Non-Lady Vol Basketball News 2023-24

[jonson]

When they join a real power conference

Although most UCONN fans bristle at this, I agree that their conference affiliations since the demise of the old Big East have not done the team any favors. I don't think it's an issue in the years in which UCONN is a juggernaut that is head and shoulders above everyone else (e.g. with Stewart et al.), but when the team is only marginally better than everyone else or just one among a group of possible contenders (the past 4 years), playing one easy game after another in conference really hurts when you come against a team like Arizona in the tournament. GA does everything possible to counteract that by scheduling as many "difficult" out-of-conference games as possible, but, in my view, that's not the same as the physical and mental grind when you have to play home and home against, say, Pac 12 teams like Stanford, UCLA, Arizona, Oregon, and Oregon State, with some lesser challenges thrown in. Scouting is better in conference play; coaches learn/steal from one another; weaknesses are exposed and exploited so that a team must make adjustments (if it can) to continue to be successful, and so on. That's one reason, I believe, why the Pac 12 has recently done so well in the NCAA Tournament. Maybe no great teams until last year's Oregon bunch and (probably) Stanford this year, but a lot of very good ones.

 

[Volfan2012]

They are gone they didn't win this has been a great season. Pac 12 best conference this season no doubt.

 

[VolBall09]

They are gone they didn't win this has been a great season. Pac 12 best conference this season no doubt.

I’m excited for this final showdown. These two teams have developed quite the rivalry the last couple of seasons. Not a lot of love lost, should be exciting. I give the edge to Stanford. When playing a conference opponent Tara is very tough to beat.

 

[NeedOrange]

Where is Need Orange and Doo Wop? They're missing all the fun.

Been here all along. Bottom line is we got out quicked. The whole AZ team played quicker. Also we got no O boards. Well done AZ. Sunday I’m Cheering for the wildcats.

 

[NeedOrange]

We’ve just got to figure away to skip the semifinal and go straight to the championship game.

 

[NeedOrange]

@Lucy I'm disappointed. They're taking the loss awfully well. Giving credit to Arizona, lamenting ONO's ineffectiveness. I was expecting some scorched earth comments about Christyn's bogus 5th foul, but not many brought it up, and just in passing.

Needless to say, I'm kind of disappointed

We are UConn. We know basketball and accept one play doesn't make you lose a game. This team did far more than we expected. So overall we are happy with the year. Like I said above. Arizona wanted it more than we did they played harder.

 

[NeedOrange]

Although most UCONN fans bristle at this, I agree that their conference affiliations since the demise of the old Big East have not done the team any favors. I don't think it's an issue in the years in which UCONN is a juggernaut that is head and shoulders above everyone else (e.g. with Stewart et al.), but when the team is only marginally better than everyone else or just one among a group of possible contenders (the past 4 years), playing one easy game after another in conference really hurts when you come against a team like Arizona in the tournament. GA does everything possible to counteract that by scheduling as many "difficult" out-of-conference games as possible, but, in my view, that's not the same as the physical and mental grind when you have to play home and home against, say, Pac 12 teams like Stanford, UCLA, Arizona, Oregon, and Oregon State, with some lesser challenges thrown in. Scouting is better in conference play; coaches learn/steal from one another; weaknesses are exposed and exploited so that a team must make adjustments (if it can) to continue to be successful, and so on. That's one reason, I believe, why the Pac 12 has recently done so well in the NCAA Tournament. Maybe no great teams until last year's Oregon bunch and (probably) Stanford this year, but a lot of very good ones.

I agree with you. If we had even a mediocre football program we would have gone to the ACC years ago. But BC had the better football and they are the New England representative. We've tried the SEC and B1G. Until the football makes noise we are stuck here.

 

[NeedOrange]

Yes!!!! Karma!

Not Karma, Basketball. Of course the refs could have made themselves look better by switching the foul to Nika.

 

[PointGuard]

@Lucy I'm disappointed. They're taking the loss awfully well. Giving credit to Arizona, lamenting ONO's ineffectiveness. I was expecting some scorched earth comments about Christyn's bogus 5th foul, but not many brought it up, and just in passing.

Needless to say, I'm kind of disappointed

I just stumbled on another UCONN site. Google Uconnterritory. Bunch of old guys (well I’m one too so OK) who are Boneyard haters. Check it out. Poster named Ken who brags about attacking dim witted posters here on this thread last night. Can’t remember but might be in their game thread Let’s figure out who that is. He creates a new thread for every senile thought he has. Bunch of neurotic emotional cripples. “Rocky”mountain can’t watch because he’s too nervous. Another one Semper should be called Wimper or Cower

They laugh at us as eating our young. You don’t have to register fortunately to read. The Administrators who claim they left the Boneyard because Husky Nan was too “harsh” seem to rule with an iron fist. You can’t make this sh!t up

I spent an hour last night roaming around. If want to laugh at stupidity go on over

 

[NeedOrange]

I just stumbled on another UCONN site. Google Uconnterritory. Bunch of old guys (well I’m one too so OK) who are Boneyard haters. Check it out. Poster named Ken who brags about attacking dim witted posters here on this thread last night. Can’t remember but might be in their game thread Let’s figure out who that is. He creates a new thread for every senile thought he has. Bunch of neurotic emotional cripples. “Rocky”mountain can’t watch because he’s too nervous. Another one Semper should be called Wimper or Cower

They laugh at us as eating our young. You don’t have to register fortunately to read. The Administrators who claim they left the Boneyard because Husky Nan was too “harsh” seem to rule with an iron fist. You can’t make this sh!t up

I spent an hour last night roaming around. If want to laugh at stupidity go on over

Boneyard moderators don't put up with certain traits. For example, Nan hates the word thug she says it gives the wrong impression of people. No talking about physical appearances either. It's demeaning to people.

 

[PointGuard]

Boneyard moderators don't put up with certain traits. For example, Nan hates the word thug she says it gives the wrong impression of people. No talking about physical appearances either. It's demeaning to people.

do you go on UConn Territory?

 

[mudcat1973]

westbook thread on the boneyard. some of the uconn fatiful say westbook not good engough for wnba and she had bad game last night. all you westbrook lovers need to read the boneyard this morning and if any of you know her tell her read too. glad to see ncaa did not buy her story lady vols fired hollie so i should have got play last year.

 

[Volfan2012]

The grass is not greener in UConn to cold, but they did make a final four so that is still a very good achievement for them and her. I'm glad they lost not because of her because of all of them.

 

[Lucy]

We’ve just got to figure away to skip the semifinal and go straight to the championship game.

Hah! Nice job NO. Harder to be a good loser than a good winner! Just a great job by AZ. That guard McDonald is like quicksilver. We have a small guard coming in who scouting services say is a speed merchant and potentially the fastest in the class. Hope she can be like Aari M. Both games fun to watch. None of the teams lost.

 

[PG1]

ONO has to be public enemy #1 over there. She didn't show up for a big game as usual.

She never does.

 

[sisaq]

@Lucy I'm disappointed. They're taking the loss awfully well. Giving credit to Arizona, lamenting ONO's ineffectiveness. I was expecting some scorched earth comments about Christyn's bogus 5th foul, but not many brought it up, and just in passing.

Needless to say, I'm kind of disappointed

Ya foul don't need to be brought up because the robbery of Baylor game is wat karma description says.

 

[VA_VOLFAN]

Well, to be fair she did make it to the final four. I think she is projected as a first round pic (which she would have been here as well). If she stays i think her minutes get cut by azzi and other perimeter players which would reduce her stats

 

[PG1]

Just would be great just to lose a game in the Final Four

 

[Rickster]

Glad Arizona and Stanford won. Both deserved it. The championship will have one blue blood and one new comer.

Interesting that Arizona doesn't have a player that was ranked in the top 50. Where's all the recruiting geniuses who say a team cannot compete for championships unless they have top 5 players? Didn't help UConn or South Carolina did it?

I guess all those Nega anarchists will be wondering back to the pound and chicken coop where they can cuddle with their own and watch ESPN reruns about their greatness.

 

[PG1]

Don’t let Westbrook live in your head!

 

[Volfan2012]

 

[VA_VOLFAN]

Just would be great just to lose a game in the Final Four

I’m sure Geno does NOT feel that way at all

To also be fair if youre a LV fan and been around as long as you say you have you know Pat made 18 NCAA final fours (plus 4 prior the NCAA having a tourney). So that’s 22 total Final Fours TN has made. So you’ve experienced more Final four games than the average fan. I am sure you can be held over for now

 

[Remy]

TEE %$#@ING HEE and HARDY $#@!ing HAR HAR!!!

 

[Rooster1]

I agree with you. If we had even a mediocre football program we would have gone to the ACC years ago. But BC had the better football and they are the New England representative. We've tried the SEC and B1G. Until the football makes noise we are stuck here.

“The football”, as you say, at UCONN is an institutional problem. The facilities in place are closer to FCS schools than BCS schools, ditto for game attendance. UCONN does not and has not made the commitment to football that is required for a program to gain entrance into a power 5 BCS conference. I would argue UCONN should play football at the FCS level. Boston College is the single school from all of New England that has put forth the effort to field a BCS football program.

 

[Voltopia]

Interesting that Arizona doesn't have a player that was ranked in the top 50. Where's all the recruiting geniuses who say a team cannot compete for championships unless they have top 5 players? Didn't help UConn or South Carolina did it?

Eh, as one of those "recruiting geniuses," I don't think I've ever said teams can't compete. I've said the top seeded teams usually have top rated recruits on their rosters, which they usually, do, and that gives them much better odds. The top seeds in the women's tournament historically outperform the top seeds in the men's tournament - that's partly discussed in this article about Arizona posted on 538. That's not an accident. It's not an accident than the #1 recruit in the past decade usually wins a title before they graduate (except for one, which I'd rather not dwell on). Sure there's a bit of "do the coaches win because of the recruits or do the recruits win because of the coaching?" I'd say -- some of both. But top recruits help sustain dominance, and improve your chances across the board. There's less talent in sport, so you either have to be incredibly well coached as a team in a moment, or have the natural ability to overcome a team who's at their limit, or be both (and that's how you get a UConn or what have you).