Identity

[diggerfoot]

Before the UCLA game I posted that we would be fine, as long as there were no more injuries. What happened since then played out mostly as I expected, with three exceptions/concerns.

1. Based on her HS career I thought Brady would be like Dolson, the exception to the rule that it takes posts longer to adjust to the college game. Dolson needed “adjusting” due to conditioning, but her understanding of the game and how to use her skills were college ready from the start. I thought Brady might start even before the injuries started. Obviously, I was wrong. Brady is more like a normal post in her development.

2. Muhl’s trajectory as a facilitator has been exemplary. She went from 1.4 to 1.7 to 2.2 as a junior. She started both last season and this season with an A/T ratio 3.5 or above! Her performance as PG was way, way above average ... then the injuries started. Last year she gradually came down to the pack over the course of the season. This year her A/T ratio plummeted to 1.6 after injuries before she started turning it around again. That does not fit what the trajectory should have been and it had me, a Muhl defender from the start, a little confused and concerned.

3. I have been concerned about more injuries occurring. As a UConn fan how can I not be? Lo and behold.

I have used concepts like stability and chemistry to express my concern over injuries. Not surprisingly, in a recent interview Bueckers pinpointed a better concept: identity. Just as a player needs to understand her strengths and weaknesses to play effectively, the sum of the parts must also do so. They need to understand the identity as a team that the sum of the parts make. Bueckers claimed things were starting to come together because they were understanding and embracing their identity.

Injuries to a team will happen, but will they happen early enough to yet provide stability to the line up and rotation, which in turn provides the ability to have an identity, which then can be practiced enough to create high efficiency/chemistry. Before UCLA I was confident we had enough time to go through this sequence of stability, identity and efficiency. I think there is still time enough, but my concerns are similar.

1. Both Brady and Samuels will have to develop faster. I think they will. It seems that Samuels does not “know better” to doubt herself as a freshman, while Brady shows signs of developing that now will be accelerated.

2. Is it causation or correlation that Muhl proves herself to be elite until injuries start occurring? I believe that given enough time her efficiency as a facilitator will be elite come tournament time, but the fact that injuries initially affected her performance more as a senior than as a junior is a head-scratcher. If playing with freshman is the answer to that conundrum then we will be OK, since our freshmen should be playing like upperclassmen come tournament time.

3. We are getting dangerously late in the season to be searching for a new identity. Let us all appeal to the basketball gods that enough is enough.

 

[CL82]

Before the UCLA game I posted that we would be fine, as long as there were no more injuries. What happened since then played out mostly as I expected, with three exceptions/concerns.

1. Based on her HS career I thought Brady would be like Dolson, the exception to the rule that it takes posts longer to adjust to the college game. Dolson needed “adjusting” due to conditioning, but her understanding of the game and how to use her skills were college ready from the start. I thought Brady might start even before the injuries started. Obviously, I was wrong. Brady is more like a normal post in her development.

2. Muhl’s trajectory as a facilitator has been exemplary. She went from 1.4 to 1.7 to 2.2 as a junior. She started both last season and this season with an A/T ratio 3.5 or above! Her performance as PG was way, way above average ... then the injuries started. Last year she gradually came down to the pack over the course of the season. This year her A/T ratio plummeted to 1.6 after injuries before she started turning it around again. That does not fit what the trajectory should have been and it had me, a Muhl defender from the start, a little confused and concerned.

3. I have been concerned about more injuries occurring. As a UConn fan how can I not be? Lo and behold.

I have used concepts like stability and chemistry to express my concern over injuries. Not surprisingly, in a recent interview Bueckers pinpointed a better concept: identity. Just as a player needs to understand her strengths and weaknesses to play effectively, the sum of the parts must also do so. They need to understand the identity as a team that the sum of the parts make. Bueckers claimed things were starting to come together because they were understanding and embracing their identity.

Injuries to a team will happen, but will they happen early enough to yet provide stability to the line up and rotation, which in turn provides the ability to have an identity, which then can be practiced enough to create high efficiency/chemistry. Before UCLA I was confident we had enough time to go through this sequence of stability, identity and efficiency. I think there is still time enough, but my concerns are similar.

1. Both Brady and Samuels will have to develop faster. I think they will. It seems that Samuels does not “know better” to doubt herself as a freshman, while Brady shows signs of developing that now will be accelerated.

2. Is it causation or correlation that Muhl proves herself to be elite until injuries start occurring? I believe that given enough time her efficiency as a facilitator will be elite come tournament time, but the fact that injuries initially affected her performance more as a senior than as a junior is a head-scratcher. If playing with freshman is the answer to that conundrum then we will be OK, since our freshmen should be playing like upperclassmen come tournament time.

3. We are getting dangerously late in the season to be searching for a new identity. Let us all appeal to the basketball gods that enough is enough.

As big as Aubrey's (potential, though it didn't look good) loss will be, I don't know that it changes are identity, per se. We are an up-tempo team that spreads the floor by four out, which opens up the paint to allow our potential all Americans center to have one on one scoring opportunities. Similarly because we play for out there are great opportunities for driving lanes. Those things don't change because we lost Aubrey.

That doesn't mean that her contribution isn't huge, it is. She is one of my favorite players to watch on the floor because of her incredible athleticism. Her coming in as a sixth man allows us to keep up our tempo and improve our rebounding. She will be sorely missed, but her loss doesn't change our approach to the game.

I agree that her minutes will be largely taken up by Ice and Q. That's a big drop-down in points and rebounding, but it does allow those players to gain more game time experience which may prove to be very beneficial come the postseason.

Again, I'm not minimizing Aubrey's loss. It is devastating and heartbreaking. I am just saying that it probably doesn't require the coaching staff reinventing our approach.

 

[diggerfoot]

As big as Aubrey's (potential, though it didn't look good) loss will be, I don't know that it changes are identity, per se. We are an up-tempo team that spreads the floor by four out, which opens up the paint to allow our potential all Americans center to have one on one scoring opportunities. Similarly because we play for out there are great opportunities for driving lanes. Those things don't change because we lost Aubrey.

That doesn't mean that her contribution isn't huge, it is. She is one of my favorite players to watch on the floor because of her incredible athleticism. Her coming in as a sixth man allows us to keep up our tempo and improve our rebounding. She will be sorely missed, but her loss doesn't change our approach to the game.

I agree that her minutes will be largely taken up by Ice and Q. That's a big drop-down in points and rebounding, but it does allow those players to gain more game time experience which may prove to be very beneficial come the postseason.

Again, I'm not minimizing Aubrey's loss. It is devastating and heartbreaking. I am just saying that it probably doesn't require the coaching staff reinventing our approach.

The identity of the starting line up does not change because the starting line up does not change. Though perhaps a matter of semantics, what you describe with the larger rotation is a change in identity. What Samuels brings to the whole when she comes in is different in terms of both experience and ability. Our identity is likely to change accordingly, both in what the part brings to the whole and how the whole needs to adjust to and help nurture the different part, but there is still time.

 

[Bone Dog]

Before the UCLA game I posted that we would be fine, as long as there were no more injuries.

Injuries to a team will happen, but will they happen early enough to yet provide stability to the line up and rotation, which in turn provides the ability to have an identity, which then can be practiced enough to create high efficiency/chemistry. Before UCLA I was confident we had enough time to go through this sequence of stability, identity and efficiency. I think there is still time enough, but my concerns are similar.

1. Both Brady and Samuels will have to develop faster. I think they will. It seems that Samuels does not “know better” to doubt herself as a freshman, while Brady shows signs of developing that now will be accelerated.

I assume that when you say "we would be fine" you mean that we could still be a credible NC contender. Perhaps you merely mean that we would do reasonably well in the tournament. Either way, I share your concerns and especially your insights about Ice and Q.

Someone in another thread described Q as still being a HS school kid physically and maybe emotionally too, while KK and Ash are already college adults. When you say she doesn't know enough to doubt herself, that seems just about right. Plus she's got a toughness and fire about her that peeks out occasionally and it will serve her well.

In the last 2 games, Q's been on the receiving end of a couple of hard fouls and looked like she wanted to get back in the face of the opposing player. Aaliyah held her back from one in the Marquette game. I don't think she'll ever be a hot head -- she's got enough cool to figure out how to avoid that, and she'll learn soon enough that dropping a few daggers is the best revenge. But I like that she's not easily intimidated. We'll need that from her.

Since the UCLA game, I haven't thought we were credible NC contenders. But that doesn't mean we aren't incredible NC contenders. It is unlikely that we'll even get to the final four. And yet I never count Paige out of any competition. After all, who woulda thought we could have made it to the NC game two years ago? Without Paige, it's difficult to see ahead, but with Paige...

 

[NutmegDog]

Assuming no Aubrey and no return of Caroline, then Ice and Q will clearly become more important to the team's ultimate success. I agree with those who feel Q may be ready to step up a level and assume a more valuable role. I believe Ice is a season away from that. She seems much more comfortable 10 - 12 feet away from the basket, rather than banging for boards underneath.

As for Nika, she needs to find her 2022/23 game. I see too many attempts at "hero" assists, those spectacular-but-high-risk passes that have contributed to a frankly poor A/TO ratio this season. Her D is elite, but we need elite at both ends, especially now.

 

[RedStickHusky]

Knowing what the bench can bring has a demonstrable effect on how the starters play. We've seen it all too often over the last three years. More starter minutes leads to more "can't foul" defense and less pressure on the ball above the key. Less aggressive defense impacts the offense. We risk becoming a "shorten the game" team; not what we want to be.

 

[hoopsnloops32]

She also adds a different dimension the defense that Q and Ice can't replicate. I do think Q and Ice have higher offensive potential but they aren't there yet and not sure they can get there this season.

Its so unfortunate because I really think we started to figure something out and Aubrey was as X factor for this team when she came it. Ugh.

 

[diggerfoot]

I assume that when you say "we would be fine" you mean that we could still be a credible NC contender. Perhaps you merely mean that we would do reasonably well in the tournament. Either way, I share your concerns and especially your insights about Ice and Q.

Someone in another thread described Q as still being a HS school kid physically and maybe emotionally too, while KK and Ash are already college adults. When you say she doesn't know enough to doubt herself, that seems just about right. Plus she's got a toughness and fire about her that peeks out occasionally and it will serve her well.

In the last 2 games, Q's been on the receiving end of a couple of hard fouls and looked like she wanted to get back in the face of the opposing player. Aaliyah held her back from one in the Marquette game. I don't think she'll ever be a hot head -- she's got enough cool to figure out how to avoid that, and she'll learn soon enough that dropping a few daggers is the best revenge. But I like that she's not easily intimidated. We'll need that from her.

Since the UCLA game, I haven't thought we were credible NC contenders. But that doesn't mean we aren't incredible NC contenders. It is unlikely that we'll even get to the final four. And yet I never count Paige out of any competition. After all, who woulda thought we could have made it to the NC game two years ago? Without Paige, it's difficult to see ahead, but with Paige...

I did believe we were title contenders barring further injuries. I still believe that, barring future injuries, partly because our starters remain.. I probably won’t believe that should there be another injury, whether to a starter or not.

A consequence of all the injuries this year is it wiped out all my pizza bets, which were made with @Cedar , @Alydar and @PvP . Had there been no injuries I still believe Muhl would have started for the whole year, including the tournament, but that’s beside the point now.

So how about you and I bet a pizza. I say that barring further injury at this point we will still make the FF if not in the same regional as SC. Usual terms, pizza shared, winner chooses toppings, loser pays.

 

[BRS24]

Random Q - now that Geno has settled on a starting five, is it easier to "fix" the substitution pattern rather than having to juggle the starters, as he did for the first 8 games? After Fudd and Decharme were out, it was interesting that it was Griffin/Arnold, then Griffin/Shade, then the self admitted (Geno) mistake of Griffin/Brady lineups, before the team settled in with Arnold/Shade. The current lineup seems to have a good chemistry about it.

 

[hoopsnloops32]

Random Q - now that Geno has settled on a starting five, is it easier to "fix" the substitution pattern rather than having to juggle the starters, as he did for the first 8 games? After Fudd and Decharme were out, it was interesting that it was Griffin/Arnold, then Griffin/Shade, then the self admitted (Geno) mistake of Griffin/Brady lineups, before the team settled in with Arnold/Shade. The current lineup seems to have a good chemistry about it.

View attachment 94696

Yea but bringing Aubrey off the bench was the shot in the arm for the defense. They were able to start pressing with her at the top and she would win us extra possessions with o boards and got valuable rest for starters to allow the defensive intensity the whole game. Bringing Ice and Q takes that advantage away on defense. They'll have to figure out how to counter it offensively now and need Q and Ice to step up on the O boards.

 

[PhillyCoach]

The next six games (3 & 1/2 weeks) are with mid-level BE teams. If the biggest concern is over working the starters then it should be easy to fix that. Geno just has to play Q, Ice and some Amari enough to rest the starters. The next six games should have moments where the score is big enough to sub without worry. Q and Ice have shown enough to "hang in there" for a few minutes at a time. Amari even playing her "high post" should give some rest to AE.
The starting 5 is the same and they are a cohesive team at this juncture.
The Notre Dame game on Jan 27th is the real test of where we are. I believe we have the ability to get to the elite 8. Can magic happen after that?

 

[DefenseBB]

I have been encouraged by our recent efforts to utilize our 3 point guards and our basketball athleticism the way @CL82 noted above by playing up-tempo/transition basketball. Along that effort Aubrey was our "poster child" as no one epitomized up-tempo/transition basketball more than Aubrey and her ability to operate in the open floor. We also lost a quality defender and rebounder that will be harder to replace.

Other than SC and UCLA who have size, shooting and depth, everyone else in the conversations has as many weaknesses or more than we do. So I agree with @diggerfoot that not only were we a NC contender for a final 4 slot, we still are!

Let's logically look at the other teams that we have to contend with for a final 4 birth. I have channeled my inner @Tonyc with optimism here so bear with me.
NC State-I want a revenge game on a neutral court or better yet in Albany. There is no way this version of UConn loses to the Wolfpack.
Iowa-Yes Ms. Clark IS WONDERFUL but her supporting cast is woeful. Hannah Stuelke is a nice developing player but no match for Aaliyah. We match up well against this team so I say, bring them on!
Colorado-Nice story but other than their opening game win over a dysfunctional LSU team at that time, who have they beat? They do not have elite size nor quickness that can match up with us.
Baylor-they are a worthy Final Four contender except that I am not sold on their coaches "X's and O's" ability in the big game but I still really like our chances against this team as they don't have elite size either.
LSU-this could be a problem match-up for us with both Reese and Morrow at the front court slots and Mikayla Williams to deal with. Hailey Van Lith is a 4th option and Kim does know how to coach so of all the teams 3-11, this is the most dangerous which is not to say I am scared of them, I am not. I am just noting they have righted the ship and have skills and strength where we are weakest.
Stanford-Yes they have Brink and Iriafen but I am not sold on the rest of the team, especially their guards. Would be a good game but I like our up-tempo vs. them.
USC-Linsday Gottlieb is their coach (I don't need to say anything more)
Texas-Losing Harmon was a death blow to them from a NC perspective. They will still make noise but they are no longer elite.
Kansas State-They have Ayoka Lee who is back playing at an AA level but, her conditioning and our transition game are not a good matchup for Jeff Mittie's squad. Bring em on!
Utah-yes they lost their 2nd best player in Gianni Kneepkens but I saw this team in person at Mohegan against SC and Pili as awesome and the rest of this Utes team played as a team and is potentially dangerous. Our up tempo will have a huge advantage over this slow team.

Of the remaining schools below us, ND with the possibility of Miles returning is the only other team I would consider a mild threat. While this board does not like Miles, we must respect her game and how she makes everyone on that team better. Will she be back?

Virginia Tech, Indiana and tOSU all seem to have other issues going on preventing elite performance that they could turn it around by the NCAAT but we have to wait and see.

 

[BRS24]

Random Q - now that Geno has settled on a starting five, is it easier to "fix" the substitution pattern rather than having to juggle the starters, as he did for the first 8 games? After Fudd and Decharme were out, it was interesting that it was Griffin/Arnold, then Griffin/Shade, then the self admitted (Geno) mistake of Griffin/Brady lineups, before the team settled in with Arnold/Shade. The current lineup seems to have a good chemistry about it.

View attachment 94696

And, something I forgot to add (and missed my edit window), is that I think the reason the current lineup works is that:

• Muhl is primarily a facilitator, with scoring a remote 2nd
• Shade is primarily a scorer with facilitating a remote 2nd
• KK is a facilitator, with a growing secondary scorer mentality, and
• Paige can unilaterally flip the switch between making scoring or facilitating a primary option, with the ability to be equally both

 

[MSGRET]

I have been encouraged by our recent efforts to utilize our 3 point guards and our basketball athleticism the way @CL82 noted above by playing up-tempo/transition basketball. Along that effort Aubrey was our "poster child" as no one epitomized up-tempo/transition basketball more than Aubrey and her ability to operate in the open floor. We also lost a quality defender and rebounder that will be harder to replace.

Other than SC and UCLA who have size, shooting and depth, everyone else in the conversations has as many weaknesses or more than we do. So I agree with @diggerfoot that not only were we a NC contender for a final 4 slot, we still are!

Let's logically look at the other teams that we have to contend with for a final 4 birth. I have channeled my inner @Tonyc with optimism here so bear with me.
NC State-I want a revenge game on a neutral court or better yet in Albany. There is no way this version of UConn loses to the Wolfpack.
Iowa-Yes Ms. Clark IS WONDERFUL but her supporting cast is woeful. Hannah Stuelke is a nice developing player but no match for Aaliyah. We match up well against this team so I say, bring them on!
Colorado-Nice story but other than their opening game win over a dysfunctional LSU team at that time, who have they beat? They do not have elite size nor quickness that can match up with us.
Baylor-they are a worthy Final Four contender except that I am not sold on their coaches "X's and O's" ability in the big game but I still really like our chances against this team as they don't have elite size either.
LSU-this could be a problem match-up for us with both Reese and Morrow at the front court slots and Mikayla Williams to deal with. Hailey Van Lith is a 4th option and Kim does know how to coach so of all the teams 3-11, this is the most dangerous which is not to say I am scared of them, I am not. I am just noting they have righted the ship and have skills and strength where we are weakest.
Stanford-Yes they have Brink and Iriafen but I am not sold on the rest of the team, especially their guards. Would be a good game but I like our up-tempo vs. them.
USC-Linsday Gottlieb is their coach (I don't need to say anything more)
Texas-Losing Harmon was a death blow to them from a NC perspective. They will still make noise but they are no longer elite.
Kansas State-They have Ayoka Lee who is back playing at an AA level but, her conditioning and our transition game are not a good matchup for Jeff Mittie's squad. Bring em on!
Utah-yes they lost their 2nd best player in Gianni Kneepkens but I saw this team in person at Mohegan against SC and Pili as awesome and the rest of this Utes team played as a team and is potentially dangerous. Our up tempo will have a huge advantage over this slow team.

Of the remaining schools below us, ND with the possibility of Miles returning is the only other team I would consider a mild threat. While this board does not like Miles, we must respect her game and how she makes everyone on that team better. Will she be back?

Virginia Tech, Indiana and tOSU all seem to have other issues going on preventing elite performance that they could turn it around by the NCAAT but we have to wait and see.

Last year Nika was one of the few players that could play Clark straight up. I believe that if UConn plays Iowa in the Tournament, that they will walk away with at least a double digit win and Clark will be kept under 25 points.

 

[meyers7]

Assuming no Aubrey and no return of Caroline, then Ice and Q will clearly become more important to the team's ultimate success. I agree with those who feel Q may be ready to step up a level and assume a more valuable role. I believe Ice is a season away from that. She seems much more comfortable 10 - 12 feet away from the basket, rather than banging for boards underneath.

As for Nika, she needs to find her 2022/23 game. I see too many attempts at "hero" assists, those spectacular-but-high-risk passes that have contributed to a frankly poor A/TO ratio this season. Her D is elite, but we need elite at both ends, especially now.

Muhl's A/TO ratio is at 1.98 so far this year (just ahead of her career A/TO of 1.95). That is not poor. (that puts her above DT, Montgomery, Conlon, Hartley, Rizzotti career numbers). That's getting up into the good/very good range.

 

[DefenseBB]

Muhl's A/TO ratio is at 1.98 so far this year (just ahead of her career A/TO of 1.95). That is not poor. (that puts her above DT, Montgomery, Conlon, Hartley, Rizzotti career numbers). That's getting up into the good/very good range.

I agree 100% and in looking at the "quality" P5 players in the WCBB universe there are 9 with better A/TO ratios. Lauren Park Lane is phenomenal right now with 3.625, Georgia Amoore is great at 2.75, Kiki Rice is at 2.55 along with Paige and Paopao is at 4.47. Morgan Maly, is 2.21, Soniya Rivers is 2.18 and Madison Booker at 2.14 are ahead of Nika.

Her ratio is excellent despite what @NutmegDog is thinking. We still get a little confused by some of her force passes that shouldn't occur but she does execute a fair number of others that we shouldn't quibble.

 

[Zarathustra]

I agree 100% and in looking at the "quality" P5 players in the WCBB universe there are 9 with better A/TO ratios. Lauren Park Lane is phenomenal right now with 3.625, Georgia Amoore is great at 2.75, Kiki Rice is at 2.55 along with Paige and Paopao is at 4.47. Morgan Maly, is 2.21, Soniya Rivers is 2.18 and Madison Booker at 2.14 are ahead of Nika.

Her ratio is excellent despite what @NutmegDog is thinking. We still get a little confused by some of her force passes that shouldn't occur but she does execute a fair number of others that we shouldn't quibble.

I thought that some of Nika's " forced" passes were to ICE. They were, of course, Forced, but
I like that she was making every effort to get ICE involved in the game and get ICE as many
"reps" as possible. In the long term IMO the more "touches" that ICE gets the better that
she will look in the short term, and more importantly, in the LONG TERM. Think MARCH!!!

 

[diggerfoot]

I thought that some of Nika's " forced" passes were to ICE. They were, of course, Forced, but
I like that she was making every effort to get ICE involved in the game and get ICE as many
"reps" as possible. In the long term IMO the more "touches" that ICE gets the better that
she will look in the short term, and more importantly, in the LONG TERM. Think MARCH!!!

That’s a great observation! And as I scratched my head at why Muhl’s drop in A/T ratio after injuries was faster and steeper this year, it finally dawned on me what matters about everyone saying she is adapting to her new role.

To me she is still the PG, but one who operates more often from the wing this year. Entry passes to the post from the wing require good timing and execution from the parts because perceived opportunities can disappear fast. I am sure the timing and execution of Muhl’s passes from the wing will steadily improve, just as she has steadily improved with whatever else has been needed from her.

 

[Gus Mahler]

My concern with Nika all year has been that she's been pressing trying to live up to Paige's unearthly standards, her own standards from last season, and to lead by example for KK. I'm optimistic she'll work all that out soon and play solid ball the rest of the way.

Now, about those fouls . . . .

 

[Cuango]

Last year Nika was one of the few players that could play Clark straight up. I believe that if UConn plays Iowa in the Tournament, that they will walk away with at least a double digit win and Clark will be kept under 25 points.

I think Clark has improved and Nika has regressed slightly (defensively). I wouldn’t venture to predict what will happen with that match up but I’m certainly not confident that Nika will be able to do what she did last season.up this season. That’s not to say we wouldn’t win anyway, of course.

 

[Ozimoto]

With the ankle sprains Nika has had over the years at UConn it is great that she can still move as well as she does. She never was the quickest of foot and multiple ankle sprains hamper lateral stability when trying to move quickly (I know from experience, unfortunately).

 

[Skeets]

I think Clark has improved and Nika has regressed slightly (defensively). I wouldn’t venture to predict what will happen with that match up but I’m certainly not confident that Nika will be able to do what she did last season.up this season. That’s not to say we wouldn’t win anyway, of course.

Alternately, CC might again complain "get that kid out of my face".

 

[HopJim]

Assuming no Aubrey and no return of Caroline, then Ice and Q will clearly become more important to the team's ultimate success. I agree with those who feel Q may be ready to step up a level and assume a more valuable role. I believe Ice is a season away from that. She seems much more comfortable 10 - 12 feet away from the basket, rather than banging for boards underneath.

As for Nika, she needs to find her 2022/23 game. I see too many attempts at "hero" assists, those spectacular-but-high-risk passes that have contributed to a frankly poor A/TO ratio this season. Her D is elite, but we need elite at both ends, especially now.

te

Assuming no Aubrey and no return of Caroline, then Ice and Q will clearly become more important to the team's ultimate success. I agree with those who feel Q may be ready to step up a level and assume a more valuable role. I believe Ice is a season away from that. She seems much more comfortable 10 - 12 feet away from the basket, rather than banging for boards underneath.

As for Nika, she needs to find her 2022/23 game. I see too many attempts at "hero" assists, those spectacular-but-high-risk passes that have contributed to a frankly poor A/TO ratio this season. Her D is elite, but we need elite at both ends, especially now.

Interesting way you phrase some of Nika's issues - had never considered her desire to make the spectacular pass, put have to agree. There is an old saying, "don't let perfect become the enemy of very good." If Nika is very good very night/afternoon, with a little hero mixed in, we will be in solid shape.