Geno: we’re going to be hard to get a shot off against

[Barkin Out]

During the pre-tournament press availability, Geno was asked about how Lou was being bumped/grabbed and fouled like teams did to Diana and Stewie. He mentioned the team needs to help her, but also mentioned that there are rules and it’s up to the officials to interpret and enforce the rules. Included in this response was “if this is how the rules are going to be enforced, next year, we’re going to be really hard to get a shot off against”. (I’m paraphrasing- it’s at 18 minute mark).

Lou clearly “reacted” to the illegal “movement restrictions”/holding during the season finale, earning an T. And Geno has been lobbying in the press and sidelines for stricter rule enforcement to no avail. He even threw a water bottle onto the court. It’s pretty safe to assume that Slim will face the same treatment when she returns next year. So the team will need to respond to these playing conditions during the upcoming tournaments and next year.

I assume that Geno’s concerns about reciprocal physical behavior (holding/restricting) is that our bench struggles to score and if our starters get in foul trouble, it hurts UConn disproportionately. But what about our bench? Couldn’t they lay out some borderline “physical” screens etc that force the officials to tighten up their calling? Even if the bench gets T’d up while “sending a message” or trying to force the officials to enforce rules, it would seem to be advantageous to UConn for the remainder of the game if Lou and Caroline could then move through the lane.

My questions for the yard:
What strategies would you use to try and overcome movement restrictions imposed by the opposition or the lack of enforcement by officiating?

Since the team has some open scholarships next year, would it make sense to bring in one or two physical bigs via the portal that can “play” the game in the physical manner in which the officials are encouraging teams to play? Give some “hard fouls” until the officiating tightens up.

(FWIW- I abhor the grabbing / head blows etc that has been used as a strategy against UCONN. And wish there was no room for it in the game. But the leagues and NCAA seem to be facilitating these conditions through their efforts inactions and we are where we are.)

 

[Urshurak]

We need more bigs! I said it first!

 

[Redux]

Geno will not be going down that slippery slope.He's just lobbying.

With a more balanced team next year (at least two 'dagger-to-the-heart" outside shooters) the problem basically takes care of itself and normal UConn basketball prevails without resorting to ... uhh ...

[I almost used a forbidden word]. "Playing basketball in an aggressively physical manner pushing beyond the boundaries of the rules, not conforming to accepted civilized norms of the sport and using physical contact that, outside the protective environment of supposedly a "game" would legally be assault"? Whatever the word, UConn does not need to and will not play like that, regardless of how Geno might verbally posture to make a point in the abstract.

 

[HuskyNan]

How soon people forget Bam Bam

 

[Redux]

How soon people forget Bam Bam

Hard to know how to reply to that. If you see no difference between the way she played: the footwork, the body-positioning, the skillful employment of leverage, and the indiscriminate mugging that Lou has routinely been going through the second half of this season, then we just see things very differently.

There were individual plays where Stacy looked like the Hulk, also true of Edwards. It happens. But what has been happening against UConn is organized gang warfare. I just don't see a valid comparison

 

[Barkin Out]

How soon people forget Bam Bam

Not I: I seem to remember recall doing a poor job of suppressing my desire to see Stacy lay the Bam Bam on Semeka Randall at Gampel. But I was younger and have mellowed since those days. I imagine there are many 5-11- 6’1” forwards that have an edge that would love to spend a graduate yr at Storrs.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

During the pre-tournament press availability, Geno was asked about how Lou was being bumped/grabbed and fouled like teams did to Diana and Stewie. He mentioned the team needs to help her, but also mentioned that there are rules and it’s up to the officials to interpret and enforce the rules. Included in this response was “if this is how the rules are going to be enforced, next year, we’re going to be really hard to get a shot off against”. (I’m paraphrasing- it’s at 18 minute mark).

Lou clearly “reacted” to the illegal “movement restrictions”/holding during the season finale, earning an T. And Geno has been lobbying in the press and sidelines for stricter rule enforcement to no avail. He even threw a water bottle onto the court. It’s pretty safe to assume that Slim will face the same treatment when she returns next year. So the team will need to respond to these playing conditions during the upcoming tournaments and next year.

I assume that Geno’s concerns about reciprocal physical behavior (holding/restricting) is that our bench struggles to score and if our starters get in foul trouble, it hurts UConn disproportionately. But what about our bench? Couldn’t they lay out some borderline “physical” screens etc that force the officials to tighten up their calling? Even if the bench gets T’d up while “sending a message” or trying to force the officials to enforce rules, it would seem to be advantageous to UConn for the remainder of the game if Lou and Caroline could then move through the lane.

My questions for the yard:
What strategies would you use to try and overcome movement restrictions imposed by the opposition or the lack of enforcement by officiating?

Since the team has some open scholarships next year, would it make sense to bring in one or two physical bigs via the portal that can “play” the game in the physical manner in which the officials are encouraging teams to play? Give some “hard fouls” until the officiating tightens up.

(FWIW- I abhor the grabbing / head blows etc that has been used as a strategy against UCONN. And wish there was no room for it in the game. But the leagues and NCAA seem to be facilitating these conditions through their efforts inactions and we are where we are.)

A nit. No self respecting Slim just goes by Slim. Gotta be Dirt Flat Slim or Cold Water Slim or Rat Tunnel Slim or some such. So what's the rest of her handle ... Money Bags Slim perhaps?

 

[diggerfoot]

UConn’s best teams feature a post that can anchor the defense and be efficient on offense, like Dolson, Charles, Jones or Wolters. Another post can play a stretch four, like Stewart, Moore or Lobo. Then the other three essentially play like guards on offense. When this happens and the team gets plenty of practice time they execute too quickly and precisely to get beat up. I remember the back to back perfect seasons as having an offense that had the opponents forever on their heels and not having the time or energy to execute well. Not coincidentally, I believe Moore got the least beat up out of all our superstars.

Starting the season this team had this kind of roster and practice time and played like it. But as the season wore off we had an offense that featured more of a one point guard, two wings and two posts with insufficient practice time. The cards were really stacked against us to run a quick and precise offense, giving opposing defenses the opportunity to beat up and otherwise execute their game plan.

I hold out hope that we can return to the precision and quickness we had earlier because of a return to our preferred guard heavy line-up and practice time.

 

[Zarathustra]

If we successfully " spread the floor" with 3 ( or 4three-point threats the
game will look quite different. Also, I see ICE being a significant player in this regard in the future.
And, finally, ... Yanna (IMO) will make a very nice sophomore jump... Her defense, rebounding, and
block shots are wonderful. I'm looking for more of the same! Note YANNA results in the nice Boneyarder
presentation of Huskie player stats for 40 minutes of play in another recent thread.

 

[Rowdy831]

The issue with Lou isn't the defense, the issue is UCONN has been missing that other person the requires more attention. When Azzi is on the floor with Lou they have to pick their poison, without her team feel like shutting down Lou is the recipe to beat UCONN. Lou also isn't very strong so any tug on her looks like an aggressive foul when maybe it isn't.

More importantly though is UCONN can't afford a closely called game. They have a short bench and a couple of their key players will be susceptible to foul trouble. A better solution is Lou coming off her screens better, a little more acting on her part and Azzi or Caroline putting pressure on the defense from the other positions.

 

[veryolddog]

I think that we should use Amari and posssibly Ayanna as the bulls on the Court and deliberately take the legs out from their best shooters and mussle the bigs in the ribs and step on their insteps intentionally. And, while chasing for the ball, a finger in the eye would be a contributing factor of putting one of theirs out for a quarter or two. Just saying as I would never recommend playing beyond the rules.

 

[Vancat]

How about some extra long eyelashes we can poke the opponents eyeballs with.

 

[Papa33]

UConn’s best teams feature a post that can anchor the defense and be efficient on offense, like Dolson, Charles, Jones or Wolters. Another post can play a stretch four, like Stewart, Moore or Lobo. Then the other three essentially play like guards on offense. When this happens and the team gets plenty of practice time they execute too quickly and precisely to get beat up. I remember the back to back perfect seasons as having an offense that had the opponents forever on their heels and not having the time or energy to execute well. Not coincidentally, I believe Moore got the least beat up out of all our superstars.

Starting the season this team had this kind of roster and practice time and played like it. But as the season wore off we had an offense that featured more of a one point guard, two wings and two posts with insufficient practice time. The cards were really stacked against us to run a quick and precise offense, giving opposing defenses the opportunity to beat up and otherwise execute their game plan.

I hold out hope that we can return to the precision and quickness we had earlier because of a return to our preferred guard heavy line-up and practice time.

This is one of the best analyses that I have read of the underlying problem of this season's offensive execution. Well done!

 

[funkraider]

I think that we should use Amari and posssibly Ayanna as the bulls on the Court and deliberately take the legs out from their best shooters and mussle the bigs in the ribs and step on their insteps intentionally. And, while chasing for the ball, a finger in the eye would be a contributing factor of putting one of theirs out for a quarter or two. Just saying as I would never recommend playing beyond the rules.

Amari isn't very physical and has had numerous "moving" screens called on her this season. If you're are the person setting the screen you must establish the screen and take the contact, Amari is not there in her development.

 

[HuskyNan]

Hard to know how to reply to that. If you see no difference between the way she played: the footwork, the body-positioning, the skillful employment of leverage, and the indiscriminate mugging that Lou has routinely been going through the second half of this season, then we just see things very differently.

There were individual plays where Stacy looked like the Hulk, also true of Edwards. It happens. But what has been happening against UConn is organized gang warfare. I just don't see a valid comparison

I disagree. Stacey was the enforcer, which is why she was nicknamed Bam Bam.

Asjha Jones, one of my all time favorites, was often the only one standing in the pain after she cleared out space, and sometimes quite forcefully. She was pretty cagey about it and rarely got caught. It was actually a “thing” here to count how many fouls she got away ith.

UConn is NOT a finesse team. Pushing and banging have been part of their game for a long time. The old Big East was nearly a literal rock fight with UConn, Syracuse, Louisville, Notre Dame, and Rutgers. Players used to wear rib protectors. It’s amazing to me people don’t see that aspect of the Huskies’ game

 

[mhshuskies]

Need somebody with some nasty, take a foul, throw some elbow. CD2 wouldn’t put up with it, do it early in the game to send a message. Amari may be a good candidate to rough up an opposing player and Ice next season.

 

[Lynx23]

I think Kia Nurse's presence on the court helped keep the physicality in check. No one was going to mess with her or a teammate. I recall several years ago Mabrey giving Collier a hard time about something. Kia calmly walked over into the mix and the tension immediately dispersed.