Some thoughts on last nite and SC comin up

[Tonyc]

Well we still have injuries and we managed to play pretty well in another game where the execution is getting better. Are freshman are growing up. This young team is maturing and getting better each game. The offense seemed to be clicking until Marquette got to within 17 Geno called a time out and we went on a roll. Gotta be happy. The defense is not bad but still needs some work. Hey another nite with a good amount of steals. We have improved and are playing much more relaxed and confident. Our freshman are lookin pret-ty good. A couple of players still seem to move back into their comfort zone shooting treys and not getting to the basket. I guess thats gonna happen. I would like to see Liv under the basket more on defense and not up at the top of the key unless Edwards is in and were playin a high low. When opponents attack the basket Liv needs to slide down and intimidate the layup. Paige has taken over. Geno wanted her to shoot more and she is . She is undescribable. Just at another level. She does a little bit of everything does it well and knows her limitations. Nika along with Edwards brings alot of energy, fight, determination, and grit. Thats uplifting for the team and the fans. Gotta Luv It.

So Big Monday is comin and it is Big. Win or loose by the end of the season UConn is going to be much better because of this game and this game will help with our growth going forward. I dont think last season we played with confidence and I dont think we took thebig step forward we needed to take over the game. This season I think we're looking forward to this game mainly because we dont know any better. We're a different team and IMO better and deeper. SC is not as strong as last season but theyre still really really good. Its gonna come down to guard play and I like our chances alot. Liv and Edwards will be fine. Hey Boston is gonna get her points. Our guards need to get inside and that will cause problems for SC. Either way its gonna be a close wear you down game and we've got the grit tuffness and energy this season those things we lacked last season. The keys to this game will be patience, and foul trouble.

Final Score UConn 69 SC 61

 

[Urshurak]

I agree with you. Especially defense. Marquette got far too many easy easy layups. Honestly, very worried about Boston. Everyone’s gonna get mad at me but here it is. Liv is useless against her. Demonstrative unreliability. Over and over. Love her to pieces, but nope. AE is certainly tough enough (as proven last night!). If she can stay out of fouls trouble, and can limit Boston somewhat and we are hitting shots. Maybe.

Reality, right now. SC 72 - UConn 64.

Gladly eat crow on this one. With hot sauce!

 

[pvdoggy]

I agree with you. Especially defense. Marquette got far too many easy easy layups. Honestly, very worried about Boston. Everyone’s gonna get mad at me but here it is. Liv is useless against her. Demonstrative unreliability. Over and over. Love her to pieces, but nope. AE is certainly tough enough (as proven last night!). If she can stay out of fouls trouble, and can limit Boston somewhat and we are hitting shots. Maybe.

Reality, right now. SC 72 - UConn 64.

Gladly eat crow on this one. With hot sauce!

Maybe not. I thought someone here did a stat comparison between Liv and Boston from last year game that shows Liv held her own against Boston.

 

[RedStickHusky]

Reality, right now. SC 72 - UConn 64.

Gladly eat crow on this one. With hot sauce!

Gotta be a video or it didn't happen.

 

[veryolddog]

Good post, Tony. I think that the combo of Edwards and Ono is a good one. If Liv goes to the key, a big and one other player go to guard her. Then Edwards underneath can score. Or if only a big follows Liv then one of the guards can drive the basket with Edwards underneath to dish if required which we saw several times during the Marquette game. If they play zone, this may not work but I expect Geno has a plan. I like Nika, Paige, Edwards, ONO, and Evina on the floor or Chrytin to give Evina a break.

 

[ABCDFE]

Good post, Tony. I think that the combo of Edwards and Ono is a good one. If Liv goes to the key, a big and one other player go to guard her. Then Edwards underneath can score. Or if only a big follows Liv then one of the guards can drive the basket with Edwards underneath to dish if required which we saw several times during the Marquette game. If they play zone, this may not work but I expect Geno has a plan. I like Nika, Paige, Edwards, ONO, and Evina on the floor or Chrytin to give Evina a break.

I agree with you. Especially defense. Marquette got far too many easy easy layups. Honestly, very worried about Boston. Everyone’s gonna get mad at me but here it is. Liv is useless against her. Demonstrative unreliability. Over and over. Love her to pieces, but nope. AE is certainly tough enough (as proven last night!). If she can stay out of fouls trouble, and can limit Boston somewhat and we are hitting shots. Maybe.

Reality, right now. SC 72 - UConn 64.

Gladly eat crow on this one. With hot sauce!

I also believe Geno has a plan if for Saylor. If Saylor improves she will get minutes as her three point threat is a much needed element since Anna is hurt.

 

[oldude]

I agree with you. Especially defense. Marquette got far too many easy easy layups. Honestly, very worried about Boston. Everyone’s gonna get mad at me but here it is. Liv is useless against her. Demonstrative unreliability. Over and over. Love her to pieces, but nope. AE is certainly tough enough (as proven last night!). If she can stay out of fouls trouble, and can limit Boston somewhat and we are hitting shots. Maybe.

Reality, right now. SC 72 - UConn 64.

Gladly eat crow on this one. With hot sauce!

Suggest you go back and take a look at last year’s UConn-SC game. It’s a little hard to watch from a UConn perspective, but the matchup between Liv and Boston was most definitely not the problem. Liv more than held her own.

 

[Urshurak]

Suggest you go back and take a look at last year’s UConn-SC game. It’s a little hard to watch from a UConn perspective, but the matchup between Liv and Boston was most definitely not the problem. Liv more than held her own.

I’ll do that. Hopefully she has a great game Monday. I’m rooting for her. It’s just that she has a tendency to disappear in big games.

in any case, as others have said, we should have a good idea where this UConn team is after this one. Win or lose, I think they will get a good idea of what adjustments they need to make to put their best foot forward come Madness time.

 

[HuskyNan]

I also believe Geno has a plan if for Saylor. If Saylor improves she will get minutes as her three point threat is a much needed element since Anna is hurt.

Unless UConn is up big, I don’t know that Saylor will play. She’s too inexperienced, never having played in such a big game, on national TV no less. I don’t think Geno would have had time to know for sure if she could be depended on in such a stressful situation. She hasn’t had enough time to develop the confidence of the other freshmen

 

[Happydad745]

Biggest factor, in my mind( on 1 cup of coffee) is experience...SC has that and Anna being out does not help either. Paige will be double-teamed, Liv and AE will be up against Boston in the post so, it will be a tough game to watch and play, but a great peak into the near future of UConn. Personally I don't think the Huskies can win the big tournament this year, but next year they will go undefeated.

 

[HuskyNan]

Biggest factor, in my mind( on 1 cup of coffee) is experience...SC has that and Anna being out does not help either. Paige will be double-teamed, Liv and AE will be up against Boston in the post so, it will be a tough game to watch and play, but a great peak into the near future of UConn. Personally I don't think the Huskies can win the big tournament this year, but next year they will go undefeated.

Experience is a double edged sword. The Husky pups don’t know they’re supposed to be overwhelmed by the moment . They just go out and play the only way they know how.

 

[jabstep]

Suggest you go back and take a look at last year’s UConn-SC game. It’s a little hard to watch from a UConn perspective, but the oinmatchup between Liv and Boston was most definitely not the problem. Liv more than held her own.

I totally agree with you Old Dude. Boston started her drifting to the outside while playing against Liv. She scored at the elbow and on some baseline screens for 8 to 10 ft shots. Now Boston has gone out to the 3 point line for some of her offense. NC State really collapsed on Boston and they had Culhane battle her down low. In that game, South Carolina real showed how much they missed Harris and Harrigan outside shooting.

 

[jabstep]

I wonder who Geno will start if all are healthy against SC. If we go small we might get hurt inside. If we have Aubrey back it gives us more size to match up along with Edwards. SC will play man to man all game. Can we score on them is the question. I like Liv at the high post it will open up the lane. Setting good screens to run our offense is key and the pick and roll at the elbow with Paige is our srenght with Paige shooting mid range jumpers or passing on the roll. This will be a chess match between Geno and Dawn. I got the popcorn ready.

 

[RedStickHusky]

I'm glad they play these games to answer these questions for us, but going in, I don't see how Boston is enough for SC in this one. Geno seems to have solved his sliding jigsaw and I think he has a lot more answers than Dawn does. Boston can get 25/10 maybe, it won't be enough.

 

[PAHuskeyFan]

I believe Monday's game has become one that will come down to Coaching...who best prepares their team, who comes up with the best game plan, who thinks through the scenarios and who puts the right pieces together. I suspect that prior to the past couple weeks most, including SoCar Coaches/Team, thought the game would be SoCar's for the taking, and that UCONN would be over matched. Now I believe the picture has changed and they (SoCar) are "worried." (for lack of a better word).... Given that I believe it will come down to Coaching... I like our chances... We have Geno and they don't.

 

[SLY63]

I don't think we can go with E at the 4 against SC. I see AG starting with AE off the bench as needed.

I think it will come down to their guards outside shooting. We will double down on Boston and leave their guards open. If they make 3's, we are in trouble. If they shoot like they have in their previous loses, then we win.

 

[hart2hart]

I like our chances against SC! I hope Geno sets a lot of double-screens for Paige. He used to do thst a lot for Dee. Member the Texas game when the double-screen was set for Dee, she made the shot and Jody Conradt then called a time-out! One of my favorite all-time games!

 

[LCConnFan]

Suggest you go back and take a look at last year’s UConn-SC game. It’s a little hard to watch from a UConn perspective, but the matchup between Liv and Boston was most definitely not the problem. Liv more than held her own.

You're absolutely right on last years game. However, as I see it, Boston has improved, but I don't see that much of a jump with Liv. Also, she does the same things in the post over and over again, so everyone knows her moves. She needs to change things up, so she's not so predictable. One more thing..........she needs to just 'catch and shoot' the ball. No need to dribble, especially with 2 defenders right there.

 

[shiverz45]

It will be hard for UConn to beat SC if they don't shoot near 50% and keep SC off the glass. Marquette was getting a lot of offensive rebounds from what I saw watching the game. If UConn is not hitting shots, SC runs off of every miss and your guards do not have the speed to slow Henderson or Cooke down in the open court. Also SC gets a lot of second and third attempts so they do not necessary have to shoot the ball that well. However if SC is knocking down 3s and killing UConn on the glass, your chance of winning is very slim. That being said if UConn is hitting shots, limit turnover, limit offensive rebounding and make SC play a half court game you have a good chance of winning.

 

[chrissaran]

Geno is not going to change much going into Monday's game. A lot depends on whether Aaliyah can play. Otherwise, he may use Aubrey before Mir. What Geno and the staff are aiming for is the NC Tournament. Yes, we all want them to win Monday night. I'd rather they hold up the NC Trophy at the end of the year.

 

[GRIFFBIFF20]

If Aubrey is able to be 100%, she will be the 1st off the bench, especially if Nika slides down in any way. Otherwise, I think, Geno will go with the same starting 5 as he did against Marquette. AE will come in and spell Olivia, and will be the 7th person, with Mir being the 8th person, getting very limited minutes if any. I believe Geno, if all are healthy (except Anna) will go with a VERY SHORT Rotation, of 6 to 7 players only against South Carolina.

 

[ABCDFE]

I know lots of ppl are optimistic about our chances against SC but I’ll reserve my enthusiasm until the game is

It will be hard for UConn to beat SC if they don't shoot near 50% and keep SC off the glass. Marquette was getting a lot of offensive rebounds from what I saw watching the game. If UConn is not hitting shots, SC runs off of every miss and your guards do not have the speed to slow Henderson or Cooke down in the open court. Also SC gets a lot of second and third attempts so they do not necessary have to shoot the ball that well. However if SC is knocking down 3s and killing UConn on the glass, your chance of winning is very slim. That being said if UConn is hitting shots, limit turnover, limit offensive rebounding and make SC play a half court game you have a good chance of winning.

wow. SC seems unbeatable. Feel like we’re fighting Tyson in his prime.

 

[shiverz45]

I know lots of ppl are optimistic about our chances against SC but I’ll reserve my enthusiasm until the game is

wow. SC seems unbeatable. Feel like we’re fighting Tyson in his prime.

I never said that. I have watched all of SC games and most of UConn games since I have the Fox app. SC gets a lot of there points off fast breaks and second shots. If you limit that you have a good chance of winning. UConn from what I see is one of the most efficient teams in the country. The only question that I have can they do what they do against SC. SC defensive is on par with Tennessee if not better. That is why it is hard for me to make a prediction. I will say SC has more pathways to victory than UConn.

 

[CTtoSanDiego]

Paige has taken over. Geno wanted her to shoot more and she is . She is undescribable. Just at another level. She does a little bit of everything does it well and knows her limitations.

Paige has limitations???

 

[Aluminny69]

It's always good to hear what the opposition is saying. Rather than post this in the 10 page post game thread, I decided to post it here. It is definitely worthwhile to watch the entire video, lots of good points hit. Marquette ( and Milwaukee) loosened their Covid restrictions and allowed parents to attend the game for the first time. ( Although parents were not allowed to interact with the players, kinda sad.) Trust me, you will enjoy watching the entire video.