A breakdown of Nika's 284 assists

[#12in21]

I decided to take a look at who and how often Nika assisted each of her teammates last season. I went through the play by play of the 36 games that Nika played in and tallied who each of her assists went to. I've read posts on here that suggest Nika's record setting season could be attributed to feeding the very efficient Aaliyah and Lou. I would argue that that was a two way street and that their efficiency was equally boosted by Nika's approach to the game. It's also been posted that Nika's accomplishment could be credited to the number of minutes she played - unsaid but implied, that if another guard had played those minutes they would have had the same success. I think this discounts Nika's gifts, namely she always aggressively pushes pace, communicates constantly and with her head up is always looking for the right pass (whether for the assist or to set up the best play). As Geno has said Nika is supremely confident in herself and her teammates and that creates the same confidence among her teammates - succinctly and repeatedly stating that the team is just better with her on the floor.

So on to the stats, Nika assisted on: 26.67% of made baskets by the team; 25/36 games she assisted 4 or more different players (1 game each 6 and 7 players); only 12/36 games were Aaliyah and Lou the top two recipients; here's the breakdown of both number of assists and % of their total made baskets she assisted on for each teammate, Lou 68 (32.23%), Aaliyah 66 (26.57%), Dorka 52 (31.71%), Aubrey 40 (27.4%), Azzi 27 ( 30.34%), Carolyn 19 (29.19%), Amari 6 (25%), Ines 5 (41.67%), Ayanna 1 (4.65%).

At the next level (the WNBA) it can be argued that Nika may need to be more of a scoring threat but within the UCONN system with the talent we have on the rooster for 2023-2024, I would argue that, Nika is made to order. As some have pointed out, with less pressure to have to play as many minutes coupled with her maturity as an established team leader, we should expect to see Nika regain her defensive tenacity while continuing to aggressively push pace and find her teammates on the offense end. She is the consummate teammate and I fully expect that she will be a significant part of the equation in bringing home #12 this season.

Their freshman year Geno called out the trio of Paige, Aaliyah and Nika as special players - we saw a glimpse of what they could do together the second half of that season. Both Aaliyah and Nika made tremendous jumps in their junior campaigns and Paige is finally healthy and ready to take it to the next level. Along with Aubrey, and the three classes to follow theirs, these guys are poised to make UCONN wcbb bad for basketball again. Bring on November!

 

[ballerfan]

I decided to take a look at who and how often Nika assisted each of her teammates last season. I went through the play by play of the 36 games that Nika played in and tallied who each of her assists went to. I've read posts on here that suggest Nika's record setting season could be attributed to feeding the very efficient Aaliyah and Lou. I would argue that that was a two way street and that their efficiency was equally boosted by Nika's approach to the game. It's also been posted that Nika's accomplishment could be credited to the number of minutes she played - unsaid but implied, that if another guard had played those minutes they would have had the same success. I think this discounts Nika's gifts, namely she always aggressively pushes pace, communicates constantly and with her head up is always looking for the right pass (whether for the assist or to set up the best play). As Geno has said Nika is supremely confident in herself and her teammates and that creates the same confidence among her teammates - succinctly and repeatedly stating that the team is just better with her on the floor.

So on to the stats, Nika assisted on: 26.67% of made baskets by the team; 25/36 games she assisted 4 or more different players (1 game each 6 and 7 players); only 12/36 games were Aaliyah and Lou the top two recipients; here's the breakdown of both number of assists and % of their total made baskets she assisted on for each teammate, Lou 68 (32.23%), Aaliyah 66 (26.57%), Dorka 52 (31.71%), Aubrey 40 (27.4%), Azzi 27 ( 30.34%), Carolyn 19 (29.19%), Amari 6 (25%), Ines 5 (41.67%), Ayanna 1 (4.65%).

At the next level (the WNBA) it can be argued that Nika may need to be more of a scoring threat but within the UCONN system with the talent we have on the rooster for 2023-2024, I would argue that, Nika is made to order. As some have pointed out, with less pressure to have to play as many minutes coupled with her maturity as an established team leader, we should expect to see Nika regain her defensive tenacity while continuing to aggressively push pace and find her teammates on the offense end. She is the consummate teammate and I fully expect that she will be a significant part of the equation in bringing home #12 this season.

Their freshman year Geno called out the trio of Paige, Aaliyah and Nika as special players - we saw a glimpse of what they could do together the second half of that season. Both Aaliyah and Nika made tremendous jumps in their junior campaigns and Paige is finally healthy and ready to take it to the next level. Along with Aubrey, and the three classes to follow theirs, these guys are poised to make UCONN wcbb bad for basketball again. Bring on November!

Thanks for the percentage breakdown. It’s interesting.

 

[Rowdy831]

Nika does a great job of moving the ball and getting it in the hands of the scorer at the right time and that is a tough skill to master. I think she could be successful at the next level with her current offensive game but she MUST cut down on the turnovers. I think if you see a huge leap in her game this winter it will be in how she takes care of the ball. If she masters that she will have a long and successful pro career if that is what she wants.

 

[#12in21]

Here's another interesting extraction from the statistics that may surprise some posters, If we look at the percentage of team made baskets, Nika accounts for 7.89% - which probably surprises no one. Combine that with the number she assisted on ( 26.67%) and we find she contributed to 34.55% of them (.01% is a rounding adjustment). The interesting thing is that when adding made baskets and assists by her teammates and calculating the % of total made baskets each contributed to, Nika comes out on top. She is followed by Aaliyah 31.83%, Lou 25.54%, Dorka 24.04% and Aubrey 17.84%. Not bad for a kid some consider a liability on the offensive end of the court. Offensive contribution it would seem isn't necessarily just about scoring.

 

[diggerfoot]

Nika does a great job of moving the ball and getting it in the hands of the scorer at the right time and that is a tough skill to master. I think she could be successful at the next level with her current offensive game but she MUST cut down on the turnovers. I think if you see a huge leap in her game this winter it will be in how she takes care of the ball. If she masters that she will have a long and successful pro career if that is what she wants.

Sigh. Again. One more time. Muhl’s A/T ratio for her junior year was around 2.3, good for any offense, superb for an offense riddled with injuries throughout the year. It hovered around 4.0 against good competition at the beginning of the year, before the injuries started piling up.

For further context, Bueckers A/T ratio is 2.3 for her career, and she is the most efficient player I know. I believe Bird’s best seasonal A/T ratio in college was around 2.41. Clark’s A/T ratio last year was around 2.0.

Muhl turns the ball over at a very low rate compared to other guards, they just add up when the ball is in her hands so often. Even in the dreadful OSU game she was 5/7 for A/T. Fudd was 1/4 in the same game.

Muhl turns the ball over at a low rate.

Muhl turns the ball over at a low rate.

Muhl turns the ball over at a low rate.

I really don’t know how often this has to be pointed out for it to sink in.

Having said that, I do expect her A/T ratio to significantly improve if the team remains healthy. In fact, we could have two players with A/T numbers north of 3.0. That would be astounding.

 

[wingsfan055]

I decided to take a look at who and how often Nika assisted each of her teammates last season. I went through the play by play of the 36 games that Nika played in and tallied who each of her assists went to. I've read posts on here that suggest Nika's record setting season could be attributed to feeding the very efficient Aaliyah and Lou. I would argue that that was a two way street and that their efficiency was equally boosted by Nika's approach to the game. It's also been posted that Nika's accomplishment could be credited to the number of minutes she played - unsaid but implied, that if another guard had played those minutes they would have had the same success. I think this discounts Nika's gifts, namely she always aggressively pushes pace, communicates constantly and with her head up is always looking for the right pass (whether for the assist or to set up the best play). As Geno has said Nika is supremely confident in herself and her teammates and that creates the same confidence among her teammates - succinctly and repeatedly stating that the team is just better with her on the floor.

So on to the stats, Nika assisted on: 26.67% of made baskets by the team; 25/36 games she assisted 4 or more different players (1 game each 6 and 7 players); only 12/36 games were Aaliyah and Lou the top two recipients; here's the breakdown of both number of assists and % of their total made baskets she assisted on for each teammate, Lou 68 (32.23%), Aaliyah 66 (26.57%), Dorka 52 (31.71%), Aubrey 40 (27.4%), Azzi 27 ( 30.34%), Carolyn 19 (29.19%), Amari 6 (25%), Ines 5 (41.67%), Ayanna 1 (4.65%).

At the next level (the WNBA) it can be argued that Nika may need to be more of a scoring threat but within the UCONN system with the talent we have on the rooster for 2023-2024, I would argue that, Nika is made to order. As some have pointed out, with less pressure to have to play as many minutes coupled with her maturity as an established team leader, we should expect to see Nika regain her defensive tenacity while continuing to aggressively push pace and find her teammates on the offense end. She is the consummate teammate and I fully expect that she will be a significant part of the equation in bringing home #12 this season.

Their freshman year Geno called out the trio of Paige, Aaliyah and Nika as special players - we saw a glimpse of what they could do together the second half of that season. Both Aaliyah and Nika made tremendous jumps in their junior campaigns and Paige is finally healthy and ready to take it to the next level. Along with Aubrey, and the three classes to follow theirs, these guys are poised to make UCONN wcbb bad for basketball again. Bring on November!

Send that data to Geno!! He could hire you as their AI expert.

 

[sun]

In 2022 - 23, Nika avg. 36.4 MPG, had 270 AST for 7.9 AST/G.
In 2021 - 22, Nika avg. 21.7 MPG, had 87 AST for 2.63 AST/G.
In 2020 - 21, Nika avg. 24.4 MPG, had 62 AST for 2.69 AST/G.

2022 - 23 will forever be known as the Year of the Rise of Nika.

 

[sun]

My stats came from the UConn website which must not include March Madness games in their season stats.
Nika did amass 284 AST per the NCAA website including March Madness, but 270 during the regular season.
However the NCAA website still listed her as having 7.9 ASST/G.

 

[Bigboote]

I decided to take a look at who and how often Nika assisted each of her teammates last season. I went through the play by play of the 36 games that Nika played in and tallied who each of her assists went to. I've read posts on here that suggest Nika's record setting season could be attributed to feeding the very efficient Aaliyah and Lou. I would argue that that was a two way street and that their efficiency was equally boosted by Nika's approach to the game. It's also been posted that Nika's accomplishment could be credited to the number of minutes she played - unsaid but implied, that if another guard had played those minutes they would have had the same success. I think this discounts Nika's gifts, namely she always aggressively pushes pace, communicates constantly and with her head up is always looking for the right pass (whether for the assist or to set up the best play). As Geno has said Nika is supremely confident in herself and her teammates and that creates the same confidence among her teammates - succinctly and repeatedly stating that the team is just better with her on the floor.

So on to the stats, Nika assisted on: 26.67% of made baskets by the team; 25/36 games she assisted 4 or more different players (1 game each 6 and 7 players); only 12/36 games were Aaliyah and Lou the top two recipients; here's the breakdown of both number of assists and % of their total made baskets she assisted on for each teammate, Lou 68 (32.23%), Aaliyah 66 (26.57%), Dorka 52 (31.71%), Aubrey 40 (27.4%), Azzi 27 ( 30.34%), Carolyn 19 (29.19%), Amari 6 (25%), Ines 5 (41.67%), Ayanna 1 (4.65%).

At the next level (the WNBA) it can be argued that Nika may need to be more of a scoring threat but within the UCONN system with the talent we have on the rooster for 2023-2024, I would argue that, Nika is made to order. As some have pointed out, with less pressure to have to play as many minutes coupled with her maturity as an established team leader, we should expect to see Nika regain her defensive tenacity while continuing to aggressively push pace and find her teammates on the offense end. She is the consummate teammate and I fully expect that she will be a significant part of the equation in bringing home #12 this season.

Their freshman year Geno called out the trio of Paige, Aaliyah and Nika as special players - we saw a glimpse of what they could do together the second half of that season. Both Aaliyah and Nika made tremendous jumps in their junior campaigns and Paige is finally healthy and ready to take it to the next level. Along with Aubrey, and the three classes to follow theirs, these guys are poised to make UCONN wcbb bad for basketball again. Bring on November!

I was gonna say, "#12 you need a hobby" -- but you've got a great hobby! I'm a quant who many would say is obsessed with UConn and WBB in general. This is just the kind of thing I'll do for fun when I retire.

 

[#12in21]

I was gonna say, "#12 you need a hobby" -- but you've got a great hobby! I'm a quant who many would say is obsessed with UConn and WBB in general. This is just the kind of thing I'll do for fun when I retire.

Just did that very thing and about a week ago we completed our move back to Connecticut after four decades in NY. We moved there in the early eighties after grad school at UCONN. I share your obsession and since I had new found time on my hand...

 

[oldhusky]

Sigh. Again. One more time. Muhl’s A/T ratio for her junior year was around 2.3, good for any offense, superb for an offense riddled with injuries throughout the year. It hovered around 4.0 against good competition at the beginning of the year, before the injuries started piling up.

For further context, Bueckers A/T ratio is 2.3 for her career, and she is the most efficient player I know. I believe Bird’s best seasonal A/T ratio in college was around 2.41. Clark’s A/T ratio last year was around 2.0.

Muhl turns the ball over at a very low rate compared to other guards, they just add up when the ball is in her hands so often. Even in the dreadful OSU game she was 5/7 for A/T. Fudd was 1/4 in the same game.

Muhl turns the ball over at a low rate.

Muhl turns the ball over at a low rate.

Muhl turns the ball over at a low rate.

I really don’t know how often this has to be pointed out for it to sink in.

Having said that, I do expect her A/T ratio to significantly improve if the team remains healthy. In fact, we could have two players with A/T numbers north of 3.0. That would be astounding.

I agree with much of what you say, but have to take exception to using the A/T rate as a measure of whether a player turns the ball over a lot or not. Turnovers per minute is a much better indicator, but even then has to be put into context. The A/T ratio depends on two things and you are correct that Nika's was pretty good, but it was far far more to having an exceptional rate of assists than a low rate of turnovers.

Can you have a good A/T ratio with a higher than average rate of turnovers? Of course if the assist rate is exceptional, and that pretty much describes Nika. It is a very important statistic because it measures risk vs. reward and Nika scores well there, but her passing has always been a little bit of a high risk high reward proposition, but generally a risk worth taking.

Your point about how good Nika's numbers were at the begining of last year when healthy against good competition, bodes well for this season and I agree with you that her A/T ratio should improve, partly because of better offensive options being healthy, and partly because Paige can share some of the ball-handling responsibilities, and Nika won't have to play as many tired minutes.

 

[diggerfoot]

I agree with much of what you say, but have to take exception to using the A/T rate as a measure of whether a player turns the ball over a lot or not. Turnovers per minute is a much better indicator, but even then has to be put into context. The A/T ratio depends on two things and you are correct that Nika's was pretty good, but it was far far more to having an exceptional rate of assists than a low rate of turnovers.

Can you have a good A/T ratio with a higher than average rate of turnovers? Of course if the assist rate is exceptional, and that pretty much describes Nika. It is a very important statistic because it measures risk vs. reward and Nika scores well there, but her passing has always been a little bit of a high risk high reward proposition, but generally a risk worth taking.

Your point about how good Nika's numbers were at the begining of last year when healthy against good competition, bodes well for this season and I agree with you that her A/T ratio should improve, partly because of better offensive options being healthy, and partly because Paige can share some of the ball-handling responsibilities, and Nika won't have to play as many tired minutes.

Grammatically, I stand corrected. Turnover rate refers to turnovers only, I used that term incorrectly using A/T ratio in referring to few turnovers for the amount of possessions Muhl had.

You refer to the role of execution in succeeding with high risk/high reward plays ending with a good A/T, even though turnovers might be higher than expected from a less “risky” point guard. Yet decision making is also a factor. One can have a high A/T without executing difficult passes by simply making good decisions. Chong fit in this category.

In a comparison between Fudd and Muhl I do not believe Muhl is better at executing passes, but her A/T ratios have consistently been higher because of better decision-making, which should not be surprising when you consider Muhl has been trained and groomed her whole life to make these decisions. Making good decisions based on one’s ability is what leads to low turnovers per possession, not how great the pass one can execute, and Muhl excels at that.

On edit: I should have compared Muhl to Clark, though by escaping one type of controversy I lead to a different type. I don’t think Muhl is better at executing riskier passes than Clark, she has a lower turnover rate than Clark, and by extension a higher A/T rate, because she makes better decisions.

 

[Cuango]

Grammatically, I stand corrected. Turnover rate refers to turnovers only, I used that term incorrectly using A/T ratio in referring to few turnovers for the amount of possessions Muhl had.

You refer to the role of execution in succeeding with high risk/high reward plays ending with a good A/T, even though turnovers might be higher than expected from a less “risky” point guard. Yet decision making is also a factor. One can have a high A/T without executing difficult passes by simply making good decisions. Chong fit in this category.

In a comparison between Fudd and Muhl I do not believe Muhl is better at executing passes, but her A/T ratios have consistently been higher because of better decision-making, which should not be surprising when you consider Muhl has been trained and groomed her whole life to make these decisions. Making good decisions based on one’s ability is what leads to low turnovers per possession, not how great the pass one can execute, and Muhl excels at that.

On edit: I should have compared Muhl to Clark, though by escaping one type of controversy I lead to a different type. I don’t think Muhl is better at executing riskier passes than Clark, she has a lower turnover rate than Clark, and by extension a higher A/T rate, because she makes better decisions.

Also, because she is passing to better players!

 

[diggerfoot]

Also, because she is passing to better players!

The evidence that UConn has better players than Iowa shows up more on the defensive end. Last year UConn shot around 49%, Iowa around 51%. Considering that Clark took the most shots, at a 47% fg, means she was passing to teammates shooting a good deal better than 51%. In fact, four Iowa players were at least 60% while Warnock was close to 49%.

In other words, Clark’s teammates were converting at a much better rate with her passes than Muhl’s teammates were converting on hers. Had UConn converted at the same rate as Iowa players Muhl would have led the country in assists easily.

 

[PvP]

In 2022 - 23, Nika avg. 36.4 MPG, had 270 AST for 7.9 AST/G.
In 2021 - 22, Nika avg. 21.7 MPG, had 87 AST for 2.63 AST/G.
In 2020 - 21, Nika avg. 24.4 MPG, had 62 AST for 2.69 AST/G.

2022 - 23 will forever be known as the Year of the Rise of Nika.

 

[MSGRET]

With the players that Nika could be playing with this coming season I believe that she could be averaging more assists this season versus last season. Paige is back, Azzi should be in better health, Aaliyah and Ice or Aubrey down low will be hard to stop. Then you have CD, Ayanna, Ines, KK, Q, Ashlynn, Amari ready to come off the bench.

Last year there were 5 players that averaged more than 30 minutes a game, Nika - 36.6, Dorka - 33.6 AE - 32.7, Dorka at Lou - 31.4, and AG - 30.5. Taking in consideration the team should be able to rest players more so that will help in assists and should also lower the turnovers because of the subbing. I don't see many players having to play more than 30 minutes a game** and should average less than 25 minutes a game for the season average.

**Depends on Geno subbing players in and out like they used to.