anybody has a guess why Lou did not play her usual minutes today

[JordyG]

I think she was benched for a variety of reasons. KLS has played better defensively as the season has advanced and she has really improved her footwork defending off the dribble. She's started to elevate to block shots instead of standing with her hands up seemingly afraid to foul. Offensively she seems content to be nothing but a 3 point shooter with the occasional back door 2 and fast break. She seems to have found a home with right corner 3's. But when has she flashed to the high post for a 2 or dribble in for a pull up, or a lay up? When has she posted hard in the paint? Whenever she hits the low post the guards ignore her. I've seen her step around the screen and that's about it. Fortunately she is a smart, crisp passer, and sees the floor well. But offensively she is comfortable being one dimensional. Before the season started when she was asked her position she said she was a guard. She needs to think of herself as a wing/post.

 

[HuskyNan]

I think she was benched for a variety of reasons. KLS has played better defensively as the season has advanced and she has really improved her footwork defending off the dribble. She's started to elevate to block shots instead of standing with her hands up seemingly afraid to foul. Offensively she seems content to be nothing but a 3 point shooter with the occasional back door 2 and fast break. She seems to have found a home with right corner 3's. But when has she flashed to the high post for a 2 or dribble in for a pull up, or a lay up? When has she posted hard in the paint? Whenever she hits the low post the guards ignore her. I've seen her step around the screen and that's about it. Fortunately she is a smart, crisp passer, and sees the floor well. But offensively she is comfortable being one dimensional. Before the season started when she was asked her position she said she was a guard. She needs to think of herself as a wing/post.

Coincidentally, as I was reading this thread, Rebecca Lobo is showing how Lou gets to the basket off of screens by various players.

 

[bags27]

This is a long season for a freshman, a lot of plane travel, a lot of games to play very, very hard against not very good teams. This isn't an excuse, but an explanation. Fly out; fly back. Practice, classes, practice, classes. Suddenly, it's game day. Roll out of bed, get ready, talk and joke around with teammates....suddenly, it's tip-off. Gotta get serious; be 100% focused; gotta remember those affirmations about playing a quality game even when the 3s aren't dropping. Oops, 3s not dropping but forgot to think about the affirmations. Was thinking about something else instead. What's that? Coach telling me to sit. Crap!

 

[hoophuskee]

Geno expects everyone to expand their game, KML was encouraged to drive, and rebound the ball, so KLS needs to do the same.

Sure. She needs to expand her game. But nor does it mean to not take 3's when she is wide open.

 

[Adesmar123]

Sometimes the Boneyard is a great place to read and learn. But this thread is an example of the blind leading the blind.

 

[hoophuskee]

I think she was benched for a variety of reasons. KLS has played better defensively as the season has advanced and she has really improved her footwork defending off the dribble. She's started to elevate to block shots instead of standing with her hands up seemingly afraid to foul. Offensively she seems content to be nothing but a 3 point shooter with the occasional back door 2 and fast break. She seems to have found a home with right corner 3's. But when has she flashed to the high post for a 2 or dribble in for a pull up, or a lay up? When has she posted hard in the paint? Whenever she hits the low post the guards ignore her. I've seen her step around the screen and that's about it. Fortunately she is a smart, crisp passer, and sees the floor well. But offensively she is comfortable being one dimensional. Before the season started when she was asked her position she said she was a guard. She needs to think of herself as a wing/post.

Nah. I don't agree with the tone which concludes with the last sentence. Per the link below Gneo sees KLS as more like Sveta hna like Stewie. Which menas less low posting and more plays as wing. We don't see her flash a lot tot he high post but it doesn't mean she doesn't do it when called upon. UCONN is not running down the shot clock and there are five players which get more time in the 4/5 positions than KLS. KLS on the outside provides balance. right now Collier and Gabby are players that belong in the high post or low post as does Butler. When KLS starts the game - she is the 5th option. And the main options are to get the ball inside. And the two players that run the high low sets do it better than anyone else.

http://the-boneyard.com/threads/geno-prefer-33-emulate-sveta-than-breanna.86334/

Bottomline is KLS is nightmare to matchup against as wing. Put her too much in the post - she doesn't come close to being as big of a threat as vs elite teams than she can from the perimeter. All she needs to do is find her outside shot. Simple as that. She is too tall for most wings and guards. She'll be too crafty for bigger players.

 

[CajunHusky]

1. Anyone recall the Mo/KLS collision in the Tulane game? Lou didn't seem to be moving very well after that but you couldn't really tell much because she only played a minute or two after that. I was anxious to see how she played this game.

2. UCONN ran a play off the tip to a cutting Lou the last two games, they didn't run that this game .... different offensive strategy maybe?

3. Lou didn't have a good match against ECU .... they had Red Laramie covering her most of the game and she stayed with her making any skip pass impossible.

4. It was crowded down low .... They were forcing the ball down low to Morgan when Morgan was in, and when Morgan was out so was Lou.

5. Kia Nurse was making shots. Keep it coming Kia!

6. Gabby was patrolling the base line really well.

6. Maybe Lou didn't practice well?

Who knows .... Maybe Coach saw an opportunity to get some good minutes in for Natalie and Phee they can use it.

 

[JordyG]

Nah. I don't agree with the tone which concludes with the last sentence. Per the link below Gneo sees KLS as more like Sveta hna like Stewie. Which menas less low posting and more plays as wing. We don't see her flash a lot tot he high post but it doesn't mean she doesn't do it when called upon. UCONN is not running down the shot clock and there are five players which get more time in the 4/5 positions than KLS. KLS on the outside provides balance. right now Collier and Gabby are players that belong in the high post or low post as does Butler. When KLS starts the game - she is the 5th option. And the main options are to get the ball inside. And the two players that run the high low sets do it better than anyone else.

http://the-boneyard.com/threads/geno-prefer-33-emulate-sveta-than-breanna.86334/

Bottomline is KLS is nightmare to matchup against as wing. Put her too much in the post - she doesn't come close to being as big of a threat as vs elite teams than she can from the perimeter. All she needs to do is find her outside shot. Simple as that. She is too tall for most wings and guards. She'll be too crafty for bigger players.

I did say wing/post. If at her size she doesn't post down low, how does that bode for next year when they'll have only Gabby, Butler and Collier? She has to develop SOMETHING down low as well as shooting off the dribble. As Geno says, when your 3's aren't falling, then what?

 

[hoophuskee]

I did say wing/post. If at her size she doesn't post down low, how does that bode for next year when they'll have only Gabby, Butler and Collier? She has to develop SOMETHING down low as well as shooting off the dribble. As Geno says, when your 3's aren't falling, then what?

That's why I used the word "tone." You had mentioned when she came to UCONN what did she see herself as- and it was a guard. Now that you ask about how well things bode with only Gabby, Butler and Collier in the post? I don't think it ideal but I don't see a huge problem. In 10-11 and 11-12 we only had Dolson basically as a post. Maya was not a post. So it seems the tone you have is more of she needs to think of herself more as a post than a guard. Right now teams are packing the paint and giving KLS wide open shots. r than an incidental post here or there - she needs to do is continue to keep her head up and keep firing away. Make an incidental post play but she shouldn't work to BE a post. The other three for next year can be the posts while she learns to play tougher mostly as a wing.

And as you mention about Geno - he still keeps letting her fire away from 3 so if you're mentioning him that needs to be mentioned as well. And if your 3's aren't falling and your posts are unable to get rebounds and your defense isn't good enough to stop the other team, you lose like we did last year. But you go down trying to be your best. And in this case our best chance is having KLS on the perimeter. Not pinned down in the post.

Super Bowl time!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[jsloanjr]

IMO, KLS needs to be coached on the floor by Stewie, MO and Tuck.........Don't allow her to stand around......PG is the coach on the floor and MO needs to be more assertive with KLS and not allow her to become stagnant .....

 

[JordyG]

That's why I used the word "tone." You had mentioned when she came to UCONN what did she see herself as- and it was a guard. Now that you ask about how well things bode with only Gabby, Butler and Collier in the post? I don't think it ideal but I don't see a huge problem. In 10-11 and 11-12 we only had Dolson basically as a post. Maya was not a post. So it seems the tone you have is more of she needs to think of herself more as a post than a guard. Right now teams are packing the paint and giving KLS wide open shots. r than an incidental post here or there - she needs to do is continue to keep her head up and keep firing away. Make an incidental post play but she shouldn't work to BE a post. The other three for next year can be the posts while she learns to play tougher mostly as a wing.

And as you mention about Geno - he still keeps letting her fire away from 3 so if you're mentioning him that needs to be mentioned as well. And if your 3's aren't falling and your posts are unable to get rebounds and your defense isn't good enough to stop the other team, you lose like we did last year. But you go down trying to be your best. And in this case our best chance is having KLS on the perimeter. Not pinned down in the post.

Super Bowl time!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

No, more as a wing. Secondarily as a post. Not as a guard. Not as a 6'3" guard who only dribbles inside to shoot layups. Even KML would work the low post. Sveta would occasionally work inside. In fact of this years starters only she and Mo haven't posted down low. If she wants to become a complete player she will have to work down low and take advantage of her size.

 

[hoophuskee]

No, more as a wing. Secondarily as a post. Not as a guard. Not as a 6'3" guard who only dribbles inside to shoot layups. Even KML would work the low post. Sveta would occasionally work inside. In fact of this years starters only she and Mo haven't posted down low. If she wants to become a complete player she will have to work down low and take advantage of her size.

We can agree to disagree - I think. I think we are disagreeing in regards to maybe the timetable of when she should low post and if/when she should be a pf? Anyhow, a wing is a part-time guard and a part-time small forward. That part-time guard is something she should work on more than a part-time pf. I do believe throughout her career she needs to try playing with her back to the basket (by "play" I mean occasionally do so) - but that would be her doing so primarily as a sf or sg, not a pf and not necessarily in the paint. She can "low post" but not every one has to be in the lane when they low post. For example Dirk Nowitizki plays with his back to the basket at times and he takes 10-12 foot shots. Those are much closer shots than he is accustomed to taking. I saw Maya make a gorgeous back to the basket move vs North Carolina - but it wasn't inside the lane. KLS can be that. VS guards or small forwards she can probably get in the lane a little bit more as the team moves forward next year.

But this year? IMO basically "forget it." We already have FIVE players that are low posts. We're predominantly facing a zone with three perimeter and two in the high-low or maybe just one in the paint. . Three of the player's on this year's team are not wings offensively this year (Butler, Gabby and Collier.). We're trying to win a championship this year and Nurse's shot has been off until this last game and with Chong we have injury concerns. We NEED imo "shooting." KLS was brought in as a supreme shooter. IMO KML showed NOTHING as a low post game vs top tier teams until she returned from injury in her junior year. KLS can wait - especially this year unless there is an incidental play. This team becomes unbeatable if three of the four of MJ, KN, SC and KLS can hit 3's. If two of the three are hitting we are very tough to beat. If only one or none are hitting we will have to face a packed in defense making it much harder. For this year there is no reason to work much on KLS as a post. We're trying to run a fast paced offense - not work the ball inside to our 6th best post player. Our 6th best post player is on the perimeter looking to either shoot or pass inside to our other sensational low post players. Her opportunities are limited inside because she is so valued on the perimeter.

And as for next year, - if we lose Tuck, we lose three outside shooters. One is outstanding in MJ. The other two are Stewie and Tuck. They are pretty good. Certainly better than Gabby and Collier and ofc Butler shooting from 3. Chong's injury may linger. Nurse's shot has been off. How good of a 3pt shooter will Dangerfield be in her frosh year? In other words, NEXT YEAR we also need KLS to shoot many 3's UNLESS the other three can be relied on (or Gabby and / or NC makes a big jump on the perimeter). Therefore like KML- I don't know how much we can expect from KLS to play with her back to the basket in her soph year. We need her too much on the outside. Though I can see her attempt a bit more in the lane but that would be also coming off of picks on a curl. Instead of looking for Stewie, we'll look for her. And as a result, she'll get a lot more opportunities to score as teammates will look for her as a primary option. If Chong's injury is worse next year or lingers in big games, where do you see KLS playing in these big games? You don't see her as a guard at all? I tend to think Chong's chances of being hurt is more probable than our 3 posts for next year.

 

[ricky]

Collier will be answer to many of the vacancy issues next year. Right now she is hitting the freshman wall big time. She just looks tired and bewildered. But she is a skilled long player that has a good handle, can shoot from anywhere and can get to the loose balls in amazing fasion. This summer she will get stronger in the gym and come out next year and be the new star of this team. She will make KLS better. I saw her skills this past summer. She was the best player on team USA. Dawn just set it up at the end to make Wilson the hero.