SC Postgame Thread

[housekeys]

I thought it says a lot when Geno sat both CW and Liv for the last couple minutes of regulation even when Uconn was behind.

It kinda backfired. After watching helplessly, as SC missed 3 attempts under the basket to win the game the last seconds of regulation, Geno realized he needed ONO's size ( and hopefully her rebounds.) I think ONO was in in OT, primarily for those reasons.

 

[Charliebball]

yup she's pretty good..............

 

[Zanzman]

To pull out a win like that when we shot as poor from 3 as that, with EW clearly struggling with her knee today, and the foul trouble shows good the defence was. If we can defend like that AND make some 3s we look pretty good moving forward. Nika, AE massively improving every week. AG with big plays today!

Sorry how was she struggling with the knee I didn’t see that

 

[Golden Husky]

So I watched the game downstairs in my man cave. When Paige's 3 went in, I let out a yell, causing Mrs. Oldude to come running downstairs, greatly concerned about my well being. I guess she still loves me.

"Man cave?" Shouldn't you have a Lion's den?

 

[King Kong]

In the last 8:16 of the 4th quarter, & throughout the entire OT, Paige scored ALL of UConn's points. 18 points for Paige in 13 minutes. The entire SC team also scored 18 points in the 4th + OT, but UConn had a 4 point lead entering the 4th quarter. Excepting Nika's 3 & Aubrey's 2 early in the 4th - Paige scored ALL of UConn's points in the 4th Q & OT, in a game against #1 they seemed destined to lose. I am speechless.

 

[noirwestern]

Evina’s knee has been bothering her and I saw her tweak it early in tonight’s game. She was kinda gimpy for much of the first half.

The calls against UConn or non calls against SC were bad. The calls against the Chiefs were good.

Take a close look at the last shot in regular time. Try to count the uncalled fouls on Ono with that swinging arm shot block of hers.

 

[ucbart]

I meant a game by Taurasi when she was at UCONN. I posted, "I cant recall a single game where Taurasi singlehandedly won a game in the fashion that Bueckers did tonight."

@blackbird said "most of the big games her junior and senior year." and I asked him/her to give 1 specific example.

Taurasi's entire 2003 Final Four was electric. She was amazing against Tennessee, but that comeback vs. Texas in the semifinal when we appeared dead in the water.......was the epitome of hear greatness.

 

[Bigflip12]

I can't understand how come they all can't be on at the same time. Williams played terrible, Westbrook was a no show. It seems like they are putting a lot on Bueckers shoulders and they all were top players before coming to UConn.

 

[Golden Husky]

Do the opposite? Say hello to Geno Costanza.

 

[King Kong]

In the last 8:16 of the 4th quarter, & throughout the entire OT, Paige scored ALL of UConn's points. 18 points for Paige in 13 minutes. The entire SC team also scored 18 points in the 4th + OT, but UConn had a 4 point lead entering the 4th quarter. Excepting Nika's 3 & Aubrey's 2 early in the 4th - Paige scored ALL of UConn's points in the 4th Q & OT, in a game against #1 they seemed destined to lose. I am speechless.

Typo: Paige scored 13 points in the last 13 minutes, not 18 - but they were all of UConn's points.

 

[bballnut90]

the UConn/Tenn regular season game her year junior year. Seriously, go look at the schedule and box scores. Diana pretty much had to do this against half the Big East, and the top teams. Geno was trying to figure out a way to have Diana pass Diana the ball. ?

Those teams had no business winning a championship, but did because DT was magic those two seasons.

I don’t say this to negate anything that Paige is doing..heck, she’s being compared to The GOAT as a freshman..but what DT did with those teams, was just..remarkable. Remember the second best WNBA player from those teams was Ashley Battle.

She averaged 18 points as a junior and 16 as a senior. Paige as a freshman is averaging 21 per game.

The Tennessee regular season I'll give you...but that's the only one in a marquee game where DT simply took over and won the game basically on her own. DT performed well in most of the standout games her final 2 seasons but people don't give her supporting cast enough credit. Players like Strother/Turner/Moore were stepped up in a big way in big games even if they didn't go on to be great pros. They let DT be the star but fulfilled their role at a high level and often brought great play in big games even if they struggled in a go to role as their careers unfolded.


Looking at DT's big games you have:
2003 vs. Tennessee-25 points
2003 vs. Duke-21 points
2003 vs. Villanova-15 points
2003 vs. Villanova (Big East)-13 points
2003 vs. Purdue (E8)- 21 points
2003 vs. Texas (F4) -26 points
2003 vs. Tennessee (Championship)- 28 points
2004 vs. Duke- 16 points
2004 vs. Tennessee- 18 points
2004 vs. Penn State- 27 points
2004 vs. Minnesota- 18 points
2004 vs. Tennessee- 17 points

I'm not saying Paige is better than DT (although I'm not saying she wont be), but DT never pulled off heroics like Paige did today aside from arguably the regular season Tennessee game. Paige today had 31 points, 5 assists, 6 steals and scored the last 13 points on 5-5 shooting in the last 2 minutes of regulation and OT. She also overcame late game deficits in regulation and in OT. All against the #1 team in the country.

I know it's recent, but as time goes on I fully believe people will remember this as perhaps the most impressive singe game clutch performance by any UCONN player ever. I'm not slighting DT, but what Paige did today is unprecedented in UCONN history.

 

[bballnut90]

Typo: Paige scored 13 points in the last 13 minutes, not 18 - but they were all of UConn's points.

It was the final 6:35 (1:35 of regulation, 5 min of OT) where she had 13 points on 5-5 shooting and 2-2 FT. Just remarkable.

 

[MSGRET]

The problem is that these picks have been allowed for every game until tonight. So, will they be OK again going forward? Did Dawn Staley get in Dee Kantners' ear to call fouls on those picks?

Every UConn game that Dee Kantner she always seem to be one sided on the calls, and they aren't on UConn's side.

 

[hoophuskee]

In a super exciting game, we just beat the #1 team in the Country only hitting 2 threes the entire game and that's your takeaway? I feel sorry for you.

+1000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

The beauty of this team - was the same beauty vs Tennessee. You win different ways. Didn't we hear how SC had one of the top defenses? Awesome job by them to slow the game down. But don't we give credit for what we did to their guards? SO many people here preach defense defense defense- and most loved this game - rightfully so. It was a great defensive battle. Not only was UCONN's defense tough on their guards- but Boston while a force did NOT control this game.

On the flip side- for all SC's great defense they had no answer for UCONN's strength on offense. Just like in the Tenn game - Tenn made their late run when Paige was out - otherwise that game doesn't need Paige's last shot. This game SC made their late run when UCONN wasn't working enough to get the ball to Paige. They couldn't stop her. Their vaunted dennese had no answers.

I read on here - or listened to that awful announcer implying SC wasn't playing while UCONN was or UCONN was fortunate blah bla blah.

You think next time if you’re the defense you can count on Paige going 1-6 from 3? LOL. One player means a ton in basketball. We should know that 1st hand with what Dungee did to UCONN and what we've seen over the years with DT, Maya, Stewie and now Paige. And just like the old adage goes - "You run it until they stop you." One of the best defenses in all of wcbb could not stop Paige (UCONN’s number 1 option) while on the other side UCONN stopped an opposing team's very elite high powered offense. How you cannot take pride for all of this?

I'm not even a fan of defensive basketball - and I loved it!!!

 

[DefenseBB]

Here’s a stat for everyone: National TV marquee game of #1 vs. #2 that goes into overtime and the top 3 players in minutes played and impact were 3 FRESHMAN Paige at 45 min 31 points; Aaliyah at 36 min 8 points and Nika 35 min 8 points. 47 of 63 point were their totals and 9 steals and 3 blocks. Wow, just pretty impressive.
I am still shaking my head.

 

[pvdoggy]

Every UConn game that Dee Kantner she always seem to be one sided on the calls, and they aren't on UConn's side.

Nika said that she did not agree with half of the calls, but that calls were against both teams and not one-sided.

 

[Woof 101]

UConn needs to work on setting screens without moving.

There has been no such thing for years now, just like traveling or palming. It gets called when a coach disgruntled points it out and gets a make up call. Have not seen this call in some time, then two in the same game. LOL

I wish that they would drive to the basket in the first quarter. A foul or two on Boston would have changed the whole game. Great game!

Not one to argue with Geno but I agree with you 110%! Old school but with a deep bench someones job is to go down the lane and eat Wilson. It's not embarrassing to take a couple for the team.

I’m embarrassed as a UConn fan for the way they played tonight.

PM me if this overwhelms you, I could provide a list of hundreds of schools that would love to have a fan. Some willing to sign a non embarrassment waiver, liability limited of course.

The problem is that these picks have been allowed for every game until tonight. So, will they be OK again going forward? Did Dawn Staley get in Dee Kantners' ear to call fouls on those picks?

BINGO jaydee you hit the nail on the head. Like carrying & palming, moving screens have not been called in some time. Tonight two of them. I hate to pick on officials, it is a very hard job.
Having said that they should walk away from coaches and gather at mid court during time outs.

 

[jaydee602]

Every UConn game that Dee Kantner she always seem to be one sided on the calls, and they aren't on UConn's side.

Geno said that the ref called a foul on Aubrey because her feet were too far apart setting a pick. LOL...he joked that he wanted to throw a red challenge flag for such a ridiculous call.

 

[BobbyJ]

Watching Bueckers during the OT I realized something. She may be an Olive Oyl but she must have the conditioning of a marathoner. She went all 45 and not only was she not gasping, I didn't see her even breathing hard. She never stops running off screens, curling, running the baseline like Havlicek. And when she gets the ball she has the juice to take the defender for a ride. And just like Muhl, she goes to the other end and plays her ass off on defense. It's incredibly hard to play like that against non stop pressure. I can't believe this kid.

 

[King Kong]

It was the final 6:35 (1:35 of regulation, 5 min of OT) where she had 13 points on 5-5 shooting and 2-2 FT. Just remarkable.

The last basket not by Paige was Aubrey at 8:17 4th Q. Paige's baskets were at 1:38 & 0:49 (4 pts) in the 4th, followed by 5 min of OT at 4:21, 1:33, 0:49, & the dagger at 0:13 (9 pts). That would be 13 points in 6:25 minutes. I'm still too excited to think straight. But no one but Paige scored for UConn in over 13 minutes.

 

[Blue Ghost]

Can we stop Liv from shooting long distance, especially 1 foot inside the 3 point line. Just set double screens and let Paige get open.

I know she takes those shots with the hope that whoever is guarding her has to come out of the paint. But watching Liv take those shots at critical times makes me so nervous. Her percentage of making those are not great right now.

 

[Blue Ghost]

Didn't get to see the first half but was very impressed by our defense in the second half especially double teaming Boston. She is hard to stop when she gets the ball that low in the post.
Christyn seemed to be scoring mostly on drives to the basket. Has she just been cold from the outside?

 

[eebmg]

Paige: UNFREAKINGBELIEVABLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Now waiting for the haters to post all their negativity but we scored more points!!! And that's all that matters.

Paige - FPOY & NPOY.

If You get NPOY, can you give FPOY to a friend? Caitlin?

 

[eebmg]

Something has to give here, both of you saw the same game...what gives?

Probably truth in the middle.

 

[JoePgh]

Also has anyone even noticed Anna’s absence? You’d think we would be hurting missing a “starter”

As a matter of fact, when Olivia got her fourth foul, I was thinking that now would be the time to put Anna into the game. Geno mentioned in the postgame press conference that Evina, even if fully healthy, is in a tough position when he plays a small lineup and she has to guard the other team's "4" -- Saxton or Amihere this evening. Anna would be better at guarding players like that.

If Liv and Aaliyah are going to play together (and I think they should), then someone has to be the "third post" when one of them gets into foul trouble. Right now, that seems to be Aubrey, who is not an ideal choice. At times, it has been Evina or Mir. But the best person on the roster for that role is Anna (until Saylor or Caroline Ducharme next year get up to speed). Like Liv and Aaliyah, the person who fills that role needs to have a credible shot from the high post. Anna and Evina have that shot, but Anna is better suited to mix it up in the paint and grab rebounds than Evina is, particularly with her gimpy knee.