Dein erstes Forum » with a 43.6 3-point percent shooting percentage.

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- Had someone been foolish enough Wednesday night to tell Notre Dame coach Muffet McGraw that the sun will still come up in the morning, she might well have reminded them that the wind chill will be in single digits when the sky does lighten in northern Indiana.There was no bright side to be found.There was no victory to be had in No. 2 Notre Dames 72-61 loss to No. 1 Connecticut.That much was frustrating enough for the one program that has in recent memory solved the Connecticut conundrum, just a few years ago winning seven of eight games between the two to make their rivalry the best the sport has to offer. Notre Dame has now lost six in a row.Worse, at least to hear McGraw tell it of a game that was entertaining to watch as a neutral, was how little chance the Fighting Irish gave themselves for the kind of performance that could end a rivals 82-game winning streak.The coach had barely taken a seat for her postgame news conference when she offered a few words of praise for the performance of freshman Jackie Young, a verbal nod to reserve Mychal Johnsons contributions and then spared few others.Just really, really disappointed in pretty much everything, McGraw said. Execution, inability to get the ball to [All-American Brianna Turner]. Just completely ineffective offensively.Heck, even the silver lining came with an ominous cloud attached after Young was helped from the floor having sustained an ankle injury that leaves the guard who showed off offensive and defensive skills doubtful for a trip to DePaul on Saturday.Every concern McGraw had about a team deep with talent but short on experience, especially in roles of accountability, came to light. Most notably and painfully in a sluggish first quarter that put the Irish behind by double digits and a disastrous third quarter that wiped out a comeback.I think we saw some of [the problems] coming, so its not a total surprise, McGraw said. But I dont think to that extent.The question for the country is: Did it expose what Notre Dame cannot be? Or just what it did not do Wednesday?Much of Notre Dames trouble had to do with talent -- not too little of it but too much.Only point guard Lindsay Allen and Turner are in the same roles as previous seasons. Marina Mabrey, Arike Ogunbowale and Kathryn Westbeld were around for the Connecticut game a season ago, but they had the luxury of supplementing Notre Dames core. Others, like Young and fellow freshman Erin Boley, werent around at all. So when Notre Dame struggled early, Ogunbowale took it upon herself to get the Irish back on solid ground. She didnt do poorly, either. Connecticut coach Geno Auriemma said the sophomores aggressiveness forced him to make defensive adjustments. He compared her to former NBA point producer Vinnie Johnson, nicknamed The Microwave for a penchant to get hot in a hurry.The one thing I see that they are doing is theyre playing a little more one-on-one, trying to take advantage of some of the talent they have, Auriemma said. Which I would, too, if I was them.Except that was Auriemma being diplomatic (yes, it happens). He knew in moments when it mattered in years past that he had Diana Taurasi or Maya Moore or Breanna Stewart to make points out of nothing. But there is a reason none of them ever led the nation in scoring. Even with some of the sports iconic individual talents, Connecticut didnt rely on one-on-one sets.Neither did Notre Dame. Neither will Notre Dame, if McGraw is to be believed.Its not our intention to play one-on-one, McGraw said. That was our problem; we played one-on-one. Our intention was to share the ball and to move the ball. I think our frustration showed early and it turned into one-on-one with our wings. That was another source of disappointment.When Ogunbowale cooled, the offense was even more broken. That isnt to pick on her. She was doing what has worked for her throughout her entire basketball life. And the Fighting Irish would have been in even more trouble without her points. McGraws ire fell on everyone.Notre Dame entered averaging assists on 60 percent of its field goals, the same as a season ago. It had assists on barely half its field goals against the Huskies.But at the same time, Auriemma wasnt just being magnanimous in saying Notre Dame was a headache to defend at all five positions.Notre Dame is going to give away something inside to some of its peers this season, Connecticut and South Carolina most notably. But spread some mix of Ogunbowale, Young, Mabrey and Westbeld around Turner -- while remembering to get her the ball -- and let Allen run the show, and a great many defenses will bend well beyond the breaking point. Connecticut nearly did at times Wednesday, which ought to be proof enough.Among Top 25 teams, everyone talks in terms of actual victories and not moral victories when it comes to the four-time defending champions. None are as convincing about it as Notre Dame. Partly it is that run of success from the spring of 2011 to the spring of 2013. Partly it is the sheer familiarity that at least the coaching staffs still share from each programs days in the Big East.Mostly its because in a world without Connecticut, Notre Dame of the past decade would be Connecticut. Even if Allen, 114-2 against everyone else as a starter, wasnt willing to concede as much about an opponent against whom she is now 0-5.I think its not getting over the hurdle, its being able to play well for 40 minutes and play our game, Allen said. Coach talked about being efficient offensively, and that was my fault, I think. I think we have to make sure that Im putting my teammates in a position where theyre going to be successful. ... I think at times we were sped up because of their defense. And at times, when we were on defense we just werent sticking to our assignments.Notre Dame really does want the measuring stick to be itself, not that team from Storrs. That is why McGraw was so dispirited.I think the challenge for any coach, whether its Muffet or myself or anybody else, is how to take the team you have in front of you and try to make it work ... Auriemma said. I think there are some things they do a little bit differently, but they havent changed that much. Its just that this team as its constructed right now hasnt played together long enough. ...Look, were not the team we used to be, Auriemma said. Neither are they.Both have about four months to work on it. But on this night, yet again, Connecticut was better.Sven Ulreich Bayern Munich Jersey . Vettel, who has already clinched his fourth straight F1 title, enters the finale with a chance to equal Michael Schumachers 13 victories in a year and match the record of nine consecutive wins by Alberto Ascari in the 1952 and 1953 seasons. Ron-Thorben Hoffmann Jersey . 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Speaking to the Chicago Tribune at baseballs Winter Meetings in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, Boras called the former home of the Expos a "tremendous environment" for baseball.LUBBOCK, Texas -- Justin Gray and Shadell Millinghaus scored 14 points apiece to lead Texas Tech to a 69-48 win over Incarnate Word on Wednesday night.Zach Smith finished with 13 points and six rebounds for the Red Raiders (6-1) and Keenan Evans added 11 points and five assists.I thought tonight, about half our baskets were on assists, Texas Tech coach Chris Beard said. So, that means were playing unselfish basketball. I thought we drove the ball well tonight, made enough free throws to win.Simi Socks and Jorden Kite scored 12 points apiece for Incarnate Word (2-3), which shot 37 percent from the floor and lost the points off turnover margin 23-9.Entering the game, Texas Tech had four players averaging double-digit scoring. It continued its varied scoring by matching that total and having eight players score.The Red Raiders, which outrebounded the Cardinals 36-26, committed 12 turnovers and caused 22 Incarnate Word turnovers.Texas Tech dominated frontcourt play, scoring 40 points in the paint to Incarnate Words eight.I thought we had a really nice shot chart in terms of where the baskets were coming from other than the 3-point line, Beard said. Thats an objective of ours.Texas Tech jumped out to a 15-4 lead before the Cardinals climbed back into the game, 19-11. Millinghaus had 11 points in the first half, which ended with the Red Raiders up 38-25 as the Cardinals went scoreless for almost five minutes.After shooting 43 percent in the first half, the Red Raiders, who have shot 53 percent for the season, shot 54 percent in the second half to pull away. They did that despite finishing 1 of 11 behind thhe 3-point line.ddddddddddddIncarnate Word, which lost to then-ranked No. 21 Texas by five points earlier this season, was within eight points early in the second half before Texas Tech pulled away.Shawn Johnson entered the game as Incarnate Words leading scorer with 23 points per game. He was held to six points.They bodied him up, Incarnate Word coach Ken Burmeister said. Hes not the kind of player that can take it off the dribble. He has great athleticism. They boxed him up pretty good.BIG PICTUREIncarnate Word: 2016-17 is the final season in Incarnate Words transition from NCAA Division II to NCAA Division I. Next season, it will be eligible for Southland Conference and NCAA Tournaments.Texas Tech: The Red Raiders are playing without standout forwards Norense Odiase and Aaron Ross. Both are rehabbing injuries. In their absence, graduate transfer Anthony Livingston has provided quality frontcourt minutes.TREY TROUBLEThe Red Raiders entered the game first in the Big 12 with a 43.6 3-point percent shooting percentage. Wednesday, they finished 1 for 11 (9.1 percent).Youre not going to shoot it great every night, but I have a lot of confidence in our shooters, Beard said. Weve got a lot of guys that put in a lot of time. Between classes. Early morning. At night. I think the 3-point shot is going to be a great weapon for us this year.UP NEXTIncarnate Word starts a three-game homestand Sunday when it hosts LIU Brooklyn.Texas Tech hosts Conference USA-member Rice on Saturday. ' ' '