Marquette Postgame Thread

[and one]

What must CW do to get some love from the "few" here. You want 20+ from her every night....just when 18 pts doesn't do it?

CW has plenty of support. She is now in a role that really suits her game and she excells at it. When she was expected to carry the offense and make threes, she struggled. Now she can let Paige take that role, relax and get her points shooting two's and driving. She'll get her 15 or 20 and be a major piece on this team.

 

[Sanka541]

Go and watch the interviews post game with Nika and Paige together and you’ll see their chemistry. Those two are going to be a great duo! Also Evina chipping in asking them a question. This team loves being around each other!

 

[blackbird]

Bria was injured

No, Bria and Geno wanted to make sure that Caroline Doty got minutes. She used to come in two minutes into big games. That was Geno and Bria being softies, and at one point Doty even acknowledged it.

 

[my2cents]

I am not down on CW. She scored 18 pts on 8/12 shooting. She is great breaking her man down and in the open court. She will not be replaced in the starting line up.
Its also nice to know that we can rely on a good bench if a starter was off or injured, or foul trouble. Too many great players is a big advantage for us moving forward.

 

[Centerstream]

I agree that it seemed like we were playing UCF, but a better version. I am guessing that the good guys are going to be pretty sore (or more than "normal") tomorrow.

And I can't believe how much Nika has improved in every category ever since her in game talk with Geno. I think she silenced the Debbie Downers.

 

[Boreifs]

Well played game against a tough, physical team. Real good win!!
Ball movement, again, was great. Marquette was left flat footed most of the night.
Very aggressive, ball hawking defense.
Best guard combo is Paige, Nika and Evina.
Paige plays on a completely different level.
Nika is hard nose, aggressive, full speed again damn the torpedoes!
Aaliyah is one tough kid who plays like a seasoned veteran.
When Christyn drives and slashes she is at her best.
I know many on down on Liv, but a very balanced game from her. She is not the down low bruiser that many want her to be.

A lot of positive comments from Geno in his post game.

When Alijah is on the court with her, Liv is so much more effective because she doesn’t have to be that down low bruiser.

 

[j66kicker]

Don’t be so sure. She has a national TV opportunity Monday against the team everybody thinks is the best team in the country. Something tells me she’s not scared.

But Nika is probably scared... Nope

Yeah, but Aaliyah is probably scared to death. Oh... Nope.

 

[uconnever]

Haven’t read everything in this thread, but I will, but for now I have to make a statement that may be a little early but I think I’m gonna be close with my whatever you want to call it. Nika is getting so good, I can see her being or having a career similar to Kia Nurse. That is who she is starting to remind me of. Williams will be more consistent because Paige is now our alpha and I believe that the other girls know it. I think that Williams is more comfortable in this role and she will flourish this way. A consistent 18 points per game is what I expect taking a back seat to Paige. Which is a lot of points in college if you think about it. Also I wanted to say as I’ve been watching UConn since 1995 and the miracle year religiously, Paige is the best freshman we’ve ever had. And I am very careful about saying things like that. I don’t just throw things like that around because we’ve had a lot of really good players. Also this doesn’t mean she will be the best player we’ve ever had, but as a freshman, she’s the best.

 

[eebmg]

59.649123% to be precise

Before missing her last 3 pointer, she was at 60.7%

 

[SVCBeercats]

Nika should start every game for the rest of her career. She plays her butt off every possession and does everything she would be expected to do and more.

Paige. The UConn elite of elite have a new member. Don't tell me it's too early for that coronation. She isn't going to get worse as time goes along, only better. Among back court players we've had I haven't had that wow feeling about a player since Maya.

Where were you when you missed the Breanna Stewart years?

 

[Woof 101]

A few comments before reading all the others...
Nika! What can one say? She has out of nowhere cemented a starting position and is now costing some really good on the bench players PT. Should she be nick named The Felon?
Paige was Paige again as usual showing a couple of Dr J and MJ midair ball handling moves. What a joy to watch.
Evina obviously a key piece of the puzzle seemed tentative when it came to shooting. Actuality passed the ball off going in for a layup that did not look like it would be blocked or trying to draw the foul.

CW again going to the rim, she has the spin on the ball that finds the hole a palmed shot would not. Nice to see no after effects from the ankle, she moved well tonight. For her size she is also a good re bounder, wish she could find her jumper again. CW going to the rim is like a vitamin for the team.
AE what can one say, I wish it were a normal season where Geno would have had a half dozen games by now to blend the stew. I like the high low of AE low and Ono high but Ono passed up open looks tonight. We are going to need that combo on Monday.

For now with Geno being satisfied has to mean a lot at this time, so if he is good so am I. For the old timers, young'ns would not recognize it but post game when asked about all the frosh, he said "they play with moxie". There is one not heard in some time.

Looking froward to Monday.
And the box...

Women's Basketball vs Marquette on 2/5/2021 - Box Score - University of Connecticut Athletics

The official box score of Women's Basketball vs Marquette on 2/5/2021

uconnhuskies.com

 

[Vowelguy]

And I can't believe how much Nika has improved in every category ever since her in game talk with Geno. I think she silenced the Debbie Downers.

Didn't you hear? She's only playing because others are injured.

 

[SVCBeercats]

Bria was injured

Not really.

 

[Boreifs]

It is so rare to have three players in a class who are impact players as Freshmen. One can argue that this is happening because of small number of upperclassmen, but not even the vaunted 2002 group was making such an impact at this point. If this happens with next year’s class as well?!

 

[SVCBeercats]

 

[and one]

Nika has basically picked up Anna's minutes. So, when Anna is ready to come back, what then?

I took a nice long walk today and spent some of it thinking about where Anna will fit in when she comes back. I feel for her; she works hard on the court, could pass well and could make threes at a time when no one else was. Now we have Paige as an elite shooter and distributer. Nika can shoot well enough to keep the defense honest, can pass well and is a defensive tiger. Anna can't do what CW and EW do. There is no way she starts. I hope she can get major minutes off the bench minutes and make the most of them. If she can play off the bench as well as she played last year as a starter the depth chart will be ridiculously deep.

 

[Fairfield Fan]

37 minutes and just 8 rebounds for a 6'5" post player? Seriously? ONO is really underperforming.

 

[Fairfield Fan]

Some thoughts on the Marquette game:

• The Golden Eagles are a physical, well-coached team that plays really hard. This was a nice road win for the Huskies.
• Nika is one BADASS defender with an attitude. She harassed Marquette all game long.
• Paige with a “ho-hum” 30 pts on 12/18 shooting. When she made that reverse layup switching the ball from her left hand to her right hand in mid-air, the entire Marquette bench did a doubletake in amazement.
• Christyn continues to attack the basket effectively, which raises her game to another level.
• Aaliyah picks up her first of what will undoubtedly be multiple purple hearts at UConn.
• UConn has now fielded 6 different starting lineups in, I believe 14 games. This is a rarity for a Geno Auriemma coached team. In part it is the result of some injuries, but it also reflects the depth this team possesses.
• Saylor knocks down the first of what will hopefully be many treys.
• Bring on the Gamecocks!!!

Marquette plays like Notre Dame, and just like their coach, Duffy, who was a real tough one when she was point guard there. The Notre Dame culture. Hats off to them.

 

[Fairfield Fan]

Solid game against a tough physical Marquette. I am a little concerned about some of the easy easy layups Marquette got.

But did anyone notice how many shots Marquette made in the lane over ONO? She intimidates no one.

 

[Golden Husky]

59.649123% to be precise

Ah, the benefits of a Columbia education. And that's why you're the leader of our Morningside Heights pride.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Well as @Kaizen said Nika ...

 

[and one]

Where were you when you missed the Breanna Stewart years?

Oh, I didn't miss any of those marvelous Stewie years. That's why I said I haven't had that wow feeling about a BACKCOURT player since Maya. Rebecca, Diana, Sue, Maya, Stewie and now Paige.

 

[pvdoggy]

Well as @Kaizen said Nika ...

It's a good thing Geno did not listen to those people who thought she too slow and could not play any defense.

 

[Zinethar]

I haven't looked it up but it seemed that most of Paige's misses were in the 4th after the game was decided and she lost her edge a bit, Too bad cause 35 was possible.

 

[hoophuskee]

THESE FRESHMEN ARE

CRAZY!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I CAN'T BELIEVE IT! I CAN'T BELIEVE IT!

I don't know what's going to happen Monday night. But at least for this past week -- just

WOW!!!!