Geno's Plan for the Year

[PhillyCoach]

Well, we now know that UConn's defense is still devastating and on point!! Four Championship returners combined with a defensive 5th starter (Serah or K9) are smokin already. The 4 champs all have quick feet AND quick hands. Again, all of them (Azzi, KK, Ash and Sarah) have that quick flick to up-tick the ball away from an opponent. Those steals are pretty! It's funny-- Azzi, KK, Ash, & K9 have fast twitch quick, but Sarah has a SMOOTH quickness. It's a tad different.
Serah was the 5th starter and did a very good job as the 5th wheel. She is still on a learning curve, but on D she knows how to play. It's the Switching Shtick that slows down the new comers. Nevertheless, as a top sub K9 melded in seemlessly. When she is on the floor as the 5th starter; the team speed and D speed is off the charts. Indeed, the defenders were flowing with Mojo.
KEY POINT HERE - Geno wanted to prove to himself and the team that they could play tough D and score enough to be ahead by 20 at half time. The team accomplished that goal so they could play more relaxed in the last half. BUT, if someone was making a surge back, then they would turn on the tough D again.
So Geno's plan for the year is to duplicate the first game of the season. Uconn wants to lead by 20 at the half. Keep it simple. Since Geno/CD/UConn are 396 and 0 with a 20 point half time lead--the odds look good.

 

[EricLA]

I know this is kind of obvious, but Geno's plan generally is to improve every game, build towards the post season, win the BE, BET, and NCAA tournaments. How he gets there with PT distribution will be interesting to see.

I think one of the biggest things fans will be watching for over the course of the season is playing time. Geno said early on he wanted to have a core group of 8-10. Vs. L'ville, we saw that (sans Blanca), however, Ice (9 minutes), Jana (8) and Allie (5) didn't get double digit minutes. They may have, had UConn been able to maintain it's 20+ point lead, but of the subs, only Kayleigh (23) got substantial minutes.

For this game, at least, the question of putting in Caroline, Ayanna, or Kelis was answered. No PT for them. Even when the lead was pushed almost to 30. UConn's opponents coming up are Florida State, Loyola, Ohio State, Michigan, Utah, then Xavier. Only Michigan is currently ranked in the top 25 (13), but FSU, OSU, and Utah are all P5 teams and usually near the top of their leagues.

When Blanca comes back I expect to see more of like what we saw in L'ville - the core 10, and depending on the genetics of the opposition, players may get more or less PT than against others. Geno may surprise us, but I don't think we will see Kelis, Caroline, Ayanna, or Gandy in any of those games.

BTW I would not be surprised to see Caroline come back next season as a graduate assistant. She has coaching in her future for sure IMHO.

What will be interesting is what he does in the Loyola Chicago game. Loyola ended last season with a 20 point loss to George Washington. In their first game they earned a 4 point win against Milwaukee. I don't expect Loyola to be good. A 60 point win is not out of the question. For THIS game what will the PT look like? We all have opinions, but none other than Geno's matters and we will see soon enough how he plays it.

 

[BBallF]

He has to get the starting 5 plus perhaps K9, Blanca and Jana, into playing seamlessly together. That is the first step. He is looking for combinations that work in the press, half court offense, and that can shoot 3s with a solid percentage using his better players that are not a liability on defense. We all know now that K9 is in several of those combinations. I think that who plays depends upon how the players practice and of course their physical status. I don't think that the playing time will not be more generously given as we go forward.

 

[Boreifs]

Geno plans one practice ahead! Yearly plans happen in losing programs.

 

[Zarathustra]

He has to get the starting 5 plus perhaps K9, Blanca and Jana, into playing seamlessly together. That is the first step. He is looking for combinations that work in the press, half court offense, and that can shoot 3s with a solid percentage using his better players that are not a liability on defense. We all know now that K9 is in several of those combinations. I think that who plays depends upon how the players practice and of course their physical status. I don't think that the playing time will not be more generously given as we go forward.

I "seem" to hear a pattern here. I like what I hear and agree with
BBallF and FSHERMVIKES! Go BONEYARDERS! It just seems "right".
GO HUSKIES beat Seminoles!