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Just got home from the game (a very long drive); 15 rows up behind the Huskies' bench: great view. Very tired, but wanted to post after reading the other thread.
We certainly didn't play great. Uncharacteristically allowed some cheap baskets; far too many bad passes, some lazy and intercepted, some just tipped, disrupting timing. We looked tight at times. Geno definitely looked stressed before the game, and coached heavily during times out. He was massively relieved when it was over. TX guard play was impressive, but I don't think it was tough underneath, even though Stewie spent some time on the floor. To me, this was simply a case of two teams going in different directions emotionally: after getting hammered last year, TX had nothing to lose this year and everything to win by playing tough (which they did until the very end). UConn just worried that it had played its best half of basketball (maybe ever) and didn't know what would happen if it didn't do it again. Although UConn seemed to have the game in hand some time in the 2nd quarter, they could never get true separation. The pressure may increase over the weekend as UConn chases history; or they may relax because they've made it this far.
2 incredibly scary moments. Lou fell, and for a moment I (and those I sat with) was sure she had broken her left wrist. Soon afterward, Mo took that tumble out of bounds, and I turned to my wife and said: she's sprained her ankle; the season's over for us. Reminds us how much a near thing this is (remember 2001?).
Great, great crowd. We all got teary knowing we were seeing at least two of the big 3 for the last time in person. Word was that people outside were offering up to $300/ticket. Texas didn't have a lot of fans there, but they were great, and their band and cheerleaders were amazing. I had forgot how fabulous band/cheerleaders are at big time football schools. If UConn ever wants to get into a Power 5 conference, it needs to do more in this area (as great as UConn's band and cheerleaders are now--just kidding about all this, by the way).
Heading off to bed, but I think arguments about relative statistics and even whether we should fear OSU more than the now defunct Baylor are nice ways for us to relieve our own anxiety. But really, we are in unchartered waters here as we chase history, and no one can predict with any confidence what the psychology of the moment will mean...until around 10:00 Tuesday night.
We certainly didn't play great. Uncharacteristically allowed some cheap baskets; far too many bad passes, some lazy and intercepted, some just tipped, disrupting timing. We looked tight at times. Geno definitely looked stressed before the game, and coached heavily during times out. He was massively relieved when it was over. TX guard play was impressive, but I don't think it was tough underneath, even though Stewie spent some time on the floor. To me, this was simply a case of two teams going in different directions emotionally: after getting hammered last year, TX had nothing to lose this year and everything to win by playing tough (which they did until the very end). UConn just worried that it had played its best half of basketball (maybe ever) and didn't know what would happen if it didn't do it again. Although UConn seemed to have the game in hand some time in the 2nd quarter, they could never get true separation. The pressure may increase over the weekend as UConn chases history; or they may relax because they've made it this far.
2 incredibly scary moments. Lou fell, and for a moment I (and those I sat with) was sure she had broken her left wrist. Soon afterward, Mo took that tumble out of bounds, and I turned to my wife and said: she's sprained her ankle; the season's over for us. Reminds us how much a near thing this is (remember 2001?).
Great, great crowd. We all got teary knowing we were seeing at least two of the big 3 for the last time in person. Word was that people outside were offering up to $300/ticket. Texas didn't have a lot of fans there, but they were great, and their band and cheerleaders were amazing. I had forgot how fabulous band/cheerleaders are at big time football schools. If UConn ever wants to get into a Power 5 conference, it needs to do more in this area (as great as UConn's band and cheerleaders are now--just kidding about all this, by the way).
Heading off to bed, but I think arguments about relative statistics and even whether we should fear OSU more than the now defunct Baylor are nice ways for us to relieve our own anxiety. But really, we are in unchartered waters here as we chase history, and no one can predict with any confidence what the psychology of the moment will mean...until around 10:00 Tuesday night.