Geno: Substitution Patterns

[Alydar]

Latest quote on how Geno see's the development of the newbies

UConn’s Bueckers has career-low points in win over Minnesota

Paige Bueckers had a career-low eight points but had eight assists Saturday as UConn...

www.ctinsider.com

Is Auriemma seeing progress from his newest players?

“It’s spotty and it goes in spurts but, yeah,” he said. “There was a point [Saturday] where we got outscored 11-2, so that’s unacceptable moving forward. We’ve got to come in and execute. It’s relatable to, if you’re playing really well at one of the floor, there’s a pretty good chance you’re going to play really well at the other end of the floor. So these young guys, when they learn that if we play really well defensively and if they get into the mix, that’s going to carry over to their offense. They haven’t embraced that part yet.”

UConn is at their best offensively in transition. The way to increase transition play is to play better defense and force more turnovers and poor shots.

 

[Skeets]

UConn is at their best offensively in transition. The way to increase transition play is to play better defense and force more turnovers and poor shots.

and maybe get a rebound or two...

 

[HuskylnSC]

I haven't read one post on this thread. I've just seen the title for the last couple days but feeling a little angst and need to vent. I think that no one who has not been involved with the team day-to-day and who hasn't been privy to the the coaches insights and been aware of the expected game time results of substitutions is qualified to question a coach's substitution patterns. My ignorance of the details precludes me from judgement of other peoples performance.

 

[Pilot B52]

Too many minutes for the starters in the two games prior to SC. Geno had enough bench power to put fresh legs on the floor at the right times to prevent the primaries to be gassed in the fourth quarter like they were. They were too fatigued to respond. Dawn did a better job in this respect.

 

[SCyankee]

I haven't read one post on this thread. I've just seen the title for the last couple days but feeling a little angst and need to vent. I think that no one who has not been involved with the team day-to-day and who hasn't been privy to the the coaches insights and been aware of the expected game time results of substitutions is qualified to question a coach's substitution patterns. My ignorance of the details precludes me from judgement of other peoples performance.

I respectfully disagree. This forum is our opinions. For example, how did Caroline D. go from sneaky good, a great shooter, a driver and tall and long to a bench warmer. I doubt she practiced poorly in the Bahamas. Our starters were overused and they ran into a bigger, stronger and more aggressive team.

 

[BBallF]

and maybe get a rebound or two...

That is only going to happen when every player on defense boxes out on every shot. You know, like we were taught in 6th grade.

 

[Longtime fan]

With three games in a row, the first one believed to be a given, the second possibly challenging, and the third one of the most important games of the season, playing time strategy should be geared toward optimizing the last game performance with some consideration for the middle game.

This tournament turned out to be harder to manage minutes because the middle game was a challenge. Do I think if we won that game by 20-30 and rested the starters a good part of the 4th quarter, that we would have been better against SC? Yea I do, we ran out of gas and lost our composure that 4th quarter. Uconn usually is the better conditioned team, but this time it looked like they were not, and major minutes in game 2 probably contributed to that.

We'll never know. But it looked as though UCONN lost its confidence and SC did the opposite. No one on UCONN was able to " step up" and keep the game close.

 

[visitingcock]

This year isn't over yet but overall UCONN's starters in prior years haven't been as good as prior championship years. Until recently it's been his recruiting and bad luck players decommitted / left early etc. and the starters not as good which puts UCONN in a pool of every other team rather than being what they were - which was "far better." Its's not the bench-- it's the stars - starters. with a short bench.

Last year's champion was a bench but not the prior 3. In 2018-2019, Baylor went 7 deep in title game. In 2017-2018 ND went 6 deep. In 2017 South Carolina went 7 deep (excluding being ahead by around 10 they put 3 players in for 4 minutes).

The issue with UCONN is that they get to Final Fours but because they aren’t as dominant with multiple A/A's, when they compete in /F- game becomes more of a crapshoot without the past number of superstars. But as shown above the championship teams don’t use much of a bench other than what Stanford did either.

But unlike any of the other aforementioned teams – their consistency of playing for a title going into the last week (getting to the Final Four) takes a backseat to UCONN – even in the last few years.

Stanford played 12 today in their 3 point win over Indiana!

 

[Vowelguy]

Yes I am disappointed that Amari and Mir didn't enter the game. Did anyone know the reason?

Choose one
1) they didn’t show enough effort at practice
2) they aren’t as good as the players who played
3) he didn’t think they would help as much as needed

 

[Vowelguy]

I agree. I was going to post that Geno should sit Paige in the games that are not super competitive (at least the first half) Force them learn how to play when she's not on the floor. It's too much dependence on one player.

Here’s a nutty idea — perhaps the players should learn during practice?

 

[oldhusky]

Here’s a nutty idea — perhaps the players should learn during practice?

They should learn in practice and from some of Geno's comments you would think that several of them had earned his trust that way. He has also said more than once that practice and games are different. I agree with that to a certain extent as well, but believe playing time should be given taking both of those factors into account.

In some cases I think Geno's hook is too swift. If for example a player has performed well for a couple of weeks in practice, as he implies for some, then has a bad first couple of minutes in a game, she may sit the rest of the game. I'm not saying ignore how they play in a game if that continues over more playing time, then he has to adjust accordingly. Just give them more rope to show how they can do, when they have performed in practice. That should be even more true with three games in a row when giving our starters more of a blow could have been quite strategic.

 

[MD#12Fan]

Here’s a nutty idea — perhaps the players should learn during practice?

You never played! You never played! You never coached! You never coached!
Hey everybody, look over here!!!!
There's a difference between games and practice!! Darn, where's the "banging head against a wall" emoji, when you need it.

 

[Zanzman]

You never played! You never played! You never coached! You never coached!
Hey everybody, look over here!!!!
There's a difference between games and practice!! Darn, where's the "banging head against a wall" emoji, when you need it.

Wow

 

[MD#12Fan]

Wow

Explain it to your buddy, Vowel-something.

 

[Zanzman]

Explain it to your buddy, Vowel-something.

I would but it was meant for you

 

[Oracle9]

Pra

Here’s a nutty idea — perhaps the players should learn during practice?

Here’s a nutty idea — perhaps the players should learn during practice?

You may disagree but doesn't change what the issue is. IMO It's not practice that's the issue, because the coach himself up to this point raved about their practice session- did I misconstrue what Geno himself has stated? (at length I might add)
On more than one occasion in postgame pressers I'm sure I heard Geno lament after games, that everyone's standing around looking at Paige at points during the game. Do they do that in practice? He also pointed out that keeping her out there for those extended minutes can't continue. So clearly there is an issue with how Paige's teammates see her role and theirs, sometimes you have to take the unpopular path. In a way the situation was inevitable, she has saved the day for her team on numerous occasions,which has the fed the dependency. How does one break a dependency? In this case it's delicate because you don't want the solution to be detrimental to the function of the team. Geno now has to figure that out. Just how it is.

 

[Alydar]

Stanford played 12 today in their 3 point win over Indiana!

They actually got 13 in but 5 of them played a total of 18 minutes. That's 3 minutes each. So really Stanford played 8.

Edit: Stanford did play 9 in their loss to Texas at home.

 

[hoophuskee]

Stanford played 12 today in their 3 point win over Indiana!

And what does that mean? Has Stanford won a title this year? Has Dawn changed teams all of sudden that we don't know about when she previously claimed SC in 2020 was the National Champion and now she is coaching Stanford doing the same thing?

 

[visitingcock]

And what does that mean? Has Stanford won a title this year? Has Dawn changed teams all of sudden that we don't know about when she previously claimed SC in 2020 was the National Champion and now she is coaching Stanford doing the same thing?

Confused as to what Dawn has to do with my post? Am I permitted only to post about South Carolina?

Okay, if that’s the rule for me, I prefer what Tara did in this game to what Dawn did against UConn.

Feagin, Rivers and Russel need some minutes on the floor against players of contender-type quality - even if it’s only a few near the end. I think those three backups will see the floor more before we see Stanford in about a month. I hope they get PT in the Maryland and Stanford games.

So far, SCar has potential depth - not proven depth. Stanford is developing proven depth.

I guess UConn fans, like you, don’t care about depth. What’s the title of this thread? Maybe I should just stay on the general board where I belong.

 

[hoophuskee]

Confused as to what Dawn has to do with my post? Am I permitted only to post about South Carolina?

Okay, if that’s the rule for me, I prefer what Tara did in this game to what Dawn did against UConn.

Feagin, Rivers and Russel need some minutes on the floor against players of contender-type quality - even if it’s only a few near the end. I think those three backups will see the floor more before we see Stanford in about a month. I hope they get PT in the Maryland and Stanford games.

So far, SCar has potential depth - not proven depth. Stanford is developing proven depth.

I guess UConn fans, like you, don’t care about depth. What’s the title of this thread? Maybe I should just stay on the general board where I belong.

1-- Re-read my prior post that you replied to. I spoke of championship teams. Teams that won a championship. OFC I meant NCAA Championship. Stanford (as well as every other team this year) has not won a championship this year yet, right? So what does championship teams have to do with Stanford's depth at this moment for this year in terms of my post that you first replied to?

2-- Only Dawn that I know of declared her team a title team in 2020 even though there was no title, right? Thus when I spoke of title teams on my post that you first replied to, I asked if Dawn changed teams because she is the only one that I can recall that ever proclaimed her team as the NCAA champion without actually playing in the tournament. There was no champion, right? Just as this year there is yet to be a champion, right? Thus why is relevant telling me about Stanford this year when I specifically referred to champions?

3-- Are you suggesting that the prior NCAA championship teams didn't have enough depth? Because that's what my post was referencing before you replied to it. So what's the point you are trying to make about "not caring about depth?" I referred to the prior few years championship teams and I referenced the UCONN teams too. Unless you took my "play the stars" comment in vacuum and singled it out? I wrote/referred to/referenced "championship teams" that played their stars a lot of minutes.

4-- Whether you want to stay on the General Board or come on here, why should I care? Do what you want. You don't need to tell me about it just like you didn't need to tell me about Stanford this year while I was clearly talking about teams that won a title. I referred to Stanford last year as the exception.

Damn; not too thin skinned/defensive are you?

 

[Skeets]

Pra



You may disagree but doesn't change what the issue is. IMO It's not practice that's the issue, because the coach himself up to this point raved about their practice session- did I misconstrue what Geno himself has stated? (at length I might add)
On more than one occasion in postgame pressers I'm sure I heard Geno lament after games, that everyone's standing around looking at Paige at points during the game. Do they do that in practice? He also pointed out that keeping her out there for those extended minutes can't continue. So clearly there is an issue with how Paige's teammates see her role and theirs, sometimes you have to take the unpopular path. In a way the situation was inevitable, she has saved the day for her team on numerous occasions,which has the fed the dependency. How does one break a dependency? In this case it's delicate because you don't want the solution to be detrimental to the function of the team. Geno now has to figure that out. Just how it is.

You have to take Geno's practice comments with a big grain of salt. 99% of the time he will praise a player's practice. He can't be that happy with all his players in practice but that is what comes out for the media. I can't recall Geno ever saying so-and-so was awful in practice. People on the BY (and I am also guilty) take that rose colored bone in their mouths and run with it. (Hence the name BY?)

 

[visitingcock]

1-- Re-read my prior post that you replied to. I spoke of championship teams. Teams that won a championship. OFC I meant NCAA Championship. Stanford (as well as every other team this year) has not won a championship this year yet, right? So what does championship teams have to do with Stanford's depth at this moment for this year in terms of my post that you first replied to?

2-- Only Dawn that I know of declared her team a title team in 2020 even though there was no title, right? Thus when I spoke of title teams on my post that you first replied to, I asked if Dawn changed teams because she is the only one that I can recall that ever proclaimed her team as the NCAA champion without actually playing in the tournament. There was no champion, right? Just as this year there is yet to be a champion, right? Thus why is relevant telling me about Stanford this year when I specifically referred to champions?

3-- Are you suggesting that the prior NCAA championship teams didn't have enough depth? Because that's what my post was referencing before you replied to it. So what's the point you are trying to make about "not caring about depth?" I referred to the prior few years championship teams and I referenced the UCONN teams too. Unless you took my "play the stars" comment in vacuum and singled it out? I wrote/referred to/referenced "championship teams" that played their stars a lot of minutes.

4-- Whether you want to stay on the General Board or come on here, why should I care? Do what you want. You don't need to tell me about it just like you didn't need to tell me about Stanford this year while I was clearly talking about teams that won a title. I referred to Stanford last year as the exception.

Damn; not too thin skinned/defensive are you?

Your first point. You say you were talking about championship teams. Then you say Stanford has not won one this year, so is irrelevant. Since they are the defending champ, doesn’t that make the entire point irrelevant?

Your second point is simply an attack on Dawn’s proclaimed championship. It’s not relevant to a discussion of building depth through playing time. Nor is it a counter argument to anything U stated.

Yes, prior championship teams did play “short rosters.” I assert that they did not have the depth of talent that “the big three” have this year. Geno and Dawn may need to reconsider. Maybe not but they should never get into a mindset of “what was good enough in the past is good enough for today and tomorrow.

Thin skinned? If you insist.

 

[Oracle9]

You have to take Geno's practice comments with a big grain of salt. 99% of the time he will praise a player's practice. He can't be that happy with all his players in practice but that is what comes out for the media. I can't recall Geno ever saying so-and-so was awful in practice. People on the BY (and I am also guilty) take that rose colored bone in their mouths and run with it. (Hence the name BY?)

I agree with the grain of salt part to a point, behind that sarcasm are grains of truth.For instance when he kept harping about Paige to shoot more that wasn't him talking she even reiterated it herself that's not a practice thing that's a mindset- she has been stubborn about it because she thinks that's an integral part of her game- in fact that played a big part in her past success. I can assure you I have no tints looking at what is before me, again I don't think practice is the main issue -every player that has run through that place talks about practice how difficult, not perfect- unless that has been a fallacy too. My point centers around what is happenning in spite of the practices. By way of experience I'm fully aware practices aren't perfect and won't be. I stand on my point the players mindset have to be adjusted especially where Paige is concerned, and that will trickle down to everything else. It's delicate but achievable, no tint here.

 

[hoophuskee]

Your first point. You say you were talking about championship teams. Then you say Stanford has not won one this year, so is irrelevant. Since they are the defending champ, doesn’t that make the entire point irrelevant?

Your second point is simply an attack on Dawn’s proclaimed championship. It’s not relevant to a discussion of building depth through playing time. Nor is it a counter argument to anything U stated.

Yes, prior championship teams did play “short rosters.” I assert that they did not have the depth of talent that “the big three” have this year. Geno and Dawn may need to reconsider. Maybe not but they should never get into a mindset of “what was good enough in the past is good enough for today and tomorrow.

Thin skinned? If you insist.

1-- No it doesn't. Defending champs is not "champs for this year" yet. How can you try to twist it that it is? Right now this season there is no champion yet. Every team starts out 0-0. I specifically made mention of teams that won a championship. This Stanford team lost their star pg. They aren't champs this until they win. How can you so easily dismiss their star pg from last year? You don't think she was a big part of their championship? Stanford loses arguably their best player and it's not supposed to matter?

2-- I was having fun with the Dawn comment. I find it comical you use the word "attack." That why I spoke of you being "thin-skinned." Lighten up. I put up smiles to show it. There was nothing serious in the comment. That's why I put smiles up. Lighten up. If you won't - too bad.

3-- So you think none of those prior championship teams including some of the other great UCONN teams could have beaten a Stanford last year? --

In the past we have had on here the creation of threads / polls as to who we feel is the greatest UCONN team of all-time. I'd take the 14-15 with a short bench over this past 2020-2021 Stanford team as an example. So some of the super great teams in UCONN history - and I guess the same goes with Notre Dame and Baylor as an example and even Tennessee - some of these great teams that won with short benches;. - you want to either ignore this history or believe this history to no longer applies because Stanford happened to win with a deep bench last year?

 

[MD#12Fan]

1-- No it doesn't. Defending champs is not "champs for this year" yet. How can you try to twist it that it is? Right now this season there is no champion yet. Every team starts out 0-0. I specifically made mention of teams that won a championship. This Stanford team lost their star pg. They aren't champs this until they win. How can you so easily dismiss their star pg from last year? You don't think she was a big part of their championship? Stanford loses arguably their best player and it's not supposed to matter?

2-- I was having fun with the Dawn comment. I find it comical you use the word "attack." That why I spoke of you being "thin-skinned." Lighten up. I put up smiles to show it. There was nothing serious in the comment. That's why I put smiles up. Lighten up. If you won't - too bad.

3-- So you think none of those prior championship teams including some of the other great UCONN teams could have beaten a Stanford last year? --

In the past we have had on here the creation of threads / polls as to who we feel is the greatest UCONN team of all-time. I'd take the 14-15 with a short bench over this past 2020-2021 Stanford team as an example. So some of the super great teams in UCONN history - and I guess the same goes with Notre Dame and Baylor as an example and even Tennessee - some of these great teams that won with short benches;. - you want to either ignore this history or believe this history to no longer applies because Stanford happened to win with a deep bench last year?

I'm reluctant to comment. I find your incessant argument for a short bench to be tiresome. It had its charm at first.
There is such a thing as innovation. To me your argument might be moot concerning WCBB because it is possible that Geno has the best bench ever assembled in WCBB. If that were true, it's possible that all of your points about having a short bench are irrelevant. I've made my points a million times on here so I'm going to skip mentioning all the positive things UConn WCBB can gain by using the talented bench to win games and be the best team it can be.
Reminds me of watching coaches (Dan Reeves in particular) flounder around trying to figure out how to best use Michael Vick. He was an absolute freak of nature and we had to watch coaches try to make him a pocket passer. Has the league changed in this regard?
Maybe Geno can write another chapter about how to excel using all the talent on your bench.