Kutztown Postgame Thread

[Cornell Lt]

Not a bad effort for an exhibition game. The offense looked good movement wise and the defense looked solid inside and out. The team is going to be fun to watch. There is a very high ceiling for this group of players. I would expect some losses along the way but by the end of the season they will be FF contenders

 

[BBallF]

The biggest takeaway for me was how Nika has transformed herself physically and how she has taken control of this team and also has taken ownership and responsibility. You need a true point guard to make getting to the Promised Land of the Final Four that much easier. We always loved her energy and passion as a player but now there are more skills, smarts and discipline. It was great to see.

 

[BBallF]

View attachment 80406
Nika Muhl, rebounding machine.

Some pretty decent elevation there!

 

[BBallF]

So here's a question for the BY. As good as Lou looked today, once Caroline is back healthy, who starts?

Caroline. She is more of a small forward, is an inside outside type scorer who can post up and score underneath with both hands, can switch outside to shoot the 3, has a great pull up, and is a match up nightmare because of her size and her throwback ability to move without the ball and is absolutely fearless. A big will be too slow to cover her and you saw what she did against a smaller guard in the DePaul game last year. Lou is a great shooter and scorer and she can pull up and drive but she will not be an under the basket type of scorer this year like Caroline is.

 

[Bone Dog]

Lou and Caroline are more similar than I’d realized. Both have a lot of ways to score at all levels, and are long and quicker than a defender expects. Caroline has proven herself on D, but I wouldn’t be surprised if Lou turns out to be good there too… once she focuses on it. And they both have that little bit of magic, court savvy.

 

[oldude]

Some pretty decent elevation there!

Are we certain that Nika hasn't just knocked someone on their backside and is elevated simply by standing on top of them?

 

[CL82]

Some pretty decent elevation there!

Yep, but I suspect her rebounding is driven more by her basketball IQ and innate aggression.

 

[ballerfan]

A fun game to watch, but given the level of competition, I don’t think it gives much information about how good UConn will be this year.

Lou has the fluidity of Paige, and in this game she showed comfort scoring from the 3, from the mid range, and while driving to the basket. She can find her own shot. But it was against a very weak defense. (She was great playing Texas last year, so I have a lot of hope for her.)

Azzi seems more mature and personally confident, and I hope she’ll be less streaky this season. Like last year, she can score at will when left alone at the line. A beautiful thing to watch. She didn’t show off her mid range or her ability to drive to the basket. We’ll see how Azzi plays against a better defensive team. But with Paige out, Azzi is by far the best player on the team, and we need for her to be a consistent superstar.

 

[huskeynut]

Firefly????

Nika is now The Blaze!

 

[Bone Dog]

If Azzi carries us to the FF, I mean if she's the dynamo behind it all as many of us expect she will be -- if that happens, I think she's got to be a top NPOY candidate. She'd have taken a team everyone had discounted and brought them farther than any of the experts thought possible. Fair is fair.

 

[Centerstream]

Did not see Carolina on the bench today. Any particular reason ???

Caroline was on the bench, she didn't play due to neck issues.

Caroline was on the bench in the first half but it looked to me that she wasn't there for the entire game. I watched the game live and the Fox61 replay and maybe I missed seeing her in the second half but I was looking.

 

[TCC Kid]

Nan, I completely agree. What we must remember is that Lou told Geno and the media that EVERY play at Fairfield was run for her. She said if she didn’t score, they would lose. So she developed a shooter’s mentality. She had to shoot. She maintained that mindset over 4 years. It’s ingrained in her.

It became second nature to her. It’s not something she thinks about now, she just does it. Of course she’s a “go-to” shooter. What else could she be given her recent background and training? Tigers can’t change their stripes.

The LOU line up early seems to be THE Starting LINEUP. Lou impressed me "all around"

 

[Carnac]

The LOU line up early seems to be THE Starting LINEUP. Lou impressed me "all around"

Me too. She's going to scare the crap out of a lot of our opponents because you can't stop her. She knows how to score, and is not bashful about shooting. As time goes on, I look for Geno to run more plays for her. You don't have to be a seer to see that!!!

I think Caroline would have started IF she had been able to play. If Lou has a couple of more games like yesterday, sweet Caroline may have to come off the bench when she returns. Geno is not going to disrupt the chemistry of the starting unit if they can perform like they did yesterday. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. The more this unit plays together, the more comfortable they will become. The starting 5 will be the 5 players that play the best together. Fear not, the bench players will get their minutes.

 

[Longtime fan]

At long last UConn WBB is back, as we all get our first extended look at this year’s team. In an exhibition, with liberal player substitution by Geno, against an overmatched D2 team I don’t focus much on shooting, MOV or execution. But there are several things I do look for:

• Fitness level – This is Andrea Hudy’s 2nd season at UConn. Her training program should be solidly in place. I am looking for UConn WBB to be leaner, stronger and fitter. Maybe it’s just me, but Dorka, Aaliyah, Azzi and Nika all looked leaner and fitter and were generally more active than I recall from last season.
• Back from injury/surgery - Aubrey, Dorka & Caroline are all back from surgery. Azzi dealt with a nagging foot injury all last season. How are they all moving on the court? Is anyone tentative about contact? Aubrey, Dorka & Azzi all looked healthy and moved well. Aubrey in particular was not at all afraid of mixing it up inside. We’ll have to wait a little longer to assess Caroline, due to a neck strain keeping her on the sidelines today.
• Who’s in charge? – From the moment Paige showed up in Storrs, UConn WBB was “Paige’s team.” With Paige out for the season, who’s running the show? Clearly Nika is the leader on the court right now, and she was all over the court, but the Huskies need Dorka, Azzi and other players to also step up and lead.
• Has anyone developed anything new? We have all been hearing about Aubrey’s rediscovered jump shot, but we didn’t see it…yet, although she was her typical rebounding tough defender. Aaliyah has been working on her low post game and it showed.
• How do the Newbies look? Freshmen will typically play like freshmen at this point in the season, but to some extent we can assess their potential. Ayanna is a beast as we all expected. Once she polishes up her game, Ayanna will be a very important contributor. Ines got some 4th qtr PT and she looked OK. Her dish to Ayanna was Showtime. Lou is a different story. She is the real deal and she fits right in seamlessly with the Huskies.
• Random thoughts –
  • In the first half alone, Nika had a game that only Nika could have: 2 pf’s while drawing 3 pf’s on Kutztown, 4 pts, 4 rbs, 4 ast, 3 stl, 2 bl, 1 to.
  • Whenever Azzi misses a 3-pt shot I find it impossible to understand why it didn't splash the net?
  • Once Lou and Azzi learn to play off each other, along with Caroline, the Huskies will be hell to defend on the perimeter.
  • Dorka looks primed to have a breakout year as UConn’s center.
  • While I did not expect to see a lot of Ines in today’s game, I must confess that I am disappointed that we didn't see Amari until the 4th qtr.

I share your concern about Amari. If she only earned garbage time against a Division II opponent, that would suggest her summer commitment to UCONN was of little value. Please tell me I am wrong. I believe she is key to a better than average season for the team. But garbage time is what she had last year. And to put up no numbers at all is worrisome.

Next; I am one who does not believe what has been written about Aubrey ( "she now is one of our best three point shooters" ). The reason is; I don't think she has the instinct to shoot. In her first two years you couldn't pay her to take a shot that was not a lay-up. She may be able to drill a three in the gym when no one is watching, but her game against a defender is a different thing. Again, I want to be wrong. But did she drain any threes against K-GTown ? If she doesn't have the confidence in her head, she doesn't have the shot.

 

[BBallF]

I thought Aubrey's timing was off yesterday which is to be expected. It was her first game since Arizona. Going to the basket she looked fast and great but I think she will need several games before she is back in the flow. If she is shooting then, and can make some 3s, we become a different team because like Caroline, she is a match up nightmare. Too fast for a big, and too big for a typical guard because she can post up. She was calling for the ball underneath yesterday but Liya didn't see her. I also think she got physically stronger over the last year and summer. We just have to wait and see with her. No matter what, no one affects a game like her. She is a throwback floor player just like her Dad was. You may be 100% accurate in your assessment of her, and I agree completely with the confidence factor, but I think we have to defer judgement until we get through the rough patch of games we have ahead.

 

[Boreifs]

Me too. She's going to scare the crap out of a lot of our opponents because you can't stop her. She knows how to score, and is not bashful about shooting. As time goes on, I look for Geno to run more plays for her. You don't have to be a seer to see that!!!

I think Caroline would have started IF she had been able to play. If Lou has a couple of more games like yesterday, sweet Caroline may have to come off the bench when she returns. Geno is not going to disrupt the chemistry of the starting unit if they can perform like they did yesterday. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. The more this unit plays together, the more comfortable they will become. The starting 5 will be the 5 players that play the best together. Fear not, the bench players will get their minutes.

It would certainly be cool to have starters from five different countries.

 

[oldude]

I share your concern about Amari. If she only earned garbage time against a Division II opponent, that would suggest her summer commitment to UCONN was of little value. Please tell me I am wrong. I believe she is key to a better than average season for the team. But garbage time is what she had last year. And to put up no numbers at all is worrisome.

Next; I am one who does not believe what has been written about Aubrey ( "she now is one of our best three point shooters" ). The reason is; I don't think she has the instinct to shoot. In her first two years you couldn't pay her to take a shot that was not a lay-up. She may be able to drill a three in the gym when no one is watching, but her game against a defender is a different thing. Again, I want to be wrong. But did she drain any threes against K-GTown ? If she doesn't have the confidence in her head, she doesn't have the shot.

On Amari, I continue to hope she will emerge as a player, although yesterday’s effort was a disappointment to say the least. Aubrey will be a factor this year just by virtue of her defense, rebounding and ability to attack the basket, whether or not she’s able to consistently knock down outside shots.

 

[MSGRET]

On Amari, I continue to hope she will emerge as a player, although yesterday’s effort was a disappointment to say the least. Aubrey will be a factor this year just by virtue of her defense, rebounding and ability to attack the basket, whether or not she’s able to consistently knock down outside shots.

She needs to show some hustle while she is on the floor. That means she has to run as fast as she can up and down the floor. It didn't look good yesterday when a player that has been in the UConn system less than 5 months and plays better than her.

 

[Cornell Lt]

She needs to show some hustle while she is on the floor. That means she has to run as fast as she can up and down the floor. It didn't look good yesterday when a player that has been in the UConn system less than 5 months and plays better than her.

When I saw Amari "run" down the court after a horrible turnover, I had a flash back to Steph Dolson as a freshman. I could only hope Amari turns out to be like Steph in the long run, but I've seen nothing since she's been in Storrs that leads me to believe she is capable.

What amazes me is her effort level is about what it was during her high school days. She was destined to be a project from the start but so far not much of any improvement at all is soo disappointing.

 

[Scud49]

In her very first game, Lou showed no hesitation in putting up her J's from all over - the young lady is very confident in her shot. I can see why she had very productive years at Fairfield. She's very fluid and smooth, looks like she is a true natural, what a fortunate addition for the Huskies. I think she'll be in the starting lineup Thursday night vs Northeastern, and IMO she deserves it....!

 

[oldude]

She needs to show some hustle while she is on the floor. That means she has to run as fast as she can up and down the floor. It didn't look good yesterday when a player that has been in the UConn system less than 5 months and plays better than her.

Agreed. I really want to see Amari come out on the court super aggressive. Even if she fouls out in 5 minutes of PT, that would represent a big step forward imo. I had hoped that Jamelle would be able to impart some of her toughness into Amari’s mindset. I continue to hope…..

 

[BBallF]

It may just be a personality thing and that is who she is and how she plays, She has a world of talent so I remain hopeful but yesterday was upsetting to say the least especially with Ice gone.

 

[sun]

Amari is a finesse player.
She made contributions during her PT but the plays she made involved finesse.
She forced a turnover, she forced a missed shot. boxed out, assisted, facilitated & maybe even blocked.

UConn has Patterson, Edwards & Aubrey to be brawny players.
Ayanna scored most all of her actual FG baskets after Amari entered the game.
That goes to show the cosmic chemistry that occurs on the court when different players enter & leave the game.
Amari is on a 4 year path of development.
But that doesn't mean that she'll ever turn into something that she's not, like a banger.
Just because some folks didn't notice her contributions when they watched the game yesterday doesn't mean that Geno doesn't notice her finesse when he watches the game tapes over & over.

It's a fact that after Amari entered the game in the 4th quarter, UConn increased its lead by 14 points.
The results are in the box score as proof.
Kutztown only scored 8 points in the 4th quarter, their 2nd lowest scoring quarter thanks in part to Amari's efforts & finesse style of play.

 

[MSGRET]

Amari is a finesse player.
She made contributions during her PT but the plays she made involved finesse.
She forced a turnover, she forced a missed shot. boxed out, assisted, facilitated & blocked (maybe).

UConn has Patterson & Aubrey to be brawny players.
Ayanna scored most of her baskets after Amari entered the game.
That goes to show the cosmic chemistry that occurs on the court when different players enter & leave the game.
Amari is on a 4 year path of development.
But that doesn't mean that anyone can turn her into something that she's not, & before her time.
Just because some folks didn't notice her contributions when they watched the game yesterday doesn't mean that Geno doesn't notice her finesse when he watches the game tapes over & over & over.

It's a fact that after Amari entered the game in the 4th quarter, UConn increased its lead by 14 points.
The results are on the scoreboard.
Kutztown only scored 8 points in the 4th quarter, their 2nd lowest scoring quarter thanks in part to Amari's efforts & finesse style of play.

I guess you saw a completely different 4th quarter than 99.9% of the BY'ers on here did. Yes UConn increased the lead by 14 points, but it wasn't because of Amari's effort, or actually the LACK of effort. Please describe in detail her efforts & finesse style of play for everyone here on the board can understand where you are coming from.

 

[sun]

I guess you saw a completely different 4th quarter than 99.9% of the BY'ers on here did. Yes UConn increased the lead by 14 points, but it wasn't because of Amari's effort, or actually the LACK of effort. Please describe in detail her efforts & finesse style of play for everyone here on the board can understand where you are coming from.

I just watched the 4th quarter for the 3rd time.
I suggest you do the same.
You can lead a horse to water but you can't make him drink among other things.
Some people will look but they still don't see because there's too much action going on to focus on Amari.