Geno out-Coached? Or not?

[CL82]

In my mind, those are two separate questions. One question is whether Geno was outcoached. The other was whether there are in-game decisions Geno could/should have made differently.

I can see both sides of the Heather-Stef argument. In hindsight, Heather did a more effective job than Stef guarding Griner, albeit with a more limited sample size of minutes played. However, Geno may have had a "dance with who brung you" mentality, or may have had a "get the better offensive player on the floor" mentality (especially with Kelly not shooting well), or simply a "in the long run, this is a lesson Stef needs to learn first-hand for us to be successful at the highest level" mentality. It's a fair question, and one Geno will certainly be asked. I will be very interested to hear his thoughts.

Fair analysis. It's hard to bet against Geno. I think that a good case can be made that Heather did a better job in her 14 mins. Griner didn't score and the Bears looked out of sync. As Nan said above, I'd be interested to see the effect of playing both Stef and Heather at the same time.

 

[VAUConnFan]

Geno, who it should go without saying is the most successful head coach in the game, looks much further down the road than we do. He does not set out to lose games, but there are more important considerations than winning or losing any particular game. The game that he is by far most concerned about, is the last game of the season. Everything else is a preliminary to that. He may have had a trick or two that he could have played last night that he thought it better to save for tournament time, in the probable case that we will meet Ms. Griner & co. again. To boldly assert that "Geno was in error" or "Geno made a mistake" or "Geno got outcoached" is breathtakingly presumtuous, and probably should be accompanied by the poster's qualifications for making the assertion. imho, of course.

I do not agree. One does not have to be "qualified" to make a criticism.

 

[blkkirk]

After watching the game for the second time tonight. Madden didn't keep KML from getting her shot (other than the one block). She just missed shots that she was making in the first half.

We made some mistakes. Steff let Griner get to the baseline 2 or 3 times. Fouling simms for free throws. Missed one and one by Bria. Were the most obvious. They made some shots down the stretch but killed us on the foul line.

On offense we were a bit rushed. Tiff passed up a three that I wish she would have taken toward the end. KML and Bria stepped up but couldn't hit the shots at the end.

 

[earl the pearl]

I don't think Geno was out coached, but would have liked to see BB try to guard Sims since Doty was having a rough night.

 

[RadyLady]

It was a great game against a really, really good team. As I see it, when playing a game one team against another, one team has to win, the other has to lose. Last night was UConn's turn to lose. Amen. You shake hands and go home and practice.

I don't engage in a "whose fault is it" debate", I have better things to do with my time. For example, I am going to watch Geno solve the problem between now and March. I think that it is going to be interesting. He is a great coach, and he knows how to get into the heads of his kids and get them to get better. He wil answer all of my "what if" questions that I will never have to utter in due course. I don't have issue with anything he did last night, not choices of who was on the floor (although, from another thread, I too would have liked to see Stef and Heather on the floor at the same time last night - perhaps another time), I admired and respected our opponent, and felt felt badly when shots stopped falling for us, yet never stopped cheering for my team.

This is basketball people, a great, great game and beautiful when it is well played. I look forward to the "perfect" game against Baylor come March - or I can only hope, and enjoy the rest of the season.

you all have a good night now.......

 

[DaddyChoc]

I do not agree. One does not have to be "qualified" to make a criticism.

and this is a fact... I think!

 

[Cafe Poliziano]

It sounds like all we had to do was have Polizano coach UConn??? It is possible all the things you suggest may have worked better but they also may have been worse. How do you know BB could function at this level. It was clear Kiah couldn't and Geno obviously felt BB couldn't. It is clear to me we couldn't defend Simms and her 23 points were the difference. Griner got what was expected and Heather might not have done a better defensive job in the second half than Stef, especially since she hurt her wrist.

Unfortunately, Caroline couldn't play at the speed of this game and none of the other guards could contain Simms. Was it worth a shot to try BB. You and I might, but Geno , who knows her best, didn't think so.

In my mind, the real reason we lost is that Baylor was a better team last night. My guess, is they will be even harder to beat at the end of the season because Griner is getting better every game she plays. She is the dominant player in WCBB.

Valid response, but you know what they say, if you don't try you will never know for certain.

 

[Waquoit]

Silly original thought. He team is outgunned but he had them ready to play. However, I do think it is his fault UConn lost, though. Does Griner improve that much with a summer playing for Geno? I wonder. Maybe Van Gundy was right when he said if he was Geno he would have had her working on her 3 pointers.

 

[Georgestarr7]

I think that if you asked Geno, he would say he was out-coached.... with that half-smile twinkle in his eye. He is the coach; they lost. Do I think so? No.

 

[Canicken]

Just a thought on Heather vs Steph in the game.

I'd have to re-watch it but from what I remember on the offensive end, Steph was a much more effective passer to the cutting players...or at least she was always looking for or aware of the guards trying to dive behind the defense for back door cuts. Heather would receive the ball at the high post, and for the most part kick back to a perimeter player.

Uconn's offensive flow through Steph is more fluid. Geno's comments were that the game would be won on the offensive end of the court.

Maybe he saw something in the way the offense moved the ball with Steph on the floor that he preferred to when Heather was out there. Offensive flow and rhythm seem to be of huge importance, maybe he just felt he had a better chance of establishing that and maintaining it with Steph than Heather...

Again ....just a thought....

 

[Tonyc]

The best thing about playing this game was we now know what to expect the next time we meet. I really like purpose chances the next time. We will need to find a way to get to the line more. We will need to sufficate sims and make somebody else beat us. Baylor showed their hand one on one and don't forget we had a big lead. The next time I bet Baylor has foul problems. The next time we will be much improved.

 

[HGN]

Once Kim put Jordan Madden on KLM, she was mostly quiet, to the tune of no points for 13:16 of the second half. Could Geno have made an adjustment? If so, what?

Also, for all the plaudits given to HB, she didn't do much in the second half. Yes, the argument can be made that she wasn't afforded enough minutes to do much, but did Geno calculate that Griner would make the necessary adjustments on her and kept her on the bench for that reason?

I dont think Geno was outcoached at all....These were the best 2 teams in all of WBB and it played out exactly like that. Geno knows that this is regular season and he wanted to see what his kids would do when faced with a huge challenge in hostile territory. Which will be anywhere other than Storrs. Baylor didn't see everything that UConn can throw at it. Many of us felt that giving Banks a shot at Sims was worth it , and it may have been worth it. But Geno obviously felt that this wasn't the right time to reveal a potential secret weapon. When games get more important ( March) and we see Baylor again in the tournament , and I think we will , I think Geno may have a surprise or 2 up his sleeve for Baylor.

 

[Sonny44]

Once Kim put Jordan Madden on KLM, she was mostly quiet, to the tune of no points for 13:16 of the second half. Could Geno have made an adjustment? If so, what?

Also, for all the plaudits given to HB, she didn't do much in the second half. Yes, the argument can be made that she wasn't afforded enough minutes to do much, but did Geno calculate that Griner would make the necessary adjustments on her and kept her on the bench for that reason?

KLM still has some things to figure out. It seems to me that in several games now she has come in and scored at will, but tapers off later in the game.
Maybe they catch on to her. She's just a freshman never having had to face the quality of defenders she is now seeing. She had great trouble getting good looks at the basket in the second half of the Baylor game.
This is not a complaint. Maybe there is something Geno or the other players can do to help her get better looks. And maybe the team doesn't yet realize how badly we need her to score.

 

[pap49cba]

Has it occurred to you that Baylor is a REALLY good defensive team that extended its defense and ratcheted up its pressure in crunch time? Unfortunately, Uconn is not the only team that can play aggressive, hard-nosed defense. Sims was quicker and stronger than any guard we had on the floor.

 

[magical2]

A few key points in my mind:

Hindsight is easy, especially after a loss. We should have tried something differently. But what? And would it have been even worse?

Geno makes mistakes, but is on target far more than anyone else, especially in terms of preparation. Regarding in-game decisions, he may not be as strong there as in developing players and planning.

There have been a few cases where I have disagreed with Coach, but he would have been right far more than me or any of the rest of us.

As noted, particularly with a December game, he may coach more for the long run than for the game in question. For example, let the kids figure something out, even if it risks losing that game. The gain would be that it would not happen again, especially in a more important setting in March or April. He could also create a teaching moment: here is why we lost, and here is what you need to do to prevent another loss.

An EXCELLENT post Milford. Props,bravo,covered it all

 

[Sonny44]

Has it occurred to you that Baylor is a REALLY good defensive team that extended its defense and ratcheted up its pressure in crunch time? Unfortunately, Uconn is not the only team that can play aggressive, hard-nosed defense. Sims was quicker and stronger than any guard we had on the floor.

Yes, of course it has. That's why I mentioned the other games as well, not the first time we've seen it.
i'm just saying she or the team has to adjust to it; find a way to help her get the looks.
I said it was not a complaint; just a learning point, geez.

 

[Scotter]

I don't really feel the angst some appear to have over the loss. The team acquitted itself well and frankly a close loss in that game may have been the best possible outcome for the long term goals of the team.

I would like to talk about what UConn did differently in this game than they had in the previous two games against Baylor and Griner. Geno and the rest of the coaching staff clearly coached the guards to drive and kick, and the players executed it extremely well. In the previous games Tiffany Hayes got herself in trouble trying to attack Griner to score and draw fouls. This game she played under control for basically the entire game. Kelly Faris had one of the best offensive games of her career. Some of you will protest that Kelly shot 1 for 9. Evaluating single game performance by whether shots went in or not is a mistake that is made far too often. Focusing on something that variable is not an accurate measure of quality of play or a good predictor of future performance. Kelly played aggressively on offense this game, driving into seams to make the defense account for her and then making the pass to shooters or cutters. And the 3-point shots she did take, she took confidently even with the shot clock running down. It was an excellent strategy in my opinion and overall the team collectively executed it very well. Like I said UConn probably obtained the best possible outcome in this game for the long term goals of the team. Looking for the negatives feels like nitpicking without perspective and I'm not sure to what end.

 

[Icebear]

I don't really feel the angst some appear to have over the loss. The team acquitted itself well and frankly a close loss in that game may have been the best possible outcome for the long term goals of the team.

I would like to talk about what UConn did differently in this game than they had in the previous two games against Baylor and Griner. Geno and the rest of the coaching staff clearly coached the guards to drive and kick, and the players executed it extremely well. In the previous games Tiffany Hayes got herself in trouble trying to attack Griner to score and draw fouls. This game she played under control for basically the entire game. Kelly Faris had one of the best offensive games of her career. Some you will protest that Kelly shot 1 for 9. Evaluating single game performance by whether shots when or not is a mistake that is made far too often. Focusing on something that variable is not accurate measure of quality of play or a good predictor of future performance. Kelly played aggressively on offense this game, driving into seams to make the defense account for her and then making the pass to shooters or cutters. And the 3-point shots she did take, she took confidently even with the shot clock running down. It was an excellent strategy in my opinion and overall the team collectively executed it very well. Like I said UConn probably obtained the best possible outcome in this game for the long term goals of the team. Looking for the negatives feels like nitpicking without perspective and I'm not sure to what end.

Excellent observations, Scotter.

 

[doggydaddy]

I don't really feel the angst some appear to have over the loss. The team acquitted itself well and frankly a close loss in that game may have been the best possible outcome for the long term goals of the team. Looking for the negatives feels like nitpicking without perspective and I'm not sure to what end.

3 great sentences.

 

[Joobie]

Kia had a nice game last night...I thought she played really well!

 

[Buzzyboy]

Once Kim put Jordan Madden on KLM, she was mostly quiet, to the tune of no points for 13:16 of the second half. Could Geno have made an adjustment? If so, what?

Also, for all the plaudits given to HB, she didn't do much in the second half. Yes, the argument can be made that she wasn't afforded enough minutes to do much, but did Geno calculate that Griner would make the necessary adjustments on her and kept her on the bench for that reason?

I think KLM got cold in the second half and whether Jordan Madden or anyone else was on her, she was going to miss. She had gotten off a number of shots earlier with pressure on her but her quick release and separation had won the day or should I say the half. It seems like her shot stopped dropping and it had little to do with her defender!

 

[Icebear]

Tough to cover a whole airline. ;-)

 

[ladybears4eva]

I think KLM got cold in the second half and whether Jordan Madden or anyone else was on her, she was going to miss. She had gotten off a number of shots earlier with pressure on her but her quick release and separation had won the day or should I say the half. It seems like her shot stopped dropping and it had little to do with her defender!

doesn't say much about the shooter ... i guess UCONN is the only team that plays defense... in WCBB this year.

 

[Ruffian75]

I watched the game again yesterday. Something not mentioned is Buck hurt her wrist with 9:30 left in the first half and UConn down 19-12. So of her 14 minutes, 10 were played with a broken right wrist. I wondered why she didn't get more minutes in the second half. This would explain it.

If we happen to meet the Bears in the NCAA, I would love to see Buck and Dolson get minutes together.

Regarding Geno getting outcoached, probably the one mistake he made was CD getting too many minutes.

 

[DaddyChoc]

I watched the game again yesterday. Something not mentioned is Buck hurt her wrist with 9:30 left in the first half and UConn down 19-12. So of her 14 minutes, 10 were played with a broken right wrist (its not broken). I wondered why she didn't get more minutes in the second half. This would explain it.