Defensive play - Nika

[jazz]

Remember when the early season threads contained some posters suggesting Nika would never be any better than Molly Bent? I suspect most of the people on that side of the argument had not watched the extensive video of her on Youtube, or they would have been willing to give her more time to prove her worth.

I think we can put those comparisons to bed for good now!

I'm glad you brought that up oldhuskie. I didn't want to be the one to bring it up.

I am so very happy that the BY loves and appreciates NM now. She deserves all the credit in the world for coming 4000 miles away, different country, different language, different culture, got to adapt to learning in the USA and then your reward is you get to play for the biggest hard-ass coach out there in GA!

When I was 18, I didn't want to move across town....it was too far from home....

Now all those posters who thought NM was slow and never going to be any good, well since GA saw it a different way and gave her the start way back when, just like magic, all those comments disappeared.

 

[jazz]

Nika has quietly move from worst of the starters to the 2nd best three point shooter. Her 3pt% is currently 35%.

What is it over the last 10 games? I think it might even be higher...

 

[Bills Fan]

It seems like light years ago that we were watching Nika doing her best to hold back tears as Geno let her have it. A distant memory.

Now when we think about her, I see that smile and wave to the camera before the Nova game and her smile with teammates while taking the floor at the beginning of a game or during the post-game celebration after the Marquette game. It seems like she is really enjoying her teammates and that they are enjoying her. She and Paige appear to have developed a special bond.

I know one thing, I wouldn't want to be the opposing PG on a team playing UCONN. She just does not cut anyone any slack beginning at the half court line.

 

[SVCBeercats]

What is it over the last 10 games? I think it might even be higher...

Note the 21 games played.

 

[AmeriConn]

I've been calling her a pest all year but Gnat has more of a ring (or should I say buzz) to it.

Whoever she is defending has to be irritated by her tenacity or is it gnaticy!?

 

[jazz]

Whoever she is defending has to be irritated by her tenacity or is it gnaticy!?

yeah keep it going Americonn. I mentioned in another post that she will probably cause somebody to take a swing at her one day. That is probably how she go the shiner in practice as well.

 

[jazz]

Note the 21 games played.
View attachment 65547

Thanks SVC, I'm just wondering what her percentage is over the last 10 games or so. Maybe it is higher?

 

[Ozimoto]

She really is fun to watch. Makes the opposing point guard's life a nightmare and disrupts the establishment of the opponents' half court offense.

She is the "soul and the heart's inspiration" of the defense.

 

[HopJim]

I would add Dennis Rodman and Bill Russell, neither of whom were speedsters either, with the additional characteristic that they were great students of the game and the opposing players. For them defense, including defensive rebounding, was also about positioning. Bill Russell said he "got" most of his rebounds before the ball even hit the rim and there was that great scene in The Last Dance where you saw Rodman studying ball flight and bounces off the rim from various players and also the moves of the player he was going to be guarding. One thing about Nika is that she waits for the crossover from the opposing PG and frequently times the deflection perfectly. You knew she was going to pick her pocket last night and it could not have come at a better time. What an incredible transformation this year for a young woman thousands of miles away from home and for our team.

Always been a Celtics fan and met Rodman several times his rookie season while living in Detroit. Both were elite defenders. Nika has had some excellent defensive games but let's not stretch the comparisons too far.

 

[SVCBeercats]

Thanks SVC, I'm just wondering what her percentage is over the last 10 games or so. Maybe it is higher?

The older I get the more I miss read things. My apologies! In the first year of our marriage Mrs. SVC determined out I am dyslexic. Cleveland Clinic confirmed it (not severely dyslexic). They taught me to deal with it. But old age is making it worse. That and brain cells dying off. Again sorry!

 

[Ozimoto]

I also think that Nika has learned to position herself so that if her opposing player does get around her, she is forced in a direction where they then have to contend with Liv or Aaliyah where as earlier in the season when she got beat there was no help. All a part of learning to operate in the context of "team defense" that has improved so much from the Arkansas game.

Also interesting to note that Dennis Rodman is one of Nika's favorite players...

 

[AmeriConn]

yeah keep it going Americonn. I mentioned in another post that she will probably cause somebody to take a swing at her one day. That is probably how she go the shiner in practice as well.



I was thinking the same thing. One of these games the player she is defending is going to lose it!

 

[GW15MJ4MM23]

I also think that Nika has learned to position herself so that if her opposing player does get around her, she is forced in a direction where they then have to contend with Liv or Aaliyah where as earlier in the season when she got beat there was no help. All a part of learning to operate in the context of "team defense" that has improved so much from the Arkansas game.

Also interesting to note that Dennis Rodman is one of Nika's favorite players...

Hope that Nika never imitates Rodman's teammate Flopper Bill.

 

[jazz]

Hope that Nika never imitates Rodman's teammate Flopper Bill.

Ha..I remember Lambeer. He was annoying.

Loved Rodman though. Bad boys of Detroit. They don't allow you to play defense like that anymore.

 

[meyers7]

Nika has quietly move from worst of the starters to the 2nd best three point shooter. Her 3pt% is currently 35%.

Yea, Rizzotti and Conlon both shot around 37%. So Muhl is about right there.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Very gratifying to read all these appreciative posts. Having viewed all her European film I knew last Spring she had what it takes, though the rough start was worse than I though possible. I have long since given up paying attention to those on the BY who write off a recruit in 6 weeks as they did Nika. Those folks may want to reflect on their basketball acumen and fan loyalty. The so called end of the bencher is now the starting Point Guard for the Number 1 team in the nation.

 

[Bills Fan]

View attachment 65551

I can't recall who was the other team, but w/in the past 5-7 games an opposing player did shove her
away with two hands and got called for the foul.

I can't imagine our sweet little Nika talking trash, but can you imagine how mad the opposing PG would be if she did? Nika would probably have 2 shiners the entire season.

My favorite NM highlight is still, and probably will remain, her smiling and waving at the camera during the Nova pre-game warmups.

 

[Huskee11]

Nika has begun setting up very low in her defensive stance, giving her better quickness and mobility. And while it seems counterintuitive that a player who earlier in the year had difficulty keeping her opponent in front of her would benefit from picking up her opponent so high (sometimes just past the half court line), it seems to work in that Muhl bottles up her opponent before she can get started, allowing her to make poke-check steals.

It's made a vast difference in her play, her confidence and how much she's been able to contribute to the UConn effort.

Very astute. Athletes are taught to bend from the hips. Think linebackers, batters in baseball. Even golfers, especially golfers. High handicappers bend from the waist. Nika looked like she was bending a bit at the waist earlier, giving her a higher center of gravity. The tendency as a defender is to fall forward just like a high handicapper falls into the golf ball. I think we are saying the same thing in different ways. Her stance has definitely improved.

I also agree that she is getting to her opponent before the opponent can “get downhill”, which is the style of play - getting downhill - dominating the NBA now.

I never got the Molly comparison. Nika is the player we wanted Molly to be.

I was rewatching the Marquette title game and take a look around 6:19 of the third quarter. She is covering her opponent very closely (duh!) and the opponent appears to shove away at her around the shoulder/head area. Nika appears to point at her, as in I saw that, knock it off. This team has found its edge now.

 

[jazz]

Yea, Rizzotti and Conlon both shot around 37%. So Muhl is about right there.

IMHO, I know it is splitting hairs but high 30s is good...mid 30s is average/ok, 40% is very good. More than that is excellent. Then you have Bird, KLM and Page whom all were well above 45 IIRC. That is out of this world.

Not sure what I would call in excess of 50% if PB every got back there.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Nika has begun setting up very low in her defensive stance, giving her better quickness and mobility. And while it seems counterintuitive that a player who earlier in the year had difficulty keeping her opponent in front of her would benefit from picking up her opponent so high (sometimes just past the half court line), it seems to work in that Muhl bottles up her opponent before she can get started, allowing her to make poke-check steals.

It's made a vast difference in her play, her confidence and how much she's been able to contribute to the UConn effort.

I think there are 3 factors in play here:

1. Nika's foot/ankle problem from early in the season largely healed.

2. Nika is slightly less aggressive in terms of physical contact and going for steals. Hence, fewer fouls and fewer situations of leaning the wrong way.

3. I think that Nika has made a subtle adjustment in that she steps backwards just a little more than previously. Thus, she keeps the offensive player in front of her by gradually giving up just a little more territory.

She has become a really solid defender. Coaching and effort work wonders. Throw in lots of toughness and you have one Badass defender!

 

[Bills Fan]

Very astute. Athletes are taught to bend from the hips. Think linebackers, batters in baseball. Even golfers, especially golfers. High handicappers bend from the waist. Nika looked like she was bending a bit at the waist earlier, giving her a higher center of gravity. The tendency as a defender is to fall forward just like a high handicapper falls into the golf ball. I think we are saying the same thing in different ways. Her stance has definitely improved.

I also agree that she is getting to her opponent before the opponent can “get downhill”, which is the style of play - getting downhill - dominating the NBA now.

I never got the Molly comparison. Nika is the player we wanted Molly to be.

I was rewatching the Marquette game and take a look around 6:19 of the fourth quarter. She is covering her opponent very closely (duh!) and the opponent appears to shove away at her around the shoulder/head area. Nika appears to point at her, as in I saw that, knock it off. This team has found its edge now.

Are you referring to the Monday night Marquette game, because I just went to it and nothing like that happens in the 4th qtr at the 6:19 point. Then I went to the recent Marquette game at Storrs that we won by 10 and nothing like that in the 4th Qtr around that time in that game either. ??? Possibly against another team?

 

[Huskee11]

Are you referring to the Monday night Marquette game, because I just went to it and nothing like that happens in the 4th qtr at the 6:19 point. Then I went to the recent Marquette game at Storrs that we won by 10 and nothing like that in the 4th Qtr around that time in that game either. ??? Possibly against another team?

My bad it was 6:19 of the THIRD quarter.

Corrected my post.

 

[jazz]

Yea, Rizzotti and Conlon both shot around 37%. So Muhl is about right there.

That is as a Freshman and a very poor start. So the arrow may be pointing to 40% in the future which would be very good!

 

[BBallF]

Always been a Celtics fan and met Rodman several times his rookie season while living in Detroit. Both were elite defenders. Nika has had some excellent defensive games but let's not stretch the comparisons too far.

I wasn't actually comparing at all since there is no comparison. I was simply highlighting the fact that great defenders are cerebral about what they are doing also and study the game. I was flabbergasted when I watched the Last Dance and saw Rodman preparing. I always thought he just ran out on the court. I think Nika prepares well too and studies her opponent and waits for the right moment to deflect the crossover. She has gotten much better at not fouling doing it although it does still happen. For Geno to say she is one of the 3 toughest players he ever had with Jen and Jamelle is very, very high praise.

 

[BBallF]

Dick Fosbury won the high jump gold medal in the 1968 Mexico City Olympics. I was there and saw it, and can guarantee he used the flop then. (Not saying Russell dId, though - obviously he was before 1968 too. Seems like he would be able to just step over the bar...?)

This is exactly why you shouldn't trust Wikipedia! I went back and reread it about Russell and the clear implication is that the Flop came about in 1978, not 1968. Russell did not use the flop as you point out because it was not yet invented but still won several collegiate championships. Since you are "old" like me, you will remember the Sunday afternoon games on TV between the Celtics and the 76ers with Wilt against Russell. Russell also averaged 15 points and 4.5 assists for his career.

 

[j66kicker]

This is exactly why you shouldn't trust Wikipedia! I went back and reread it about Russell and the clear implication is that the Flop came about in 1978, not 1968. Russell did not use the flop as you point out because it was not yet invented but still won several collegiate championships. Since you are "old" like me, you will remember the Sunday afternoon games on TV between the Celtics and the 76ers with Wilt against Russell. Russell also averaged 15 points and 4.5 assists for his career.

Don't remember those. I was only a kid when we went to Mexico City in 1968, plus I didn't live in New England until 1985, and didn't care for the Celtics (Magic/Kareem vs. Bird/McHale Laker fan).

 

[j66kicker]

When I was 18, I didn't want to move across town....it was too far from home....

Now all those posters who thought NM was slow and never going to be any good, well since GA saw it a different way and gave her the start way back when, just like magic, all those comments disappeared.

You're older than 18?

 

[jazz]

You're older than 18?

I'm afraid so...

 

[meyers7]

That is as a Freshman and a very poor start. So the arrow may be pointing to 40% in the future which would be very good!

The whole point of my original post was that Muhl doesn't need to be very good or excellent, "specialist" was the word used. We'll have plenty of them (hopefully - Bueckers, Mazurat, Fudd, Ducharme, maybe even Poffenbarger), Muhl will only need to be decent to keep the defense honest. And she'll probably get good opportunities.

Jefferson started out at 27% as a FR, but ended up as a career 42%. 👍

 

[JRRRJ]

IMHO, I know it is splitting hairs but high 30s is good...mid 30s is average/ok, 40% is very good. More than that is excellent. Then you have Bird, KLM and Page whom all were well above 45 IIRC. That is out of this world.

Not sure what I would call in excess of 50% if PB every got back there.

Nika's 34.8% would put her at 110th in NCAA D1. Well above average.

And it's been a pretty steady climb:
35.5% for the last ten games
40.0% for the last eight
50.0% for the last six
50.0% for the last four
60.0% for the last two
66.7% for the last one.