Top 3 Things You Want To See Saturday Afternoon Against St. John's

[BBallF]

After tremendous defensive team pressure against Providence and some very promising minutes by Ice, Ines and Amari, here are my top 3 things:

1) Q to just relax and play. It will come. The focus has to be defense and not rushing your shots.

2) Ice to do more of the same. That drive right, even though it didn't finish, gives a whole new dimension to her game. Just keep it going. Steady progress is the key.

3) Nika to play offense for the whole game and not to pass up the pull up jumper when it is there.

Those are my 3. What are yours?

 

[maple]

Hard to pick 3 specific things ...

1. More of the same in terms Providence Q1 excellence.
2. Consistency from quarter to quarter.
3. Q and Ice continuing to play well.

 

[huskeynut]

1. Pressure defense right from the start. Hit them hard and fast.
2. Continued balanced scoring
3. Ice and Q continue to improve

 

[Ozimoto]

Same defensive intensity
Better shooting, especially from Q (she'll get there).
Continuing opportunities for Ines and Amari (and they take advantage of them).

 

[DEpup]

1. Same aggressive defense with 1 fewer foul each.
2. Q getting her shot back. I think she's hit the freshman wall and needs to climb over it.
3. Stay disciplined in Q2 and keep running the offense instead of chucking up crazy shots as if they are on the playground.

 

[Bone Dog]

After tremendous defensive team pressure against Providence and some very promising minutes by Ice, Ines and Amari, here are my top 3 things:

1) Q to just relax and play. It will come. The focus has to be defense and not rushing your shots.

2) Ice to do more of the same. That drive right, even though it didn't finish, gives a whole new dimension to her game. Just keep it going. Steady progress is the key.

3) Nika to play offense for the whole game and not to pass up the pull up jumper when it is there.

Those are my 3. What are yours?

Once again, I like your 3 a lot.

And if I could only have one of them, it would be #1 -- Q should simply let Q be Q. We all love this kid and want to see what she can make of herself... and we are patient.

 

[Ozimoto]

Well, most of us are patient...

 

[housekeys]

1. Rebound
2. Press
3. Start the game hot

 

[Zarathustra]

1. Everybody eats!
2. The race for BIG EAST FRESMAN OF THE YEAR continues to be VERY TIGHT! GO KK! Go ASH!
3. Gradual development for ICE and more playing time for INES and Amari!

 

[BBallF]

Once again, I like your 3 a lot.

And if I could only have one of them, it would be #1 -- Q should simply let Q be Q. We all love this kid and want to see what she can make of herself... and we are patient.

I am sure you will agree that Q has to be a better Q on defense. She turns her head, doesn't understand the switches yet, and gets lost at times. KK and Ash are really exceptions on defense as freshmen. It's really the key to Q developing and to her playing time. Her shots have to be more selective also. More in the flow so to speak, more movement without the ball, and just because you are open it doesn't mean that it is a good or desirable shot. She had a very poor shooting night last night but had 5 rebounds and can get steals and deflections if she really focused on it because of her athleticism and length. Right now, she has a long way to go but I think she is really having a true freshman type year unlike KK and Ash. As for Ice, I will take last night's game all the way till April. 7 points and 5 boards in 20 minutes is very solid and we saw some things for the first time like that right handed drive to the basket. Once she can finish better, and that is going to take her getting into better shape with timing and practice( I think the year off really set her back) she will be a real important component for us.

 

[Bone Dog]

I am sure you will agree that Q has to be a better Q on defense. She turns her head, doesn't understand the switches yet, and gets lost at times. KK and Ash are really exceptions on defense as freshmen. It's really the key to Q developing and to her playing time. Her shots have to be more selective also. More in the flow so to speak, more movement without the ball, and just because you are open it doesn't mean that it is a good or desirable shot. She had a very poor shooting night last night but had 5 rebounds and can get steals and deflections if she really focused on it because of her athleticism and length. Right now, she has a long way to go but I think she is really having a true freshman type year unlike KK and Ash. As for Ice, I will take last night's game all the way till April. 7 points and 5 boards in 20 minutes is very solid and we saw some things for the first time like that right handed drive to the basket. Once she can finish better, and that is going to take her getting into better shape with timing and practice( I think the year off really set her back) she will be a real important component for us.

I absolutely agree. In the chat during games, I'm the one who usually notices when Q looks lost or blows an assignment. In this thread, I was speaking in "encouragement mode," even though Q will never read it. We are patient -- like we have a choice -- and we will celebrate every achievement she makes. And, as you suggest, where she will find herself as a player is in perfecting her defense. The rest will follow on this.

 

[UconnMark]

A win, no injuries, and Geno smiling. I had a nightmare last night. In the dream, we beat St. Johns by 100 points and a few days later after our two butt-kicking performance this week. we find that we slipped down five slots in the poll for our effort.

 

[Rowdy831]

Listen, Q is a typical freshman player and no matter how much we want her to be outstanding she is going to be limited. Ice has played a lot of minutes too and they need production out of her to reach their potential as a team. Amari and Ines have been cast their role by Geno and that isn't going to change.

1. Keep scoring a lot of points
2. Play great defense
3. Give the reserves a chance to show out a little with the starters

 

[BBallF]

I absolutely agree. In the chat during games, I'm the one who usually notices when Q looks lost or blows an assignment. In this thread, I was speaking in "encouragement mode," even though Q will never read it. We are patient -- like we have a choice -- and we will celebrate every achievement she makes. And, as you suggest, where she will find herself as a player is in perfecting her defense. The rest will follow on this.

100%.

 

[BBallF]

1. Same aggressive defense with 1 fewer foul each.
2. Q getting her shot back. I think she's hit the freshman wall and needs to climb over it.
3. Stay disciplined in Q2 and keep running the offense instead of chucking up crazy shots as if they are on the playground.

All good with special emphasis on #2. I don't know if it is a wall or just a defensive moat made up of not knowing how to play UCONN defense yet. Even if her shot returns it will not be enough for a player of her natural talent if her defense doesn't really improve. I remember Paige saying a little while ago that the key to her offense , meaning Paige's, was her defense. You play hard defense it relaxes you on offense and it focuses you on the game.

 

[Bone Dog]

All good with special emphasis on #2. I don't know if it is a wall or just a defensive moat made up of not knowing how to play UCONN defense yet. Even if her shot returns it will not be enough for a player of her natural talent if her defense doesn't really improve. I remember Paige saying a little while ago that the key to her offense , meaning Paige's, was her defense. You play hard defense it relaxes you on offense and it focuses you on the game.

You hit the nail on the head! If a player feels lost on defense, the pressure on her to shine on offense is simply too great. The offensive pressure goes down if she has more success on defense.

 

[Huskie837]

Victory
Q back on track
Ice with a productive game

 

[MSGRET]

1. The refs call the game the same both ways. Against Providence the refs let Friar's get away with fouls after the first quarter.

2. Nika gets another Double-Double, while breaking her assists record of 15.

3. UConn out rebounds St. John's.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

1. UConn outrebounds SJ.

2. A freshman cracks 20

3. Paige asserts herself early and puts 25 on them.

 

[BBallF]

You hit the nail on the head! If a player feels lost on defense, the pressure on her to shine on offense is simply too great. The offensive pressure goes down if she has more success on defense.. Last night was a great example of that. Q was pressing on offense. Shots were off, trying too hard.

Great observation. Last night was a perfect example of that. Q is "pressing" on offense because she is lost on defense at times. Shots were ill advised, she got yanked and talked to at one point for not passing, and she just seems bewildered. Just play hard D and you will see what happens. It relieves the pressure. Nobody comes out of a game for playing good defense.

 

[Husky fanatic]

1. Nika to shoot,shoot,and shoot some more.
2. Shade to keep doing what’s she’s doing
3. Everyone does Defense,defense, and suffocating defense.

I know this is repetitive but it seems to win games.

 

[Redux]

Amari and Ines have been cast their role by Geno and that isn't going to change

Ines tends to get more quality minutes, in earlier if not longer total minutes than Amari. Right now, already, she is making a contribution in relief time that is likely to continue and increase somewhat if she ups her game a bit. Also she has a longer leash than Amari who, when she does get early moments, has pretty much a zero-length leash.

I think Amari's role could change drastically because the team's need for what she as to offer is so leveraged. If the lightbulb ever did go on, and Geno would be the first to notice that, Amari would be playing 12+ minutes per game instantly and regularly. OTOH Ines playing at her peak just doesn't fill in as much to what is needed; doesn't, for example, fill in much of the gap left by Aubrey's absence.

 

[Blond D.]

Ines tends to get more quality minutes, in earlier if not longer total minutes than Amari. Right now, already, she is making a contribution in relief time that is likely to continue and increase somewhat if she ups her game a bit. Also she has a longer leash than Amari who, when she does get early moments, has pretty much a zero-length leash.

I think Amari's role could change drastically because the team's need for what she as to offer is so leveraged. If the lightbulb ever did go on, and Geno would be the first to notice that, Amari would be playing 12+ minutes per game instantly and regularly. OTOH Ines playing at her peak just doesn't fill in as much to what is needed; doesn't, for example, fill in much of the gap left by Aubrey's absence.

Ines hustles and never quits. The more time she gets on the court the better she will become and the more she will fit in with our offense.
Amari looks lazy or lost on defense. She looked like a matador letting the girl she was supposed to be guarding go right by her as she stood and watched. She has some good moves but they are sandwiched in between moments of bewilderment.

 

[Ralph]

Ducharme comes in at the 8 minute mark of the second quarter feeling goodand hits 3 quick 3's. 4 minutes later Fudd goes in and says her knee feels really good. With 30 seconds left in the half Aubrey comes in and makes a steal and drives to the basket for the score. She says she is using the same Miracle Rub on her knee that Azzi is using. They are using their success to promote the rub and expect to make $4 million each on NIL. At the start off the third quarter Maya comes in, saying that after hearing Aubrey's surprised response at hearing from Geno she has another year of eligibility left Maya checked it out and Geno told her she has another year left too. Oh wait, that is 4 and we are only allowed 3, I broke the rules, none of those can happen.