Your opinion...Are we a more competitive team with .....

[UConnCat]

I like the idea/potential of the Hartley/Hayes/KML/Stokes/Dolson lineup.

Do any of the gurus have minutes played and offensive efficiency numbers for that particular lineup?

I think Geno likes the idea and potential of this lineup as well. It's consistent with his comment to Lobo early in the season (at time of the Stanford game) that the team's chances of competing for a national championship would likely hinge on the development of Kiah Stokes. Geno knew then and knows now that the team needs another post presence against the better teams (ND, Baylor). Kiah has made great strides as evidenced by her performance against Duke, but she's been inconsistent since and showed against ND that she may be ready to play big against the elite teams.

But there's no doubt that the lineup you mention, with an aggressive and productive Stokes and Dolson, would be very strong and provide the scoring punch that goes missing for key stretches in big games.

 

[rington]

I think the cream will rise to the top in the BE tourney!

 

[kfgreatbutnoj]

Kelly Faris does not need to be sitting, at all! The opposition would be greatly in favor of it, but we shouldn't be. I wish she would be more scorey, but how can you bench someone who is GREAT at everything else? Baloney!
I think she is a lovely woman, which doesn't matter at all of course, and she would have been an extremely tough contributor without one-two-three knee injuries, but i would have to sit down Caroline Doty even more. She may be the most fiery one on the team, but fiery and more mobile would be better. I am sorry to say this, and I hope I'm wrong. She IS pretty great on those surprise blocks, and she annihilates the non-ranked teams, though.
I see big problems, team chemistrywise, with the center combination of Stef/Kiah, in the future. If Stef were a junior, it would be one thing, but she is a sophomore, and I think Kiah Stokes could become DOMINANT as a defensive center. And I think Kiah COULD go more outside and play defensive forward, because she seems VERY quick. But wouldn't it be a shame to take her away from underneath, defensively? She seems also like a very good passer. She hasn't thrown many away, from what I've seen. But offensively, I think both Kiah and Stef are centers only. Stef is very good, and has her basketball sense together more than the freshman Stokes, she has very nice touch, she takes up space, passes well, blocks shots, and she probably has better hands, but Stokes could soon be other than Griner the most intimidating defender in the land. Maybe she is already, fulltime. She goes up higher than Stef, has a much longer wing span I bet(because of the best shoulders in the country?)and she gets down court much faster than Stef. When she tracks a rebound well, and goes after it, she gets it, against anyone but Brit Griner. When she gets comfortable, watch out! She might even become a big offensive force.
So, my BASIC rotation would be Kelly/Tiff/Bria 30 minutes
Kaleena/Lauren Englen/Stef 25 minutes
Kiah/ Brianna 20 minutes. I would definately begin to give Caroline minutes to Brianna. Does that add up to too many minutes?
I may have given someone extra minutes. But I love to watch her, because she has the most unusual style I may have ever seen. I can't describe it, but it's like she's playing basketball at Chuckie Cheese. There is a personality to her game. An insane personality, perhaps, but an overall effective one. She is VERY unpredictable, in her movements, and I honestly think she COULD play a lot on most other teams. Lauren I mean.

 

[Icebear]

Has anyone bothered to consider that if you put CD's minutes back in the pool you further increase the wear and tear on the other players many of whom people already complain are overworked and tired because of the lack of depth? Caroline is a player that Geno can trust to play those minutes without further damaging the TO situation.

Once again if one watched the ND closely and looked at the stats one should realize that Kelly and CD were not the issue.

 

[JoePgh]

Once again if one watched the ND closely and looked at the stats one should realize that Kelly and CD were not the issue.

Indeed! People see that 2 players didn't score much and leap to the conclusion that this is the explanation for the loss. Never mind that UConn hit 44% of the shots that it did take, while ND hit only 38% of theirs. The key problems were: (a) UConn's shot total was reduced by the adverse turnover margin; and (b) ND's shot total was increased by their domination of their offensive boards. If those two problems had been solved, and as a result UConn and ND had similar shot totals, UConn probably would have won.

UConn consistently got good shots, and made as many as can be expected in a high-pressure game. Until the end when the defensive lapses occurred, ND was getting average-to-difficult shots and making more than one would expect. Everything worked for UConn except turnovers and rebounding.

Focusing on who scored (because by design they took the lion's share of UConn's shots) and who didn't score leads to a very misleading conclusion. Several posters have made this point in other threads, but many in the "3 on 5" crowd seem determined not to grapple with the logic of it.

 

[Tonyc]

Kaleena/Kiah in the line up or Caroline/ Kelly in the line up along with Stef, Bria and Tiff. IMHO, since Geno is frustrated with how the team is playing , why wouldn't he try different combinations to see what clicks. I definitely feel the team is a much stronger rebounding team with Kiah and Kaleena since that was a concern in the last game. I know Kelly is a great rebounder but against taller players she's had difficulties keeping her match up off the boards. Thoughts?

Its tournment time and thats a time where we cant afford to experiment. So the given is Stef Tiff and Bria will start and I think most of us can agree on that. Now for the "IFs" If Kelly is hitting her shots like she did last year in the ND game and playing great defense like she did in the ND game they she should start. If Kelly is shooting fairly well and playing good defense then she should see alot of minutes. If Kelly isnt shooting well and playing pretty good defense then she should see pretty good minutes. If Caroline is shooting fairly well and playing good defense then she should see alot of minutes. If Kelly isnt shooting well and playing pretty good defense then she should see pretty good minutes. If KML is is shooting fairly well and playing good defense then she should see alot of minutes. If Kelly isnt shooting well and playing pretty good defense then she should see pretty good minutes. However if KML is in foul trouble she will sit thus forcing someone else to step up. If Stef gets in foul trouble then Kiah will see alot of minute unless Stef isnt scoring then Kiah may see more minutes but if Kiah is turning the ball over she will see less minutes.

Pretty much what it comes down to is team chemistry. We have won 26 games. We have 4 losses and 3 of those 4 losses are to the 1&2 teams and we couldve won both those games if we got to the line more and rebounded better. So to answer everybodys questions we need to commit less fouls and get more rebounds and if we play like we have been we will win every game.

 

[Bill In Georgia]

Come on GUY's & GAL's ...... Over a year ago it was agreed that this would be a rebuilding year with the loss of MM and the new kids on the block ... Tony C agreed that it could be 8-10 games in the lost column ... When we lost EDD and SW that took one very major important step out of the season player rotating plan ...
Just think if we had EDD where would we be today .. probably with zero in the loss column. (thought for sure when the EDD thing came apart Geno would raid the JC ranks for a fill)
So Geno is probably happy down deep with the outcome of the 11/12 season, he certainly has learned alot concerning the players fit, and NOW knows the placement for next years new crew.
But MOST IMPORTANT he knows he stil has to find that button in the player thinking process that will put the famous DD frown on their faces.....!!!

Basketball & UConn..100%

 

[magic]

RE Faris: Umm....that's what I do. I did not say I didn't understand your point. My point was regarding one comment you threw out there without accuracy. You said Kelly wasn't passing great lately. Here passing has been better recently (last 7 games) than it has over the course of the year. I was correcting your one statement. Why do you refuse to understand that point?

The point was that according to GA , "EVERYONES" passing has been off lately. Including KF. You act as if KF is totally without any fault . I never meant to single just her out! According to GA it's everyone. You have appointed yourself as the KF " protector" obviously! You must be her father! Again , the point was that as a "team", which includes KF, passing against the good teams has resulted in untimely turnovers, and transition points for the other team.

 

[magic]

That's cool. And perhaps before you post another "Geno said" comment you could cite the source.[/quot

 

[magic]

I thought I said GA called into the weekly WTIC 6:00P.M. show and was discussing this topic. I wasn't making it up. I only posted the info thinking people on this board might be interested . I thought that GA was being very honest about his assessment of the team. He wasn't putting any spin on things , just telling us what the coaching staff was dealing with.

 

[bruinbball]

The point was that according to GA , "EVERYONES" passing has been off lately. Including KF. You act as if KF is totally without any fault . I never meant to single just her out! According to GA it's everyone. You have appointed yourself as the KF " protector" obviously! You must be her father! Again , the point was that as a "team", which includes KF, passing against the good teams has resulted in untimely turnovers, and transition points for the other team.

Nope just a fan. Her father wouldn't waste time driveling on a message board. However, whether you meant to single anyone out or not, you did. So when you are called out for making inaccurate comments either accept it and move on or own up to it or prove it otherwise - all of which you have failed to do.

I do not disagree with this - "Again , the point was that as a "team", which includes KF, passing against the good teams has resulted in untimely turnovers, and transition points for the other team. "

 

[magic]

You are just a knit picking _ _ _ _! Get a life!

 

[bruinbball]

Geno also preaches ownership and accountability...you should try it.

 

[magic]

Geno also preaches ownership and accountability...you should try it.

BLAH,BLAH,BLAH!

 

[Biff]

BLAH,BLAH,BLAH!

Well the quality of this conversation has reached a zenith I think.