Watching SC vs UConn

[SCGamecock]

Yeah, but they lose five seniors after this season. Tiffany Mitchell being the most important.

We lose Tiffany Mitchell and a SLEW of role players. Tina Roy? Non factor. Asia Dozier? Non factor. Khadijah Sessions? Non factor. Imovbioh had a nice game last night, but she's a role player as well. Last night proved who was ready to play with the elites and who wasn't. Roy and Sessions are not ready, and I've seen nothing from Dozier her ENTIRE career to convince me that she would've made a difference either. Losing Mitchell will hurt somewhat, the rest, nah..

I will gladly drop any of those non factor three for Alisha Gray and Kaela Davis' skill on the offensive end.

SC's problem is offensive execution. We lack the players. Dawn isn't the best offensive coach, so it would be wise for her to recruit skilled players that she could then mold into her defensive oriented system. Instead of just recruiting athletes with no offensive skills.

Being that our problem is offensive, we lose a great player in T. Mitchell but we add Gray and Davis. Fair trade in my opinion. This will be A'ja Wilson's team next year anyway.

 

[volfanIND]

Yeah, but they lose five seniors after this season. Tiffany Mitchell being the most important.

Michtell/Sessions, 14.5 + 6.4 = 20.9
Gray/Davis I'm thinking combined will average 24+ a game.

Sessions and Bianca were awful last night against the pressure. I understand Sessions had zero turnovers, but honestly, she drove to the lane and threw up shots in the paint against 3 UCONN defenders all night. Those to me are turnovers. You have to have 5 players on the floor that can score to beat UCONN, USC only had Wilson/Imovbioh and Mitchell. Imovbioh only played Wilson's minutes when she went out.

Sarah Imovbioh saved USC from being completely wiped off the floor. They won't have her next year. I think USC will have some growing pains with Mitchell gone next year (mainly how fast Wilson/Gray/Davis mesh) but they are the clear favorites for a NC next year in my book with their roster they have.

 

[Volfan2012]

SC had some close calls before they lost this one tonight. A&M virtually choked away a game to them first time they played. Very close with UCLA and Arizona State earlier in the season. SC is the best team in the SEC but I think three or four teams are on their level nationally.

 

[lonelawyer]

Auriemma Philosophy

Principle #1
Break them down to build them up

Principle #2
Demand perfection to find excellence

Principle #3
Be negative when winning, positive when losing

Principe #4
Pressure the players so they pressure the opponent

Principle #5
Never survive and advance,
Always dominate and conquer

Principle #6
Turn good into great, great into legendary

Principle #7
The scoreboard is always on

Principle #8
Practice harder than the games

Principle #9
Only measure talent at the end of 4 years

Principle #10
Anything less than a
National Championship
is unacceptable!

The Geno Auriemma Way: Auriemma Philosophy

Three principles really stand out.

Always dominate and conquer, the scoreboard is always on and anything less than a NC is unacceptable.

One of my daughter's coaches, in a different sport, follows this basic model and her success has been amazing. And what my daughter has learned from her has been impressive as well.

 

[lonelawyer]

I think his offense changes every year based on who his five best players are. He builds an offense to play to the strengths of those five rather than force those five to play into a predetermined system. If you watched the game last night, you saw that he doesn't have a center. He starts three guards and two forwards, but all five looked very quick and would switch on screens. Even without a center, those five defended all of South Carolina's bigs and even outrebounded South Carolina. I don't think a game plan of pound the ball into the post works well against UConn. At least it didn't last night.

You're right. In a coaching DVD with Bobby Knight, Auriemma stated that he is flexible enough to fit his style to the strengths of his players.

 

[djtee]

The gap between geno and our staff is as wide as the grand canyon.

Not only that Morgan Tuck is 6-2 and Graves is 6-2 and the gap between is also like the grand canyon.

 

[Vols4life]

Remember when the LV's goals were national titles......

 

[gule]

tuck has never scored a pt on graves..... lol

 

[Benionsopinion]

If you want to have fun, count the number of dribbles UCONN takes after crossing the half court line or after a play is called. This will show you the difference a coach makes.

On ESPN later last night,one commentator said that Ucon averaged four dribbles per offensive possession. FOUR!! Quick snappy passes work to get players in position to score. Beating the ball against the floor does not equal points.

 

[jonson]

Situation #1: A prized recruit struggles with attitude, conditioning & performance?

-WWGD [What Would Geno Do]? Geno would rather lose than play a player like her. The team, not talent comes first. Rewarding the negative jeopardizes the tradition of the program. A player will never change the tradition, but this tradition will change them.

 

[Volfan2012]

UConn played seven players and two players played the entire 40 minutes. Holly tries to play everybody. She needs to settle on seven or eight and play the games. Their players learn how to play together because they are always together on the floor. Of the seven that played one player only got 4 minutes so he virtually played his starting team the entire game.

 

[CockyGuy]

We lose Tiffany Mitchell and a SLEW of role players. Tina Roy? Non factor. Asia Dozier? Non factor. Khadijah Sessions? Non factor. Imovbioh had a nice game last night, but she's a role player as well. Last night proved who was ready to play with the elites and who wasn't. Roy and Sessions are not ready, and I've seen nothing from Dozier her ENTIRE career to convince me that she would've made a difference either. Losing Mitchell will hurt somewhat, the rest, nah..

I will gladly drop any of those non factor three for Alisha Gray and Kaela Davis' skill on the offensive end.

SC's problem is offensive execution. We lack the players. Dawn isn't the best offensive coach, so it would be wise for her to recruit skilled players that she could then mold into her defensive oriented system. Instead of just recruiting athletes with no offensive skills.

Being that our problem is offensive, we lose a great player in T. Mitchell but we add Gray and Davis. Fair trade in my opinion. This will be A'ja Wilson's team next year anyway.

I wouldn't even try to explain this, especially not here. UConn basically ran us out of our own gym. The problem for these other teams, is that they aren't UConn.

 

[Volfan2012]

I wouldn't even try to explain this, especially not here. UConn basically ran us out of our own gym. The problem for these other teams, is that they aren't UConn.

I think you got a good team player in Gray and she is going to be the best of the two. I hope your Coach can handle Davis she likes to put up 20 shots per game is not a percentage shooter. Hopefully the year off makes her mature and she changes her game to a team player.

UConn loses Stewart and Jefferson which should even out the teams.

 

[SAMCROVIPER]

The season is not over yet. SC is still in the hunt for a NC in April. They will be a handful next year as they bring in two scorers next season, but lose the veteran leadership in Mitchell, Sessions, Dozier & Roy. It remains to be seen how the chemistry will work out.

 

[SCGamecock]

Michtell/Sessions, 14.5 + 6.4 = 20.9
Gray/Davis I'm thinking combined will average 24+ a game.

Sessions and Bianca were awful last night against the pressure. I understand Sessions had zero turnovers, but honestly, she drove to the lane and threw up shots in the paint against 3 UCONN defenders all night. Those to me are turnovers. You have to have 5 players on the floor that can score to beat UCONN, USC only had Wilson/Imovbioh and Mitchell. Imovbioh only played Wilson's minutes when she went out.

Sarah Imovbioh saved USC from being completely wiped off the floor. They won't have her next year. I think USC will have some growing pains with Mitchell gone next year (mainly how fast Wilson/Gray/Davis mesh) but they are the clear favorites for a NC next year in my book with their roster they have.

SC will eventually be good next year. They will play through growing pains with the loss of Mitchell but in the end next year's team should be WAY better than this year's..

Even as a fan, I don't think SC is the favorite next year. My favorites are Notre Dame and Baylor.. Ohio State and Maryland will be strong and depending on how fast Holmes adjusts, Texas should be really good as well. UCONN will be good but unless they get some all star JUCO transfer they will not be vastly superior than most top 10 teams in the talent dept. In fact, there will be several teams with more all around talent.. coaching will always have them in the top 10/top 5 though.

My 2016-2017 preseason top 10

1. Notre Dame
2. Baylor
3. South Carolina
4. Ohio State
5. Maryland
6. UCONN
7. Texas
8. Louisville
9. UCLA
10. ..... ???....

 

[Coffy73]

SC will eventually be good next year. They will play through growing pains with the loss of Mitchell but in the end next year's team should be WAY better than this year's..

Even as a fan, I don't think SC is the favorite next year. My favorites are Notre Dame and Baylor.. Ohio State and Maryland will be strong and depending on how fast Holmes adjusts, Texas should be really good as well. UCONN will be good but unless they get some all star JUCO transfer they will not be vastly superior than most top 10 teams in the talent dept. In fact, there will be several teams with more all around talent.. coaching will always have them in the top 10/top 5 though.

My 2016-2017 preseason top 10

1. Notre Dame
2. Baylor
3. South Carolina
4. Ohio State
5. Maryland
6. UCONN
7. Texas
8. Louisville
9. UCLA
10. ..... ???....

Regardless of whatever talent they bring in next year, Geno and his staff will have everyone ready. I keep thinking how amazing Russell would be under a staff like UConn's.

 

[WVU05UT09]

That's a pretty good list. I think Ohio State has a very real shot at #1 next year after they add Harper, Mavunga and McCoy to an already stacked roster.

 

[Nute Gunray]

The same type injury Diamond started the year with, if I remember correctly?


Isn't it funny to you how every time UConn has to play a tougher opponent. that team is missing or has their best player injured?

I still say that Gee no signed a deal with Satan......

This happens a lot. Geno is lucky and smart.

 

[UTLadyvolsfan]

What I noticed was the outstanding spacing, movement, crisp smart passing, and overall effort employed by UConn. They have a very high basketball IQ, something the Lady Vols lack.

This is a smart post IMHO. I watched as much of the game as I could stomach, and noticed much the same as you did.

One thing I recall reading is that UCONN rarely runs specific plays. Geno tries to teach the players to read defenses and create based on what they are facing on the court. IMHO this is one reason why their most talented freshmen sometimes seem to struggle - NO ONE teaches that kind of offense.

No matter how gifted a kid is coming out of HS, if you go to a program like UCONN, you can't do the same stuff that made you among the best in high school. Many other programs try to teach kids stuff, but basically let the individual players "do what got them there".

This is Holly's problem with Diamond in my opinion. Let DD do whatever she wants with no coaching or consequences for playing selfish.

 

[armchair]

This happens a lot. Geno is lucky and smart.

He's a great coach, been a great coach for 20 years. His teams were better coached than ours 20 years ago, but he didn't have the players. When he got players, he started kicking our butt. We had some success against them when we had Parker and Anosike--but overall he's outcoached our staffs. They are like a high-speed train and we are now a freight train that jumped the track and is on its side on a muddy bank---our confidence and mental toughness and program mojo spilled out. Thanks, Holly

 

[boxerpupsrcool]

I think you got a good team player in Gray and she is going to be the best of the two. I hope your Coach can handle Davis she likes to put up 20 shots per game is not a percentage shooter. Hopefully the year off makes her mature and she changes her game to a team player.

UConn loses Stewart and Jefferson which should even out the teams.

I think they also lose Tuck...

 

[LasVegasBill23]

Even if they lose Tuck they still have Butler and Samuelson in the middle so they will not be bare... and of course Nurse at guard..... so I think they are higher than a #6... and I have almost zero confidence in Ohio State to be that high up..... maybe they will do something... i just do not see it

 

[SCGamecock]

That's a pretty good list. I think Ohio State has a very real shot at #1 next year after they add Harper, Mavunga and McCoy to an already stacked roster.

They should be very good. Mitchell will be a NPOY candidate. I think Jensen Caretti could be a really good wing for them as well.. I wish she had committed to SC. Will Harper have to sit out the entire year or will she be available in the spring?

 

[DonnieVol]

I'm not a UCONN fan by no means but anyone can see that they are a well coached team that plays together. Smart basketball is their style. I look at our team and I see a team of former high school all-Americans who look lost on the court most of the time. The difference is THEY have a good coach who knows how to game plan and make adjustments (and recruit too), and we don't! Holly is in way over her head.

 

[Vols4life]

He's a great coach, been a great coach for 20 years. His teams were better coached than ours 20 years ago, but he didn't have the players. When he got players, he started kicking our butt. We had some success against them when we had Parker and Anosike--but overall he's outcoached our staffs. They are like a high-speed train and we are now a freight train that jumped the track and is on its side on a muddy bank---our confidence and mental toughness and program mojo spilled out. Thanks, Holly

Agreed!! In 95 I thought who is this no name UConn team we're about to play....now everyone (Especially recruits) knows about UConn and Tennessee is an after thought