With a new 'big three' leading the way, UConn is once again the team to beat

#1
T

T.J.

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#1
Napheesa Collier, Katie Lou Samuelson and Gabby Williams lead Connecticut Huskies past Notre Dame Fighting Irish

Lady Vol Nation we can not shy away from the facts.

UConn is GOOD!

I love good basketball and Geno might be an @$$ but he's the best in the game. He gets it! The same way coach Summitt got it. He's taken it to another level with his consistency.

Katie Lou Samuelson, Napheesa Collier are sophomores with Gabby Williams and Kia Nurse Juniors! What an early development that coach Auriemma is producing with these players. All 4 were role players last season and they're champions. The confidence that Geno has instilled with his players has got to be applauded. I hate to say it because I'm a Lady Vol fan foremost but UConn is fun to watch this season. Closer games thus far with heady competition only because UConn has a young squad.

But those aforementioned players will be upper classmen next season and with who they've added? Just give them the trophy already. They'll be crazy good. :crazy:

To have an exceptional team one has to have good players but foremost an exceptional coach that can make those players great!

In order for Tennessee to be just as successful it is going to take more than a nr. 1 recruiting class, people.

That is all.
 
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#2
#2
Gabby Williams was ranked 8 spots behind Jaime Nared in the 2014 rankings and she's on a completely different level. Kia Nurse was ranked 5 spots behind Alexa Middleton in that same class and the results speak for themselves. I won't even get into it with the fact that some people here thought Te'a Cooper would be better than Katie Lou Samuelson last year.

There has been much discussion about how Tennessee players don't move without the ball, and UConn put on a clinic for that last night. They are in constant motion, especially when Butler is out of the game. There were so many times where their defenders couldn't keep up with the constant screening and movement that they either got uncontested layups or trips to the FT line.

I can't stand UConn, but in all honesty, if they are going to work as hard as they do to be perfect, they deserve to win every game. This is a team that should be rebuilding, and they look to be as dominant as ever.

Still hate Kia Nurse, though. She reminds me of Steve Wojo from his playing days at Duke, and seems like the kind of player that opponents just want to punch in the face (and not because she plays hard 100% of the time).
 
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#3
#3
Amb3096 said:
Gabby Williams was ranked 8 spots behind Jaime Nared in the 2014 rankings and she's on a completely different level. Kia Nurse was ranked 5 spots behind Alexa Middleton in that same class and the results speak for themselves. I won't even get into it with the fact that some people here thought Te'a Cooper would be better than Katie Lou Samuelson last year.

There has been much discussion about how Tennessee players don't move without the ball, and UConn put on a clinic for that last night. They are in constant motion, especially when Butler is out of the game. There were so many times where their defenders couldn't keep up with the constant screening and movement that they either got uncontested layups or trips to the FT line.

I can't stand UConn, but in all honesty, if they are going to work as hard as they do to be perfect, they deserve to win every game. This is a team that should be rebuilding, and they look to be as dominant as ever.

Still hate Kia Nurse, though. She reminds me of Steve Wojo from his playing days at Duke, and seems like the kind of player that opponents just want to punch in the face (and not because she plays hard 100% of the time).
Click to expand...

Just curious. LOL. What is there about Kia Nurse that gives you that desire?
 
#4
#4
If you are a WBB fan you will appreciate this despite the name on the uni.

Gabby Williams over 6'4" Turner


920x920.jpg
 
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#5
#5
Amb3096 said:
Gabby Williams was ranked 8 spots behind Jaime Nared in the 2014 rankings and she's on a completely different level. Kia Nurse was ranked 5 spots behind Alexa Middleton in that same class and the results speak for themselves. I won't even get into it with the fact that some people here thought Te'a Cooper would be better than Katie Lou Samuelson last year.

There has been much discussion about how Tennessee players don't move without the ball, and UConn put on a clinic for that last night. They are in constant motion, especially when Butler is out of the game. There were so many times where their defenders couldn't keep up with the constant screening and movement that they either got uncontested layups or trips to the FT line.

I can't stand UConn, but in all honesty, if they are going to work as hard as they do to be perfect, they deserve to win every game. This is a team that should be rebuilding, and they look to be as dominant as ever.

Still hate Kia Nurse, though. She reminds me of Steve Wojo from his playing days at Duke, and seems like the kind of player that opponents just want to punch in the face (and not because she plays hard 100% of the time).
Click to expand...

Player development. It appears Geno has written the book. I've been watching Gabby Williams the last two seasons. Trust me just in a handful of games and I knew then she was going to be special. As a role player she was good. Now look at her? Geno has created a MONSTER! I really do hate that man.

LOL @ your description of Kia Nurse! Funny I feel the same way about her, too. OMG I can't stop laughing. Thanks!:)
 
#6
#6
T.J. said:
Napheesa Collier, Katie Lou Samuelson and Gabby Williams lead Connecticut Huskies past Notre Dame Fighting Irish

Lady Vol Nation we can not shy away from the facts.

UConn is GOOD!

I love good basketball and Geno might be an @$$ but he's the best in the game. He gets it! The same way coach Summitt got it. He's taken it to another level with his consistency.

Katie Lou Samuelson, Napheesa Collier are sophomores with Gabby Williams and Kia Nurse Juniors! What an early development that coach Auriemma is producing with these players. All 4 were role players last season and they're champions. The confidence that Geno has instilled with his players has got to be applauded. I hate to say it because I'm a Lady Vol fan foremost but UConn is fun to watch this season. Closer games thus far with heady competition only because UConn has a young squad.

But those aforementioned players will be upper classmen next season and with who they've added? Just give them the trophy already. They'll be crazy good. :crazy:

To have an exceptional team one has to have good players but foremost an exceptional coach that can make those players great!

In order for Tennessee to be just as successful it is going to take more than a nr. 1 recruiting class, people.

That is all.
Click to expand...

UCONN is good. However, the LVS could be good also! The difference is coaching. I have a great deal of sympathy for the LV fans. They are a great bunch! Loyal and supportive. They deserve a better fate than what is happening to the LV program. That is, a lot of talented players but a lack of quality coaching to mold them into a quality team. Holly is not to blame. She was handed a position that she did not seek. A number of posters, including myself, would like to see her step down. That is not going to happen because Holly does not believe she is the problem. She believes the problem is the players and their lack of commitment to winning. This is probably true. However, it is the coach’s responsibility to instill in the players a sense of commitment to win.
 
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#7
#7
brassie said:
If you are a WBB fan you will appreciate this despite the name on the uni.

Gabby Williams over 6'4" Turner


View attachment 124759
Click to expand...

Oh geez! Now that's a picture that tells it all. Thanks for posting it.

Turner is too low key for me and appears to be not that good with her basketball handle. She's agile with her size and speed. She almost has Candace Parker qualities to her game. But she doesn't dribble a lot nor attack the basket with authority.

That incessant irritant Doris Burke kept talking about Turner's shoulder injury. I kept thinking maybe that's why Turner didn't just take over the game for her team. I was waiting for her to do it and it never materialized. Oh well...
 
#8
#8
Nute Gunray said:
UCONN is good. However, the LVS could be good also! The difference is coaching. I have a great deal of sympathy for the LV fans. They are a great bunch! Loyal and supportive. They deserve a better fate than what is happening to the LV program. That is, a lot of talented players but a lack of quality coaching to mold them into a quality team. Holly is not to blame. She was handed a position that she did not seek. A number of posters, including myself, would like to see her step down. That is not going to happen because Holly does not believe she is the problem. She believes the problem is the players and their lack of commitment to winning. This is probably true. However, it is the coach’s responsibility to instill in the players a sense of commitment to win.
Click to expand...

A good read, indeed. I agree wholeheartedly.
As a LV fan I just have to accept the fact that Holly ain't going anywhere any time soon.

I can only hope that the Lady Vols play hard like Holly wants them to and get some wins. More wins than losses though of course.
 
#9
#9
Nute Gunray said:
UCONN is good. However, the LVS could be good also! The difference is coaching. I have a great deal of sympathy for the LV fans. They are a great bunch! Loyal and supportive. They deserve a better fate than what is happening to the LV program. That is, a lot of talented players but a lack of quality coaching to mold them into a quality team. Holly is not to blame. She was handed a position that she did not seek. A number of posters, including myself, would like to see her step down. That is not going to happen because Holly does not believe she is the problem. She believes the problem is the players and their lack of commitment to winning. This is probably true. However, it is the coach’s responsibility to instill in the players a sense of commitment to win.
Click to expand...

UConn is good.. UT could be good also.

I'm just going to split hairs with you. It is not intended as personal. It's about the definition of "good"

UConn has won 83 or 84 in a row. That's the 3rd best win streak in a row 2nd behind John Wooden's 88. Who's first in that record they are chasing? They are chasing themselves. The record is 90 owned by UConn

They have won the last 4 NC's in a row threatening after last nite to make it 5.

They've won something like 123 out of the last 124 games

Another poster said thev'e lost only 14 games over the last 10 years. I would not doubt that although I didn't check it.

They are 11-0 in NC games.

This is not good. There is no superlative for just &*%%&#$& great/outstanding/unbelievable that accomplishment really is.

Like him or hate him but this guy is a freaking basketball genius and a genius at motivating his players. And is he a recruiter? .... it all starts with the persona of the young women he recruits. It's people first with basketball skills coming along for the ride because he will hone most he recruits into highly polished basketball art. Those that can't take that grind transfer out.

No one has to like this man. But he deserves nothing but praise. To call him good is a disservice. He is a one of a kind thus far. Pat Summitt was a GREAT coach no question. I admire her greatly. UConn 4 LV 0 in NC games. Now that is against a legend in Pat
 
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#10
#10
Amb3096 said:
Gabby Williams was ranked 8 spots behind Jaime Nared in the 2014 rankings and she's on a completely different level. Kia Nurse was ranked 5 spots behind Alexa Middleton in that same class and the results speak for themselves. I won't even get into it with the fact that some people here thought Te'a Cooper would be better than Katie Lou Samuelson last year.

There has been much discussion about how Tennessee players don't move without the ball, and UConn put on a clinic for that last night. They are in constant motion, especially when Butler is out of the game. There were so many times where their defenders couldn't keep up with the constant screening and movement that they either got uncontested layups or trips to the FT line.

I can't stand UConn, but in all honesty, if they are going to work as hard as they do to be perfect, they deserve to win every game. This is a team that should be rebuilding, and they look to be as dominant as ever.

Still hate Kia Nurse, though. She reminds me of Steve Wojo from his playing days at Duke, and seems like the kind of player that opponents just want to punch in the face (and not because she plays hard 100% of the time).
Click to expand...

They look good because they run an offensive pattern!!!!!! Everyone knows where to move to... screen... moving continuously until someone gets open for a good shot!!! Hollys offense is read and react?????? Nobody knows who is doing what! Therefore they stand and pass the ball? A recipe for failure. 😡
But I do enjoy good basketball!! Just wish it was us? 🙏
 
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#11
#11
Amb3096 said:
Gabby Williams was ranked 8 spots behind Jaime Nared in the 2014 rankings and she's on a completely different level. Kia Nurse was ranked 5 spots behind Alexa Middleton in that same class and the results speak for themselves. I won't even get into it with the fact that some people here thought Te'a Cooper would be better than Katie Lou Samuelson last year.

There has been much discussion about how Tennessee players don't move without the ball, and UConn put on a clinic for that last night. They are in constant motion, especially when Butler is out of the game. There were so many times where their defenders couldn't keep up with the constant screening and movement that they either got uncontested layups or trips to the FT line.

I can't stand UConn, but in all honesty, if they are going to work as hard as they do to be perfect, they deserve to win every game. This is a team that should be rebuilding, and they look to be as dominant as ever.

Still hate Kia Nurse, though. She reminds me of Steve Wojo from his playing days at Duke, and seems like the kind of player that opponents just want to punch in the face (and not because she plays hard 100% of the time).
Click to expand...

Kia Nurse is the type of teammate who provides backbone to all around her. Completely devoted to her entire team and does not know how to be selfish.
 
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#13
#13
Amb3096 said:
Gabby Williams was ranked 8 spots behind Jaime Nared in the 2014 rankings and she's on a completely different level. Kia Nurse was ranked 5 spots behind Alexa Middleton in that same class and the results speak for themselves. I won't even get into it with the fact that some people here thought Te'a Cooper would be better than Katie Lou Samuelson last year.

There has been much discussion about how Tennessee players don't move without the ball, and UConn put on a clinic for that last night. They are in constant motion, especially when Butler is out of the game. There were so many times where their defenders couldn't keep up with the constant screening and movement that they either got uncontested layups or trips to the FT line.

I can't stand UConn, but in all honesty, if they are going to work as hard as they do to be perfect, they deserve to win every game. This is a team that should be rebuilding, and they look to be as dominant as ever.

Still hate Kia Nurse, though. She reminds me of Steve Wojo from his playing days at Duke, and seems like the kind of player that opponents just want to punch in the face (and not because she plays hard 100% of the time).
Click to expand...

. . . . and if she played for Tennessee?
 
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#15
#15
PRG said:
They look good because they run an offensive pattern!!!!!! Everyone knows where to move to... screen... moving continuously until someone gets open for a good shot!!! Hollys offense is read and react?????? Nobody knows who is doing what! Therefore they stand and pass the ball? A recipe for failure. 😡
But I do enjoy good basketball!! Just wish it was us? 🙏
Click to expand...

Actually UCONN runs a read and react motion offense. Usually a 1 in 4 out.

I watched an open practice a few years ago where he went over 1 single "set" for about 20-25 minutes, working on all the different reads/options/wrinkles they could do off that 1 set. Pretty impressive.
 
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#17
#17
And you know what is even scarier, this team hasn't learned to pass like last years team yet. Collier, Dangerfield etc are still behind, Collier misses people and can you imagine how good they will be when that improves, holy ****.
 
#18
#18
Bring on Shea Ralph! Surely she's picked up a little something over the years . You would have thought Holley would have too. Shea may be ready to get a little closer to home.
 
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#20
#20
is anybody really surprised that UCONN is good...that's like saying Bama is an ok football team...:)

GO VOLS...BEAT HUSKERS!
 
#21
#21
Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery...some Tennessee "fans" should seriously consider leaving and rooting for UConn openly. If you want our style of basketball to be a carbon copy of UConn, why not just cheer for UConn?
 
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#22
#22
PointGuard said:
Just curious. LOL. What is there about Kia Nurse that gives you that desire?
Click to expand...

I don't like her use of gamesmanship. I mean, with Wojo, you kind of couldn't blame him...short, slow and unathletic. He didn't really have much else to offer. But Kia is one of the best players in the country, so it's off-putting that she has to resort to that type of behavior. She did it against Baylor, and was doing it again last night. Annoying. For the record, I don't have the desire to punch her in the face. I said that I wouldn't be surprised if her opponents had that desire.

brassie said:
. . . . and if she played for Tennessee?
Click to expand...

Then I still wouldn't like it. I made no secret of my distaste for Cierra Burdick for roughly 3 1/2 seasons because she did the same type of crap...most notably against Kentucky when she was running her trap to DeNisha Stallworth and Samarie Walker.

Ed Weeks said:
It is beyond me how anyone misses the value of Kia Nurse as a teammate!
Click to expand...

It is beyond me how you lack reading comprehension. Nowhere did I say that Kia wasn't a good teammate.
 
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#23
#23
NoBackBoard said:
Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery...some Tennessee "fans" should seriously consider leaving and rooting for UConn openly. If you want our style of basketball to be a carbon copy of UConn, why not just cheer for UConn?
Click to expand...

It's not a matter of copying UConn's style, but copying their work ethic and drive to be the best. Pat was the same way in that regard, but it seems to have left the program when she did.
 
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#24
#24
Amb3096 said:
It's not a matter of copying UConn's style, but copying their work ethic and drive to be the best. Pat was the same way in that regard, but it seems to have left the program when she did.
Click to expand...

No, for many posters it is about copying their style.
 
#25
#25
NoBackBoard said:
No, for many posters it is about copying their style.
Click to expand...

I mean, their style gets them high quality results. Is it that bad to want the same from Tennessee?

I'm sure that Geno looked at what Pat was doing to become successful and carried over her commitment to defense and rebounding to his team, but with the added dimension of equal emphasis on offensive execution. There's nothing wrong with wanting to take the same thing that's made them successful and incorporate it into the Tennessee playbook.
 
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