Instant takeaways from BU women's basketball's 86-32 loss at No. 2 UConn
The two AGs — senior Alex Giannaros (13 points) and sophomore Aoibhe Gormley (7 points, 3 assists) — led the Terriers.
HARTFORD, Conn. – Three takeaways from BU women’s basketball’s 86-32 loss to No. 2 UConn at the XL Center on Thursday…
BU played an excellent third quarter after a Graves timeout
The Terriers fell behind 67-13 early in the third quarter. UConn led 60-13 at the break and opened the second half on a 7-0 run. However, after head coach Melissa Graves called timeout with 7:56 remaining in the third quarter, BU went on a 9-0 run over the next 5:36. BU’s backcourt of sophomore Aoibhe Gormley and senior Alex Giannaros created the offensive spark. Gormley penetrated the middle of UConn’s defense for the first time all night and found an open Giannaros on two kick-out 3s. Gormley also hid behind a screen at the top of the key and stepped into a long 2, which she drained.
“Aoibhe had some good where she cut the floor in transition,” said Graves. “I thought we executed some good plays there, and we stopped turning over in that segment of the 9-0 run. That was the biggest piece.”
On defense, BU stopped the Huskies from getting passes into their interior bigs, where UConn had a huge size advantage. UConn was forced into jump shots and BU successfully controlled the defensive glass.
“We were communicating better. We were talking on our switches, and we were able to be more focused because we slowed the game down a little bit,” Graves said.
The Terriers were only outscored, 12-9, in the third quarter, and after another successful frame in the fourth, only outscored, 26-19, in the second half.
BU was unable to handle UConn’s hounding defense in the first half
Geno Auriemma brought out a full-court press to begin his 40th season at the helm of UConn women’s basketball. BU failed to handle it, turning it over 19 times in the first half. The Terriers, for reference, registered only 20 first-half shot attempts. They looked star-struck playing in a venue as large as the XL Center against a team as stacked as UConn.
“I think obviously the pressure got to us,” said head coach Melissa Graves. “No one on this team has played in that environment, including Alex [Giannaros].”
“You see ‘UConn’ across the chest, and it becomes, like, overwhelming,” Graves added.
Even when BU entered the front court, the Huskies maintained the pressure and cut off passing lanes, forcing numerous errant passes far from the basket. The turnover bug spread to everyone, even Gormley.
Gormley, who had a 2.1 assist-to-turnover ratio in conference play last season (2nd in the Patriot League), and whose goal is to have zero turnovers this season, coughed it up four times in the opening 20 minutes.
UConn killed BU in transition
Once UConn forced said turnovers, it got out in transition with ease. The Huskies outscored BU 17-0 in first-half fastbreak points. They also garnered 28 points from turnovers, compared to BU’s none.
“In the first half we barely played halfcourt defense,” Graves said.
Even when it wasn’t off turnovers, UConn got out in transition and found easy layups or kick-outs to open 3s. BU could not match UConn’s size and speed as the Huskies constantly raced down the floor.
“We didn’t struggle as much as I thought we would that first half, because usually the opening games are like that,” said UConn head coach Geno Auriemma.