UConn vs Texas Bonus Perk

[divots]

I'm sure that there will be many young basketball players from Texas who watch Monday's game with UConn....in addition to the best team and the best program in college basketball, what Charli & Co will also see is the unparalleled success that one of their very own has achieved when she made the decision to leave the Lone Star State and head north where the real stars reside....

 

[alexrgct]

Another bonus: watching my local school against my alma mater. I expect another Uconn victory over the Lady Horns, but I hope both programs reap the benefits of Lone Star recruiting for making this stage of the tourney.

 

[Carnac]

A couple of thoughts and and supposition on Monday's game against the Longhorns. First of all, congratulations to the Texas Longhorns on advancing to the great 8.

Question 1 - Texas scored 72 points today in 40 minutes. I'm NOT making any predictions here, but I'm just wondering will that be enough against a team that scored 61 in 20 minutes?

Question 2 - UConn can score in the mid to high 90's, or 100+ if need be. Can the Longhorns keep the score close, and score that many against the #1 ranked defensive team in the country?

Question 3 - How is this year's Longhorn team that much different from last year's version, to suggest that they will fare better against the Huskies than they did a year ago?

Question 4 - Is there anything the Longhorns can do to keep this games close?

Observation - For what its worth, Doris Burke and Dave O'Brien both agreed that will have a very difficult time matching UConn's scoring ability, or make enough stops on the defensive end to stay in the game. I join in their take.

Observation - UConn played them last year, and saw them play again today. They struggled against a much smaller UCLA team that gave them all they wanted. Unless I missed something, I really don't see Texas having any better luck Monday that they did last time. Am I missing something here?

 

[noirwestern]

A couple of thoughts and and supposition on Monday's game against the Longhorns. First of all, congratulations to the Texas Longhorn Nation on advancing to the great 8.

Question 1 - Texas scored 72 points today in 40 minutes. I'm NOT making any predictions here, but I'm just wondering will that be enough against a team that scored 61 in 20 minutes?

Question 2 - UConn can score in the mid to high 90's, or 100+ if need be. Can the Longhorns keep the score close, and score that many against the #1 ranked defensive team in the country?

Question 3 - How is this year's Longhorn team that much different from last year's version, to suggest that they will fare better against the Huskies than they did a year ago?

Question 4 - Is there anything the Longhorns can do to keep this games close?

Observation - For what its worth, Doris Burke and Dave O'Brien both don't think Texas can match UConn's scoring ability, or make enough stops on the defensive end to stay in the game. I join in their take.

Observation - UConn played them last year, and saw them again today. They struggled against a much smaller UCLA team that gave them all they wanted. Unless I missed something, I really don't see Texas having any better luck Monday that they did last time. Am I missing something here?

Short answer? No. Long answer? Nope.

 

[BigBird]

If I recall correctly, the last beatdown of Texas was accomplished with UT missing at least one of its better players (bigs?) due to injury. Like it mattered.

 

[MilfordHusky]

I think Texas will come within 51 (last year's MOV) of us. But probably not 30.

 

[Carnac]

If I recall correctly, the last beatdown of Texas was accomplished with UT missing at least one of its better players (bigs?) due to injury. Like it mattered.

I'm not going to make any predictions, and I will not look ahead, BUT................I'm not worried about Texas. If anything, they need to be worried about the Huskies, and how they purpose to stop (or slow down) that avalanche that they'll be standing under come Monday night. I'll bet Geno will sleep better the next two nights that the Texas coaches will.

 

[Jimbo]

I must confess that I tend to get a little nervous about tossing around predictions about margins of victory this late in the tournament, so I'll refrain from doing that. Instead, just for the sake of argument, I'll throw out a few reasons why this year's game against Texas might not be as easy as last year's was.

1. Texas has at least some idea what to expect from UConn. Last year they didn't, just as Mississippi State didn't today, and that's the stuff 50-plus-point blowouts in the regionals are made of. I'm sure Texas hasn't forgotten losing to UConn by 51, so I'd expect them to be a little better prepared mentally this time. Not in terms of revenge or added motivation, but as far as being less shell-shocked, at least.

2. Geno has said that this is often one of the toughest rounds, or possibly the toughest round, to get through in the tournament. I don't remember exactly why he thinks this, to be honest, but who am I to question him? At least last year this kind of held true; I'm sure it took longer to put Dayton away than most people here thought it would.

3. Unless you expect Butler to be a factor, we don't have as much size in our rotation as we did last year. Texas was actually kinda sorta competing, in the paint at least, for a little while in last year's meeting. As I recall, there was a sequence where Texas grabbed 2 or 3 offensive rebounds in a row and then drew a foul. Geno immediately put Stokes in, and from that point forward, we annihilated their inside game and they were toast. Now, of course we would have won that game with or without Kiah, but she absolutely made things easier for us. I expect Texas to go to their strength and try to get the ball inside, grab offensive rebounds, and maybe try to get Stewie or Morgan in foul trouble. As we all know, that strategy hasn't worked for anybody yet, but we're not as well equipped to combat it this year as we were a year ago.

All that said, however, I agree wholeheartedly with Carnac that the list of things Texas should be concerned about is probably a lot longer than the Huskies' list. So no, I do not think the sky is falling or anything close to that. I just don't like taking anything for granted.

 

[Checkmate]

I predict the Texas game will be closer than the Mississippi State game



slightly closer

 

[mrmojack]

Right now Uconn is a 25.5 point favorite over Texas

 

[Gus Mahler]

Right now Uconn is a 25.5 point favorite over Texas

I'd say add ten.

 

[VAUConnFan]

Obviously, there is much that goes into a college decision. Basketball aside, as nice a college town as Storrs might be, it pales in comparison to Austin. As nice as the athletic facilities far at the University of Connecticut, the University of Texas occupies its own athletic universe.

Getting Ms Jefferson to matriculate in Storrs was a huge coup for UConn. The Huskies are going to need to keep that Texas pipeline flowing moving forward. A resurgent Longhorn program may tend to reduce that flow.

 

[Goodgood]

This would be kind of a measuring stick with Baylor.

Baylor beat Texas 3 times this year, @Austin 80-67, @Waco 74-48 and neutral court 79-63

 

[j66kicker]

This would be kind of a measuring stick with Baylor.

Baylor beat Texas 3 times this year, @Austin 80-67, @Waco 74-48 and neutral court 79-63

We will score more than 80 and they will score less than 48.

Any questions?

 

[noirwestern]

Obviously, there is much that goes into a college decision. Basketball aside, as nice a college town as Storrs might be, it pales in comparison to Austin. As nice as the athletic facilities far at the University of Connecticut, the University of Texas occupies its own athletic universe.

Getting Ms Jefferson to matriculate in Storrs was a huge coup for UConn. The Huskies are going to need to keep that Texas pipeline flowing moving forward. A resurgent Longhorn program may tend to reduce that flow.

I'm not disagreeing with you but from watching Texas over the last few years it's been a case of different team, same stampede. Just wondering how playing the same old game year after year is going to lead to anything close to a resurgence? Everyone down to the gal at the end of the bench who folds the jerseys can be an AA but until they revamp their approach to the game nothing will change.

 

[UcMiami]

I must confess that I tend to get a little nervous about tossing around predictions about margins of victory this late in the tournament, so I'll refrain from doing that. Instead, just for the sake of argument, I'll throw out a few reasons why this year's game against Texas might not be as easy as last year's was.

1. Texas has at least some idea what to expect from UConn. Last year they didn't, just as Mississippi State didn't today, and that's the stuff 50-plus-point blowouts in the regionals are made of. I'm sure Texas hasn't forgotten losing to UConn by 51, so I'd expect them to be a little better prepared mentally this time. Not in terms of revenge or added motivation, but as far as being less shell-shocked, at least.

2. Geno has said that this is often one of the toughest rounds, or possibly the toughest round, to get through in the tournament. I don't remember exactly why he thinks this, to be honest, but who am I to question him? At least last year this kind of held true; I'm sure it took longer to put Dayton away than most people here thought it would.

3. Unless you expect Butler to be a factor, we don't have as much size in our rotation as we did last year. Texas was actually kinda sorta competing, in the paint at least, for a little while in last year's meeting. As I recall, there was a sequence where Texas grabbed 2 or 3 offensive rebounds in a row and then drew a foul. Geno immediately put Stokes in, and from that point forward, we annihilated their inside game and they were toast. Now, of course we would have won that game with or without Kiah, but she absolutely made things easier for us. I expect Texas to go to their strength and try to get the ball inside, grab offensive rebounds, and maybe try to get Stewie or Morgan in foul trouble. As we all know, that strategy hasn't worked for anybody yet, but we're not as well equipped to combat it this year as we were a year ago.

All that said, however, I agree wholeheartedly with Carnac that the list of things Texas should be concerned about is probably a lot longer than the Huskies' list. So no, I do not think the sky is falling or anything close to that. I just don't like taking anything for granted.

Good post and I agree.
Geno does call the elite eight the toughest game in the tournament, because the biggest prize of the year is waiting at the end of the game for one team - a trip to the final four. People keep track of who makes the final four, how often you have been there, how many times in a row. And how long it has been since you made it there. They don't keep track of S16 or E8 appearances with anything like that attention. So everyone can smell it before the game and that adds pressure and anticipation. For Uconn, it isn't that big a deal - they have been eight years running and it has become like regular season or conference tournament championships, just another stepping stone, but for a team like TX who hasn't been since Diana ended their season in 2003 it represents huge validation, just as it did for both Dawn and the SEC last year. No player on their team probably watched that 2003 FF - they would have been in second grade or younger.

I certainly think they are a better team than they were last year - as much because of health as anything. And the committee certainly thought so too - a two seed instead of five seed. They again have great height and some good guards and have more experience than they had last year. I still like our chances a lot, but I was impressed with how easily they handled UCLA in the 4Q - perhaps as much UCLA imploding, but still they played well and were in position to take advantage.

 

[RunItUp!]

I'm not going to make any predictions, and I will not look ahead, BUT......I'm not worried about Texas. If anything, they need to be worried about the Huskies, and how they purpose to stop (or slow down) that avalanche that they'll be standing under come Monday night. I'll bet Geno will sleep better the next two nights that the Texas coaches will.

I agree with you; don't take anyone one for granted. treat the other team like you are very hungry and they are about to take your Husky bone! Like the Coach said, "the only way we can lose is if our shots don't fall, and theirs do."

 

[Sonny44]

I'm surprised Texas didn't throw the game. Or maybe they tried and just couldn't get it done.

 

[Icebear]

Mojo people, mojo.

 

[HuskyNan]

Question 3 - How is this year's Longhorn team that much different from last year's version, to suggest that they will fare better against the Huskies than they did a year ago?

Observation - UConn played them last year, and saw them play again today. They struggled against a much smaller UCLA team that gave them all they wanted. Unless I missed something, I really don't see Texas having any better luck Monday that they did last time. Am I missing something here?

Last year Kiah absolutely intimidated Texas in the paint. The Longhorns started out like a house on fire, driving to the basket at will. Geno put Kiah in, she swatted a few balls, scared the Texas big girl into a couple travels, and the game was over. We'll see what defensive magic Geno has for this year's game.

 

[magic]

Last year Kiah absolutely intimidated Texas in the paint. The Longhorns started out like a house on fire, driving to the basket at will. Geno put Kiah in, she swatted a few balls, scared the Texas big girl into a couple travels, and the game was over. We'll see what defensive magic Geno has for this year's game.

We were also in Albany last year , and after seeing Texas yesterday, I didn't see much difference with them. In fact ttheir backcourt had all kinds of problems with UCLA. Bruins played a terrible 4th quarter.

 

[Carnac]

Last year Kiah absolutely intimidated Texas in the paint. The Longhorns started out like a house on fire, driving to the basket at will. Geno put Kiah in, she swatted a few balls, scared the Texas big girl into a couple travels, and the game was over. We'll see what defensive magic Geno has for this year's game.

Kiah was a first class intimidator. Her reputation preceded her. Opponents knew of her defensive prowess in the paint, and for the most part knew better than to "try her". To do so usually resulted in a turn over. Kinda like what Stewie did to the front court players of Mississippi State. After getting several of their shots blocked in succession, they lost their appetite for driving the lane, or trying to shoot a bunny under the basket. Too many shot blockers (Stewie, Tuck, & Samuelson) under there. Its amazing how quickly one can be intimidated after getting their shot(s) blocked. NOBODY likes getting their shot blocked. Especially when it results in a fast break turnover. When you take away that aspect of a team's game, what's left? Their 3's weren't falling, and they could could not drive the lane, so now what?

I recall one play where a MS player drove to the basket for a lay up, Stewie blocked it, recovered it, and in the blink of an eye, the MS player turns around only to see the ball was going the other way on a fast break. On another play in the second half, Stewie blocked a MS's shot cleanly out of bounds. The look Stewie's face afterwards was priceless. The look (as she briefly glanced at the MS player and smiled ) said...........really? Then she received congratulatory fives from her teammates. Players know during the course of a game when its just not their day. MS realized that after 6 minutes in the 1st half when they were down 20 points, and could not stop the bleeding.

 

[Txhoopsalot]

I'm not disagreeing with you but from watching Texas over the last few years it's been a case of different team, same stampede. Just wondering how playing the same old game year after year is going to lead to anything close to a resurgence? Everyone down to the gal at the end of the bench who folds the jerseys can be an AA but until they revamp their approach to the game nothing will change.

Hi from Austin,

Under Coach Karen Aston - Year 1, losing record. Year 2, round of 32. Year 3, sweet 16. Year 4, elite eight. Impressive in my eyes. And, if Texas were on the other side of the bracket, do you think they wouldn't have a chance to come out of that mess for a final four? We fans will have to live with whatever happens tomorrow. I'll hope the Longhorns lose by less than last year and less than Mississippi State yesterday. Texas made the sweet 16 years starting 3 players (Rodrigo, Taylor, and Sanders) who were outside the top 100 as prospects. Davenport was ranked around 70. Talent has already made a change. Top 10 recruits, Atkins and Higgs (off the bench) made game changing plays down the stretch yesterday to help Texas reach the elite 8. I will be interested to see how our young talent (freshmen and sophomores) play tomorrow. Of course, Imani could be a big key for Texas. Her apparent lack of competitiveness in the UConn game last year was really disappointing. Also, I think that coaches as well as players can improve. Aston works as hard as anyone. She will continue to look for ways to improve the team.

 

[UcMiami]

Txhoopsalot - thanks for posting and visiting here.
I agree that after the disaster that was the purchase of GG from Duke, Aston has been a breath of fresh air and done a great job re-establishing the program after a decade in the wilderness. Her recruiting success over the last few years is great for the program and a challenge to Baylor's dominance. I haven't seen enough yet to know how far I think she can take that program as a coach and only time will tell. I think the players have yet to learn how to really compete with Baylor, but yesterday's win was impressive - to come out in the fourth and smoke a pretty good UCLA team was a big step in that direction.

I hope you guys compete well, and at the same time I hope we blow you out, but by a respectable 25 and not in a laugher like last year.

 

[BroadwayVa]

Another bonus: watching my local school against my alma mater. I expect another Uconn victory over the Lady Horns, but I hope both programs reap the benefits of Lone Star recruiting for making this stage of the tourney.

" I don't know how many people who wear the Texas on their chests have no clue of "hook em Horns:" or what a show of the index and pinky means. Born and lived in Ct for 40+ years but the people of the South West in terms of hospitality has them beat by miles.
But that does not mean I want the Burnt Orange gang to succeed where others have failed. Seems like each time Uconn meet Texas , the Horns have a Hamlin(sp)? in the center box--interesting match up for Stew, Tuck, Gabby, Katie Lou. And when Uconn gets by this Group of Horns they could encounter some Cowboys from Waco with their own 6ft 7"..