Im sorry but....

[Rings R Us]

Blanca should really be starting. I know he won't change things at this point it seems like, but at least put her into the much quicker if we have a slow start. Also, do we really want to risk having a slow start?? She makes an immediate impact when she comes into the game, why not start with that?

I believe in the 3rd quarter against Notre Dame we were struggling to score or do much of anything, and he didn't put her in until almost 5 minutes into the quarter.

That's just not going to cut it against the competition we have going forward.

 

[hoopsfan22]

I'm sure after 40+ years Geno knows what he's doing. He's got his starting five and has had a pretty steady sub pattern for the last month or so. Why fix what isn't broken? It's good for the players as well to have that consistency.

 

[Dogdude]

The last thing you need is drama right now. Stick with the rotation; Blanca got plenty of minutes vs. ND, more than some starters. It's working.

 

[cancontent]

Blanca should really be starting. I know he won't change things at this point it seems like, but at least put her into the much quicker if we have a slow start. Also, do we really want to risk having a slow start?? She makes an immediate impact when she comes into the game, why not start with that?

I believe in the 3rd quarter against Notre Dame we were struggling to score or do much of anything, and he didn't put her in until almost 5 minutes into the quarter.

That's just not going to cut it against the competition we have going forward.

I get where you're coming from, but with SC starting Okot, that's a lot of size to give up at the start of the game.

 

[Blond D.]

I heard in an interview with Blanca that she liked to watch the game a bit before she comes in to see the flow of the game. It also depends on how well Serah is doing before we "RELEASE THE KRACKEN"!!!

 

[ABCDFE]

I'm sure after 40+ years Geno knows what he's doing. He's got his starting five and has had a pretty steady sub pattern for the last month or so. Why fix what isn't broken? It's good for the players as well to have that consistency.

I would say this is mostly correct. Although he has admitted and we as fans believed he should’ve used Azure more during that 2018 season where we lost to ND. This is probably the only time where I thought Geno was late to pull the trigger.

 

[faninwisc]

Posts like this are absurd and complete waste of time. Geno hasn't won 1288 games and 12 national championships because he got lucky. He won them because he knows what he is doing. Blanca brings energy and a scoring punch off of the bench, but she also picks up too many fouls and still turns the ball over too much.

 

[my2cents]

Geno won't change his starting line-up because he puts less emphasis on starting vs. minutes.
Blanca will be getting significant minutes.
Geno will not be hesitant to pull anyone not performing well.

 

[Vowelguy]

So Mr Naismith, explain this: and what exactly does that do to the confidence of the player (I assume you're targeting Serah or Ash) who no longer starts? Are you willing to get 0 out of them and/or not play them at all?

 

[FollowerCT]

I do not know how Geno would assess the current SC line-up in choosing the ‘best’ UConn line-up to initially and then later on face them … I defer to his knowledge and intuition … it will be exciting to see …

 

[CTGirl15]

Its much more impactful having Blanca come into the game off the bench than starting her and then bringing in Serah or Jana because she's so explosive.

And to your point on the 3Q; UConn always had the lead and Geno is constantly using these games to see what the team can do when things are not going perfectly. And how demoralizing do you think it is for Notre Dame to claw and fight and be within single digits, and then 6'5" Jana comes in grabbing offensive rebounds and getting shots, and then Geno subs in Blanca, UConn's leading scorer for that game. I can only imagine the mental impact that would have on a team to think "hey, we're actually doing ok" and then here comes Blanca off the bench.

 

[Centerstream]

I'm pretty darn sure that, barring an injury, Geno always has a "tradition" that his starters also start the 3rd quarter.
Even in the USTA game, Azzi and KK started the 3rd quarter even tho both had 3 fouls. If there was a chance that he was going to change this "tradition", it probably would have been this game or the Syracuse game when the score was 65-12.

 

[Rings R Us]

So Mr Naismith, explain this: and what exactly does that do to the confidence of the player (I assume you're targeting Serah or Ash) who no longer starts? Are you willing to get 0 out of them and/or not play them at all?

Thats MS. Naismith to you, Bub! Truth be told, this should have happened earlier in the year, but I know he obviously won't change it now. We can't get into extended lulls against South Carolina, or if we advance against the next team.

Just my opinion folks, pleeeeeease forgive me for having one! 😉

 

[RoadWarrior]

I get where you're coming from, but with SC starting Okot, that's a lot of size to give up at the start of the game.

I doubt Geno will change the starting lineup, but he suggested in the Elite Eight postgame that he should have inserted Jana earlier. @Rings R Us, your post did not specify whether you meant replacing Serah or getting bigger and replacing Ash at the Wing for a team with size like SC - just curious.

 

[trisailin]

I think if you look at the season rotation effectiveness posted by NycUcWbbFan, you'll see that the starting 5 of Serah, Sarah, Ash, Azzi, and KK has been the most effective. I'm NOT saying if a different group had been starters all year, that the new group might not be most effective, just that since he's played that group starting all year, they have been most effective.

 

[joea]

That would be sending a message that something is wrong. There is nothing wrong. Do not confuse the team at this point.
Release the Swarm, keep opponents to under 60 points, win.

 

[LwrcasefaN]

Some of you are brutal if someone has an opposing opinion, critiques your favorite player, disagrees with Geno, etc.. Whoa, Nelly! You don’t have to agree to respect that they have a right to one. Play nice already. 🤣

 

[Rings R Us]

Some of you are brutal if someone has an opposing opinion, critiques your favorite player, disagrees with Geno, etc.. Whoa, Nelly! You don’t have to agree to respect that they have a right to one. Play nice already. 🤣

Thanks for saying that!
Didnt think this would be such a hot take.

Blanca would be starting at literally any team not named UConn right now. Sheesh!

 

[Rings R Us]

Lock up the thread if this is such a big controversy! 😂

 

[LwrcasefaN]

Thanks for saying that!
Didnt think this would be such a hot take.

Blanca would be starting at literally any team not named UConn right now. Sheesh!

No problem. I wouldn’t change my starting lineup, but as games are a lot about matchups I might adjust substitution patterns. Like I think I see Jana being slowly prepped to play a few more minutes because the remaining three centers are bigger. But, I do understand your thought process.

 

[GetReal2day]

Thats MS. Naismith to you, Bub! Truth be told, this should have happened earlier in the year, but I know he obviously won't change it now. We can't get into extended lulls against South Carolina, or if we advance against the next team.

Just my opinion folks, pleeeeeease forgive me for having one! 😉

I agree with you and have been saying Geno should have gone to Jana weeks ago as William just isn’t what we thought she was. That said, I don’t seen Geno changing the lineup at this point, but it is clear he doesn’t give Serah a long leash in the last few games. in my opinion (that doesn’t matter here), Jana is a better fit as the offense seems to flow better with her and frankly she is showing more confidence and agressive play than Williams I have no problem with Blanca not starting (don’t change what is working best now with her) coming in sooner in the first quarter as long as he pulls Serah sooner for Jana. That said I am very concerned what the SC bigs are going to do to us in the first quarter and that we have to fight from behing after that.

 

[sun]

It seems to me that Ash, Serah and KK are more defensive minded players whereas Blanca, K9 and Allie are more offensive minded players.
By defensve or offensive minded, I'm refering to what their basketball skillsets allow them to do more of verses less of on a regular basis.
Maybe it's because Geno is a "defense first" minded coach which means that at the worst UConn could fall behind early in the game but there would still be plenty of time for UConn to make a comeback after the offensive subs are inserted into the game.
IMO this is also why UConn generally has so many points scored off the bench.
Maybe Geno feels that he gets better scoring efficiency by the offensive minded players when they don't start, or he doesn't care as much if UConn falls behind early.
Most teams have a lot of scoring jitters at the beginning of the NCAAT games anyway.
And there's always the possibility that the defensiive minded players can work enough magic to put UConn in the lead.
If a coach wants defense to be the priority then the defensive minded players are going to be the starters.

 

[fomalhaut]

And there's always the possibility that the defensiive minded players can work enough magic to put UConn in the lead.

I'd call it a strong probability.