Azzi & Aubrey updates

[JellyBean]

Geno says Azzi will start, but that doesn't mean Kaitlyn will not start. Ice has not been playing well, at least I don't think so. She isn't producing enough offence, so don't be surprised if Ice was the odd woman out at the start.

I mean, I won't be shocked if Ice is moved to the bench and be a member of the 2nd unit. Nothing wrong with that part. Just, hopefully, increases the competitive fire a little. I wish Azzi would stay with that 2nd unit as well. Talk about fire power coming off the bench. Azzi, KK, and whoever comes in with that 2nd Unit Q, Morgan, and Allie. Coach got some thoroughbreds out there. Let them rascals run wild and wreak havoc.

 

[ucbart]

I mean, I won't be shocked if Ice is moved to the bench and be a member of the 2nd unit. Nothing wrong with that part. Just, hopefully, increases the competitive fire a little. I wish Azzi would stay with that 2nd unit as well. Talk about fire power coming off the bench. Azzi, KK, and whoever comes in with that 2nd Unit Q, Morgan, and Allie. Coach got some thoroughbreds out there. Let them rascals run wild and wreak havoc.

Azzi is totally a rhythm player and I never want her to come off the bench.

 

[Skeets]

January has been the target for Aubrey all along. I guess they are not backing off that target. I don't have a problem with that. There are enough BE games to get Aubrey up to speed. And yes, she looked like she was moving well in pregame warmups, so she must be getting really close.

Time to throw rocks at Skeets. I believe Aubrey can be an important part of this team, but I just don't see her being the silver bullet leading UConn to the promised land (sorry). Some of the expectations on the BY are outside of reality.

 

[ucbart]

January has been the target for Aubrey all along. I guess they are not backing off that target. I don't have a problem with that. There are enough BE games to get Aubrey up to speed. And yes, she looked like she was moving well in pregame warmups, so she must be getting really close.

Time to throw rocks at Skeets. I believe Aubrey can be an important part of this team, but I just don't see her being the silver bullet leading UConn to the promised land (sorry). Some of the expectations on the BY are outside of reality.

If Aubrey can get back to close to where she was before her ACL last December, a player like Liatu King has a much harder time scoring those crucial points she got because Aubrey would've been defending her. She makes our defense just so much more athletic on the wing. It also allows Sarah, an excellent defender, to defend in the post.

 

[Bone Dog]

I believe Aubrey can be an important part of this team, but I just don't see her being the silver bullet leading UConn to the promised land (sorry).

I think there’s a few possibilities for Aubrey.

• She can raise the level of play of the youngsters merely by challenging them in practice and by her example in games. But this is not a quick fix for anything. At best, it’s an incremental change.
• She deepens the rotation of players who fully understand Geno’s defense. This is significant by itself and could improve the rebounding options for Ice and Jana.
• She and Paige and Azzi know how to make the transition game work. Ice and Ash and KK and Q are familiar with it too. It’s easy to see that Morgan is also eager to get out and run in the open court. Paige knows how to find Aubrey on the break and the renewed connection is likely to boost Paige’s joy in the game.
• One last thing, maybe the least of them, Aubrey wants to make a splash, to show what she can do for a team and maybe work her way into the draft for next spring. Think Jacy Sheldon, who came back from injury and made her presence decisively felt at tOSU, and earned a spot in the W.

To make these things happen, Aubrey can’t just be a tentative player. She needs to be a difference maker, someone who changes a game by entering it. This is what she was before the injury. This is asking a lot from someone coming off knee surgery. The question is whether she can achieve any or all of these in 2 or 3 short months.

We need a dazzling 6th woman who can shock top 10 teams who focus their defense on Paige and Sarah. Aubrey did that for Azzi a few times two seasons ago. Can she be that for Geno again? In a sense, the BE schedule ought to be ideal for Aubrey. Eleven games before we face SC and Tennessee. Unfortunately, Aubrey will miss half of those games. After SC, she’ll have another handful of games culminating in the BE tournament to recapture her mojo before the big dance. This feels like a tight schedule for Aubrey and Geno.

I feel bad for kids like Aubrey and Evina, who stayed an extra year to play with Paige and the team they love only to have injuries derail their hopes. In Evina’s case, she held the team together until Paige could return and the real season could begin that March. It looked rocky until Paige hobbled onto the court against St John’s and there was joy in Storrs again. She was a silver bullet that season.

Please, let Paige and Sarah hold it together until Azzi and Aubrey come back and the NC run can begin. The odds are even steeper this time than the last one and we’re not awaiting the return of the reigning NPOY. And the team Paige lifted with her return was stacked with veterans, 5 of whom made it into the W. But hope springs eternal.

 

[Oldschoolbb]

Not envying Geno here as Ice is already suffering from a confidence issue, and this stretch of easier games might be the time to work thru that?

And you think a light would have gone on in his head when Ice responded so well to not having to look over her shoulder for the quick hook in last season's BE tourney.

 

[Bills Fan]

I mean, I won't be shocked if Ice is moved to the bench and be a member of the 2nd unit. Nothing wrong with that part. Just, hopefully, increases the competitive fire a little. I wish Azzi would stay with that 2nd unit as well. Talk about fire power coming off the bench. Azzi, KK, and whoever comes in with that 2nd Unit Q, Morgan, and Allie. Coach got some thoroughbreds out there. Let them rascals run wild and wreak havoc.

Can we all realize that at this point in the season Q is not in the same grouping as Morgan.

 

[ABCDFE]

I think there’s a few possibilities for Aubrey.

• She can raise the level of play of the youngsters merely by challenging them in practice and by her example in games. But this is not a quick fix for anything. At best, it’s an incremental change.
• She deepens the rotation of players who fully understand Geno’s defense. This is significant by itself and could improve the rebounding options for Ice and Jana.
• She and Paige and Azzi know how to make the transition game work. Ice and Ash and KK and Q are familiar with it too. It’s easy to see that Morgan is also eager to get out and run in the open court. Paige knows how to find Aubrey on the break and the renewed connection is likely to boost Paige’s joy in the game.
• One last thing, maybe the least of them, Aubrey wants to make a splash, to show what she can do for a team and maybe work her way into the draft for next spring. Think Jacy Sheldon, who came back from injury and made her presence decisively felt at tOSU, and earned a spot in the W.

To make these things happen, Aubrey can’t just be a tentative player. She needs to be a difference maker, someone who changes a game by entering it. This is what she was before the injury. This is asking a lot from someone coming off knee surgery. The question is whether she can achieve any or all of these in 2 or 3 short months.

We need a dazzling 6th woman who can shock top 10 teams who focus their defense on Paige and Sarah. Aubrey did that for Azzi a few times two seasons ago. Can she be that for Geno again? In a sense, the BE schedule ought to be ideal for Aubrey. Eleven games before we face SC and Tennessee. Unfortunately, Aubrey will miss half of those games. After SC, she’ll have another handful of games culminating in the BE tournament to recapture her mojo before the big dance. This feels like a tight schedule for Aubrey and Geno.

I feel bad for kids like Aubrey and Evina, who stayed an extra year to play with Paige and the team they love only to have injuries derail their hopes. In Evina’s case, she held the team together until Paige could return and the real season could begin that March. It looked rocky until Paige hobbled onto the court against St John’s and there was joy in Storrs again. She was a silver bullet that season.

Please, let Paige and Sarah hold it together until Azzi and Aubrey come back and the NC run can begin. The odds are even steeper this time than the last one and we’re not awaiting the return of the reigning NPOY. And the team Paige lifted with her return was stacked with veterans, 5 of whom made it into the W. But hope springs eternal.

Great points Bone Dog. Aubrey brings something to the team that no other player currently can. That is length and defensive lock down capabilities. This is something that we sorely need because we don't have an imposing center/forward who can protect the rim against quick guard drives.

Aubrey will also enhance our steals, rebounding and transition game, which in a tight game can mean a few easy scores on the other end. I'd like to remind everyone the impact Aubrey can have by watching the Princeton game, where she scored almost 30 points doing everything (Gabby esque)

 

[Centerstream]

I would like to see the video. Because I wonder if a reporter asked about Ice or Jana and what the plan would be at that position. I would love to see more consistency at the 5, with whatever we decide.

You are right. The assumption would be Shade, because that is what happened before. But it could be Chen that moves to the bench.

Geno's Pregame Availability has been posted, audio only. Post #26.

 

[oldhusky]

I think people are underestimating Aubrey. If healthy, Aubrey has had better overall statistical numbers adjusted for minutes etc, than Ice, Jana, Ashlynn, KK, and Kaitlin. Because she can guard so many positions, it might be that her best role is a super-sub getting major minutes, but she is a threat to start over any of the above as well.

That could be possible if Sarah moved to the 5 with Aubrey at the 4, and if we were bigger with Ice or Jana at the 5, Sarah at the 4 and Aubrey at the 3, or the other way around since Sarah has a superior perimeter game. I'm not predicting that will happen, but if healthy I think Aubrey is the fourth best player on the team, behind just Paige, Sarah, and Azzi, at least that's what the numbers would suggest.

She does have an issue with fitting into the half court offense, and a weak perimeter game, but she does score by running the floor, slashing to the hoop and getting offensive rebounds. Those offensive boards and also drawing fouls more than most, are areas this team is not as good at, so as long as you had at least two big time three point threats that space the floor, I think it would work fine.

Aubrey was a starter at the 3 for a whole season, and did well there, but most of her career she was behind Aaliyah at the 4, which I think is her best position. She will presumably be the obvious choice for backup minutes for Sarah, but of course that won't amount to much if Sarah stays mostly at the 4. Playing with Sarah is the way for Aubrey to get major minutes, either in combination as a 4/5, or as 3/4.

 

[hoophuskee]

You may even see it very quickly, if not to start, then certainly at the first break. And definitely expect a press with subs in and out. You just can’t ignore what we did with the press against SoCal in the second half. We have the personnel for the first time in years for it.

I agree he'll press but what's it going to show when they end up having to face a quaility team with good guards? SoCal had a weakness with guards and turnovers.

 

[oldude]

I think people are underestimating Aubrey. If healthy, Aubrey has had better overall statistical numbers adjusted for minutes etc, than Ice, Jana, Ashlynn, KK, and Kaitlin. Because she can guard so many positions, it might be that her best role is a super-sub getting major minutes, but she is a threat to start over any of the above as well.

That could be possible if Sarah moved to the 5 with Aubrey at the 4, and if we were bigger with Ice or Jana at the 5, Sarah at the 4 and Aubrey at the 3, or the other way around since Sarah has a superior perimeter game. I'm not predicting that will happen, but if healthy I think Aubrey is the fourth best player on the team, behind just Paige, Sarah, and Azzi, at least that's what the numbers would suggest.

She does have an issue with fitting into the half court offense, and a weak perimeter game, but she does score by running the floor, slashing to the hoop and getting offensive rebounds. Those offensive boards and also drawing fouls more than most, are areas this team is not as good at, so as long as you had at least two big time three point threats that space the floor, I think it would work fine.

Aubrey was a starter at the 3 for a whole season, and did well there, but most of her career she was behind Aaliyah at the 4, which I think is her best position. She will presumably be the obvious choice for backup minutes for Sarah, but of course that won't amount to much if Sarah stays mostly at the 4. Playing with Sarah is the way for Aubrey to get major minutes, either in combination as a 4/5, or as 3/4.

Generally agree with your post with one modification. If Aubrey & Sarah are UConn’s forwards. I would have Aubrey at the 5 and Sarah at the 4. In past seasons, Aubrey has more than held her own against opposing centers. Aubrey’s combination of length, strength and athleticism gives her the capability of guarding 1-5.

 

[Centerstream]

Aubrey is already looking good during the Wells Fargo Warm-Ups on YouTube

 

[hoophuskee]

Time to throw rocks at Skeets. I believe Aubrey can be an important part of this team, but I just don't see her being the silver bullet leading UConn to the promised land (sorry). Some of the expectations on the BY are outside of reality.

What do you mean by "silver bullet?"

If some of us were to believe Aubrey is potentially the best defender on the team (or 2nd best) then does that constitute our belief of this possibility as "outside of reality?"

If it's not "outside of reality," then might she be considered a "silver bullet?"

 

[Bone Dog]

Starters: Paige, Kaitlyn, Sarah, Azzi, Jana as of a moment ago

 

[browns]

I think there’s a few possibilities for Aubrey.

• She can raise the level of play of the youngsters merely by challenging them in practice and by her example in games. But this is not a quick fix for anything. At best, it’s an incremental change.
• She deepens the rotation of players who fully understand Geno’s defense. This is significant by itself and could improve the rebounding options for Ice and Jana.
• She and Paige and Azzi know how to make the transition game work. Ice and Ash and KK and Q are familiar with it too. It’s easy to see that Morgan is also eager to get out and run in the open court. Paige knows how to find Aubrey on the break and the renewed connection is likely to boost Paige’s joy in the game.
• One last thing, maybe the least of them, Aubrey wants to make a splash, to show what she can do for a team and maybe work her way into the draft for next spring. Think Jacy Sheldon, who came back from injury and made her presence decisively felt at tOSU, and earned a spot in the W.

To make these things happen, Aubrey can’t just be a tentative player. She needs to be a difference maker, someone who changes a game by entering it. This is what she was before the injury. This is asking a lot from someone coming off knee surgery. The question is whether she can achieve any or all of these in 2 or 3 short months.

We need a dazzling 6th woman who can shock top 10 teams who focus their defense on Paige and Sarah. Aubrey did that for Azzi a few times two seasons ago. Can she be that for Geno again? In a sense, the BE schedule ought to be ideal for Aubrey. Eleven games before we face SC and Tennessee. Unfortunately, Aubrey will miss half of those games. After SC, she’ll have another handful of games culminating in the BE tournament to recapture her mojo before the big dance. This feels like a tight schedule for Aubrey and Geno.

I feel bad for kids like Aubrey and Evina, who stayed an extra year to play with Paige and the team they love only to have injuries derail their hopes. In Evina’s case, she held the team together until Paige could return and the real season could begin that March. It looked rocky until Paige hobbled onto the court against St John’s and there was joy in Storrs again. She was a silver bullet that season.

Please, let Paige and Sarah hold it together until Azzi and Aubrey come back and the NC run can begin. The odds are even steeper this time than the last one and we’re not awaiting the return of the reigning NPOY. And the team Paige lifted with her return was stacked with veterans, 5 of whom made it into the W. But hope springs eternal.

The difference is Sheldon is a good shooter while Aubrey is not

 

[Centerstream]

Starters: Paige, Kaitlyn, Sarah, Azzi, Jana as of a moment ago

Anyone else surprised by Jana starting? (Just a question, not an opinion.)

 

[hoophuskee]

Anyone else surprised by Jana starting? (Just a question, not an opinion.)

Yes.

 

[Bone Dog]

Anyone else surprised by Jana starting? (Just a question, not an opinion.)

Yes and no. Over the summer, I assumed Jana and Ice would start together as the 4 & 5, mainly because I didn’t realize how quickly Sarah would get up to speed. It was clear how mistaken I was right away when it became clear how much further behind Ica and Sarah still was in November.

 

[Rudy1927]

Anyone else surprised by Jana starting? (Just a question, not an opinion.)

Anyone else surprised by Jana starting? (Just a question, not an opinion.)

I’m ready for a shake up. Bigs are not producing. I’m ready for PB at the point, shade, azzi, Aubrey and SS. That’s a fun lineup to watch. Subject to change if there is a dominating 5. Not many this year.

 

[The CDR-Ret]

If Aubrey can get back to close to where she was before her ACL last December, a player like Liatu King has a much harder time scoring those crucial points she got because Aubrey would've been defending her. She makes our defense just so much more athletic on the wing. It also allows Sarah, an excellent defender, to defend in the post.

I am praying that AG will have at least three warm-up games and THEN LIGHT up Tennessee, and consistently provide suffocating defense, rebound & score at near double-double for the rest of the year!

Sarah could be the 4, and AG as 5 as she summons her inner "Gabby Williams"! on not so tall teams.

Go Huskies!!!!

 

[KCD]

When Aubrey has been healthy, she generally makes an impact on the game. The team hasn't been able to count on her to average 15 ppg, but she is capable of giving you 25 pts on a given night (it doesn't matter if it's a great team or not). But her defense is always intense, she always runs the floor (and generally beats the other team down the court), and she is an excellent rebounder (especially offensive rebounds). She has always been a difference maker. If she is healthy, we should expect the same. I'm hoping that she is fully healthy (for her sake) and she can unleash her inner Aubrey (which has been a beast in the past).

 

[Cuango]

January has been the target for Aubrey all along. I guess they are not backing off that target. I don't have a problem with that. There are enough BE games to get Aubrey up to speed. And yes, she looked like she was moving well in pregame warmups, so she must be getting really close.

Time to throw rocks at Skeets. I believe Aubrey can be an important part of this team, but I just don't see her being the silver bullet leading UConn to the promised land (sorry). Some of the expectations on the BY are outside of reality.

Sorry! A healthy Aubrey has been and will be a critical part of any run we may have to this year’s title! She is the quintessential “flashbang grenade” that police use when they want to stun and confuse the bad guys when they go into a bad situation. I have seen her completely change the whole complexion of the game when Geno brings her in at the right time. A quick O rebound & putback, a steal, a long pass from Paige to a streaking Aubrey for a transition score, stellar defense on the opponents best player, and suddenly the entire momentum of the game is changed! I’ve seen it enough times to know that didn’t just happen by chance! Yes, she’s not likely to put up 25 points or give us 15 boards but her contributions are often just as important and that is why Geno values her so! She plays with an infectiousness that inspires the entire team and that is why she cannot come back soon enough for me!

 

[Zarathustra]

Geno's Pregame Availability has been posted, audio only. Post #26.

thank you for the redirection to the PRE GAME interviews! NICE!

 

[Skeets]

What do you mean by "silver bullet?"

If some of us were to believe Aubrey is potentially the best defender on the team (or 2nd best) then does that constitute our belief of this possibility as "outside of reality?"

If it's not "outside of reality," then might she be considered a "silver bullet?"

You know, the thing that kills werewolves.

It's just that I'm reading too many posts that the NC hinges on Aubrey's return. I don't think that is the case. Can she help? Sure. If UConn wins the NC, will Aubrey be responsible for it? No, that's a stretch.

Way too many times I've seen this kind of hype over the years only to be disappointed with the actual results. You've never been disappointed?

 

[BBallF]

I agree he'll press but what's it going to show when they end up having to face a quaility team with good guards? SoCal had a weakness with guards and turnovers.

Good point. Tennessee will be a solid test. They themselves press full court all game and their guards are good. They did a number on Iowa and Lucy Olsen. I just don't see any other real option in the way for us to play. Azzi will be getting her timing back soon and Aubrey will be returning. Without an effective post game, and with our array of players, I think this will be a steady diet for us.

 

[Jaydumo20]

You know, the thing that kills werewolves.

It's just that I'm reading too many posts that the NC hinges on Aubrey's return. I don't think that is the case. Can she help? Sure. If UConn wins the NC, will Aubrey be responsible for it? No, that's a stretch.

Way too many times I've seen this kind of hype over the years only to be disappointed with the actual results. You've never been disappointed?

I agree. AG is a huge talent but the tendency as a fan is to want your team to win every game and by a lot and we comfort ourselves with the thought that with the addition of just one piece we'd be there.

This also comes in the form of the "we haven't played our A game yet" trope.
This "A game" being that elusive, big foot game where you never yell at the TV once and leave without one complaint....

 

[HuskyNan]

I agree. AG is a huge talent but the tendency as a fan is to want your team to win every game and by a lot and we comfort ourselves with the thought that with the addition of just one piece we'd be there.

This also comes in the form of the "we haven't played our A game yet" trope.
This "A game" being that elusive, big foot game where you never yell at the TV once and leave without one complaint....

People want the return of the beautiful, flowing offense from 10-20 years ago but I don't think we'll ever see a full game of that again, from anyone. Opponents were simply dreadful back then, incapable of slowing the Huskies down much less stop them.

Do folks remember the good teams in the Old Big East? Rutgers, Louisville, Boston College, Notre Dame - games were often rock fights, ugly, low scoring affairs because the teams had the skill, talent, and good coaching needed to fight back. The ND games looked better because their offense was prettier but were still not the pieces of art that the old bottom of the Big East games were. This parity is what we're seeing throughout the NCAA now. Former doormats are getting better - even Providence showed a semblance of a pretty good defense at times yesterday. (Erin Batth seems like a good hire. Good for Providence caring about its wbb team - it's about time) Husky fans need to get used to the idea that UConn will have to work harder to win and games may have to be scrappy and ugly, rather than pine for the old days.

 

[oldude]

You know, the thing that kills werewolves.

It's just that I'm reading too many posts that the NC hinges on Aubrey's return. I don't think that is the case. Can she help? Sure. If UConn wins the NC, will Aubrey be responsible for it? No, that's a stretch.

Way too many times I've seen this kind of hype over the years only to be disappointed with the actual results. You've never been disappointed?

Yes, but while Geno will continue to give Ice & Jana time to become the center(s) he needs on this team, if they don’t step up to the plate, Aubrey may end up as the starting center by default. Assuming she’s healthy, Aubrey’s defense, rebounding and ability to run the court would be a considerable upgrade over what we’ve seen so far from Jana & Ice.

 

[Bone Dog]

Yes, but while Geno will continue to give Ice & Jana time to become the center(s) he needs on this team, if they don’t step up to the plate, Aubrey may end up as the starting center by default. Assuming she’s healthy, Aubrey’s defense, rebounding and ability to run the court would be a considerable upgrade over what we’ve seen so far from Jana & Ice.

I’m also hopeful that Aubrey’s return willl give the team a boost. But I imagine it will be as another contributor, not as the default starting center. A healthy Aubrey would probably boost the perimeter defense, the transition offense, and she might be a scrappy athletic rebounder. Sarah and Jana and Ice will benefit from having her playing next to them. If the old Aubrey returns, she’ll make their jobs easier. If that Aubrey returns, she’ll take minutes from several players, not just Jana and Ice. Geno said running the press against providence tired out the team. Aubrey could help with this.