Is Nika the X-Factor?

[jabstep]

Fudd is the PG of the future. You are right. Future being at least 3 years from this season. As long as Paige is healthy she will be the PG.

I think they will be interchangeable

 

[jabstep]

Absolutely not. She regressed tremendously as a sophmore and has only rebounded slightly this season. Yes, very rare for a Geno player and tremendously disappointing.

Her defense and rebounding are much better. In the Tennesse game, I think she knew Paige was struggling and she needed to put points on the board and she did. Last year in the Baylor game same thing points on the board. I think she is a big-game player. We didn't get to see who would step up at the end of the year due to COVID but this year we will need players to step up let's see who does.

 

[Charliebball]

Reminds me of Geno's comment last year re Anna: "O for America"

let's hope NM has the same kind of second half turnaround.......

 

[CocoHusky]

Her defense and rebounding are much better. In the Tennesse game, I think she knew Paige was struggling and she needed to put points on the board and she did. Last year in the Baylor game same thing points on the board. I think she is a big-game player. We didn't get to see who would step up at the end of the year due to COVID but this year we will need players to step up let's see who does.

That is what I meant by rebounding slightly. On a positive side, she has stepped up to leadership role and has grown into an understanding that she can impact the game in other ways besides scoring. Her rebounding numbers are up slightly and her A:TO is pretty good. On the down side Geno wouldn’t have to be riding Paige so hard to shoot the basketball if Christyn was scoring and shooting more consistently.

 

[Huskee11]

I don`t get the Molly Bent comparison. Bless her heart, we all rooted like crazy for her, but Molly was afraid of her own shadow out there. The definition of tentative. She has a great 4.0 brain, but it got in her way on the court.

Nika has tried to take it to the hoop for shots/passes, and has pushed the ball upcourt, more already than Molly ever dared to do. She is forcing, admittedly too much, where Molly shied away. But she will learn. As far as getting beat on defense, there are plenty others on the team who qualify as well. And I thought her defense the other day was pretty good. Certainly she was putting in the effort.

I like Nika`s intensity and determination. And she would have had a bunch of assists the other day if somebody could actually make a shot.

 

[Cornell Lt]

My stance on Nika is based on several factors:

1) She's a freshman
2) In a different country
3) UConn's system is difficult to grasp and harder to execute
3) She plays hard but way too fast

In time she'll be fine, but this year will be all about learning the American way of basketball

 

[oldhusky]

So a fellow BY’er just pointed out that Nika is not the only freshman guard who’s had a tough game. In the near upset by unranked Wake Forest, Louisville’s Hailey Van Lith scored 5 pts on 2-7 shooting with 5 turnovers, and she’s been starting all season long. Hopefully, Louisville will recruit a better guard next season so they don’t have to play Van Lith.....

For what it’s worth, Louisville was recruiting Nika hard before Geno showed up in Croatia.

I think Oregon was recruiting her too, and of course South Florida. I think we could assume that if the Wake Forest game was Hailey's first game, she would be described as a bust by a significant portion of the Boneyard.

 

[MD#12Fan]

I think Oregon was recruiting her too, and of course South Florida. I think we could assume that if the Wake Forest game was Hailey's first game, she would be described as a bust by a significant portion of the Boneyard.

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

 

[donalddoowop]

UConn was Nika's dream school. I wonder what she is thinking now. Anyone who thinks she does not have the talent to help UConn is, in my opinion, wrong.

 

[Vancat]

In many ways she reminds me of Rizzotti, but not in the important ways. I like her, I hope she improves and contributes as time goes on.

 

[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.