Just watched the game... and other thoughts

[EricLA]

Had to DVR it because I had work, and then a party to go to...

First of all, Duke is a really good team. Sure the final margin was 22, but let's not pretend that UCONN wouldn't have walloped Maryland or PSU by 30+ if KML and Morgan were healthy.

Second, Rebecca made a really good point when she said the team that plays a style that is a hard match up for UCONN is Notre Dame. This is one reason I think ND is actually the #2 team in the nation while I think Duke is #3.

Third, None of the other top teams play a style of basketball that really disrupts UCONN. Lousiville is just a horrible match up. Not as athletic or as fit as UCONN and their strengths are completely overwhelmed by UCONN. Kentucky - UCONN showed last year in a 30 point beatdown that it's not just a talent gap - it's a complete team performance gap.

If Stanford had the horses UCONN has, they also play a style that is disruptive, but aside from Chiney and Amber, they just don't have it. Tennessee fans may think they are close to UCONN, but they'd get slaughtered by more than Duke if the teams ever play. They may have athleticism, but poor shot selection, lack of offense, and hitting the offensive boards is not a recipe for success against UCONN.

Fourth, getting back to Duke, there's a reason why Saniya, Morgan, Bria, and Kiah didn't "contribute" much in the stats line - Duke is a really good team. While each player had some nice moments, and did things to build on, those 4 weren't able to get any real traction partly because Duke is really good, and partly because Stef, Moriah, KML and Stewie were just playing so well.

It's hard to tell which of those 4 impressed me the most. Stef did so many great things with the ball, and without it. Scoring, rebounding, dishing assists - she had a 2 minute stretch where she lost her mind and turned the ball over with some poor decisions, but deserves all the accolades she gets because she's terrific.

KML - sheesh. I didn't key into her much on defense and she had 3 boards, no steals, and no assists, but 7-11 after a month layoff scoring 21 points? All I could do is smile watching her.

Stewie - set the tone early scoring in every way imaginable. Inside, outside, spot up, bam. I think early on the score was Stewie, 12, and the entire Duke team 11.

Moriah - she deserved her own thread tonight as several posters pointed out she was just fantastic out there. As a fan, I'm more than comfortable watching her with the ball since I know she's going to make a terrific decision almost every time she sets up the offense. This girl is special.

Bria IMHO had an average game. Usually in important type games, she steps up and is a total demon on both sides of the ball. But tonight she seemed to be forcing things - pressing a bit too much, and it worked to her disadvantage.

Final thoughts - I think ND is the 2nd best team in the nation and Duke #3. The ACC will be a bloodbath and is hands down the best WCBB conference in the nation. I can see them getting a pair of 1 seeds - Duke and ND. After that it's a crapshoot. Really looking forward to watching all the teams grow the rest of this season.

 

[Wbbfan1]

We'll soon see if Tenn is the 2nd best team as they play Stanford @ Stanford in three days. Also in January they play ND in Knoxville. I think the Lady Vols physicality in the front court would cause Duke problems and can see the Lady Vols winning on their home court.

 

[Icebear]

Rebecca's noted something about UCONN's defense and opponents' offenses. If you run a play structured offense Geno and staff know very well how to stop what you do. They know what you want to do and where you want to go and take it away. Teams like ND and
UCONN who play a read/option offense take their keys off the defense and react picking what is given and continuing to play through. Continually, once Duke's first shot opportunity in a play was denied and the expected next step blocked the ended up reduced to one on one playground ball rather than a team structure.

 

[EricLA]

Rebecca's noted something about UCONN's defense and opponents' offenses. If you run a play structured offense Geno and staff know very well how to stop what you do. They know what you want to do and where you want to go and take it away. Teams like ND and
UCONN who play a read/option offense take their keys off the defense and react picking what is given and continuing to play through. Continually, once Duke's first shot opportunity in a play was denied and the expected next step blocked the ended up reduced to one on one playground ball rather than a team structure.

That's another great point. Forgot to mention that. I was chatting with Cam and he mentioned the same thing - that UCONN and ND are so good in part because they are great passing teams from every position.

 

[huskies29]

I dvr'd the game also and was wondering if anyone was watching the postgame handshake. After coaches went by 2nd duke player either walked right by ignoring geno or uttered something under her breath to him cause he turned around and gave her one of those if looks could kill look. Couldn't make out who the player was. Just curious.

 

[Stray Cat]

Rebecca's noted something about UCONN's defense and opponents' offenses. If you run a play structured offense Geno and staff know very well how to stop what you do. They know what you want to do and where you want to go and take it away. Teams like ND and
UCONN who play a read/option offense take their keys off the defense and react picking what is given and continuing to play through. Continually, once Duke's first shot opportunity in a play was denied and the expected next step blocked the ended up reduced to one on one playground ball rather than a team structure.

Very good observations and well-explained. That's why teams like Tenn that play "street ball" look so discombobulated and have so many unforced turnovers...because the players don't even know where the ball is going half the time. On the other hand, like you said, UConn and ND key off the defense and react accordingly...read and react.

 

[xHunt3r]

I dvr'd the game also and was wondering if anyone was watching the postgame handshake. After coaches went by 2nd duke player either walked right by ignoring geno or uttered something under her breath to him cause he turned around and gave her one of those if looks could kill look. Couldn't make out who the player was. Just curious.

Also found the postgame presser interesting because the Duke coach and players avoided saying UConn/Connecticut and any UConn players name the entire time. It was always they or them to refer to the team and the players number (30, 23, 14, etc...) instead of their name. It was odd because they obviously know the name of the team and the players, but refused to use them.

 

[Adesmar123]

We'll soon see if Tenn is the 2nd best team as they play Stanford @ Stanford in three days. Also in January they play ND in Knoxville. I think the Lady Vols physicality in the front court would cause Duke problems and can see the Lady Vols winning on their home court.

Tennessee will lose both of those games. The truth is they are very very talented physically, but not well coached - or at least don't accept coaching very well. Well coached teams will beat them.

 

[ochoopsfan]

Rebecca's noted something about UCONN's defense and opponents' offenses. If you run a play structured offense Geno and staff know very well how to stop what you do. They know what you want to do and where you want to go and take it away. Teams like ND and
UCONN who play a read/option offense take their keys off the defense and react picking what is given and continuing to play through. Continually, once Duke's first shot opportunity in a play was denied and the expected next step blocked the ended up reduced to one on one playground ball rather than a team structure.

Well said Fuzzy White Arctic Creature

I thought about 5-6 minutes into the first half Duke was gassed. They cant keep up the pace(not sure who can) that UConn does on both offense and defense. UConn brings the ball up quickly to try and gain on players not back or mis-matches on defense. Duke couldnt do that, at least not at a UConn pace. I was reading a lot of people blaming Coach P for playing a zone nearly all the game. Had they gone man to man for the first half they may not have been able to come out for the second half.

 

[bschwartz]

I dvr'd the game also and was wondering if anyone was watching the postgame handshake. After coaches went by 2nd duke player either walked right by ignoring geno or uttered something under her breath to him cause he turned around and gave her one of those if looks could kill look. Couldn't make out who the player was. Just curious.

You got me curious so I took a look. I have a hunch but can't be certain other than the player is significantly shorter than Geno so that narrows it down. Meaningless really, but I love a mystery.

 

[Icebear]

Very good observations and well-explained. That's why teams like Tenn that play "street ball" look so discombobulated and have so many unforced turnovers...because the players don't even know where the ball is going half the time. On the other hand, like you said, UConn and ND key off the defense and react accordingly...read and react.

Following the Texas A&M / PSU game Gary Blair noted that UCONN, ND and PSU all play very similar offenses and that for those reasons all are difficult to deal with defensively.

 

[huskybill]

I dvr'd the game also and was wondering if anyone was watching the postgame handshake. After coaches went by 2nd duke player either walked right by ignoring geno or uttered something under her breath to him cause he turned around and gave her one of those if looks could kill look. Couldn't make out who the player was. Just curious.

That was a Tennessee poster who happened to sneak into the Duke line.

 

[UConnCat]

You got me curious so I took a look. I have a hunch but can't be certain other than the player is significantly shorter than Geno so that narrows it down. Meaningless really, but I love a mystery.

Alexis Jones was the 2nd player after McCallie in the handshake line.

Edit: When I watched the post-game handshake on espn3 it looked like Geno turned back but I really couldn't read his facial expression. But after watching the highlights at the sny site, it's clear that Geno turned back and had a look of disbelief. Maybe it was something she said or maybe it was because she wouldn't shake his hand.

 

[bschwartz]

Alexis Jones was the 2nd player after McCallie in the handshake line.

Edit: When I watched the post-game handshake on espn3 it looked like Geno turned back but I really couldn't read his facial expression. But after watching the highlights at the sny site, it's clear that Geno turned back and had a look of disbelief. Maybe it was something she said or maybe it was because she wouldn't shake his hand.

Yep, my thought too.

 

[pap49cba]

Nice.... really classy.

 

[Sonny44]

That's another great point. Forgot to mention that. I was chatting with Cam and he mentioned the same thing - that UCONN and ND are so good in part because they are great passing teams from every position.

Yes, we are a good passing team for most of the game. If we could avoid that inevitable five minute span of bad passes we've been experiencing in the second half we'd beat even the best teams by 35 points.

 

[Icebear]

We threw plenty of passes away in the first half, too.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

We'll soon see if Tenn is the 2nd best team as they play Stanford @ Stanford in three days. Also in January they play ND in Knoxville. I think the Lady Vols physicality in the front court would cause Duke problems and can see the Lady Vols winning on their home court.

I gotta say that Tenn defeat of Stanford would not make Tenn #2 in my book.