Comparing the Big Three

[Bone Dog]

Here’s my first crack at a comparison.

• Paige plays to win. Whatever it takes, that’s what she’ll do.
• Azzi is driven to play well and not to let her teammates down. This is why she can occasionally get derailed by mistakes. When she’s playing well success builds on success.
• Sarah wants to win but doesn’t want the spotlight.

What’s your sense of the three of them?

 

[ERWUC65]

Paige suffers a bit from the effect injuries have had on her bid for POY
Azzi suffers a bit from playing in Paige's shadow and will stay at UConn to become the POY
Sarah could easily be the POY but will defer to team aspirations in the coming year

 

[EricLA]

My sense is that all 3 have different demeanors and personalities, but an equal drive to be great teammates, and to do whatever they can to help their team win.

 

[Aluminny69]

My sense is that all 3 have different demeanors and personalities, but an equal drive to be great teammates, and to do whatever they can to help their team win.

Why wouldn't this describe everyone on the team?

 

[Cornell Lt]

Here’s my first crack at a comparison.

• Paige plays to win. Whatever it takes, that’s what she’ll do.
• Azzi is driven to play well and not to let her teammates down. This is why she can occasionally get derailed by mistakes. When she’s playing well success builds on success.
• Sarah wants to win but doesn’t want the spotlight.

What’s your sense of the three of them?

Sarah my not want the spotlight but the spotlight sure has a way of finding her

 

[Charliebball]

My sense is that when the three of them all play well ....... UConn wins!

 

[PacoSwede]

My sense is that when the three of them all play well ....... UConn wins!

they also win when one or two of them do not play well/

i've been sour of this Big 3 meme that has taken hold. one of the trio outclasses the others, and the teammates excluded from the triplets are major contributors at times, and always are needed to make the team great. (don't bring up sarah ... i realize she is exceptional and in time may reach paige's level)

Be supporters/fans/advocates of azzi, sarah and paige to the moon, but the Big 3 is a big cliche, time to retire it.

 

[Longtime fan]

Why wouldn't this describe everyone on the team?

I would like to hear (from Allie) what her expectations and hopes are. She has been pretty quiet all year ( typical for a freshman ) , but I think she is a really good player...better than many of us think, based upon the limited court time she has been granted.

 

[Charliebball]

they also win when one or two of them do not play well/

i've been sour of this Big 3 meme that has taken hold. one of the trio outclasses the others, and the teammates excluded from the triplets are major contributors at times, and always are needed to make the team great. (don't bring up sarah ... i realize she is exceptional and in time may reach paige's level)

Be supporters/fans/advocates of azzi, sarah and paige to the moon, but the Big 3 is a big cliche, time to retire it.

UConn can win or lose when only one or two of them play well but I'm not aware of the team ever losing when all three of them played to their potential in the same game....

 

[Bald Husky]

Who is the best interviewee? Certainly not Sarah, as she always gives the "canned" answer, or "corporate" answer. Sarah is probably the most boring interview on the team. Before everyone gets on me, I'm sure she will improve as she gets more and more experience. On the other hand, Paige is probably one of the most inciteful players to be interviewed. Even Azzi, who at the beginning was reluctant to talk if she was up there with Paige, has come out of her shell the last few years. When Paige graduates, Sarah will be the #1 player on our roster, and one of the most important interviews in WBB. Again, I am not criticizing Sarah at all, I just think it is funny how she talks fast and does not give any personal incite of her game. LOL. She will learn. Love her

 

[Skeets]

I don't know, Azzi seemed to play her best when Paige was injured, pre-Sarah. With the 3 of them healthy and playing well, Azzi is unlikely to be the one who dominates. She can, but doesn't. Maybe she doesn't need to, but that's not a good mindset.

 

[hoopsfan22]

I'm just hoping we can send Paige, Azzi, Aubrey, and Kaitlyn off the right way with a national championship!! A fitting end for our seniors!

 

[Stagnant]

It is a big two for me. I think Sarah and Paige can really defend. I think they can both be passive, but they can be impactful even when they defer. I think Sarah will usually find her way into having a big game. She will make it happen with 6 steals for example. Paige will distribute and impact the game.

I think Paige is pretty clutch and has a tendency to play well in big games. And she stepped up her game last march. I am hoping she does it this year too.

 

[Rowdy831]

I think they all play to win but two of them are willing to defer to Paige if she wants the spotlight. Azzi to me has played great defense this year but still has some offense to show in the tournament. Sarah is quiet but very intense and driven to be a great player. She has the ability to see what is going on and shift a gear if it is needed. To me she is the one who can change her game on a dime and beat you inside, outside or taking it the rim.

 

[Zarathustra]

Who is the best interviewee? Certainly not Sarah, as she always gives the "canned" answer, or "corporate" answer. Sarah is probably the most boring interview on the team. Before everyone gets on me, I'm sure she will improve as she gets more and more experience. On the other hand, Paige is probably one of the most inciteful players to be interviewed. Even Azzi, who at the beginning was reluctant to talk if she was up there with Paige, has come out of her shell the last few years. When Paige graduates, Sarah will be the #1 player on our roster, and one of the most important interviews in WBB. Again, I am not criticizing Sarah at all, I just think it is funny how she talks fast and does not give any personal incite of her game. LOL. She will learn. Love her

My take on Sarah is that her post-game presser interview "style" is not that of a "canned" answer but reflects her temperament and personality. Note that in her
her pre-game discussion with the reporters that she knows (somewhat) better
she has become more, let us say, "expressive" (and comfortable). I cannot
say that I find her post-game answers "boring". I am more like Paige who
tends to smile at Sarah after one of Sarah's answers and tends to get
a smile back from Sarah. Paige and Sarah are quite a pair... on and off the court!

 

[Skeets]

I'm just hoping we can send Paige, Azzi, Aubrey, and Kaitlyn off the right way with a national championship!! A fitting end for our seniors!

If they can put 40 minutes of basketball together like they did against SCar, then who is going to beat them? If they play like that and still lose, I'll take a knee (like Game of Thrones).

 

[Skeets]

I think they all play to win but two of them are willing to defer to Paige if she wants the spotlight. Azzi to me has played great defense this year but still has some offense to show in the tournament. Sarah is quiet but very intense and driven to be a great player. She has the ability to see what is going on and shift a gear if it is needed. To me she is the one who can change her game on a dime and beat you inside, outside or taking it the rim.

Sarah is quiet until you look at the stat sheet and realize she got another double-double. But I hear what you are saying, the kids a freshman, maybe more flash next year? I hope...

 

[Huskies990411]

My take on Sarah is that her post-game presser interview "style" is not that of a "canned" answer but reflects her temperament and personality. Note that in her
her pre-game discussion with the reporters that she knows (somewhat) better
she has become more, let us say, "expressive" (and comfortable). I cannot
say that I find her post-game answers "boring". I am more like Paige who
tends to smile at Sarah after one of Sarah's answers and tends to get
a smile back from Sarah. Paige and Sarah are quite a pair... on and off the court!

I agree it appears to be more of a comfort thing. I listen to all of the postgame pressers and would never use the word boring to describe hers, especially her interactions with Geno and her teammates. I get what’s being referred to but the word choice makes me cringe.

 

[Bone Dog]

You're kidding, right? There is at least one player, Sarah, and potentially several others on her own team who likely would be better players next season, and that doesn't even consider Betts, JuJu, Hidalgo, on and on... if Azzi comes back to UConn, I believe she would sorely miss all the attention Paige gives her on offense.

Azzi's moment in the spotlight was her sophomore year in high school... now she just needs to hope she can play her way on to a WNBA roster which needs a streaky shooter.

I’d say the same thing to you. “You’re kidding, right?” I started this thread hoping folks would explore the ways synergy among great players works. I wasn’t trying to create an excuse for folks to trash anyone.

First of all, in defense of Azzi, every great shooter is a streaky shooter. Second, all great shooters needs partners. Just one shooter is never enough to get good shots. But as the number of offensive threats on a team increases, their shot opportunities decrease. This is why Azzi only averages13 pts/game. It’s why Paige only averages ~20 pts/game, just like Maya did.

But I have a feeling that if she comes back, Azzi will look a lot more like she did in the first 6 games of her sophomore season when she averaged 24 pts/g playing next to Aaliyah and Nika even before Caroline and Lou had fully gotten up to speed. Azzi playing next to Sarah and KK and Ash (and maybe Blanca) next season gives her a chance to do what injury deprived her of them. She did what Paige usually does, carried the team as a leader and a bucket-getter. She didn’t score 30 pts every game. But she scored when the team needed her to, and made it possible for them to score too. That what a leader does.

And I’d add, Sarah will need a partner next season, and I hope it will be Azzi. It could be Ash or Blanca or Morgan, maybe Caroline or Kelis or Allie. Geno will find her a good one.

 

[AzzisBraids]

Paige is an excellent player, UConn's best right now. Azzi is the best shooter, streaky or not streaky, Sarah is their most versatile and best forward they've had since Collier.

I think they all complement each other and the benefit of having these three is there is always a "lady in waiting." Teams have harassed Fudd post-South Carolina, opening up Bueckers and Strong more. You could argue that Fudd had the outing she had that day because of all the attention Bueckers and Strong garnered.

They can really see who teams are keying in on and gameplan from there. Offensively, this is one of the best UConn teams at putting the ball in the basket and limiting their own turnovers.

 

[AzzisBraids]

You're kidding, right? There is at least one player, Sarah, and potentially several others on her own team who likely would be better players next season, and that doesn't even consider Betts, JuJu, Hidalgo, on and on... if Azzi comes back to UConn, I believe she would sorely miss all the attention Paige gives her on offense.

Azzi's moment in the spotlight was her sophomore year in high school... now she just needs to hope she can play her way on to a WNBA roster which needs a streaky shooter.

If Azzi Fudd declares for the draft she'll be a lottery pick, if she waits until next year same deal. This is a kid who has dealt with so many injuries and is just now prepping to play a healthy NCAA tournament (She had that foot issue her freshman year and the knee brace on the other time.)

Her moment in the spotlight again is ahead of her and if she returns and remains healthy, she's a Player of the Year candidate. The stats show she plays better when Bueckers isn't on the floor anyway.