ECU Postgame Thread

[oldude]

He’s lost his patience and is moving on, at least for this year. It looks to be a wise choice

Geno knows he doesn’t win a championship this year without a significant contribution from Liv, and he is far too competitive to throw in the towel.

So no, he’s not moving on. He and CD are doing everything they can to get Liv to play her best this season, including sitting her down when it’s necessary.

 

[Carnac]

I thought she got in in the 2Q. Maybe mistaken. I actually think he has a desire to give his seniors Molly and Kyla some more meaningful minutes if possible to honor their overall careers.

I wasn't really paying attention to when Molly came in. I was focused on the play of Aubrey, Anna and ONO. Sometimes the announcers either don't tell you, or are slow about informing us about substitutions.

One thing that drives me up a wall is when a player with the ball picks up her dribble, and the defensive player just stands there instead of getting right up on her. It's easy to pass of when no one is in your face. Every time the dribble is picked up, the defensive player should move in as close as she can get without fouling. You may cause a turnover.

 

[JoePgh]

This looks to me like almost an exact replay of the Tina Charles chronology, and I predict comparable results.

 

[mbr33ct]

It is one of those odd things, but Christmas break had a very different effect on players. Anna went all the way to Poland and brought back her confidence. EA, I think, went to Molly's house, and she is a brand new player. But poor Liv, she left something home over the holidays. Funny how kids react so differently!

How did Anna manage to get that confidence through customs?

 

[Carnac]

It was not folks not passing, it was Walker not passing. It happened today. In one instance, Anna was wide open and Walker looked at her and then shot a three and hit it. A short time later, Walker had the ball, looked at a wide open Anna, then passed to someone else. It's not just perception, look at the replay.

You're not he first poster to make that observation Don.

 

[DEpup]

Instead of Tina, Liv is reminding me of Kia Stokes. Remember how she was an enigma for like the first 3 years and then settled into 6th woman and played outstanding her senior year.

 

[eebmg]

How did Anna manage to get that confidence through customs?

Custom agents were UConn Fans?

 

[Carnac]

Custom agents were UConn Fans?

eebmg, you're on a roll today.

 

[BostonBay]

Its clear ONO doesnt have the confidence to be dominant yet. She's too deliberate in her moves & over-thinking at times. She keeps making the same mistakes game after game, and thats why Geno sits her for long stretches. I think she needs to add a lot of muscle/bulk in the offseason. She's being pushed around by shorter but thicker players. And her "finesse" game is nowhere good enough to offset this. AG is more dominant on the boards & inside, even though she's a good 5 inches shorter.

 

[Carnac]

Instead of Tina, Liv is reminding me of Kia Stokes. Remember how she was an enigma for like the first 3 years and then settled into 6th woman and played outstanding her senior year.

There is no one in the BY that was/is a bigger Kiah Stokes fan than me. I wouldn't say anything while she was here, but now that she's gone, I'll share my thoughts about Kiah. This is nothing more that my gut feeling about her situation during her time at UConn.

She was a 24+ ppg scorer and double digit rebounder her senior year at Linn-Mar high school in Marion Iowa.

• During her junior year, she averaged 19.9 ppg., 13.5 rpg. and 5.8 bpg. to help Linn-Mar to a 26-0 record and Iowa 4A state title.
• As a senior, Stokes averaged 25.0 points, 14.8 rebounds and 5.1 blocks per game in her final year at Linn-Mar High School.
• She was named the Iowa's 2010 Gatorade State Player of the year and honored as a 2011 McDonald's, Parade Magazine, WBCA All-American.

She committed to UConn expecting to enjoy the same success there she had in high school, not so. She spent the first 3 years in Geno's dog house, or as Kara Wolters calls it: "Casa de Bow Wow." I think she became disenchanted with her status and wanted to leave, but her parents would not support or endorse that idea. So she endured and finally was released from the "Pooch Palace" and began to blossom during her junior year. She seldom smiled much during games.

If another poster has inside information on her situation of what in fact were the dynamics of her situation,
I'd love to be corrected and set straight. As I said, this is purely a observation from afar. I could be totally off base. I have nothing substantive to support this hypothesis.

​

 

[pvdoggy]

Its clear ONO doesnt have the confidence to be dominant yet. She's too deliberate in her moves & over-thinking at times. She keeps making the same mistakes game after game, and thats why Geno sits her for long stretches. I think she needs to add a lot of muscle/bulk in the offseason. She's being pushed around by shorter but thicker players. And her "finesse" game is nowhere good enough to offset this. AG is more dominant on the boards & inside, even though she's a good 5 inches shorter.

In defense of Liv, she is looked at as the only interior defense for the team and her teammates have stated as much so they gambled on perimeter defense and sometimes let their players through because they feel Liv is going to have their back. That put a lot of pressure on Liv and potentially lead to more fouls. I sincerely hope that she will have a better Ucon career than Kiah Stokes. Earlier in the season, some people were saying that Liv was better than Collier, but it looks like Collier has been playing pretty good this season, especially lately.

 

[wbball novice]

UConn has had difficulty handling low & unranked teams that use chaos & physicality to disrupt their rhythm. The team solved this early on, or maybe it was just shots falling. Hope they've turned a corner. Megan Culmo noted that the pressing teams seem to be trapping the guards at the end lines with some regularity. Not sure if this is caused by bad decision making by the passer or bad positioning by the receiver, but something to work on. Almost like a quarterback trying to solve defensive coverage in pro football. ECU was pretty good at deflecting passes, though -- they have a lot of long arms.

Very pleased CW was able to remind folks what a great offensive player she can be. Hope this happens more than once in a blue moon. Still the best finisher I've ever seen wearing a UConn uniform. Not sure why one of the posters said her play was "cringeworthy." Also disagree with whoever it was in Chat who suggested that Anna showed poor sportsmanship by continuing to shoot 3s when ECU was trailing big time. Of course, we don't want to have a brawl with people waving chairs around cuz someone broke the unwritten rules, a la Kansas, even if it makes Sports Center, but remember, she's not American! They probably have different rules in Europe. And that behind the back pass. Stop the showboating! Amazing how CW and Anna Mak made CD & MW seem like supporting players this afternoon. Will the upperclassmen feel disrespected? Will ONO, disgruntled by her bench time in 2 consecutive games, apply for transfer to Notre Dame? Could I get a hot takes podcast on ESPN?

Previous game seemed to have charged up Aubrey. Starting to make her mark defensively, but maybe still an offensive liability. Anna might be better as the first off the bench if she can help the team to get a big lead, then bring in AG to defend the counterattack.

 

[cohenzone]

Yep my thoughts exactly. Doty starts, Bria comes in after a couple of minutes.

He really started doing that with his first championship team. Senior Pam Webber would start and be soon replaced by freshman Nykeisha Sales.

 

[psconn]

This may have been mentioned above but CW has been playing really well the whole season EXCEPT her shot just wouldn't fall recently. She's been a solid rebounder, defender, slasher and finisher around the rim.

When you see her dropping in shots from all ranges, it's easy to see why she was the #1 coming out of HS and you can be excited about her potential down the road.

 

[huskeynut]

I think benching is Geno's equivalent to electroshock.

Benching is Geno's dog house. A place no UConn player wants to be. Electroshock is nothing compared to the dog house. Ask any alum, they know.

 

[bluedevil]

People forget that Tina had shoulder issues her first 2 seasons

 

[huskeynut]

He’s lost his patience and is moving on, at least for this year. It looks to be a wise choice

Are you serious? If Geno didn't loose his patience with Charde, he won't even come close to loosing it with Liv.

 

[Fairfield Fan]

She continues to be an enigma.

She seems confused, and doesn't know what to do: shoot from outside, drive to the basket, pass. Or just stand there and think. The offense is out of synch when she's in the game.

 

[Fairfield Fan]

This looks to me like almost an exact replay of the Tina Charles chronology, and I predict comparable results.

But Tina was much more of a bruiser during her first two years. She was already one of the best posts in the nation. I don't think ONO is anywhere near where Tina was at the same time in sophomore year.

 

[SVCBeercats]

My wife and I were discussing Liv today. Either she is going to be really good or the biggest pork chop Geno ever ate. I think if she hits the weights HARD this off-season she can be a beast her Junior and Senior years. Geno has been patient. Liv is key to any kind of run come dancing time. Here’s hoping!

Olivia needs “ganas” from the movie "Stand and Deliver" as spoken by Jamie Escalante (James Edward Olmos). Start 2:12. Sounds like Geno.

 

[HuskyNan]

Anna - 1 of the best shooting performances in UConn history, hands-down.. 8 for 10 from downtown, and the 2 misses were in and out. The only performance I can remember that was better was KLS' "perfect" game - 10-10 3 pointers - is still the NCAA record.

Remember this game?

Women's Basketball Dominates Syracuse 107-53 - University of Connecticut Athletics

Moore finished the afternoon shooting 14-of-23 from the floor with 10 three-point field goals, a program-best tally as well as a new BIG EAST record, as she ...

uconnhuskies.com

 

[huskeynut]

Its clear ONO doesnt have the confidence to be dominant yet. She's too deliberate in her moves & over-thinking at times. She keeps making the same mistakes game after game, and thats why Geno sits her for long stretches. I think she needs to add a lot of muscle/bulk in the offseason. She's being pushed around by shorter but thicker players. And her "finesse" game is nowhere good enough to offset this. AG is more dominant on the boards & inside, even though she's a good 5 inches shorter.

Look at Liv's body type. She is long and slender. Not the type of body to "bulk up." And BTW, I hate that term. She's not a body builder. You don't mess with a person's body type. She will get stronger but bulk up to bang - no. Her finesse game will be just fine. You want a big, bulky banger. Not going to be Liv. And not the type of post player Geno usually recruits.

Aubrey is 6' 1". Aubrey uses position and great leaping to board.

 

[browns]

Are you serious? If Geno didn't loose his patience with Charde, he won't even come close to loosing it with Liv.

Now thats a great point !!!

 

[SVCBeercats]

He’s lost his patience and is moving on, at least for this year. It looks to be a wise choice

No chance of moving on from Olivia this year. He knows he needs her to win a championship. He also knows he needs the team to play without her if she fails to play well or gets into foul trouble. In a Tenn post game interview he said that during the game he turned to CD and said we need to get her (Aubrey) ready for March. Olivia lacks the competitive fire in her belly. Hopefully she gets religion like Dolson did beteen her sophomore and junior years. Being tall in high school makes it easy, not so in DI college.

 

[SVCBeercats]

Look at Liv's body type. She is long and slender. Not the type of body to "bulk up." And BTW, I hate that term. She's not a body builder. You don't mess with a person's body type. She will get stronger but bulk up to bang - no. Her finesse game will be just fine. You want a big, bulky banger. Not going to be Liv. And not the type of post player Geno usually recruits. Aubrey is 6' 1". Aubrey uses position and great leaping to board.

Amen! Just how "bulked up" was Stewart? Is she bulked up in WNBA? She is stronger for sure but as you say you cannot change you body type ... naturally. An ectomorph is an ectomorph. (Since using the word fat is frown upon I assume skinny carries the same stigma.)