#44 Aubrey Griffin (6'1" Forward)

[Bajan Best]

What exactly does Aubrey have to do to get some love from you folks?

Imagine against Highpoint, a team that thrives on the 3 Ball, our defense allowed 34 Attempts, 34!!
Guess how many of those attempts were by a player guarded by Aubrey? Go ahead guess.
The only other player that was effective in preventing Highpoint from hoisting up 3's may have been Olivia.
Even everybody's Defensive Darling, (and rightfully so) Nika gave up at least one, before her unfortunate injury..

In 13 Mins of Playing time, besides being effective at slowing down the deep threat, Aubrey still managed to Score 9pts on 4 of 6 Shooting, which is 66% (3rd Best) behind Aaliyah 80%, Paige 69%, snatched 7 rebounds (Roughly 1 every 2 mins of playing time, the best rate of the entire team). 1 assist, (worthy of play of the game) and 0 Turnovers.
Yet I do not see one single topic thread acknowledging her contributions to the first-round win.

You guys are a tough crowd. SMH
One could only imagine if she was given 26 mins of playing time..

 

[pvdoggy]

What exactly does Aubrey have to do to get some love from you folks?

Imagine against Highpoint, a team that thrives on the 3 Ball, our defense allowed 34 Attempts, 34!!
Guess how many of those attempts were by a player guarded by Aubrey? Go ahead guess.
The only other player that was effective in preventing Highpoint from hoisting up 3's may have been Olivia.
Even everybody's Defensive Darling, (and rightfully so) Nika gave up at least one, before her unfortunate injury..

In 13 Mins of Playing time, besides being effective at slowing down the deep threat, Aubrey still managed to Score 9pts on 4 of 6 Shooting, which is 66% (3rd Best) behind Aaliyah 80%, Paige 69%, snatched 7 rebounds (Roughly 1 every 2 mins of playing time, the best rate of the entire team). 1 assist, (worthy of play of the game) and 0 Turnovers.
Yet I do not see one single topic thread acknowledging her contributions to the first-round win.

You guys are a tough crowd. SMH
One could only imagine if she was given 26 mins of playing time..

As athletic as she is, I am going out on a limb and says that if Aubrey does not develop an actual mid-range or long-range shot this next off-season, she won't get much more playing time as she is getting this season.

 

[jazz]

As athletic as she is, I am going out on a limb and says that if Aubrey does not develop an actual mid-range or long-range shot this next off-season, she won't get much more playing time as she is getting this season.

I think she has one, just hasn't shown it yet. I've read where she hits 3s in practice. I think she is confused as to when she should shoot and when not too. I think she may also know that if she misses, she might go back to the bench. Other than that, she is a heck of a player.

 

[jazz]

What exactly does Aubrey have to do to get some love from you folks?

Imagine against Highpoint, a team that thrives on the 3 Ball, our defense allowed 34 Attempts, 34!!
Guess how many of those attempts were by a player guarded by Aubrey? Go ahead guess.
The only other player that was effective in preventing Highpoint from hoisting up 3's may have been Olivia.
Even everybody's Defensive Darling, (and rightfully so) Nika gave up at least one, before her unfortunate injury..

In 13 Mins of Playing time, besides being effective at slowing down the deep threat, Aubrey still managed to Score 9pts on 4 of 6 Shooting, which is 66% (3rd Best) behind Aaliyah 80%, Paige 69%, snatched 7 rebounds (Roughly 1 every 2 mins of playing time, the best rate of the entire team). 1 assist, (worthy of play of the game) and 0 Turnovers.
Yet I do not see one single topic thread acknowledging her contributions to the first-round win.

You guys are a tough crowd. SMH
One could only imagine if she was given 26 mins of playing time..

I've been saying this all year.

For some reason and many here may give their opinion I'm sure, GA doesn't play her more. I actually didn't think this last game was her best. She missed 2 bunnies and gave up some penetration from over-playing the three. She was still very effective however.

Her stats per min are off the charts, no doubt about it. She makes an impact every time she is on the court. However, she has a better player in front of her at the 4 spot in AE and GA likes to give long minutes to CW and then there is AM who is a good overall player.

 

[Sonny44]

Agree wholeheartedly, she is underrated.

 

[Bajan Best]

As athletic as she is, I am going out on a limb and says that if Aubrey does not develop an actual mid-range or long-range shot this next off-season, she won't get much more playing time as she is getting this season.

I have no problem with that being an issue "next Year", but this season, there is no longer a justification to punish Aubrey in hopes of Anna finding her confidence. The postseason is already here, if Anna hasn't found it by now, time to pack that in. and besides It is Muhl who has taken her job.

And where is it written that every player on the court has to be threat from midrange or 3 to be effective? Nonsense! The young lady brings more to the table than that. 18pts is 18 pts whether it's done by outside shooting or done by hustle play and put-backs.

 

[Bajan Best]

I've been saying this all year.

For some reason and many here may give their opinion I'm sure, GA doesn't play her more. I actually didn't think this last game was her best. She missed 2 bunnies and gave up some penetration from over-playing the three. She was still very effective however.

Her stats per min are off the charts, no doubt about it. She makes an impact every time she is on the court. However, she has a better player in front of her at the 4 spot in AE and GA likes to give long minutes to CW and then there is AM who is a good overall player.

My point exactly, Aubrey's stats per min in the game was even better than Aaliyah's but you wouldn't believe that based on the commentary given after the game... Both players compete, both players impact the game. One apparently is just appreciated less.

 

[jazz]

My point exactly, Aubrey's stats per min in the game was even better than Aaliyah's but you wouldn't believe that based on the commentary given after the game... Both players compete, both players impact the game. One apparently is just appreciated less.

no doubt.

 

[jazz]

I have no problem with that being an issue "next Year", but this season, there is no longer a justification to punish Aubrey in hopes of Anna finding her confidence. The postseason is already here, if Anna hasn't found it by now, time to pack that in. and besides It is Muhl who has taken her job.

And where is it written that every player on the court has to be threat from midrange or 3 to be effective? Nonsense! The young lady brings more to the table than that. 18pts is 18 pts whether it's done by outside shooting or done by hustle play and put-backs.

I see that I am not alone in this regard.

Get ready for a huge backlash now and lots of references and reminders in case you forgot that GA has won 11 titles and you haven't, so you must not know what you are saying. I don't think you really need to be reminded about GA's success, however but many here like to remind you as if that is a huge revelation.

I think there are plenty of coaches out there who could get a lot more from AG and the team in this regard but that would be sacrilegious to say here. You are not allowed to have such an opinion. There is more than one way to win. I think AG should get about 8 minutes more per game and when I mentioned that, you would have thought the world came to an end to have such an opinion.

 

[freshler40]

Tough choices here. All these mentioned players are worthy of more time but the 200 minutes available without overtime create a Times Square problem. These are coaches decisions, dictated by opponents, game flow and practice habits. There are probably 10 starters on this team in other states. You need deep benches today, we now have that. The "Team" has been rebuilt. They all are a joy to watch and seem to all continue to grow and like what they are doing. While AG has played limited minutes, her on court time is multiplied by her minutes, it isn't always about minutes played. She is a tornado leaving a strong mark in every game.

 

[cancontent]

I've been a fan of Aubrey since I got to see her in a game last season. I don't understand why some are down on her but I'm not a big fan of using the stats.

Players develop differently and who knows what we'll see next season, regardless of the class of players coming in. I figure the deeper the bench next season, the better especially with the competition that is out there.

 

[SVCBeercats]

What exactly does Aubrey have to do to get some love from you folks?

Be CONFIDENT. Be CONSISTENT. Be TRUSTWORTHY.
The video below is from January 10, 2021. Unfortunately Aubrey is still inconsistent. If she wasn't, the two hall of fame coaches would play her for more minutes. Her teammates see the inconsistency. To play minutes on this team trust is a big issue.

Quotes from February 18:
“She has these little spurts where it’s just like, ‘Damn, do that do that every time,’” Westbrook said. Her inconsistency does not foster trust in her from her coaches or her teammates or UCONN fans.

“The key thing that we’re trying to help Aubrey with is be consistent and be Aubrey more consistently,” Geno Auriemma said. “You can watch Aubrey play for a minute and you go, ‘This kid should start and play 40 minutes. What’s wrong with the coach?’ And you can watch Aubrey for the next minute and go, ‘This kid shouldn’t play more than one minute any game.’”

“There’s a lot that Aubrey can do that she’s not doing both offensively and defensively. And I’m asking her to do more and usually when you ask people to do more, they like that,” Auriemma said. “So I’m hoping that we can get her to do more. More of the good things that she does and less of the tentative things that she does.” Tentative is the word for the "deer in the headlights" look she shows when playing. She, a sophomore, needs to acquire the confidence that the freshmen, Paige, Nika, and Aaliyah, possess. Perhaps then she will play with the needed consistency and receive her teammates' and coaches' trust.

Key words: CONFIDENCE, CONSISTENCY, TRUST

For Aubrey more minutes only gets much harder next season. You absolutely know at least one of the 2021 freshmen, Azzi, will be playing more than a few minutes per game. Perhaps one or more the other three will demonstrate sufficient confidence and consistency to play some number of minutes.

Aubrey Griffin: UConn's secret weapon for March

The uber-athletic sophomore is the Huskies’ biggest x-factor heading into the home stretch of the season.

uconnwbbweekly.substack.com

 

[Bajan Best]

When you look at the substitution pattern of the game against Highpoint, one has to seriously wonder if Nika did not get injured if AG would have even gotten into that game...

1st Sub off the bench, Aaliyah to replace CW in foul trouble - I agree with that
2nd Sub, Anna to rest of all people Olivia - Say What? okay I'll play along w/ coach CD for now
3rd Sub Olivia back in to give Mama E a rest, Makes sense to me, getting some defense back in
4th Sub, Christyn back in for the Injured Nika, I'm cool with that
5th Sub Mama E back in for Anna, I'm okay with that too
6th sub, Anna back in for CW in more foul trouble, hmm can't be for her offense and definitely too slow to keep up with the quick guards of Highpoint, especially with Nika not in the game to cause some havoc Literally 2) 3 point attempts later from Highpoint, finally CD realizes she needs a defender with quickness and put in Aubrey to replace Anna with a minute or two left to play in the first half...

if Nika was not injured in that game, I don't see Aubrey playing anything other than garbage minutes, unfortunately...

 

[Bajan Best]

Be CONFIDENT. Be CONSISTENT. Be TRUSTWORTHY.
The video below is from January 10, 2021. Unfortunately Aubrey is still inconsistent. If she wasn't, the two hall of fame coaches would play her for more minutes. Her teammates see the inconsistency. To play minutes on this team trust is a big issue.

Quotes from February 18:
“She has these little spurts where it’s just like, ‘Damn, do that do that every time,’” Westbrook said. Her inconsistency does not foster trust in her from her coaches or her teammates or UCONN fans.

“The key thing that we’re trying to help Aubrey with is be consistent and be Aubrey more consistently,” Geno Auriemma said. “You can watch Aubrey play for a minute and you go, ‘This kid should start and play 40 minutes. What’s wrong with the coach?’ And you can watch Aubrey for the next minute and go, ‘This kid shouldn’t play more than one minute any game.’”

“There’s a lot that Aubrey can do that she’s not doing both offensively and defensively. And I’m asking her to do more and usually when you ask people to do more, they like that,” Auriemma said. “So I’m hoping that we can get her to do more. More of the good things that she does and less of the tentative things that she does.” Tentative is the word for the "deer in the headlights" look she shows when playing. She, a sophomore, needs to acquire the confidence that the freshmen, Paige, Nika, and Aaliyah possess. Perhaps then she will play with the needed consistency and receive her teammates' and coaches' trust.

Key words: CONFIDENCE, CONSISTENCY, TRUST

Aubrey Griffin: UConn's secret weapon for March

The uber-athletic sophomore is the Huskies’ biggest x-factor heading into the home stretch of the season.

uconnwbbweekly.substack.com

Name me a player on our team other than Paige, Aaliyah and of late maybe Christyn who have been those three things this year, The other players on the team should be held to the same standard...

 

[cohenzone]

Well, when Nika went down, I’m pretty sure Anna was put in as a ball handler. If Nika isn’t ready today, the choice would be start Aaliyah or start Anna. Aubrey is an unlikely first or second choice. Obviously she’s a disrupter and occasional scorer. But Aaliya is already way ahead of her as far as playing in the post area. Anna is way ahead of her as a ball handler. Aubrey is a net plus and would start for plenty of teams. UConn has the luxury of using her as needed.

As far as the High Point game goes, that team would’ve shot from half court if need be. The game wasn’t close ever and two or three of their 3s were banked, in otherwise known as an air ball that hit the backboard. So if Aubrey played more maybe they don’t get more than 45 points. Aubrey has played two full seasons and hasn’t shown a lot more reliable offense. I know, neither has Anna, but at the moment, both have pretty specific skills and Anna fills the bill for a missing Nika. Could be different against a more athletic team.

 

[HuskyNan]

From the guy that decides who to play:

“There’s a lot that Aubrey can do that she’s not doing both offensively and defensively. And I’m asking her to do more and usually when you ask people to do more, they like that,” Auriemma said. “So I’m hoping that we can get her to do more. More of the good things that she does and less of the tentative things that she does.”

And from Evina:

“She knows what to do know. She knows what she’s capable of and I think she just fights herself more than anything,” Westbrook said. “Like ‘Okay, should I do it now? Let me just wait.’ And I can physically see her thinking in her mind, I’m like ‘Hey, just go, just do it. If you mess up, you mess up. Just do it whatever whatever you’re thinking in a moment. Just do it.’”

UConn WBB Weekly: Aubrey Griffin just scratching the surface of her potential

The uber-athletic sophomore is the Huskies’ biggest x-factor heading into the home stretch of the season.

www.theuconnblog.com

 

[HuskylnSC]

I think she has one, just hasn't shown it yet. I've read where she hits 3s in practice. I think she is confused as to when she should shoot and when not too. I think she may also know that if she misses, she might go back to the bench. Other than that, she is a heck of a player.

I can support your point with the change of one word. I would have said, "Other than that, she is a heck of an athlete." Her one on one game is superb. She is a ball hawk who uses her superior quickness and jumping ability to turn scrums into points. What did Geno say about her, "She will do 5 things that make you say why isn't she getting 40 minutes a game and then she will do 5 things that will make you shake your head." As long as she does those 5 shake your head things she will only be used in situations and, I assume, will be directed by the coach what her designated task is to be.

I greatly enjoy watching #44 play. I see your reasons for supporting the lady and they are valid, but her playing time will continue to be diminished by her incomplete basketball IQ.

 

[Bald Husky]

I think the problem here is they are trying to get Anna minutes to get her legs and shot going. I believe she took one 3 pointer, and that left a lot to be desired. As far as Annas playing time, it looks to me that she is a little gun shy, passing up a number of opportunities. If she is in there, she has to make the most of her time on the court, or come crunch time, she will stay on the bench. As far as Aubrey, with a team that takes a lot of deep 3's we need a player like Aubrey to be on the perimeter to force them to pass instead of shoot. I agree that she should have played much more with Nika out. Against Syracuse, if Nika doesn't play, Aubrey should be the first player off the bench if they are killing us with 3's. It is mindboggling that we are considered one of the best 3 point defensive teams in the country when it just seems we are burned so often by this aspect of a teams offense. Chris is a very good coach, but she has to use her instincts instead of what she thinks Geno would or not do. Of course, we won't have to worry about any of this if the knat comes to play today.

 

[SVCBeercats]

Name me a player on our team other than Paige, Aaliyah and of late maybe Christyn who have been those three things this year, The other players on the team should be held to the same standard...

I don't have to name them since Geno and CD have already named them. They named Olivia, Evina, Christyn, Paige, Nika, Anna, and Aaliyah. All of them average more minutes per game than Aubrey because they are more confident and certainly more consistent than Aubrey. They are trusted to play more minutes.

The other players on the team should be held to the same standard...
So you doubt the judgement of two hall of fame coaches and believe they don't know which players should play more or less minutes? Such arrogance! I do admire your loyalty to Aubrey ... or perhaps more so to your opinion than Aubrey.

 

[Centerstream]

Deja vu all over again

 

[DaddyChoc]

I think the problem here is they are trying to get Anna minutes to get her legs and shot going. I believe she took one 3 pointer, and that left a lot to be desired. As far as Annas playing time, it looks to me that she is a little gun shy, passing up a number of opportunities. If she is in there, she has to make the most of her time on the court, or come crunch time, she will stay on the bench. As far as Aubrey, with a team that takes a lot of deep 3's we need a player like Aubrey to be on the perimeter to force them to pass instead of shoot. I agree that she should have played much more with Nika out. Against Syracuse, if Nika doesn't play, Aubrey should be the first player off the bench if they are killing us with 3's. It is mindboggling that we are considered one of the best 3 point defensive teams in the country when it just seems we are burned so often by this aspect of a teams offense. Chris is a very good coach, but she has to use her instincts instead of what she thinks Geno would or not do. Of course, we won't have to worry about any of this if the knat comes to play today.

I said that about High Point, UConn gave up a lot of points to them... I wonder if this is the most points a team has scored against UConn in the 1st Round of a NCAA tournament

 

[HuskyNan]

Bicker elsewhere, please (referring to now deleted posts).

Everyone else, carry on.

 

[hart2hart]

Aubrey and Anna=Awesome, Love these kids!
Both of these Amazing gals are leaving a strong mark with their minutes! Minutes are earned which is the way it should be!