POSTGAME: Dawn Staley on UConn: It was the ball's fault! [merged]

[Big Mick]

What a cry baby.....

 

[cbraarj]

The Dawn Staley award better go to Paige Bueckers!

 

[MilfordHusky]

I wonder if UConn is allowed to change anything in the game. Missed FTs? Turnovers?

Some official other than Dee "I Need to Blow my Whistle" Kantner.

 

[DaBball]

A friend of mine was recently on the staff at an ACC school (Pitt). A lot of them use Nike balls, but I know that a few use other balls, including Miami (who uses Adidas). For a practice or two prior to a trip to Miami, they would practice with Adidas balls.

Given the number of Nike schools in the SEC, you would think South Carolina has used them before, but regardless, an odd excuse.

Assuming this photo is from this year, they used a Nike ball at Alabama:

 

[Zinethar]

It is public record who sponsors each colleges sports teams. UConn is a Nike school therefore they will wear Nike gear and use Nike basketballs. She must play Nike schools all the time so this should never be an issue. Will she try this if she loses a game as the USA coach? I can hear it now "we had trouble catching the ball because it was a different color".

 

[MooreMayaNY]

I can’t believe she really blamed the ball. Had you guys made those 4 layups at the end would you have said this Dawn?

 

[stamfordhusky]

It is public record who sponsors each colleges sports teams. UConn is a Nike school therefore they will wear Nike gear and use Nike basketballs. She must play Nike schools all the time so this should never be an issue. Will she try this if she loses a game as the USA coach? I can hear it now "we had trouble catching the ball because it was a different color".

Nike sponsors about 100 D1 programs, including about half of the SEC.

 

[Cuango]

This is exactly why I just can’t muster up any enthusiasm for Dawn Staley. She just rubs me the wrong way with her arrogance, her constant “look at me” attitude, the whole silliness of the banner for being number one on one of the polls last year, her alleged lobbying for her team to be declared National Champion simply because they were ranked number one when COVID shut the NCAA tournament down, and now this. Surely the Team USA coach should be above blaming a hard fought loss on a ball and dismissing a performance for the ages by a freshman in a #1 vs #2 matchup as “she’s a good player”. And for what? Can’t she see that none of that is necessary? She’s obviously a good coach and a great recruiter, she’s won a real national title, and she’s built her program into a national power. I just don’t get it. All that stuff just makes her look bad.

 

[npignatjr]

UConn why do you have us dribbling with a flat ball? Did you'll learn that from New England. Well it work. We had zero fast break points. This is not the first time Dawn mentioned something about the ball. I don't remember who it was but I knew Cooke was having issues with it. Had to be a road team so we won that game regardless.

The whole deflated ball was a bs made up story. Were both teams using the same ball.

 

[Geesworld]

Besides the ball excuse which is a real thing, I like Coach Dawn game post press comments.
She protected her team. No singular or condescending call outs, no end of the world talk, no grouping of bad vs good players. She just talked about her teams poor play and how they will grow from this loss.

 

[mbr33ct]

At first I thought she blames to Nika then I realize she was blaming to the Nike ball. No grace at all...

You're absolutely correct here, when I see/read Nike on the Boneyard in my mind the post is talking about Nika.

 

[mbr33ct]

By Mechelle Voepel. This is her take.

Mechelle sounds like she posts on the Boneyard.

 

[mbr33ct]

Does the ball make a difference on number of assists also? South Car 7 assists on 25 made shots.

 

[eebmg]

Voepel:

Yet if the Gamecocks had hit one of the four shots they had at the basket at the end of regulation--- Destanni Henderson's jumper was short, then Victaria Saxton missed a putback, followed by Aliyah Boston's two missed putback attempts -- Bueckers wouldn't have been the story of the night.

The Gamecocks will rue their missed layups, which ruined their normally lethal transition game, missed free throws (8 of 15) and turnovers (21). They kept the Huskies 24.1 points below their season average of 87.1 coming into the game, held them to just 2 of 15 from behind the arc and outrebounded them 52-39.

I wonder if UConn is allowed to change anything in the game. Missed FTs? Turnovers?

If, If, If, If, Whiff, Whiff, Whiff, Whiff

 

[bluedevil]

It takes balls to say what Dawn said. I give her that. Hope she has a nice flight home.....

 

[Pinhead]

In summary: the brand of the basketball manufacturer lost them the game..., sheesh (rolls eyes)!

 

[mbr33ct]

What really lost the game for Dawn...

 

[mbr33ct]

...by the way found this image from two years ago, home game for UConn.

 

[Big Fan]

I'

ve got a participation trophy for them.

 

[Vancat]

Wow. That's lame, Dawn.

 

[oldude]

While the “Nike ball” excuse is one of the more creative prevarications ever uttered by a HC to explain a loss, there was something I enjoyed more about Dawn’s postgame presser. She was struggling to come to terms with a loss that she never anticipated. UConn has been disappointing opposing coaches for decades, but this one was special.

 

[HuskylnSC]

Dawn twice blamed the loss on the ball AND her players inability to adapt to the ball.
A good coach knows that and will practice with the opposition's ball before the game. (UConn does)
A good coach doesn't blame a loss on her players inability to adapt.
A good coach prepares her team for the obvious obstacles.

Actually Dawn was only one letter off in her opinion.
Henderson's problems weren't with Nike; her problem was Nika (Muhl).

 

[Bball244]

I will say.. the Nike ball DOES feel different than the Wilson ball. HOWEVER, it takes literally 3 minutes to adapt and get used to it. They should’ve been acclimated in morning shoot around. So this is really an insult to her players ability and intelligence if true.

 

[topogigio]

Dressed like Cheney, and whined just like him, also. Her mentor taught her well

 

[MainefanSC]

It was the ball's fault!

Did both teams use the same ball? Maybe we lost at SC last year because they use the "over inflated" ball?????? Just sayin'