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Message: [QUOTE="Bone Dog, post: 4777480, member: 12088"] That’s been my expectation for the last few months. And it wouldn’t surprise me to see it either. But when Caroline shot 9 for 11 from 3, this gave me some pause. She can do that off the bench as well as in the starting lineup, of course. My sense is Geno likes to hit opponents with his best, most proven lineup in the 1st quarter. Paige was an exception to that rule, and it’s telling that Nika eventually found her way into the starting lineup as a freshman too. That spoke volumes about how he thinks about her. After all, her offensive game wasn’t great that year, and he had other options like Evina or Anna. He would say that the team played better with Nika in the lineup, as if it were a team spirit thing not a stats thing. As a sophomore, Nika was in and out of the starting lineup in the turmoil after Paige’s injury. I suppose Evina’s steadying hand was more needed in the aftermath. But toward the end of the season she was more regularly a starter again. Last year, this was Nika’s team all season long. Geno literally could not sit her down for more than a few minutes. I’ll be very surprised if Nika doesn’t start in November and December. A lineup with Nika Paige and Azzi in the backcourt will be like a punch in the face for opposing teams. It’s hard not to want that and Geno will probably not be able to resist the draw of it. If she’s starting in April, it will mean that punch in the face is still working well. And KK and Ashlynn will learn a lot about Geno by watching a Nika-led lineup. [/QUOTE]

Verification: First name of men's bb coach