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UConn WBB Update!

Just a reminder that tomorrow night's fun doesn't end with UConn-Villanova in Hartford, as the UConn women play at #21 Creighton in an important Big East clash at 8:30 pm. Yep, a UConn men's/women televised doubleheader with the second game on SNY.
 
Geno marvels at toughness of UConn women after they rout #21 Creighton on the road with 7 healthy bodies:
23/20 from Aliyah and 22/18 from Dorka was great stuff as UConn dominated inside. Aaliyah in particular has taken her game to another level.
 
Creighton missed a lot of open shots. But 20-20 for Aliyah and a near 20-20 from Dorka was awesome.
 
The Big East approved UConn to play St. John's tomorrow night, meaning one or more of Azzi Fudd, Aaliyah Edwards, Caroline Ducharme and Ayanna Patterson is able to suit up and play meaningful minutes tomorrow night. Maybe we will see all 4? Unfortunately game is at 8 pm and conflicts with the men's game, but we can still catch the second half. St. John's is 14-1 and UConn WBB needs to show them who is boss in the Big East.
 
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Maya Moore, who hasn't played in 4 seasons, announced her retirement from basketball. For those who haven't seen it, this is a very good piece on Maya and her social justice nonprofit. She was always someone who seemed like she had many interests outside of basketball, even though she is extremely talented at it. She was easily the best athlete to ever play for UConn WBB, and probably one of the 3 best players in UConn WBB history (along with Diana and Breanna):
I think she compares favorably to Julius Erving in the men's game. Basically the same position as Dr. J and played the game with similar grace and athletic fluidity.
 
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I guess Dawn Staley feels a little guilty after taking a page out of the way hack teams play in MBB like Providence and St John's D in the Big East. She has her players push the edge on fouling and bumping away from the ball ( and got away with it all game) so now she feels a need to push back on Geno calling the officials out for letting garbage like that go, after the game. Geno ain't hearing it.

 
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Look like a tired team with all the injuries after a good win Sat.....They take alot of bad shots and seem to commit more TO's than any of Geno's teams ever. 2nd loss in a few weeks to an unranked team. Seems like another 1st.

 
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The team does look tired, and the TOs are partly due to Muhl being the only real ballhandler on the team with Fudd out. The starters have played heavy minutes and have worn down.

Watching the game last night night, they looked like they were playing basketball underwater. They looked like this in the Marquette game as well. Without Fudd and with a thin bench, playing like this is not what you want heading into the postseason.
 
Didn't see the Marquette game but saw the end of Nova after driving back from Gampel. Very telling comments by Geno on this years team and that being who they are. Saying it's unfixable with this group and suprised these loses haven't happened more often. Said it's been a "shitty job" by " coaches" to not get their points across, especially vs. physical teams.

 
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The lack of depth is hurting the team very substantially. Marquette and South Carolina and SJU all seemed to have a strategy of playing physically and throwing as many fresh bodies against UConn as possible. Other than Edwards, it doesn't seem like UConn enjoys the physical play, and last night Edwards seemed bothered by the physical defense played on her. She missed makeable shots that she has made in other games.

Without Fudd, Lopez Senechal is the only consistent 3 point threat. So UConn has had problems spacing the floor and operating the offense they normally operate. Ducharme being back is some help, but she was off last night and I noticed her head was being iced in timeouts. These scenes are not what you want to see.

It's been one of those seasons where injuries, lack of depth, and inconsistent play have made UConn just an average "good" team, and not the force that they were in the past. Geno hasn't lost anything. It's just been bad luck. The team has been worn down.

Finally, it should be noted that Marquette and St. John's are also good teams and are not dogshit. St. John's played great last night. They outhustled UConn and shot the ball very well. They deserve some credit.
 
Geno hasn't lost anything. It's just been bad luck. The team has been worn down.
Geno looks as worn down as his team and as I said in another thread, the last few years, age has more than crept up on him. Seems like he got old fast and packed on the lbs. for a guy who used to be slim and trim. So it's a perfect storm with more bad luck/ injuries too. Plus I'm sure it's not getting any easier coaching theses kids like Boehiem mentioned about Jay Wright and Coach K. With alot of them making big $ and they don't have to listen because they have free agency every year.

It would not surprise me to see him pack it in too. I mean what more does he have to prove with all he's done as a HOF'er, especially in this era of portal and NIL... BS.
 
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No way Geno packs it in until he gets #12 and with the team he will have next year he can smell it. The recruiting has continued at a very high level. The team returning next year will be loaded, if healthy.
 
If UConn runs the table, wins the Big East tournament and Fudd returns, they will grab that 1 seed back from Utah. As between Stanford and Utah, only one of them can win Pac 12 tourney, and it's going to be a winner take all on a 1 seed situation.
 
The fact that she is doing workouts is good news, but the fact that this is a new knee injury is not. The girl's long history of knee injuries is concerning. In the early season when she was healthy she had 2 "easy" 32 point games and was being discussed as a player of the year candidate with Caitlin Clark and Aliyah Boston. She looked great on both ends of the floor and with her passing and ballhandling. What separates Fudd from all other 3 point shooters is her lightning quick release on her 3 point shot before the defense has a chance to run out on her. UConn has severely missed her ability to space the floor. With her and LLS shooting 3s defenses would have to extend and Juhasz, Edwards and Griffin would have more room to operate inside.
 
Geno looks as worn down as his team and as I said in another thread, the last few years, age has more than crept up on him. Seems like he got old fast and packed on the lbs. for a guy who used to be slim and trim. So it's a perfect storm with more bad luck/ injuries too. Plus I'm sure it's not getting any easier coaching theses kids....

Geno Auriemma airs out frustrations with UConn women: ‘The players ain’t what they used to be, and the coaching ain’t either’​


 
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I think Geno's comments were largely sarcastic and motivational. The team has played 10 consecutive single digit games. Some of that has been fatigue, some of that has been injuries and some has been poor chemistry and communication. If Dorka and Azzi are back for the Big East tournament and are healthy, they will be fine. If they can win the Big East Tournament, which will be at Mohegan Sun, and get a 2 seed in the East, they will lurk as a Final 4 threat, again. But they need bodies back and they need to play better. Fudd being out has really hurt them as far as high TO totals as Muhl is their only true ballhandler, and Muhl is a kind of high assist high TO type PG. Teams have been applying lots of pressure on the ball which you never saw against them before.
 
Nice opening round win for the girls over a size and athleticism challenged Vermont team, although Azzi Fudd had another poor shooting game and hasn't shot well since her return from injury. She looked like she was moving well but her shooting wasn't what you want or expect from her.

Meanwhile Edwards was LIGHTS OUT. Career high 28 points, was 10 for 10 at one point and finished 13-15. She looked like Sanogo did against Iona Friday.
 
Let's hope Azzi rediscovers her lost shooting stroke. She hasn't been shooting well since she came back. She is moving well out there and I suspect she is due.
 
Nika is a very intense competitor but her ratio of inappropriate fouls and turnovers from over-aggression needs to be reduced.

On the bright side, I felt UConn played a somewhat mediocre game last night and won by 19, while Stanford couldn't protect home court against a lower seeded team. So to me that's a big positive.
 
Article on Azzi Fudd's impact, which included outscoring Baylor by herself in the 3rd quarter:
She showed signs of her explosive scoring pre-injuries on Monday and we hope she can have more sustained bursts that last more than a quarter. She also missed her share of open looks. I think she is getting her rhythm back, and hoping her best hoops will be played on the upcoming games.
 
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