Is Nika the X-Factor?

[HuskylnSC]

As far as Geno’s view of Nika, you only have to look at how he used her in the Georgetown game. He started Nika, which meant she earned it in practice. Her first stint in the game was by far her worst.

When Geno took her out of the game, I feared we had seen the last of Nika until mop up time. However, after a time talking to the “guard whisperer” (Shea), Nika was back in the game just a few minutes later and she started the 2nd half to boot.

Her play yesterday was a mixed bag to be sure, but the fact that Geno gave her 35 minutes of PT indicate that I’m not the only one who believes Nika may well be the answer to UConn’s need for another guard in their rotation.

One thing that @oldude brings to this board is an insightful nuanced approach to all that is going on. He is rarely wrong on interpreting the actions of coaches and players. I would like to point out it was only a couple games ago that Nika was pulled from the game and publicly scolded on the bench. You could see her emotions being held in check as she became bright red. She has gone from that moment to starting and playing 35 minutes. Evidently she is doing something right in practice.

I remember my first high school varsity game as a sophomore. Coach put me in, the other team scored, I grabbed the ball out of the net, stepped out of bounds and passed to an opposing payer under the hoop for an uncontested 2. First games are rough. Give the lady time. I think we are going to be very proud she is a Husky.

 

[oldude]

I remember my first high school varsity game as a sophomore. Coach put me in, the other team scored, I grabbed the ball out of the net, stepped out of bounds and passed to an opposing payer under the hoop for an uncontested 2. First games are rough.

I bet you made a friend for life....

 

[HopJim]

One thing that Coombs has done well which I did not expect is playmaking.

Coombs also was signed based on her defense, which appears to be solid. Unlike some UConn frosh, she rarely let's the quick point guards get by her.

 

[Postie]

Coombs also was signed based on her defense, which appears to be solid. Unlike some UConn frosh, she rarely let's the quick point guards get by her.

Coach Al McGuire had a great quote that applies to Nika.What is the best thing about a freshman?They become a sophomore.Nika stated in a video after she committed that coming to UCONN was not going up one level but going up ten levels.

 

[CocoHusky]

Coach Al McGuire had a great quote that applies to Nika.What is the best thing about a freshman?They become a sophomore.Nika stated in a video after she committed that coming to UCONN was not going up one level but going up ten levels.

Welcome to the BY!

 

[bluedevil]

How do we matchup with Louisville?
PB on Hailey, Aubrey on Evans- take away her strength advantage. Anyone, anyone...... Bueller

When do we play them?

 

[AmeriConn]

Sorry, I don’t see Nika listed in the recent article: 5 Players in women’s basketball that may be the x-factor come March.

Five women's college basketball players who could be X factors in March

Some of the most underrated players on top-10 contenders could be the difference leading into the NCAA tournament.

www.espn.com

 

[Viet Vet]

As far as Geno’s view of Nika, you only have to look at how he used her in the Georgetown game. He started Nika, which meant she earned it in practice. Her first stint in the game was by far her worst.

When Geno took her out of the game, I feared we had seen the last of Nika until mop up time. However, after a time talking to the “guard whisperer” (Shea), Nika was back in the game just a few minutes later and she started the 2nd half to boot.

Her play yesterday was a mixed bag to be sure, but the fact that Geno gave her 35 minutes of PT indicate that I’m not the only one who believes Nika may well be the answer to UConn’s need for another guard in their rotation.

Let's stop looking through rose-colored glasses. She started because the TWO guards ahead of her were injured. I guess as the #3 guard she "earned" it over the prospective #4. Her defense and turnovers are huge liabilities. Look, I am rooting for her, but don't elevate her beyond the status she deserves. She probably will become a valuable 10-15 minute player, maybe more if Makurat continues her slide, and doesn't increase her quickness (that's the PC way to avoid saying she needs to lose weight - she does).

 

[CocoHusky]

Let's stop looking through rose-colored glasses. She started because the TWO guards ahead of her were injured. I guess as the #3 guard she "earned" it over the prospective #4. Her defense and turnovers are huge liabilities. Look, I am rooting for her, but don't elevate her beyond the status she deserves. She probably will become a valuable 10-15 minute player, maybe more if Makurat continues her slide, and doesn't increase her quickness (that's the PC way to avoid saying she needs to lose weight - she does).

When this team is fully healthy as they were in the TN game Nika is actually the 5th guard not the 3rd.

 

[MD#12Fan]

When do we play them?

When we're the #1 overall seed and Jeff is complaining about being the #2 overall seed, with the reasoning expressed by the committee that Jeff is Geno's long lost red-headed step child who has like a 1-20 record against Geno, (catch a breath).... do the math when this game will be played.
Now set up your matchups.

 

[oldude]

Let's stop looking through rose-colored glasses. She started because the TWO guards ahead of her were injured. I guess as the #3 guard she "earned" it over the prospective #4. Her defense and turnovers are huge liabilities. Look, I am rooting for her, but don't elevate her beyond the status she deserves. She probably will become a valuable 10-15 minute player, maybe more if Makurat continues her slide, and doesn't increase her quickness (that's the PC way to avoid saying she needs to lose weight - she does).

No rose-colored glasses involved. Certainly, being down 2 guards was a factor, but Geno had other options, and he doesn’t start players and give them 35 minutes of PT if they haven’t earned it in practice. He could have gone with a big lineup by starting Aaliyah or Mir, both of whom had seen more minutes than Nika so far this season. He chose to go with Nika instead, because he believes she has the ability to contribute this year.

 

[HuskylnSC]

Let's stop looking through rose-colored glasses. She started because the TWO guards ahead of her were injured. I guess as the #3 guard she "earned" it over the prospective #4. Her defense and turnovers are huge liabilities. Look, I am rooting for her, but don't elevate her beyond the status she deserves. She probably will become a valuable 10-15 minute player, maybe more if Makurat continues her slide, and doesn't increase her quickness (that's the PC way to avoid saying she needs to lose weight - she does).

Nah. I would have started E at the point, CW at 2 AG at 3 AE at 4 and Liv at 5 - Nika and Mir off the bench. I talked to Geno about it and told him that was the best lineup to win, but for some reason he started Nika over my objections. I told him if he's not going to follow my suggestions don't ask me any more.

 

[Viet Vet]

No rose-colored glasses involved. Certainly, being down 2 guards was a factor, but Geno had other options, and he doesn’t start players and give them 35 minutes of PT if they haven’t earned it in practice. He could have gone with a big lineup by starting Aaliyah or Mir, both of whom had seen more minutes than Nika so far this season. He chose to go with Nika instead, because he believes she has the ability to contribute this year.

Aaliyah or Mir as point guard? Are you serious? Nika got the playing time because Geno assumed no risk in playing her. It was Georgetown...........................which might be worse than ECU.

 

[CocoHusky]

Aaliyah or Mir as point guard? Are you serious? Nika got the playing time because Geno assumed no risk in playing her. It was Georgetown...........................which might be worse than ECU.

@Viet Vet at least recognize what's going on here: It hard, damn near impossible to objectively evaluate these kids when some have already pronounced them "gold" before they even played a game. A drop from Gold to X-factor makes much more sense. An objective look might cause some to think some others didn't know what they were talking about then-or now.

Geno Strikes Gold with International Recruits

In 1972 USA basketball lost the Olympic gold medal game to Russia, the first loss in the history of the Olympics for the USA from the time they originally fielded a team at the 1936 Olympics in Berlin. While the ending of the game was extremely controversial, it heralded the global growth of...

the-boneyard.com

 

[bluedevil]

When we're the #1 overall seed and Jeff is complaining about being the #2 overall seed, with the reasoning expressed by the committee that Jeff is Geno's long lost red-headed step child who has like a 1-20 record against Geno, (catch a breath).... do the math when this game will be played.
Now set up your matchups.

Its January....lets revisit this hypothetical in say April.

 

[oldude]

Aaliyah or Mir as point guard? Are you serious? Nika got the playing time because Geno assumed no risk in playing her. It was Georgetown...........................which might be worse than ECU.

Don’t know if you’re being deliberately obtuse. That’s not the suggestion. E at PG. Christyn at the 2. Liv, Aaliyah & Aubrey up front.

 

[CocoHusky]

Don’t know if you’re being deliberately obtuse. That’s not the suggestion. E at PG. Christyn at the 2. Liv, Aaliyah & Aubrey up front.

So the suggestion was for Geno to make two changes to the starting lineup instead of the one he he did?

 

[oldude]

So the suggestion was for Geno to make two changes to the starting lineup instead of one?

Hardly so. Evina has played pg for 2 years at TN and at UConn filling in for Paige or in combination with Paige as a combo guard.

 

[CocoHusky]

Hardly so. Evina has played pg for 2 years at TN and at UConn filling in for Paige or in combination with Paige as a combo guard.

Precisely so... Speaking of being deliberately obtuse: Your suggestion would move 3 players to new starting positions where as Geno chose to make only 1 substitute =no position changes.
1) Evina moves from 3 to play PG. BTW I don't care what she did at TN.
2) Aubrey would have to move from starting at the 4 to starting at the 3.
3) AE would be inserted into the starting lineup to presumably play the 4.
That only leaves 2 players in their original starting positions. Did you ever think of running this by someone?

 

[oldude]

Precisely so... Speaking of being deliberately obtuse: Your suggestion would move 3 players to new starting positions where as Geno chose to make only 1 substitute =no position changes.
1) Evina moves from 3 to play PG. BTW I don't care what she did at TN.
2) Aubrey would have to move from starting at the 4 to starting at the 3.
3) AE would be inserted into the starting lineup to presumably play the 4.
That only leaves 2 players in their original starting positions. Did ever think of running this by someone?

Now you’re just being a contrarian. You know UConn plays a 4-out, motion offense where everyone is required to pass, cut and screen. There’s really no 1-5 traditional spots on the court in Geno’s offense.

 

[MD#12Fan]

Now you’re just being a contrarian. You know UConn plays a 4-out, motion offense where everyone is required to pass, cut and screen. There’s really no 1-5 traditional spots on the court in Geno’s offense.

Hey Guys, How about exchanging emails or phone numbers to finish up this discussion? (just kidding, I'm just enjoying the heck out of your back and forth. In this Covid world, there's always room for a good laugh.)

 

[CocoHusky]

Now you’re just being a contrarian. You know UConn plays a 4-out, motion offense where everyone is required to pass, cut and screen. There’s really no 1-5 traditional spots on the court in Geno’s offense.

No.... what I know is that you think that true but it is really not. UCONN has not been playing much 4 out this season. Can you guess why? You need 4 really good shooters to make that work and UCONN only has 1.5. You may also have forgotten that the first change Geno made to the starting line up which was to inset AE in and Anna out lasted 1 game. Charges to the starting line up are not trivial which is why this suggestion should be dismissed at conception.

 

[oldude]

No.... what I know is that you think that true but it is really not. UCONN has not been playing much 4 out this season. Can you guess why? You need 4 really good shooters to make that work and UCONN only has 1.5. You may also have forgotten that the first change Geno made to the starting line up which was to inset AE in and Anna out lasted 1 game. Charges to the starting line up are not trivial which is why this suggestion should be dismissed at conception.

Not sure what team you’ve been watching, but E, Paige, Christyn & Anna are all 3-pt shooters, and evidently Liv thinks she is too. Even with Anna out of the starting lineup, her replacement, Aubrey has been taking 3-pt shots from the arc.

I think it’s time we let this one go. You and I don’t agree on Nika’s potential role with this team and Geno’s purpose in starting her against Georgetown and playing her all but 5 minutes of the game. Let’s see what happens the rest of the season.

 

[CocoHusky]

Not sure what team you’ve been watching, but E, Paige, Christyn & Anna are all 3-pt shooters, and evidently Liv thinks she is too. Even with Anna out of the starting lineup, her replacement, Aubrey has been taking 3-pt shots from the arc.

I think it’s time we let this one go. You and I don’t agree on Nika’s potential role with this team and Geno’s purpose in starting her against Georgetown and playing all but 5 minutes of the game. Let’s see what happens the rest of the season.

Good Lord! Players taking 3 pointers is not a 4 out offense that point is easily misunderstood-no problem I'll explain more later. What is very scary really is that you don't seem to realize that those players taking those long shot and shooting at the low percentage they are is a very very bad thing for this team. There is only one person in the basketball universe that thinks like that and he coaches for Syracuse WBB. This is really really scary stuff -I'm suddenly very very worried about you.

 

[oldude]

Good Lord! Players taking 3 pointers is not a 4 out offense that point is easily misunderstood-no problem I'll explain more later. What is very scary really is that you don't seem to realize that those players taking those long shot and shooting at the low percentage they are is a very very bad thing for this team. There is only one person in the basketball universe that thinks like that and he coaches for Syracuse WBB. This is really really scary stuff -I'm suddenly very very worried about you.

I’m truly touched by your concern for me. No one on UConn is taking shots that Geno doesn’t think they should be taking. We would all like to see them make more. Once again I will suggest we let this one go and see what happens the rest of the season.