Tennessee Postgame Thread

[Blue Ghost]

Some thoughts on the Tennessee game:

• Lou & Aaliyah both with one HUGE basket after another tonight. They came up BIG tonight when the Huskies really needed them.
• Nika with yet another really, really tough effort: 14 assists, tough defense, while playing all 40 minutes!!!

Those 2 points stood out all game.
Lou was shooting lights out and Aaliyah driving to the basket and getting to the foul line time after time really helped to pull out this game when it got close.
Nika was an absolute rock handling the ball and was a stabilizing influence all game long even when it got close.
If I had one wish it would be that Lou could have one more year left so that we could make an all out blitz run with everyone back and healthy next year. She has become my favorite player on this team.
My second wish would be lets go win the Natty this year anyway!!!

 

[LwrcasefaN]

Folks...these are some ELITE conditioned young ladies. Five of them played all the minutes except 11!

 

[huskiemaniac]

Right!! No magicians on this team. EVERYONE showed up tonight. That was not the case in recent years past in BIG games. I got my wish. I hoped that Geno was smiling as he left the floor tonight, he was. He was smiling the whole time he was talking to Holly Rowe (ESPN) after the game.

I know Geno is "elated" to have this game behind him. CD (on Bob Joyce's post game show) said the fans booed our girls when they came out on the floor. LV fans............a real class act. This was the level of a NCAA tournament game the 2nd weekend.

Our fans do the same for big games…

 

[#12in21]

Lou and Aaliyah were awesome on getting buckets when we needed them, Just how important Lou is was obvious when she had to sit! Gotta give a shout out to Nika though. She kept her cool and just set a tone of not taking any ****. as exemplified in a couple of those tie-up ruffles! She played all 40 minutes and looked like she could go another 20, led team with 14 assists, 4 steals and pulled down 4 rebounds. She is just so sold game in and game out.

 

[Valleyfan]

Great game! Personally I'm OK with the poor offensive rebounding. (Well, now that we've won.) It should provide some motivation to work on improving it between now and Feb. 5th.

Agree - something to improve upon for Feb 5th.

 

[Centerstream]

Nice stats. What's your source?

I believe they are from the Live Stats. There is a link provided to them every game.

 

[fomalhaut]

Jackson should have been tossed. That was about as flagrant an intent to injure as I've seen in a while.

Nika tied Paige Bueckers' old assist record (one short of her own record from earlier this year) and is back over 9 assists a game. She only had one foul in 40 minutes and that one looked questionable, as the Tennessee player appeared to slide sideways into her path.

After one of the best first quarters I've ever seen them play, followed by an awful second, Connecticut really came out focused in the second half.

 

[Topdawg]

A very exciting game. After playing exceptionally well in the first quarter, we lost focus in the second. We were back in form in the third and cruised to the finish in the fourth.

Lou was spectacular with her attacking game and shooting. Aaliyah played hard and delivered as she always does. Dorka and Aubrey played solid games. Dorka shot well from the outside and Aubrey defended well. Nika was exceptional with her assists and defense. She had only one personal foul. Ayanna made a solid contribution on defense.

We lost the rebound battle, and we had a lot of turnovers.

All in all, the team showed grit and fight and came away with A strong win. Onto the next game.

I hope Azzi and Caroline are getting better every day!

 

[Bazz2014]

An emphatic, statement win. And on college gameday no less. Major contributions from everyone who saw the floor.

And I think the biggest area for improvement - rebounding - could be a blessing in disguise with SC around the corner. There really aren’t any BE teams that can compete with us there, and sometimes you have to learn through experience. this gives Geno fodder to really press this point before our showdown with the Gamecocks.

I think this will win will pay dividends for their mental and physical preparedness for 2/5 and beyond.

 

[Carnac]

I have to give credit when it's due. When the game is big...Horston always shows up.

She showed the country her grit tonight. She'll be a 1st rd. WNBA draft pick in April.

 

[Bone Dog]

Nice stats. What's your source?

The UT Sports website:

SIDEARMLiveStats

Real time live stats for your favorite team powered by SIDEARM Sports. One location for your team's Stat summaries, Individual stats, Team stats, Team leaders, Play by plays, Split Box scores and more.

utsports.com

 

[hoopsfan22]

I hope Azzi and Caroline are getting better every day!

I thought I saw Azzi out on the floor pre-game without her crutches, so hopefully it won't be long.

 

[UConnCat]

 

[Bigboote]

Great win! My only gripe is Dorka needs to stop tipping and tapping at the ball! Grab it with both hands!

It seemed as though half of Tennessee’s offensive rebounds started with Dorka getting a hand on the ball. I was wondering if her wrist/thumb is bothering her.

 

[LarryLegend]

Lou and Aaliyah were awesome on getting buckets when we needed them, Just how important Lou is was obvious when she had to sit! Gotta give a shout out to Nika though. She kept her cool and just set a tone of not taking any ****. as exemplified in a couple of those tie-up ruffles! She played all 40 minutes and looked like she could go another 20, led team with 14 assists, 4 steals and pulled down 4 rebounds. She is just so sold game in and game out.

Nika’s fitness level is through the roof.

 

[UConnCat]

 

[UConnCat]

 

[jaydee602]

After Nika got her pocket picked, how many fans were sure she would return the favor. You know that she took it personally!

 

[hoopsfan22]

So how much does Geno get fined for that outburst at half time? Any one know what the penalty is?

 

[victor64]

The game needs better referees then the ones tonight.

Until the women’s game does something about the flop/charge/block call, this is what you are going to get. It is getting worse. The one guy gets a lot of big games.

 

[Carnac]

I’m guessing we would do the same at Gampel. I can’t remember what game it was last year, but I was a little shocked at how brutal our student section was. Don’t get me wrong, I love them and games aren’t the same when they are on break, but I wouldn’t judge their fans too harshly. I just took a look at Volnation. Boy some of them really hate us, especially Geno!

I can't speak to that. I've never attended a game in Gampel, but it's high on my bucket list. I've got to see a game in "the shrine" before they plant me. I don't put anything past these youngsters of today. I don't know them. They're from Mars, I'm from Venus.

 

[Conndog]

Great game, sure the rebounding wasn’t the best, not enough good boxing out by the team maybe caused in part by fatigue

 

[UConnCat]

 

[HuskyinWRNY]

Lou! Lou! Lou! While the team was excellent, Lou was incredibly exceptional. Love the grit this team shows.

Love the hug from geno after the game