UConn-UCF postgame press conference

[Plebe]

Geno starts at 19:50.

 

[freekimchee]

I get that she's proud of her team. But at least be gracious even in defeat. Hard to like this coach.

 

[psconn]

Man, that one reporter kept trying to get Coach A to finger UConn for flopping. She never really took the bait.

 

[Redux]

I get that she's proud of her team. But at least be gracious even in defeat. Hard to like this coach.

She was gracious in many ways, hard to detect with her style. For example, 3-4 times she took softball questions designed to get her to complain about UConn getting beneficial calls and she specifically went out of her way to point out that both teams suffered from the ineptitude. She also ignored other baiting opportunities to badmouth. I thought well of her for that.

She's a very good coach and leader, of a style of basketball I don't happen to care for, and there's a meanness and self-centeredness and emotionality to that approach that doesn't make for likability outside their own bubble. The other team is the enemy, on an emotional level, can be part of that approach and it's tough to get your balanced humanity back in the few minutes between game and press conference.

A few of the knocks to her are unfair. As far as not mentioning Geno's name or UConn by name in the presser, Geno didn't mention her name or their team's either. As far as the lack of handshake, that happens in many games in this Covid era. In this case, UConn players spent a more than average amount of time at midcourt celebrating, and I can't blame any team for not waiting around (I understand that they might not have waited anyway).

If I were hiring a coach for that style of basketball, Coach Abe would be top of the list. like her or not. I think Geno has a problem with her about the pressing issue in that one game, but overall and over time I think he's expressed respect. She's a top notch coach IMO.

 

[Crossover]

Man, that one reporter kept trying to get Coach A to finger UConn for flopping. She never really took the bait.

I agree. I thought that Coach Abe was very fair to UConn. She repeatedly pointed out that the refs put players from both teams on the bench. And she gave Geno credit for figuring out a way to persevere. I also thought that the UCF players at the press conference were likable, upbeat and great representatives of WCBB. Impressively so, given that they had just lost a close and hard-fought game.

 

[Boreifs]

Geno starts at 19:50.

 

[eebmg]

So much energy spent on the opposing coach (who cares ), I am more concerned with Geno's assessment of Paige and what he expects going forward in the Tournament. (around 35' mark). He does not expect Paige to be the Paige of last year. Yes, she has great moments but he does not expect her to play at the highest level.

Hopefully, this is more psychological games but you can see that while she must feel pretty confident physically getting into the scrum for example and playing 32 minutes, she is not seeing the floor the same. The clearest example to me and something Geno said after the Mercer game is that she is not finding quick connections with the post players (not that they are helping) . I think she is most comfortable connecting with Azzi and being connected to the guards on the perimeter

Hopefully, another several days of practice can help.

 

[UConnCat]

So much energy spent on the opposing coach (who cares ), I am more concerned with Geno's assessment of Paige and what he expects going forward in the Tournament. (around 35' mark). He does not expect Paige to be the Paige of last year. Yes, she has great moments but he does not expect her to play at the highest level.

Hopefully, this is more psychological games but you can see that while she must feel pretty confident physically getting into the scrum for example and playing 32 minutes, she is not seeing the floor the same. The clearest example to me and something Geno said after the Mercer game is that she is not finding quick connections with the post players (not that they are helping) . I think she is most comfortable connecting with Azzi and being connected to the guards on the perimeter

Hopefully, another several days of practice can help.

Paige doesn't have the sharpness, timing and confidence that comes with playing a full season with teammates. She may be a little better in Bridgeport but it won't be enough to where she is the Paige we watched last season. It is what it is. As a fan I'm grateful for what she's done to come back and play and will appreciate whatever she can do to help the team.

 

[Fossil]

I thought that the UCF coach and her players handled themselves very well at the press conference. The coach was able to call out the officials without getting herself in too much trouble. She called out the NCAA for their bracket placement of two Florida teams playing in the first Round as well as sending them to Connecticut. I had a UCF negative bias from games in the past however I thought this game was incredibly intense and aggressive but not dirty. I came away from the press conference with a better Feeling for the coach, her players certainly seem to like her and the way she coaches them to play. The results speak for themselves with the direction her program has ascended. However I think that style definitely depends on the type of officiating they get from game to game. During the interview it seemed as though she was saying officials that know them and the way they play would not have called as many fouls. While I do believe the officials were rather poor during this game I would rather see fouls called when fouls happen. I also think the UCF coach was fair to Connecticut during the interview.

 

[ME Husky Fan]

Coach Abe, you play the cards you’re dealt. It’s the nature of the growing sport that the marquee teams get the advantage. UCF gets to that level, with national recognition, you’ll get the home court advantage through the first two rounds. Looking forward to ‘basketball’ this next weekend.

 

[JellyBean]

I just loved pressers. Coach G always being brutally honest, especially his take on "Toughness". Classic response. The whole thing with the reporter and his questions about flopping was interesting. I will have to watch the game again. Also I have no problem with Coach Abe and her approach to the presser. She has her style and it is working for her, and her team goes all out for her, plus the administration supports her, all the props to her and her coaching staff and her players.

The part about the refs was funny. Coach Abe talked about how officials that know UCF style of play kind of let them get away with that style of play. Okay that is all well and good but I agree with @Fossil. I get folks don't like officials and the calls they make or don't make. But I rather see an official call fouls when there are fouls and if the fouls get aggressive, you have to call it and then warn both teams that if that foolishness continues, techs will be issued.

 

[Jmsdawg]

Geno starts at 19:50.

I know this is not going to be a popular post but IMO Geno looked exhausted. I see the UCF game as a real indication of true parity, I loved the tough play on both sides. iMO, UCF was the better defensive team tonight and UConn was by far the better offensive team. Overall the better team won. IMO, it will be tough for any team to win the NC because there are no pushovers in this tournament.

 

[ProSkeptic]

Thank you all for your reports on Coach Abe and the UCF players. I have bad memories of UCF from UConn’s time in the AAC. She has certainly built up a program from scratch and her players play their hears out for her, so that’s worth a lot. Wonder if she’ll end up at a P5 school. Hopefully not in the BE!

 

[ME Husky Fan]

I get that she's proud of her team. But at least be gracious even in defeat. Hard to like this coach.

Agree. Win or lose, you give the other guy his/her due.. You cannot dismiss what she’s done with this team but it is a different type of basketball that for me and the era in which I played, well it just isn’t fun to watch.

 

[jaydee602]

It might have sounded like sour grapes, but Coach Abe made some valid points. I thought the Selection Committee did an admirable job selecting the teams for the tourney. But their seedings & bracket placement seemed haphazard & illogical.
One of the refs (Gina Cross) is a final four official. But she was paired up with a floater ref & a Pac 12 ref who were overwhelmed by the physicality.

 

[CTrefugee]

Geno starts at 19:50.

She's delusional. UCF is not our equal. If we played 10 times, this one would be the closest. You have to get used to their "style" and once you do, it gets easier.

 

[JellyBean]

Coach Abe, you play the cards you’re dealt. It’s the nature of the growing sport that the marquee teams get the advantage. UCF gets to that level, with national recognition, you’ll get the home court advantage through the first two rounds. Looking forward to ‘basketball’ this next weekend.

Yeah. She had me laughing complaining about where her team, or any other team, was placed in the region. I wonder if these coaches realize that they have options. They can decline the invitation and let other team take their place in the tournament. Or just show up and play and stop complaining. If these coaches are so upset about being placed in a region. Sure, they would face some heat from their fan base and might lose their jobs but if they are so upset about being placed in a region like Iowa or Connecticut, decline the offer. Then the AD would let one of the other staff members take over coaching duties. The other option is, play on and stop complaining. Hopefully, one day, UCF gets to host the first games.

 

[hoopsfan22]

She's delusional. UCF is not our equal. If we played 10 times, this one would be the closest. You have to get used to their "style" and once you do, it gets easier.

The last two times we played them in the AAC in 2020 we beat them by 7 and 13. Last night was not an anomaly. If we were still in the AAC and had to play that team 2-3 times per year, we'd eventually lose. Last night's margin was razor thin. It was a one possession game for the last few minutes, and could have gone either way. If you didn't know the seedings, and were a casual fan, you tuned in to watch two evenly matched teams last night go toe to toe in a nail-biter that came down to the final minute.

 

[CTrefugee]

The last two times we played them in the AAC in 2020 we beat them by 7 and 13. Last night was not an anomaly. If we were still in the AAC and had to play that team 2-3 times per year, we'd eventually lose. Last night's margin was razor thin. It was a one possession game for the last few minutes, and could have gone either way. If you didn't know the seedings, and were a casual fan, you tuned in to watch two evenly matched teams last night go toe to toe in a nail-biter that came down to the final minute.

I disagree.

 

[azfan]

I absolutely loved Geno's analysis of toughness at the very end of his portion of the presser. Pointing out specific actions that help the team making it straight free throws, making the big three, a big rebound he pointed to that as toughness. Not the posturing, not the talking, and not the hard fouls.

His comment really took me beyond this game to the NBA and other elements of the men's game. That is action talks and b******* walks.

 

[CL82]

Coach Abe, you play the cards you’re dealt. It’s the nature of the growing sport that the marquee teams get the advantage. UCF gets to that level, with national recognition, you’ll get the home court advantage through the first two rounds. Looking forward to ‘basketball’ this next weekend.

Respectfully I think it’s less a matter of national recognition than it is regular season success. Play tough opponents, win those games, and you’ll end up being a highly seeded team. That’s no different in the men’s game than it is in the women’s game.

Sports, in many ways, is the ultimate meritocracy. Teams are rewarded for their success.

 

[CL82]

She's delusional. UCF is not our equal. If we played 10 times, this one would be the closest. You have to get used to their "style" and once you do, it gets easier.

Agree. There were a whole lot of things that had to happen to make this a close game. One of them was our absolute in ability to hit lay ups. As an aberration playing this kind of chippy and aggressive basketball is a challenge, but after a while it becomes old hat.

In any event claiming to be the “equal“ of a team you’ve never beaten smacks of wishful thinking.

 

[jdb50]

In a matchup with UCF I am glad we were in Gampel and not at a neutral site. In a regular season matchup at UCF it would be a real struggle to get a win. Being able to hit the free throws after not making field goals all 4th Q when we had a decent lead, and could have put the game away, is some real mental toughness for sure.

 

[azfan]

I was extremely impressed with Coach Abe and her two players. First I thought they were amazing ambassadors for their program and school. The players in spite of the defeat were so positive and they had electric smiles and talked about how much they learned from the program and how much they meant to each other. I also thought coach Abe listing the accomplishments of this team was definitely using this platform in a very smart way.

Coach Abe two points with which I think I really agree:

1. Neutral sites. While she acknowledged the Connecticut earned this and when she talked about her previous coaching experience and not wanting to play in Iowa State or South Carolina she did say that those teams earned the right to host. However I think it's really important to have a level playing field and I know there have been discussions in the past of a centralized tournament. While I'm sure this will never happen if we brought the tournament to a place like Las Vegas or somewhere in Florida or even somewhere in the center of the country we'd have a different tournament.

2. Officiating. First she did acknowledge up front that it affected both teams. I also thought she made an amazing point that we want to see the best players play. She acknowledged that the Huskies had two of our best players sitting and her best players were handicapped. Her analysis I think was on point when she said that only one member of the crew was familiar with the leagues and the style of playing. As we recall Geno had the unusual Geno style comment about West Coast basketball and West Coast officials.

I thought this was an outstanding presser I was impressed with both coaches and all four players.

 

[HuskyNan]

I know this is not going to be a popular post but IMO Geno looked exhausted. I see the UCF game as a real indication of true parity, I loved the tough play on both sides. iMO, UCF was the better defensive team tonight and UConn was by far the better offensive team. Overall the better team won. IMO, it will be tough for any team to win the NC because there are no pushovers in this tournament.

UCF has played this way for a while. A couple years ago, UConn played UCF here in Orlando (crowd was 3/4 UConn fans) and pulled out a 7 point win.

I had season tickets to UCF and didn’t see the overly physical style with other teams. However, UConn is a physical team and UCF may just be trying to put the Huskies on the defensive first. But, these two teams don’t like each other much and it shows.