DePaul Game Thread

[Sluconn Husky]

The problem with the k etching in game threads is there little if any effort to gain insight into the whys and potential counter responses. Without that it is simply angst driven whining and not very enjoyable.

Pretty much every game thread for every sport, college or pro. When things are going well the posts reinforce it, when they aren't, or are at least not reaching expectations, well....

 

[Icebear]

Not necessarily, they weren't here for a long time.

 

[CocoHusky]

Can I just say how much I enjoyed that game last night. Stewie, Moriah and Morgan are at their best when they are challenged, I just hope that this was not the last challenge of this season.

 

[Papa33]

. . .

Of more concern was experienced players like Moriah and Nurse crossing the mid court line at the corners into trapping schemes. They needed to push farther into the forecourt and other players needed to move to spaces. The problem with the k etching in game threads is there little if any effort to gain insight into the whys and potential counter responses. Without that it is simply angst driven whining and not very enjoyable.

Spot on, Icebear. I was surprised that Kia and Moriah kept dribbling into the corner traps, especially Moriah, who usually has a fine sense of timing about drawing defenders to her and then finding the open teammate. Rare for her not to adjust quickly. That corner trap is such an oft-deployed defensive strategy that our guards' lack of recognition was very atypical. When they did anticipate it and passed quickly before it applied pressure, we had our best offensive sequences, especially in the third quarter. As others have noted, this game will provide plenty of coaching points, and that corner trap will probably be #1 on Geno's list.

 

[Nuyoika]

Can I just say how much I enjoyed that game last night. Stewie, Moriah and Morgan are at their best when they are challenged, I just hope that this was not the last challenge of this season.

Likewise. This is they type of game WCBB fans want to see. Teams that run, can shoot, play with a bit of fire. Great coaching. I was standing pretty much the whole game. That's what fans of the sport are looking for.

 

[Nuyoika]

Did anyone else happen to notice that most of the fouls that we got going our way were coming after our 3+ attempt at the same shot under the basket, when the same amount of contact was applied on the 1st and second attempt? I thought that a bit strange. I also noticed that refs are not calling contact or reaching in when you go straight down the lane. I've watched about 7 games this year some UConn some other teams and it's pretty much the same across the board. Does anyone know why this is? Could it be the way the refs are positioned or is it a different interpretation of the rule this year? On the other hand DePaul got fouls going to the basket but they were coming from the wing. I was really surprised at how physical they were. DePaul has always been a scrappy team, a running team, a team that likes to shoot the 3 but never thought of them as being really physical. However, when you have an endless amount of players you can throw out there I suppose you have the luxury of being more physical.

 

[Suebird10fan]

Can I just say how much I enjoyed that game last night. Stewie, Moriah and Morgan are at their best when they are challenged, I just hope that this was not the last challenge of this season.

Agree 1,000%.

Think about it. TBS may be the G.O.A.T. (I question the "may" part after last night but that's a different post.) We had the rare treat of seeing UConn in a tight game where she had to put the team on her shoulders and show off every facet of her game when it actually mattered. What an treat!

 

[PalPa]

The pace of the game coming at the end of a road trip must have drained a lot of energy from the team. I guess today is another travel day and tomorrow they will be practicIng for ND on Sat. I know they are young and well conditioned but I am still concerned that they have enough left in the tank to go the full 40

 

[MilfordHusky]

Can I just say how much I enjoyed that game last night. Stewie, Moriah and Morgan are at their best when they are challenged, I just hope that this was not the last challenge of this season.

I'd be perfectly happy if there are no more challenges for the rest of the regular season and post-season.

 

[UcMiami]

Spot on, Icebear. I was surprised that Kia and Moriah kept dribbling into the corner traps, especially Moriah, who usually has a fine sense of timing about drawing defenders to her and then finding the open teammate. Rare for her not to adjust quickly. That corner trap is such an oft-deployed defensive strategy that our guards' lack of recognition was very atypical. When they did anticipate it and passed quickly before it applied pressure, we had our best offensive sequences, especially in the third quarter. As others have noted, this game will provide plenty of coaching points, and that corner trap will probably be #1 on Geno's list.

The only time I remember Moriah actually getting trapped, was when she retrieved a deflected pass from Stewart (who also raced for it and added to the congestion on the sideline) - that was the one that ended with the backcourt violation. Moriah only had two other turnovers, an early offensive foul in the lane on a drive where the defender guessed right, and a poke away on another drive around the free throw line. Otherwise she did a very good job of not getting trapped and using her speed to get the ball over half court. I thought the biggest offenders in terms of trapping in the first half were the players that caught the ball at the top of the key - they kept looking for a low post pass as the trap arrived, rather than keeping the ball moving to the obviously open players on the wings. (And Stewart seemed to specialize in hitting players heels with her dribbles - did it three or four times!)

 

[UcMiami]

-They were 'bad' shots that, lucky for them, went in. Fortunately, just like vs. Dayton, the 2nd half was different.

Posted elsewhere - if they are swishing them and they were, they are not 'bad shots'. Of the shots they took 3 plus feet from the line, I think they made pretty much every one and not rattling them off backboard and rim, but sweetly through the net.

 

[HoopsFan21]

Posted elsewhere - if they are swishing them and they were, they are not 'bad shots'. Of the shots they took 3 plus feet from the line, I think they made pretty much every one and not rattling them off backboard and rim, but sweetly through the net.

All I could think of when that was happening last night was this must be what it feels like to face KML.

 

[Huskies Rule]

Posted elsewhere - if they are swishing them and they were, they are not 'bad shots'. Of the shots they took 3 plus feet from the line, I think they made pretty much every one and not rattling them off backboard and rim, but sweetly through the net.

C'mon, UcM. DePaul's best scoring three-point shooters yesterday were January (4-6), Jenkins (3-6) and Schulte (2-4). In DePaul's first 6 games prior to the UConn contest, January was a frightening 4-21 from three (19%), Jenkins was 8-26 (30%), while Schulte was the 'sharp-shooter' of the group, going 5-15 for 33%.

In light of these pretty lousy 3-point stats, I'd wager that even newly hired DePaul head coach UcMiami would NEVER game-plan by telling January, Jenkins and Schulte that throwing up 25 footers would be 'good' shots to take.

They were 'bad' shots that just happened to go in. Just because a shot goes in hardly makes it a good one, whether it swishes or clanks on the rim 4 times and drops in. To their credit, those DePaul kids played their eyeballs out, but their extra long range shot selection was insane but lucky as all hell. That freakish shooting success (along with Bruno's masterful hockey line substitutions) did keep it a game.

 

[ed4ourgirls]

I think this game gave us an indication of how much we're going to miss Stewie next year.

 

[UcMiami]

C'mon, UcM. DePaul's best scoring three-point shooters yesterday were January (4-6), Jenkins (3-6) and Schulte (2-4). In DePaul's first 6 games prior to the UConn contest, January was a frightening 4-21 from three (19%), Jenkins was 8-26 (30%), while Schulte was the 'sharp-shooter' of the group, going 5-15 for 33%.

In light of these pretty lousy 3-point stats, I'd wager that even newly hired DePaul head coach UcMiami would NEVER game-plan by telling January, Jenkins and Schulte that throwing up 25 footers would be 'good' shots to take.

They were 'bad' shots that just happened to go in. Just because a shot goes in hardly makes it a good one, whether it swishes or clanks on the rim 4 times and drops in. To their credit, those DePaul kids played their eyeballs out, but their extra long range shot selection was insane but lucky as all hell. That freakish shooting success (along with Bruno's masterful hockey line substitutions) did keep it a game.

Did not see outgoing Depaul coaching legend Bruno screaming 'no, don't shoot' at anyone last night!!! When they are falling, like they were last night, you just go with the flow, and keep shooting. When the force is with you ... In fact based on stats, it seemed that Depaul as a team shot better the further from the basket they launched - they shot 13-34 or 38% from two and 13-29 from three (45%.) And I bet if you tracked the actual threes they shot, those within a foot of the arc would have been about 40% and those launched from 3+ feet back would have been 50% or better - go figure, it is an amazing game, basketball!

 

[easttexastrash]

Posted elsewhere - if they are swishing them and they were, they are not 'bad shots'. Of the shots they took 3 plus feet from the line, I think they made pretty much every one and not rattling them off backboard and rim, but sweetly through the net.

Come on. It must have been luck. It surely wasn't talent!

DePaul did shoot a much better % than usual.

 

[UcMiami]

Come on. It must have been luck. It surely wasn't talent!

DePaul did shoot a much better % than usual.

Well it is early in the year and as an example ... last year in game one Uconn shot 64.3 % against UC Davis, then traveled up the road to Stanford and shot 36.7%. For the year they settled in at .406 but I don't think anyone reacted to the UC Davis game by saying Uconn going 18-28 and KML going 10-13 was luck!
[Maybe this gets to the old adage 'When you (your team) does something good it is skill, when the someone else (another team) does something good it is luck!]

 

[CocoHusky]

They were 'bad' shots that just happened to go in. Just because a shot goes in hardly makes it a good one, whether it swishes or clanks on the rim 4 times and drops in.

If a shot goes in repeatedly how can it be called a bad shot? DePaul has been shooting those same three for 5 years now-Brittany Hrynko was named big east player in 2015 of the year based on that shot.

 

[HuskyNan]

If a shot goes in repeatedly how can it be called a bad shot? DePaul has been shooting those same three for 5 years now-Brittany Hrynko was named big east player in 2015 of the year based on that shot.

Gotta disagree a bit, Coco. Hrynko is a gamer. She willed her team to a lot of victories even when she didn't score much. I really enjoyed watching her play.

 

[CocoHusky]

Gotta disagree a bit, Coco. Hrynko is a gamer. She willed her team to a lot of victories even when she didn't score much. I really enjoyed watching her play.

Not sure we are in disagreement. I have known and loved Brit since she was A High School Freshmen Leading her team to Philly Public League Championship. She is definitely a gamer.
I was disagreeing with the people who said the shots DePaul hit last night were bad shots by pointing out that Britt used to take and make those same shots.

 

[MilfordHusky]

I think this game gave us an indication of how much we're going to miss Stewie next year.

Or appreciate Lou.

 

[Icebear]

The only time I remember Moriah actually getting trapped, was when she retrieved a deflected pass from Stewart (who also raced for it and added to the congestion on the sideline) - that was the one that ended with the backcourt violation. Moriah only had two other turnovers, an early offensive foul in the lane on a drive where the defender guessed right, and a poke away on another drive around the free throw line. Otherwise she did a very good job of not getting trapped and using her speed to get the ball over half court. I thought the biggest offenders in terms of trapping in the first half were the players that caught the ball at the top of the key - they kept looking for a low post pass as the trap arrived, rather than keeping the ball moving to the obviously open players on the wings. (And Stewart seemed to specialize in hitting players heels with her dribbles - did it three or four times!)

Getting trapped and going into the trap are two different things. We repeatedly crossed into the fore court at those corners which is unnecessary risk. Others not named Moriah did not fair so well. I do wholeheartedly agree with you about the interior play.

 

[easttexastrash]

Well it is early in the year and as an example ... last year in game one Uconn shot 64.3 % against UC Davis, then traveled up the road to Stanford and shot 36.7%. For the year they settled in at .406 but I don't think anyone reacted to the UC Davis game by saying Uconn going 18-28 and KML going 10-13 was luck!
[Maybe this gets to the old adage 'When you (your team) does something good it is skill, when the someone else (another team) does something good it is luck!]

My comment about "luck" was completely tongue in cheek. Maybe we need a "tongue in check" emoticon.

Exclamation marks don't really help make a point. It just means that you're yelling, like using all caps.

 

[UcMiami]

Exclamation marks don't really help make a point. It just means that you're yelling, like using all caps.

Disagree about the exclamation mark vs. all caps - caps are definitely yelling, exclamation marks are emphasis, surprise, astonishment, excitement. In any case, I certainly wasn't yelling at you!