Memphis Postgame Thread

[and one]

Sorry mom nature interfered with seeing the game olddude. It was the kind of game that used to be standard issue Uconn but has been among the missing of late. A real joy to watch.

 

[hoopsfan22]

That Anna Makurat is gonna be yuuuuuuuge down the stretch! I hope they give Aubrey and Anna 35 minutes a night the rest of the way. We are going to need them bigly in the NCAAs.

 

[cbraarj]

Unfortunately, the winter storm took out my power today, so I didn’t see a minute of the game. I did listen to it on UConn’s radio feed and it sounded like the Huskies had some fun.

I’m looking forward to the post game discussion on the Boneyard to fill in all the parts I didn’t see.

I hope everything is okay!

 

[PAHuskeyFan]

Correct. Jamelle will be an assistant coach for the rest of the season according to UConn. Love Jamelle so that's great news. She brings that toughness for sure and it will benefit this team. I wish it would have worked out for Jasmine, but hey stuff happens I'm sure she'll land on her feet.

SNY Announcer said Jamelle was filling in for Jasmine while she is on a "Leave of Absence for Personal Issue." Nothing more Nothing less.
[mod edit - Speculation deleted]

Let's let her work through what ever it is and respect her privacy.

 

[oldude]

I hope everything is okay!

I have a backup generator. Unfortunately, it doesn’t help with cable or internet.

 

[jabstep]

We’ve all been talking about, as well as anticipating, the lineup change that appeared to be inevitable: Anna for Kyla. What I’m not sure any of us anticipated was the full impact of Anna’s presence in the starting lineup.

As I indicated in my OP, I was unable to watch the game, but it sounded like UConn ran much of their offense through Anna, who lead the team in a “dime dropping party” tonight. Anna’s presence appears to have transformed the Husky team we’ve watched for much of the season into the Huskies we’ve been used to watching for the past 12 seasons.

It’s just one game, but hopefully a very good sign of things to come, particularly on Monday night in Columbia.

It was beautiful basketball. You should watch the tape. Anna and Liv's passing were wonderful tonight. The passing was contagious and Aubrey defense and energy are infectious. Olivia, we hoped made some steps in her offense. Meg and Squeaks hit some 3 balls. Cyrstal did whatever had to be done as usual. One of the best plays was when Meg went to set a screen for Cyrstal and instead she faked the screen and play thru to the basket. Bingo pass and a layup.

 

[Dokey]

That Anna Makurat is gonna be yuuuuuuuge down the stretch! I hope they give Aubrey and Anna 35 minutes a night the rest of the way. We are going to need them bigly in the NCAAs.

I just read that Anna’s 11 assists were only two short of the UConn record. Too bad she had to sit a while with two early fouls. Who holds record? Sue? Diana?

 

[hoopsfan22]

I just read that Anna’s 11 assists were only two short of the UConn record. Too bad she had to sit a while with two early fouls. Who holds record? Sue? Diana?

Hey I still can't believe she only scored 2 points. Never mind all the assists!

 

[Dokey]

Hey I still can't believe she only scored 2 points. Never mind all the assists!

With Anna it isn’t just assists, you have to create a new statistic—assisted assists

 

[oldude]

With Anna it isn’t just assists, you have to create a new statistic—assisted assists

That sounds like hockey....

 

[veryolddog]

Just want to bring everyone back to earth. Yeah, Liv played great, Chrystin played great, Anna played great, Crystal played great, Molly played great, Adebayo made a 3, and Aubrey made layups. Memphis is not even a mediocre team. It is an inferior team and UConn played great against an inferior team. If they do this on Monday, then they will be back to what UConn is or was.

 

[Biff]

That sounds like hockey....

Beat me to it.

 

[donalddoowop]

Just want to bring everyone back to earth. Yeah, Liv played great, Chrystin played great, Anna played great, Crystal played great, Molly played great, Adebayo made a 3, and Aubrey made layups. Memphis is not even a mediocre team. It is an inferior team and UConn played great against an inferior team. If they do this on Monday, then they will be back to what UConn is or was.

I think most BYers know that. They just want to state some positive things after the negative things that were said after the Oregon game.

 

[hoopsfan22]

Anna is gonna be a huge contributor next year. Don't know if she starts or not, but just a feeling I get. I think at the end of her four years here she will surprise some people.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

all been said

 

[MSGRET]

It was announced by UConn. Also, Prince died just to catch you up.

Please post the announcement, the play-by-play announcer stated that Jamelle was taking over while Jasmine is on leave of absence. The only UConn official announcement that I can find is the one dated 1/31, which says the samething.

 

[wbball novice]

Anna apparently solved the problem of players not passing to her by passing to the other players; 11 assists. Still has some issues handling the ball under pressure -- source of her second foul. CD seemed to have receded into the background a little bit. That Anna did a lot of the ball handling did not result in more shots for Crystal, but she was second in assists with 8. Probably it was due to Anna's passing skills and energy (since she started instead of Kyla) that UConn women's basketball returned to being a beautiful game in several moments.

Also really great to see CW & MW both regaining their shooting touch, even if (according to Chat) Paige Buecker's high school team could have beaten the Memphis players by 40 pts. Since they gave UConn a hard time in the previous meeting, the team that will play SC next week isn't much better than a high school team. Hopefully we can keep it close like Memphis did in the earlier game. Megan did so well it was suggested that she leave for the WNBA since she won't be getting any better & open up a starting position for Paige next year. Sounds a little off the wall, but according to Geno in his press conference, he started Anna tonight because he always listens to his critics, so maybe he reads the BY and takes the hint & nudges Megan out the door.

Liv was getting all her shots tonight but was hampered by 2 penalties in Q1. Previous Memphis game their big girl scored big. Not this time. Liv had a part in this. Aliyah Boston next week, though. Good luck, Liv!

I was in General Women's Basketball this afternoon reading about SMU. Glad we're getting out of AAC for reasons other than mediocre competition -- don't really want to have anything to do with them. Shows what happens if you really get invested in the winning is the only thing state of mind. I hope every one of our "mediocre" players stay as long as they can, win or lose.

 

[Bigboote]

This was a really enjoyable game. I've been lamenting the lack of balletic UConn basketball. The first half was everything I'd been missing.

As has been said, Makurat was in the middle of it all. But the other players have to be doing the right things in order to have it all work. Olivia and Megan both executed the pick-and-roll both with Anna and Crystal. Olivia had some great passes to cutters. Megan found the open shooter a few times.

They also executed very well on the fast break. There were a few times when I think the ball handler would have gone up with an ill-advised shot a few weeks ago, but she passed to the trailer for a much better look.

I would have given them zero chance of defeating South Carolina a few days ago, but now I don't think it's out of the question.

 

[MSGRET]

It was announced on Jan 31 that Jamelle would be taking over as assistant coach for the rest of the year. It's not some day by day or week by week thing. You can believe it's fake news or not, but I'll bet we don't see Lister ever again let alone this season. There's a reason she basically removed all UConn related posts from her social media at the same time we were told she was out due to "illness." I know when I get sick I unfriend all of my friends on social media.

Here is the announcement from UConn women's basketball website dated 1/31;

Jamelle Elliott To Serve As Assistant Coach on Interim Basis


STORRS, Conn. – UConn assistant women's basketball coach Jasmine Lister has taken a leave of absence from her duties with the team for personal reasons. In her absence, Jamelle Elliott, who served as an assistant coach on Geno Auriemma's staff from 1998-2009, will provide support for the team as an assistant coach.
Lister, who was a graduate assistant for the women's basketball team from 2014-16, is in her second year as an assistant coach for the Huskies.
Elliott, who will begin her new role on February 1, helped the Huskies win national championships as an assistant coach in 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2009 and was a standout student-athlete for UConn from 1992-96.

 

[UConn2SF]

Liv is shooting 95% (19/20 fg) in the last 3 games. That Tamika Williams-esque.

 

[Dokey]

Anna is gonna be a huge contributor next year. Don't know if she starts or not, but just a feeling I get. I think at the end of her four years here she will surprise some people.

I wonder if Anna returns to Poland for summer or stays in Storrs.

 

[MSGRET]

I wonder if Anna returns to Poland for summer or stays in Storrs.

I believe that she will stay in Storrs because if I remember correctly Poland did not qualify for the Olympics.

 

[Bronxjeff]

After the Baylor game a number of us suggested putting Ania in the point so that Chrystal could be less pressured and score from the 2 position. I certainly didn't expect that scheme to work as well as it did tonight, but boy oh boy! I hope they can carry this forward.

 

[Watchdog]

Anna had 11 of them and some were just spectacular.

Should have been 14. There were at least 2, but more likely 3, blown layups off great passes. And her passes are on the money, and to where the recipient will be so they can maintain their speed and direction. And we're also seeing how quickly she gets rid of the ball when she spots the open man.
Whoever stated earlier this year that she's "slow mentally and physically" needs to offer an apology because it sure looks as if Geno disagrees with that assessment and Anna is disproving it in spades.

 

[Watchdog]

It was announced by UConn. Also, Prince died just to catch you up.

Andrew?