Cori Close could be the next great WBB coach

[CTrefugee]

All I know off her is today's game and her post game presser.
I like her attitude and what she said about her team, our team , and the game.

Seems Geno smart. It remains to be seen if she can handle players the wy Geno and CD have over the years.

 

[Alydar]

Fudd almost picked UCLA. Close has attracted a lot of elite players so she must make a strong positive impression on recruits at the very least. Geno seems to like and respect her.
It's what she does with that talent is the issue. I wasn't impressed with the U19 team she coached.

 

[jchusky]

no according to naysayers she just can recruit and can't coach. I think they said that about Dawn also, oops? She did a good job in 2020, if not for the tournament cancelled that would have been her best team.

 

[Veteran]

Wouldn't this thread be more appropriate for the General Women's Basketball sub?

 

[mbr33ct]

Wouldn't this thread be more appropriate for the General Women's Basketball sub?

I believe the fact that Geno and company were mentioned in the first two posts does qualify this thread to be in this UConn forum.

 

[eebmg]

Hmm, Whiplash alert. this seems like a 180 degree turn from many BY opinions in the past.

 

[Veteran]

I believe the fact that Geno and company were mentioned in the first two posts does qualify this thread to be in this UConn forum.

So, I guess it would also be okay to create a thread in the UConn Women's Basketball Forum praising the uniforms worn by the UMass Lowell River Hawks as long as someone also says, "Geno's team wears nice uniforms, too".

And I don't quite understand why the first reply is relevant as to whether a thread created to extol another team's coach belongs in the UCWB Forum.

 

[mbr33ct]

So, I guess it would also be okay to create a thread in the UConn Women's Basketball Forum praising the uniforms worn by the UMass Lowell River Hawks as long as someone also says, "Geno's team wears nice uniforms, too".

And I don't quite understand why the first reply is relevant as to whether a thread created to extol another team's coach belongs in the UCWB Forum.

It was...

 

[HopJim]

Its funny how when you are a good recruiter, those recruits cause people to start saying you are a good coach as well.

 

[JellyBean]

Coach Cori (along with Coach Neighbors from Arkansas) are among my two favorite coaches, besides Geno and Dawn. Love me some Coach Cori!! I love her coaching style. She has the pulse of the players. Decent with the Xs and Os. She is just a solid coach that is building a pretty solid UCLA squad. Still love that 2014-15 squad that won the WNIT title.

 

[Centerstream]

Wouldn't this thread be more appropriate for the General Women's Basketball sub?

I'm of the understanding that is what the General sub forum was created for but that doesn't appear to be relevant anymore for some. "Rules", who needs them.

 

[HuskyMJ]

She could be the next great coach but I think you are putting too much stock in a post game press conference. I don't know if matters discussed after a game are that important in building a program. Or there are just a lot more important things that affect winning.

 

[CL82]

I believe the fact that Geno and company were mentioned in the first two posts does qualify this thread to be in this UConn forum.

Perhaps we need a replay with the refs staring at the monitor for five minutes to make a final determination.

 

[CL82]

All I know off her is today's game and her post game presser.
I like her attitude and what she said about her team, our team , and the game.

Seems Geno smart. It remains to be seen if she can handle players the wy Geno and CD have over the years.

Do you have a link to the presser? I just looked but couldn’t find it

 

[Blakeon18]

BTW: back in the day...not sure how long ago...she asked Geno if she could bring her staff to Storrs for a few days to get better in their profession. He said OK...I am pretty sure it was in the off-season.

 

[CocoHusky]

BTW: back in the day...not sure how long ago...she asked Geno if she could bring her staff to Storrs for a few days to get better in their profession. He said OK...I am pretty sure it was in the off-season.

It was before the 2013-14 season and truth be told Cori didn't learn anything from the trip to Stoors that she has put to use a to increase her coaching abilities. I'm not sure why Cori would deserve consideration as the "next great coach". Cori Close is a mediocre coach at best. After a decade of coaching at UCLA Cori has never won a conference championship. Despite having #1 overall recruiting class Cori has never reach a final four. 6 other PAC 12 Conference coaches have managed to make the FF in Cori's tenure at UCLA . You can't be considered anything but a mediocre coach when half the teams in your conference have made the FF and your team has not. Did any else besides @Alydar and me watch the Cori coached U19 team playing this past summer? Anyone who thinks that U19 team was well coach probably thinks Holly Warlick is poised for a return to coaching for a program on the come up.

 

[BobbyJ]

It was before the 2013-14 season and truth be told Cori didn't learn anything from the trip to Stoors that she has put to use a to increase her coaching abilities. I'm not sure why Cori would deserve consideration as the "next great coach". Cori Close is a mediocre coach at best. After a decade of coaching at UCLA Cori has never won a conference championship. Despite having #1 overall recruiting class Cori has never reach a final four. 6 other PAC 12 Conference coaches have managed to make the FF in Cori's tenure at UCLA . You can't be considered anything but a mediocre coach when half the teams in your conference have made the FF and your team has not. Did any else besides @Alydar and me watch the Cori coached U19 team playing this past summer? Anyone who thinks that U19 team was well coach probably thinks Holly Warlick is poised for a return to coaching for a program on the come up.

I was wondering when you'd get around to addressing this question. I watched it and it did nothing to change my view of her as mediocre.

 

[Dillon77]

Did any else besides @Alydar and me watch the Cori coached U19 team playing this past summer? Anyone who thinks that U19 team was well coach probably thinks Holly Warlick is poised for a return to coaching for a program on the come up.

Like you, @Alydar and several other posters on The Boneyard and The Bench, I did watch those games. At the expense at being thrown into the corner of a gym with Tim Fudd and his airhorn , may I inquire into what your major gripes were with the way Cori Close coached that team?

You know my posts well enough from over the years that I'm not trying to bait you here. I'm genuinely interested in your take. So interested that I printed out the team stat sheets and read them over again while watching the 2nd half of the SC-Maryland game.

The stats are, of course, overwhelming. The U.S. was #1 in scoring offense, scoring defense, scoring margin, field goal percentage, field goal percentage defense, all the rebounding categories (save offensive rebounding -- 3rd), assists and Assist/Turnover ratio. I was going to ding 'em on the 14.1 turnovers per game, but only Mali had less.

If you recall, the team had some interesting personnel decisions being made late in the selection process, then one starter summarily disappeared after the first game. I actually thought one of Close's stronger mid-tourney decisions came when altering her starting line-up; inserting a #3 -- Sonia Citron -- into the lineup; as a 4. And, of course, Citron thrived in that role (as did the team), playing well with Caitlin Clark, Te-Hina Paopao, Azzi Fudd and the two centers (Laurens Betts and Ware). Also, I liked the way Close employed Diamond Johnson off the bench as a Vinnie Johnson-type of "microwave" spark.

Was it all smooth? No, the gold medal game against Australia was labored; although, they looked very efficient in the run-ups against Spain and Hungary. Substitutions possibly could've been smoother, but Payton Verhulst continued to play hard after she was taken out of the starting 5 and Sania Feagin started making some contributions later on. And the Jewell Spear departure notwithstanding, proceedings seemed to be pretty normalized.

I certainly can understand your perspective of Close as UCLA Coach (although she did win an NIT, no?), but not sure her performance for the U.S.A. merits a slam. So, that said, what did I miss? Thanks.

 

[nwhoopfan]

After a decade of coaching at UCLA Cori has never won a conference championship. Despite having #1 overall recruiting class Cori has never reach a final four. 6 other PAC 12 Conference coaches have managed to make the FF in Cori's tenure at UCLA . You can't be considered anything but a mediocre coach when half the teams in your conference have made the FF and your team has not.

That's an interesting set of criteria to use. Some of those Pac 12 coaches who got a team to a singular Final 4 are not necessarily better overall when looking at their career than Close. I'd take her over Gottlieb in a heartbeat. I'd probably take her over Neighbors. While overall tilts in favor of Rueck, the recent trend is shifting toward her. Barnes is still a little too soon to tell. UCLA has finished in the top 4 of the Pac 12 the last 6 years, that's worth something. Tara is the only other coach who has done the same.

 

[Plebe]

That's an interesting set of criteria to use. Some of those Pac 12 coaches who got a team to a singular Final 4 are not necessarily better overall when looking at their career than Close. I'd take her over Gottlieb in a heartbeat. I'd probably take her over Neighbors. While overall tilts in favor of Rueck, the recent trend is shifting toward her. Barnes is still a little too soon to tell. UCLA has finished in the top 4 of the Pac 12 the last 6 years, that's worth something. Tara is the only other coach who has done the same.

I don't really hold it against her that she hasn't been to a Final 4 yet. My biggest hangup is that I just don't love the product she puts out on the court. Her teams typically play very hard, and the combination of athleticism and intensity can go a long way -- but yet goes only so far. I just don't see any convincing evidence of cohesive half court offense or X's and O's proficiency.

Let's just say I think the strong positive impression she makes in interviews is not quite matched by the product she's put on the court.

 

[nwhoopfan]

I don't really hold it against her that she hasn't been to a Final 4 yet. My biggest hangup is that I just don't love the product she puts out on the court. Her teams typically play very hard, and the combination of athleticism and intensity can go a long way -- but yet goes only so far. I just don't see any convincing evidence of cohesive half court offense or X's and O's proficiency.

Let's just say I think the strong positive impression she makes in interviews is not quite matched by the product she's put on the court.

Agreed. I'm not gonna call her a great coach, but she's not a terrible coach either. Consistency counts for a lot with me, and she's had her program staying at a good level despite stars moving on periodically.

 

[CocoHusky]

Like you, @Alydar and several other posters on The Boneyard and The Bench, I did watch those games. At the expense at being thrown into the corner of a gym with Tim Fudd and his airhorn , may I inquire into what your major gripes were with the way Cori Close coached that team?

You know my posts well enough from over the years that I'm not trying to bait you here. I'm genuinely interested in your take. So interested that I printed out the team stat sheets and read them over again while watching the 2nd half of the SC-Maryland game.

The stats are, of course, overwhelming. The U.S. was #1 in scoring offense, scoring defense, scoring margin, field goal percentage, field goal percentage defense, all the rebounding categories (save offensive rebounding -- 3rd), assists and Assist/Turnover ratio. I was going to ding 'em on the 14.1 turnovers per game, but only Mali had less.

If you recall, the team had some interesting personnel decisions being made late in the selection process, then one starter summarily disappeared after the first game. I actually thought one of Close's stronger mid-tourney decisions came when altering her starting line-up; inserting a #3 -- Sonia Citron -- into the lineup; as a 4. And, of course, Citron thrived in that role (as did the team), playing well with Caitlin Clark, Te-Hina Paopao, Azzi Fudd and the two centers (Laurens Betts and Ware). Also, I liked the way Close employed Diamond Johnson off the bench as a Vinnie Johnson-type of "microwave" spark.

Was it all smooth? No, the gold medal game against Australia was labored; although, they looked very efficient in the run-ups against Spain and Hungary. Substitutions possibly could've been smoother, but Payton Verhulst continued to play hard after she was taken out of the starting 5 and Sania Feagin started making some contributions later on. And the Jewell Spear departure notwithstanding, proceedings seemed to be pretty normalized.

I certainly can understand your perspective of Close as UCLA Coach (although she did win an NIT, no?), but not sure her performance for the U.S.A. merits a slam. So, that said, what did I miss? Thanks.

The major issues with the U19 were: 1) Only two players Paopao and Clark started all seven games and she used 8 different players in the starting line up. 2) The players rotating into the game did not have a defined role and seemingly confused as to defensive assignments or even what defense they were playing. 3) There was no discernible defensive schemes and the offense devolved into Caitlin shoot the ball as much as you want- It is not as if Clark had the lowest FG% on the team or anything like that. 4) The Bigs Lauren and Betts were relegated to being spectators and after thoughts on the offensive end of the floor and only occasionally touching the ball on offensive rebounds.

 

[TCC Kid]

I don't really hold it against her that she hasn't been to a Final 4 yet. My biggest hangup is that I just don't love the product she puts out on the court. Her teams typically play very hard, and the combination of athleticism and intensity can go a long way -- but yet goes only so far. I just don't see any convincing evidence of cohesive half court offense or X's and O's proficiency.

Let's just say I think the strong positive impression she makes in interviews is not quite matched by the product she's put on the court.

The only good to better thing Coach did (well 2 actually) were 1. Recruited well. 2. exchanged those on the floor for bench players regularly. Evidently, trying to wear down the under staffed Uconn team. Other than that she relied heavily on the individual talent (scorers) and size. That is using player not coaching them. She's been around for a while and hasn't done exceptionally well while recruiting pretty good. AM I missing something? I have always succumbed to the belief--in public statements of opposing candidates or coaches or teams, it doesn't cost you one penny more to take the higher road, especially when you lose.