Some random observations:
1. As Geno noted, it is disturbing that the team tends to start slow. We were down 15-8. Christyn hit a three at that point. I think that was a pretty key moment. Our intensity picked up, while DePaul`s started to sag. By the end, DePaul was just hoping the bus was warm.
2. I hope this ends up being a turnaround game for Christyn. She was doing exactly what many of us have hoped for - selective on the threes, and take it hard to the basket. That is really her game. 12-15 is pretty strong evidence.
3. I don`t think anyone has mentioned Evina`s knee. I think she was playing through some level of discomfort today, or perhaps I should say more than usual. I saw her grimacing a bit near the end of the first quarter, and she was subbed out shortly after that. She sat for quite a while (played all 40 the other night), and when she came back in she had some kind of wrap on her knee - I don`t think she had it to start the game. Nevertheless, she gutted it out with a very solid game especially on the boards, 14 rebounds, in 30 minutes.
4. Nika came in very early in the third quarter, around 6:40, for Aubrey. Strange. I replayed it to see if I could figure out why. It sounded like Geno was screaming at Aubrey to move on offense, and if so I think he had a point there, she wasn`t moving in any kind of recognizable offensive flow. Aubrey was back in later, so I don`t think getting subbed out early had anything to do with the whack(s) she took. Nika doesn`t score much and hasn`t gotten a ton of assists, although she had a couple of nice ones today, but when she is in there the ball moves better, it doesn`t get stuck as much, she seems to get it. I also think part of it is that the other guards - Christyn, Evina and Paige - have more room to work. I like her effort and enthusiasm.
5. We got 30 points and 16 rebounds combined from Liv, Aubrey and Aaliyah in 64 total minutes. I`ll take that. If Liv can play about 25 minutes and get about 12 and 8, with 2 or 3 blocks, solid defense, and no foul trouble, we`ll be there at the end.
6. Listening to the announcers made me realize how lucky we are to have Allen Bestwick and Meghan Culmo. The ones today were determined not to let the game in front of them interrupt their yada, yada, yada conversation. Is the rule now that there can never be a nanosecond of dead air time? I am from the less is more camp, but that camp isn`t getting very many campers any more.
7. I also have no patience for camera shots lingering on the head coaches while the game is going on. I know what Doug Bruno looks like, and I can imagine he would be looking concerned if his team is down 35. Also, I`m fine with their pre-planned little story lines, like on Jewel Loyd, but not when they end up cutting into the game.
8. Finally, I wasn`t going to say anything about Paige because, well, what can I add. Not much. Will simply say that the next four years of UConn basketball are going to be amazing.
You obviously have knowledge of the game and I agree the outside shooting or lack of has not helped Olivia. Her problem and has been is simply putting the ball on the floor to gain position when it is not needed. She is not being double teamed or trapped until she starts to dribble. I was actually surprised tonight when she had a rebound put back without gathering the ball and bouncing it. ( We used to call it a tap in in the day) Then she had another with defenders way out of position wide open right under the basket and she still had to bounce the ball once. She made that one but the time it took to dribble once gave defenders time to be in rebound position should she have not.
