GO UCONN!!!!!
SUPERGIRL!!!
My cheer superstar granddaughter Noa!!!
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No, not the movie. That film is about NATO in a war with the Soviet Union that turns into a full-scale nuclear exchange. A little too close to a slim but possible reality almost 40 years after the film was released.
Although the type of basketball in the UConn/UCF game was like a euphemism for a war.
Every game that Central Florida is like that. It's just the style of basketball that their coach, Katie Abrahamson- Henderson teaches.
it's a style that I really don't like. In fact, I hate it. It's not basketball. At least not the kind that I enjoy watching. No, it's not just because of last night's game. It's several years of watching the same thing over and over. Foul, foul and foul some more and hope that they all don't get call. Hey, it works. They gave up the least amount of points per game in the country for the season.
Geno said the players were too hyped up and missed a ton of shots they usually make. That sure did happen. But I watched them hold on tight, even if the refs did decide to call a foul on UConn on every UCF drive to the basket.
But as the title of this piece says, it's the "day after". And in the NCAAA it's all about.......
And UConn certainly did that. Survive. They survied the jarring body banging defense employed by UCF. And certainly did a great job after being down 18-12 after the first quarter. The Huskies outscored the Knights 36-18 over the next 25 minutes. Fans are making way too big a deal over the 9-0 run byUCF and 11-4 finish to the game. Several questionble calls. Edwards and ONO both fouled out in that run and Sanders, a 15.6% three point shooter, hit a big one. And they missed TWO clears fouls on UCF where UConn would have gone to the line.
I will say that I got real nervous those last 5 minutes...lol.
However, I'm not one that thinks the performance in that games means that is how they will play against Indiana. I prefer to think that the body of work since they have had a 9 player rotation is more important than one game against a "crazy physical No. 1 defense" team.
I'll have a lot more on Indiana later, but they are not nearly the physical, defensive team that Central Florida was. That being said, the NCAA's seem to be a low scoring tournament. Well, unless you are playing Oklahoma...lol.
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UCONN VIDEOS
SNY Game Breakdown
Game Replay - IF YOU DARE!!!
Game Highlights
Full UCF Postgame Presser
Christyn Williams Post Game Interview
Geno Post Game Interview
Geno, Christyn and Azzi Post Game Interview
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Follow along and view the Group standings
Doggy's Doghouse and the password is doggydaddy.
Just click on the link.
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Time and TV
Bridgeport Region
Total Mortgage Arena
Bridgeport, CT
No. 1 North Carolina State vs No. 5 Notre Dame
Saturday 3/26 11:30 ESPN
No. 2 UConn vs No. 3 Indiana
Saturday 3/26 2:00 ESPN
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Wichita Region
Intrust Bank Arena
Wichita, KS
No. 1 Louisville vs No. 4 Tennessee
Saturday 3/26 4:00 ESPN2
No. 3 Michigan vs No. 10 South Dakota
Saturday 3/26 6:30 ESPN2
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Spokane Region
Spokane Memorial Arena
Spokane, WA
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Greensboro Region
Greensboro Coliseum
Greenboro, NC
No. 1 South Carolina vs No. 5 North Carolina
Friday 3/25 7:00 ESPN
No. 3 Iowa State vs No. 10 Creighton
Friday 3/25 9:30 ESPN2
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Straight from the Dog
How tough is it to shake hands after a game. I mean, it's the minimum amount of sportsmanship that needs to happen after a game. You can slap hands and mutter good game after you lose, but sheeeesh.....
And when I found out that the UCF coach doesn't do a pregame handshake or post game handshake and either does her team? .....well...I dislike them even more.
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Phil had nothing for me today. Look at this make excuse!!
"I'm a mess. Luckily, I didn't have to go to work, but I did have an appointment. I'm embarrassed to say I glanced at my calendar saw 9 AM, and left the house at 830 to make sure I was at the trailhead well before nine. When no one else was showing up I double checked my calendar and saw that I was trying to be careful and had written "9 AM, leave house to be sure to be at the trailhead in time for a 10 AM meeting".
I don't know whether anyone has ever walked the Tunxis trail, part of Connecticut's blue blaze trail system, but a multi-mile section of it has to be rerouted because it goes through private property. And part of the group working on doing the reroute, and they decided that Tuesday morning would be a good time for a site visit. To add insult to injury, the person to plan the event sent in email this morning saying she couldn't make it. We went ahead with the site visit anyway and it kicked my butt — I'm recovering from something and haven't been out of the house in three weeks, this was not really the day to bushwhack through miles of rugged terrain."
I don't know whether anyone has ever walked the Tunxis trail, part of Connecticut's blue blaze trail system, but a multi-mile section of it has to be rerouted because it goes through private property. And part of the group working on doing the reroute, and they decided that Tuesday morning would be a good time for a site visit. To add insult to injury, the person to plan the event sent in email this morning saying she couldn't make it. We went ahead with the site visit anyway and it kicked my butt — I'm recovering from something and haven't been out of the house in three weeks, this was not really the day to bushwhack through miles of rugged terrain."
Ok...I get it. But still.....
Then he told me his grandkids just arrived. Now THAT is a good excuse!!!
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By David in Naples
Dorka had an off night shooting. She was 0-6, many from fairly point blank range. Granted, it was not in the pregame layup drill, but even with defenders, they seemed makeable. So, did she have a bad game? No. Here's why:
1. Dorka was tied with Ono for most rebounds at 5.
2. She made 3-4 free throws. Critical..!
3. She had the most assists in the game with 3.
4. Dorka blocked 2 shots and intimidated several others.
5. She only had 1 foul.
6. Only 1 turnover.
7. She was on the floor for more minutes than Aaliyah or Evina.
I'm giving her a B- but noting that she saved UConn's bacon when the other two bigs fouled out.
Go Dorka..!
1. Dorka was tied with Ono for most rebounds at 5.
2. She made 3-4 free throws. Critical..!
3. She had the most assists in the game with 3.
4. Dorka blocked 2 shots and intimidated several others.
5. She only had 1 foul.
6. Only 1 turnover.
7. She was on the floor for more minutes than Aaliyah or Evina.
I'm giving her a B- but noting that she saved UConn's bacon when the other two bigs fouled out.
Go Dorka..!
The game last night against UCF was a rock fight. There were plenty of gutsy performances by players not having their best game. None was more important than the one by Azzi Fudd.
First, consider that the crowd and reality of the moment had all the Huskies fired up and running on pure adrenalin, especially the freshman Fudd. In fact, Fudd came out and missed her first 5 shots, four of them 3's. Now consider her four made threes:
1. With only 3:24 left in the 1st period, UConn was down 11-4 and had already missed 10 shots. Then Azzi made a three. Score 11-7, hope still there...
2. Later in the 1st period, UCF was again threatening to blow the game open. Smith made a jumper pushing the score to 17-9, then Azzi made a three. Lead down to 5.
3. With 4:56 left in the 3rd period, Smith again made a jumper for UCF to lead 30-29. Then Azzi made a three. UConn's led the rest of the game.
4. At the 9:08 mark of the 4th period, the Huskies led by 38-30. UCF missed a shot and then Azzi made a three. Lead up to 41-30 and UCF was deep in a hole.
Azzi finished the game scoring 16 points. The four threes and the four late free throws were game changers and showed her coolness under pressure. The four free throws barely touched the bottom of the net and kept UCF from getting too close. The last two came with 15 seconds left and UCF down only 3 points. Game over & a huge step toward greatness for Azzi.
Go Huskies..!!
First, consider that the crowd and reality of the moment had all the Huskies fired up and running on pure adrenalin, especially the freshman Fudd. In fact, Fudd came out and missed her first 5 shots, four of them 3's. Now consider her four made threes:
1. With only 3:24 left in the 1st period, UConn was down 11-4 and had already missed 10 shots. Then Azzi made a three. Score 11-7, hope still there...
2. Later in the 1st period, UCF was again threatening to blow the game open. Smith made a jumper pushing the score to 17-9, then Azzi made a three. Lead down to 5.
3. With 4:56 left in the 3rd period, Smith again made a jumper for UCF to lead 30-29. Then Azzi made a three. UConn's led the rest of the game.
4. At the 9:08 mark of the 4th period, the Huskies led by 38-30. UCF missed a shot and then Azzi made a three. Lead up to 41-30 and UCF was deep in a hole.
Azzi finished the game scoring 16 points. The four threes and the four late free throws were game changers and showed her coolness under pressure. The four free throws barely touched the bottom of the net and kept UCF from getting too close. The last two came with 15 seconds left and UCF down only 3 points. Game over & a huge step toward greatness for Azzi.
Go Huskies..!!
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UCONN LINKS
Several links are pay sites. Sorry!
UConn survies with Indiana looming next Sun Journal
It was very ugly but we got the Dub UConn Blog
UConn extends Sweet Sixteen streak to 28 Front Office Sports
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Message Boards
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