Geno knows what he got

[jabstep]

Geno made a great coaching decision for the 2nd half. He allowed Nika to still run fast breaks but after each Texas basket because he wanted the ball in Azzi's hands. He did that by making Azzi the point guard and allowed her to do anything she had to do to score, since he knows that when she shoots she has a high percentage of them going in. He felt the same way about Paige. He had to teach Paige and now Azzi how to be the great player that she can be. Azzi rose to the occasion. Some other things he knows he has.
1. Lou can score even against a good man to man pressure defense.
2. Aubrey could be now move from just an energy player to a scorer.
3. Nika is great leader who sets the defensive energy. She also penetrated to score and kick. We need more of this from her.
4. Our bigs need to keep out of foul trouble. It will keep them from being so passive on defense.
5. Caroline needs practice and game conditions but she played.
6. Our defense still needs work.
7. Dorka can protect the rim.
8. They can use the 5 man help defense to stop a big.

What else does anybody think Geno learned from top flight game conditions.

 

[AvidFan]

From a defensive perspective:
1. We have the bodies and the right personnel to press defense full court all game long.
2. Geno has the flexibility to completely disrupt the front end of the opponents' offense by using Nika and Aubrey at the point of our half-court defense if he desires.
3. We need to block out more consistently in order to own the boards. There's no reason we can't with our height and quickness. It's about commitment to the little things.

 

[diggerfoot]

OK. I keep seeing this theme of Auriemma making Fudd the PG for a stretch. Let us review the history of pure PG under Auriemma, beginning with him telling Bird that whatever happens is her fault. The best flowing offense is not one in which the coach has to dictate the flow from the sidelines, but rather when the PG, or offensive player coach if you will, does so in adjustments she sees in the action she is intimately involved with.

Bird was the offensive player coach, as was Montgomery, as was Jefferson, but now we are to believe that cannot be possible with Muhl? If our offense is to match the proclivity of offenses past, then Muhl better be like Rizzotti, Bird, Montgomery, et al, and make the (good) decisions. Consider that, except for that stretch that the Fudd for PG advocates point out, our rebounders were automatically looking for Muhl in their outlets. Did that stop then because of Auriemma’s decision, or Muhl’s, the person that Auriemma already has informed as the person the team will listen to?

Consider as well the struggle Auriemma had with getting Bueckers to take over more. We tend to recruit selfless players, that is particularly true for Bueckers, but neither does Fudd strike me as the Ogwumike type. But if the “offensive player coach” tells you to take over, and the whole team has been oriented to listen to that teammate, then a team oriented player will follow that more easily than calling her own number, or even from listening to the coach on the bench.

Muhl likely called Fudd’s number, and she made a wise, PG like decision to do so in a timely manner. Some seem to think that not only should Fudd be the PG and calling her own number, she should keep that up for the whole game. Such predictability will be exploited by better defenses, particularly when the ball handler struggles to achieve an A/T ratio greater than one. The decision to let Fudd take over was judiciously and sparingly timed, a decision likely made by the player that, in the traditional mode of a UConn PG, is the on court, offensive player coach the team is trained to follow.

Thus to answer the question the OP poised, one thing Auriemma learned is that the player he has designated and trained the team to follow makes good decisions which, among other advantages, spares the team oriented superstar on the team from having to call her own number in judicious stretches.

 

[DefenseBB]

I just hope that Caroline can get back to being the CD we saw before the concussion. Having a 6'2" wing who can score inside as well will give this team significant scoring depth.

 

[Happydad745]

He also knows his offense is without P.G., something we will all miss more and more this year.

 

[Boreifs]

From a defensive perspective:
1. We have the bodies and the right personnel to press defense full court all game long.
2. Geno has the flexibility to completely disrupt the front end of the opponents' offense by using Nika and Aubrey at the point of our half-court defense if he desires.
3. We need to block out more consistently in order to own the boards. There's no reason we can't with our height and quickness. It's about commitment to the little things.

Just to point out that UConn owned the boards last night. The game stats are pretty clear. We also got 26 points from the three (12 from Lou and 14 from Aubrey). 60 points from the two and three wins every game, particularly against one of the top defensive teams in the nation.

 

[Geesworld]

I think the move to have Azzi handling the ball was not a game adjustment but more about a season adjustment (Paige injury) to help elevate her game and elevate team play. It's much harder, face guarding Azzi,
when she's at the point verses her running to the wing and running the same UCONN offense that everyone knows pressure the wings to disrupt the rythm of the offense. At some point Lou and possibly Caroline and Aubrey will have a chance to get a taste of setting the half court offense as teams will look to take away Nika and Azzi as primary initiators of the offense.

 

[EricLA]

He also knows his offense is without P.G., something we will all miss more and more this year.

Are you talking about some other team? UCONN has a terrific PG, and her name is Nika Muhl.

 

[TeamFirst!]

To her credit, Nika has improved and this was her best game for several of us. We all hope she keeps it up and I have some confidence she will. We are going to need her for sure over the course of the season. We will need Caroline and Aubrey also and Aubrey has shown she can contribute at least equally so far. We are going to need all of that depth for sure.

 

[Conndog]

From a defensive perspective:
1. We have the bodies and the right personnel to press defense full court all game long.
2. Geno has the flexibility to completely disrupt the front end of the opponents' offense by using Nika and Aubrey at the point of our half-court defense if he desires.
3. We need to block out more consistently in order to own the boards. There's no reason we can't with our height and quickness. It's about commitment to the little things.

Aubrey up front is an intimidating defender, as quick as most guards, good height, explosive athleticism. Also, she gets back on offense faster than anyone- love seeing her get the outlet pass and scoring the other way on a layup.

 

[LwrcasefaN]

OK. I keep seeing this theme of Auriemma making Fudd the PG for a stretch. Let us review the history of pure PG under Auriemma, beginning with him telling Bird that whatever happens is her fault. The best flowing offense is not one in which the coach has to dictate the flow from the sidelines, but rather when the PG, or offensive player coach if you will, does so in adjustments she sees in the action she is intimately involved with.

Bird was the offensive player coach, as was Montgomery, as was Jefferson, but now we are to believe that cannot be possible with Muhl? If our offense is to match the proclivity of offenses past, then Muhl better be like Rizzotti, Bird, Montgomery, et al, and make the (good) decisions. Consider that, except for that stretch that the Fudd for PG advocates point out, our rebounders were automatically looking for Muhl in their outlets. Did that stop then because of Auriemma’s decision, or Muhl’s, the person that Auriemma already has informed as the person the team will listen to?

Consider as well the struggle Auriemma had with getting Bueckers to take over more. We tend to recruit selfless players, that is particularly true for Bueckers, but neither does Fudd strike me as the Ogwumike type. But if the “offensive player coach” tells you to take over, and the whole team has been oriented to listen to that teammate, then a team oriented player will follow that more easily than calling her own number, or even from listening to the coach on the bench.

Muhl likely called Fudd’s number, and she made a wise, PG like decision to do so in a timely manner. Some seem to think that not only should Fudd be the PG and calling her own number, she should keep that up for the whole game. Such predictability will be exploited by better defenses, particularly when the ball handler struggles to achieve an A/T ratio greater than one. The decision to let Fudd take over was judiciously and sparingly timed, a decision likely made by the player that, in the traditional mode of a UConn PG, is the on court, offensive player coach the team is trained to follow.

Thus to answer the question the OP poised, one thing Auriemma learned is that the player he has designated and trained the team to follow makes good decisions which, among other advantages, spares the team oriented superstar on the team from having to call her own number in judicious stretches.

You meant Arike Ogunbowale, right?

 

[Carnac]

OK. I keep seeing this theme of Auriemma making Fudd the PG for a stretch. Let us review the history of pure PG under Auriemma, beginning with him telling Bird that whatever happens is her fault. The best flowing offense is not one in which the coach has to dictate the flow from the sidelines, but rather when the PG, or offensive player coach if you will, does so in adjustments she sees in the action she is intimately involved with.

Bird was the offensive player coach, as was Montgomery, as was Jefferson, but now we are to believe that cannot be possible with Muhl? If our offense is to match the proclivity of offenses past, then Muhl better be like Rizzotti, Bird, Montgomery, et al, and make the (good) decisions. Consider that, except for that stretch that the Fudd for PG advocates point out, our rebounders were automatically looking for Muhl in their outlets. Did that stop then because of Auriemma’s decision, or Muhl’s, the person that Auriemma already has informed as the person the team will listen to?

Consider as well the struggle Auriemma had with getting Bueckers to take over more. We tend to recruit selfless players, that is particularly true for Bueckers, but neither does Fudd strike me as the Ogwumike type. But if the “offensive player coach” tells you to take over, and the whole team has been oriented to listen to that teammate, then a team oriented player will follow that more easily than calling her own number, or even from listening to the coach on the bench.

Muhl likely called Fudd’s number, and she made a wise, PG like decision to do so in a timely manner. Some seem to think that not only should Fudd be the PG and calling her own number, she should keep that up for the whole game. Such predictability will be exploited by better defenses, particularly when the ball handler struggles to achieve an A/T ratio greater than one. The decision to let Fudd take over was judiciously and sparingly timed, a decision likely made by the player that, in the traditional mode of a UConn PG, is the on court, offensive player coach the team is trained to follow.

Thus to answer the question the OP poised, one thing Auriemma learned is that the player he has designated and trained the team to follow makes good decisions which, among other advantages, spares the team oriented superstar on the team from having to call her own number in judicious stretches.

Well said Diggerfoot. Every visitor/poster here needs to read this. You explained some dynamics here that may go unseen or unrecognized by some fans.

 

[Carnac]

Aubrey up front is an intimidating defender, as quick as most guards, good height, explosive athleticism. Also, she gets back on offense faster than anyone- love seeing her get the outlet pass and scoring the other way on a layup.

This year, we are seeing the real Aubrey Griffin. The one Geno recruited 3 years ago. The one he envisioned seeing on the court for us and making the plays she is now making on both ends of the court.

 

[CocoHusky]

Are you talking about some other team? UCONN has a terrific PG, and her name is Nika Muhl.

I think that misunderstood reference might have been from a few weeks back where Geno implied ( may have stated) that things are going to look different without Paige and UCONN is not going to have a designated point guard. Of course he condtricted himself a few days later when he said Ines is a true point guard.

 

[CocoHusky]

OK. I keep seeing this theme of Auriemma making Fudd the PG for a stretch. Let us review the history of pure PG under Auriemma, beginning with him telling Bird that whatever happens is her fault. The best flowing offense is not one in which the coach has to dictate the flow from the sidelines, but rather when the PG, or offensive player coach if you will, does so in adjustments she sees in the action she is intimately involved with.
Bird was the offensive player coach, as was Montgomery, as was Jefferson, but now we are to believe that cannot be possible with Muhl? If our offense is to match the proclivity of offenses past, then Muhl better be like Rizzotti, Bird, Montgomery, et al, and make the (good) decisions. Consider that, except for that stretch that the Fudd for PG advocates point out, our rebounders were automatically looking for Muhl in their outlets. Did that stop then because of Auriemma’s decision, or Muhl’s, the person that Auriemma already has informed as the person the team will listen to?
Consider as well the struggle Auriemma had with getting Bueckers to take over more. We tend to recruit selfless players, that is particularly true for Bueckers, but neither does Fudd strike me as the Ogwumike type. But if the “offensive player coach” tells you to take over, and the whole team has been oriented to listen to that teammate, then a team oriented player will follow that more easily than calling her own number, or even from listening to the coach on the bench.
Muhl likely called Fudd’s number, and she made a wise, PG like decision to do so in a timely manner. Some seem to think that not only should Fudd be the PG and calling her own number, she should keep that up for the whole game. Such predictability will be exploited by better defenses, particularly when the ball handler struggles to achieve an A/T ratio greater than one. The decision to let Fudd take over was judiciously and sparingly timed, a decision likely made by the player that, in the traditional mode of a UConn PG, is the on court, offensive player coach the team is trained to follow.

Thus to answer the question the OP poised, one thing Auriemma learned is that the player he has designated and trained the team to follow makes good decisions which, among other advantages, spares the team oriented superstar on the team from having to call her own number in judicious stretches.

Well stated as always @diggerfoot an amplification, a clarification and a possible point of disagreement.
Amplification: Nika is more than capable of making good decisions as the primary PG for this team.
Clarification: Nika excels at pushing the ball in transition and that is the reason the rebounders look for her to start the transition offense. Azzi excels a a wing shooter in that same transition offense by forcing the defense to have to account for her wide. It would be counter productive to have Azzi start the transition (outlet pass) because you would be essentially taking away what is the best aspect of two players. After an opponent made basket or a dead ball or when Nika is not in the game is when Geno is mostly utilizing Azzi to bring the ball up the court. Disagreement: I think you are overstating the dillema of a UCONN player having to call their own number because Geno is too much of control freak. For UCONN, the vast majority of plays & sets are called from the sideline by Geno not by the PG on the floor. Even the best UCONN PGs (Rizzotti, Bird, Montgomery,Jefferson, DT, Paige) never evolved to the point where they were calling plays on a regular basis. Sue Bird and DT once joked about this in an interview that it wasn't until they were playing in their second (?) olympics for Geno that they were able to actually call plays on the floor as the game was happening. Having said that I still thing Azzi is going to be faced with a dilemma regardless of who is calling the plays or who the team has designated the leader is. It is the same dilemma that all great players come to: when do I take over this game (Geno calls this the good selfish) and when do I get my teammates more involved.

 

[diggerfoot]

Well stated as always @diggerfoot an amplification, a clarification and a possible point of disagreement.
Amplification: Nika is more than capable of making good decisions as the primary PG for this team.
Clarification: Nika excels at pushing the ball in transition and that is the reason the rebounders look for her to start the transition offense. Azzi excels a a wing shooter in that same transition offense by forcing the defense to have to account for her wide. It would be counter productive to have Azzi start the transition (outlet pass) because you would be essentially taking away what is the best aspect of two players. After an opponent made basket or a dead ball or when Nika is not in the game is when Geno is mostly utilizing Azzi to bring the ball up the court. Disagreement: I think you are overstating the dillema of a UCONN player having to call their own number because Geno is too much of control freak. For UCONN, the vast majority of plays & sets are called from the sideline by Geno not by the PG on the floor. Even the best UCONN PGs (Rizzotti, Bird, Montgomery,Jefferson, DT, Paige) never evolved to the point where they were calling plays on a regular basis. Sue Bird and DT once joked about this in an interview that it wasn't until they were playing in their second (?) olympics for Geno that they were able to actually call plays on the floor as the game was happening. Having said that I still thing Azzi is going to be faced with a dilemma regardless of who is calling the plays or who the team has designated the leader is. It is the same dilemma that all great players come to: when do I take over this game (Geno calls this the good selfish) and when do I get my teammates more involved.

I would say that claiming that “the vast majority of plays and sets are called from the sideline by Geno” is an overstatement for a team that generally runs a motion offense, unless we are disagreeing over semantics. It would seriously compromise the speed and efficiency of a motion offense to have to pay attention either visually or audibly to what is going on at the sidelines. When it is humming a UConn offense is better than that. The same holds true for transition offense.

There are also plenty of times when we witness players call out plays with our own eyes, no mistake about it, though maybe your use of “vast majority” is not the same as mine. For that matter we have witnessed times when players actually ignored Auriemma, though play sets is not really what I am referring to. For the most part I agree Auriemma calls out play sets ( with an objection still to “vast majority”). I speak more about flow and identifying strengths or weaknesses in the game.

I admit that I do not know for sure that when Muhl is visibly giving instructions in a huddle and the team responds in a certain way, that this is correlation or causation. Neither does anyone know whether the real Bird is the one who jokes about finally running plays in the Olympics or lamenting how all the responsibility is placed on her shoulders as a college player, or which one of Auriemma’s quips are the real truth.

But I do know the most efficient offenses are ones that do not rely on the relative inefficiency of having to pay continual attention to the sidelines, and UConn has had the most efficient offenses in the college game.

 

[Going4Natty]

Are you talking about some other team? UCONN has a terrific PG, and her name is Nika Muhl.

P period G period. Shorthand for Paige Bueckers. Advise, read then respond.

 

[MSGRET]

P period G period. Shorthand for Paige Bueckers. Advise, read then respond.

NOT THIS YEAR!!! How is that for a response?

 

[ClifSpliffy]

what has geno learned?
ur kidding, right?
the only thing geno can learn each season is the character of the new team.
other than that, been there, done that, got the hardware and the t-shirt, over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over. rather amazing if u think boot it.
that's is all.
6,2, and even, over and out.

 

[jabstep]

OK. I keep seeing this theme of Auriemma making Fudd the PG for a stretch. Let us review the history of pure PG under Auriemma, beginning with him telling Bird that whatever happens is her fault. The best flowing offense is not one in which the coach has to dictate the flow from the sidelines, but rather when the PG, or offensive player coach if you will, does so in adjustments she sees in the action she is intimately involved with.

Bird was the offensive player coach, as was Montgomery, as was Jefferson, but now we are to believe that cannot be possible with Muhl? If our offense is to match the proclivity of offenses past, then Muhl better be like Rizzotti, Bird, Montgomery, et al, and make the (good) decisions. Consider that, except for that stretch that the Fudd for PG advocates point out, our rebounders were automatically looking for Muhl in their outlets. Did that stop then because of Auriemma’s decision, or Muhl’s, the person that Auriemma already has informed as the person the team will listen to?

Consider as well the struggle Auriemma had with getting Bueckers to take over more. We tend to recruit selfless players, that is particularly true for Bueckers, but neither does Fudd strike me as the Ogwumike type. But if the “offensive player coach” tells you to take over, and the whole team has been oriented to listen to that teammate, then a team oriented player will follow that more easily than calling her own number, or even from listening to the coach on the bench.

Muhl likely called Fudd’s number, and she made a wise, PG like decision to do so in a timely manner. Some seem to think that not only should Fudd be the PG and calling her own number, she should keep that up for the whole game. Such predictability will be exploited by better defenses, particularly when the ball handler struggles to achieve an A/T ratio greater than one. The decision to let Fudd take over was judiciously and sparingly timed, a decision likely made by the player that, in the traditional mode of a UConn PG, is the on court, offensive player coach the team is trained to follow.

Thus to answer the question the OP poised, one thing Auriemma learned is that the player he has designated and trained the team to follow makes good decisions which, among other advantages, spares the team oriented superstar on the team from having to call her own number in judicious stretches.

The team never stopped looking for Nika on fast break opportunities. In the 2nd half Geno had Azzi take the ball out of bounds to break Texas's inbound pressure and pass it into mostly Dorka and then receive the ball back to take upcourt. Then Azzi made the decisions on whether to penetrate and score or make an effective pass to a player so she could score. This gave Geno his primary scorer the ball all the time so she can get more shots. They also have a play where she passes the bigs they give it back to her then screen for her and she fires 3pointers up like it was shot out of a cannon. Her one vs one ability did dictate the play. Nika as good as she is at many things she doesn't have the same ability as Azzi to break down defenders. To beat good man pressure besides backdoor plays and screens you need a guard that can breakdown her defender and get into space to have the defense react to her. To beat the best teams such as Stanford, NC St, Texas and of course South Carolina we need a little more 1 on 1 ability. Lou, Caroline and Azzi have that ability. Aubrey can to a degree. Geno knows we need to have players who can beat their man pressure defenders. Look at Texas's forwards they were killing us with drives to the hoop. They beat Lou and Aaliyah constantly.

 

[Going4Natty]

NOT THIS YEAR!!! How is that for a response?

please look at the original post in the thread (#5). And see if my response is out of line. thanks

 

[diggerfoot]

I have a slight mea culpa from watching the game again. Originally I thought a change occurred with the Huskies bringing the ball up near the end of the third quarter, after a Muhl huddle. Now I think it was a half time adjustment, consequently made by Auriemma.

Depending on what @jabstep means by breaking down defenders, I may or may not agree. Muhl has been just as effective as Fudd at breaking presses, but part of the effectiveness of both is that both did it, preventing the defense from focusing on one. Now if you mean break down the defender in the half court, then I agree, no one except Bueckers does it better than Fudd.

On edit: Consequently, it’s fortunate that both Fudd and Muhl can break presses, because I’m not aware of any team handling something like the pressure of the old Rutgers teams with just one ballhandler capable of breaking the press.

 

[HuskyNan]

please look at the original post in the thread (#5). And see if my response is out of line. thanks

I don’t know what either you or @Happydad745 are talking about and your snotty answer didn’t clarify anything. There is no player with the initials P.G. If the reference was to PG meaning point guard, of course there’s one. There are actually two, counting freshman Ines. so what the heck are you talking about?

 

[Happydad745]

He also knows his offense is without P.G., something we will all miss more and more this year.

Sorry, I meant P.B. , I was a little depressed thinking about it.

 

[hard2please]

i would like to see a press with nika at the point and griffin and patterson at the wings. we beat a really good big athletic texas team and coach vic who knows how to beat geno. lots of good things to build on!