Villanova post game thread

[meyers7]

The Good:

• Fudd seems to be coming on like people thought she could. Bodes well for the future
• Shooting, we shot pretty well. 48%/50%/100%. some of the best of the season
• Low turnovers. only 10. might be the lowest this season
• Got another game in 2 days. Don't have to think about this one very long. Time to get back on the horse.

The Bad:

• Defense, not good. Nova shot 51%/45% some of the best of the season
• Rebounding. really not good, out rebounded 37-21
• More injuries/sickness. This is just crazy. Rosemary please come back.

Also, and not to be a Debbie Downer, but people keep talking about "when we are healthy", "we'll be nasty", "bad for women's basketball". But let's look at this.

1) When we're healthy. We haven't been healthy all year. There is no guarantee we ever will be this year. Even if Bueckers does come back (at what level?) who knows who else might not be available the way this year has been going?

2) Even if/when we do get everyone back and healthy, how long is it going to take to get the team to gel. Everyone to learn, embrace their roles? It usually takes most of the season to get UCONN clicking on all cylinders. We "might" have a few games. But even that could be a stretch.

We need to quit pi$$ing off the basketball gods. Let's just humble ourselves a bit, quit talking about how great we "could" be. Just deal with how we are. One game at a time. Forget the seeding and who we might face in the FF. If we get good this year, great. But no guarantee we will be. Lots and lots to overcome.

 

[meyers7]

Actually don't have a recliner. Pretty good rally at the end, don't you think?

And you call yourself a basketball fan???

 

[Geesworld]

Hats off to Nova. They played a game that has to happen to beat a team like UCONN. Shoot a high percentage, win the loose ball battle/hustle plays and get a lead and take the crowd out of the game and just hope it's sustainable for 40 minutes. Also best players must show up. Last year UCONN, held Madison Siegrist to 7-32 FG's in two games last year. She was the driving force with her energy and timely made baskets whenever we started to creep back in the game.


There is no excuses, but there was way to much production (Rebounds, Blocks and Points) on the UCONN bench.

 

[freshler40]

When a team is outrebounded by 16 at the half, and your 6'3" has only 1, with 4 points, why not use one or both of the 6'5"s on the bench? They can stumble into better stats than that.

Yes, strange that we didn't adjust to that reality early. Maybe, just maybe one of the two 6'5" bench players might have been a CD in practice clothing. Seemed like the place to try???? Were we trying to match their size???? I thought we had the talent, they had to match us???

 

[hoophuskee]

and what would the better options be?

The players that played. For example, Evina Westbrrok was on a Final Four team. Piath didn't play. And DeBerry was lucky to even make the the summer all-star team. Then when she made it, she was lats player off the bench. So the coach is putting his faith in Evina over both yet you want to put in Piath and DeBerry not because they are better but because in a close game you want to throw a dart?

Otherwise, what makes you think they are better if not dart-throwing?

 

[snowkot]

When a team is outrebounded by 16 at the half, and your 6'3" has only 1, with 4 points, why not use one or both of the 6'5"s on the bench? They can stumble into better stats than that.

Total contribution: 30 minutes, 4 points, 1 rebound (defensive), 2 assists, 3 blocks, 3 turnovers, 5 fouls.

When your other 5 has a somewhat debilitating injury limiting time on the floor, and you have no other 4's, seems a reasonable point...

 

[hoophuskee]

When a team is outrebounded by 16 at the half, and your 6'3" has only 1, with 4 points, why not use one or both of the 6'5"s on the bench? They can stumble into better stats than that.

Because maybe their defense on the perimeter would be worse?

 

[Performance]

First off, congrats to Villanova. They must be thrilled.

For me, I'm sort of Zen about this. The season has been SO hard - so many injuries, illnesses, missed games, changes, etc. I hardly think there is another team in the country who has been hit as hard as we have with all the issues. No Paige and no Aubrey. No Caroline was known, but no Olivia? It apparently was too much for the team tonight. We've not had any consistency with who practices, and then who is available to play for almost any game. Constantly changing.

I hope the fans take a pause and think before posting. As much as we've hated the season, I'm betting it's even been less fun for the team.

Just chalk it up to a rough game, bad loss, whatever. Nova is no slouch. Azzi and Christyn were ballers, but other than that, a frustrating game from the rest of the team. We made a nice run in Q4, but the game was too far out of hand at that point. We needed more of Q's 2 and 4 and less of Q's 1 and 3...

BTW, Azzi is flat out a stud. And her demeanor - cool as the other side of the pillow!

So, on to the next game. Let's hope those who were out get better soon, and Paige can't return soon enough!

Finally a rational fan who can put things in perspective. THANK YOU!!!

 

[sun]

BB is based on a clock which means that every second counts, should not be wasted and that every mistake is a lost opportunity to score.
Every decision made by a coach or a mistake by a player throughout the game can affect the outcome.

For me, examples of when the game was lost was first, during the over 4 minutes in the 4th quarter when neither team scored.
The last was when UConn got possession with 2 seconds left on the clock, and the last shot wasn't even released before the horn.

The players need to be coached how to be more perfect and to not make as many mistakes.
And how more of them need to become scorers and be able to draw fouls.
After all, the object of the game is to score points, and how to score points was lacking for over 4 minutes.

Some problems will always stem from fundamentals.
But many are also the result of sloppy errors.
And we needed better shooting efficiency to make 1 or 2 more baskets throughout the game.

The game was a learning moment for the team.
Under the pressure of the last minutes, Azzi learned how to attack the basket.
She found out that we need her in that role too, especially when we really need buckets and others aren't getting it done.
Carol was baptized by fire and now Azzi has been too.

 

[Shenandoah]

Because maybe their defense on the perimeter would be worse?

In reality, could it have been any worse? Plenty of wide open 3's.

 

[hoophuskee]

Well, we don't really know or if a zone might have resulted in our keeping better rebounding position and preventing the many drives for layups that Nova had. At least your just giving up the 3's not the other areas as well. In one sequence Nova had four offensive rebounds in the 3rd quarter!

I think we do know zones are worse but regardless.
But Nova shot 10-22 from 3. That is an EFG% of 68.1%. The zone encourages 3 point shooting. That's the type of defense you are suggesting would work? For UCONN to "hold" Nova to 68.1% while encouraging them to shoot more?

 

[hoophuskee]

In reality, could it have been any worse? Plenty of wide open 3's.

Yes. In reality they lost by 3 and not 23.

 

[Stinger92860]

This loss is not a big deal for me, except for the defense. Missing 3 starters plus a key reserve is the issue. We get everyone back and no one will want to play us in the tournament.

 

[VaConnFan11]

Everyone in the arena knew that Azzi was going to shoot whenever she got the ball and that the Huskies were going to do everything they could to get her the ball. Villanova adjusted their defense to deny her the ball on the perimeter.

Sometime people forget the other team has good coaches and Div I players, too. ’Nova appears to be a well-coached team and the coaching staff game-planned UConn beautifully

So you are saying that the greatest coach of all time got outcoached, because Villanova's coach ran plays to keep her from getting open and Geno couldn't run plays to get her open?

 

[HuskyNan]

So you are saying that the greatest coach of all time got outcoached, because Villanova's coach ran plays to keep her from getting open and Geno couldn't run plays to get her open?

Please point out where I said that.

 

[Centerstream]

How many has Ono missed in her career, Why Harp on Dorka.

Because Liv didn't play???????????

 

[LwrcasefaN]

Because maybe their defense on the perimeter would be worse?

They were a lot of long rebounds as well because they were taking long shots. Your height aint gonna help you here. And when you're playing 6...you can't just go all out with aggression or you risk fouling out.

 

[Rixxx]

Actually don't have a recliner. Pretty good rally at the end, don't you think?

Pretty good, as Villanova kept missing foul shots.

 

[Cuango]

It's late at night, and I know many are feeling as bummed and/or frustrated with (take your pick) the game, the team, certain players, certain circumstances, etc., as I am. I just wanted to say two things:

(1) As bummed and/or frustrated we as mere fans feel, it can't compare to how the team is feeling right now. Just imagine, it's on them that the 160+game streak was snapped. If it were me, I'd feel horrible about that.

(2) I have a lot of respect for CW for saying what she did about taking responsibility. That showed great character. I hope that going forward, she can inspire the team to show similar great character, bounce back stronger from this loss, and start a new streak.

Tough loss. I tip my hat to Villanova. They came out and played a solid game. They were knocking down shots left and right! I applaud our beloved UConn squad. This year, like others have stated, has been one for the ages! So many ups and downs. I just hope that the players don't get down on themselves after a game like tonight. Just stay positive, stay healthy, and be there for each other. Lift one another up.

If some of them aren’t down on themselves then I think we’ve diagnosed at least part of the problem with this team. That was shocking! I can understand losing, what we are seeing with this team goes far beyond that! Lack of effort, repeated mistakes that never seem to get corrected, lazy, late, and inaccurate passes, failing to box out.

I think there are issues with this team that we aren’t seeing clearly (may never see as fans). I’m not pointing at any particular aspect (players, chemistry, coaching etc) obviously and don’t know what the solution is but something is off here that goes beyond injuries and being short handed. Being shorthanded simply does not explain what we are seeing on the floor.

Ultimately of course, there is nothing we can do as fans beyond supporting our team and hoping that whatever is causing this is fixable and not something that will carry over into future seasons! On the other hand, putting our heads in the sand and applauding the team after what we saw last night is pretty inexplicable as well!

 

[Stymie]

They were a lot of long rebounds as well because they were taking long shots. Your height aint gonna help you here. And when you're playing 6...you can't just go all out with aggression or you risk fouling out.

Two Bigs.
50 minutes total.
2...TWO REBOUNDS between them.
Oh, really...?

 

[CocoHusky]

If some of them aren’t down on themselves then I think we’ve diagnosed at least part of the problem with this team. That was shocking! I can understand losing, what we are seeing with this team goes far beyond that! Lack of effort, repeated mistakes that never seem to get corrected, lazy, late, and inaccurate passes, failing to box out.

I think there are issues with this team that we aren’t seeing clearly (may never see as fans). I’m not pointing at any particular aspect (players, chemistry, coaching etc) obviously and don’t know what the solution is but something is off here that goes beyond injuries and being short handed. Being shorthanded simply does not explain what we are seeing on the floor.

Ultimately of course, there is nothing we can do as fans beyond supporting our team and hoping that whatever is causing this is fixable and not something that will carry over into future seasons! On the other hand, putting our heads in the sand and applauding the team after what we saw last night is pretty inexplicable as well!

Covid?

 

[uconnfan68]

we were not competitive vs Oregon 2 years ago. We got blown out. A team that was actually rated 5th or 6th getting humiliated on their home floor is 10 times worse than a team crushed by injuries and losing by 3. It's not even close. They scored 10 points in the 4th quarter because they called off the dogs and played slowdown. They felt sorry for us - and that isn't humiliating?????

This UCONN team didn't get blown out. When you get blown out on NAty'y TV and you are 5 or 6 and playing at home it is embarrassing.

This lineup without Paige, Aubrey, Liv and Ducharme cannot sustain beating good non-top--20 teams. Too much they are missing and not enough games in which they have had chance to develop continuity.

Oregon was favored. We were ranked last night. We were an 18pt favorite, but down by 19 in the 3rd quarter. This was the worst.

 

[Centerstream]

Meanwhile....
Tied for 1st in the Big East
Three teams .5 games out.
After last nights game....yes, it could happen.

And we are only in this position because we have played less games not due to our actual W-L record. Granted this could change dramatically in the next 10 days or so. Change to the better or...

 

[LwrcasefaN]

Two Bigs.
50 minutes total.
2...TWO REBOUNDS between them.
Oh, really...?

The disparity in rebounding was offensive rebounds. Mostly....Siegrist who often was not matched up against a big. I saw several times where she was matched up against Nika under the basket. Don't ask me how that happens. Most of UCONN's rebounds were by UCONN guards because a lot of the rebounds were long. They were slow to some others, but unless you have a gifted motor you will fatigue after chasing a team filled with perimeter shooters. You can't afford to play all out with 6 players. I would be concerned about rebounding if this were the norm. They loss a close game by 3...to a hot shooting team. It happens. And I don't think Dorka would have played if Liv were healthy and AE wasn't in foul trouble. I'm satisfied that all the components are present on this team. They just aren't all present now. I just don't see the sky falling.