Non-Lady Vol Basketball News 2023-24

#7,301
#7,301
Volfan2012 said:
UConn over 1 win Georgetown last night 64 to 40. Williams had 19 and Bueckers again had to do all the heavy lifting as Wesbrooks and Ododa again virtually no shows in the game. Bueckers has saved UConn enduring several more loses this season. She has been the difference between winning in losing in two or three other contest.
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Saw a recap of that game under the headline "UConn Stomps Georgetown." It was on a Conn blog on SBNation, but still seemed a little shameless considering that they were playing an opponent with a 1-11 record.

Also found the UConn coach's remarks to be a little disingenuous. He noted that they had played 5 games in 10 days. Obviously, that can be a tough stretch regardless of opponent (SC being the only ranked team and the only ranked team left on their schedule).

What I found curious is that he would comment on how tough it's been yet would only bring three players off his bench until the final minutes. He played Bueckers 39 minutes against a team with one win that Conn had blown out earlier in the season. Didn't check the total min. for other starters, but assume they also played big minutes unless they were ineffective.

Why wouldn't a coach be (a) developing backups, (b) resting key players, and (c) protecting key players from potential injury, especially if they are as tired as he indicates? (Note that I didn't mention rewarding players with minutes against an overmatched opponent; evidently he feels that his players haven't earned playing time, it would be "disrespecting" the opponent to play anyone less than his best, the one-win opponent will suddenly discover hidden talents that will allow them to beat the #1 team in the country, or some other reason that seems logical to Conn fans).

But when the coach himself notes that his "freshman phenom" is still bothered by the ankle injury from the Tenn game and that the 5-game stretch has been so exhausting that his team "needs a rest," it seems curious that he wouldn't have used the opportunity which was in his control to do something about it. Otherwise, why complain?

If he really wants to see how tough a stretch can be, maybe he should try playing 5 games in 11 days against four ranked opponents plus one just out of the rankings, including two of the top six teams in the country.
 
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#7,302
#7,302
Volfan2012 said:
UConn over 1 win Georgetown last night 64 to 40. Williams had 19 and Bueckers again had to do all the heavy lifting as Wesbrooks and Ododa again virtually no shows in the game. Bueckers has saved UConn enduring several more loses this season. She has been the difference between winning in losing in two or three other contest.
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Are you implying they lose this game without Bueckers? She had 19, they won by 24. Aside from South Carolina and Tennessee, it's hard to make a strong case for any other game they might have lost without Paige...
 
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#7,304
#7,304
Darth_Vol said:
Of course, but I still think it's far from a certainty that Tennessee would have won if Davis played...
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That is true. They might have been able to limit Rennia the way we limited Howard.

On the other hand, look at how Howard contributed in other ways (steals, assists, rebounds). Imagine that Rennia was able to get only half of her 20 rebounds when we played earlier, was able to draw attention away from our posts, added stability to our ball-handling and length to our defense, etc. Not to mention senior leadership.

I'd imagine it would at least have been a tossup late in the game if we had her available. Replacing Marta in the starting lineup wasn't a body blow the way this was. We simply don't have the depth or experience with four players out (including Marta, who clearly couldn't go).


Darth_Vol said:
Are you implying they lose this game without Bueckers? She had 19, they won by 24. Aside from South Carolina and Tennessee, it's hard to make a strong case for any other game they might have lost without Paige...
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Agree. Unlike us, Conn has #1, #1, #2, #5 recruits from their classes on the roster along with other top 30 recruits and three international players who would have solid rankings here. Our leading scorer was ranked lower than people they have riding the pine.

If they couldn't beat a 1-10 Georgetown team without PB given their talent, then they have horrible player development and team preparation (which we know isn't the case). The Georgetown win along with many of theie conference games) should have been a cakewalk with or without Bueckers. That's not to take anything away from her, but if the #1 team can't beat a one-win team due to the absence of one player, then women's bball is in a really sorry state.
 
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#7,305
#7,305
Amb3096 said:
I remember he posted under several names, but he always identified who he was. CTWhitey was another one I liked. For some reason, they reminded me off those two old arguing guys on The Muppets Show.

I (along with several other posters) was pissed at on the ESPN board who basically said good riddance to Slewbopper after he died. Takes a special kind of a-hole to stoop to that level, and "her" comments weren't taken too well.
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I also miss the guy. His posts ran the gamut from informative to hilarious with a bit of nasty every now and then. I first met him on the old AOL boards where we both enjoyed giving crap to an always drunk, female LadyVol fan who posted there. I would post his name here but I don't know if that would violate some sort of forum rule/etiquette. Personally I don't think he would care.
 
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#7,306
#7,306
creekdipper said:
That is true. They might have been able to limit Rennia the way we limited Howard.

On the other hand, look at how Howard contributed in other ways (steals, assists, rebounds). Imagine that Rennia was able to get only half of her 20 rebounds when we played earlier, was able to draw attention away from our posts, added stability to our ball-handling and length to our defense, etc. Not to mention senior leadership.

I'd imagine it would at least have been a tossup late in the game if we had her available. Replacing Marta in the starting lineup wasn't a body blow the way this was. We simply don't have the depth or experience with four players out (including Marta, who clearly couldn't go).




Agree. Unlike us, Conn has #1, #1, #2, #5 recruits from their classes on the roster along with other top 30 recruits and three international players who would have solid rankings here. Our leading scorer was ranked lower than people they have riding the pine.

If they couldn't beat a 1-10 Georgetown team without PB given their talent, then they have horrible player development and team preparation (which we know isn't the case). The Georgetown win along with many of theie conference games) should have been a cakewalk with or without Bueckers. That's not to take anything away from her, but if the #1 team can't beat a one-win team due to the absence of one player, then women's bball is in a really sorry state.
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Regarding player development - Ya' gotta' have them for more than a few months to develope them. Bueckers, Muhl, Edwards are all freshmen. After a game a couple of weeks ago Auriemma joked that he had four freshman and a high school player on the floor at one time.
 
#7,310
#7,310
creekdipper said:
That is true. They might have been able to limit Rennia the way we limited Howard.

On the other hand, look at how Howard contributed in other ways (steals, assists, rebounds). Imagine that Rennia was able to get only half of her 20 rebounds when we played earlier, was able to draw attention away from our posts, added stability to our ball-handling and length to our defense, etc. Not to mention senior leadership.

I'd imagine it would at least have been a tossup late in the game if we had her available. Replacing Marta in the starting lineup wasn't a body blow the way this was. We simply don't have the depth or experience with four players out (including Marta, who clearly couldn't go).




Agree. Unlike us, Conn has #1, #1, #2, #5 recruits from their classes on the roster along with other top 30 recruits and three international players who would have solid rankings here. Our leading scorer was ranked lower than people they have riding the pine.

If they couldn't beat a 1-10 Georgetown team without PB given their talent, then they have horrible player development and team preparation (which we know isn't the case). The Georgetown win along with many of theie conference games) should have been a cakewalk with or without Bueckers. That's not to take anything away from her, but if the #1 team can't beat a one-win team due to the absence of one player, then women's bball is in a really sorry state.
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The first time they played Georgetown Paige did not play and they beat Georgetown worse than they did last night. However, UConn is still struggling at the beginning of their games even with Bueckers.
 
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#7,311
#7,311
Gondrezick with 13 points, 6 assists and 2 boards in the first half. She’s fun to watch. Hit a couple really deep 3s, nothing but the bottom of the net. She has the ability to stay spaced and really stretch a defense.

I think she’ll go in the first round of the draft. She’s so much more fit this year and her game is so consistent. She’s on a mission.
 
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#7,312
#7,312
Dang. Exciting finish. Oklahoma upsets West Virginia. West Virginia had two chances to win it at the buzzer but couldn’t get it done. They looked gassed coming down the stretch. Same problem as us. Short bench and too many turnovers.
 
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#7,313
#7,313
Mr. Doo Wop said:
The first time they played Georgetown Paige did not play and they beat Georgetown worse than they did last night. However, UConn is still struggling at the beginning of their games even with Bueckers.
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Doo Wop, what's the feeling of most Boneyard fans re: Bueckers becoming the current "it girl" in wcbb? I noticed on the first page on the BY, about every third thread is about Bueckers. We all agree that she is already an outstanding player (I liken her play to John Stockton's ruthless efficiency as a PG although she carries much more of the scoring load and displays the opposite of his stoic personality).

Any worries from UConn fans that the media exposure might have a negative effect on team chemistry? Or do the older players embrace that as long as she is leading the offense and producing? There doesn't seem to be any danger of the attention going to her head...she seems to be a team-first athlete.
 
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#7,315
#7,315
Darth_Vol said:
Are you implying they lose this game without Bueckers? She had 19, they won by 24. Aside from South Carolina and Tennessee, it's hard to make a strong case for any other game they might have lost without Paige...
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Not this game but winning by five against a 1 and 11 team would be interesting. Lucky to have her or their not top ten more like top twenty.
 
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