Great game aganst a tough opponent. When you have an off night and hold a team to 20 points less than their average and their top scorer to 6 instad of 23. Good game.
This game was a nightmare. Neither team played well, and the officiating made it worse. When you've got players from both teams on the bench mumbling to themselves in frustration, it’s a problem.
Reporter (paraphrased), "What do you think accounts for Aaliyah's consistency this year?" Coach A (paraphrased), "Hard work. You usually get what you work for." Watch other teams, top 10 teams in the country; you can see players loafing on defense, not sprinting to get on defense, not working with fierce determination for a rebound, etc. Aaliyah Edwards is a hard working, never give up, intense individual. How many other NCAA post players are in a defensive position out to the half line? How many post players cut off a ball handling guard at the half line and then sprint to get back to defend the basket? Aaliyah Edwards is a monster of a player. Why? How? She works her butt off - in practice and in games. One other thing about Edwards: she will give the team 2, 3, 4 great efforts on every defensive and offensive possession during a game. With other players, on other teams, you're lucky to get one great effort per possession. She never quits, never gives up.
One direct similarity I see between Paige and other former great UConn players is the way the opposition attempts to play Paige - they look to bump, hit, and hold her at every opportunity when she's without the ball, especially when crossing through the paint - this reminds me of how UConn's opponents played Diana in her senior year.
"How concerned are you in finding that third person..." (reporter referring to a third scorer) Coach A's response is priceless, to a brainless question, "They're either going to be there or they're not." Do they (reporters and armchair coaches) really think Auriemma goes into practice and says, "Ok. Now, today we're going to select the third leading scorer on the team." Shade and Samuels weren't able to buy a basket for a good part of the game, BUT, each of them scored a 3 pt fg at a great time in the 4th qtr. You don't teach that, coach that, demand that. The player either recognizes an open shot, takes the shot, and makes the shot, or they don't. Each game is unique; each half is unique; each quarter is unique; the first part of a quarter is not the same as the second part of the quarter. Brainless reporters ask brainless questions ...
Did we all hear that? "You can't shoot your way into our lineup." Scoring is not the primary objective of a UConn player, or shouldn't be. Defense, hustle plays, passing, cutting, screening, sprinting... and then, making a basket, but more the other things. Your team scores 92, cause they are really working on offense, but they take their rest on defense, and lose the game by 3 --- great offense, but lost. A great defense (with an average offense) beats a great offense (with an average defense) 7 days a week.
If there is one problem I have with Aaliyah is that she misses too many easy layups and has too many turnovers (5)..I believe she has lead the team in TO's for a non-PG..For them to go far into the NCAA's they need her to be more aware when she is being double or triple teamed to pass out to the shooters. Both freshman's (Ashlynn and KK) to score more. Ashlynn did have a bucket when needed..The officiating was bad for both teams..Seems like this is a bad trend in WBB...It's being called differently than the men's game and in basketball overall.. Go Huskies.
It's not frustrating watching UCONN play Big East teams cause they hardly ever lose to them. What's frustrating is watching Geno play all his starters 35 mins because he has no choice but to play them that much cause options off the bench are not great. Just hope they can sustain the energy in the tournament but if like last year, it'll be Sweet 16 and done.
Yes, they're just not good enough, deep enough to go far in the tourney short of a few miracles. Imagine if they had players like Fudd, Griffin, Elfy, Ducharme, Patterson healthy and available. A different team, season, and seeding in the tourney.
What is the record for how many layups or Total # of shots missed in a game!!! Please tell us, Coach, these ladies will Score with Paige leading the Charge!!!!Ouch!!!!
