Mercer Postgame Thread

[npignatjr]

Good morning, Nick. First, they're not my stats, they're the Huskies' stats, as posted on the team website.

Second, I appreciate you're aware and acknowledge the potential failings of relying wholly on +/- numbers. As I've said, so was I, until the numbers became so convincing over a significant period of time. For sure, in any one game or situation, a player's +/- can be affected by who else is on the court, whether it's at the start of a game or during what some would call 'garbage time.'

However, Nika's +/- numbers were often so much lower than her teammates' that your point couldn't possibly explain the discrepancy. No matter how one leverages one's point, the fact is that the team is more successful with others on the court. I would love to see the team flourish with Nika on the court... I'm as much as fan of her as a person and for what she actually brings to the team as anyone.

You posted you used numbers from the last few games. I understand the numbers you posted came from a third source my point numbers (stats) without context that reflects the whole 40 minutes are almost useless.

 

[The deacon]

You posted you used numbers from the last few games. I understand the numbers you posted came from a third source my point numbers (stats) without context that reflects the whole 40 minutes are almost useless.

Not the last few games, Nick, but for the last month or so...

Please tell me you don't actually believe that numbers that show Nika's teammates having much better +/- numbers than her are 'almost useless' stats? What is a more telling stat for any basketball player over a significant amount of time than the points her team scores when she's on the court compared to the points scored by the opposition, whether achieved as a starter, a sub or in garbage time?

I'm exiting this thread. Thanks for your responses.

 

[Notyetready]

Yes, Paith had a productive move we hadn't seen before. She is developing nicely, keeps the ball high and has a soft release. She, like Dorka, runs down loose rebounds, does not wait for the ball to come to her and sets up as a wide passing target early in each offensive possession. Love how the coaches are quickly improving her game and Paith's passion to practice. She is already a down low force and great mate for the talents of our other bigs.

I was going to comment on that drive to the basket by Piath but you guys got there first. I sat up straight when I saw her do that. It was a really sweet move.

 

[BRS24]

I wish the camera was on Paige when Geno talked about inserting a "sub" into the starting lineup.

Per CT Insider article - "Auriemma, in the opening remarks of his postgame press conference, deadpanned that the game began “disjointed” because he changed the lineup: “Putting a sub in the starting lineup I think affected us more than I thought it would. Sitting to his left at the podium, Bueckers smirked." ❤️

 

[ProSkeptic]

I really liked the sustained defensive effort that was made in this game against a quick, aggressive team. Also liked that they were mixing it up underneath and going to the basket more which opens up the outside shooting game. Lots of energy from everyone. A very good first step in this tournament.

I think Mercer deserves a lot of credit for defending the paint. They didn’t give up too many easy baskets, except for transition points. Dorka was the only big to make a real impact. Liv and Aaliyah were good enough, but they were playing against a smaller team.

 

[ProSkeptic]

I caught a few things in the post game pressers. I didn't notice that Aubrey was on the bench until Dorka referred to it. Fantastic. I still like Mercer's coach. She has class and a good outlook. Guess the coaches decided not to dress up for the occasion. I love that decision. She also said she now realizes she need to recruit taller players even guards. Mentioned losing her best player to the elbow injury without blaming it on the loss. Just felt they would have scored a bit more.

I love it that Mercer’s coach emptied her bench with about six minutes to play. Give the kids a taste of the NCAA! Very classy! I was annoyed that Geno waited so long to sub in Piath and Amari.

 

[HuskyNan]

70% of us apparently don't look at the box score AT ALL. How valuable are 5 assists when they are mainly just throwing the ball to a wing who immediately makes a jump shot? Any of us could do that. And I'm in my 60's. 1 steal today. What else did she contribute besides fewer rebounds than Caroline in more PT? What EXACTLY is Nika doing that warrants more than 10 minutes PT? How many plays do we run with effectively 4 offensive players on the floor? People here want her to penetrate more but if you look up the numbers on that I'm pretty sure they would say Nika doesn't finish well at the rim and gets stuffed out quite often or ends up with bad pass other times. She's had maybe 3 penetration baskets in the last 5 games and that's more than she got before. Her penetrating the middle against top teams is like option # 40. She's recently brought up her shooting percentages but she's probably the last person of the top 9 you want shooting. I'm fine with her playing 20 minutes now but as the competition improves her weaknesses become more easily seen. We aren't playing Georgetown any more.

"The team looks better when she's on the floor" doesn't fly when her +/- is one of the worst on the team. I've said over and over she would start on almost any other college team but she's our 6th best guard.

You like her spirit and competitiveness. I get it. I like her also. I also want to win the NC. It's putting the best team on the floor. When you play a top team like Indiana or Stanford she will have a role but it will be more of a 10-15 minute role unless she's having the game of her life. I hope she does.

“Today’s world, scoring points is what it’s all about, right? That’s what gets you on TikTok, that’s what gets your social media thing going,” Auriemma said. “Nika is not about that. In today’s day and age, she’s an anomaly I would say.”

“I don’t know that you can be an exceptionally good team without having those players,” Auriemma said. “You have to have at least one. If you have more than one, then you’ve got something really special.”

Read the whole article

Nika Mühl’s intangible impact recognized with Big East Defensive Player of the Year Award

Mühl is one of UConn’s most important players despite a relatively modest stat line.

www.theuconnblog.com

 

[ProSkeptic]

Megan Cuomo would have picked up on that.

It’s “Culmo.”

I’ve said it before: I dearly miss Megan Culmo and Alan Bestwick during non-SNY games. I love their focused, no-nonsense style and lack of idle chatter. BTW, did anyone else have difficulty hearing the announcers yesterday? The crowd noise was really irritating.

 

[HuskyNan]

Attendance yesterday listed at 50%, sad. Tomorrow game time 9PM, seriously, there is a game tomorrow in Oklahoma at 6. Because of the 9PM time might not use my ticket or tickets.

Each of the 4 teams get a similar allotment per NCAA rules. Only 50% of the teams played in the first game

 

[Stymie]

Uhm…I think UConn plays UCF, not USF, on Monday night.

Oops.

 

[Geesworld]

Great game. We looked a little rusty offensively. Wonder if that's because we had another lineup change. Really like Nika starting games. She brings an energy and we run offense better when she's at the point. We also are a better fast break team when she's out there pushing the ball. We're still not getting the tough baskets. We need those in the paint baskets as the competition ramps up. This was a Perfect game for us to force feed the post a little bit.

 

[TheGOAT23]

It’s “Culmo.”

I’ve said it before: I dearly miss Megan Culmo and Alan Bestwick during non-SNY games. I love their focused, no-nonsense style and lack of idle chatter. BTW, did anyone else have difficulty hearing the announcers yesterday? The crowd noise was really irritating.

I loved the crowd’s intensity. However, there were a few times that I didn’t hear the whistle blow.

 

[Monte]

As Dandy Don Meredith said,"That's nitpickin' ref". Really, lighten up!

OK, you give me $83 and I'll give you $38, and we'll be all even!

 

[Bama fan]

OK, you give me $83 and I'll give you $38, and we'll be all even!

Oh boy ,oh boy. You really got me there! Wow! What is it like to be humorless? I think you can explain that too; while you are busy being such a stuffy pedant.