Geno's Dilemma | The Boneyard

Geno's Dilemma

Bajan Best

Bajan Best

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Everyone knows Katie Lou is not 100% as her mobility is significantly reduced.
The real question is, as it stand, is Katie Lou currently helping or hurting the team playing injured?

Prior to being injured, other than being a reliable and constant offensive threat, Lou's rebounding and defense were key components to this UConn team success. If she is not able to contribute in those areas when on the court, because of her injury (as occurred in the UCLA game for majority of the game) Then I'm afraid, this might just be too taxing for this years team to overcome, especially as we progress further in the tournament, with the level of play of each opponent getting better and better.

So what can Geno do?
He could opt to go with Olivia as he was forced to do for the AAC tournament and hope the team chemistry remained in tack or improved, as Olivia can certainly strengthen both Defense and rebounding when she's on the court. Which would mean potentially bringing Katie Lou off the bench as needed, the problem with that is, If Katie Lou is not on the floor her body can stiffen up, so he's kinda force to leave her out there. This is why Megan Walker or CW are the player(s) he takes off to sub Olivia in..

Bottom line though, if KLS is unable to get open shots and knock them down or rebound the ball and play effective defense, this team is in serious trouble with her on the floor. We can survive that against a poor shooting team like UCLA, but against the remaining field, I don't think as much. We Can't give those teams that many extra positions and go on extended droughts and expect to come away with a win as our team would most likely be exhausted from having to play that much defense to stay in the game.

My question to you guys on the BY,
Is it better for us to have a stronger offense, or a stronger defense at this stage of the tournament?
 
Yes ,this is Geno s dilemma . He will have to at some point pull Lou and go with Olivia if he wants a chance at winning today. Liv has a nice midrange shot. I feel bad for Lou but if he wants his best chance to win then he will need to go with Liv. Geno knows Lou is not much help as he stated in his press conference. My guess is he goes with Lou to start and if still more of the same then he pulls her for Liv early. We will have to wait and see...hopefully Liv does not get in quick foul trouble too
 
There’s no easy answer. Even with Lou not at 100%, the opposing team has to guard her, allowing more space for the other Huskies to operate. Lou is also a better passer than Liv. She executed several perfect “give and go” passes with Pheesa against UCLA.

While Liv played well against UCLA, she remains foul prone, so there is always a question of how long you can keep her on the court before she gets into foul trouble.

I know it’s not an ideal situation, but it appears that Geno plans to live or die with Lou. In his post game presser, Geno talked about the comeback vs UCLA. He commented about the contributions of Crystal, Pheesa, etc., and then added he expected, “Lou would contribute somehow. I just never expected it to be on defense, and with a 3 point play.”

I guess Lou has earned the right to start and play as long as she can. I’m hoping that will be just enough to get us by Louisville.
 
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Bajan Best said:
Everyone knows Katie Lou is not 100% as her mobility is significantly reduced.
The real question is, as it stand, is Katie Lou currently helping or hurting the team playing injured?

Prior to being injured, other than being a reliable and constant offensive threat, Lou's rebounding and defense were key components to this UConn team success. If she is not able to contribute in those areas when on the court, because of her injury (as occurred in the UCLA game for majority of the game) Then I'm afraid, this might just be too taxing for this years team to overcome, especially as we progress further in the tournament, with the level of play of each opponent getting better and better.

So what can Geno do?
He could opt to go with Olivia as he was forced to do for the AAC tournament and hope the team chemistry remained in tack or improved, as Olivia can certainly strengthen both Defense and rebounding when she's on the court. Which would mean potentially bringing Katie Lou off the bench as needed, the problem with that is, If Katie Lou is not on the floor her body can stiffen up, so he's kinda force to leave her out there. This is why Megan Walker or CW are the player(s) he takes off to sub Olivia in..

Bottom line though, if KLS is unable to get open shots and knock them down or rebound the ball and play effective defense, this team is in serious trouble with her on the floor. We can survive that against a poor shooting team like UCLA, but against the remaining field, I don't think as much. We Can't give those teams that many extra positions and go on extended droughts and expect to come away with a win as our team would most likely be exhausted from having to play that much defense to stay in the game.

My question to you guys on the BY,
Is it better for us to have a stronger offense, or a stronger defense at this stage of the tournament?
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The defense is unfixable - without sacrificing offense - with the subs he has

He’ll opt to keep as much offense on the floor as he can muster.

IMO - Lou plays 40 and shoots today

No better option IMO
 
Geno would never take the game out of Lou's hands. Even in her current form which I personally don't think is as bad as some others on the BY, she helps run the team, works beautiful offense with Pheesa, organizes and communicates the defense etc, gives confidence to the younger guys etc. etc. Also, her shots are not way off when open. She is just slightly missing her 3's. I understand, she is having harder issues getting open for shots but ONO is not Azura (not yet).

If we lose, we lose with our best. Simple.
 
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Yeah - Lou only attempted 2 3’s the entire UCLA game - hard to cull anything about her shot from that.

On D she can’t stop Durr or Evans on the perimeter on her best day anyway so that’s a wash.

Doesn’t matter how she scores, inside or outside , 2’s or 3’s - doesn’t matter

She’ll give us points today - simply because she has to.

On faith alone I’ll say 17+ in 40 mins
 
Bajan Best said:
Everyone knows Katie Lou is not 100% as her mobility is significantly reduced.
The real question is, as it stand, is Katie Lou currently helping or hurting the team playing injured?

Prior to being injured, other than being a reliable and constant offensive threat, Lou's rebounding and defense were key components to this UConn team success. If she is not able to contribute in those areas when on the court, because of her injury (as occurred in the UCLA game for majority of the game) Then I'm afraid, this might just be too taxing for this years team to overcome, especially as we progress further in the tournament, with the level of play of each opponent getting better and better.

So what can Geno do?
He could opt to go with Olivia as he was forced to do for the AAC tournament and hope the team chemistry remained in tack or improved, as Olivia can certainly strengthen both Defense and rebounding when she's on the court. Which would mean potentially bringing Katie Lou off the bench as needed, the problem with that is, If Katie Lou is not on the floor her body can stiffen up, so he's kinda force to leave her out there. This is why Megan Walker or CW are the player(s) he takes off to sub Olivia in..

Bottom line though, if KLS is unable to get open shots and knock them down or rebound the ball and play effective defense, this team is in serious trouble with her on the floor. We can survive that against a poor shooting team like UCLA, but against the remaining field, I don't think as much. We Can't give those teams that many extra positions and go on extended droughts and expect to come away with a win as our team would most likely be exhausted from having to play that much defense to stay in the game.

My question to you guys on the BY,
Is it better for us to have a stronger offense, or a stronger defense at this stage of the tournament?
Expand ...
I think another problem is he can’t take her out and put her back in later because her back will stiffin up. I think that is why she plays 40 minutes, even thou she is hurting us at times.
 
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Lou is also the heart and soul of this team. She’s not at her best, but if she can somehow knock down a couple 3’s at the start of the game, every other Husky will ride her emotion to play their best.

Some of you oldtimers may remember Game 7 of the 1970 NBA Championship: Lakers vs Knicks at MSG. Willis Reed had a torn thigh muscle and was unlikely to play. The powerful Laker team was a prohibitive favorite against a Knick team without their captain and team leader.

A few minutes before tipoff, Willis hobbled out on the court to a thunderous ovation from Knick fans. He started the game, dragging his injured leg up and down the court. He hit his first two shots, and the crowd went wild.

Reed didn’t do a whole lot more in the game, but he really didn’t need to. His Knick teammates were inspired and they went on to defeat the favored Lakers to earn the championship.
 
Great posts! I think you guys covered all the angles on this.
Could Geno's integrity be an Achilles heel in this situation? I don't think it's coincidence that he gets 30 ex-players visiting all the time. I bet there's a whos-who at the game today. The players know that he has their best interests at heart, even as he is pushing them to the limit. Could be one of his secrets?
Could this team be sacrificed for his commitment to Lou?
Maybe the player is going to "make the call".
This level of sustained success could not be possible without some serious integrity and moral compass.
Maybe in the past, they could win regardless of such dilemmas. This year, it is showing itself prominently, like a goiter. I'm really psyched for 12:00. Wish I was there!
 
Don't see much of a dilemma at all. Lou's starts and plays as long as practical and ONO subs in stretches to spell all the other starters. Two reason for this 1) You are talking about a back injury for KLS, taking her in and out of the game is not going to help her stay lose. 2) ONO does not play well without KLS in the game. All that attention Lou commands on the perimeter is what allows ONO to be effective on the inside. ONO shot blocking presence also makes up for the occasional gamble and miss that KLS takes defensively on perimeter players. BTW KLS has rarely (never?) had two bad shooting or low scoring games in a row.
 
Geno goes with Lou. If the defense sags off her to either double Phee or post in general, Lou drains a 3 and requires the defense to faceguard her thereby leaving Phee or post more penetrable. Lou doesn't have to score a lot, so long as the defense keeps a defender on her. As previously stated, she is a better ball handler and her "savvy" will go along way. Oh and by the way, she will find other ways to score as well. UConn wins in the 4th quarter with heart, points and coaching.
 
Maine fan said:
Geno goes with Lou. If the defense sags off her to either double Phee or post in general, Lou drains a 3 and requires the defense to faceguard her thereby leaving Phee or post more penetrable. Lou doesn't have to score a lot, so long as the defense keeps a defender on her. As previously stated, she is a better ball handler and her "savvy" will go along way. Oh and by the way, she will find other ways to score as well. UConn wins in the 4th quarter with heart and points.
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Yes, she can play like she did Friday. (maybe a couple less missed shots)
Hey- is that the golf course at Sugarloaf. I went there to hike the AT, but I didn't get to play it.
My best friend from college has a cabin at Belgrade Lakes. I've played there twice. You ever play there? I love Maine. Spent a winter in Kittery when I was 13. My sister went to U of Maine. Awesome.
 
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Maybe, maybe, maybe. If, if, if. In a couple of hours, we will see what Geno will do. I really do not like being the Coach of the UConn of the Womans basketball program. 23 years of my Marine Corps training did not include one bit of "x's" and "O's" and what to do in a basketball game. The only thing that I know is that the ball has to go through the hoop more often then not.

I have never met Geno. I only see blips of him on TV. I do not know the man. He seems like a genuine nice person.
 
CocoHusky said:
Don't see much of a dilemma at all. Lou's starts and plays as long as practical and ONO subs in stretches to spell all the other starters. Two reason for this 1) You are talking about a back injury for KLS, taking her in and out of the game is not going to help her stay lose. 2) ONO does not play well without KLS in the game. All that attention Lou commands on the perimeter is what allows ONO to be effective on the inside. ONO shot blocking presence also makes up for the occasional gamble and miss that KLS takes defensively on perimeter players. BTW KLS has rarely (never?) had two bad shooting or low scoring games in a row.
Expand ...
Good stuff. I didn't see it as a bad shooting game. I didn't even see her getting her shots. She can't move and speed and quickness is not a forte on our best day. Argument I see is (already stated by others and you) is that she takes attention away from others. Also- don't forget about the 3 games in the tournament they played without KLS. Just saying.
 
MD#12Fan said:
Good stuff. I didn't see it as a bad shooting game. I didn't even see her getting her shots. She can't move and speed and quickness is not a forte on our best day. Argument I see is (already stated by others and you) is that she takes attention away from others. Also- don't forget about the 3 games in the tournament they played without KLS. Just saying.
Expand ...
Just as an aside - Integrity and Loyalty are two different things

Sentimentality has no place in decision making - that’s the burden of Integrity.

Lou plays because she is flat out best option.
 
'nuff sed said:
Just as an aside - Integrity and Loyalty are two different things

Sentimentality has no place in decision making - that’s the burden of Integrity.

Lou plays because she is flat out best option.
Expand ...
I think you articulated the dilemma!
I think of integrity as "doing the right thing". Being loyal is part of that. (thanks for using that word)
I think it could reach a point (2 minutes to go in the 3rd quarter, down by 8 ?) in which "doing the right thing" is not doing whatever it takes to win the game, but doing the right thing for the player (esteemed senior leader) and for the sustained success of the program.
I think it's fascinating stuff! We don't have enough great leaders in our society to study.
 
veryolddog said:
Maybe, maybe, maybe. If, if, if. In a couple of hours, we will see what Geno will do. I really do not like being the Coach of the UConn of the Womans basketball program. 23 years of my Marine Corps training did not include one bit of "x's" and "O's" and what to do in a basketball game. The only thing that I know is that the ball has to go through the hoop more often then not.

I have never met Geno. I only see blips of him on TV. I do not know the man. He seems like a genuine nice person.
Expand ...


But you read and post on the BY. Thus, you are a bb expert.
 
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connboy77 said:
I'm not at all optimistic about today's game. Without Lou being 100% the chance for a UCONN win is slim to none. Louisville is playing very well right now.
Expand ...
I agree. As we recall from watching the previous game with Louisville both the quickness peremeter shooting created problems for the Huskies. Sam Fuehing has been playing extraordinary really well and that will certainly keep Phee's hands full on the defensive end. Whie I was impressed with the play of Williams in the first half of the UCLA game and of course Crystals heroics in the fourth quarter I'm just not certain how our guard play matches up. This will certainly be an exciting game to watch. I really thought UCLA had a great opportunity to beat are huskies. Kennedy Burke demonstrated the impact of an athletic thoughtful basketball player. Sam Fuehring presents more problems than Kennedy Burke. Less than 2 hours to game time and I can't wait. Extremely nervous.
 
I think the UCLA game was by design. KLS sort of played possum as a decoy and didn't expend too much energy until she had to in order to win. That way she would have something left in the tank for today....
 
Bajan Best said:
Everyone knows Katie Lou is not 100% as her mobility is significantly reduced.
The real question is, as it stand, is Katie Lou currently helping or hurting the team playing injured?

Prior to being injured, other than being a reliable and constant offensive threat, Lou's rebounding and defense were key components to this UConn team success. If she is not able to contribute in those areas when on the court, because of her injury (as occurred in the UCLA game for majority of the game) Then I'm afraid, this might just be too taxing for this years team to overcome, especially as we progress further in the tournament, with the level of play of each opponent getting better and better.

So what can Geno do?
He could opt to go with Olivia as he was forced to do for the AAC tournament and hope the team chemistry remained in tack or improved, as Olivia can certainly strengthen both Defense and rebounding when she's on the court. Which would mean potentially bringing Katie Lou off the bench as needed, the problem with that is, If Katie Lou is not on the floor her body can stiffen up, so he's kinda force to leave her out there. This is why Megan Walker or CW are the player(s) he takes off to sub Olivia in..

Bottom line though, if KLS is unable to get open shots and knock them down or rebound the ball and play effective defense, this team is in serious trouble with her on the floor. We can survive that against a poor shooting team like UCLA, but against the remaining field, I don't think as much. We Can't give those teams that many extra positions and go on extended droughts and expect to come away with a win as our team would most likely be exhausted from having to play that much defense to stay in the game.

My question to you guys on the BY,
Is it better for us to have a stronger offense, or a stronger defense at this stage of the tournament?
Expand ...
This is a TEAM dilemma. KLS will likely play better since few teams hold as much as UCLA. Team issue is what does Geno do if there is a bad match up, sickness, etc? Without sounding harsh, rarely does he do anything-i.e. no subs. Hard to criticize Hall of Fame Coach but some rest or bench coaching seems straightforward.
 
I don't see what the dilemma is. KLS will play as usual and she can be substituted for when necessary. It is not like when she is out during a game she can't come back anymore. She is not playing during timeouts, in-between quarters and at the half, so why should her back no longer work after a substitution?
 
He has to play KLS. There is no other choice. Whatever she provides is more than worth having her in the game. All the other successful coaches key their D on her because they know she is the most important element. However, that does not mean the results will be positive for UConn. Louisville just beat a better Pac 12 team by more pts. They will enter this game vs UConn with confidence for the 1st time because of their 1st win vs them and that will be difficult for UConn to overcome because of the condition of KLS. Maybe by some miracle KLS will get to at least 90% for this game. If that's the case she still will have to be a big part of the O no matter what Louisville tries to do against her. That is something the entire team would have to be on the same page for. This group has shown that that's not a given. All to often she has been ignored cutting and posting up. For a player who is as good from the line & as good a passer as she is that is unacceptable. So even if she is much better physically for this game there still will be hurdles for this group to overcome from within.
 
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