Just some thoughts.

[Tonyc]

Well we had 11 days off after playing only 4 games and 3 in a row in a vacation environment. We were right there with SC and then looked tired and fell apart. Some of it was SC defense some of it was being worn out. We have 9 freshman and sophs We have 3 seniors and 1 injured jr. We need to get some games under our belt as a team to jell and we need to be less dependent on Paige who continues to bail us out. This team kinda reminds me of the Diana team when TASS graduated and DT was left with a young team to lead and they won the NC. Lets face it right now we are Paige CW Evina and Ono The rest of the team in a work in process. We've got the talent and we should be playing up to our expectations at some point this season but right now with Griff and Azzi out it will take time. With Griff and Azzi out everybody else will get minutes. Those minutes will be played against some pretty good teams that arent cupcakes like ND UCLA and LVille.

Alot of disappointment over last nites game. Well we didnt shoot well from the outside and the long layoff and some tuff practices we can attribute it to that. We were rusty because we were focused on practice and making improvements. Hey we're ranked number 2 in the polls and I know some of you dont think we should be but look at every other team out there and how theyre struggling. Some fans thought we shouldve won the USF game by alot more and maybe we shouldve but we had only played 2 games at that point. Now look at USF who just beat Oregon and Stanford. USF apprears to be better then advertised. For me that makes our win over USF even better. Last nite we were rusty and we may look rusty against ND tomorrow but we will find a way to win Then we've got GTech UCLA and LVille coming up. That should get everybodys attention.

Why do we look so hesitant? We are to dependent on Paige and watching her play. Our underclassman arent taking the lead and making things happen they are waiting for Paige to make things happen. When someone gets the ball they need to look to create and for our non seniors that will take time. Right now we are Evina CW and Paige controlling the games and depending on them to score. Liv Edwards and Dorka showed improvement last nite. Scoring hitting outside shots and getting some rebounds. Everybody else is looking to them which must stop and Geno is working on that.

For the most part last nite we made some dumb mistakes which can be corrected. Traveling bad passes dumb fouls. We won by 25, held SH to 49 pts, 28% shooting and killed them on the boards. Not bad for a team that didnt look that good. Some improvements were Dorka had 10 rebounds which is a good sign. We had 4 players in double figures which is another good sign. Our sophs and freshman imo are lacking confidence and they seem a bit overwhelmed which is why they look hesitant. When they settle down they will be fine. They will settle down as we get more games under our belt and thats coming up over the next 2 weeks. The chemistry is not there yet because of it. Geno is working them hard to get there. Alot of that is because we have 9 freshman and sophs. As bad as we have looked we have a leader who can make us look better. A leader who continues to play at a level far above anybody else in WCBB and better then many of the pros. She will carry us until we get up to speed and our team chemistry comes together.

Dont look in the rear view mirror at what we didnt do. Look ahead at where we're going. We've got the talent, we lack experience. We all thought including me that we would score 90+ pts a game. Well we're not there yet, but we're on our way. Our bench has started slow and with our injuries to Griff and Azzi we will need more time. Im hoping we will find ways to win over the next couple of weeks and I think we will. We were sloppy last night and showed some rust but there were some improvements. We are better then we're playing right now and thats encouraging. So tomorrow infront of a packed house dont be surprised with way. It may not be pretty but a win is a win.

 

[hoopsfan22]

How can a team that starts 3 4th/5th year players, a sophomore that is regarded as the best WCBB player that played 38 mins/game a year ago, and a sophomore that's a member of the Canadian national team lack experience? How many teams are more seasoned than that?

 

[PAHuskeyFan]

Wouldn't it be funny if the team is just "messin" with Geno and all of us... doing enough to win, making everyone wonder what's going on, and then when it really matters they play like the Huskies we all know and love...

 

[eebmg]

My pet theory is that the bench player's want to stay on the bench so they can watch Paige uninterrupted.

 

[CocoHusky]

Wouldn't it be funny if the team is just "messin" with Geno and all of us... doing enough to win, making everyone wonder what's going on, and then when it really matters they play like the Huskies we all know and love...

This (the team messin) with us would really upset me because this is not funny anymore and never was. This team set the expectation for this season after the Arizona game when we were told to expect "redemption-Christyn Williams", "improvement-Liv ", "unfinished business"-Evina, "more weapons" -Paige " & "depth" -Christyn Williams.

 

[Tonyc]

How can a team that starts 3 4th/5th year players, a sophomore that is regarded as the best WCBB player that played 38 mins/game a year ago, and a sophomore that's a member of the Canadian national team lack experience? How many teams are more seasoned than that?

Thats an easy question to answer. We have 3 4th/5th years players who have experience. We have a soph Edwards that still hasnt played enough to perform consistently at a high level and shes a soph and was on the Canadian National Team and didnt play much. Then we have 9 freshman and sophs who dont have much experience and Dorka who doesnt have much UConn experience. So we have Evina CW and Ono who have experience and everybody else needs more time to learn how to play UConn BB. We are dependent on Evina CW and ONO and Paige. UConn BB is not like playing for other D1 schools it take time to learn, be developed and then play with confidence. Just because you play the game doesnt mean you know how to play the game. At UConn you learn how to play the game.

 

[BobbyJ]

Well we had 11 days off after playing only 4 games and 3 in a row in a vacation environment. We were right there with SC and then looked tired and fell apart. Some of it was SC defense some of it was being worn out. We have 9 freshman and sophs We have 3 seniors and 1 injured jr. We need to get some games under our belt as a team to jell and we need to be less dependent on Paige who continues to bail us out. This team kinda reminds me of the Diana team when TASS graduated and DT was left with a young team to lead and they won the NC. Lets face it right now we are Paige CW Evina and Ono The rest of the team in a work in process. We've got the talent and we should be playing up to our expectations at some point this season but right now with Griff and Azzi out it will take time. With Griff and Azzi out everybody else will get minutes. Those minutes will be played against some pretty good teams that arent cupcakes like ND UCLA and LVille.

Alot of disappointment over last nites game. Well we didnt shoot well from the outside and the long layoff and some tuff practices we can attribute it to that. We were rusty because we were focused on practice and making improvements. Hey we're ranked number 2 in the polls and I know some of you dont think we should be but look at every other team out there and how theyre struggling. Some fans thought we shouldve won the USF game by alot more and maybe we shouldve but we had only played 2 games at that point. Now look at USF who just beat Oregon and Stanford. USF apprears to be better then advertised. For me that makes our win over USF even better. Last nite we were rusty and we may look rusty against ND tomorrow but we will find a way to win Then we've got GTech UCLA and LVille coming up. That should get everybodys attention.

Why do we look so hesitant? We are to dependent on Paige and watching her play. Our underclassman arent taking the lead and making things happen they are waiting for Paige to make things happen. When someone gets the ball they need to look to create and for our non seniors that will take time. Right now we are Evina CW and Paige controlling the games and depending on them to score. Liv Edwards and Dorka showed improvement last nite. Scoring hitting outside shots and getting some rebounds. Everybody else is looking to them which must stop and Geno is working on that.

For the most part last nite we made some dumb mistakes which can be corrected. Traveling bad passes dumb fouls. We won by 25, held SH to 49 pts, 28% shooting and killed them on the boards. Not bad for a team that didnt look that good. Some improvements were Dorka had 10 rebounds which is a good sign. We had 4 players in double figures which is another good sign. Our sophs and freshman imo are lacking confidence and they seem a bit overwhelmed which is why they look hesitant. When they settle down they will be fine. They will settle down as we get more games under our belt and thats coming up over the next 2 weeks. The chemistry is not there yet because of it. Geno is working them hard to get there. Alot of that is because we have 9 freshman and sophs. As bad as we have looked we have a leader who can make us look better. A leader who continues to play at a level far above anybody else in WCBB and better then many of the pros. She will carry us until we get up to speed and our team chemistry comes together.

Dont look in the rear view mirror at what we didnt do. Look ahead at where we're going. We've got the talent, we lack experience. We all thought including me that we would score 90+ pts a game. Well we're not there yet, but we're on our way. Our bench has started slow and with our injuries to Griff and Azzi we will need more time. Im hoping we will find ways to win over the next couple of weeks and I think we will. We were sloppy last night and showed some rust but there were some improvements. We are better then we're playing right now and thats encouraging. So tomorrow infront of a packed house dont be surprised with way. It may not be pretty but a win is a win.

You've got it backwards. The UPPERCLASSMEN are the ones who should be taking the lead and making things happen. They are deferring to Bueckers more than anyone because they're the ones on the floor the majority of the time with her. Three years in the program and still waiting for someone to lead them. Why are you giving them a pass?

 

[JellyBean]

My pet theory is that the bench player's want to stay on the bench so they can watch Paige uninterrupted.

I know I would. I would be on that bench just in awe. Coach would be like "Bean! Get in the game! Can't Coach. Got a cramp!" and just enjoy this once in a generation talent from the bench.

 

[veryolddog]

So, what is really wrong with this team. Geno said that he recruited a lot of highly ranked players who cannot play like a team. Why? Is Geno's system broken and does not fit these young players. Answers that I am afraid that I cannot give and only speculate on soft ground.

In the military, especially when I went in and they had the National draft, people from all walks of life came together. In the Marine Corps, they would literally break you down and rebuild you with the mentality that they wanted for the "Marine" fighting person. There was nothing more impressive as 60 Marine Recruits marching in lock step and peforming rifle commands and unifying their march so that when the left boot heel hit the ground the sound could be heard all around.

So what is missing? All of these young women were the best of the best in each of their playing opportunities. They were recognized and rated highly but some system. I suppose that they were the go to person on each of their teams so that they could use their strengths and talents to lift their teams to victory.

Now, here they are at UConn. The Basketball Capital of the world and the King of Basketball Coaches, Geno. When I see them, they are tentative and afraid to make a mistake. Frankly, they are afraid to play the game. They may have learned a lot in practice, but it does not manifest itself in players who want to go out and really win. Nika does this but, her results are mediocre. But at least she tries.

Does Geno need to let them have more mistakes and work it out? Do the student athletes need to shed their fear and start playing even if there is a misake. In any event, these kids need to and must play like a team.

Whatever happened to the five pass process and the keep moving rule to make your self open? I don't know. What we do know is there is one superstar on this team that keeps things going and an occassional burst from one of the senior players to help grab a victory.

Eric in his assessment of the team against Seton Hall, was very candid about what he saw and because of this, I pondered many of these questions after seeing Geno's post game remarks. Right now this is not a Championship Team to win that National Championship. So what can be done with the people on board?

 

[LoboDays]

Thats an easy question to answer. We have 3 4th/5th years players who have experience. We have a soph Edwards that still hasnt played enough to perform consistently at a high level and shes a soph and was on the Canadian National Team and didnt play much. Then we have 9 freshman and sophs who dont have much experience and Dorka who doesnt have much UConn experience. So we have Evina CW and Ono who have experience and everybody else needs more time to learn how to play UConn BB. We are dependent on Evina CW and ONO and Paige. UConn BB is not like playing for other D1 schools it take time to learn, be developed and then play with confidence. Just because you play the game doesnt mean you know how to play the game. At UConn you learn how to play the game.

How can a team that starts the same 5 players that started in last season’s Final Four……3 seniors, 2 sophomores, an All Big 10 player and a 2nd year player off the bench in any way be considered a team lacking experience? 99% of the coaches wish they had that experience on their team.

Now, the reason is it takes longer to figure out Geno’s system so, until they do, they must be inexperienced? If a player who played in almost every game last year hasn’t figured out the system yet, so she Is inexperienced, then, someone better take a close look at the system or the player or both.

The team isn’t playing well. IMO, they are too good not to greatly improve moving forward. When they do, it will be because they are playing up to the level that they played last year…..when they were less experienced than they are now…. I just don’t get it.

 

[Carnac]

Well we had 11 days off after playing only 4 games and 3 in a row in a vacation environment. We were right there with SC and then looked tired and fell apart. Some of it was SC defense some of it was being worn out. We have 9 freshman and sophs We have 3 seniors and 1 injured jr. We need to get some games under our belt as a team to jell and we need to be less dependent on Paige who continues to bail us out. This team kinda reminds me of the Diana team when TASS graduated and DT was left with a young team to lead and they won the NC. Lets face it right now we are Paige CW Evina and Ono The rest of the team in a work in process. We've got the talent and we should be playing up to our expectations at some point this season but right now with Griff and Azzi out it will take time. With Griff and Azzi out everybody else will get minutes. Those minutes will be played against some pretty good teams that arent cupcakes like ND UCLA and LVille.

Alot of disappointment over last nites game. Well we didnt shoot well from the outside and the long layoff and some tuff practices we can attribute it to that. We were rusty because we were focused on practice and making improvements. Hey we're ranked number 2 in the polls and I know some of you dont think we should be but look at every other team out there and how theyre struggling. Some fans thought we shouldve won the USF game by alot more and maybe we shouldve but we had only played 2 games at that point. Now look at USF who just beat Oregon and Stanford. USF apprears to be better then advertised. For me that makes our win over USF even better. Last nite we were rusty and we may look rusty against ND tomorrow but we will find a way to win Then we've got GTech UCLA and LVille coming up. That should get everybodys attention.

Why do we look so hesitant? We are to dependent on Paige and watching her play. Our underclassman arent taking the lead and making things happen they are waiting for Paige to make things happen. When someone gets the ball they need to look to create and for our non seniors that will take time. Right now we are Evina CW and Paige controlling the games and depending on them to score. Liv Edwards and Dorka showed improvement last nite. Scoring hitting outside shots and getting some rebounds. Everybody else is looking to them which must stop and Geno is working on that.

For the most part last nite we made some dumb mistakes which can be corrected. Traveling bad passes dumb fouls. We won by 25, held SH to 49 pts, 28% shooting and killed them on the boards. Not bad for a team that didnt look that good. Some improvements were Dorka had 10 rebounds which is a good sign. We had 4 players in double figures which is another good sign. Our sophs and freshman imo are lacking confidence and they seem a bit overwhelmed which is why they look hesitant. When they settle down they will be fine. They will settle down as we get more games under our belt and thats coming up over the next 2 weeks. The chemistry is not there yet because of it. Geno is working them hard to get there. Alot of that is because we have 9 freshman and sophs. As bad as we have looked we have a leader who can make us look better. A leader who continues to play at a level far above anybody else in WCBB and better then many of the pros. She will carry us until we get up to speed and our team chemistry comes together.

Dont look in the rear view mirror at what we didnt do. Look ahead at where we're going. We've got the talent, we lack experience. We all thought including me that we would score 90+ pts a game. Well we're not there yet, but we're on our way. Our bench has started slow and with our injuries to Griff and Azzi we will need more time. Im hoping we will find ways to win over the next couple of weeks and I think we will. We were sloppy last night and showed some rust but there were some improvements. We are better then we're playing right now and thats encouraging. So tomorrow infront of a packed house dont be surprised with way. It may not be pretty but a win is a win.

Tony, It was interesting to read this post. IMO, you touched on some very real and heart of the matter points. I apologize in advance for the length of this response. I was shaking my head as I read it because the things you mentioned (IMO) are exactly what we've seen to this point in the season. I was going to post my own version of "Just some thoughts", but I think I'll just piggy-back off of yours.

If you've read my post during the first weeks of any season, you know I always like to wait until 5 games have been played before I make an assessment of our team. One game means nothing to me. Five games tells me something. Five games give me a much better sample-size to draw observations and conclusions from. Seton Hall was our 5th game. We know a lot more now about this team than we did after the Arkansas game.

Either force me to play you, or force me to bench you" ~ Geno Auriemma to his players during a recent practice session. We all wonder why we haven't seen more of the reserves, THAT is why. As we criticize Geno, we must remember that he and us are viewing this team from two completely different vantage points. He sees them everyday in practice, and has for the last two months. He knows what he wants and needs each player to do. He knows who he can trust out there and who is not ready yet.​

​

We see the players only during games. There are a lot of well meaning and knowledgeable critics here. I always find it interesting to read their thoughts and concerns. We have some current and former basketball coaches among us that know the game, and have coached at various levels for years. We also have some long time fans that have been watching and supporting Geno since he first stepped on campus. But none of us see them in practice everyday.​

​

Tony, You said:​

• We need to get some games under our belt as a team to jell and we need to be less dependent on Paige who continues to bail us out. Agree with THAT 100%. Paige cannot do it by herself. This is a TEAM, not a one-man show. Four players can carry this or any other team. You identified those players: "Lets face it right now we are Paige CW Evina and ONO. The rest of the team in a work in process." IF those four players would play up to their potential CONSISTENTLY, UConn will be successful this year. The reserves could fill in when/where their particular skills are needed and we would be ok.
• Some fans thought we should've won the USF game by a lot more and maybe we should've but we had only played 2 games at that point. Now look at USF who just beat Oregon and Stanford. USF appears to be better then advertised. For me that makes our win over USF even better. Stanford and Oregon are two top 10 teams. They've done something we haven't. Maybe things are not as bad as they seem. Notre Dame is currently ranked #24. That game will tell us more about our team than Seton Hall did. Massey has UConn winning 72-64, but what do they know. They also has us beating Arizona last year. ND is the kind of team we'll have to beat to qualify to play that 3rd weekend come April. ND comes in at 7-1 with a 4 point loss to Georgia. There are several "cupcake wins" among them, so I take that 7-1 record with an air of skepticism.
• Our underclassman aren't taking the lead and making things happen they are waiting for Paige to make things happen. We all know that has to stop. Sue Bird said something to her teammates once going back onto the floor after a timeout: "When the ball comes your way, make a play." Right now only Paige, Christyn and Evina appear to have that mindset. Everyone else looks to defer. That has to change. When it does, things will begin to happen for us.
• We had 4 players in double figures which is another good sign. Our sophs and freshman imo are lacking confidence and they seem a bit overwhelmed which is why they look hesitant. When they settle down they will be fine. Agreed. That will happen hopefully sometime in the next 3-4 weeks, but it will happen.

Geno touched on some valid and salient points in his post-game presser last night. He talked about having his 3 points shooters transition into 3 point makers. Making his young players mentally tougher and more resilient. That's one of the things Freshmen have to adjust to coming from HS. They've never faced the level of pressure in HS they will at this level, nor did they see the number/level of elite players they will at this level. The Aliyah Bostons, The NyLissa Smiths, the Lauren Park-Lanes, the Sonia Morrises, the Maddie Siegrists, etc. All of these players have the skill and ability to score 20 points on you in 20 minutes or less. He mentioned that Dorka is turning the corner. She's learning that the expectations at UConn are much different than at Ohio St. Much different. Mir needs to become more "versatile." This would suggest why we haven't seen her as much as we would like. Aubrey being on the shelf weakens the team, but he said does expect her to be available for the Notre Dame game.

I guess one can look at these first 5 games as the glass being half full, or half empty. A lot of things (and players) were exposed. Hopefully UConn will make ND rise to their level of play, and not stoop down to theirs. I think UConn could and should have won the SC game. They faltered midway in the 3rd quarter against the number 1 team in the country that played like they were the best tean in the country. That just means we're not there......yet. Other top 12 teams have lost to teams either ranked BELOW them, or not ranked at all. UConn is not the only team top 10 ten team to be going through some tough times. As far as the returning players not playing up to their potential and expectations this year, I have no answer for it.

Preseason number 1 (and defending national champion) Stanford has already lost 2 games to teams ranked well below them. The next 4 games in the on deck circle for us are Notre Dame, Georgia Tech, UCLA and Louisville. All quality opponents. Then conference play resumes with Marquette on the 29th of Dec. There will be no secrets. Whatever weaknesses we have will be fully exposed, and the cat will be completely out of the bag. Let's hope for the best.

 

[boontonbomber]

So, what is really wrong with this team. Geno said that he recruited a lot of highly ranked players who cannot play like a team. Why? Is Geno's system broken and does not fit these young players. Answers that I am afraid that I cannot give and only speculate on soft ground.

In the military, especially when I went in and they had the National draft, people from all walks of life came together. In the Marine Corps, they would literally break you down and rebuild you with the mentality that they wanted for the "Marine" fighting person. There was nothing more impressive as 60 Marine Recruits marching in lock step and peforming rifle commands and unifying their march so that when the left boot heel hit the ground the sound could be heard all around.

So what is missing? All of these young women were the best of the best in each of their playing opportunities. They were recognized and rated highly but some system. I suppose that they were the go to person on each of their teams so that they could use their strengths and talents to lift their teams to victory.

Now, here they are at UConn. The Basketball Capital of the world and the King of Basketball Coaches, Geno. When I see them, they are tentative and afraid to make a mistake. Frankly, they are afraid to play the game. They may have learned a lot in practice, but it does not manifest itself in players who want to go out and really win. Nika does this but, her results are mediocre. But at least she tries.

Does Geno need to let them have more mistakes and work it out? Do the student athletes need to shed their fear and start playing even if there is a misake. In any event, these kids need to and must play like a team.

Whatever happened to the five pass process and the keep moving rule to make your self open? I don't know. What we do know is there is one superstar on this team that keeps things going and an occassional burst from one of the senior players to help grab a victory.

Eric in his assessment of the team against Seton Hall, was very candid about what he saw and because of this, I pondered many of these questions after seeing Geno's post game remarks. Right now this is not a Championship Team to win that National Championship. So what can be done with the people on board?

Tentative, afraid to make a mistake, afraid to play the game , is exactly what I see, also. And it is really painful to watch. I don't think this is unique to this particular UConn team, but so far the most dramatic I've seen. I've thought for a long time that they need to be given more freedom to play thru mistakes , but what do I know. Don't answer that. They really don't look like they're enjoying the game at all. Maybe just seeing ND at the other end of the court tomorrow will bring out some emotion, and let them play the game. I hope for that , not for the coaches , not for the fans, but so that they can begin to enjoy the game again. Oh, to see a few smiles!

 

[Rixxx]

You know, I really don't dig the weave out front, especially when teams force you further out. Wastes time and energy. Start the offense with the pass into the key and run your stuff. My two cents. What do I know?

 

[PacoSwede]

You've got it backwards. The UPPERCLASSMEN are the ones who should be taking the lead and making things happen. They are deferring to Bueckers more than anyone because they're the ones on the floor the majority of the time with her. Three years in the program and still waiting for someone to lead them. Why are you giving them a pass?

absolutely.

you've got a # 1 comin out of high school, a #2 (some said a #1A) out of high school, and a #5 outa high school and NONE of them, while wonderful and worthy huskies, has reached expectations.

meanwhile, you've got the incredible paige -- who nobody, let's face it, is gonna compare favorably to. ... and here on the BY ya got all this bitchin' about how nika -- who was a big part of last year's team after coming from europe with minimal expectation (another molly bent, some projected, which really wasn't an indictment but didn't prove true). post after post about her being a pathetic player (after what? five games?). it seems like she's getting more commentary than paige!! ... and dorka, a conference 1st teamer who has barely learned the differences between gampel and the civic center, is being written off ... caroline and azzi, mere babies, are looked to as the great hopes ... and gosh, audrey will turn things around when she's back.

all the while, the prime problem has been the inability of christyn, evina and liv to lead the team to where it's expected to be .... stop dumping on the others and hope these three can find a way to fulfill their promises

 

[PAHuskeyFan]

This (the team messin) with us would really upset me because this is not funny anymore and never was. This team set the expectation for this season after the Arizona game when we were told to expect "redemption-Christyn Williams", "improvement-Liv ", "unfinished business"-Evina, "more weapons" -Paige " & "depth" -Christyn Williams.

So, I guess the string of emojis at the end didnt get your attention?? I struggle and cringe through every missed shot, missed rebound, unforced turnover, silly foul... just like every Huskie fan. Trying to lighten the mood on the BY a bit. The TEAM we know and love is in there!!!

 

[CocoHusky]

So, I guess the string of emojis at the end didnt get your attention?? I struggle and cringe through every missed shot, missed rebound, unforced turnover, silly foul... just like every Huskie fan. Trying to lighten the mood on the BY a bit. The TEAM we know and love is in there!!!

It definitely did but you have to realize that not every BY gets you like I do. My response was more for them.

 

[LoboDays]

You know, I really don't dig the weave out front, especially when teams force you further out. Wastes time and energy. Start the offense with the pass into the key and run your stuff. My two cents. What do I know?

I agree. Every time I see ONO way out there when she is 3 inches taller than her defender, I wonder why she isn’t 3 feet from the hoop. Send it in then back out to and open player.

 

[Carnac]

Tentative, afraid to make a mistake, afraid to play the game , is exactly what I see, also. And it is really painful to watch. I don't think this is unique to this particular UConn team, but so far the most dramatic I've seen. I've thought for a long time that they need to be given more freedom to play thru mistakes , but what do I know. Don't answer that. They really don't look like they're enjoying the game at all. Maybe just seeing ND at the other end of the court tomorrow will bring out some emotion, and let them play the game. I hope for that , not for the coaches , not for the fans, but so that they can begin to enjoy the game again. Oh, to see a few smiles!

A win over ND would produce a lot of smiles from the players, coaches and fans. I know it would for me. Right now, I have a perspective about this team. A win or loss tomorrow will move the needle one way or the other. A win over ND at anytime during the season is an emotional booster. Go Dawgs.

 

[D J B]

Tony, It was interesting to read this post. IMO, you touched on some very real and heart of the matter points. I apologize in advance for the length of this response. I was shaking my head as I read it because the things you mentioned (IMO) are exactly what we've seen to this point in the season. I was going to post my own version of "Just some thoughts", but I think I'll just piggy-back off of yours.

If you've read my post during the first weeks of any season, you know I always like to wait until 5 games have been played before I make an assessment of our team. One game means nothing to me. Five games tells me something. Five games give me a much better sample-size to draw observations and conclusions from. Seton Hall was our 5th game. We know a lot more now about this team than we did after the Arkansas game.

Either force me to play you, or force me to bench you" ~ Geno Auriemma to his players during a recent practice session. We all wonder why we haven't seen more of the reserves, THAT is why. As we criticize Geno, we must remember that he and us are viewing this team from two completely different vantage points. He sees them everyday in practice, and has for the last two months. He knows what he wants and needs each player to do. He knows who he can trust out there and who is not ready yet.​

​

We see the players only during games. There are a lot of well meaning and knowledgeable critics here. I always find it interesting to read their thoughts and concerns. We have some current and former basketball coaches among us that know the game, and have coached at various levels for years. We also have some long time fans that have been watching and supporting Geno since he first stepped on campus. But none of us see them in practice everyday.​

​

Tony, You said:​

• We need to get some games under our belt as a team to jell and we need to be less dependent on Paige who continues to bail us out. Agree with THAT 100%. Paige cannot do it by herself. This is a TEAM, not a one-man show. Four players can carry this or any other team. You identified those players: "Lets face it right now we are Paige CW Evina and ONO. The rest of the team in a work in process." IF those four players would play up to their potential CONSISTENTLY, UConn will be successful this year. The reserves could fill in when/where their particular skills are needed and we would be ok.
• Some fans thought we should've won the USF game by a lot more and maybe we should've but we had only played 2 games at that point. Now look at USF who just beat Oregon and Stanford. USF appears to be better then advertised. For me that makes our win over USF even better. Stanford and Oregon are two top 10 teams. They've done something we haven't. Maybe things are not as bad as they seem. Notre Dame is currently ranked #24. That game will tell us more about our team than Seton Hall did. Massey has UConn winning 72-64, but what do they know. They also has us beating Arizona last year. ND is the kind of team we'll have to beat to qualify to play that 3rd weekend come April. ND comes in at 7-1 with a 4 point loss to Georgia. There are several "cupcake wins" among them, so I take that 7-1 record with an air of skepticism.
• Our underclassman aren't taking the lead and making things happen they are waiting for Paige to make things happen. We all know that has to stop. Sue Bird said something to her teammates once going back onto the floor after a timeout: "When the ball comes your way, make a play." Right now only Paige, Christyn and Evina appear to have that mindset. Everyone else looks to defer. That has to change. When it does, things will begin to happen for us.
• We had 4 players in double figures which is another good sign. Our sophs and freshman imo are lacking confidence and they seem a bit overwhelmed which is why they look hesitant. When they settle down they will be fine. Agreed. That will happen hopefully sometime in the next 3-4 weeks, but it will happen.

Geno touched on some valid and salient points in his post-game presser last night. He talked about having his 3 points shooters transition into 3 point makers. Making his young players mentally tougher and more resilient. That's one of the things Freshmen have to adjust to coming from HS. They've never faced the level of pressure in HS they will at this level, nor did they see the number/level of elite players they will at this level. The Aliyah Bostons, The NyLissa Smiths, the Lauren Park-Lanes, the Sonia Morrises, the Maddie Siegrists, etc. All of these players have the skill and ability to score 20 points on you in 20 minutes or less. He mentioned that Dorka is turning the corner. She's learning that the expectations at UConn are much different than at Ohio St. Much different. Mir needs to become more "versatile." This would suggest why we haven't seen her as much as we would like. Aubrey being on the shelf weakens the team, but he said does expect her to be available for the Notre Dame game.

I guess one can look at these first 5 games as the glass being half full, or half empty. A lot of things (and players) were exposed. Hopefully UConn will make ND rise to their level of play, and not stoop down to theirs. I think UConn could and should have won the SC game. They faltered midway in the 3rd quarter against the number 1 team in the country that played like they were the best tean in the country. That just means we're not there......yet. Other top 12 teams have lost to teams either ranked BELOW them, or not ranked at all. UConn is not the only team top 10 ten team to be going through some tough times. As far as the returning players not playing up to their potential and expectations this year, I have no answer for it.

Preseason number 1 (and defending national champion) Stanford has already lost 2 games to teams ranked well below them. The next 4 games in the on deck circle for us are Notre Dame, Georgia Tech, UCLA and Louisville. All quality opponents. Then conference play resumes with Marquette on the 29th of Dec. There will be no secrets. Whatever weaknesses we have will be fully exposed, and the cat will be completely out of the bag. Let's hope for the best.

Great read. Thanks for putting the effort into it.

 

[Littlemin]

People can speculate on this and that and the other thing but it Is the rare person that can perform at their maximum looking over their shoulder. I think Auriemma has recruited great talent, great people, but not especially all mentally tough players. And what I see as a double standard, tolerating recurring mistakes from starters but nit picking reserves is not a healthy mix. So you see the energy level of, IMO, all but one of the 30+ minute brigade less than at a maximum sense of urgency and the bench largely playing tentative.

 

[ME Husky Fan]

How can a team that starts 3 4th/5th year players, a sophomore that is regarded as the best WCBB player that played 38 mins/game a year ago, and a sophomore that's a member of the Canadian national team lack experience? How many teams are more seasoned than that?

Tough to process that when you depict it that way. To another post I think there tends to be a certain amount of standing around and watching who’s hot, typically Paige.

 

[phil sampieri]

I agree. Every time I see ONO way out there when she is 3 inches taller than her defender, I wonder why she isn’t 3 feet from the hoop. Send it in then back out to and open player.

There are several plays that call for the center and big forward to take their defender outside which clears the lane for penetration By the guards.

 

[Viet Vet]

There are several plays that call for the center and big forward to take their defender outside which clears the lane for penetration By the guards.

I agree. Every time I see ONO way out there when she is 3 inches taller than her defender, I wonder why she isn’t 3 feet from the hoop. Send it in then back out to and open player.

Why isn't she three feet from the hoop? Simple.............................she is SOFT. Has been, still is, will be. Classic case of a high school girl who towered over the opposition. Now in college among the "bigs"................lost.

 

[Surly1]

Well we had 11 days off after playing only 4 games and 3 in a row in a vacation environment. We were right there with SC and then looked tired and fell apart. Some of it was SC defense some of it was being worn out. We have 9 freshman and sophs We have 3 seniors and 1 injured jr. We need to get some games under our belt as a team to jell and we need to be less dependent on Paige who continues to bail us out. This team kinda reminds me of the Diana team when TASS graduated and DT was left with a young team to lead and they won the NC. Lets face it right now we are Paige CW Evina and Ono The rest of the team in a work in process. We've got the talent and we should be playing up to our expectations at some point this season but right now with Griff and Azzi out it will take time. With Griff and Azzi out everybody else will get minutes. Those minutes will be played against some pretty good teams that arent cupcakes like ND UCLA and LVille.

Alot of disappointment over last nites game. Well we didnt shoot well from the outside and the long layoff and some tuff practices we can attribute it to that. We were rusty because we were focused on practice and making improvements. Hey we're ranked number 2 in the polls and I know some of you dont think we should be but look at every other team out there and how theyre struggling. Some fans thought we shouldve won the USF game by alot more and maybe we shouldve but we had only played 2 games at that point. Now look at USF who just beat Oregon and Stanford. USF apprears to be better then advertised. For me that makes our win over USF even better. Last nite we were rusty and we may look rusty against ND tomorrow but we will find a way to win Then we've got GTech UCLA and LVille coming up. That should get everybodys attention.

Why do we look so hesitant? We are to dependent on Paige and watching her play. Our underclassman arent taking the lead and making things happen they are waiting for Paige to make things happen. When someone gets the ball they need to look to create and for our non seniors that will take time. Right now we are Evina CW and Paige controlling the games and depending on them to score. Liv Edwards and Dorka showed improvement last nite. Scoring hitting outside shots and getting some rebounds. Everybody else is looking to them which must stop and Geno is working on that.

For the most part last nite we made some dumb mistakes which can be corrected. Traveling bad passes dumb fouls. We won by 25, held SH to 49 pts, 28% shooting and killed them on the boards. Not bad for a team that didnt look that good. Some improvements were Dorka had 10 rebounds which is a good sign. We had 4 players in double figures which is another good sign. Our sophs and freshman imo are lacking confidence and they seem a bit overwhelmed which is why they look hesitant. When they settle down they will be fine. They will settle down as we get more games under our belt and thats coming up over the next 2 weeks. The chemistry is not there yet because of it. Geno is working them hard to get there. Alot of that is because we have 9 freshman and sophs. As bad as we have looked we have a leader who can make us look better. A leader who continues to play at a level far above anybody else in WCBB and better then many of the pros. She will carry us until we get up to speed and our team chemistry comes together.

Dont look in the rear view mirror at what we didnt do. Look ahead at where we're going. We've got the talent, we lack experience. We all thought including me that we would score 90+ pts a game. Well we're not there yet, but we're on our way. Our bench has started slow and with our injuries to Griff and Azzi we will need more time. Im hoping we will find ways to win over the next couple of weeks and I think we will. We were sloppy last night and showed some rust but there were some improvements. We are better then we're playing right now and thats encouraging. So tomorrow infront of a packed house dont be surprised with way. It may not be pretty but a win is a win.

Since you offered some observations, I’d like to throw out something for consideration. On some other posts, it has been suggested that some other ranked teams have looked ragged, a little out of kilter.
One thing that popped into my head is the comparison of last year to now. The season occurred in the height of the pandemic, and teams were essentially quarantine. All of the “together” time, with a primary focus on BB may have accelerated team cohesion for a lot of teams, including UConn.
Fast forward to this year, the normal distractions for college kids are back and for some, the full college experience might have slowed the pace of team cohesion for a lot of teams, not named SC, including UConn. Just a few thoughts.
Hopefully, we’ll see some progression against ND tomorrow

 

[Oracle9]

My pet theory is that the bench player's want to stay on the bench so they can watch Paige uninterrupted.

Oh lawdy...too funny