Creighton Postgame Thread

[Golden Husky]

Seeing Muhl have her best game in UConn finery it seems ages ago when she was sitting on the bench, disconsolate, as Geno prodded her with an index finger to the shoulder. She's been determined enough to withstand the adversity and I'm happy for her that she's enjoying some personal success.

 

[meyers7]

Defense Ok but not great.

37.5% / 24% under 50 points. That's just "Ok"? Some of you people. SMH.

 

[meyers7]

High School players in CT wear masks.

Same in Mass.

 

[VA Huskie]

I’m actually happy about her relatively poorer shooting. She had been shooting at an unsustainable level. I wanted her to drop off some and then get hot in the postseason. So far, my plan is working.

 

[itsasport]

I think we’ve found the flaw in Paige’s game. She doesn’t shoot well from the field in the second half when up by 20 or more. She missed all 4 second half shots against Xavier, and her last 4 shots today after that one quick make.

Hopefully they will work on that in practice.

I am assuming that was tongue-in-cheek.
That would be an interesting practice drill- how to make a non-clutch basket.
Her epitaph- "Won 4 national championships, but was lousy in garbage time."

 

[darkstar1]

she must be pretty good if PB has a game with 13 points, 9 assists, 6 rebounds and 4 steals and it's considered a rather pedestrian performance............

And of her 4 turnovers, 3 should have been assists if her team mates were ready for the passes.

 

[Littlemin]

Bueckers had a very good game, but shot poorly and had some turnovers, the excuse making here for her is ridiculous. She is an outstanding player and doesn’t need multiple excuses and rationalizations every time she proves she is human.

 

[pvdoggy]

Mir needs to try to develop some skill away from the basket if she is going to gain a lot of playing time because as athletic as she is, she will have a hard time to consistently go up for shots in the paint. That works in high school but not going to be effective in college and beyond.

 

[DEpup]

I hope everyone noticed that Anna was not in a boot at today's game... Geno says he doesn't know when she'll be able to play but progress must be taking place if she's out of the boot.

 

[Blueballer]

Bueckers had a very good game, but shot poorly and had some turnovers, the excuse making here for her is ridiculous. She is an outstanding player and doesn’t need multiple excuses and rationalizations every time she proves she is human.

The bar is high though, isn't it? She shot the three poorly at 1-5. Subtract the threes and she was 4-7. Lots of kids would love to shoot that poorly. However, I'm sure she wasn't happy with it.

 

[Woof 101]

Decent game, I know many complain about the competition but some should give them credit. Most teams as Creighton did tonight bring a very good game vs UConn. A 32 point win that would have been 50 or more a few years back. The game all around is progressing.
I enjoyed seeing Nika hell bent in the first and taking advantage of the offer Geno has provided with her starting on the point. Sad it is at the expense of Anna's injury but that is the game.
There are times when Evina simply does not look comfortable at all and then a flash of this is what we need. A question mark for myself at this time.
Not fun to see 11 turnovers to diminish the 12 steals but a learning experience all the way around. This while getting the W that clinches The Big East Title.

She missed several shots, that's not supposed to happen.

No attack but another that never wants to give the defense credit. The word is out, she will be the most guarded for the rest of at least this season. Other teams watch film, they know who to guard. Any surprise this has opened up CW's inside game?

I guess these games are used to have players work on some things but theses laughers game after game are no way to get ready for the late rounds of the tourney. Other top seeds will end their seasons playing games where the outcome is in doubt going into the 4th quarter. UConn won’t unless they just don’t show up. Plus it’s a lot more fun to watch a good basketball game.

Gotta love the constant complaints about lack of competition like that is what the team, staff or anybody else desires. No attack but everyone's remote has the button to push to watch another basketball game they see more competitive. It's simple, change the channel and have more fun.

Paige (and the team in general) relies too much on the 3. Live by the 3, die by the 3...

Again NO attack but I somehow have to believe with, Geno, CD, Shea, and Jamelle. At least one of them would have brought this up as a problem. Just my take.

- So Nika was hot as a bonfire in the 1st quarter ...and she didn't even get a shot in the 2nd? I thought
one of the principles of BB is you feed the hot shooter.

It is also a principle of the opposing coach with an extended time out to explain, shut her down! And they did but it left others open. Totally did her part and finished as the high scorer with 19.

 

[Littlemin]

The bar is high though, isn't it? She shot the three poorly at 1-5. Subtract the threes and she was 4-7. Lots of kids would love to shoot that poorly. However, I'm sure she wasn't happy with it.

Of course it’s high, it is for all great players. But you can’t just subtract the fact that she shot 1-5 tonight from 3 and say she had a good shooting night, the fact is she didn’t. Instead of recognizing how impactful a player she is even when she shoots poorly and turns the ball over, people act like it is a personal affront.

 

[Cecil9]

Paige is my new Larry Bird. Sometimes us old folks worry that we'll never have another favorite player. Larry's my age. First saw him play in the NCAA tournament against DePaul and Arkansas, both cinderella upsets for Indiana State. Everybody on that team knew their role and they even came up big in the clutch. He helped give them the confidence to play at the highest level.
Paige is the maestro on the floor. She has the baton. She's not the oboe player in the 4th row of instruments. She's figuring out what she needs to do for the team to play its best. It's a lot of responsibility. The floor opens up for the team because 1) no one can stop her 2) she sees the floor even before things happen and 3) everyone knows to move and look and they'll get the ball for a layup.
I always wondered how Larry knew when to shoot and when to pass. It's got to be innate. Paige is still perfecting that. I think when the competition stiffens, it will be more obvious to her. I want her to get 30 points and a triple double every game. Can't help but be a tad disappointed. (excited for Nika though) Got to enjoy the process. It's gunna be a fun ride I think.

After watching her play, and after Geno's post-game statements that Paige is such a consummate team player, my impression is that she

Paige is my new Larry Bird. Sometimes us old folks worry that we'll never have another favorite player. Larry's my age. First saw him play in the NCAA tournament against DePaul and Arkansas, both cinderella upsets for Indiana State. Everybody on that team knew their role and they even came up big in the clutch. He helped give them the confidence to play at the highest level.
Paige is the maestro on the floor. She has the baton. She's not the oboe player in the 4th row of instruments. She's figuring out what she needs to do for the team to play its best. It's a lot of responsibility. The floor opens up for the team because 1) no one can stop her 2) she sees the floor even before things happen and 3) everyone knows to move and look and they'll get the ball for a layup.
I always wondered how Larry knew when to shoot and when to pass. It's got to be innate. Paige is still perfecting that. I think when the competition stiffens, it will be more obvious to her. I want her to get 30 points and a triple double every game. Can't help but be a tad disappointed. (excited for Nika though) Got to enjoy the process. It's gunna be a fun ride I think.

Maybe she realized this would be a relatively easy win, and decided to put her offense in a lower gear so as to share the glory, so to speak. After watching Geno's post-game interview describing Paige as more interested in assists than her own scoring, there is a possibility that she is growing uncomfortable with all the fawning-media attention and wishes to shift the focus a bit----and Creighton provided such an opportunity. In case that sounds like the excuse of all excuses known to mankind, consider the shots she passed up, and Geno's comment at halftime that in regard to shooting the ball, it looked as though she had gone on strike.
She didn't need to shoot much this time, but I'm betting on a different story going into tournament play.

 

[Happydad745]

Looking at the time spread for players, I will venture to say Geno is looking ahead to the big tournament. I hope Anna makes it back in time for work on her game.

 

[Calbysdad]

I love watching Aubrey on defense. She has an extremely intimidating stance and literally envelopes opposing players with her long arms and legs.

I have never seen a player defend with such a wide base yet be so laterally quick. @CocoHusky with you been the defensive guru, have you noticed this? Seen it before?

 

[Jingo]

Same in Mass.

Silly to wear masks during bb games, eh?

 

[Blueballer]

Of course it’s high, it is for all great players. But you can’t just subtract the fact that she shot 1-5 tonight from 3 and say she had a good shooting night, the fact is she didn’t. Instead of recognizing how impactful a player she is even when she shoots poorly and turns the ball over, people act like it is a personal affront.

Sure you can. She just didn't shoot that poorly. Just from three. It's not a personal affront it's just incorrect to say that overall she shot poorly. She didn't shoot great but not poorly either.

 

[Gurleyman]

Sure you can. She just didn't shoot that poorly. Just from three. It's not a personal affront it's just incorrect to say that overall she shot poorly. She didn't shoot great but not poorly either.

A 42 percent shooting game is basically just an average game for a typical guard.

But it is true her jumper has been off the last two games. She had 3 layups and a 3-pointer after the ankle injury against X. Today she had two layups (one from Nika, one off her own steal), a 3 and two mid ranges. So her jump shot has resulted in something like 4-16 (2-10 from 3, 2-6 from midrange).

Paige has perhaps tended to lose focus on her shot when the game gets out of hand. She was 3-3 against Xavier early, we led by 30, and she finished 4-11. Today she started 5-8, but missed her last four with a lead of 25 or so. When she had huge shooting games against Saint Johns and Marquette through 3 quarters, she was quiet in the fourth. We saw how she shot against SC and Arkansas late - and even Seton Hall when she was 4-5 in the fourth when we led by only 6 after 3. So it isn’t a question of tiring. Just maybe she stays locked in when it matters and drifts when it doesn’t - or at least that’s what we hope. We don’t want her to try to flip a switch in the tourney after coasting, and then not have the light go on. So it’s maybe something for her to concentrate on these next 5 games through the BET - stay locked in no matter what.

 

[cbraarj]

UConn's defense would sometimes hold Creighton until the clock ran down and then allowed a lay up with less than three seconds on the clock. That had to be frustrating to the coaches. However, the team played well for the most part and any criticism of Paige or Muhl is unfair.

Weak side defense wasn't there to much today. Also when an outside shot is taken Liv stands at the foul line watching it instead of crashing the offensive board.

 

[Boreifs]

The evidence of the last 20 years would say different. The women's side of the BE had just blossomed when football ended it all. UConn waltzed through the BE back then just like now (Notre dame being an exception).

Louisville was also in the Big East, as was Rutgers.

 

[Littlemin]

Sure you can. She just didn't shoot that poorly. Just from three. It's not a personal affront it's just incorrect to say that overall she shot poorly. She didn't shoot great but not poorly either.

Thanks for proving my point. Ok, she shot poorly from three but it wasn’t her fault.

 

[jaundicedeye]

I’m actually happy about her relatively poorer shooting. She had been shooting at an unsustainable level. I wanted her to drop off some and then get hot in the postseason. So far, my plan is working.

Good plan, now for the execution in March!

 

[jazz]

My two cents

I didn’t think we played consistently well on defense. Too much penetration throughout. Luckily it is rare that we play against a team that moves as much or as well as Creighton.

PB – weird to say that she didn’t have her best game when she almost had a double double to go with several steals and knocked down passes. But against top level teams, we will need more point production. Still had a very good game though, just not so much against expectations.

CW – played well. Shot well. Hit some 3s where it was based on timing and she couldn’t wait. I think she is better this way. Seems to be shooting well over the last few games. That is really huge.

NM – As much as I like NM, I didn’t see this coming. But essentially she hit most of her wide open shots AND added a mid-range where she created some space for herself. It would be really great if she and CW could hit a couple 3s every game and shoot at roughly 40% doing it. Keep in mind most of these 3s are where they are both wide open.

Still can’t seem to make contested layups otherwise she has over 20 points. She got away with the swipe attack today but I don’t think it works very well against top level guards and then leaves her vulnerable for the drive. I wish she just wouldn’t do it. She is just an all-day pest for the opposition.

EW – She hasn’t shot that well for quite some time now. Shot is off right and flat. I wonder if she needs a week off to get back to form.

Liv – did what she had to do and nice game. My issue with her is that even when she has the open outside shot and with a smaller player on her, she still tends to fade a bit which makes her shot come up short. This is something she finds hard not to do.

AE – solid game again. Not sure why she didn’t get more minutes. She needs to play and get used to playing over 20 minutes a game… She had a few too many turnovers.

AG – again didn’t play that much. But she still makes an impact immediately as usual.

 

[darkstar1]

Bueckers had a very good game, but shot poorly and had some turnovers, the excuse making here for her is ridiculous. She is an outstanding player and doesn’t need multiple excuses and rationalizations every time she proves she is human.

Wow, I did not know that I was making any excuses for PB. Her game was as you said AND she was phenomenal passing. My comment was more directed to the players that bobbled or weren’t expecting passes, to be ready at all times. Since your defensive comment seems to be directed at the BY in general, I will not take it personally.

 

[Wbbfan1]

I was disappointed Team could not stop Carda from getting to the Rim for most of her 24 points. Carda did make to three point shots. The team did manage to keep her off the Free Throw Line. It didn't matter who guarded Carda, she was able to get to the rim constantly. They'll play better guards in the tournament and this needs to be corrected. Low Post Defense needs to get better.