Louisville Game Combinations

[Bone Dog]

It is for sure. What you can do is just see what the score differential is when different combos are out there. There are several variables including missed shots but they are part of the consideration. This combo shoots better than that one for example. I think part of the 38 minutes for Sarah and Azzi has to do with finding the right combos. There are a lot more possibilities this year as compared to the teams in the last 9 years for example. You also need that third consistent scorer and how that player blends with the team, and with which combo.

I think Geno may be looking for a different formula than last season's 'big 3,' and this may mean even more complicated substitution patterns.

Paige Azzi and Sarah scored ~50 ppg, and more like 57 ppg in March. But no one else reached double digits across the season. If this season's 'big 2' can score ~40 ppg and he can get another ~30 ppg from 3 or 4 others, it may be an even better distribution.

Last season, Ash scored 7.7 ppg, Kaitlyn scored 7 ppg and KK scored 5.5. If Serah Ash KK and Kayleigh provide those extra 30 ppg I think Geno will be pleased. Throw in whatever Blanca can do and we're looking at a powerful scoring punch.

 

[Longtime fan]

The following are the combinations of players on the court in tonight's game in chronological order:

1) Ash, Azzi, KK, Sarah, Serah
2) K9, Jana, Azzi, Sarah, Ash
3) Serah, KK, K9, Ash, Jana
4) Sarah, Ash, KK, Azzi, K9
5) KK, K9, Serah, Sarah, Ash
6) Ash, Azzi, Kk, Sears, Sarah
7) Azzi, Sarah, KK, Ice, Ash
8) Allie, Sarah, Ice, Azzi, KK
9) K9, Allie, Ice, Azzi, Sarah
10) Ash, Sarah, Allie, Azzi,K9
11) Ash, Azzi, Sarah, Serah, KK
12) Ash, Azzi, Sarah, Jana, KK
13) K9, Azzi, Sarah, Jana, Ash
14) Ash, Azzi, K9,Serah, KK
15) Sarah, K9, Serah, KK, Azzi
16) Ash, Serah, Sarah, KK, K9
17) Azzi, KK, Ash, Sarah, Serah
18) Azzi, KK, Ash, Sarah, Ice
19) Azzi, K9, KK, Sarah, Ice

We are definitely looking for the right combinations including this year's versions of small ball. See #4 and #14 above. Only 9 players played but the amount of combinations would indicate that Geno is searching for chemistry among the various groupings. What do you conclude when looking at this list?

Doesn't take much genius to figure that AZZI and Sarah will be in all combinations, probably with KK as well. I think the post position remains up for grabs, with Wiliams having the edge. K9 is quite the nickname for Henkle ( she is a husky ( dog =K9) and she wears #9. I think ASH is a given, once she finds her shot. She just does everything well, including rebounding. K9 will be first off the bench). I think Allie, Caroline, Fisher and Blanca will have a long road to regular minutes. And I think Paterson and the freshman from Ireland will mostly get minutes when games are long decided. Please tell me Blanca's shoulder injury is not like the one that sidelined Paterson fro a year.

 

[BBallF]

Doesn't take much genius to figure that AZZI and Sarah will be in all combinations, probably with KK as well. I think the post position remains up for grabs, with Wiliams having the edge. K9 is quite the nickname for Henkle ( she is a husky ( dog =K9) and she wears #9. I think ASH is a given, once she finds her shot. She just does everything well, including rebounding. K9 will be first off the bench). I think Allie, Caroline, Fisher and Blanca will have a long road to regular minutes. And I think Paterson and the freshman from Ireland will mostly get minutes when games are long decided. Please tell me Blanca's shoulder injury is not like the one that sidelined Paterson fro a year.

Blanca ws listed as day to day. I have to disagree about Blanca. If healthy, she will not have a long road to regular minutes. She is a pure 3, very athletic, with varied offensive moves and I see her as a regular part of the combos. I also think Kayleigh (K9) is going to get a lot of minutes. I mean a lot. She has a much bigger offensive tool box than KK and is a pure point. We saw it on Tuesday. Somebody a long time ago taught that kid how to cut to the basket. She finds seams better than a seamstress.

 

[Zarathustra]

Blanca ws listed as day to day. I have to disagree about Blanca. If healthy, she will not have a long road to regular minutes. She is a pure 3, very athletic, with varied offensive moves and I see her as a regular part of the combos. I also think Kayleigh (K9) is going to get a lot of minutes. I mean a lot. She has a much bigger offensive tool box than KK and is a pure point. We saw it on Tuesday. Somebody a long time ago taught that kid how to cut to the basket. She finds seams better than a seamstress.

Dear BBallF... You 'seem' to like K9!

 

[Skeets]

Only 2,984 possible combinations to go… 😁

More than that. There are duplicates in the list. It's a chronological progression of subs, not a list of unique combinations.

 

[oldude]

More than that. There are duplicates in the list. It's a chronological progression of subs, not a list of unique combinations.

I had not noticed. I stand corrected.

 

[WiseWillie]

True but Serah is a better rebounder than Jana and with a high PER team as pointed out by Gael with K9, KK, Azzi, Serah and Sarah on the floor, are you really losing any rebounds that Paige would have got at the 3 position? The #15 combination above started the 4th quarter and played 4 minutes. The rebounding was 3 defensive rebounds for Louisville and 2 for us. Louisville only missed 2 shots and we missed 3. All the rebounds were easy going right to the defender. The score was a margin of 21 when the fourth quarter began and was the same when the 4 minutes had elapsed.

So your point is well taken that Blanca and probably Morgan and Caroline are our natural 3s but I really liked combo #15 and I hope we see more of it.

I didn't see the drop off in the rebounding without a true 3 though. I did see it in the "in the lane" defense in the sense that it was open for a drive or to penetrate without any size to stop that 3 position offensive player. That I think is the weakness of combo #15 and even #16 when Ash came in to replace Azzi. It allows drives. Of course, you offset that with an explosive offensive combo and if one of our 3s dropped or Serah didn't walk on an easy lay up it would have been plus 5 at a minimum.

I can see why analytics become addictive. I still place great value on the "eye test" and that #15 combo is really very pleasing to the view.

Rebounding is one thing but in the second half Louisville's game plan was to drive aggressively to the basket hoping to draw fouls and in so doing increasing their FTR. That is defintely something that would expect to be worked on defending before Sunday.

 

[msf22b]

Dear BBallF... You 'seem' to like K9!

Hard.not.to