After Paige and Azzi come back, should Caroline gets some PT as a forward?

[huskeynut]

Interesting thread.

If Paige and Azzi come back completely healthy with the ability to go all out for 40 minutes, here's my take.

Nika at the point with Paige at the 2. Caroline is the 3 with Dorka and Liv as 4A and 4B. Nike starts because she is the leader of the team. Geno has said so on the latest Geno show. She brings the energy and drive that the team is feeding off of. She has a defensive intensity that makes a difference. I want that energy and drive at the tip off. Drive the team to pound the opposition. Paige at the 2 allows her to move without the ball and get free via screens. This is not saying she will not be dishing dimes, she will. But Paige and Nika is a deadly combo out from. No way Caroline doesn't start and that should be obvious to all. Same with Dorka andc Liv.

The bench is Christyn, E and Azzi for the guards. Christyn can be instant offense off the bench. Azzi will get her minutes.Aaliyah is the front court bench.

 

[FairView]

Christyn, Paige, and Olivia start, regardless.
The other two?
I'll enjoy the ride, watching it figure itself out.

 

[TeamFirst!]

No... I think that falls in Geno job jar not ours.
I would not consider you qualified considering you don't even know what position Caroline plays and you want to make Azzi into a PG.

I don't think I have ever recommended Azzi as a point guard #1 but Paige as the point guard also has some anomalies as well doesn't it? Paige did most of our scoring for one and was needed to do most of our scoring. Azzi would probably be better at it though than Evina ( as has recently been shown ) and Nika. People describe basketball in more specific terms in today's world. ( I'm old ) but to me a forward is someone who plays more under the basket generally. I get that you can be a forward and play outside ala Kevin Durant but we have essentially a center ( a 5 Liv or Dorka generally ) and a power forward ( a 4 ) with a point forward ( Caroline as a 3 ). I was just saying considering our future depth at the 1 or 2 spots maybe we should go with 3 guard types and Caroline as the 4 sometimes. Key word SOMETIMES. But feel free to insult because you clearly have a gift for it. And you are not infallible as you questioned Caroline's abilities right from the start. And for the entire first few games while I and maybe 1-2 others were saying put her in coach.

 

[TeamFirst!]

Generally the best lineup will probably end up with Liv and Dorka, Caroline, Paige and Chrystyn ( feel free to mark my words ) but then you have Evina, Azzi and Nika as depth in the 1 or 2 slots and there may be some utility in trying a 4 guard lineup with Caroline as the 4. When you are behind, for example, and need points fast. When you have matchup advantages. No one is recommending always going with Caroline as the 4.

 

[tjhusky]

The ideal today is postionless basketball. Any player can play any position. Does that mean Paige should be a post player and Liv should be a point guard? Not necessarily,but we have seen times when positions flip and Liv would be at the point passing to a wing or a guard posting up another guard or a fwd.

Caroline is big enough to play multiple positions and give Geno lots of options when we have more players available.

I am not worried about her getting playing time.

 

[Next 12]

I'm not an expert on BB like the previous posters, but, how can anyone bench a steady 20 points average scorer .over the last 8 games . I believe she has earned her spot. That's what I think!

 

[sun]

I think that when Azzi gets more playing time and the minutes get distributed more equally over the next month, then statistical patterns will emerge that will indicate to Geno how to create his match ups and substitutions depending on the opponent and the situation.
Basketball is a fluid game and Geno knows how to play it on the fly.
There will be potential future tweeks & injuries & scheduling & game scenarios that will dictate the situational match ups.
Each opponent can have different line up requirements, for instance depending on how each player is feeling & performing, and how far along they are in their rehab.
Not only are there analytics, but coaches in nearly all sports rotate sitting down their stars to give them rest and to increase their production after they're put back into the line up.
Some players seem to lose more of their mental focus and effectiveness the more that they play,, maybe because they exceed their optimum level of performance, or because some defenders apply more pressure than others.
Geno will try to figure out a balance for the team that will keep them in harmony.
The Big East is a perfect laboratory for experimenting with the line up.
But the results in the Big East may not always reflect what Geno will do in the NCAA's since there will be tougher teams with more depth & talent.
Then it will become more of a chess match.

 

[Skeets]

They will all get their minutes, but after the work CD put in it would be a huge disservice to sit her on the bench at the start of the game. What does she have to do to prove she should be a starter?

 

[Skeets]

Hey, Skeets, 'probably unfair' might be a bit of an understatement regarding Caroline bouncing one off her foot (she didn't do that today... I believe the only such error was about the third time she handled the ball in her first game).

I appreciate that you amended your message. Let's put it this way, if you cringe every time Caroline puts it on the floor, I expect you'll be cringing countless times over the next three-and-a-half seasons as she helps the Huskies to a hundred or more victories.

I should have been more specific. I'm a big CD fan but bringing the ball up court at speed is not one of CD's strengths. In an early game she dribbled the ball off her foot, recently she kicked the ball out of bounds. Those 2 incidents are not a big deal, but we have better players to quickly bring the ball up court (Nika, CW, maybe Evina, and Paige once she comes back). Once in the half court I have no problem with CD's ball handling.

 

[Happydad745]

Azzi comes back from what? She has really only played in a few games....we don't know much about her game other than her ability to shoot well.

 

[hoopsfan22]

Azzi comes back from what? She has really only played in a few games....we don't know much about her game other than her ability to shoot well.

She's effectively a high school player coming in during the second half of the season. Her role for the rest of the year, assuming she is able to come back this season, should be like Saylor's last season: run to your favorite spot, get set, and when the ball comes to you drain the 3. If she can come back and shoot 44% from 3 like she did before the injury in November, that will be a huge help for this team which has trouble throwing the ball in the ocean.

 

[oldude]

Azzi comes back from what? She has really only played in a few games....we don't know much about her game other than her ability to shoot well.

If you had an opportunity to watch Azzi during the U19 World Championships this past summer, she displayed a complete game which included not only her ability to shoot, but she also ran the offense at times and played solid defense throughout the tournament.

If Azzi can just get healthy for long enough to get several full practices and games in a row under her belt, there’s a complete basketball player there, with the ability to make a difference for this UConn team.

 

[TeamFirst!]

At the beginning of the year Azzi was above Caroline in the rotation. And she has proven herself over and over in USA basketball. The #1 rated recruit...etc. She's not Saylor coming in at mid year. She probably plays at least 10-15 minutes a game on average and a strong case could be made for more, ergo my original point. Maybe we consider going with 4 guards sometimes with Caroline as the 4. Changing things up and having options depending on the situation is a good thing. We may need it or find it optimal in some situations.

 

[VA Huskie]

We need to consider ways to get our best 5 players PT.

Actually we need to figure out how to get our 5 best players healthy! I’m still not convinced that happens this year.

I think if we have everybody able to play, the starting lineup ends up being: Paige, Ono, Nika, CD and CW.

 

[TeamFirst!]

Actually we need to figure out how to get our 5 best players healthy! I’m still not convinced that happens this year.

I think if we have everybody able to play, the starting lineup ends up being: Paige, Ono, Nika, CD and CW.

If that's the case then it fits my proposed scenario of 4 guards and Liv as the big. I prefer Azzi over Nika in that scenario but overall I'd still go with Liv, Dorka, Paige, CD and CW normally.

 

[VA Huskie]

Umm did we forget how bad Azzi was in that South Carolina game? What has given anyone indication that she is a starter coming back? Caroline in the toughest stretch was the team's best player and she should go back to the bench?

I’m sure Azzi’s injury affected her play in that game ( and probably every game she played prior to it).

 

[TeamFirst!]

If you had an opportunity to watch Azzi during the U19 World Championships this past summer, she displayed a complete game which included not only her ability to shoot, but she also ran the offense at times and played solid defense throughout the tournament.

If Azzi can just get healthy for long enough to get several full practices and games in a row under her belt, there’s a complete basketball player there, with the ability to make a difference for this UConn team.

And she was hurt that entire tournament. Same injury. She was even better before the injury. Hopefully she comes back healthy!

 

[hoopsfan22]

Umm did we forget how bad Azzi was in that South Carolina game? What has given anyone indication that she is a starter coming back? Caroline in the toughest stretch was the team's best player and she should go back to the bench?

Yeah but how many magazine covers did Caroline get compared to Azzi?

 

[Happydad745]

If you had an opportunity to watch Azzi during the U19 World Championships this past summer, she displayed a complete game which included not only her ability to shoot, but she also ran the offense at times and played solid defense throughout the tournament.

If Azzi can just get healthy for long enough to get several full practices and games in a row under her belt, there’s a complete basketball player there, with the ability to make a difference for this UConn team.

We are talking about the present: Div 1 College BB, not U19, not last year or whenever...

 

[sno-cat]

I can see Caroline starting for the rest of her career at UConn!

 

[VA Huskie]

If that's the case then it fits my proposed scenario of 4 guards and Liv as the big. I prefer Azzi over Nika in that scenario but overall I'd still go with Liv, Dorka, Paige, CD and CW normally.

My concern about starting Azzi is that she’ll likely have played so little this year that she won’t be ready for prime time. My best hope is that she’s healthy enough to come off the bench and hit spot up threes.

 

[oldude]

We are talking about the present: Div 1 College BB, not U19, not last year or whenever...

Not saying it’s the same level of competition. But Azzi was playing with and against some very talented players, and she more than held her own.

 

[NU2BY]

Yeah but how many magazine covers did Caroline get compared to Azzi?

That is your criteria to determine what at this point and time?

 

[NU2BY]

My concern about starting Azzi is that she’ll likely have played so little this year that she won’t be ready for prime time. My best hope is that she’s healthy enough to come off the bench and hit spot up threes.

Absolutely, and we don't get Paige back (and at least at 90% of her capabilities) then it might be advantageous to have Azzi apply for red-shirt status and sit out the rest of the season.

 

[hoopsfan22]

Absolutely, and we don't get Paige back (and at least at 90% of her capabilities) then it might be advantageous to have Azzi apply for red-shirt status and sit out the rest of the season.

You'd have to find a doctor that would sign off on her injury as being season ending. I don't think you can just apply for a medical red shirt just to have a redo on the season. It's one thing if you've played too many games to qualify, but I think the other part of the criteria is the injury has to be severe enough to be season ending. Someone correct me if I'm wrong about the rules.

 

[Biff]

You'd have to find a doctor that would sign off on her injury as being season ending. I don't think you can just apply for a medical red shirt just to have a redo on the season. It's one thing if you've played too many games to qualify, but I think the other part of the criteria is the injury has to be severe enough to be season ending. Someone correct me if I'm wrong about the rules.

you are correct.

 

[BBallF]

First of all, she is playing small forward. Secondly, she is going to start for the rest of her career. Her starting stats are 18.5 points and 4.75 boards a game. If you don't love her game, you don't love basketball the way it was meant to be played. As she gets a little stronger, gets a little better handle and improves her defense ( she allows the other player to turn the corner on her too easily at times), you are looking at a budding superstar. Her game is so fundamentally strong that her off games are rare, as in one out of eight (Seton Hall) since she has been starting. I saw her live at Seton Hall. She looked very overrated. Kept on stepping on the baseline, turnovers, bad misses. Here we are 10 games later and you have a real serious contender for a future AA and a lock for this year's FOY in the Big East.

 

[NU2BY]

You'd have to find a doctor that would sign off on her injury as being season ending. I don't think you can just apply for a medical red shirt just to have a redo on the season. It's one thing if you've played too many games to qualify, but I think the other part of the criteria is the injury has to be severe enough to be season ending. Someone correct me if I'm wrong about the rules.

You are most likely correct (and Biff confirmed). However, I've been around a longtime and have seen some very strange requests for red-shirt status granted.

 

[Cuango]

Interesting thread.

If Paige and Azzi come back completely healthy with the ability to go all out for 40 minutes, here's my take.

Nika at the point with Paige at the 2. Caroline is the 3 with Dorka and Liv as 4A and 4B. Nike starts because she is the leader of the team. Geno has said so on the latest Geno show. She brings the energy and drive that the team is feeding off of. She has a defensive intensity that makes a difference. I want that energy and drive at the tip off. Drive the team to pound the opposition. Paige at the 2 allows her to move without the ball and get free via screens. This is not saying she will not be dishing dimes, she will. But Paige and Nika is a deadly combo out from. No way Caroline doesn't start and that should be obvious to all. Same with Dorka andc Liv.

The bench is Christyn, E and Azzi for the guards. Christyn can be instant offense off the bench. Azzi will get her minutes.Aaliyah is the front court bench.

Geno meant that Nika is the leader in the absence of Paige. When Paige is healthy, she is the clear leader of this team!

 

[Cuango]

Paige, Christyn, Caroline, E/AE/Dorka, Liv will be the starting lineup! Imo, of course! Who starts among the threesome may change as matchups dictate.