meyers7
You Talkin’ To Me?
- Joined
- Aug 26, 2011
- Messages
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It is what it is, this year. Kids can handle it.Silly to wear masks during bb games, eh?
It is what it is, this year. Kids can handle it.Silly to wear masks during bb games, eh?
Actually considering we average 14.7 a game, it was fun to see only 11.Not fun to see 11 turnovers to diminish the 12 steals but a learning experience all the way around.
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.
Aubrey was especially active on defense in this game. As far as having seen it before from a UCONN player Kalana Greene was exceptional and Kelly Faris was world class good at it.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?
That wide defensive stance is something you see more frequently in the NBA, so I’m guessing that it is something Aubrey picked up from current NBA coach, former NBA player and lifelong dad, Adrian Griffin. As you point out, Aubrey’s lateral quickness makes it all work.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?
Yes, one of the first things I was looking for. Still can't figure our why all the hush-hush about the injury, and timetable for return. I'm also miffed that Geno does not give Autumn a minute or two at the end of the game. Is it just me??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.
They can go as far as they want to if they play for each other, and play as a team. EVERY UConn player has to BE IN AND STAY IN THE MOMENT. Understand where you are (offense or defense) and be ready to make a play at any given moment. UConn committed 8 personal fouls yesterday sending Creighton to the line 3 times. That was outstanding!! You're going to be very hard to beat if you only send your opponent to the line 3 times. The 11 turnovers is acceptable given the pace of the game, although I'd like to see our TO's kept to single digits. Creighton for example had 17.This team has a lot of answers and they play as a team. Big things are coming this year.
Why would you take it personally? I didn’t address my comment to anyone in particular. Just my opinion, but the hyperbole attached to many of the many threads and comments devoted to her here are ridiculous. Since the peach basket, every “pass first” player has lost assists because of a bobble or a missed shot, just part of the game. Just as there are rebounders who get tough rebounds in traffic and those who get them unopposed on missed foul shots. Or scorers who pad there stats in garbage time versus those who can score when the game is on the line.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.
Just want to say that Liv is starting to fad slightly in her jumpers as well, even when there isn't anybody around...at least that is what I thought when I saw the replay.I agree as to Evina especially. She shoots her 3 slightly off the right side of her body ordinarily and that is her miss but lately it has been more pronounced. I think the problem is with her footwork. She is not squared up to the basket when she receives the ball and has an open 3. In other words she doesn't "hop" into position to shoot before she receives it because she doesn't want to shoot it lately and is oftentimes out of squared up position.
As to defense, we shut everybody else down but Carda had a memorable night against the best team in the country. Many of her shots came at the end of the shot clock but I agree with you that the lock down defense wasn't there on her. I thought Evina would be that type of defender but she does not have the side to side movement right now because of her knee. I think she will be a different player next year wherever she is because the knee will be further strengthened. We need her to be a 40% three point shooter for the NCAAs.
The team shoots 35% from the arc but if you take Paige out of the equation, we drop down to 30%. The simple solution is for Paige to be shooting the majority or plurality of the 3s if possible in the tourney.
ONO actually has very good free throw form and has a good 15 foot shot. It is when she goes out farther that the shots seem to be less likely to go in. She also has to be on the low block more and I mean the low block. If you watch her, she will be about 2 feet in front of it, not in ideal position.
Finally, that little pull up J by Nika was "we didn't know you had that shot but we really like it". I loved her comment when interviewed after and asked about her steals. She said that she did have 5 steals but putting that aside the team did not play good defense so she obviously has a bigger picture in mind which I thought was great. All about the team. People talk about Paige and AE when they are seniors. Imagine Nika 4 years from now as well. And Kara Wolters is right, there are a lot of similarities in Nika with the grit and fire of a point guard on the 1995 team whose initials are JR.
I found this post interesting and especially what would have hapoened a few years ago with 32 pt win versus 50... I also heard them say last night that opponents are averaging 49 pts this year which is much lower than opponents last year.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.
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?
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.
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.
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.
Nika is a very emotional kid, but she's also a very tough kid. Her personality is what the team needs.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.
Nika is a very emotional kid, but she's also a very tough kid. Her personality is what the team needs.
Fair enough. I thought you were responding to something I said. To me, stats are generally overrated. It’s those rhings the player does to make the team a winner that counts most. Stats don’t reflect the intangibles.Why would you take it personally? I didn’t address my comment to anyone in particular. Just my opinion, but the hyperbole attached to many of the many threads and comments devoted to her here are ridiculous. Since the peach basket, every “pass first” player has lost assists because of a bobble or a missed shot, just part of the game. Just as there are rebounders who get tough rebounds in traffic and those who get them unopposed on missed foul shots. Or scorers who pad there stats in garbage time versus those who can score when the game is on the line.
As I said, Bueckers is an absolutely terrific player who has yet to write her story. All I’m saying is let her write it.
Is us (collectively) not really knowing the reality of what's going on actually that surprising? ;-) LOLIn Geno's post-game presser yesterday, he said something like Nika is the fittest/best shape of everyone on the team. For someone who was considered a little out-of-shape by some people here, that is surprising to hear.
I'e been in support of the theory that Paige is slightly injuredI’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.
Aubrey is going to be a player that other teams let "stand free" at the three point line...or anywhere that isn't within two steps of the hoop. She simply has no shooting touch at all. So she needs to pass, drive, or get out of the way. I love her game, but it does have that one flaw...she has no shot. It does not mean she isn't a great asset. She is. And she can score twenty every game under the hoop, and on drives/fast breaks. But it is embarrassing to watch her shoot from distance. Eventhough, she can do decently at the foul line. A puzzlement.Well...
Nice out the gate. Well done first quarter. First half was about a B+ overall, maybe A-, but 2nd half a solid C.
Nice to see Nika find her shooting touch. She's easily the POG
Has Paige hit the freshman wall? 11 and 13 the past 2 games scoring will hurt her NPOY chances. She had some highlight reel assists, but her shooting touch seems to be MIA.
Liv seemed MIA at times, then suddenly I noticed she had a double double. Way to go Liv!!
Need just a few more points for Evina and Liya - would have been great to see 5 players in double figures! My friend @MilfordHusky calls Aaliyah "Thor". I think that's the best nickname I've seen in a while.
Aubrey plays so hard on the floor. I hope she can put it all together. She oozes potential.
Not sure what is up with Mir, but watching her play today helped me partly understand why she's been riding the pine.
Overall a solid game against a team who recently beat DePaul and Seton Hall. Can't go by their overall record (Creighton) as they were decimated by injuries early on. That kid Carda is a baller!!
We do what we can do and do it well! The coach is mixing up the defenses against a team that runs a deliberate offense. There was nothing shabby about how we executed. We have very talented hands on defense and if, by chance a guard is beat, our bigs hold a large eraser.So what is UConn supposed to do, not play. They play who is on the schedule and by winning by so much it tells us they are a really good team. If they were struggling to win the games, I could understand the doubting.