This one out of all possible scenarios on Sunday surprised me the most. 4 minutes? That really is not what I expected, especially considering all the off-season and practice talk Geno had said. That she was understanding most of what he wanted and only as a freshman. I thought when Nika couldn't buy a basket it would have been a good time to put her in. I hope we get to see more from her over the weekend.
Caroline minutes
- Thread starter jchusky
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I expect players who saw little or no time against Arkansas will see significant minutes in the first
game and maybe the second game too. The game against S. Carolina, not so much.
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This is why you can't sit on every word Geno says during preseason. And in regards to Nika, she has proven herself in big games not just in practices. There was no reason to take away add'l minutes from Nika. CD will have her shot. Ark hung around close enough to not give CD many minutes.
In non-blowout games, that 9th player is not going to get many minutes unless you play press press press.
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I don't know the full situation of course as I can't see the practices and I have zero exposure to Caroline personally but from what little I've seen, I prefer playing Caroline to Azzi and Nika. And it's not even that close. Look at all the advantages she has compared to the others. She blocks shots. She rebounds. She gets her hands on passes. She can shoot almost as well as Azzi. She can drive to the basket. I think she even defends better. I suspect she hasn't learned some things yet like switching well on screens and such or whatever but the raw material of Caroline is exceptional. Azzi has more experience against international level competition and she doesn't make mistakes. Apparently she defends better but I'm not seeing it. I think Caroline's eventually the biggest contributor from her class. The goto player who can make plays when you need them against better competition. I'm not dumping on Azzi who is going to be a solid player and maybe even a great player. I just want to see Caroline more. I think if you gave her 25 minutes she would put up better numbers than half the team.
Impressive post! Wonder where in the world you got all of this information. Are you at practices? Does Geno have Saturday intra-team scrimmages? We did when I played. Just you on the court with a clock and refs.
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Hopefully during conference games Geno will rest the seniors quite a bit after half time and we can let the bench have most of the minutes. If we have a lead of 20-25+ early in the third quarter, I'd like to see a line up of Paige/Nika, Azzi, Caroline, Aaliyah/Dorka, and a rotation of Aubrey/Mir/Piath for the rest of the game.
So put her in for Nika and put Bueckers back on the ball so her shots are reduced? Nika is not out there to score, she is out there to win.
I think that Coach was so stunned by the team play he wanted to give the front end of his roster more time together.
Plugged the ‘bigs’ in an out to get a look see, but the overall flow and synchronization ( especially at the D end) left much to be desired.
Great first 8 minutes, almost decent for a first game, but will not be sufficient in Bermuda.
Plugged the ‘bigs’ in an out to get a look see, but the overall flow and synchronization ( especially at the D end) left much to be desired.
Great first 8 minutes, almost decent for a first game, but will not be sufficient in Bermuda.
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I wouldn't put too much emphasis on # of minutes played in an opening game, especially for freshman. If by the 4th or 5th game a particular player is not seeing minutes then one might be able to come to some sort of conclusion as to where people are in the rotation.
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Maybe you didn't read the first few lines of my post or maybe you just come here to put down others. You are not alone in that regard. I just stated my opinion and I gave insight as to why I have that opinion. We will see who is right over the long term won't we. I've watched maybe 10 hours of video from Azzi and Caroline and I coached for 25 years. It's my evaluation. Of course I may be wrong but my opinion is not worthy of insult. Azzi can shoot the lights out but the whole team is going to have to create shots for her. Azzi's biggest strengths are in not making mistakes and shooting extremely well. I'm not seeing the great defense. I'm not seeing the quickness. I'm not seeing the dribble drive penetration. I'm see a Steve Alford type player. I prefer the total package Caroline offers.
Are you actually suggesting pressing? Not even I have suggested that yet. You can't set a trap if you can't cut off a ballhandler.
I have never seen the number nine ever written in one of your posts before. Did your finger slip. Even 8 for that matter.
8 + 5= 13, the 5 being a "blue team". They enter the game in unison, ideally once in each half, not counting turkey-time at the end. They stay out there 2-5 minutes, dependent on them at least holding the lead. Huge morale boost for everyone. Everyone in the ready on the bench always. Mir, Amari, Piath, Aubrey, and Nika. Nika would be a phenomenal leader of the group. Mir and Aubrey would be forced to take the load offensively, except for the posts getting open for layups, and that would help them enormously. What can happen? Can't look much worse (except PB, E, CW) than against Arkansas. Except for the 3-4 big boys they play, Arkansas is their best opponent.
No lose and the possible return is incalculable. Everyone gets time. Could use them together in practice against the first group. Players earn more time.....
Who knows how it will play out, but I think the Arkansas game gave some hope to fans who would like to see a rotation of ten players. Remember Aubrey was injured, so if you assume she would get some regular minutes if healthy, then Geno's 9 against Arkansas grows to 10, even against a quality opponent. That by itself is a significant change from recent years and suggests Geno thinks Caroline could be part of the rotation against top teams.
That said I thought the most realistic expectation for Caroline was to be the 10th player in that rotation. She could get say all of the backup minutes behind Evina at the 3, but more likely those minutes may result in Azzi getting a-lot of those, and maybe even Nika coming in for Evina with Paige staying in and Christyn moving to the 3. So she has plenty of competition this year for those backup minutes.
Geno could put a good player there without her, using a rotation of 9. One advantage she probably has is she might be the closest to a natural 3 of the candidates, and combines the shot with good height. I hope she can get regular but limited minutes this year, and be ready to blossom next year along with Azzi as Evina and Christyn depart.
That said I thought the most realistic expectation for Caroline was to be the 10th player in that rotation. She could get say all of the backup minutes behind Evina at the 3, but more likely those minutes may result in Azzi getting a-lot of those, and maybe even Nika coming in for Evina with Paige staying in and Christyn moving to the 3. So she has plenty of competition this year for those backup minutes.
Geno could put a good player there without her, using a rotation of 9. One advantage she probably has is she might be the closest to a natural 3 of the candidates, and combines the shot with good height. I hope she can get regular but limited minutes this year, and be ready to blossom next year along with Azzi as Evina and Christyn depart.
Sorry you took my response wrong. Like to think there are a couple people here one can actually banter with a tad without their "panties getting in a bunch" (sorry about that, all I could think of.)
I read your "disclaimer" in the beginning, which IMO made the rest of the post moot. Like you said, nobody knows yet.
BTW I think Azzi is the Steve Alford here. Caroline is a 3. Can't even see the two of them competing for the same minutes. I need to come up with a good analogy for CD. Don't know her yet. Tom Chambers- Phoenix Suns, Kiki Vandeweghe (I add 6" to women for an equivalent, so PB is 6'5"/6'6", CD 6'8"/6'9")
oldude
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Unfortunately, Caroline looked like a freshman in the first half. As a result she got few? if any minutes in the second half. She’ll get another chance against MN, but if she again looks shaky don’t expect to see her against SC.
Right now Caroline is #9 in the rotation. Assuming Aubrey is healthy and ready to play, that moves Caroline to #10. 5-10 mpg would be about the max for her, assuming she performs better than she did vs Arkansas.
Right now Caroline is #9 in the rotation. Assuming Aubrey is healthy and ready to play, that moves Caroline to #10. 5-10 mpg would be about the max for her, assuming she performs better than she did vs Arkansas.
so nobody but Nika on this team wants to win? Get out of here with that cliche, Many not just myself have said that when she comes in the game her shot selection is suspect and the opposing team knows that is one less player to worry about with the ball.
diggerfoot
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As for mistakes, I’m not sure Ducharme was making more per minute than Fudd, though Fudd got 19 minutes and Ducharme 4. But one of her mistakes near the end if the first half was trying to make a play more difficult than it had to be with a spin move, then getting called for traveling. And this from the player who is supposed to be sneaky good.
There may have been a particular message being sent, maybe not. But I suspect Ducharme will get her minutes over the course of the season. If she makes the most of them she will rise in the depth chart.
There may have been a particular message being sent, maybe not. But I suspect Ducharme will get her minutes over the course of the season. If she makes the most of them she will rise in the depth chart.
Charliebball
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I think you need to look at a bit more of Fudd's work because she clearly has the ability to get her own shot off the dribble or by backing her defender in any time she wants..........her pull up jump shot is as deadly as Buecker's............perhaps you should consider waiting until the season progresses a bit before you make judgments about any of the new players.......
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Bald Husky
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I don't think you really know enough to make those judgements
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After one game, I think the BY is a little off our discussion game.
I made an original post stating that the players that are not named Paige, have a "problem" that they could be playing with one of the best female basketball players off all time. ( Time will tell....states Old dude). Because of that, the other players on her team, who are really good....just don't look as good as Paige. Not knocking them, just a fact.
So on this thread, yes CD only got 4 minutes but according to "Team First" she will outshine Nika and Azzi, (her opinion)...but when you add " Its not even close"....you are going to get a "discussion" on that, not an insult.
Also, when Charlie Ball states that Azzi's "pull up jumper is as deadly as Paiges" , his opinion....but "time will tell and let's hope" but its fair for me to say that I have seen that yet in college ( only two games)
I made an original post stating that the players that are not named Paige, have a "problem" that they could be playing with one of the best female basketball players off all time. ( Time will tell....states Old dude). Because of that, the other players on her team, who are really good....just don't look as good as Paige. Not knocking them, just a fact.
So on this thread, yes CD only got 4 minutes but according to "Team First" she will outshine Nika and Azzi, (her opinion)...but when you add " Its not even close"....you are going to get a "discussion" on that, not an insult.
Also, when Charlie Ball states that Azzi's "pull up jumper is as deadly as Paiges" , his opinion....but "time will tell and let's hope" but its fair for me to say that I have seen that yet in college ( only two games)
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I would think that every new player who gets in a game want to perform like their resume. At the same time they are fearful that they will do something wrong and then "Coach" will pull them and they won't get in the game again. Not everyone is like a Paige who excells while they have floor time.
Somehow, each individual has to impress Geno enough in order to stay in the game. Otherwise, they will get slivers in their behind. It has to be very tough for these recruits to learn how to play the game the way Geno teaches.
Somehow, each individual has to impress Geno enough in order to stay in the game. Otherwise, they will get slivers in their behind. It has to be very tough for these recruits to learn how to play the game the way Geno teaches.
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UM...Azzi can get her own shot anytime and can get to the rim easily on footwork and dribble skills alone and I watched maybe ten minutes of video. She's fast enough. I just thought she may have closed out too tight or was confused about the defense they were playing. Last game her defense wasn't great, but that was one game. And I'm sure there's some adjustment in coming into the game cold off the bench. She has NO IDEA what that is! lol Very few players are GREAT on defense. You know that because you coached 25 years. Off the top of my head I can only think of a handful of Uconn guards that I would place in that category...Moriah Jefferson, Nykesha Sales, Jen Rizotti. Speaking of quickness...I wouldn't even use that word to describe anyone on this team. They are fast enough.
It is not only Geno but every top coach will only play you in important minutes of a game if you can perform under pressure.
CocoHusky
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Hopefully we are not going to have one of these pity party threads for each of "our" favorite players stating they deserve more minutes after every game as we did last season. There was not a single player in a UCONN uniform that was deserving of more minutes than they played in this game. Buckets played 40 Minutes, Grandma played 38 and Squeaks played 36.
This team plays 3 or 4 games all season that would require the starting 6/7 players to play high majority of minutes. If Geno is really interested in finding out who could break into that elite group, he has more games to do it than any other coach in the land. It could very well be that he already knows who they are and who he has slotted for more involvement next season.
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I think many of are high on Caroline because she has the most tools of the freshman class. Yes, even more so than Azzi, who is going to be damned good—once she starts playing defense. She will. I just want to see Caroline get substantial minutes in those games where we expect runaways (most) to get her prepared to come off the bench and be effective in tough games as we get into March.