"IF its to be, its up to ME"

[Tonyc]

Well the next couple of weeks wil show us where we're at? Have we improved and can we depend on everybody to score? Will we be firing on all cylinders come tournament time. I personally feel if we can move the ball, like we did against Memphis we will be fine. We know what our downfall has been. Its been not executing against the top teams. Let me say this about the polls and rankings. We lost to the top 3 teams in the polls. We didnt execute in those games and we depended to much on CD. We all know that. Moving forward we need to see more from everybody else. That can only happen if we move and pass the ball. Standing around waiting for CD to create and score aint gonna do it. We've had a good season with only 3 losses but those losses werent the kind of losses we've had at UConn and frankly we didnt play well as a team.

At this point in the season we need to play like we are in this part of the season. We should be playing UConn BB. The attitude we need is "IF its to be, its up to ME" CD will always be there and weve been able to count on her. At this point in the season we need others to take charge and we can only do that by passing the damm ball and moving. Thats all Ive got to say. Tomorrows game should show us alot about where we are. Weve had a week to get ready and tweak our execution. Sunday we will see where we're at.

 

[BBallF]

Well the next couple of weeks wil show us where we're at? Have we improved and can we depend on everybody to score? Will we be firing on all cylinders come tournament time. I personally feel if we can move the ball, like we did against Memphis we will be fine. We know what our downfall has been. Its been not executing against the top teams. Let me say this about the polls and rankings. We lost to the top 3 teams in the polls. We didnt execute in those games and we depended to much on CD. We all know that. Moving forward we need to see more from everybody else. That can only happen if we move and pass the ball. Standing around waiting for CD to create and score aint gonna do it. We've had a good season with only 3 losses but those losses werent the kind of losses we've had at UConn and frankly we didnt play well as a team.

At this point in the season we need to play like we are in this part of the season. We should be playing UConn BB. The attitude we need is "IF its to be, its up to ME" CD will always be there and weve been able to count on her. At this point in the season we need others to take charge and we can only do that by passing the damm ball and moving. Thats all Ive got to say. Tomorrows game should show us alot about where we are. Weve had a week to get ready and tweak our execution. Sunday we will see where we're at.

We didn't execute against the 3 top teams, we were out hustled and out muscled and we were distracted in our shooting. You are absolutely right about ball movement but ball movement does nothing without player movement which has to dramatically pick up both in transition and more importantly in the half court sets. It is just as true against the zone as it is against man to man. One of my pet peeves with MW, who is my favorite player, is that whenever she sets a screen on the high post or foul line extended, she rarely rolls to the basket. When she does great things happen. CW has to be moving all the time, that is the key for her shot dropping. I expect them to come back strong because this is a team we are supposed to beat and hope that is the case. It has been a process so far this year, and I don't think we are done yet . They still do not have an identity as a team yet and badly need to find it soon. You are right that they all have to take responsibility. Now would be a good time for that.

 

[j66kicker]

IMO the next couple weeks will tell us nothing. We will rip through the rest of the pathetic AAC, as usual. Might as well be playing DII exhibition games. Ball movement, etc., will be great because we won't be the least bit challenged. If the other teams vying for the final #1 seed and first #2 seed lose a couple games to each other then maybe the committee will also get lulled into thinking we're as good as we look and award us a spot in Fort Wayne. Otherwise we have no meaningful games until the 2nd weekend of the NCAAs.

 

[tomcat]

I'm inclined to agree with j66, that the USF game will tell us nothing. This team plays well when it plays down. It plays poorly when it plays up. This makes it like the vast majority of sports teams everywhere, and it gives us a pretty good idea where it should stand in the rankings and tournament seedings.

There is no glory -- at least there should not be -- in beating up on a team that is a whole lot smaller that you are. This is why we longtime fans have always looked at games against outgunned opponents not as blowouts but as chances to watch the team play toward perfection. The 2019-20 iteration of UConn WCBB is so far from that point that all we can do is watch a potential blowout, or maybe less if UConn does not bring its A game. It's not as much fun, but at this point, a win is a win is a win. I'll be there, hoping for good things.

 

[Alydar]

UConn's margins of defeat were more due to shooting than anything. In a tight game it comes down to execution but UConn has dug themselves into holes early by not scoring enough and late by going cold. Elite teams are going to score even against good defenses. UConn plays pretty good defense. The problem is shooting. UConn's offensive execution has given them a lot of high percentage shots that are missed for long stretches, often missed badly. It's also plain that the only player who makes shots in a close game is Dangerfield. Is it just a coincidence that she is the only senior? And is it a coincidence that when they play a team they KNOW they are superior to, those same shots fall and the offense movement is quick and coordinated?
I have no basketball expertise but I know something about the mental side of sport and doubt is a killer in all sports. Four of UConn's 6 man rotation are underclassmen. For the most part they have no great wins to remember and several bad losses to reinforce their doubt in themselves and in each other. It would have been great if they could have won one of those 3 tough games this year. As it is they will get to the E8 (hopefully) without knowing they can beat an elite program. Most years it's their opponents who are in that situation.
It's frustrating to watch them work players open for good, high percentage shots and to see those shots miss especially after over 10 years of seeing them fall.

 

[ctkaiser]

I have no better explanation then what you've laid out here.

 

[Longtime fan]

IMO the next couple weeks will tell us nothing. We will rip through the rest of the pathetic AAC, as usual. Might as well be playing DII exhibition games. Ball movement, etc., will be great because we won't be the least bit challenged. If the other teams vying for the final #1 seed and first #2 seed lose a couple games to each other then maybe the committee will also get lulled into thinking we're as good as we look and award us a spot in Fort Wayne. Otherwise we have no meaningful games until the 2nd weekend of the NCAAs.

I have to agree. Of course UCONN will come out today and look like a well-oiled machine. And we will do the same through the AAC tournament. This is one of the top 10 teams in the nation, without a doubt.

But I think a lot of people want to ignore the fact that those three teams we lost to are really good. They, in large part, prevented the "movement " which the team displayed in the recent, 40 point win over Memphis.
Those top teams are well-coached and fully understand how to defend UCONN. They also have great athletes and are deep, so the pressure on UCONN can remain intense for 40 minutes.

And while identifying "lack of movement on offense" is certainly a correct diagnosis of a UCONN problem, the real issue could simply be; " there are a number of better teams out there, this year."

I do believe that if each of our 6 players executes at the top their game, simultaneously, we can be tough for anyone to defeat. So, will that happen in the NCAA tournament?

It could. And it would be exciting to see.

But I think we are a few bullets shy in our arsenal.

 

[Tonyc]

We havent fired on all cylinders this season. We have to much talent to be playing the way we're playing We are better then that. They question remains will we wake up and play at our potentcial or will we continue the way we are. Im hoping that the conference tournament will get our minds and confidence level where it belongs, because if we're playing like we know we can play and do in consistently, we dont loose....to any team .