Has Geno ever used a box and 1?

[pacific 44]

Actually, Geno is considering the box and one, but he thinks he will need to put the box on Caitlin.

 

[HuskyNan]

A couple of years ago an AAC coach, during the league tournament, claimed Geno briefly threw the box and 1 at his team. I think it was Jose' Fernandez. He may have been saying that for emphasis of his point about UConn switching defenses.

I think he put a box and one on Candace Parker too as part of a junk defense. I remember that after the game CD was quoted as saying that UConn tried to slow her down by using a junk defense on CP and some in the Boneyard went bananas thinking CD was throwing the UConn defense under the bus. Incidentally, some Tennessee fans were offended too, thinking CD was making a personal comment about Parker ?

 

[JoePgh]

A few days ago I made a post on the "Syracuse Postgame" thread about a game against Ohio State a few years ago where UConn had the problem of guarding a backcourt star. I have since checked for that game on the uconnhuskygames.com site and, to my alarm, I realized that I had many specific facts wrong even though the general principle was right.

The Ohio State guard being defended was not Kelsey Griffin, as I stated, but rather Kelsey Mitchell. The game was not in the 2016-17 season but in the 2015-16 season (Stewie's senior year) -- it was UConn's season opener that year. And the UConn defenders at the start of the game were Kia Nurse, Gabby Williams (got those two right), and Moriah Jefferson.

But UConn did start in a 3-2 zone as I stated, although they switched to a man-to-man in the second quarter. Those two defenses didn't look much different from each other -- they each resembled the "1.5 defenders" concept that Rebecca mentioned during halftime of yesterday's games.

Whatever it was, it worked. Mitchell got (I believe) one driving layup and no jump shots during the entire first half. It helped that she got two early fouls and was on the bench for a long time. That may be part of the defense against Caitlin Clark as well: make her work hard on defense and get her in foul trouble. I don't think she is the most agile defender in the world, and players such as Christyn / Paige / Evina / Aubrey may be able to exploit her at the defensive end -- and certainly they can make her burn calories at that end.

Ohio State got a few paint points against that defense, but nothing to match the explosion that UConn was causing at the other end.

I can foresee a similar game on Saturday, and I would expect the final margin of victory to be in the 15-20 point range, possibly higher.

 

[j66kicker]

He used a box and one on Kelly Mazzante during the NCAA tourney in Hartford years ago.

thanks.. good memory.

Not for Kelly - heh heh!

 

[JoePgh]

A couple of years ago an AAC coach, during the league tournament, claimed Geno briefly threw the box and 1 at his team. I think it was Jose' Fernandez. He may have been saying that for emphasis of his point about UConn switching defenses.

That must have been in the 2015-16 season when South Florida had Courtney Williams, who was a first-round WNBA draft choice who played several years for the Connecticut Sun -- very successfully. She was and is an unbelievably fast guard with a very good jump shot. My recollection is that Geno had Nurse, Gabby Williams, and possibly Moriah guarding her at different points in the game. When they guarded her, they had no help responsibilities, so it amounted to face-guarding. The fact that he had three different defenders on her at different times kept any of them from running out of energy, while taxing C. Williams's stamina to the limit.

After the last game, Geno made a comment about how Jose "ran some great stuff to get her open". As I recall, she got about 15 points, which wasn't nearly enough to make the game competitive. That might have been the game where Lou went 10-for-10 on 3-point shots. That may have overshadowed C. Williams's heroic efforts in a losing cause.

I may take another look at that game to see what defense was used. But dealing with star opposing guards is hardly a new challenge for Geno, CD, and the other coaches.

 

[UcMiami]

A couple of years ago an AAC coach, during the league tournament, claimed Geno briefly threw the box and 1 at his team. I think it was Jose' Fernandez. He may have been saying that for emphasis of his point about UConn switching defenses.

I think Jose said Geno seemed to throw a box and five at him, couldn't figure out why the refs allowed the extra four players on the court!

'Junk defenses' are a lot easier to play with a team of veterans. With 6 freshman and only three juniors in a year where practice has been disrupted, I am sure he is happy to have worked on his man-to-man and his simple zone and a little trapping and full court pressure. The more exotic defenses are the things you practice with a team of upper classmen when you think a practice is dragging and you want to shake them up.

 

[BBallF]

Not suggesting it, I'm not even sure that he's got anyone equal to the task. Just curious if anyone has any recollection of him using it in the past. Sure would be nice to bring Kia Nurse back for one more game, eh?

Two years ago, while UCONN was still in the AAC, we played Seton Hall in South Orange. I was at the game. Lauren Park-Lane was killing us so he used a box and one in the second half on her and that shut her down as I recall. He didn't use it this year against her.

 

[oldude]

You want to make Clark work for her points. UConn’s defenders will do that to a far greater extent than KY. Aubrey is a superb defender with the size and athleticism to challenge Clark. In addition, UConn’s defense switches effectively, so that every time Clark tries to run her defender into a screen, she will have another UConn defender switching hard on her.

 

[Carnac]

Not suggesting it, I'm not even sure that he's got anyone equal to the task. Just curious if anyone has any recollection of him using it in the past. Sure would be nice to bring Kia Nurse back for one more game, eh?

It would be nice to bring her back for 4 more games. ?

 

[Carnac]

Actually, Geno is considering the box and one, but he thinks he will need to put the box on Caitlin.

THAT would work!!

 

[HuskyNan]

I think Jose said Geno seemed to throw a box and five at him, couldn't figure out why the refs allowed the extra four players on the court!

'Junk defenses' are a lot easier to play with a team of veterans. With 6 freshman and only three juniors in a year where practice has been disrupted, I am sure he is happy to have worked on his man-to-man and his simple zone and a little trapping and full court pressure. The more exotic defenses are the things you practice with a team of upper classmen when you think a practice is dragging and you want to shake them up.

Then simplify it to a triangle and two

Actually, not a bad idea unless all 5 Iowa players on the court are scorers.

 

[huskeynut]

The game is UConn versus Iowa.

Clark is really good. But Iowa has lost 9 games this season. So despite the hype, Clark is not invincible. She can be slowed down and made to work for her points.

UConn's defense has been pretty damn good since the Arkansas game. Ball hawking, harassing pressure, passing lane jumping and picking the guards' pocket has all been there. You don't change what got you here.

No disrespect to Iowa, but UConn has the better athletes and basketball players.

 

[RedStickHusky]

I think most of you are correct and that Geno will want to play straight up, switching, helping man.. Just have to avoid silly fouls from closing out too hard. If everybody gets their normal minutes, our points in the paint should get it done. If CC goes for 30 and they score 60, you'd have to think we'll be okay.

 

[Artifact]

I am a firm believer of the 'KISS' philosophy. 'KEEP IT SIMPLE. STUPID' !

 

[and one]

Yes oldude, it seems anyone is less lethel than Caitlin. But we know from the past that others have stepped up in these situations, and the rest of their team is not bad. She will get her shots, we can hedge and double team also, but we cannot afford to acknowledge what the other players did to Kentucky. We don't know how good their big is, if their other 3 point shooters are really as good as they have shown. The first quarter may be like the Syracuse game, or we can attack the paint immediately. I don't think Paige will be aggressive early, depending on if Nika plays, and if she is effective. The key to this game other than slowing down Caitlin is Paiges mindset. Stay on point, don't get caught up in Caitlins game, and stick to the game plan. Be Paige Bueckers!

With most any other player than Paige I'd have some concern about getting into a one-on-one contest. Paige is extremely confident in her game and doesn't need to prove herself. If we need 30 points from her to win, she'll go that way. If 20 points and 8 assists is what is needed, that's what she'll do. I suspect that she'll concentrate on getting scoring from ONO and AE.

 

[Gurleyman]

Actually, Geno is considering the box and one, but he thinks he will need to put the box on Caitlin.

Lol. I remember an old quote - I think it was about Shaquille O’Neal when he was in college. Opposing coach said “We thought about putting a box and one on him, but we didn’t think that one guy could cover the other four.”

 

[Stymie]

UConn should just play their game. Let Clark do her thing. UConn will hold the rest of the Iowa team in check and will get the win. There is no need to change up what UConn does.

Actually, I agree.
I stated elsewhere on this board that Geno should just keep rotating fresh athletes on her to deny her the ball and tire her out.
I just finished a 6 mile walk and rehashed it in my mind.
He’s gonna go with his program, with what he’s been drilling into his players all year.
If he changes his approach, he’ll be showing a lack of confidence in his players and his defense.
So I stand corrected.
Bring it on.
This is what we do.
Stifling, switching man to man.
Think you can beat it?
Go on and we’ll see what you got.
That Arkansas game was a teaching tool.
(Anxious for Saturday, in a good way)

 

[Hist-teacher]

I was actually just thinking about this earlier today. It would be very interesting if UCONN double-teamed Clark, forcing her to give up the basketball before crossing half-court and put the ball in someone else's hands. Make them "uncomfortable." Seems to me that virtually everything goes through Clark so take her out of the equation or at least try. She's THAT good!

 

[CTBballfan243]

Why? Play her straight up, who cares how many points she scores. She’s not out scoring the UConn team.

 

[cbraarj]

He used a box and one on Kelly Mazzante during the NCAA tourney in Hartford years ago.

He played man to man, a 1-2-2 zone and a 2-3 matchup zone. He didn't use a box and one against Penn State.