DePaul Postgame Thread

[BBallF]

You are reading things that are not there.

I agree. She is a complete team player. It's not going to be a straight line up with her after her surgeries. There will be some times where she is not as sharp as others. What I saw was 11 shots and 8 threes tonight and if she gets and takes the same number of shots per game it will bode well for us. She is averaging 14 points and 4 assists for the last 3 games. Like Kara said in the post game show, they, including Evina, have to take their brains out of the shots. Don't think, just release.

 

[and one]

This wasn't the kind of game you jump up and down and get all excited. Lots of missed open shots and no big run. Although DePaul kept the score close enough to make it interesting for three quarters, they got ground down in a grind it out game.

My two big takeaways: Anna was lost and needs a good shooting game sooner than later. The good things she can do will be overshadowed if she can't score and lets too many players blow by her. Related, and previously mentioned in this and previous game threads - passing up so many open 3s isn't a good look. Opposing teams smell the lack of confidence and can cheat on perimeter D. Paige will catch and shoot but the rest pass up even mildly contested 3s, or uncontested 3s for that matter.

 

[CocoHusky]

Isn’t it kinda hard to reach any conclusions about Nila? She’s been injured, she’s a freshman, she’s had very limited time so far. She made a couple of nice passes showing good vision.

No. I have said since day 1 that Nika would need to increase her defensive techniques drastically to get minutes on the floor. Those of you that are still clinging to this theory that it is the ankle injury is what is causing her not to be in position should take a closer look at where her hands are positioned while she is attempting to play defense. Nika is a very good passer to get meaningful minutes she must defend better and knock down some shots.

 

[bluedevil]

Has Anna ever driven into the lane and shot the ball one time in her career? It's almost painful to watch how hesitant she is to shoot the ball inside the arc. She gets in the lane every time, albeit not a lot, but enough to notice and passes. It's like she can't wait Tyler Phommachanh get rid of the ball. I've never seen anything like it.

Our FT shooting is going to bite this team in the you know what against good teams. It's just abysmal-but it makes sense. We can't hit from the outside and we can't hit FT's.

This was tough to watch. No rhythm from either team, no flow, constant whistles, ugly shots.

One more thing, has any UCONN team ever committed as many travelling violations as this one?

She didn't come 6000 miles to drive to the basket...cut her some slack..

 

[JoePgh]

Here is a surprising factoid from the box score (which has just been put up on ESPN):

Aubrey played 6 minutes and had 3 assists (and one turnover). I remember one of her assists on a very highlight-reel pass under the offensive basket. I don't remember the other two. But that is a new aspect to Aubrey's game.

Another box score factoid: UConn had 21 assists on 29 made baskets. Given how ugly the offense sometimes looked, that is surprising to me. Furthermore, Paige had only 2 assists in 35 minutes (fewer than Aubrey in 6 minutes). Evina had 4 assists, Christyn had 5, and Olivia had 3.

Maybe Geno would like to see fewer assists and more shots.

 

[BBallF]

Not sure I like the thought off turning Paige into A SG- at her best she is a play maker so let her playmake. Nika got away with a chest bump and hack on that last steal of the game. Nika needs to improve drastically to get minutes and quiet as it kept she is also having an 0 for America streak of her own. On a positive note I like the way AE is cutting to the basket with great timing and balance. Also like the way ONO, Evina, Paige and CW kept thier heads in the game when shots were not falling by doing other things like playing good team defense. The team defense has a noticeable weak link which becomes more noticeable when that link is not hitting shots.

She is the playmaker in the transition game but in the half court set the PG after the first pass cuts on an angle into the corner and stays there for at least another one or two player movements. That is Evina. Paige would be wasted there and will get far more shots at the 2 spot where she is at the top of the key or at the foul line extended and the bigs can pick for her. She can also use the dribble drive pull up moves there. She is really a combo 1 and 2 which make her so great and so reminiscent of DT in that respect.

 

[Monte]

Well, Geno was right 2 weeks ago when he said Paige should get her 20 points FIRST, and then pass the ball to others.

 

[hart2hart]

The game was not pretty but a win is a win. I believe Geno will have lots to say to the team that needs improvement. I love Anna but I think she’s lost her confidence that was beginning to shine late last year. Hopefully it will return!
Mir showed she belonged and I believe with more minutes she will develop nicely! Wish we had another game before Baylor.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

I'm a spoiled fan totally used to pretty basketball. Nothing tonight was pretty. It was ordinary and a good part of it was ugly. Hope they got that out of their systems.

 

[oldhusky]

One thing I don't understand is how hesitant the shooters are in taking wide-open shots. I don't know how many times Evina, Anna and CW passed up wide-open 3-pt shots to pass to Olivia who is being double-teamed. The DePaul kids, hit or miss, are not afraid to take their shots.

I agree with this. There are many times, not just this game, when our supposed shooters have a decent look if they react quickly, but they hesitate just enough to let the defense get to them. I think as strange as it seems, unselfishness is getting to be a team problem.

This is both a better passing and worse shooting team than last year. When that improved passing is getting the ball inside for good looks, we really click, but when it produces open perimeter shots we are not consistently knocking them down. At least with Anna and Christyn we know they can shoot better than they have so far.

 

[Centerstream]

It looked to me like Nika got put into the doghouse after she yelled (or mouthed) "WHAT???" when she was called for a foul. She was pulled immediately and then the camera showed Coach Dailey talking to her on the bench. But she did return to the game, so she must have gotten the message.

 

[Vowelguy]

One thing I don't understand is how hesitant the shooters are in taking wide-open shots. I don't know how many times Evina, Anna and CW passed up wide-open 3-pt shots to pass to Olivia who is being double-teamed. The DePaul kids, hit or miss, are not afraid to take their shots.

They were shooting 25% from 3. I think trying to make an extra pass was not a terrible idea.

 

[CocoHusky]

She is the playmaker in the transition game but in the half court set the PG after the first pass cuts on an angle into the corner and stays there for at least another one or two player movements. That is Evina. Paige would be wasted there and will get far more shots at the 2 spot where she is at the top of the key or at the foul line extended and the bigs can pick for her. She can also use the dribble drive pull up moves there. She is really a combo 1 and 2 which make her so great and so reminiscent of DT in that respect.

First 2.5 games of the season Paige was the PG and the team was doing just fine in the transition game. In fact that transition games propelled UCONN to lead the nation in FG% because UCONN was shooting mostly layups. Paige was not wasted there. Paige is a playermaker in the mold of Jen Rizzotti that can facility as well as score. DT was one of a kind.

 

[CL82]

Fun factoid... Piath Gabriel has scored more points this season than Nika Muhl.

 

[Florida Fan]

I agree with most posts so far on this thread. I just look forward to when Paige gains the confidence and/or the understanding to be what this team needs her to be in order to get to the next level. There is a reason why Geno keeps getting on her about being tentative and not shooting enough.

Paige can make plays against bad defenses, and good ones, but not when there is a gang waiting for her. Her teammates have to keep moving so Paige has targets, when the defenses collapse on her. "Page time" is not the time to stand around watching PB get in a jam(b).

 

[SLY63]

I would not expect us to go more the 7 or 8 max against Baylor. The depth we expected to have has not materialized.

 

[Hayven]

I’ll give Squeaks and E the benefit of the doubt and place their play on the Christmas break.

I’ve been saying Aaliyah should be starting before the season began. Effort can’t be taught and Aaliyah is a prime example. She and Paige will be dynamic duo for years to come.

Everyone on the board loves Anna, but if she’s not hitting any 3s and is a liability on defense....well...

 

[Twolf]

Not a highlight reel offensive game tonight which isn’t unusual after a few days off from games, an empty campus, holiday practices- very easy to get lethargic. This is the hardest part of a college season in many respects, especially for the freshmen players. Having said that, at the end of a game they never ask you how, just how many, & UConn had more than enough. My favorite play of the game was AE surrounded by 3 DePaul players trying to steal, or tie her up, and all 3 deciding that discretion was the better part of valor- message sent.
JMO

 

[CocoHusky]

Plath also had a good game tonight. That last basket off the fast break basket show great hands to catch that pass and finish on the other side of the basket.

 

[DEpup]

Let me start off with the good by stating the defense was really solid and improved. Chrystin in particular was really active. They made DePaul work for every shot and forced uncomfortable shots. They also did a number on Morris who is their best scorer and forced the freshman to carry them. Good deal.

Now let me just skip the bad and go straight to the ugly.

If you can't make free throws on your home court with no fans making noise than when can you make free throws? They left over 10 pts on the table... Could have been about a 35 pt win with just free throws even qith the atrociuos shooting.

Can we please get a sports psychologist for Anna so we can figure out what is eating her so she can score some points. It's all mental.

My girl Paige is a freshman afterall. The decisionmaking was just all over the place. Passing when she should shoot and shooting when she could have reset. This led to overall poor shooting and turnovers.

I just hope this was the nerves playing a ranked team getting out of their system so they can be on point against Baylor.

I'll end on a good note. So happy to be able to say that Liv was the rock solid one tonight. Good for her showing strength and maturity. She almost single handedly put DePaul in foul trouble from the start. She also for long stretches seemed to be the only one scoring.

 

[Vowelguy]

I would not expect us to go more the 7 or 8 max against Baylor. The depth we expected to have has not materialized.

who expected depth? there are 6 frosh and 5 non-frosh. anyone who thought this team would have more than 7 or 8 at best was deluded.

 

[BobbyJ]

Not sure I like the thought off turning Paige into A SG- at her best she is a play maker so let her playmake. Nika got away with a chest bump and hack on that last steal of the game. Nika needs to improve drastically to get minutes and quiet as it kept she is also having an 0 for America streak of her own. On a positive note I like the way AE is cutting to the basket with great timing and balance. Also like the way ONO, Evina, Paige and CW kept thier heads in the game when shots were not falling by doing other things like playing good team defense. The team defense has a noticeable weak link which becomes more noticeable when that link is not hitting shots.

Agree. That’s where they miss having that third strong rotational big inside. Edwards has to play more minutes, especially in tandem with ONO against any good teams with size. They’re just too soft on contested rebounds and against penetration without both. ONO has to over commit leaving the offensive board too exposed.

 

[Boreifs]

For all the praise that Geno gave Aubrey at the start of the summer, she has not shown much. Where is that person who thinks Aubrey is going to get 20/10 this year even if she does not start?

She was injured tonight and was questionable. He wisely kept her out in the second half.

 

[MD#12Fan]

There's more than one way to skin a cat. What we're doing now is nothing short of hideous. The team moves the ball quickly and effectively and gets a wide open look and, "clank". I'm sorry you have to talk about it. Shooting is a huge part of the game. Like a quarterback missing a wide-open receiver after a perfectly executed play. How long do you put up this that?
When is it decided that these players can't shoot jumpers? E, 25%, AM, clank, NM, 0 for America, CW, I'm sorry, I love you, but you shoot the ball like you don't have fingers, just knuckles.
Do something different! Geno is the brilliant maestro conducting the Philharmonic but he's got a bunch of grunge band performers. Stop looking for that perfect melody. Ugly hoops has its own kind of aesthetic beauty. Even Liv, how many great passes does she fumble or layups missed simply because she will not "keep the ball high".
Geno has SO much talent, he could win 8 different ways. How about winning gritty and ugly. I liked the 4 minutes in the first half with Aubrey, Aeliyah, Paige, and Nika. Meat-grinder stuff! Attack the rim, slash, get in the passing lanes, get in the opponents jocks, score around the basket, kick out to whoever proves they can shoot in a game.

 

[Woof 101]

As was pointed out in the broadcast, Olivia is a lot stronger this year than in the past. Must be working out in the weight room. She grabs a lot of rebounds, and never seems to get the ball stolen from her. She is also patient.

We are seeing the flower blossom.

Paige making poor decisions,turnovers,and o yea the leading scorer.

She had 18 pts, 6 reb, 2 a, 4 stl, and went 4 for 6 from three point land and only one turnover. This in only her 6th collegiate game. Maybe a little slack due?

My first time seeing Paige. First Husky she reminds me of is Rizzotti.

You have missed out on a bit, she is a joy to watch. Hope you get to see more real soon. Not sure of the comparison as Paige is a finesse type player where as Gen was of a rugged body contact type player.
The game has changed very much the few decades as to what is called or not as far as ball handling also. Paige would have been called for palming or carrying, bringing the ball up court in Gen's era every time.

The box for those that like to look back at hard facts void of what we saw

DePaul University Blue Demons - Official Athletics Website

depaulbluedemons.com