UConn - Louisville post game thread (merged)

[baggerbob]

Really, really nice win today by the Huskies over a very good Louisville team. A couple thoughts:

• After running out a bunch of different lineups this season, UConn started the same small lineup for the 3rd game in a row, and it showed as the Huskies offense had much better player and ball movement. How about a season high 24 assists?
• Does Paige need a new nickname? How about THE HUMAN ERASER? I’m sure Marvin Webster would be OK with that…
• After a so-so defensive effort in the 1st half, UConn dropped the hammer on Louisville in the second half, holding the Cardinals to just 20 points.
• While no UConn fan is happy with 7-3, UConn has fought through injuries and a tough OOC schedule. With the BE schedule up next, there will be a lot of opportunities for UConn’s youngsters as well as the team to continue to improve.
• I love Nika. But she must take better care of the ball. I would rather see her take a bad shot than make a bad pass. A shot has a chance of going in or someone getting an offensive rebound. Nothing good comes of a bad pass.
• Really strong veteran efforts by Aubrey, Aaliyah and Paige. KK continues to impress. Need a little more consistency from the rest of the rookies and this team should have a very nice 8 player rotation by March.

Griffin is the x Factor for this team, when she plays well, there is usually a win.

 

[Monte]

UCONN:

Good: hustling on offense and defense

Bad: telegraphing passes

 

[ctkaiser]

-You can tell UConn was rested. 66% shooting in the first half and a solid defensive effort after a shaky first quarter indicated they were ready.
-UConn took advantage of Louisville’s struggles guarding the dribble. Aubrey and Ailiyah were having no problem getting to the rim.
-The assist number was impressive, but Nika’s turnovers deserve more attention. She continues to force too many passes and put receivers in bad positions.
-When Ailiyah makes outside shots like she did today, she looks like the All_American candidate again.
-KK is having no trouble getting into the paint but teams have made her make bad choices once she gets there. They are playing the kick out and she is responding with trying to force layups. The pull up in the middle of lane seems to be the answer.
-Aubrey played like a confident, consistent senior.
-Among other things is Paige the team’s best defender? 4 blocks again today. Sheesh.
-Love the throwback uniforms.
-Geno reiterated this week that he gets a better feel for what he has when he plays a brutal non conference schedule. They have several areas to address and improve but they are prepared for Big East play.

Nika going for a double double with assists and turnovers.

 

[Urshurak]

Great game overall and a lot of things happened we wanted to see. Still lots to fix. Nika with 8 turnovers all by herself. She has to take care of the ball better.

Freshman are the real deal. I am really enjoying watching them.

Aubrey can be the best player in the country and then lay an egg next game. Seems to be her MO. Hoping she breaks it and comes out firing against Butler. If she can be more consistent, it will help this team tremendously.

 

[DefenseBB]

Official box score. Only 2,000 short of a sellout

View attachment 94147

Being there with a 80% full XL in mid December was nice! However the XL capacity is 16,294 for basketball so we were 3,000+ shy….still on the season our home attenda is up to 10,432 per game which is awesom.

 

[DefenseBB]

UCONN:

Good: hustling on offense and defense

Bad: telegraphing passes

I am hoping the coaching staff starts heavil preaching about the plethora of turnovers as we had 20 today with Nika being the main culprit with 8 credited but I suspect 1 or 2 were given to others which should have been assigned to Ms. Muhl. She’s a Senior for gosh sake, she should know better. i do think this team will limit these as they play more but Nika needs to take a long hard look in the mirror and fix this or Geno and the team need to make a few hard decisions to really move forward as great teams will take major advantage of this.

 

[Bone Dog]

I am hoping the coaching staff starts heavil preaching about the plethora of turnovers as we had 20 today with Nika being the main culprit with 8 credited but I suspect 1 or 2 were given to others which should have been assigned to Ms. Muhl. She’s a Senior for gosh sake, she should know better. i do think this team will limit these as they play more but Nika needs to take a long hard look in the mirror and fix this or Geno and the team need to make a few hard decisions to really move forward as great teams will take major advantage of this.

By my count, Nika made 4 obviously bad passes, was stripped once and had 3 passes fumbled. Maybe those were her fault too, but I’m wondering how to count them.

 

[The deacon]

I remember that FIBA tournament... in S.E. Asia... Finals USA over Australia! A great game by Paige and
that memorable last seconds inbound pass from PAIGE to Hailey Van Lith to bring the USA back from
DEATH'S DOOR. USA wins in O.T.

Actually, Caitlin was the MVP in the 2019 FIBA U-19 World Cup tournament, with the U.S. beating Australia in the final.

But no matter now, Paige had been the MVP in another event. Bottom line, they were both great players then, as now...

To the point today, as NYCer20 said,'fun win, good win.'

 

[UConnCat]

Actually, Caitlin was the MVP in the 2019 FIBA U-19 World Cup tournament, with the U.S. beating Australia in the final.

But no matter now, Paige had been the MVP in another event. Bottom line, they were both great players then, as now...

To the point today, as NYCer20 said,'fun win, good win.'

Actually, Paige was the MVP of the 2019 U-19 World Cup. Clark wasn't voted part of the All-Star 5 for the tournament.

Bueckers crowned TISSOT MVP to headline All-Star Five

BANGKOK (Thailand) - There was double joy for Paige Bueckers of USA after she followed up taking a gold medal at the FIBA U19 Women's Basketball World Cup 2019 with TISSOT MVP honors.

www.fiba.basketball

 

[Big Fan]

Is it wrong of me to feel sorry for Louisville for not having Hailey Van Lith for her last year? Something about that just doesn't seem right to me.

 

[DefenseBB]

By my count, Nika made 4 obviously bad passes, was stripped once and had 3 passes fumbled. Maybe those were her fault too, but I’m wondering how to count them.

I am saying she had more than 8 but was only charged with 8. There were passes that had no business trying to be threaded into 2, 3 or 4 people. I can live with a freshman making a mistake trying to make something happen but I have less patience for a "Senior" who does know better.

 

[Bone Dog]

I don't feel sorry for Louisville. They're better without Hailey, and as Jefferson comes into her own no one will miss her. And Cochran looks to be peaking this year.

I said at the top of this thread that we outran them because they didn't have the stamina to play the type of game they're built for across an entire game. They've blown out a few opponents so far by outrunning them in the first half. But this may be the first game where an opponent forced them to run the whole game. Paige & Co made them run longer than they were really prepared for. But all this only means they'll be a lot better in February once they have developed their stamina. I expect them to be a tough out in the tournament.

 

[Bone Dog]

I am saying she had more than 8 but was only charged with 8. There were passes that had no business trying to be threaded into 2, 3 or 4 people. I can live with a freshman making a mistake trying to make something happen but I have less patience for a "Senior" who does know better.

I got that, but I read those passes differently. In one case, for example she gave the ball to Ice and she took too long to gather it and put the ball up. As a result, she was double-teamed and lost the ball. Is that Nika's turnover? Maybe, but I thought Ice should have been able to handle that one.

 

[The deacon]

Actually, Paige was the MVP of the 2019 U-19 World Cup. Clark wasn't voted part of the All-Star 5 for the tournament.

Bueckers crowned TISSOT MVP to headline All-Star Five

BANGKOK (Thailand) - There was double joy for Paige Bueckers of USA after she followed up taking a gold medal at the FIBA U19 Women's Basketball World Cup 2019 with TISSOT MVP honors.

www.fiba.basketball

Different event, UConnCat.

 

[Bigboote]

Loved the game. I think they may be making real progress after UNC and Louisville back to back.

Regarding Nika, something has changed the last few games. She started out the first six games with 24 assists and 8 turnovers (avg. 4/7.1.3). The last four she has 20 assists and 22 turnovers (5.0/5.5). I dunno the origin -- possibilities are the changing lineup, something with Nika, a changed offense, better competition, or all or none of those.

 

[tchalla1]

I got that, but I read those passes differently. In one case, for example she gave the ball to Ice and she took too long to gather it and put the ball up. As a result, she was double-teamed and lost the ball. Is that Nika's turnover? Maybe, but I thought Ice should have been able to handle that one.

This is what's frustrating: A very legitimate critique of Nika is raised, and here comes her apologists to her defense. You can say what you will, but 8 TOs is quite unacceptable and represents poor decision making and misreads. Her teammates are not causing her TOs, Nika is...

Several times Nika without much pressure, made poor passes and dribbled the ball in between several defenders when she really didn't need to. I am at a lost as to why Nika is doing this especially since the Louisville defense was not especially stiff. I am hoping that Geno has a talk with her about her decision-making because her TOs have really become glaring...

 

[MSGRET]

Actually, Caitlin was the MVP in the 2019 FIBA U-19 World Cup tournament, with the U.S. beating Australia in the final.

But no matter now, Paige had been the MVP in another event. Bottom line, they were both great players then, as now...

To the point today, as NYCer20 said,'fun win, good win.'

Open up the link and you will see that it is the same tournament with the USA beating the Aussie 84-80. Clark did not get the MVP in this tournament Paige did.

 

[Plebe]

I got that, but I read those passes differently. In one case, for example she gave the ball to Ice and she took too long to gather it and put the ball up. As a result, she was double-teamed and lost the ball. Is that Nika's turnover? Maybe, but I thought Ice should have been able to handle that one.

You must be thinking of a transition play near the end of the 1st quarter where Nika attempted a bounce pass from the high post into traffic toward Ice.

The turnover was charged to Ice. Borderline judgment call where the senior got the benefit of the doubt.

 

[RoadMaster]

Nice touch.. Swipe Left..

 

[ctkaiser]

By my count, Nika made 4 obviously bad passes, was stripped once and had 3 passes fumbled. Maybe those were her fault too, but I’m wondering how to count them.

Turnovers were awful but I believe she had 5 rebounds which is 5 more than she had in the last 2 games combined!

 

[RoadMaster]

Mor Action.. Swipe Left..

 

[MSGRET]

Nice touch.. Swipe Left..

Just love these young ladies, they go above and beyond for the fans and represent the University very well.

 

[ctkaiser]

Just love these young ladies, they go above and beyond for the fans and represent the University very well.

Very good effort today against a good and physical Louisville team.

 

[MSGRET]

Turnovers were awful but I believe she had 5 rebounds which is 5 more than she had in the last 2 games combined!

She actually had 7 rebounds tying her with AE for first in team rebounds, played 30 minutes and didn't pick up a personal foul. That must be a record for her on the fouls.

 

[MilfordHusky]

I flew up from D.C. to watch the past 2 games in person, even though my local girl had knee surgery. My thoughts in 2 words:

Paige Mutombo