5 Thoughts while waiting for Loyola

[Gael]

Funny. Last season when UConn destroyed teams with their small lineup, Ash was on the court with Azzi, KK, Sarah and Paige. So the only difference this season is Serah for Paige. Hard to see how Ash could thrive in one lineup and not in another?

Some facts and observations on this discussion about whether Ash should continue to start or come off the bench, which seems in part to revolve around her expected impact as a scorer.

First, I'm not sure when to start the meaningful string of teams that UConn "destroyed" with "their small lineup" last season, but I'm going to omit the Big East string of games and concentrate on the final five games of the NCAA tourney, in which UConn consecutively destroyed South Dakota State, Oklahoma, USC, UCLA and South Carolina by near-historic margins.

Second, Ash started none of those games. The departed Paige and Kaitlyn started all of them, and Ash came off the bench. Therefore, the destructive small lineup often consisted of Sarah, Paige, Azzi, KK and Kaitlyn, and only sometimes Ash.

Third, how destructive a scoring force was Ash was in those five crucial games? In them, Ash scored 3 (in 28 minutes), 12 (28), 0 (13), 0 (13), and 4 (20). Hence, in the five highest pressure, survive-and-advance games of the season, Ash scored 19 points in 102 minutes or 3.8 PPG.

Finally, regardless of what happened last season, Ash has not been "thriving" in the two regular season games so far. K9 arguably has thrived. Allie seems to to have increased her productivity from last season. Many fans reasonably expect Blanca to be a special player. And even Caroline is showing sparks of her old self.

Ash will continue to be a valued player no matter her place in the rotation. Where that place ultimately should be—in the context of the competing alternatives such as K9, Allie, Blanca and Caroline—seems to be a reasonable discussion, and one that should include a balanced view of all of those players' scoring and other skill potentials.

That will require some further lineup experimentation by Geno.

 

[TAK]

Some facts and observations on this discussion about whether Ash should continue to start or come off the bench, which seems in part to revolve around her expected impact as a scorer.

First, I'm not sure when to start the meaningful string of teams that UConn "destroyed" with "their small lineup" last season, but I'm going to omit the Big East string of games and concentrate on the final five games of the NCAA tourney, in which UConn consecutively destroyed South Dakota State, Oklahoma, USC, UCLA and South Carolina by near-historic margins.

Second, Ash started none of those games. The departed Paige and Kaitlyn started all of them, and Ash came off the bench. Therefore, the destructive small lineup often consisted of Sarah, Paige, Azzi, KK and Kaitlyn, and only sometimes Ash.

Third, how destructive a scoring force was Ash was in those five crucial games? In them, Ash scored 3 (in 28 minutes), 12 (28), 0 (13), 0 (13), and 4 (20). Hence, in the five highest pressure, survive-and-advance games of the season, Ash scored 19 points in 102 minutes or 3.8 PPG.

Finally, regardless of what happened last season, Ash has not been "thriving" in the two regular season games so far. K9 arguably has thrived. Allie seems to to have increased her productivity from last season. Many fans reasonably expect Blanca to be a special player. And even Caroline is showing sparks of her old self.

Ash will continue to be a valued player no matter her place in the rotation. Where that place ultimately should be—in the context of the competing alternatives such as K9, Allie, Blanca and Caroline—seems to be a reasonable discussion, and one that should include a balanced view of all of those players' scoring and other skill potentials.

That will require some further lineup experimentation by Geno.

Good analysis. I recall in the sweet Sixteen or Elite 8 game, Ash fell and hit her head on the floor. There was discussion on the Boneyard of lingering effects in the following games.

 

[Next 12]

Yeah, me too. If Ash can knock down 2 or 3 shots it will end the speculation about her starting. But, she's got to knock down the shots.

I've also noticed that Ash was relatively open a couple of times and the ball didn't go to her. I don't know if this is a problem or UConn running some play on the other side of the court. If UConn wasn't trying to run something else, I hope it gets addressed during the film sessions.

I sense Ashlynn misses Paige. To my recollection, it was Paige that often fed Ashlynn the ball for her many 3's.I believed Paige had confidence in Ashlynn's 3's. Ashlynn is too good a player and she will pick up her scoring this tear. I count on her scoring 400+ this tear like her freshman year. GO ASHLYNN!!!!! GO HUSKIES!!!!!

 

[NycUcWbbFan]

… concentrate on the final five games of the NCAA tourney, in which UConn consecutively destroyed South Dakota State, Oklahoma, USC, UCLA and South Carolina by near-historic margins.

Second, Ash started none of those games. The departed Paige and Kaitlyn started all of them, and Ash came off the bench. Therefore, the destructive small lineup often consisted of Sarah, Paige, Azzi, KK and Kaitlyn, and only sometimes Ash.

Disagree that Ash wasn’t part of the most impactful small ball (winning time combination) in last year’s title run:

• in the SC finals game, Geno played one of his winning time small ball rotations ( Big3 + Ash + KK) &1 for a 32-9 run starting from 3Q 3:12 (Score: 50-39) to 4Q 4:01 (Score: 82-48).
• in the UCLA final 4 game, Geno played one of his winning time small ball rotations ( Big3 + Ash + KK) for a 8-2 run starting from 3Q 3:02 (Score: 15-11) to 1Qend 4:01 (Score: 23-13).
• in the USC elite 8 game, Geno played his winning time small ball rotations ( Big3 + Ash + KK/ Kaitlyn) for a 10-6 run from 2Q 7:53 (Score: 18-13) to 2Q 3:34 (Score: 28-19). Ash committed her 2nd foul and was replaced by KK in the small line-up which ended the 2Q on a 11-6 run. Aubrey ended up the better replacement for Ash in the 4th Q in small ball.
• In the Oklahoma Sweet 16 game, Geno played his winning time small ball rotation ( Big3 + Ash + Kaitlyn ) for a 13-2 run from 3Q 6:38 (Score: 42-40) to 3Q 2:35 (Score: 55-42).
• The runs above are (among) the most decisive in those games.

Geno hones his players to be “basketball players” that makes a rotation play at its offensive and defensive best. Yes, Ash is streaky. But she is the 4th / 5th scoring option of the most lethal winning time combinations, doing all the things Geno demands of “basketball players.”

As for this year’s very limited sample size, Ash’s rotations (e.g. here) are still among the most productive. And she is playing the 3/4 positions in those rotations which is different from last year. Blanca, Caroline, Allie, Morgan(?) will alter things for the better. Still, Geno trusts Ash. Players don’t usually regress as “basketball players” in Geno’s farm system.

&1 Aubrey subbed for Sarah from 3Q 0:39 to 4Q 9:04.