KML aside, the other disturbing thing from the game, IMHO

[UcMiami]

So ... I think this is what Uconn basketball looks like when we play against really good teams with really good coaches. And why I am a little less over the moon sure that Uconn will beat down all comers. A few fouls, a bad shooting night, and you are depending on a freshman to show that the basket actually does have a hole at the top, and a junior to play the best game of her career. Kiah and Chong came through and Bria was brilliant and you get a 19 point win that did not feel that easy.
What struck me was our passing was often just a little off as a result of pressure or ? and so the flow of catch-and-shoot wasn't there - the shooter was reaching outside their frame to corral that pass and either didn't rise and fire or tried to but was out of rhythm.
Stef is going to shoot open shouts from the key or now from the three point line and most nights she will make a very good percentage. Tonight she didn't and maybe a few of them she shouldn't have taken, but that is an integral part of her game and the Uconn offense.

 

[Big Fan]

I'm certainly no expert but it's pretty clear that when Stef plays or shoots from the top of the key our offense rebounding is non extistant. I'm sure Geno must see this too so I'm not too worried that this will get fixed one way or the other. It was just the second game afterall.

 

[RadyLady]

Tough to put thoughts of KML aside. Other posts have commented on Kiah, which I thought was great. Can't wait to see if Kiah goes up against A. Thomas.

The one thing that bothered me a bit. Is it seemed Stef got a little too comfortable up at the top of the key. It is one thing to hit two treys against Hartford, but I can't imagine it is a good sign for someone with her height to play that far away from the basket even with the other height the Huskies have in the front court.

I am so glad to be discussing this for the umteenth time. I believe that anyone who doesn't like this particular scenario should just skip the BY and go straight to Geno - I believe he answers email and tweets.

 

[DaddyChoc]

too many 3 pt shots by Dolson... hanging out at 15ft is totally different from shooting at 20ft. Im not buying it

Geno 8 titles blah blah blah doesnt make it right... everyone is aware that Dolson can knock it down from the free throw line but getting comfy from the 3 isnt needed

 

[vtcwbuff]

I love threads like this where a poster will express an opinion and another poster will counter with a different take. All of that is great back and forth. A good way to learn.

What cracks me up are the posters in threads like this that complain because somebody expressed an opinion. Isn't that one of the reasons why fan boards exist?

 

[Icebear]

too many 3 pt shots by Dolson... hanging out at 15ft is totally different from shooting at 20ft. Im not buying it

Geno 8 titles blah blah blah doesnt make it right... everyone is aware that Dolson can knock it down from the free throw line but getting comfy from the 3 isnt needed

But it does mean it isn't likely to change and the whining is useless.

 

[Stinger92860]

I'm certainly no expert but it's pretty clear that when Stef plays or shoots from the top of the key our offense rebounding is non extistant. I'm sure Geno must see this too so I'm not too worried that this will get fixed one way or the other. It was just the second game afterall.

Rebounding, including on the offensive glass was even. We did this despite stef not having a great game and Stewie spending a lot of time on the bench. Next complaint?

 

[Stinger92860]

too many 3 pt shots by Dolson... hanging out at 15ft is totally different from shooting at 20ft. Im not buying it

Geno 8 titles blah blah blah doesnt make it right... everyone is aware that Dolson can knock it down from the free throw line but getting comfy from the 3 isnt needed

The one time I thought the high/low did not work was with Charde. Otherwise, no complaints.

 

[EricSD]

But it does mean it isn't likely to change and the whining is useless.

I don't think it's whining. I happen to agree SOMEWHAT with DC, Bschwartz, and a few others who lamented the amount of time Stef spent outside the 3 point arc. BUT I'm not the coach, and Geno is clearly ok with it, even if some of is feel she's better from the FT line and in.

However, the flip side is that Stef is a terrific passer and facilitator, and I actually liked having her and Stokes in the game together as it allowed Kiah to work IN the post and Stef to work around the post and at the perimeter. And to be fair, there were certainly times where Stef WAS in the post as she scored several layups and missed a few others. I think some of us watched the first 8 minutes and lamented the lack of scoring, but mainly it was missing open shots. The lack of scoring was NOT because Stef was not camped out in the post.

So I guess my point is I realize Geno is way smarter than I am, and while we all watched the game from the same perspective, we all probably saw things a little differently, and I don't necessarily think disagreeing is the same as whining....

Stef took four 3-point shots last night and missed them all. But the shots were close, she was open, and apparently she hits them in practice. Also, she's a very smart player and as CD pointed out in her comments, Stef had a great game that did NOT show up in the box score. She did a lot of little things needed to help secure the win. That's what I meant by a "smart" player.

 

[DaddyChoc]

But it does mean it isn't likely to change and the whining is useless.

whining it repeatedly saying it... I said it once, thats enough.
and if it does change do you promise to come back and apologize?

 

[JoePgh]

While my general view is that Stef belongs at the high post and should be taking a certain number of jump shots (and making about 35% of them), I must say that I noticed in the first 7 minutes of last night's game that no white shirts were under the offensive boards on all those bricks that MoJeff, Stef, and Stewie were throwing up. That did change later in the game, so maybe the coaches corrected it during a timeout. But it seems to me that if you are going to crank it up from the outside, you need to have a least one strong rebounder under the basket to get a rebound 15-20% of the time.

 

[meyers7]

whining it repeatedly saying it... I said it once, thats enough.
and if it does change do you promise to come back and apologize?

Apologize for what?

 

[CL82]

Yes, he has been for a long time which is why I am always amazed when folks want to force Stef into the low post which would completely waste her gifts. Stef is Kaili's skill raised and expanded two orders of magnitude.

Hmmn, 'completely waste' might be too much phrase. She could be a very effect low post player, using her quick feet to flash through the paint and could utilize her passing skills to pass out to the guards or to start the fast break. Still I suspect the guy with 8 championships who sees her in practice daily may have a better sense of how best to use her than I do. Just a hunch.

Bottom line, she's a gift kid who can do a lot of things.

 

[chrissaran]

Briana will get back to where she was last year, but it will take time. You could see how rusty she was. As hard as she works, we should all be confident.

 

[UConn990411]

While my general view is that Stef belongs at the high post and should be taking a certain number of jump shots (and making about 35% of them),

I agree with this. I like Dolson operating in the high post because 1) she can hit jumpers, which draws the opponent's center away from the basket, and 2) she's the best big they have at dishing to cutters.

What I don't like is when Stef turns herself into a jump shooter. I'm not saying her perimeter shot attempts and paint shot attempts have to be even, but 3/4 of her shots should never be jumpers like last night (or at least that's what the ratio felt like).

I can count on one hand the number of players in the country who can guard Dolson down low, so she really should be taking a lot more shots inside the paint.

 

[UcMiami]

What cracks me up are the posters in threads like this that complain because somebody expressed an opinion. Isn't that one of the reasons why fan boards exist?

NO - this board exists solely to force everyone to reach the conclusion that I am brilliant and no one else has an opinion worth expressing - unfortunately it has been doing a really poor job of that task and may have to be shut down all together while improvements are made!