UCONN goes down again…

[Dudleys87]

if it's on the schedule. What are we supposed to do? Lose?!! lol

No, beat teams at their best because most likely you’ll see them again in March. Beating teams at full strength makes the Lady Vols better not worse. Look at it a lot like beating a cupcake in football by 20+ it means absolutely nothing.

 

[Dudleys87]

You’d really hang your hat on a win against Bama or Florida in football if they couldn’t field the best team possible?

Because you can bet that same team will show up in the SECCG and be better not worse.

 

[creekdipper]

No, beat teams at their best because most likely you’ll see them again in March. Beating teams at full strength makes the Lady Vols better not worse. Look at it a lot like beating a cupcake in football by 20+ it means absolutely nothing.

If a coach can field a team consisting of top recruits and that team is still considered to be a "cupcake," then perhaps it's time to look at "changes in the coaching staff."

Sound familiar?

 

[creekdipper]

You’d really hang your hat on a win against Bama or Florida in football if they couldn’t field the best team possible?

Because you can bet that same team will show up in the SECCG and be better not worse.

I wouldn't call that team filled with NFL draft picks "a cupcake" for fear of getting laughed out of the bar.

 

[VA_VOLFAN]

No, beat teams at their best because most likely you’ll see them again in March. Beating teams at full strength makes the Lady Vols better not worse. Look at it a lot like beating a cupcake in football by 20+ it means absolutely nothing.

We won't be worse for beating you with whatever product you put out on the floor. I'm sure uconn fans will show up which will be a great experience for our team either way.

Can't worry about who is on the floor just like if this was a championship game. I don't think UGA is regretting their national championship because Alabama had a difference maker out. Gotta enjoy the wins when they come. If we see them in march we see them. But we know we see them on Feb 6th and i don't believe Geno will be any less snarky lol

 

[VolBall09]

Surely y’all don’t think beating a weak husky team is worth anything…

You’ve all deluded yourselves into thinking this is a “weak” team. Massive excuse for poor play.

What planet are you living on?

It’s a team that isn’t playing well and has bad chemistry. It’s not a “weak” team though.

Even with Bueckers and Fudd out UCONN starts 4 top 5 players, sometimes 5. Geno just can’t get them to do what he wants.

I mean, look at the Lady Vol bench, a bunch of middle of the pack freshman and a grad transfer who is undersized. But they come in and they do WORK every time they play.

If Geno had played more than 6 deep when y’all were beating teams by large margins early in the season maybe your (very talented) bench would have been better prepared.

 

[creekdipper]

Poor old tonyc (a familiar name here) was rambling incoherently about how people had been asking why Geno didn't play his nmbench and that now we can see why they weren't playing...because they aren't good enough!

(It never seems to dawn upon some that maybe, just maybe, getting experience would make them better).

Of course, the same folks are (rightfully) singing the praises of Ducharme...who was languishing on the bench until there were few other options.

CONN fans...gotta love 'em.

 

[glv98]

I mean, look at the Lady Vol bench, a bunch of middle of the pack freshman and a grad transfer who is undersized. But they come in and they do WORK every time they play.

Yeah, I was thinking while watching the UConn game last night that KJH has ruined it for every coach trying to use the ole "but we were shorthanded" excuse. Arguably, UConn's losses are more dire, especially since they're all happening at once. But Kellie has definitely won the day on who's made the most of a way weaker bench. And done so without dramatic outbursts or pity parties.

Quoting the estimable Ray Davies, it is time for you to stop all of your crying.

 

[glv98]

No, beat teams at their best because most likely you’ll see them again in March. Beating teams at full strength makes the Lady Vols better not worse. Look at it a lot like beating a cupcake in football by 20+ it means absolutely nothing.

So what's your recommendation? Postpone the game until they're at full strength?

This is a total 'play the hand that's dealt ya' season for everyone. So go play them, beat whoever suits up, and let the rest of the world place asterisks where they will. I'm not real worried that will make our team "worse",

 

[EverythingOrange]

Media darlings with ESPN on their side (And basically on their campus)......

 

[Cees]

With 4 losses I bet my house the comittee still finds a way to keep them in the top 15 let alone the top 25 in which they’re not . Another loss to a non ranked team smh Darth? What’s going on with yall

One more loss and UCONN will be in the top 5

 

[Bakers1]

Fudd played off the bench in 4 games. She averaged 7.5 ppg. She was UConn's only reliable outside shooter.

4 games at the college level is hardly a sample size worth mentioning. I those 4 games from the 3 she shot 0% 66% 25% and 20% .....That's far from consistent.......She was also one of if not their WEAKEST defender (Geno"s words on why he sat her) so she may score but she may allow the other team to score more...

 

[Ladyvolfan4ever]

So what's your recommendation? Postpone the game until they're at full strength?

This is a total 'play the hand that's dealt ya' season for everyone. So go play them, beat whoever suits up, and let the rest of the world place asterisks where they will. I'm not real worried that will make our team "worse",

on the boneyard last a few were crying that the committee should take their depleted team into consideration when doing seeding for the tournament. For real about 3 of them.

 

[Amb3096]

on the boneyard last a few were crying that the committee should take their depleted team into consideration when doing seeding for the tournament. For real about 3 of them.

It's a double edged sword...because if they have the lower seed that their record would warrant but get a healthy Bueckers/Fudd back, then the higher teams in their bracket will basically be screwed with essentially another #1-calibur seed. I don't think there's any question that they are an elite team with everyone back.

 

[GameTime]

Poor UConn...No respect.

 

[LadyOrange]

If UConn has the best coach and the top recruits, they should be able to win with the last five. But they aren’t winning. Mediocre coaching. Mediocre playing.

 

[VolBall09]

If UConn has the best coach and the top recruits, they should be able to win with the last five. But they aren’t winning. Mediocre coaching. Mediocre playing.

I always felt his assistants did the majority of the player coaching. Where Geno definitely does the in game coaching.

I do wonder how many on the current roster were really close to Ralph? Not saying her leaving is the difference in their season, but she seemed like the relationship coach and was their recruiter so likely had a stronger bond with most of the players than Geno. Shae did often engage the team during games, she would be up on the sideline shouting plays fairly often. Valley and Elliott are always just sitting there with their masks on whispering to each other. I’ve actually seen Geno go off on them this season (GA Tech game).

Long known fact that CD is the good cop to Geno’s bad and is primarily there to pick up the pieces after he tears them apart. Not unlike the roll Holly served for Pat. I don’t actually think CD is much of a basketball coach though. She mostly looks like a stat keeper and a cheerleader on the sideline.

 

[Amb3096]

While I'm enjoying the UConn drought as much as the next person...are people really suggesting that UConn is washed up because they're only making FFs and not winning the whole thing? I mean, that would be a really nice problem to have for every team out there that DOESN'T win it all...

 

[Volfan2012]

Far from washed up when they get the two players back someone very hard to contend with.

 

[Terrells Bay88]

While I'm enjoying the UConn drought as much as the next person...are people really suggesting that UConn is washed up because they're only making FFs and not winning the whole thing? I mean, that would be a really nice problem to have for every team out there that DOESN'T win it all...

They are still making Final Fours and getting Top 5 recruits. The BY was saying that game had past Pat by during the early to mid 2000s championship drought and after her last championship run. She was still great enough to make it to the NC title game a couple of times in that drought and she considered to be washed up according to the BY.

 

[sisaq]

They are still making Final Fours and getting Top 5 recruits. The BY was saying that game had past Pat by during the early to mid 2000s championship drought and after her last championship run. She was still great enough to make it to the NC title game a couple of times in that drought and she considered to be washed up according to the

Hope they don't come up with another excuse When they all come bk. Because Paige just come bk and she's wasn't 100% that's why they didn't make it.

 

[creekdipper]

With the all-star, AA, Top 5 recruits they're getting, they ought to be able to do nothing more than just roll the balls out in practice and then go to the local bar for a couple hours then come back and collect the balls...and still go undefeated in their conference and be a top tournament seed.

When your freshman guard is POY, that's not coaching. That's just sheer talent. They're not "coaching up" their bench and outcoaching anybody at this point. Back in the day, yes. But not now.

Stewart didn't just blossom under great coaching. She dominated from the get-go. Like Alcindor and Walton at UCLA.

 

[mlindsay]

With the all-star, AA, Top 5 recruits they're getting, they ought to be able to do nothing more than just roll the balls out in practice and then go to the local bar for a couple hours then come back and collect the balls...and still go undefeated in their conference and be a top tournament seed.

When your freshman guard is POY, that's not coaching. That's just sheer talent. They're not "coaching up" their bench and outcoaching anybody at this point. Back in the day, yes. But not now.

Stewart didn't just blossom under great coaching. She dominated from the get-go. Like Alcindor and Walton at UCLA.

Exactly, I'd like to know the last player that he/they developed (one that left better than when they arrived) and If I had to take a guess I would probably say Saniya Chong. With the talent he has, there should be no excuses as to why the team looks like it does without 1 player. Kellie has made the most out of what she has and only has one Top 40 player on her roster (Jordan Horston).

He has at least 5 top 10s and he is playing in a weaker conference. The excuses that he is making and some are allowing him to make is pitiful. Coach um up Geno, you have 11 championships for a reason right?

 

[GameTime]

 

[Amb3096]

Exactly, I'd like to know the last player that he/they developed (one that left better than when they arrived) and If I had to take a guess I would probably say Saniya Chong. With the talent he has, there should be no excuses as to why the team looks like it does without 1 player. Kellie has made the most out of what she has and only has one Top 40 player on her roster (Jordan Horston).

He has at least 5 top 10s and he is playing in a weaker conference. The excuses that he is making and some are allowing him to make is pitiful. Coach um up Geno, you have 11 championships for a reason right?

Napheesa Collier, Gabby Williams, and Crystal Dangerfield all had big improvements from freshman to senior year. Even Megan Walker up until she left after her junior year. As much maligned as ONO is, she's still improved every year even if she isn't what the UConn faithful were expecting her to be. The only major recruit I don't think he's developed has been Christyn Williams. She's basically the same player now as she was a freshman. That could very well just be that she came in with a low ceiling, and she was already right up against it. I will say that right now, the team looks like the worst he's fielded since Taurasi graduated. They have zero chemistry together. The Bueckers injury may be a wakeup call to him that he can't just rely on one player. What he does with Fudd, Ducharme (who is already looking like a steal), DeBerry (if she sticks around), and then the two top 5 players he's got coming in next season will tell the story if he's lost his coaching mojo.

If I was a betting man, I'd predict next season that a healthy UConn will be a perennial top 4 team, but they'll be playing 2nd fiddle to SC...possibly 3rd behind Stanford as well.