Anna Anyone?

[CocoHusky]

The suggestion that I'm a hater is pretty ludicrous but you're entitled to think what you may .... I don't think there was a big difference between the two of them and their contributions and I'll continue to stick with that .... I know that Anna came into a completely new environment, new country, different customs and after a really slow start, at least shooting wise, she played at a pretty high level .... I'm not suggesting A/A worthy but pretty impressive, considering what she was dealing with .... For some people to suggest that Anna couldn't come back and have a big sophomore bounce .... for example, look much Kelly Faris grew during her UConn career .... she had very little impact at all on the Huskies in her freshman year but inevitably, how did she develop? Initially she was a just a decent defensive player but she evolved into a very impressive player, growing significantly, particularly offensively from that freshman season .... I thought that Megan was a good player but that she didn't have an A/A type season last year .... I'm more focused on what kind of player Anna could possibly develop into, considering her trimming down and with a difficult season behind her ....

So Megan didn't have any "extra baggage" she was carrying that would have been similar what Anna was carrying culturally? Of course you want the performance to be similar because you are mad at Megan for leaving early. The performance was not similar- NOT EVEN CLOSE! see @soxfan23 post on the subject.

 

[CocoHusky]

It was supposed to be a satire full of conjecture and speculation. realistically I think Anna will have a wonderful season and show how complete a player she really is. I think Paige and Anna are our best outside shooters and best passers. Time will tell until then it is ALL conjecture and speculation.

 

[MSGRET]

Walker averaged 20pts, 8rbs, and out shot Makurat in EVERY possible metric, and you think Makurat's 8pts and 4 rbs per game made her an equal contributor to Walker? I'm sorry, but that is utterly absurd and borderline delusional! Statistically, Makurat was NOT even half as good as Walker was.

What was Walker's numbers when she was a Freshman. Comparing a Junior's season to a Freshman's is like comparing apples and oranges. Anna had an equal or better Freshman year than Walker.

Anna------------------ Megan
GP/GS 32/14 ---------- 32/0
Mins 847-26.4--------- 495-15.5
FGM 90 - 210 .429%-------- 68 - 153 .444%
3 PT 59 - 144 .410% --- ---- 13 - 35 .371%
FT 13 - 16 .813% ------- 37 - 49 .755%
TPTS 252 7.8 PG-------- 186 5.8 PG
RBDS 126 3.9 PG -------- 105 3.3 PG
PF 39 ------- 29
AST 105 --- ---- 29
TO 57 ------- 28
STL 47 ------- 11
BLKS 10 -------- 5

Take away the 0 for America, I believe it was 0-19, her 3 pt shooting average would be .472%. Also Megan was in the game late which was more like mop up minutes when the other team also has their subs in, while Anna was playing a majority of the game and not mop up minutes. She had more pressure on her to perform than Megan because she didn't have Kia, Gabby, KLS, Pheesa, and Azure to play along side.

 

[CocoHusky]

What was Walker's numbers when she was a Freshman. Comparing a Junior's season to a Freshman's is like comparing apples and oranges. Anna had an equal or better Freshman year than Walker.

Anna Megan
GP/GS 32/14 32/0
Mins 847-26.4 495-15.5
FGM 90 - 210 .429% 68 - 153 .444%
3 PT 59 - 144 .410% 13 - 35 .371%
FT 13 - 16 .813% 37 - 49 .755%
TPTS 252 7.8 PG 186 5.8 PG
RBDS 126 3.9 PG 105 3.3 PG
PF 39 29
AST 105 29
TO 57 28
STL 47 11
BLKS 10 5

Take away the 0 for America, I believe it was 0-19, her 3 pt shooting average would be .472%

Nope still not buying it!
Freshman Megan Walker had Azura Stevens, Napheesa Collier, KLS, and Gabby Williams who she had to beat out to get playing time. Anna had ..... Kyla Irwin to beat out and barely did.

 

[MSGRET]

Nope still not buying it!
Freshman Megan Walker had Azura Stevens, Napheesa Collier, KLS, and Gabby Williams who she had to beat out to get playing time. Anna had ..... Kyla Irwin to beat out and barely did.

She didn't have to beat out anyone, she was just like most Freshman, they played if they could or sat. Megan was in Geno's dog house because she didn't hustle enough in practice and stated that in one of his rants on the Freshman. Also she didn't have the pressure having to start because of the people you mentioned. Anna did and didn't have the likes of the players that you mentioned to help guide her. It was also quoted somewhere that last year's team lacked the leadership and guidance that Megan, Crystal Dangerfield, CW, and ONO received as Freshman so there was a much higher learning curve and more pressure on the two Freshman than years past. So I'm still not buying your statement either.

 

[The CDR-Ret]

What was Walker's numbers when she was a Freshman. Comparing a Junior's season to a Freshman's is like comparing apples and oranges. Anna had an equal or better Freshman year than Walker.

Anna Megan
GP/GS 32/14 32/0
Mins 847-26.4 495-15.5
FGM 90 - 210 .429% 68 - 153 .444%
3 PT 59 - 144 .410% 13 - 35 .371%
FT 13 - 16 .813% 37 - 49 .755%
TPTS 252 7.8 PG 186 5.8 PG
RBDS 126 3.9 PG 105 3.3 PG
PF 39 29
AST 105 29
TO 57 28
STL 47 11
BLKS 10 5

Take away the 0 for America, I believe it was 0-19, her 3 pt shooting average would be .472%. Also Megan was in the game late which was more like mop up minutes when the other team also has their subs in, while Anna was playing a majority of the game and not mop up minutes. She had more pressure on her to perform than Megan because she didn't have Kia, Gabby, KLS, Pheesa, and Azure to play along side.

I will have to go with the Master Sargent on this one.
Statistics are one thing, but improved team "chemistry" is entirely another piece that tends to be an intangible. The Master Sargent knows about team building! A collection of outstanding individuals will tend to be defeated by a hardworking group of excellent people who care about the other people's success in their small group. The latter will be hard to separate, and provide "overlapping field of fire" in defense of each other. It is infatigable and resilient, which builds the attitude of "Refuse to lose" throughout the "camp."
It is also particularly important in submarining, as the entire crew gets back to port or no one gets back to port....

 

[hoophuskee]

Most of this is some what confounding especially this contradiction: "UCONN had an alternative - that was extremely hard to beat- which was a terrific perimeter game that only the elite teams could beat.
vs
"What has also killed UConn these few years is that their guards weren't good enough."

Aren't guards part of the perimeter game?

Megan Walker was asked to played the PF position in the UCONN offense for the two season she was a starter. I'm not sure why you would want to compare her to other UCONN guards.

The growing legend of Anna becoming an impact deep shooter needs to be deflated considerably. 1) Anna shot 41 % from deep last year yet people are throwing out numbers like 45% without regard for what it would take to get there over the course of an entire season. There were 8 players in all of division 1 who shot over 45% last year-BTW Megan Walker was one of them.
2) Anna is not a very good 2pt shooter she was only 31 of 66 from inside the arc last year.

1a--- Absolutely a terrific perimeter team. When you are 5th in the country and only 3 possibly 4 teams are better than you and you have a very weak inside game then how can the perimeter game not be identified as terrific?

1b - They weren't good enough to overcome the inside play. How is that a contradiction?

2-- Meg Walker played on the perimeter on offense the way a wing or guard would play- ergo the comparison she played like a guard.

3-- The growing legend of AMak is okay. I don't think on this thread it is much a of legend. Just expecting an improvement if that is "legend" then so be it. I think the "nowhere hear" is far more offbase than the positives posted here. (Though if the initial poster felt AMak is going to be an all-time great -- then I'm certi8anly in your corner that the legend has gotten "a bit" out of hand.) It' not unreasonable to think it possible a 41% 3pt shooter that was a freshman have a "soph" leap to bump her 3 pt fg% closer to 45% rather than closer to 40% considering she'll have a better group of passing guards to go along with better post play.

4-- Last year's numbers are fine. An overall better team and with her additional experience- no reason why we shouldn't expect improvement from AMak from last year to this in both 2's and 3's. More efficiently should lead to better productivity.

 

[mbr33ct]

26 points is silly. 26 steals makes more sense.

What you're saying could be true but until @Jingo comes out and gives "his opinion" on this matter, I will refrain my exuberance.

 

[CocoHusky]

She didn't have to beat out anyone, she was just like most Freshman, they played if they could or sat. Megan was in Geno's dog house because she didn't hustle enough in practice and stated that in one of his rants on the Freshman. Also she didn't have the pressure having to start because of the people you mentioned. Anna did and didn't have the likes of the players that you mentioned to help guide her. It was also quoted somewhere that last year's team lacked the leadership and guidance that Megan, Crystal Dangerfield, CW, and ONO received as Freshman so there was a much higher learning curve and more pressure on the two Freshman than years past. So I'm still not buying your statement either.

I didn't mention anything about "starting". I specifically mentioned "playing time". Stop trying to shift the goal post. Every freshman that going to be anything spends time in Geno's dog house-Megan was not unique.
Megan was not as vocal a leader as the program required that has also been document. None of this has anything to do with the comparison at hand (Walker vs Anna) last season or where you are trying to draw a new line Freshman walker vs Freshman Ann. There should be no comparison. I'd like for the people that are biggin up Anna to consider that her fellow freshman from last year Aubrey might have been more value and contributed more to the team. Megan Walker was the MVP of the team last year by a WIDE margin and to think otherwise is....

 

[bbfanLA]

Off the dome:
Bria Hartley
Maya
Stewie
KML
Napheesa Collier
KLS

And Abrosimova and Taurasi.

 

[hoophuskee]

I look to the past because those that do not learn from the past are likely to make incorrect future predictions. Example: Crystal was the best passer last year and Megan the best shooter yet you are predicting better shooting and passing from this team? I suppose Anna could always pass to herself and rebound her own misses .

Absolutely. While we had ONE very good passer last year- who was the other that could pass to AMak?

This year we have 4 players on the Wooden list. How many were on last year? And we have two that are considered good- to- great passing-guards- how many were on last year?

In fact it is highly probable that the 3rd pg on this team will be superior to last year's 2nd best pass pg. So how doesn't this add to something potentially more positive?

Last year we ended up 5th in the country - this year we are projected about 3rd. That's better looking too.

 

[JonathanXIV]

What you're saying could be true but until @Jingo comes out and gives "his opinion" on this matter, I will refrain my exuberance.

Jingo’s been pretty clear about his opinion regarding Aubrey and scoring. I suspect we will have four years of Jingo predicting Aubrey will lead the team in scoring. And be wrong all four years.

 

[hoophuskee]

If calling somebody a "damn good player" is seen as "disrespectful" in your eyes, I honestly don't know what to tell you.

You said she was "nowhere near" an A/A.

If CWill doesn't shoot well and AMak is shooting like she did last year but better than last year(which you would expect from a soph, right?), why shouldn't be a focal point from the perimeter-portion-of-the-offense to get her the ball to take 3's? And she is 6'2 so it's not like she is 5'9.

I just don't agree at all with "NOWHERE NEAR" when it is possible UCONN will LOOK FOR HER to score on the perimeter. Note I said "possible." Not "IT WILL BE."

 

[MSGRET]

I will have to go with the Master Sargent on this one.
Statistics are one thing, but improved team "chemistry" is entirely another piece that tends to be an intangible. The Master Sargent knows about team building! A collection of outstanding individuals will tend to be defeated by a hardworking group of excellent people who care about the other people's success in their small group. The latter will be hard to separate, and provide "overlapping field of fire" in defense of each other. It is infatigable and resilient, which builds the attitude of "Refuse to lose" throughout the "camp."
It is also particularly important in submarining, as the entire crew gets back to port or no one gets back to port....

Thanks, I can't believe that someone wants to compare a Freshman's performance to what a Junior does when a fair comparison is Freshman against Freshman when it comes to numbers. Also what that Freshman has when it comes to support and guidance from upper class players.

 

[MSGRET]

I will have to go with the Master Sargent on this one.
Statistics are one thing, but improved team "chemistry" is entirely another piece that tends to be an intangible. The Master Sargent knows about team building! A collection of outstanding individuals will tend to be defeated by a hardworking group of excellent people who care about the other people's success in their small group. The latter will be hard to separate, and provide "overlapping field of fire" in defense of each other. It is infatigable and resilient, which builds the attitude of "Refuse to lose" throughout the "camp."
It is also particularly important in submarining, as the entire crew gets back to port or no one gets back to port....

Thanks, I can't believe that someone wants to compare a Freshman's performance to what a Junior does when a fair comparison is Freshman against Freshman when it comes to numbers. Also what that Freshman has when it comes to support and guidance from upper class players. Sorry about the double post, it seems that my computer and I are having disagreements.

 

[hoophuskee]

I will have to go with the Master Sargent on this one.
Statistics are one thing, but improved team "chemistry" is entirely another piece that tends to be an intangible. The Master Sargent knows about team building! A collection of outstanding individuals will tend to be defeated by a hardworking group of excellent people who care about the other people's success in their small group. The latter will be hard to separate, and provide "overlapping field of fire" in defense of each other. It is infatigable and resilient, which builds the attitude of "Refuse to lose" throughout the "camp."
It is also particularly important in submarining, as the entire crew gets back to port or no one gets back to port....

Ever see the movie "Miracle?"

 

[CocoHusky]

Absolutely. While we had ONE very good passer last year- who was the other that could pass to AMak?

This year we have 4 players on the Wooden list. How many were on last year? And we have two that are considered good- to- great passing-guards- how many were on last year?

In fact it is highly probable that the 3rd pg on this team will be superior to last year's 2nd best pass pg. So how doesn't this add to something potentially more positive?

Last year we ended up 5th in the country - this year we are projected about 3rd. That's better looking too.

Q: Absolutely. While we had ONE very good passer last year- who was the other that could pass to AMak?
A: Assists totals from last year Megan-92, CW-72, CD-118, ONO-89 Anna-105. The short answer is that Anna was on the floor with 4 other very capable passers not 1.

C: This year we have 4 players on the Wooden list. How many were on last year? And we have two that are considered good - to great passing guards- how many were on last year?
R: Which two? BTW great passing guards are usually on the Liberman list that might be the place to look. Evina put up good assist number her last year at TN. She also had a lot of turnovers. I don't remember if Evina was on the Liberman after either of her season at TN but maybe if she had under 100 turnovers she might have been.

C: In fact it is highly probable that the 3rd pg on this team will be superior to last year's 2nd best pass pg. So how doesn't this add to something potentially more positive?
R: Why would you go a Molly like that, what she ever do to you?

C: Last year we ended up 5th in the country - this year we are projected about 3rd. That's better looking too.
R: 5th, did we get a trophy for that? I don't think you get a trophy for finishing where you are projected to finish. I aiming at least two spots higher which is more achievable this year that it was last year.[/QUOTE]

 

[CocoHusky]

I will have to go with the Master Sargent on this one.
Statistics are one thing, but improved team "chemistry" is entirely another piece that tends to be an intangible. The Master Sargent knows about team building! A collection of outstanding individuals will tend to be defeated by a hardworking group of excellent people who care about the other people's success in their small group. The latter will be hard to separate, and provide "overlapping field of fire" in defense of each other. It is infatigable and resilient, which builds the attitude of "Refuse to lose" throughout the "camp."
It is also particularly important in submarining, as the entire crew gets back to port or no one gets back to port....

The MSG and I both proudly represent the Senior Branch of the US Armed Services.
Much respect to the those like yourself who proudly represent the junior branches.
Submarine?

 

[soxfan23]

What was Walker's numbers when she was a Freshman. Comparing a Junior's season to a Freshman's is like comparing apples and oranges. Anna had an equal or better Freshman year than Walker.

Anna------------------ Megan
GP/GS 32/14 ---------- 32/0
Mins 847-26.4--------- 495-15.5
FGM 90 - 210 .429%-------- 68 - 153 .444%
3 PT 59 - 144 .410% --- ---- 13 - 35 .371%
FT 13 - 16 .813% ------- 37 - 49 .755%
TPTS 252 7.8 PG-------- 186 5.8 PG
RBDS 126 3.9 PG -------- 105 3.3 PG
PF 39 ------- 29
AST 105 --- ---- 29
TO 57 ------- 28
STL 47 ------- 11
BLKS 10 -------- 5

Take away the 0 for America, I believe it was 0-19, her 3 pt shooting average would be .472%. Also Megan was in the game late which was more like mop up minutes when the other team also has their subs in, while Anna was playing a majority of the game and not mop up minutes. She had more pressure on her to perform than Megan because she didn't have Kia, Gabby, KLS, Pheesa, and Azure to play along side.

I agree, Makurat had a better freshman year than Walker, but that is NOT what the OP was arguing.

 

[DEpup]

Most of this is some what confounding especially this contradiction: "UCONN had an alternative - that was extremely hard to beat- which was a terrific perimeter game that only the elite teams could beat.
vs
"What has also killed UConn these few years is that their guards weren't good enough."

Aren't guards part of the perimeter game?

Megan Walker was asked to played the PF position in the UCONN offense for the two season she was a starter. I'm not sure why you would want to compare her to other UCONN guards.

The growing legend of Anna becoming an impact deep shooter needs to be deflated considerably. 1) Anna shot 41 % from deep last year yet people are throwing out numbers like 45% without regard for what it would take to get there over the course of an entire season. There were 8 players in all of division 1 who shot over 45% last year-BTW Megan Walker was one of them.
2) Anna is not a very good 2pt shooter she was only 31 of 66 from inside the arc last year.

We are throwing those numbers out because once Anna got past the 0 for America early part of the season, she shot 48% from 3 down the stretch. A lot of folks including me predict she will start this year where she left off at the high 40s from 3.

 

[Go/huskies]

I'm hoping that Westbrook is going to be a key contributor this year but she hasn't played competitive basketball for almost two years and recently had some more surgery on her knee or knees .... the presumption that she is going to be a dynamo for this team and Anna is going to be almost an afterthought is based on nothing more than an opinion .... there aren't all that many people here on the Boneyard who have ever seen Westbrook play and have a sense of her abilities .... didn't someone post quite a while back that she had some serious turnover issues when she was with Tennessee .... why are people that apt to minimize Anna and her contributions last year and yet assume that Westbrook was a great talent (without seeing her play) and not be wary of her coming back from a pretty serious knee issue ... why can't we assume that Anna might experience a good sized jump after her freshman year, particularly considering the fact that she not only came into a new program that historically plays at a high level but that she was coming to a new (foreign, to her) country and dealing with all the social issues that she may have been experiencing .... I would suggest that most players, no matter how talented, would have difficulties going into a completely new culture and not have troubles adapting to it all ....

I’m not taking anything away from Anna, I just think she won’t have the ball in her hands as much this season with Paige and Westbrook on the floor, I’m seeing her in more of a stretch four type of role, maybe a point forward type of role. Paige and Evina bring a different dynamic to the time, with an ability to get in the lane and to the rim, something UConn hasn’t really had since Jefferson maybe. Williams has done it at times but not consistently. There are a few videos online of Westbrook at full go since her surgeries, Geno has said that she’s not in shape for UConn standards but that should work itself out once she’s playing on the court, I still think she would have been the 5th starter last year if she was eligible bad knees and all.

 

[Jingo]

What you're saying could be true but until @Jingo comes out and gives "his opinion" on this matter, I will refrain my exuberance.

Jingo here! The goodies will be spread around this year with all the amazing talent. Anna will contribute the most 'chemistry'; Aubrey will contribute the most 'defense/chaos'; and ONO will rise above her teammates in scoring and rebounds thanks to the unselfish [pass first] play of Anna, Paige and Nika. No need to refrain any longer!

 

[JonathanXIV]

Jingo here! The goodies will be spread around this year with all the amazing talent. Anna will contribute the most 'chemistry'; Aubrey will contribute the most 'defense/chaos'; and ONO will rise above her teammates in scoring and rebounds thanks to the unselfish [pass first] play of Anna, Paige and Nika. No need to refrain any longer!

ONO "rising above her teammates in scoring?" What happened to Aubrey leading the team in scoring?

 

[Jingo]

ONO "rising above her teammates in scoring?" What happened to Aubrey leading the team in scoring?

Times change Jon ... you've got to keep up!

 

[JonathanXIV]

Times change Jon ... you've got to keep up!

Yes, apparently from post to post.