellent work : Christyn and ONO!, onward Evina!
and much confidence: to Nika, Azzi, and Caroline.

 

[TheFarmFan]

Outsiders view: There are no ugly wins.

Of course, I have never experienced sustained stompdowns by my team like UConn has had in the past. Indeed, we might be 20-1 with a gaudy list of teams we have beaten but very few were stompdowns and many could be considered "ugly." Indeed, two of our ugly wins had our opponents jumping out to huge first quarter leads.

A win is a win.

Literally was going to say the same. Winning ugly is still winning. UConn has been fortunate to have many seasons where it doesn't have to "win ugly," the way both Stanford and SCAR have had to do, but winning is still winning. This isn't figure skating or gymnastics, there are no style points. Just survive and advance.

 

[oldude]

Outsiders view: There are no ugly wins.

Of course, I have never experienced sustained stompdowns by my team like UConn has had in the past. Indeed, we might be 20-1 with a gaudy list of teams we have beaten but very few were stompdowns and many could be considered "ugly." Indeed, two of our ugly wins had our opponents jumping out to huge first quarter leads.

A win is a win.

Always appreciate your input. Perhaps you can explain to some here on the BY that it’s OK to shoot 35% with 21 turnovers against an unranked team, so long as you earn the “W”, as the Gamecocks did yesterday. UConn WBB fans are unique in our obsession with “style” points.

 

[TheFarmFan]

Always appreciate your input. Perhaps you can explain to some here on the BY that it’s OK to shoot 35% with 21 turnovers against an unranked team, so long as you earn the “W”, as the Gamecocks did yesterday. UConn WBB fans are unique in our obsession with “style” points.

UConn has so often won with style that it's disconcerting to see disconnected, and yet somehow effective, ball play. Trust me, I've gotten so used to it with Stanford over the years. Recently our motion Princeton has come closer to UConn style offense, but many of our wins are definitely pretty ugly...

 

[hoopsfan22]

It's hard to go from the Stewie years to what we have now. I know one of the often cited reasons is parity, but it's more of a regression to the mean by UConn and not so much the rest of the pack catching up.

 

[oldude]

UConn has so often won with style that it's disconcerting to see disconnected, and yet somehow effective, ball play. Trust me, I've gotten so used to it with Stanford over the years. Recently our motion Princeton has come closer to UConn style offense, but many of our wins are definitely pretty ugly...

Noted that the Cardinal turned it over 18 times against AZ last night. Despite that ugly statistic, I suspect that Stanford fans are very happy with the result of the game.

 

[Carnac]

The quality of our current seniors is simply not as good as other teams in the top ten rankings. Liv and CW are good but not great even though both were highly rated coming out of high school. Both have had up and down seasons during their career. I think the problem started when we lost Boston to South Carolina. She would have been the difference maker for us and put us over the top.

It is not my intention to throw shade at Liv, Evina or Christyn. They are doing the very best they can. We must recognize that there are other seniors on other elite top ten teams that are good and consistently play at a high level.

Going back to their sophomore year to date, we didn’t/don’t know from game to game if they are going to show up or not. There were games where they showed up and stood out like beacons in the night. Then there were big games that they completely disappeared. This was not an issue with UConn teams of yesteryear. Consistency was the order of the day. We knew what to expect, and what we were going to get fr our starters and reserves.

I’m not one to lament over spilled milk, but I was shocked and very disappointed when Boston revealed her intentions to attend SC. She would have given us stability and productivity at the post for 4 years. I was saddened and disappointed to see Liv pick up a foul yesterday using the fly swat technique. A technique she should have abandoned 3 years ago. Aneesah Morrow (at 6-1) showed us what’s possible by her performance during our game, and during this season to date.

UConn is a different team when ONO is on the bench. When she’s on the floor we have a chance. We are substantially hampered defensively when she’s not. There’s no one to adequately sub in for her. DeBerry and Gabriel are not ready, and Dorka nor Edwards are post players.

 

[Carnac]

Noted that the Cardinal turned it over 18 times against AZ last night. Despite that ugly statistic, I suspect that Stanford fans are very happy with the result of the game.

It also sets the tone for the future matchups during their conference tournament and possibly in the NCAA tournament.

 

[MSSportsGuy]

I posted in 2016 I hoped the Huskies appreciated what was happening with their team as the unbeaten four peat would be incredibly difficult to achieve again. I think most appreciated the statement and agreed.

When I wrote that I didn't know the Huskies would go five year without a title of course and suffer four F4 losses, two of which could honestly have gone either way had the ball bounced differently. I too predicted this team, before the injury bug, would look more like the 2016 team due to the talent and depth.

The Huskies are still winning and treading water a bit but they are still in a position most programs want to be in. For whatever reason the chemistry does appear to have been off with this team slightly but they have as much talent as anyone when everything is clicking.

The season isn't over until it's over and while this team is far from perfect like the 2016 edition, it's still the envy of most programs. I'm sure MSU and ND, who ended 3 of those 4 seasons in the F4 would love to be in the position of the Huskies right now. You have the best coach, great fans, wonderful players, and a supportive community. The season is far from over and it's better to play your best games in March rather than January.

 

[TCC Kid]

Always appreciate your input. Perhaps you can explain to some here on the BY that it’s OK to shoot 35% with 21 turnovers against an unranked team, so long as you earn the “W”, as the Gamecocks did yesterday. UConn WBB fans are unique in our obsession with “style” points.

Style point? Probably! When playing the 14th team out of 12 in the conference with the most highly recruited players, the GREATEST coach in WCBB in two centuries. Number 1's to number 10's in all positions. Do you really believe the expectations of Uconn fans are truly out of line. Especially since Geno began we saw smooth accurate passing, layups that actually went in, rarely was a Uconn team defended to the point of only having an 8 point lead against a Providence team.
The question is: Are all the BE/WCBB teams that much better today than in 2016 to have a nomally bottom team come within 8 point of winning? That's not STYLE, it is my impression the inability to handle double teams/pressure. No top team can make the elite 8 without handling pressure. Just a view from the bottom.
I'm a Uconn fan. win lose but we hold some truths to be self evident.

 

[LoboDays]

You know what? We dont look like we're playing together as a team and thats because of all the continued injuries and players in the lineup and out of the lineup. It is very difficult to put a team together that can play together when you dont know who is playing, game after game

I remember at the beginning of the season when the team really wasn’t playing that well —-the mantra here was “inexperience”. Even though we put a team on the floor that had more experience than any of our opponents. As the year progressed, and the quality of play still wasn’t what we expect from a UCONN team, the excuses du jour kept piling up. Rust, exhaustion, confusion, bad hair day, yada yada yada.

So, now after struggling with a bad team in a bad conference, we come up with “continuity”…… The players aren’t used to playing with each other. Creative but not valid. The 7 players who made it on to the floor last night play and practice with each other every day. Injuries didn’t force any of them to play a position that they haven’t played for their entire careers. They knew the plays. They knew what to do. So, Why the poor play?

Because, There is just one word needed to describe why we have seen the inferior level of play this season…….EXECUTION. This is a team that puts more talent on the floor - even without Paige - than any opponent they have played this season (Paige played in the SC game). They simply are not executing like they should be. All the other excuses are irrelevant. The talent is there so the potential is there and there is plenty of time to fix things before the Tourney. They just need to do it. No excuses.

 

[HuskyNan]

It’s pretty sad when fans of other programs have to come here to reassure UConn fans we still have a good team.

 

[mbr33ct]

I take back everything I ever said about the SEC and their ugly games.

 

[visitingcock]

I take back everything I ever said about the SEC and their ugly games.

A win is a win. Ever heard of an attractive loss?

 

[LwrcasefaN]

A win is a win. Ever heard of an attractive loss?

lol

 

[LwrcasefaN]

Tough crowd! I think of it like this...the other team is celebrating a moral victory, but, I'm in better spirits celebrating the "ugly" win.

 

[Performance]

A win is a win. Ever heard of an attractive loss?

Awesome!!

 

[GoUconn7961]

We won. It doesn't have to be pretty, fluid, or what we're used to. Every team is different. Every lineup is different. The past two years have been an anomaly for all teams, and all of sports. Let's move past the past. We get bored by blowouts and then fret when they don't happen. Make up your minds.

I agree that every team needs to go after loose balls and play w/energy. I'm not disputing that.

But - I'll take an ugly win even if it is by only one point.

 

[visitingcock]

Tough crowd! I think of it like this...the other team is celebrating a moral victory, but, I'm in better spirits celebrating the "ugly" win.

Going off topic a bit, I can't stand the term "moral victory." It should be "morale victory."

As evil as Tennessee may be be, no considerations of morality are involved in winning or losing against them. However, a quad 2 team can get a boost to their morale by staying with a powerhouse program the whole game - or taking them to overtime - but losing.

Yeah, I can be a bit strange