Does Paige Shoot/Score Enough?

[Skeets]

Tonight she scored 30 on 9-15 shooting. Still only 15 shots. This feels about right to me.

I think she shot more than 15 attempts. She was fouled a lot and those that do not go in are not counted as attempts. The eye test from last night is that she was more aggressive (just the fouls alone prove that) and shot more. Maybe Paige lurks on the Boneyard and saw this thread?

 

[NYCer20]

Magic Johnson is my all-time favorite athlete. And Paige is my all-time favorite women's player. Magic's passing, floor game and leadership were unparalleled. I feel the same about Paige's. Magic was an all-timer after the 1986 season. Paige is an all-timer at UConn even with the injuries. But what I'd love is for Paige to become the Magic of 1987 and onward. In the 1986 offseason Riley went to Magic and told him he had to become the primary scorer as Kareem was aging. Magic had to adjust his game and make a concerted effort to look for his shot more. He did and won his first MVP and over his final five full seasons won three total MVPs and two more titles while becoming much more aggressive with his own shot. It's just a touch more selfish but as others have mentioned it actually becomes an unselfish act because it's the team's best chance at winning.

 

[Pharos]

If you dig up the seeds you're planting, they don't grow. I doubt if Geno's "bemoaning" lacks subtlety. There are moments when she should assert, sure. And, then there are lots of moments when -- playing the season-long, team development "long game" getting the ball into other hands is important.

 

[CONN78SEJ]

I know there are many who believe that if Paige launching 20-30 shots per game that’s all that’s required for UConn to beat top teams and role to championship #12. While we have all seen games where Paige takes over, specifically SC as a freshman or NC State as a sophomore, Geno & Paige both know that championships are won by teams, not individual players.

As great as Caitlin Clark is, Iowa will never win a national championship, because they lack balance. So I have to wonder if Paige were to have a game like Clark did the other night in Iowa’s loss to Indiana, where she shot 8/26 (3/16 from the arc), how long would it take for someone on the BY to post a thread titled, “Does Paige Shoot Too Much?”

Basketball is a team sport, so when the game revolves around one and only one phenomenal player then that team, more often than not, will not win championships. That’s exactly why Caitlin Clark or Pete Maravich couldn’t win a National Championship.

 

[browns]

Basketball is a team sport, so when the game revolves around one and only one phenomenal player then that team, more often than not, will not win championships. That’s exactly why Caitlin Clark or Pete Maravich couldn’t win a National Championship.

True but Clarke put the team on her back to bring them to the championship game in a tournament performance that has never been seen before..what would the outcome have been if she had high school AA's on her team to help her

 

[cohenzone]

It’s tempting to say yes, but i think it is more marginal than anything else. In league, we have beaten the daylights out of everyone. Non-league, every loss has been to a good team, several early when Paige herself was still getting back to form but scored well anyway except for Texas, and our freshmen had to do more than they were ready for.

Our problem in losses has pretty much not been because Paige isn’t shooting enough as much as us getting burned by one player. SCar is better than we are. I kind of doubt Paige shooting more can overcome them. Iowa with Clark taking a zillion more shots than Paige has still lost 3 or 4 times. In short, i think she should shoot a little more but if she takes 10 more a game, it doesn’t automatically improve our chances to beat top teams and it most likely means fewer points from
others.

The thing is, the results for the chances of winning based on how many shots she takes is unknowable just because we will never know how a different shot pattern would have worked. In our 5 losses she averaged about 18 shots and 22 points, all distorted a bit on the low side by the Texas game where she only took 11 shots and had 13 points. I think our winning and losing is probably affected more by how the others do, but who knows. If she takes 30 shots against the better teams, do we think it improves the chance for winning?

BTW, Shade played very limited minutes in the 1st three losses. Azzi played vs NC State and Aubrey was there for the first 3 losses.

 

[browns]

Tonight she scored 30 on 9-15 shooting. Still only 15 shots. This feels about right to me.

Great stats but they were playing a terrible DePaul team

 

[darkstar1]

True but Clarke put the team on her back to bring them to the championship game in a tournament performance that has never been seen before..what would the outcome have been if she had high school AA's on her team to help her

She would have scored less…but they may have won.

 

[darkstar1]

Paige needs to shoot more in games where it is necessary for the team to win. If everyone is hitting their shots, not necessary, unless it’s about padding stats…and that’s not Paige.

 

[omshanti]

Great stats but they were playing a terrible DePaul team

She still put the ball in the basket. You could say that about any player then who scores against ‘a terrible team’.

 

[omshanti]

True but Clarke put the team on her back to bring them to the championship game in a tournament performance that has never been seen before..what would the outcome have been if she had high school AA's on her team to help her

Sheryl Swoops carried her Texas Tech team to the championship game… and won it. Forty seven points in that game.

 

[Geew1992]

Paige is like a coach on the floor.

She wants to instal teamwork and confidence in her teamates during the regular season. The more they have opportunities, the more they will have confidence by the end of the conference tournament.

I predict that we will see her increase the volume of shots after the first game of the NCAA tournament by the Sweet 16, I think her volume of shots will increase by about 15-20% in the 16 and beyond when it’s win or go home.

This right here. Just like she took over the NC State game

 

[Topdawg]

Play to win! If others are scoring enough, facilitate as needed. Don’t wait too long to figure out if others are scoring!

 

[CONN78SEJ]

True but Clarke put the team on her back to bring them to the championship game in a tournament performance that has never been seen before..what would the outcome have been if she had high school AA's on her team to help her

The only reason they made it to the National Championship game was because they had center Monika Cinzano. Maybe Cinzano’s wasn’t a HS All- American but she developed into a great center for Iowa and was drafted pretty high into the WNBA. Cinzano’s back should get some of the credit too. Aliyah Boston only had 8 points in the semifinals. They don’t have Cinzano this year, so I’ll be surprised if Iowa wins the Big Ten Championship or makes it to the sweet 16 or Final 8 this year.

 

[The deacon]

She would have scored less…but they may have won.

The only reason they made it to the National Championship game was because they had center Monika Cinzano.

Darkstar1, the chief reason Iowa lost to LSU was because somebody named Jasmine Carson, not even a starter, hit five three-pointers in the first half and scored 22 points. Alexis Morris also scored 21 points... that Angel Reese was given the MOP award was a joke.

So, CONN78SEJ, Czinano (not Cinzano) was 'the only reason' Iowa made it to the final? Ever think that most of her points came as the result of assists from Caitlin Clark, or that Caitlin happened to have 41 points both against Louisville in the Elite Eight and against mighty SC in the semis. Might she have played a small role, ya think?

 

[willie99]

I think not, I think she needs to shoot and score more, kinda like Caitlyn Clark

But my opinion doesn't matter, and I subordinate my opinion to Geno's opinion

 

[CONN78SEJ]

Darkstar1, the chief reason Iowa lost to LSU was because somebody named Jasmine Carson, not even a starter, hit five three-pointers in the first half and scored 22 points. Alexis Morris also scored 21 points... that Angel Reese was given the MOP award was a joke.

So, CONN78SEJ, Czinano (not Cinzano) was 'the only reason' Iowa made it to the final? Ever think that most of her points came as the result of assists from Caitlin Clark, or that Caitlin happened to have 41 points both against Louisville in the Elite Eight and against mighty SC in the semis. Might she have played a small role, ya think?

My main point was that this year Iowa does not have Cinzano, all they have is Clark and that’s it. They’re not nearly as good as they were last year. Already this year have lost three in conference to Nebraska, Indiana, Ohio State. Also lost to KState, and should have lost to Liz Kitely and VTech, squeaked by in that one.


Yeah right, and the only reason Alyhah Boston scored 8 points in the semis was because of Clark’s great defense on her and not Cinzano’s presence. The reason LSU beat them last year because no one on Iowa with the exception of Cinzano, knew how to spell the word “DEFENSE”.

 

[HuskyNan]

True but Clarke put the team on her back to bring them to the championship game in a tournament performance that has never been seen before..what would the outcome have been if she had high school AA's on her team to help her

Did you miss the Taurasi years? She carried the team and got the championships

 

[The deacon]

My main point was that this year Iowa does not have Cinzano, all they have is Clark and that’s it. They’re not nearly as good as they were last year. Already this year have lost three in conference to Nebraska, Indiana, Ohio State. Also lost to KState, and should have lost to Liz Kitely and VTech, squeaked by in that one.


Yeah right, and the only reason Alyhah Boston scored 8 points in the semis was because of Clark’s great defense on her and not Cinzano’s presence. The reason LSU beat them last year because no one on Iowa with the exception of Cinzano, knew how to spell the word “DEFENSE”.

Once again, Czinano... she deserves to have her name spelled correctly. You should employ the spelling acumen you possess to spell DEFENSE correctly and transfer it to spelling Monika's last name correctly.

Iowa lost seven games last season. How are its four losses so far this season proof that it's not as good this year?

How is that Iowa should have lost to Va Tech? One-point game... could have gone either way, right?

Aliyah (not Alyhah) scored just eight points because she was in foul trouble, because she shot 2 of 9 from the floor and because McKenna Warnock did a good job defensively on her when the Hawkeyes weren't in a zone. Czinano more often guarded Cardoso.

By the way, I would never argue that Iowa plays good defense, either last year or this, although Caitlin is making great effort on that end of the court.

Anyway, shouldn't we get back to the subject of whether or not Paige should shoot more... LOL?

 

[The deacon]

Did you miss the Taurasi years? She carried the team and got the championships

I witnessed the DT years and she was remarkable in leading the Huskies, yet the level of her performance wasn't up to what Clark did last year's tournament.

Loving the Janelle look, by the way.

 

[omshanti]

I witnessed the DT years and she was remarkable in leading the Huskies, yet the level of her performance wasn't up to what Clark did last year's tournament.

Loving the Janelle look, by the way.

Iowa didn’t win the championship game. Sheryl Swoops won her senior year and scored 47 in the win. Taurasi won the championship and carried her team. Getting to the final four and championship game is one thing, winning it all is another. We shall see how this year’s tournament plays out.

 

[The deacon]

Iowa didn’t win the championship game. Sheryl Swoops won her senior year and scored 47 in the win. Taurasi won the championship and carried her team. Getting to the final four and championship game is one thing, winning it all is another. We shall see how this year’s tournament plays out.

Yes, I remember... thanks!

I just question the 'carried' part. In the championship game, Taurasi scored 17 points and had 3 rebounds. Moore had 14 points and 9 rebounds, Turner had 12 points and 9 rebounds, and Strother and Conlon added 14 and 7 points, respectively.

I couldn't find assist numbers for that game, so I'll grant DT likely was the team leader there, perhaps more than Conlon?

I understand and recall that Diana was the team leader on the court, but saying someone had 17 of the team's 70 points and three of its 27 rebounds 'carried' the team might be overstating, don't you think? Leading, perhaps, if that...

And I have no illusions that Iowa will make another Final Four run. It could happen, but either way that shouldn't weigh on what happened in 2023.

At this point, I'm more interested in the prospect of Paige raising the level of her game so the Huskies can get back to the Final Four. That would be truly exciting.

 

[PvP]

We all saw in the game Sunday the shot Paige threw up while passing under the basket without seeming to look anywhere near the basket with, in my opinion at the time, no possible chance of success. I began to mutter "what kind of .....?" Only to cut it short as the ball found the bottom of the net.

CBS was apparently also stupefied by her shot as they showed it again and again. Of course this was hardly the first time, Ms. Buckets made an "impossible" shot over her tenure in Storrs which makes my answer to whether she should shoot more pretty obvious.

Yes, please!!

 

[FormerCTrez]

Basketball is a team sport, so when the game revolves around one and only one phenomenal player then that team, more often than not, will not win championships. That’s exactly why Caitlin Clark or Pete Maravich couldn’t win a National Championship.

The season is over yet, so Caitlin Clark still has the potential to ”logo-3” her team to hoisting the Championship trophy.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

As fans we were told that in Diana's senior year there was considerable friction between Geno and her because she was in game supporting the development of the younger players. "I didn't bring you here to pass" was still his rallying cry apparently.

 

[darkstar1]

Darkstar1, the chief reason Iowa lost to LSU was because somebody named Jasmine Carson, not even a starter, hit five three-pointers in the first half and scored 22 points. Alexis Morris also scored 21 points... that Angel Reese was given the MOP award was a joke.

So, CONN78SEJ, Czinano (not Cinzano) was 'the only reason' Iowa made it to the final? Ever think that most of her points came as the result of assists from Caitlin Clark, or that Caitlin happened to have 41 points both against Louisville in the Elite Eight and against mighty SC in the semis. Might she have played a small role, ya think?

Deacon, I don’t dispute anything you say, and I think Clark is a phenomenal offensive player. My comment only was directed to the fact that if she had more AA players, she would or at least should score less and the team would or should be more successful.

 

[darkstar1]

Yes, I remember... thanks!

I just question the 'carried' part. In the championship game, Taurasi scored 17 points and had 3 rebounds. Moore had 14 points and 9 rebounds, Turner had 12 points and 9 rebounds, and Strother and Conlon added 14 and 7 points, respectively.

I couldn't find assist numbers for that game, so I'll grant DT likely was the team leader there, perhaps more than Conlon?

I understand and recall that Diana was the team leader on the court, but saying someone had 17 of the team's 70 points and three of its 27 rebounds 'carried' the team might be overstating, don't you think? Leading, perhaps, if that...

And I have no illusions that Iowa will make another Final Four run. It could happen, but either way that shouldn't weigh on what happened in 2023.

At this point, I'm more interested in the prospect of Paige raising the level of her game so the Huskies can get back to the Final Four. That would be truly exciting.

I think it all depends on the matchups. My hope is that if Iowa remains a 1 seed (no sure thing as they aren’t #1 in their own conference), that auconn is in their bracket.

 

[The deacon]

Deacon, I don’t dispute anything you say, and I think Clark is a phenomenal offensive player. My comment only was directed to the fact that if she had more AA players, she would or at least should score less and the team would or should be more successful.

Agreed, darkstar1. It's an interesting speculation, and a scenario we might see play out at USC if JuJu Watkins has the benefit of excellent recruits coming in behind her. How will that affect her prodigious scoring?

'Tis a fascinating discussion, about which we'll never know the answer for Caitlin Clark. Thanks!

 

[The deacon]

I think it all depends on the matchups. My hope is that if Iowa remains a 1 seed (no sure thing as they aren’t #1 in their own conference), that auconn is in their bracket.

I think Iowa's only road to a 1 seed, as you said, would be if it beats Ohio State this Sunday, then wins the Big Ten tournament, which would probably necessitate beating Indiana and Ohio State on consecutive days. It did it last year, but that's a tough road.

Also, as a fan of both UConn and Iowa, I'll hope they'll be in different brackets so the earliest they might play is at the Final Four!

 

[meyers7]

Basketball is a team sport, so when the game revolves around one and only one phenomenal player then that team, more often than not, will not win championships. That’s exactly why Caitlin Clark or Pete Maravich couldn’t win a National Championship.

Danny Manning, might disagree with you.