Can UConn's Bench Help the Huskies Win Big Games?

[my2cents]

In most games they will be a help....big games, NO.....first, they have never been even in one, and generally what happens is they play against quicker players and commit fouls trying to keep up.

 

[oldude]

In most games they will be a help....big games, NO.....first, they have never been even in one, and generally what happens is they play against quicker players and commit fouls trying to keep up.

No one has ever played in a big game until they do. A couple of freshmen did just fine in their first big game in South Bend, and while Christyn’s performance was not totally unexpected, I think everyone was pleasantly surprised with Liv’s performance.

 

[VAMike23]

Just as an aside, re: bench players --

Mikayla Coombs has one of the fastest first steps I've ever seen. IMHO it's on a par with Tiffany Hayes if not faster. I give Tiff the advantage on how she jukes the defender and changes direction on the initial move--which adds to her effectiveness--but for raw 'first step' speed, Coombs is even faster to my eye. I'm not trying to oversell her as a basketball player, or whatever, just saying that first step is ridiculously fast.

Incredible explosion + good distance covered on 1st step = bye, bye! for defenders. Somehow she has to figure out how to consistently harness that speed when she goes to the rim (and also avoid charges).

Obviously a lot of other stuff to work on but that's a great tool to have in the toolkit.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Just as an aside, re: bench players --

Mikayla Coombs has one of the fastest first steps I've ever seen. IMHO it's on a par with Tiffany Hayes if not faster. I give Tiff the advantage on how she jukes the defender and changes direction on the initial move--which adds to her effectiveness--but for raw 'first step' speed, Coombs is even faster to my eye. I'm not trying to oversell her as a basketball player, or whatever, just saying that first step is ridiculously fast.

Incredible explosion + good distance covered on 1st step = bye, bye! for defenders. Somehow she has to figure out how to consistently harness that speed when she goes to the rim (and also avoid charges).

Obviously a lot of other stuff to work on but that's a great tool to have in the toolkit.

MC also has very quick hands.

 

[my2cents]

No one has ever played in a big game until they do. A couple of freshmen did just fine in their first big game in South Bend, and while Christyn’s performance was not totally unexpected, I think everyone was pleasantly surprised with Liv’s performance.

Thats right, thats why I was screaming at the TV during the semi-final loss to ND where MW did not get in the game at all. CW obviously was a surprise to us, but not to herself in the ND win. But then again, as Uconn fans, a great year is 38-0 and a disastrous one is 36-1, lol

 

[Tenspro2002]

Thats right, thats why I was screaming at the TV during the semi-final loss to ND where MW did not get in the game at all. CW obviously was a surprise to us, but not to herself in the ND win. But then again, as Uconn fans, a great year is 38-0 and a disastrous one is 36-1, lol

The problems that we had in the ND game would not have been solved by Megan Walker.

 

[my2cents]

The problems that we had in the ND game would not have been solved by Megan Walker.

If we make it to the Final 4 this year, Megan will be playing in her first Final 4 game....if she got in last year, she would have some experience......

 

[Tenspro2002]

If we make it to the Final 4 this year, Megan will be playing in her first Final 4 game....if she got in last year, she would have some experience.

OK, but that's something that could affect this year, not last year.

 

[Bama fan]

Yes.