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RockyMTblue2

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"I think it is important that my team knows that they can count me when we need a bucket or I am consistently going to be able to knock in shots, but I wouldn't say that the points are important but it is just the trust that I am going to knock in shots that they know I can hit," Samuelson said. "They know I am going to do it every single game, not I will do it a couple games and then I will go 0-for-whatever, I am going to consistently knock in shots every single game."

Women's basketball: Katie Lou Samuelson thriving as UConn's go-to offensive player

"I was counting on Lou to do exactly what she was doing," UConn coach Geno Auriemma said of his team's leading scorer. "I knew Lou would come back and be a much better player. She is not content to be just a great shooter. Last year, she floated around waiting for her shot but she has become a basketball player."

She's talking and acting like a confident, reliable skill player.
 
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Geno's sort of stuck going down this path. By that, I mean that he now sees that this team can win an national championship, despite two glaring weaknesses: lack of height on defense and a weak bench. Because of her size at wing, Lou's effectively unstoppable and has now demonstrated the chops (that we always knew she had) to get into a shooting match with any team; and that will keep UConn in any game despite these weaknesses. I think if UConn had lost a couple of games and the team's prospects less bright, Geno might have been more circumspect about Lou in order to begin molding a somewhat different team for next year. But with this year's team playing so great, next year will easily take care of next year. Geno's hoping that Lou, while certainly no D (no one is), can score as effectively as D, and we all know what that means....
 
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Geno's sort of stuck going down this path. By that, I mean that he now sees that this team can win an national championship, despite two glaring weaknesses: lack of height on defense and a weak bench. Because of her size at wing, Lou's effectively unstoppable and has now demonstrated the chops (that we always knew she had) to get into a shooting match with any team; and that will keep UConn in any game despite these weaknesses. I think if UConn had lost a couple of games and the team's prospects less bright, Geno might have been more circumspect about Lou in order to begin molding a somewhat different team for next year. But with this year's team playing so great, next year will easily take care of next year. Geno's hoping that Lou, while certainly no D (no one is), can score as effectively as D, and we all know what that means....

Actually I like Lou's comparison to D better than EDD as in the other thread. With her fistpumping and joyful screams, I could definitely see her wanting "to punch something Orange"!
 

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I am of the that view that Geno is now pointing out of KLS upside that while KLS doesn't have that "swagger" D had/has she is capable of more and could surpass D. I also think Breanna Stewart is the best player/most complete in the program history and over time I think Geno will give her those props. By using D as a motivating factor for this crew it is sort of legend they are chasing. Having watched those teams intently, early on, yes D had great players and at the end not so much. So while she achieved a lot, I would argue she may not have raised the others games as much as "legend" would have us believe. Yes, she is an all time great-on the Mount Rushmore of UConn however I think Stewie and KLS can earn the right to be in the discussion. Again, IMO to not offend the others who love D.
 
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I think that Lou has the potential to be considered one of the UConn greats. She could be mentioned in the same sentence of Diana, Maya, Stewie and Tina for her ability to dominate the game offensively. I think she can be the most complete offensive player we have seen. Her outside shot is the most pure and steady. She has a great shot around the curl and off one dribble. As she develops her inside game she will be really hard to stop with one defender (she already is).

How she deals with physical play will determine a lot. What we don't know yet is how she responds to a defense that is focused on stopping her. She will have her chances to come up big in the big games. If she does .... Her great fortune is that she is surrounded by other players who can kill you if left open (Nurse and Chong), a great "jack of all trades" player (Gabby) and an excellent, consistent, low volume (not many shots needed) scorer (Napheesa).

UConn has such great ball movement and five potential scorers so you can't run a double at her and not get punished. I believe she also benefits in that she is not asked to cover the other team's best guard or forward. She also isn't (yet) asked to bang under the boards for rebounds every possession. That saves her some energy. As we see all that develop she very well could be one of UConn's greats.
 

RockyMTblue2

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I am of the that view that Geno is now pointing out of KLS upside that while KLS doesn't have that "swagger" D had/has she is capable of more and could surpass D. I also think Breanna Stewart is the best player/most complete in the program history and over time I think Geno will give her those props. By using D as a motivating factor for this crew it is sort of legend they are chasing. Having watched those teams intently, early on, yes D had great players and at the end not so much. So while she achieved a lot, I would argue she may not have raised the others games as much as "legend" would have us believe. Yes, she is an all time great-on the Mount Rushmore of UConn however I think Stewie and KLS can earn the right to be in the discussion. Again, IMO to not offend the others who love D.

No offense taken. D spent a good part of her junior and senior year distributing rather than shooting in order to engage her team mates for life after D. Geno, well it drove him a little nutty.
 
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I am of the that view that Geno is now pointing out of KLS upside that while KLS doesn't have that "swagger" D had/has she is capable of more and could surpass D. I also think Breanna Stewart is the best player/most complete in the program history and over time I think Geno will give her those props. By using D as a motivating factor for this crew it is sort of legend they are chasing. Having watched those teams intently, early on, yes D had great players and at the end not so much. So while she achieved a lot, I would argue she may not have raised the others games as much as "legend" would have us believe. Yes, she is an all time great-on the Mount Rushmore of UConn however I think Stewie and KLS can earn the right to be in the discussion. Again, IMO to not offend the others who love D.

I don't agree with your bold. And I never thought DT got enough respect for being a terrific defensive rebounder. DT epitomized "tough."

With that said- I'm in awe of the Core 4.

This year depending on the end results will determine "legend."

These 5 players - Collier, Gabby, Lou, Kia, Saniya have such great chemistry. We'll see hwo they do vs USC. Then hopefully they get to E8 game and hopefully move forward, we'll see what they are.
 

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I don't mean this flippantly,but of course it is a team game and success can only be achieved with multiple players and I have been on record extolling the virtues of Gabby, Kia and NC in other threads. The legacy will be if this team can continue and go on and win the National Title. I would argue KLS has already shown ability to come up Big this year most notably Maryland and has been the focal point of most teams as the player to stop as well as been banged around (though not a much as Stewie her Soph year). Today's game was another nice effort that started off slowly and than WHAM, she was on a roll. With NC in foul trouble she played under the hoop more and showed her continued growth. So as I stated, in my opinion she better at this stage in her career than D AND I LOVED Diana Taurasi. To be fair, I will go and review both players stats and advise.
 
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I think that Lou has the potential to be considered one of the UConn greats. She could be mentioned in the same sentence of Diana, Maya, Stewie and Tina for her ability to dominate the game offensively. I think she can be the most complete offensive player we have seen. Her outside shot is the most pure and steady. She has a great shot around the curl and off one dribble. As she develops her inside game she will be really hard to stop with one defender (she already is).

How she deals with physical play will determine a lot. What we don't know yet is how she responds to a defense that is focused on stopping her. She will have her chances to come up big in the big games. If she does .... Her great fortune is that she is surrounded by other players who can kill you if left open (Nurse and Chong), a great "jack of all trades" player (Gabby) and an excellent, consistent, low volume (not many shots needed) scorer (Napheesa).

UConn has such great ball movement and five potential scorers so you can't run a double at her and not get punished. I believe she also benefits in that she is not asked to cover the other team's best guard or forward. She also isn't (yet) asked to bang under the boards for rebounds every possession. That saves her some energy. As we see all that develop she very well could be one of UConn's greats.
We know that poor Stewie had no talent on the court with her, right? That's what you seem to suggest! I read where KLS is the focus of a lot of other team's defense and yet you imply she isn't that go to player. When did Stewie focus on the other team's best player? How often is the best player a front line player? Not very often. I obviously disagree with a lot of your supposition.
 
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No offense taken. D spent a good part of her junior and senior year distributing rather than shooting in order to engage her team mates for life after D. Geno, well it drove him a little nutty.
Really, D decided to be a distributor in her junior and senior year. You have many people here who have implied that the greatness of D is that she had no one to help her and everything was on her and now you're saying she had talented scorers and her job was to deliver it to them. WOW!
 
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I don't mean this flippantly,but of course it is a team game and success can only be achieved with multiple players and I have been on record extolling the virtues of Gabby, Kia and NC in other threads. The legacy will be if this team can continue and go on and win the National Title. I would argue KLS has already shown ability to come up Big this year most notably Maryland and has been the focal point of most teams as the player to stop as well as been banged around (though not a much as Stewie her Soph year). Today's game was another nice effort that started off slowly and than WHAM, she was on a roll. With NC in foul trouble she played under the hoop more and showed her continued growth. So as I stated, in my opinion she better at this stage in her career than D AND I LOVED Diana Taurasi. To be fair, I will go and review both players stats and advise.
I think Stewie was easy to bounce around her sophomore year because she hadn't as of yet built herself up and toughened herself. Little or no contact would knock her off the ball and she finally evolved in her junior year to the point where she was awesome at the end of her career in Storrs.
 
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"I think it is important that my team knows that they can count me when we need a bucket or I am consistently going to be able to knock in shots, but I wouldn't say that the points are important but it is just the trust that I am going to knock in shots that they know I can hit," Samuelson said. "They know I am going to do it every single game, not I will do it a couple games and then I will go 0-for-whatever, I am going to consistently knock in shots every single game."

Women's basketball: Katie Lou Samuelson thriving as UConn's go-to offensive player

"I was counting on Lou to do exactly what she was doing," UConn coach Geno Auriemma said of his team's leading scorer. "I knew Lou would come back and be a much better player. She is not content to be just a great shooter. Last year, she floated around waiting for her shot but she has become a basketball player."

She's talking and acting like a confident, reliable skill player.

'More high praise for Geno---She has become a BASKETBALL PLAYER--not just a shooter.
Apparently--KLS responds well to both the Carrot and the Stick (mental stick).
 
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I am of the that view that Geno is now pointing out of KLS upside that while KLS doesn't have that "swagger" D had/has she is capable of more and could surpass D. I also think Breanna Stewart is the best player/most complete in the program history and over time I think Geno will give her those props. By using D as a motivating factor for this crew it is sort of legend they are chasing. Having watched those teams intently, early on, yes D had great players and at the end not so much. So while she achieved a lot, I would argue she may not have raised the others games as much as "legend" would have us believe. Yes, she is an all time great-on the Mount Rushmore of UConn however I think Stewie and KLS can earn the right to be in the discussion. Again, IMO to not offend the others who love D.

There is the external swagger and the internal (I can score when I want) swagger--D had the former--KLS the latter. Each works in it's own way--each is effective. But it sure would be nice if KLS COULD punch something orange!!
 
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Geno's sort of stuck going down this path. By that, I mean that he now sees that this team can win an national championship, despite two glaring weaknesses: lack of height on defense and a weak bench. Because of her size at wing, Lou's effectively unstoppable and has now demonstrated the chops (that we always knew she had) to get into a shooting match with any team; and that will keep UConn in any game despite these weaknesses. I think if UConn had lost a couple of games and the team's prospects less bright, Geno might have been more circumspect about Lou in order to begin molding a somewhat different team for next year. But with this year's team playing so great, next year will easily take care of next year. Geno's hoping that Lou, while certainly no D (no one is), can score as effectively as D, and we all know what that means....

Your posting begs the question: Which team between now and the NC will UConn meet that has that big/mobile/quick/tall player who can and will guard KLS and take her out of the game??? Who?
If the accumulation of weaknesses--size,fouls, bench, KLS taken out--the game is over
 
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Really, D decided to be a distributor in her junior and senior year. You have many people here who have implied that the greatness of D is that she had no one to help her and everything was on her and now you're saying she had talented scorers and her job was to deliver it to them. WOW!
While she did not have Gabby or Napheesa DT had HELP. An undersize, almost midget for the position post Barbara Turner, Willnet, Anne Strothers, and the ever present 3 point/foul shot maker sometime point guard Maria Conlon, and others. Much of this myth is because Geno often said if DT could pass the ball to her self inbounds etc. it would be great. But she did have some very good help. She had supreme help her frosh and soph years Sue Swin Ajsia Tamika---not bad company. They were so good Pat Summitt told the press --she was coming to their graduations --just to make sure they were going--high praise.
DT's Job was to score and to sometimes do it alone, but she had HElP. The NC against OKLA DT had KASST (minus the K) and in the final minute DT was tasked with backing down into the OU team and score--she did. She could do it alone--she didn't have to.
Remember --with the KASST (minus the K) she missed 14 shots--and a game where uC was ahead at half--forgetting the Sue comment--they were up by 15 and lost by 15. If she made half plus 1 UConn would have won.
 
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Diana is the GOAT of WBB not just UCONN. after today's game I would say that Lou's potential is to become more DT like than Stewie like.

In the spectrum of strong 2 guard to finessed 4 post I would put them in this order: Diana, Lou, EDD and the Stewie. Lou I believe showed today that she will develop her ball handling and consequently her play making skills beyond the two taller players.
 
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I don't mean this flippantly,but of course it is a team game and success can only be achieved with multiple players and I have been on record extolling the virtues of Gabby, Kia and NC in other threads. The legacy will be if this team can continue and go on and win the National Title. I would argue KLS has already shown ability to come up Big this year most notably Maryland and has been the focal point of most teams as the player to stop as well as been banged around (though not a much as Stewie her Soph year). Today's game was another nice effort that started off slowly and than WHAM, she was on a roll. With NC in foul trouble she played under the hoop more and showed her continued growth. So as I stated, in my opinion she better at this stage in her career than D AND I LOVED Diana Taurasi. To be fair, I will go and review both players stats and advise.


I don't agree with your points here and I don't think stats are going to prove anything. I can look at stats and could argue that Tamika Williams was overall a greater player than Morgan Tuck (which she wasn't). While she didn't average as many points, she had a higher fg%. Was a better rebounder. Had more steals. Tamika was the stopper both inside and outside within a range of quick guards/wings to power forwards.

DT in her frosh year got Most Outstanding in the Regional, didn't she? AT this point Lou needs to get something similar but D did this as a frosh.

**I don't have proof of this - I wish I could find it - you can choose not to believe me. But watch that play in 2001-2002 in the finals in which DT isolated and ended up fouling out Dales and wound up all but icing the game. The comment Geno made- which I can't find - which you don't have to believe me with is- Geno had said afterwards, to paraphrase "we could have run that isolation play anytime we wanted but that's not how we want to play." Basically I thought Geno was telling us-- I could have used DT to score whenever I wanted. OFC he didn't say that but it sounded almost like it. Anyhow - with championship on the line and with all the seniors -- Geno chose "an isolation play" in which DT was shooting poorly the entire game. That's how much confidence Geno had in her. While I'm sure he has a ton for Lou-- at this point in their careers -- DT took a final four team as a frosh in which they experienced a major injury in Shea of which DT had to become more of a weapon immediately after the Big East Tourney and DT was able ot turn on the lights immediately and wind up being Regional MVP.

Anyhow-- I do think it is possible Lou can be thought of among Stewie DT and Maya -- or in the Tina/Bird etc but it depends on what she does vs the elite tourney teams too. Not just the reg. season Tulanes. Meaning we got more to see especially tourney time-- this year!!!! :)
 
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Diana is the GOAT of WBB not just UCONN. after today's game I would say that Lou's potential is to become more DT like than Stewie like.

In the spectrum of strong 2 guard to finessed 4 post I would put them in this order: Diana, Lou, EDD and the Stewie. Lou I believe showed today that she will develop her ball handling and consequently her play making skills beyond the two taller players.

I don't know what the bold means. But Stewie imo- her defensive impact from her soph year to her year was awesome. Her ability to impact the defensive side of the ball as early as her soph year allowed UOCNN ot get out and run a bit more than would otherwise be.
 
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We know that poor Stewie had no talent on the court with her, right? That's what you seem to suggest! I read where KLS is the focus of a lot of other team's defense and yet you imply she isn't that go to player. When did Stewie focus on the other team's best player? How often is the best player a front line player? Not very often. I obviously disagree with a lot of your supposition.
Disagree all you want. That is what these boards are about. But at least try to be intellectually honest and READ WHAT I SAID. I am pretty good at saying or "suggesting" or "implying" what I mean.

1) I said nothing about Stewie having "no talent on the court with her". Don't put those words (even impliedly or sarcastically) in my mouth. I didn't say that. I didn't "imply" that. I didn't "suggest" that. In fact, I didn't compare KLS to Stewie at all other than to say that I think KLS "could be mentioned in the same sentence of [sic] Diana, Maya, Stewie and Tina for her ability to dominate the game offensively." I didn't break down which UConn greats played with a lot of talent and which didn't. The comment about the talent KLS plays with is not even in the same PARAGRAPH as the only mention of Stewie.

2) I didn't say or even imply that she isn't "that go to player." What I said, which I think is rather indisputable, is that she plays with other players that can score and make it difficult to double team her without getting burned. One other player on her team (Napheesa) is averaging 19 points on very efficient shooting (65% pace). That helps ... a lot. I think KLS and Napheesa are both "go to" players for UConn. I don't think it detracts from one to say that about the other.

3) You ask "When did Stewie focus on the other team's best player? How often is the best player a front line player?" Again, you seem to be focused on Stewie. Again, my only mention of Stewie was TWO PARAGRAPHS earlier. I didn't say Stewie guarded the other team's best player, although I do believe she guarded the best "big" on multiple occasions. I didn't focus my comments on comparing KLS and Stewie -- that appears to be your focus which is fine with me, just don't re-write and make misleading statements about what I said in order to make your point.

You seem to confuse what you wrongly think are my "suggestions" and "suppositions" and then make arguments or comparisons you wish to make. Your concerns about Stewie as compared to KLS are yours not mine. I only ask that you read what I said and don't start placing those comparisons in the context of something I didn't come close to saying or implying or suggesting or supposing.
 
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Your posting begs the question: Which team between now and the NC will UConn meet that has that big/mobile/quick/tall player who can and will guard KLS and take her out of the game??? Who?
If the accumulation of weaknesses--size,fouls, bench, KLS taken out--the game is over
Any player can be stopped or at least controlled, even KLS. But in Lou's case it would cost them so much that her mates would have a field day against them.
 
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I don't know what the bold means. But Stewie imo- her defensive impact from her soph year to her year was awesome. Her ability to impact the defensive side of the ball as early as her soph year allowed UOCNN ot get out and run a bit more than would otherwise be.
What I was unclearly trying to say was that I view these players as playing different but overlapping positions. Ranging from Diana's strong 2 guard to Stewie's decent ball handling finesse forward.

What got me about other's postings were skill comparisons that put Diana below anyone else. I felt like Mrs. B does when anyone wants to critique Mozart- "Really"?!

Ranking these four in overall WBB, Diana is number one till ever supplanted, Stewie is heading for a top 10, the other two are TBD. Though I love Lou as much as everyone else here !
 
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Any player can be stopped or at least controlled, even KLS. But in Lou's case it would cost them so much that her mates would have a field day against them.
My premise was : IF ONE quick, fasts, good tall defender was put on KLS. In that case little would be taken away from the remaining 4 during defense. Actually, internally I was wondering whether South Carolina had a big on their team other than Coates and Aja who was tall enough and agile enough to defend KLS --not shut her down, but limit her. If she is limited, then Gabby and Napheesa are more limited---their defenders can concentrate on them more. Just wondering//// You don't have to STOP a great scorer, just limit their attempts. The effect against a top opponent can be cumulative .
 
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I don't agree with your points here and I don't think stats are going to prove anything. I can look at stats and could argue that Tamika Williams was overall a greater player than Morgan Tuck (which she wasn't). While she didn't average as many points, she had a higher fg%. Was a better rebounder. Had more steals. Tamika was the stopper both inside and outside within a range of quick guards/wings to power forwards.

DT in her frosh year got Most Outstanding in the Regional, didn't she? AT this point Lou needs to get something similar but D did this as a frosh.

**I don't have proof of this - I wish I could find it - you can choose not to believe me. But watch that play in 2001-2002 in the finals in which DT isolated and ended up fouling out Dales and wound up all but icing the game. The comment Geno made- which I can't find - which you don't have to believe me with is- Geno had said afterwards, to paraphrase "we could have run that isolation play anytime we wanted but that's not how we want to play." Basically I thought Geno was telling us-- I could have used DT to score whenever I wanted. OFC he didn't say that but it sounded almost like it. Anyhow - with championship on the line and with all the seniors -- Geno chose "an isolation play" in which DT was shooting poorly the entire game. That's how much confidence Geno had in her. While I'm sure he has a ton for Lou-- at this point in their careers -- DT took a final four team as a frosh in which they experienced a major injury in Shea of which DT had to become more of a weapon immediately after the Big East Tourney and DT was able ot turn on the lights immediately and wind up being Regional MVP.

Anyhow-- I do think it is possible Lou can be thought of among Stewie DT and Maya -- or in the Tina/Bird etc but it depends on what she does vs the elite tourney teams too. Not just the reg. season Tulanes. Meaning we got more to see especially tourney time-- this year!!!! :)

In another posting ---I referred to that exact play against oKla OU in the NC game--DT, backed down Dales (i forgot her name--didn't like her as Color on ESpn). .
I agree with all you say about DT--but as a frosh she put up 14 plops and uC up by 15 at the half lost by 15===had DT or Marie been given the chance or DT make 8 of those misses Uconn would have won.
I don't believe the BS put forth by Sue Bird (i love her) that the team deliberately lost that game
that's hogwash--But to compare KLS to DT as a Frosh--KLS won a NC ring!! DT didn't.
 

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