KML- once again team's leading scorer

[alexrgct]

Over the course of 2011-12, three different players have been the team's leading scorer for the season. First it was KML, then Bria, then Tiff...and now it's KML again.

Unfortunately, KML's mid-season dip hurt her national profile a bit. I think there were three reasons for that dip:

• Obviously, people knew that she was a #1 recruit, but opposing teams didn't know how UConn would use her in its offense. After a while, teams had enough film on her to adjust and make her a focus of defensive game-planning when she was in.
• This could be just my perception, but, here goes nothing. It seemed like early in the season, Bria and KML were comfortable in their roles as the top two offensive threats, and then Tiffany really started blowing up in January. My perception is that both Bria and KML started to slump a bit after that, as if that kind of messed up the rhythm they'd gotten into.
• The freshman wall. It's both real and a self-fulfilling prophecy. A kid has a bad game or two, figures she must be hitting the freshman wall because it's a known phenomenon, and then slides even more.

Fortunately, she seems to have moved past all three of those issues. Whether her stellar play will carry into regionals (and hopefully beyond) remains to be seen, but even if the season ended Sunday, we can say the following:

• Eight-time Big East FOW, most by anyone not named Maya
• BEast FOY
• BET MOP in a year where the BET featured two top four teams
• Thirteen points away from having the second-most points ever by a UConn freshman
• Currently 12th all-time in terms of rebounds by a UConn freshman. If she gets four more, she'll be 10th.
• She's also within spitting distance of top 10 in steals and blocks by a UConn freshman.
• Beyond the raw numbers is WHEN she's had some of her best games. They've come when her team needed her. She was huge in the Stanford win and BET final, for instance.

And we've really only seen the tip of the iceberg as far as what she's capable of. She'll become that much more comfortable and consistent, a surer ball handler and dribbler, an even more agressive post player, she'll add a couple more moves that allow her to get her own shot pretty much whenever she wants it, etc.

Excitement about Breanna Stewart is reaching a fever pitch with every award she gets, and MoJeff and Morgan are also eagerly anticipated. Everyone wants to see what Bria can do as an upperclassman, and Stef maybe got a bit of her groove back at season's end. These are all players to be excited about, to be sure. Just remember: KML could easily be the franchise when all is said and done. The folks at Gampel might as well start working now on the best way to fit all those letters in her last name attractively/legibly on a Huskies of Honor plaque because injury is the only thing that could stop her from getting there. It certainly won't be any opponent.

 

[vtcwbuff]

"I think there were three reasons for that dip: . . . ."

Nah. It was the shoes.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Nice work, as usual.

I think the "slump" was exacerbated my some "pouting." She's older and wiser now, thanks to Geno.

I also think that Kaleena deferred to the upperclassmen a litle, especially during her "slump." As a result, her scoring was down during that period.

"A couple more moves"? I think it will be a lot more than that.

Damn right--the opppostion will not slow her down. With the rest of our weapons, she should draw only single coverage. Yikes!

 

[01Neaggrad02]

The last freshman to lead that years UCONN squad in scoring was..... Maya Moore. We have us a good one here

 

[MilfordHusky]

The last freshman to lead that years UCONN squad in scoring was..... Maya Moore. We have us a good one here

Maybe the only freshman to lead us in scoring ... until now.

 

[hoopfan515]

Is it fair or too early to say that KML has exceeded many expectations.
With Maya Moore we knew what we were getting. Granted, KML was the # 1 ranked player in her class (so was Ann), but there wasn't as much hype. We knew she was a deadly 3 point shooter, but other questions remained.
But boy are we lucky to have her.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Is it fair or too early to say that KML has exceeded many expectations.
With Maya Moore we knew what we were getting. Granted, KML was the # 1 ranked player in her class (so was Ann), but there wasn't as much hype. We knew she was a deadly 3 point shooter, but other questions remained.
But boy are we lucky to have her.

I'd say that Kaleena has about met my expectations. DaddyChoc and I agreed that she would be a great player very early. Her skills are more diverse than her reputation indicated, but I had watched her in person and saw them on display. She had to outscore the opposition over the last 3 quarters last spring to win the state title. Let's see what she can do this spring. Maya's middle name literally was April. Kaleena may be Ms. April in a figurative sense. And she has 3+ seasons left as a Husky!

 

[DaddyChoc]

I'd say that Kaleena has about met my expectations. DaddyChoc and I agreed that she would be a great player very early. Her skills are more diverse than her reputation indicated, but I had watched her in person and saw them on display. She had to outscore the opposition over the last 3 quarters last spring to win the state title. Let's see what she can do this spring. Maya's middle name literally was April. Kaleena may be Ms. April in a figurative sense. And she has 3+ seasons left as a Husky!

watching her in high school (on TV) and after watching tons of HS games I wasnt worried about what KML could do especially with her coming to UConn, the perfect fit.