‘This is really, really hard’
Why the UConn women’s team struggled in the Final Four
SAN ANTONIO — It wasn’t an upset of historic proportions, but it was surprising, nevertheless. Arizona, a double-digit underdog, toppled mighty UConn, 69-59, in the Final Four on Friday at the Alamodome, extending the Huskies’ national title drought to five years.
Coach Geno Auriemma talked sometime around midnight Saturday about plenty of factors that contributed: UConn’s immaturity, the team not coming out strong and Arizona, quite frankly, just being a good team.
But for a team that has made it look relatively easy in getting to the Final Fourth – this the Huskies’ 13th straight – Auriemma emphasized it’s anything but. And it’s even harder to win a championship.
“When we were making it look so easy, I try to tell people this is really hard, and nobody believed me. When you're winning all the time, you're winning four years in a row, X number of years out of X number of years, people start to believe this is real easy,” Auriemma said. “It's not. This is really, really difficult. If it wasn't difficult, more people would win that many times...And they're not getting any easier, as you mentioned with the games you have to play to get there. Not easy at all.
“What we've talked about, what was missing tonight, their defense took us out of our offense,” Auriemma continued. “We were in a scramble mode a lot offensively. We got it back I think, then we just missed shots that you got to make at this level at this point in time.”
Where’d it all go wrong for the Huskies? Here’s a deeper look at UConn’s Final Four exit:
Nelson-Ododa fails to step up
Olivia Nelson-Ododa was invisible, a non-factor. There’s no other way to spin it. Her final line was forgettable: one point and six rebounds.
The 6-foot-5 junior got into foul trouble in the first quarter, and wound up playing only 21 minutes, her fewest since the Huskies’ only other loss, to Arkansas.
Freshman Aaliyah Edwards struggled at times, too, but some of that can be chalked up to immaturity. Coach Geno Auriemma said as much afterward. But Nelson-Ododa? She doesn’t have that excuse.
The Huskies needed her, as one of only two with prior Final Four experience, to step up, not wilt at the most important juncture of the season.
Arizona was just tougher, more physical, and simply wore out the Huskies in the paint.
“That’s two games in a row now,” Auriemma said, “that we faced that kind of pressure. I think it took its toll. All the credit goes to Arizona.”
UConn made just enough shots against Baylor to survive it. But against Arizona, they had a hard time getting anything to fall. That was especially the case for Nelson-Ododa, who was 0 for 7 from the floor, including 0 for 5 on layup attempts.
The Huskies, despite a supposed edge in talent, were outscored 22-18 in the paint.
Nelson-Ododa had played well earlier in the tournament — she had 17 points and eight rebounds against No. 8 Syracuse, then another 11 boards and seven assists versus No. 5 Iowa — which made her 0-for against Arizona all the more befuddling.
Self-inflicted mistakes
Arizona gave UConn fits all night with its tough, ball-pressure defense. But the Huskies also didn’t do themselves any favors. Many of their woes were self-inflicted.
They were particularly woeful around the rim, finishing just 7 of their 22 layup attempts.
“We just weren’t able to finish,” junior Evina Westbrook said. “They were playing defense for sure, tough defense. But there were shots that we should make.”
Shots that they usually make. The Huskies were fourth in the country in scoring, averaging a shade over 82 points a game. But they never even got close to that total.
Through two quarters, they had 22 points — their fewest this season. They didn’t surpass 40 until early in the fourth.
“We found a way to bear down and get stops,” Arizona coach Adia Barnes said. “We beat a really, really good team. We just played a little bit better tonight.”
A lot better. The Huskies were beaten at their own game, outworked in the paint, and outhustled on both ends. Arizona had a 17-11 edge in fast-break points, including 8-2 in the first half.
When it’s right, UConn’s offense is free-flowing, dynamic and aggressive. It’s built on timing, with screening, cutting, and passing. Everyone touches the ball, everyone contributes.
But against Arizona, the Huskies looked rudderless. Never able to get into any sort of flow, they finished with only 10 assists, just one more than they had against Baylor.
“They had great ball pressure. They picked up full court all game,” junior Christyn Williams said. “They trapped the ball screens. That’s something that we haven’t really seen throughout the season. So we struggled with it. We couldn’t really get into a rhythm offensively.”
Star power
Earlier in the week, Auriemma called Aari McDonald the “most dominant” guard UConn would face all season. Turns out, he wasn’t kidding.
The 5-foot-6 McDonald — small in size, but mighty in impact — did what most struggle to do, picking apart the Huskies by herself. She poured in 26 points, including 4 of 9 from 3 and 7 of 17 overall, to go with seven rebounds and a pair of steals.
It was a maestro performance, one that evoked shades of Morgan William in 2017.
“She just dominated the entire game start to finish,” Auriemma said.
Said McDonald: “I just kept playing my game, taking what the defense was giving me. I just wanted to see how they were going to play me. … It’s not checkers, this is chess. I’m always the next step ahead of my opponent.”
McDonald was calm and composed, a fifth-year senior embracing the moment, and knowing how and when to take charge. And she received just enough help, too, for it to count.
Aureimma, in his postgame news conference, emphasized the importance of having mature players in March.
“I'll bet you that if I were to count the 11 championships that we have, two of them maybe came out of the group, who we are. The other nine come from because you have outstanding individuals who have amazing performances. Kind of like Aari McDonald had tonight,” he said.”