I know Memphis doesn't have near the talent level we have...

[thatguyed]

...but are they even coached?

They were clearly outclassed but they did seem to hustle for the most part. What shocked me was what seemed like complete indifference on defense. To the point where it seemed like they often had no clue. The many, many easy, uncontested shots we had would seem to confirm this. To me, that would fall quite heavily to coaching. Or lack thereof.

Thoughts?

 

[HoopsFan21]

...but are they even coached?

They were clearly outclassed but they did seem to hustle for the most part. What shocked me was what seemed like complete indifference on defense. To the point where it seemed like they often had no clue. The many, many easy, uncontested shots we had would seem to confirm this. To me, that would fall quite heavily to coaching. Or lack thereof.

Thoughts?

The team gave up. Plain and simple. This is the danger of playing in this conference. You start to get games where the other team knows they have no chance of winning and are dreading the obligatory trip to a place where there are feet of snow on the ground, it's 20 degrees and windy, and just want to get back down south as quickly as possible. No one complains when they have to go play USF or UCF, it's almost like a vacation even if you are still going to lose, but coming to Connecticut in the dead of winter to lose by 60? Who wants to do that?

 

[EricLA]

The team gave up. Plain and simple. This is the danger of playing in this conference. You start to get games where the other team knows they have no chance of winning and are dreading the obligatory trip to a place where there are feet of snow on the ground, it's 20 degrees and windy, and just want to get back down south as quickly as possible. No one complains when they have to go play USF or UCF, it's almost like a vacation even if you are still going to lose, but coming to Connecticut in the dead of winter to lose by 60? Who wants to do that?

Teams and coaches who aspire to be more than they currently are. Some are up for it, some are not.

Reminds me of an interview Geno a bit ago. It had to do with other coaches coming to him for advice on how to grow their programs and possibly come even a little bit close to duplicating what UCONN has done. Geno's response surprised me.

He basically said that many coaches have asked him about that, but some of them ONLY want his opinion if it meshes with theirs, and ultimately they really don't want to hear what Geno has to say because he tells them things they don't want to hear. Those are coaches who are stuck where they are and really won't be improving any time soon.

 

[JellyBean]

...but are they even coached?

They were clearly outclassed but they did seem to hustle for the most part. What shocked me was what seemed like complete indifference on defense. To the point where it seemed like they often had no clue. The many, many easy, uncontested shots we had would seem to confirm this. To me, that would fall quite heavily to coaching. Or lack thereof.

Thoughts?

You can't coach effort. Defense is all about effort, hard work, and desire. Memphis can play some defense. In the game against our Huskies, Memphis was just mentally beat from the jump! The coach, I am sure tried to rally the troops. But the players were mentally out of it.

 

[terif831]

I don't know how well she coaches, but I can tell you that every time there was a time out, she was in her players' faces, especially if it came just after UCONN had made a score that looked "too easy." Our seats were right across from the visitors' bench and it looked like the lack of effort on defense was just driving her crazy. Of course, it must be absolutely frustrating and overwhelming to face a level of competition miles above your own.....

 

[UcMiami]

Long season and a hopeless cause and nasty weather and ... didn't seem like lack of coaching, just a team that didn't want to fight through screens or give 100% effort against a team that was high for their seniors on senior night.

And a number of the upsets tonight could be a result of the same sort of issues. Lots of seniors taking care of business on their night.

 

[Geno-ista]

This post was right on! I kept saying to my posse all afternoon- that I've never seen a team lay down like I did Saturday. Not another game comes close in my mind. And I don't mean the score. It was total indifference and embarrassing.

 

[Oldbones]

Then there's Jose, who can barely see the game since he is almost always standing six inches behind one of the referees.

 

[Huskysouth]

Are you kidding, there is no difference between Memphis and the other teams in the league. If you took the top 50 high school senior players from each of the past four years not one of them is on the remaining teams in the league while UCONN is probably no worse than third in the nation. How can one talk level of effort by the opposition with such a discrepancy in talent.

 

[HoopsFan21]

Are you kidding, there is no difference between Memphis and the other teams in the league. If you took the top 50 high school senior players from each of the past four years not one of them is on the remaining teams in the league while UCONN is probably no worse than third in the nation. How can one talk level of effort by the opposition with such a discrepancy in talent.

For example, they did not even try to get back on defense. That's when I knew they had thrown in the towel.

 

[DobbsRover2]

Are you kidding, there is no difference between Memphis and the other teams in the league. If you took the top 50 high school senior players from each of the past four years not one of them is on the remaining teams in the league while UCONN is probably no worse than third in the nation. How can one talk level of effort by the opposition with such a discrepancy in talent.

Actually HoopGurlz does list one for the last four years, but just barely, as USF's Laura Ferreira in 2014 from Portugal did just make the cut for the top 50, and she's done okay for the Bulls this year in 25+ mpg. Bulls also had two other players in the top 100 in the 2011-14 classes, but this year there no player in the top 100 for the other AAC teams.

As to UConn's place with players on this year's teams, just going by HG-rated recruits in the top 10, on volume it's UTenn (6 players, #1, #3, #4, #5, #6, #10), Duke (5 players, #2, #3, #6, #9, #10), UConn (4 players, #1, #1, #2, #6), Rutgers (4 players, #6, #8, #9, #9, plus a #11), Notre Dame (3 players, #2, #4, #4). South Carolina has had two players at #1 and at #7, but Tiffany Mitchell was only a #46. Of course quality can trump quantity.