Some Thoughts on USF and UConn

[Plebe]

Aluminny69, are you really compaing this team to Maya and the four dwarfs? Tiffany Hayes scored four points, two on a layup in the last minute against ND in the semi final. Bria Hartely, a frosh, was the second leading scorer with ten. Breanna, Moriah, Morgan, Katie Lou and Kia are so much better than Maya and the four dwarfs. Maya did all she could going for about 35-38. However, you can't win a game all by yourself. She had little to no help from the upperclassmen.

I think Tiffany Hayes was, for me, the single most frustrating player to watch in a UConn uniform, ever. I wish I had a nickel for every out-of-control drive to the bucket that ended up with her falling to the floor.

 

[noirwestern]

I think Tiffany Hayes was, for me, the single most frustrating player to watch in a UConn uniform, ever. I wish I had a nickel for every out-of-control drive to the bucket that ended up with her falling to the floor.

I was so happy when Bria Hartley and her run killing pull up and shoot from any old place shot graduated.

 

[msf22b]

I was so happy when Bria Hartley and her run killing pull up and shoot from any old place shot graduated.

Funny,
My memory of Bria is that end to end drive and pull-up, that took the life out of ND...
That had Geno and staff pumping their fists
And the million foul shots at the end the sealed it...

Also the freshman 3's against Griner and Baylor that led to that unlikely win.

 

[HardHatGuy#2]

For the life of me I couldn't understand USF's (Jose's) offensive sets. When they were down by 15+ points in the 4th quarter he's got Stringfield out there dribbling away with not a care in the world with seconds preciously ticking off the clock with no urgency that I could detect. How the heck were they even thinking about chipping away at the lead with this approach? And this seemed to me to be repetitive. Attack the basket...

At that point, I don't think that Jose had any answers that he felt were worth letting UConn see. I think he knew the game was over, and by the body english, so did most of his team. There comes a point in a game where many teams decide they have been beaten, and we saw it late in the third quarter, I think.

When Jose learns to coach his team through that, they will take the next step. It is easy to play when you are winning; the sign of a good team is that they don't give up. If you want to see what that looks like, key up the St. Francis-Brooklyn game from the first round, last year.

 

[HardHatGuy#2]

What I found amazing was the change in performance of the officials once the lead passed 20. Suddenly calls that were fairly even skewed FAR to the left, with UConn piling on fouls that, in some cases, simply didn't happen, on others could have gone either way and went against UConn every time. Missed carries, travels...ridiculous.

Another game on ESPN, another attempt to legislate away from a blowout, IMO.

 

[DaddyChoc]

Funny,
My memory of Bria is that end to end drive and pull-up, that took the life out of ND...
That had Geno and staff pumping their fists
And the million foul shots at the end the sealed it...

Also the freshman 3's against Griner and Baylor that led to that unlikely win.

thats how I remember things Big Shot Bria

 

[Tonyc]

The slow/close starts could be an issue in the NCAA tourney against teams like ND, Baylor or SC, which have the ability to keep making shots. That is the only thing I have seen in UCONN this season that has caused me to think that a four-peat is not inevitable.

That is true however they will have to make shots and not turn overs against UConns defense so if they meet we will see what happens.

 

[Bronxjeff]

I always felt good watching Bria and Tiffany play. But all these posts made me think of an interesting "hind sight" question. Who made you nervous at the time, but if you re-watch games, you have to admit was as good as others hold dear?

For me it's Ann Strother. I remember watching her at the civic center the first post Diana year at the ncaa first rounds. Her hair on fire defense made me cringe, and I prayed for Nicole Wolfe to play. But when I re-watch her, admittedly particularly in earlier games assisting DT she looks great.

So really I am showing the love for Tiff and Bria's killer pull-up, but who would you nominate for a re-evaluation?

 

[nd2tty]

Your assessment tells me that you haven't watched much basketball other that UCONN games. If you think Baylor is slow you may need to watch a few more games and shift away from the talking points that you've memorized or heard someone else quote.

And if you think that these close starts aren't a reason for concern, you may want to pull your head out of that sand hole. Any team that has a slow start in the FF would have reason to worry.

Baylor is a good/very good team. They have multiple things they do well, they play on both ends. Alexis Jones had added another dimension. They might be a little young.

Trouble is, watching them play this year - with the schedule they had - gives exactly zero indication of how they will perform in the E8/F4. Aside from Texas, whose national competitiveness is questionable/still to be determined, their toughest tests were USF, Michigan State, DePaul, and Miami. Games they won by 3, 8, 14, and 7. All were early in the year. All were close throughout. Those 4 teams belong to the 3rd or 4th tier of national contenders. Texas is maybe 2nd tier (probably 3rd). First tier: Baylor, ND, SC, Maryland. UConn hors-catogorie.

They may be better now, but how much better remains to be seen. I would not be surprised to see them in the NC game (helps if they end up on the other side of the bracket from both ND and UConn), but I would also not be surprised to see them bounced in the E8.

 

[easttexastrash]

Ehhhh the problem here is that I have watched Baylor play. What I've yet to see is them play a single quality team this year. Texas? Seriously?

I suspect you will get your chance soon. Stay tuned.

 

[JSB60]

I agree that USF had a lot of ball drop their way in the first quarter, if you took away the two banked threes it would have looked very different. But overall, there was one weak spot in UCONN's play, the rebounding. That has to improve by the later rounds of the NCAA.

 

[ChicagoGG]

I agree that USF had a lot of ball drop their way in the first quarter, if you took away the two banked threes it would have looked very different. But overall, there was one weak spot in UCONN's play, the rebounding. That has to improve by the later rounds of the NCAA.

Excuse me, we outrebounded USF by 2.....

 

[JSB60]

Excuse me, we outrebounded USF by 2.....

Bad enough, and it's worse because we shot so much higher a percentage. We got 28 percent of the offensive rebounds, they got 31 percent of theirs.

 

[DaddyChoc]

Bad enough, and it's worse because we shot so much higher a percentage. We got 28 percent of the offensive rebounds, they got 31 percent of theirs.

Who won?

 

[Rixxx]

When you look at how Uconn's offense is executed and the defense completely shutting down offensive threats, you have to put them on another WCBB level. This totally makes sense if you watch any SEC teams including SC.

 

[Geno-ista]

Hopefully, there won't be any close games, as this team has very little experience with close games. Never forget Maya's senior year...

Maya's team had freshmen centers and posts and they only had 5 players and Lorin Dixon off the bench. No depth. And this year we've been pressed by a lot of teams and responded. N Dame, MD, DePaul, Temple, So Flor,etc... This team is nothing like that team.