DePaul Post-game Thread

[Alydar]

Why does UCONN want to foul? They want a free flowing game. They don't want to get into grind basketball. That hasn't been their style over the last 20+ years.

While I think that the core, whether it's 6 or 9, needs as much game time as possible. I do think SUN made a good point about fouling. I've seen both McGraw and Tara send in over-aggressive subs, especially post subs, to try and exchange fouls with the opponent's starting post. Refs like to balance fouls and putting in a sub to use their 5 to get 2 called on the other post often works. Geno has never seemed to care about trying that and frankly I prefer to win on performance over artifice but a win is a win.

 

[Papa33]

I'm not convinced that Aaliyah struggles have anything to do with her time at the Canadian national team. Two main reasons. 1) She had a full preseason. ( Late August- Mid November= 2.5 full months with the UCONN team and emerged from that preseason a stater in what was a very tough position battle against Dorka. 2) Her struggles did not begin in the first game of the season as is widely alleged. She actually played well in the first 2 games against Arkansas and Minnesota shooting 8 of 11.

CocoHusky cont'd
I'd offer that Aaliyah was the UCONN player most impacted by the loss of Paige and she is just now figure things out. The Olympics were 6 months ago and it is also noteworthy that Nika (who stayed at UCONN) also began the season struggling but has also turned things around recently.

Aaliyah's between seasons development may (or may not) have been occasioned by her "lost" summer with the Canadian team; I just don't have any clear or convincing evidence for either take. However, when you say that "she is just now figuring things out," that rings a bell for me. As I've watched Aaliyah's uneven performances over the last two seasons, it seems to me that while he has a considerable array of physical abiilities, she does not have a natural feel for the game's complexities and options when she is trying to figure out where to be (or when to be there), how to anticipate the next moment or opportunity. As a consequence, she can't make up her mind until it's too late (to take an open shot, drive for a lay-up, fake a shot and drive, fake a drive then shoot or pass, etc. etc.) That leads to missed lay-ups, traveling, charging fouls, etc.
That said, her performance vs. DePaul last night, seemed to be different; well, except for a few blasted lay-up misses. If she still wasn't anticipating what was open before she got the ball, she was reacting more quickly. I sincerely hope she can make that her new standard of play; on last night's evidence, that could make a crucial difference for her team's prospects. Go for it, Aaliaya.

 

[hoophuskee]

While I think that the core, whether it's 6 or 9, needs as much game time as possible. I do think SUN made a good point about fouling. I've seen both McGraw and Tara send in over-aggressive subs, especially post subs, to try and exchange fouls with the opponent's starting post. Refs like to balance fouls and putting in a sub to use their 5 to get 2 called on the other post often works. Geno has never seemed to care about trying that and frankly I prefer to win on performance over artifice but a win is a win.

UCONN usually beats them. Why would we look to play their style when our style has been superior? The refs can balance all they want but UCONN usually wins.

In regards to ND in the game we lost buzzer beater to ND; They played 6 players to our 6. UOCNN was undefeated going into that game. Where's this need for a deep bench? They wound up winning title with 6. And maybe their 6 players just outplayed our 6 on that given day. And as some posters have indicated, maybe we could've played Stevens more?

Or maybe our guards could have shot better than 7-24 from the floor and 4-15 from 3.

Secondly, how do you know putting in a player for example such as Piath won't put UCONN in the hole with being over the limit quicker? How is fouling considered good when yo usually have a superior team and want to push pace?

 

[Alydar]

UCONN usually beats them. Why would we look to play their style when our style has been superior? The refs can balance all they want but UCONN usually wins.

In regards to ND in the game we lost buzzer beater to ND; They played 6 players to our 6. UOCNN was undefeated going into that game. Where's this need for a deep bench? They wound up winning title with 6. And maybe their 6 players just outplayed our 6 on that given day. And as some posters have indicated, maybe we could've played Stevens more?

Or maybe our guards could have shot better than 7-24 from the floor and 4-15 from 3.

Secondly, how do you know putting in a player for example such as Piath won't put UCONN in the hole with being over the limit quicker? How is fouling considered good when yo usually have a superior team and want to push pace?

I don't know what game you are talking about but I was referring back to the years Bruzinski played. She wasn't sent in to foul intentionally, she was sent in to get physical with the opposing post, and to not worry about fouling, the object being to disrupt her play with as much physicality as it took, up to and including fouling, especially non-shooting fouls.

 

[hoophuskee]

I don't know what game you are talking about but I was referring back to the years Bruzinski played. She wasn't sent in to foul intentionally, she was sent in to get physical with the opposing post, and to not worry about fouling, the object being to disrupt her play with as much physicality as it took, up to and including fouling, especially non-shooting fouls.

I'm talking 2017-2018 ND title season.

Who is Bruzinski and when did she play for ND? And what big games did she help ND win vs UCONN?

And again she can get as physical as she wants but if UCONN wins - which they usually do, who cares how physical she is? So she disrupts play a bit but in the end if UCONN wins more often- then - advantage UCONN. Not advantage for spot minute "Bruzinski." Generally UCONN's better players with a short bench win over "the Bruzinski's/ that style."

 

[PacoSwede]

When she makes a beautiful no look pass, I'm as happy as anybody. When she gets herself caught in the lane and throws the ball at a cheerleader on the sideline and Evina runs it down before it goes out of bounds, that's a save. I can see where that might be a bit of a subjective call, but I see what I see. I'm not hating, just trying to counterbalance the people already carving her statue to go next to Sue Birds'.

who the hell are they? WOW.

are you on drugs?

 

[RedStickHusky]

who the hell are they? WOW.

are you on drugs?

You must have missed that thread.

 

[PacoSwede]

You must have missed that thread.

another thread? gosh, that's why i didn't know sue was getting a statue. uconn is now trying to beat s. carolina in the statuary derby, huh.

where do we send contributions for this worthy endeavor?

 

[BobbyJ]

CocoHusky cont'd
I'd offer that Aaliyah was the UCONN player most impacted by the loss of Paige and she is just now figure things out. The Olympics were 6 months ago and it is also noteworthy that Nika (who stayed at UCONN) also began the season struggling but has also turned things around recently.

Aaliyah's between seasons development may (or may not) have been occasioned by her "lost" summer with the Canadian team; I just don't have any clear or convincing evidence for either take. However, when you say that "she is just now figuring things out," that rings a bell for me. As I've watched Aaliyah's uneven performances over the last two seasons, it seems to me that while he has a considerable array of physical abiilities, she does not have a natural feel for the game's complexities and options when she is trying to figure out where to be (or when to be there), how to anticipate the next moment or opportunity. As a consequence, she can't make up her mind until it's too late (to take an open shot, drive for a lay-up, fake a shot and drive, fake a drive then shoot or pass, etc. etc.) That leads to missed lay-ups, traveling, charging fouls, etc.
That said, her performance vs. DePaul last night, seemed to be different; well, except for a few blasted lay-up misses. If she still wasn't anticipating what was open before she got the ball, she was reacting more quickly. I sincerely hope she can make that her new standard of play; on last night's evidence, that could make a crucial difference for her team's prospects. Go for it, Aaliaya.

I've been trying to figure out a way to describe her situation or game so to speak and you've taken care of it for me here. Nice description. It seems like the more instinctive the player, the quicker their feet react to what the eyes see. For her there seems to be a kind of disconnect between the two causing that delay, just not natural for her. I've never really thought about whether that can be developed or not. I guess we'll wait and see. One other thing I'd like to see her work on is learning to really jump and explode up for all her inside shots to get separation and not get tangled up. Hope she can get some traction on improving game by game.

 

[Gus Mahler]

I googled "doug bruno retiring" and got nothing. His contract is through 2023-2024 season.

Good to hear. Thanks.

 

[Gus Mahler]

Maybe he will send her our way?

That occurred to me, actually. I dismissed the thought because we need guards. Maybe Lexi Held?

 

[Gus Mahler]

From a most memorable game, the moment I'll remember best: Evina steals the inbound pass, shoots, rebounds, and scores.

A four-stat play!

 

[LarryLegend]

I'm talking 2017-2018 ND title season.

Who is Bruzinski and when did she play for ND? And what big games did she help ND win vs UCONN?

And again she can get as physical as she wants but if UCONN wins - which they usually do, who cares how physical she is? So she disrupts play a bit but in the end if UCONN wins more often- then - advantage UCONN. Not advantage for spot minute "Bruzinski." Generally UCONN's better players with a short bench win over "the Bruzinski's/ that style."

i think Bruzinski played on the same ND team with Bruszewski.
I remember seeing her play at Gambill.

 

[boontonbomber]

Yes, Christyn, perhaps the most under-appreciated player at UConn in the 25+ years that I've followed them. In her career has averaged 34+ minutes, and always plays hard. Out of 116 games, she has played 111, and against the best teams, often has played 40 minutes. Perhaps the one who has valued her contributions most, at both ends of the court , since she arrived at Storrs, doesn't post here- Geno.

Oh, and Christyn has 1660 points, so could move into the top 15 by season's end.

 

[UConnCat]

Who is Bruzinski and when did she play for ND? And what big games did she help ND win vs UCONN?

And again she can get as physical as she wants but if UCONN wins - which they usually do, who cares how physical she is? So she disrupts play a bit but in the end if UCONN wins more often- then - advantage UCONN. Not advantage for spot minute "Bruzinski." Generally UCONN's better players with a short bench win over "the Bruzinski's/ that style."

lol. He must be referring to Becca Bruszewski who played for ND 2007-2011. May have been nicknamed "bruiser" or something like that. Not the most skilled player but physical (as her nickname suggested).

 

[Gus Mahler]

Azzi was second in rebounding, tied with Aaliyah. She is definitely a player.

On one of those she did a textbook job of boxing out Morrow.

 

[Longtime fan]

Nika stood aside and fed DeBerry the ball with the intention of her shooting the outside shot-- the reason being that DeBerry, a freshman big, shoots really well in practice and the entire team is hoping and waiting for her to duplicate her practice shooting on the game floor.

I'm not concerned with the etiquette of taking a shot in a blow-out, at games end. I am concerned that the unchallenged shot was so far off the mark. I could do better.

 

[hookshot]

Didn’t realize that. Good coach & class guy. Will be missed.

Re: SNY HT interview, respectfully disagree. Loved his “gym class offense” quip! Seems to share buddy Geno’s penchant for colorful expression to get his point across.

 

[Mdoggie]

That occurred to me, actually. I dismissed the thought because we need guards. Maybe Lexi Held?

I don’t like her until she is on our squad lol.

 

[hoophuskee]

lol. He must be referring to Becca Bruszewski who played for ND 2007-2011. May have been nicknamed "bruiser" or something like that. Not the most skilled player but physical (as her nickname suggested).

Thank you. I know this was brought up by Alyadar and not you. But I'll just add not sure Becca vs Piath (or DeBerry) can be compared. Becca was a starter in her soph year and started 26 of 34 games her junior year. That's more like "Edwards" than "Piath." Not saying she was "Edwards" but just comparing playing time (which was my discussion with Sun) I don;t believe there are any similarities. As a senior Becca would have been a bit "polished."

And Becca was part of team that I think beat UCONN only once in her four years.

 

[Gus Mahler]

good call there........far more substitutions than average which means Geno knew the bigs were tired......all except CW who seems to play almost every minute of every game and played all 40 last night......

She's been a diesel this year.

 

[TeamFirst!]

Azzi is coachable. An adjustment they clearly made after the Villanova game is for the guards to do a better job rebounding especially after those long shots Villanova kept snagging the rebound for. The guards need to watch for those long rebounds and if you look at their numbers for Depaul it sure appears that they did.

If you remember at the beginning of the year, AE started badly from the get go. Paige was with her for 6 games and it didn't help much. I don't know what the problem has been but she appears to be trying. I'm confident she will work through it.

 

[Alydar]

I'm not concerned with the etiquette of taking a shot in a blow-out, at games end. I am concerned that the unchallenged shot was so far off the mark. I could do better.

With 8000 people watching?

 

[Childhood]

 

[Jingo]

This was an interesting look for our possible starting front-court next year. It was also the first game where Dorka could play most of the time as a C with Liv out. Dorka looks much much better as a C than a PF. It seemed like it worked well for Aaliyah too. We have had to use a three big rotation mostly because of having Aubrey out. If not for that, Dorka could have played almost all of her minutes at C and been more effective, and likewise Aaliyah and Aubrey could have focused just on their more natural PF position.

If Dorka and Aaliyah can play together next year like they combined tonight, then it is much easier to feel good when teamed with the anticipated guard ultimate starters of Paige, Azzi and Caroline. Like much of the season, however, one game does not constitute a trend, particularly when you remember how little we got from Dorka and Aaliyah in the prior game.

I do feel that Dorka at C instead of PF makes a very big difference though.

I can't see Paige, Azzi & Caroline as starters next year; I prefer Nika, Paige and Caroline, with Azzi coming off the bench for spark. Besides, Azzi is not the 'pure' shooter as some claim, she was 0-7 vs DePaul from the arc.
It's unfortunate that Nika has been stereotyped as not being fast enough even though I consider her & Liv to be our best defenders. And the sequence that pleases me the most is when Nika breaks out of the pack with the ball, beats everyone downcourt, and finishes with a 'no look' pass for a score. Paige always goes wild with this sequence, eh?