Don't forget that Geno & company accomplished this with 5 (very good to superb) players injured sitting on the bench. In my book, the last 3 Uconn injury decimated seasons pulled out of Geno his finest coaching yet.
Beginning of the year when they lost three and hadn't found their starting lineup, didn't think they had a chance. And then they found the right mix and here we are.
KK Arnold started this party with a 3-pointer and ended it with a 3-pointer. In between Nikki Muel played defense like she was demonically possessed. Paige Bueckers got 32 points, Ash Shade got 19, Seal Team 6 had a double-double, KK got 10, & Ice Bradey also played. "Wonder Woman" scored 32 points from here, there and everywhere. "Super Girl" scored 19 from downtown and uptown & got a steal when it mattered. Aly Edwards had as many rebounds as points but opening with a 3 & closing with a 3-point stiletto to the liver was one huge story 'cause KK might be an uptown girl, but she's not known as a downtown shooter. The look of defeat on that Syracuse player's face when that 3 rattled around & then went down was priceless. She put both hands to her head once she realized that her season was over. Mo from de flo, "Wonder Woman" is destroying defenses with her score from anywhere skills & "Super Girl" showed off a beautiful 3-point shot.
I love all March Madness videos because they're always titled like "Last 2 min or last minute" and then the video proceeds to last 10 minutes haha Crazy what can happen in 10 minutes for 2 minutes playing time...
It’s also why a game slotted for 40 minutes of play gets a 2 hour time slot … time-outs, play reviews by refs, injuries, half-time, and scheduled media time-outs. Plus there’s the fouls made towards the end to stop the clock, in order to regain possession of the ball!
I don't have a horse in this race, but I thought that the calls were heavily favoring Syracuse in this game. Don't know how Gino was able to keep his cool but I'm glad UConn was able to hang strong and pull this one out.
dude is actually pretty chill compared to most coaches nowadays. The man has already had his success I think hes just doin this till he dies bc its been a part of his life for so long lol
The only reason this game was close was because once again as in every game KK refused to shoot the pull up, Nika didn't shoot much at all, and the bench contributed nothing. KK's offensive game is very similar to Nika's. Nika didn't shoot a single pull up until her junior year. This year KK has shot a total of 3 pull ups. So when the defense knows you're only going to shoot the (very) occasional 3 they're going to play you for the drive. The defense realizes she's limited offensively. Which is why KK has so many shots blocked in the paint, so many TO's in the paint, and so many missed or forced layups. This is why Geno has pulled her so often in the last two games. As for Ice, she continues to puzzle me. She can't hit a layup, she can't hit a jump shot, and she has butterfingers. She's learned to box out and use her body better on defense and she has quick hands, but so far, she offers them little beyond a good screen on the offensive end.
I believe KK will integrate that short jumper ( or a teardrop) I to her repertoire. That ( and outside shooting) will make her a complete player. In HS, she probably was so much quicker than everyone else, she never had the lane get blocked up as it does at this level.
@@theodoremorehouse6460 As I said, her and Nika's game are uniquely similar, and Nika didn't even attempt a pull up until her junior year. Even today she rarely attempts a pull up. Because of her greater quickness however, KK has many more opportunities every game and consistently passes up every one. It's like she willingly refuses to stop and pop. Frankly, I'm amazed that seemingly none of the coaches or teammates have told her that her offensive game is limited and will continue to suffer if she isn't a three level player. Right now it puts incredible pressure on Paige and Shade to perform, not only defensively, but on the offensive end and ultimately, it's going to cost them.
Great game by Cuse as the underdogs, just outgunned and outclassed by UConn. Big dive by Fair at 1:13, the refs in the women’s game really need to get their act together and try to keep up with the pace and rate of improvement in the women’s game.
I've not seen that ref before who called the bogus traveling call on Edwards. You don't make a marginal call like as that at that point in a game. I bet Geno and the AD for UCONN puts in a complaint.
Love the way KK snuck to the vacant side of the court after she handed the ball off to Paige. Like an outlet receiver faking the DB's out by acting like they're not involved in the play. She just nonchalantly, basically walked away from the play, not flashing in order to sell it, not to raise a red flag to the D. I'm sure that is the way it's drawn up by the master, Geno. The rest is UCONN lore.
Fair is gonna be a star but she missed a Ft and lost the ball with under a minute left. Paige shut her down in the last few minutes. Definitely a learning moment. Great game.
OF COURSE UCONN GET NOT JUST TWO, BUT FOUR (4) HOME GAMES IN THE NCAA TOURNAMENT FOR THE UMPTEENTH YEAR. ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS. HAS ANY COLLEGE PROGRAM HAD MORE FAVORITISM IN THE HISTORY OF THE TOURNAMENT THAN THE UCONN WOMEN? THE ANSWER IS NO, AND ITS NOT EVEN DEBATABLE.
