Hey, Chicken Littles

[HuskyNan]

Why was the game offensively ugly for a stretch last night? Geno put some new stuff in this week. Maybe the sky isn't falling after all. (source: Post article)

"We got a great, great, great game from Kaleena,'' Auriemma said.​

​

"She just played with so much confidence and was so self-assured out there. She knew exactly what she wanted to do and how to do it. We made a couple of changes this week offensively and put some new things in just for her and they seem to be paying off.''​

 

[Olde Coach]

Why was the game offensively ugly for a stretch last night? Geno put some new stuff in this week. Maybe the sky isn't falling after all. (source: Post article)

"We got a great, great, great game from Kaleena,'' Auriemma said.​

​

"She just played with so much confidence and was so self-assured out there. She knew exactly what she wanted to do and how to do it. We made a couple of changes this week offensively and put some new things in just for her and they seem to be paying off.''​

Don't want to jinx her BUT:

She was truly Maya-esque last night and at Pitt as well. She is going to be an amazing player for the rest of this year, and 3 more years after that.

It took Geno 3 years to get Maya to play more in the paint. KML has bought into the deal in 3/4 of her first season. Way to go Kaleena!

 

[rington]

Don't want to jinx her BUT:

She was truly Maya-esque last night and at Pitt as well. She is going to be an amazing player for the rest of this year, and 3 more years after that.

It took Geno 3 years to get Maya to play more in the paint. KML has bought into the deal in 3/4 of her first season. Way to go Kaleena!

That's true. Even in her senior year, Geno was begging Maya to drive to the hoop more.

 

[Tonyc]

KML is playing with confidence and thats the most important thing. Having her to be able to take the ball to the hoop is going to cause problems for the opposition. She 6'0 strong and athletic. This is going to open things up for everybody else. I think UConn wins this game and if the turnovers are down it could be a blowout. This is the game that could put UConn at another level.

 

[Kibitzer]

Don't want to jinx her BUT:

She was truly Maya-esque last night and at Pitt as well. She is going to be an amazing player for the rest of this year, and 3 more years after that.

It took Geno 3 years to get Maya to play more in the paint. KML has bought into the deal in 3/4 of her first season. Way to go Kaleena!

Comparisons between Kaleena and Maya are inevitable because they are characterized by greatness (proven with Maya, promising with Kaleena). They have different styles, traits, strengths and weaknesses.

One thing I really like about Kaleena is that she seems to like to mix it up a bit down low, in the paint. Aside from being a deadly perimeter shooter, she is a banger. I will be surprised if she doesn't consistently take more free throws than her teammates. The effect could be similar to Novasel's contribution to the ND win over USF yesterday. Her points vs. shots taken was amazing (16 shots/32 points) and I think it is reasonable for Kaleena to rack up stats like that -- without the dramatics.

 

[MilfordHusky]

That KML has a high basketball IQ and is a fast learner. If she plays anything like she did last night over the rest of the season, we will be very tough,

 

[pap49cba]

That KML has a high basketball IQ and is a fast learner. If she plays anything like she did last night over the rest of the season, we will be very tough,

Agree but Bria needs to regain her shooting touch for us to go deep....

 

[Bestiarius]

With the bigs sitting in the Pitt game, at the beginning it was a bit ragged. But it didn't take long for the team to figure it out, gel and do a great job overall. It's going to be difficult for ND to come up with a defensive game plan for Monday. Geno has everyone confused. Sports theater at its best.

 

[Aluminny69]

If the changes work, Geno is a Genius. If they don't he's a jerk. Such is life in the fast lane....

 

[vtcwbuff]

Is tonight the night the new "platinum" unis are unveiled? And the new Nike shoe. If so we're doomed.

Cluck, cluck.

 

[semper]

Kaleena is a real banger, too, and I'm glad to see plays that let her use that muscle hustle. So is this what Geno was meaning about Monday being a game like we've never seen before? What else has the Fox got up his sleeve? Ideas?

 

[Samanthabrown3]

Geno has everyone confused. Sports theater at its best.

Including us!

 

[Samanthabrown3]

Why was the game offensively ugly for a stretch last night? Geno put some new stuff in this week. Maybe the sky isn't falling after all. (source: Post article)''

Oh, Nan, if you know how to look at things, you can always see the sky falling, even if the game is a 40-point blowout. . .

 

[Bestiarius]

If the changes work, Geno is a Genius. If they don't he's a jerk. Such is life in the fast lane....

Sad but true. I prefer action over hope any day. The path we we on seemed to show little chance of going all the way. We still may not get there, but it won't be for lack of trying on Geno's part and that's all I'm asking for.

 

[speedoo]

Sad but true. I prefer action over hope any day. The path we we on seemed to show little chance of going all the way. We still may not get there, but it won't be for lack of trying on Geno's part and that's all I'm asking for.

Exactly right. Geno is probably the most aggressive coach in terms of attacking his team's weaknesses and yesterday he was attacking on several fronts. Tomorrow night we will get a very clear reading on how successful he is.

 

[DaddyChoc]

Don't want to jinx her BUT:

She was truly Maya-esque last night and at Pitt as well. She is going to be an amazing player for the rest of this year, and 3 more years after that.

It took Geno 3 years to get Maya to play more in the paint. KML has bought into the deal in 3/4 of her first season. Way to go Kaleena!

she had no choice but to play in the paint because Geno took out the post players... so maybe it wasnt to punish Dolson & Kiah, he may have forced KML to get down there

 

[HuskyNan]

Oh, Nan, if you know how to look at things, you can always see the sky falling, even if the game is a 40-point blowout. . .

...on the road, with a short bench, in a tough-to-play-in arena.

 

[DaddyChoc]

Is tonight the night the new "platinum" unis are unveiled? And the new Nike shoe. If so we're doomed.

Cluck, cluck.

if they wear those uniforms tonight... they will not be new "tomorrow" night

 

[vtcwbuff]

she had no choice but to play in the paint because Geno took out the post players... so maybe it wasnt to punish Dolson & Kiah, he may have forced KML to get down there

I dunno' DC. One of the BY posters at the game said that Dolson was in tears when she came out of the locker room after the game.

 

[DaddyChoc]

I dunno' DC. One of the BY posters at the game said that Dolson was in tears when she came out of the locker room after the game.

I saw that... and I still think it will help KML

 

[MilfordHusky]

Four years ago, Geno said we lost to Stanford "because we had no post presence." Tina Charles is now a certain Olympian and one of the best players in the world. He wants Stef to play up to her capabilities. This is not new or personal.

 

[Kibitzer]

Just my guess about what might be "different" tomorrow.

Have either Stef or Kiah (yes, they will both have an opportunity to play) play high post (pull Peters out, negate her defensive rebounding skills) and have KML (or Kelly) play a lot in the low post. The logic in this is that Kelly and Kaleena are both tough to guard down low and they will make hoops or draw fouls, or both.

At the other end, it's up to Kelly to guard Novosel and Bria to guard Diggins. If they (with help) can limit those two to 25 points, we win.

The other thing is that Stef and Kiah have got to take it straight at Peters to draw fouls and get her either sitting or pouting, or both.

Yet another stat matchup. If Kaleena and Bria outscore Novasel and Diggins, we will win because the rest of our crew should outscore the Irish supporting cast.

 

[CCinCT]

Comparisons between Kaleena and Maya are inevitable because they are characterized by greatness (proven with Maya, promising with Kaleena). They have different styles, traits, strengths and weaknesses.

One thing I really like about Kaleena is that she seems to like to mix it up a bit down low, in the paint. Aside from being a deadly perimeter shooter, she is a banger. I will be surprised if she doesn't consistently take more free throws than her teammates. The effect could be similar to Novasel's contribution to the ND win over USF yesterday. Her points vs. shots taken was amazing (16 shots/32 points) and I think it is reasonable for Kaleena to rack up stats like that -- without the dramatics.

I think Novosel has a significant edge in yards per carry.

 

[meyers7]

Why was the game offensively ugly for a stretch last night? Geno put some new stuff in this week. Maybe the sky isn't falling after all. (source: Post article)

"We got a great, great, great game from Kaleena,'' Auriemma said.​

​

"She just played with so much confidence and was so self-assured out there. She knew exactly what she wanted to do and how to do it. We made a couple of changes this week offensively and put some new things in just for her and they seem to be paying off.''​

Well yea, they ran some new stuff against Pitt too. He always puts in some new offensive wrinkles towards the end of the year.

 

[suzyq]

Why was the game offensively ugly for a stretch last night? Geno put some new stuff in this week. Maybe the sky isn't falling after all. (source: Post article)

"We got a great, great, great game from Kaleena,'' Auriemma said.​

​

"She just played with so much confidence and was so self-assured out there. She knew exactly what she wanted to do and how to do it. We made a couple of changes this week offensively and put some new things in just for her and they seem to be paying off.''​

Three "greats"? We're doomed.