Huskies leaning on Makurat as calendar turns to March

[Carnac]

By Carl Adamec cadamec@journalinquirer.com

When Anna Makurat was down during her early-season struggles with the UConn women’s basketball team, it was her teammates who lifted her up. As the sixth-ranked Huskies hit the final weekend of the regular season, the freshman guard has helped carry them to a place where they believe their postseason dreams can come true.

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[RockyMTblue2]

Shea's a bit double talkey about you can't rely on freshmen, but we need to rely on these freshman to make it all work. Then there is one of them is a starter.

 

[Carnac]

Shea's a bit double talkey about you can't rely on freshmen, but we need to rely on these freshman to make it all work. Then there is one of them is a starter.

That depends on the freshmen. I sure wouldn't mind having the 3 freshmen that are starting for Dawn Staley, on our team. That would be Brea Beal, Zia Cooke and Aliyah Boston. They start for a team that is ranked #1 in the country, has only suffered 1 loss, and will go into the NCAA tournament as the overall #1 seed.

 

[hart2hart]

I believe that the two freshman plus our other four and Kyla all playing to their potential and not freaking out because it’s Oregon, SC or Baylor will help us WIN! We need ALL of them to play like they did the past two games. Go
Huskies! We can win!

 

[Alydar]

That depends on the freshmen. I sure wouldn't mind having the 3 freshmen that are starting for Dawn Staley, on our team. That would be Brea Beal, Zia Cooke and Aliyah Boston. They start for a team that is ranked #1 in the country, has only suffered 1 loss, and will go into the NCAA tournament as the overall #1 seed.

Sure, they play like more experienced players but they are still 3 freshmen. There's several weeks until they have the real pressure put on them.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Sure, they play like more experienced players but they are still 3 freshmen. There's several weeks until they have the real pressure put on them.

If they play in the Final Four, the stage will feel really big to most freshmen.

 

[HuskylnSC]

Shea's a bit double talkey about you can't rely on freshmen, but we need to rely on these freshman to make it all work. Then there is one of them is a starter.

The way I read it was that you can't count on freshmen all the time. But these two do certain things and we count on them to do their certain things. i.e., Aubrey is counted on to defend, rebound and set picks. Anna is counted on to hit open shots and make good passes. She mentioned that Anna has to get more rebounds and Anna said she needs to work on her defense. So Geno is not going count on Aubrey to score and won't use Anna to defend a scorer.

 

[eebmg]

I imagine Anna will have a little extra motivation to have a good game against USF because she had a very poor (0 pt) game. The last before her recent 4 game hot streak.

 

[FanHam]

Anna may be a freshman, but she doesn't look like one these days. Her court awareness is Bird/Magic like with her touch and no-look passes. She gallops up and down the court like a frisky colt and never seems to tire. Her defense has improved with every game.

Her shooting has gone from abysmal to uncanny.

She DOES rack up a fair amount of turnovers but Geno doesn't complain about them, and we all know Geno is wont to point out his players' weaknesses, so he must not mind.

Most importantly, I believe, is the joy she exudes with her play. She reminds me of the old Mickey Rooney/Judy Garland movies where Mickey rallies everyone and says "Let's put on a show!".

That is contagious.

 

[eebmg]

I love so much about Anna's game but I do have concerns with her propensity for 1 handed (touch based) passes. It is a razor's edge from highlight reel to costly TO. I know you have to allow her some latitude and keep her confidence high but when I see her handling the ball so loosely at times (which comes from high confidence), I am a basket case.

 

[Nyskier]

I love watching Anna play!

 

[donalddoowop]

The way I read it was that you can't count on freshmen all the time. But these two do certain things and we count on them to do their certain things. i.e., Aubrey is counted on to defend, rebound and set picks. Anna is counted on to hit open shots and make good passes. She mentioned that Anna has to get more rebounds and Anna said she needs to work on her defense. So Geno is not going count on Aubrey to score and won't use Anna to defend a scorer.

Maybe now some posters will stop complaining about Aubrey passing up some open shots. She said earlier this season that she was told to set screens, and play defense, and rebound. She has an outside shot and will show it next season.

 

[DefenseBB]

Maybe now some posters will stop complaining about Aubrey passing up some open shots. She said earlier this season that she was told to set screens, and play defense, and rebound. She has an outside shot and will show it next season.

Actually, she's been shooting more, driving more and handling the ball more and that is why her scoring is up. She's "made the turn already" so I don't think we are waiting for next season.

 

[Rayvin56]

Anna may be a freshman, but she doesn't look like one these days. Her court awareness is Bird/Magic like with her touch and no-look passes. She gallops up and down the court like a frisky colt and never seems to tire. Her defense has improved with every game.

Her shooting has gone from abysmal to uncanny.

She DOES rack up a fair amount of turnovers but Geno doesn't complain about them, and we all know Geno is wont to point out his players' weaknesses, so he must not mind.

Most importantly, I believe, is the joy she exudes with her play. She reminds me of the old Mickey Rooney/Judy Garland movies where Mickey rallies everyone and says "Let's put on a show!".

That is contagious.

When I read your reference to the classic Rooney/Garland flicks, I nodded knowingly...crap, I'm old. I didn't see it when it first came out, though...

 

[Majic Hands]

I love so much about Anna's game but I do have concerns with her propensity for 1 handed (touch based) passes. It is a razor's edge from highlight reel to costly TO. I know you have to allow her some latitude and keep her confidence high but when I see her handling the ball so loosely at times (which comes from high confidence), I am a basket case.

Kind of like every time a player shoots from somewhere we think they will miss and we go AHHSHI!!YAAH Atta Girl!! ?

 

[eebmg]

Kind of like every time a player shoots from somewhere we think they will miss and we go AHHSHI!!YAAH Atta Girl!! ?

To be honest, I am not sure I ever feel that way about shooting. I really think except for some critical stages against Baylor and SC, we tend to get good shots or at least not bad shots that I did not think we could make (even when we were super stagnant)

On the other hand, Alot of her 1 handed passes seem so fragile and can often be made with 2 hands. It is just a style thing but I continue to be worried that it will cost us at a bad moment. Just an example of the good >> bad. I suppose.