Geno on last year
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Huskee11
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Interesting. I can only speculate.
For starters, he had three players dealing with significant injuries, limiting their ability to practice and availability/effectiveness.
Dealing with sky high expectations last year. They are still high, but not quite as much.
Four freshman, then three, whose progress was a real struggle.
The enigma that was Z. Incredibly gifted, able to score at will inside, but apparently a liability in defensive schemes, limiting team defensive options. Also her preference for hanging around the perimeter.
Perhaps a recognition that he didn't show enough patience with Walker, and having to fight it out in Columbus with six players, three of whom were far from 100% physically. Maybe a commitment to suffering through the mistakes his bench players will make in the hope of being deeper when it really matters in March and April.
The huge leap that now healthy Crystal has made. Having a point guard with that ability and leadership makes a coach's job much easier. Oh, and she is actually able to practice this year.
He realizes this is his last season with Lou and Napheesa, two players he really likes and admires. Committed to smelling the roses along the way, perhaps.
For starters, he had three players dealing with significant injuries, limiting their ability to practice and availability/effectiveness.
Dealing with sky high expectations last year. They are still high, but not quite as much.
Four freshman, then three, whose progress was a real struggle.
The enigma that was Z. Incredibly gifted, able to score at will inside, but apparently a liability in defensive schemes, limiting team defensive options. Also her preference for hanging around the perimeter.
Perhaps a recognition that he didn't show enough patience with Walker, and having to fight it out in Columbus with six players, three of whom were far from 100% physically. Maybe a commitment to suffering through the mistakes his bench players will make in the hope of being deeper when it really matters in March and April.
The huge leap that now healthy Crystal has made. Having a point guard with that ability and leadership makes a coach's job much easier. Oh, and she is actually able to practice this year.
He realizes this is his last season with Lou and Napheesa, two players he really likes and admires. Committed to smelling the roses along the way, perhaps.
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I think it had to do with having four freshman, and two new transfers. Effectively 6 of 13 players to start the season did not fully know the UCONN system. I would imagine that fact would slow down the rate of progress in practice.
Combine that with an initially injured Camara, a dismissed freshman, and two effectively season long injured players (KLS, Dangerfield).
From a viewer perspective, it just seemed like the main rotation always took two steps forward and then one back. And the bench never really made any progress. Must be frustrating as a coach.
Combine that with an initially injured Camara, a dismissed freshman, and two effectively season long injured players (KLS, Dangerfield).
From a viewer perspective, it just seemed like the main rotation always took two steps forward and then one back. And the bench never really made any progress. Must be frustrating as a coach.
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I agree with everyone's thoughts. Based on player talent compared to other teams, last year's team should have been untouchable. But the team underperformed throughout, really, due to chronic injuries and the other reasons mentioned. Geno could never quite get out in front of it all, and I can imagine how frustrating it must have been.
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They did. There were many games, granted against lesser teams, in which even the starting units displayed long stretches of inconsistent play, as noted many times on this board. They darned near lost the December game against ND, and would have but for an amazing late comeback. And oftentimes they were just generally "soft", even though they were able to win all games but one due to their advantage in player talent and skill.
Still an amazing season, but a frustrating one on certain levels too.
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Some of Genos issues (and with fans too) was made much much much too public. The image in my feeble brain of Walker sitting lonesome at cleanup time still hurts. She was, had been and is a high level talent most know that. AEH fiasco was made worse by public humiliation of AEH by an illegal recording of Geno. The injuries of KLS seemed to recur differently and all too often. Shins of Danger. Azura Stevens was and is an exceptionally talented forward tried to convert to something not in her. The problems piled up and up. Touly who should have recovered her sit out year didn't.
Geno once he saw C.William in action and the high potential of ONO had to turn that frown to a smile.
RogueDave
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Our bench as been discussed quite a bit...I think we need to add recruits that really love to play, compete and have skill but maybe lack some of the athletism of the elite players...We have done this in times past with success...players that come to mind Mel Thomas, Maria Conlon, Kaili Mclaren, Karl Wolters, Stacy Hansmeyer, Kelley Hunt...
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when Tenn. or Duke, for example, "underperforms" , the posters here usually blame the coaches.
This is what I think. He had 6 starters for 5 spots and 2 of them, Z and Pheesa, played the exact same position. No matter what he did, someone very valuable to the team, was always on the bench. In the 4th quarter of that FF game against ND he had a a decision to make and it didn't work out....
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it was the 3rd quarter, and , considering how Z finished the 2nd quarter, it was a no-brainer. what's so hard about rotating 6 players, anyway? certainly there were times when Z and Collier were on the court at the same time during the season. why not? they both could play inside and out. he played Z in the 4th, and again she was good. biggest coaching blunder of the year, and maybe cost them a championship.
To me, the real problem IMO, was Lou picking up her 4th foul and leaving her in. She was a liability on defense because she just couldn't foul out. But, I'm no coach, just a fan who watched that debacle courtside.
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rather astute observation for "just a fan".
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meyers7
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Once again, this is the stupidest thing that has been posted on here this year. And this is the year of the "bench angst" and the "72-2" angst.
My god, no wonder all the good posters were run off.
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The expectations of UCONN women's fans tend to border on the ridiculous when they judge an entire season based on a close game buzzer beater shot.
If Geno thought the season was more difficult, was probably because the "bench" didn't give him what he normally gets.
My posts last year was that he was handling some/ or one special player rather poorly.
If Geno thought the season was more difficult, was probably because the "bench" didn't give him what he normally gets.
My posts last year was that he was handling some/ or one special player rather poorly.
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What is Wolters doing in this list?! She was National Player if the year; how could she not be considered elite?!!!!
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Losing on a last second heave in overtime is a “debacle”?! Time to consult a dictionary or, perhaps dispense with the hyperbole.
RogueDave
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Correct...you have acknowledged her success as a player once she developed at UCONN...She was not recruited by any school coming out of HS...Geno told her she needed to lose 75lbs or not to bother showing up...She is an exemplary example of what I was suggesting...
I posted the stats on winning probability at different points in this game. To say that Geno had a bad night is an understatement. He basically gift-wrapped the game to ND.