Mercer Postgame Thread

[hoophuskee]

When you shoot 44% against Mercer you know the offense is...not good.

You talk about rebounding in one breath in another post stating why SC doesn't need to shoot well while you use overall fg% to define their offense and also UCONN's game. But that completely misrepresents things, doesn't it? UCONN was 12-27 from 3 (Putting that in perspective the 12-27 is a higher % than that 11 of 13 season's Steph Curry's 3pt% average). If you are only going to count FG% as you are doing, then you also classify a guy like Ray Allen throughout his career an under 50% shooter, as "not a good shooter."

Counting 3pt % what UCONN did today, their EFG% was 53.73%. Without taking 3pt% efficiency into account, just using fg% as a defining stats completely misrepresents the offense.

***When UCONN plays the elite teams, as a general rule, they aren't looking to win the FG% battle. They are more apt to be looking to win the EFG% or TS% battle. So citing fg% as a defining stat isn't really a valid measurement for UCONN.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Regarding Caroline's 3-point shot, I like it better off the pass than off the dribble. I also think I like it from the corner more than elsewhere.

My major complaint about today's game was that we gave the ball to some of our poorer shooters to take too many shots. When Azzi and Paige are on the floor, they should be the primary options unless it's a layup.

 

[hoophuskee]

Regarding Caroline's 3-point shot, I like it better off the pass than off the dribble. I also think I like it from the corner more than elsewhere.

My major complaint about today's game was that we gave the ball to some of our poorer shooters to take too many shots. When Azzi and Paige are on the floor, they should be the primary options unless it's a layup.

But you possibly can get better when more players can score. This is the type of game to let them shoot and maybe gain confidence.

 

[jaydee602]

UCF is a very underrated team. They only lost three games this season, all by single digits. They have the #2 defense & play a very physical game.
They are ranked #156 in offense & they probably don't have the firepower to stay with UCONN. But they look better than a #7 seed.

 

[and one]

A good solid effort, after a long layoff, against a surprisingly good 15 seed. No standout players or plays as the the scoring, defensive plays and glory were spread out up and down the roster.

The 3rd quarter was odd. Mercer was blanked, which is not a common event, and for UConn's part 8 players scored in the 3rd Q, 7 of which score one basket (Dorka's being a free throw) and only one (CW) having more than one basket. She hit two. Taking the We All Eat philosophy to the extreme

It is hard to take too much away from this type of game. I'd have thought we'd have had more assists, too many open shots passed up (some late in the possession, which drives me nuts!), some dopey turnovers. All in all no complaints as we head for game two.

 

[jaydee602]

You never want to see a team celebrate before the game is decided. But the smiles on the faces of the Princeton players is so inspiring.

 

[Los24]

There is no way no way no way no way you want her to stop shooting from 3. I can't believe the complaints!!

Shooting 2-6 from 3, you score 6 points.
Shooting 3-6 from 2, you score 6 points.

Telling a player who is 2-6 from 3 to stop shooting from 3 is like telling any player that is 50% don't shoot at all.
Way too much expectation on here of everyone having to play as if they are an A/A.

Funny thing is there are people on an AA team that shot under 50% from field much less 3pt%

 

[CB360]

It’s too bad foreign born players are not eligible for NIL compensation. Nika would be a natural for Red Bull.

I was thinking more like spokesperson for the UFC.......

 

[EdSaid]

Megan Cuomo would have picked up on that.

 

[FormerCTrez]

Their coach looked like a vertically compressed Pat Summitt. And I mean that as a compliment.

Oh my goodness! I thought the same thing as I watched the game. Because of UCONN, Pat Summitt wasn’t my favorite person, but she was a darn good coach, a great leader, and an excellent advocate for women. May her soul RIP!

 

[Boreifs]

Looking ahead....
IMO UConn needs Nika in the starting lineup. She sets the tone defensively. Right out of the gates the opponent runs into a wall. I know, who sits. Could you go small, with one post? With big time pressure full-court, in the passing lanes, and close outs, couldn't a small group with one post rebound? Set the tone, then sub in bigs as needed. Just a thought. BTW IMO all the bigs are playing good.
Hey, Geno has to get Azzi more shots. She's got to get 15 shots. That's a sure 20. This offense isn't getting her enough looks.
More dribble drive pitch with Azzi finding the open spot. Boom

Who would she replace? It’s fine to opine she should start, but please complete the picture.

 

[FormerCTrez]

I was at the game. It was a nice crowd, about average in size for a game at Gampel. I have a disconnect between what I was seeing available online on the UConn ticket website - not much - and the large number of empty seats in the upper level behind both baskets.

Mercer brought a zillion people to the game. In addition to the players there must have been 8-10 coaches/managers. Plus the cheerleaders, dance team, mascot, and band. Not many fans though, but some. Their cheerleaders were very good at doing back flips the length of the court, especially the guy.

It seemed like Mercer was playing a junk defense at least to start, man to man against Paige and Azzi and a three person zone, and Christyn was getting the open shots out of that. Made some, missed some. Azzi and Paige got a lot of Mercer`s attention right off the bat.

UConn took advantage of its size on the boards especially. Mercer did not get any meaningful offense inside.

We had some great spurts, especially in the third, and also some lulls. The "thread the needle" passes don`t work very well, but not from lack of trying. The lulls seem to happen when everyone is looking to pass.

The refs were calling it very tight, especially on the perimeter. Nika would agree. It was annoying today but it might be welcome Monday assuming we end up playing UCF.

The second quarter felt like it would never end. Fouls, timeouts, an unfortunate injury, etc.

Nika is like a shot of red bull to the team when she gets out there. Defensive intensity, but also pushing the ball upcourt even when there is not a fast break. That leads to a lot of open shots. We don`t push as hard when she is not in.

Sorry that the Mercer player was injured. We seem to have got through it ok. It looked like Caroline got whacked in the head once (uh oh) but she stayed in so that`s good. Nika took a hit to the face on a drive, looked to be her left jaw area, she was down for a moment or two and was rubbing it on the bench, but came back in and appears to be ok. Aaliyah and another player collided rather loudly, and Aaliyah was called for a foul, that was potentially scary but everyone seems ok.

Mercer was overmatched, especially with their star going down, but they did not play scared and they can hold their heads high.

Nice write-up.

 

[Boreifs]

While the victory was expected, I can’t wait to see UConn against a top tier team. I do expect UConn to reach the Elite 8 and play against NC St for a Final Four berth.

On a separate note, let’s give a little love to the other Big East teams who won their opening rounds. Creighton against Iowa tomorrow should be a shoot out. Props to Villanova as well. The better they fare in the tournament exposes the fallacy that the Big East is simply UConn and the little sisters.

Watching Princeton vs Kentucky and Abby Meyers is showing some Caitlin Clark moves with the step back jumper. She would look very good in a UConn jersey next season.

Excellent post. Meyers is definitely a stud and both Creighton and Villanova have chances to make the Sweet Sixteen.

 

[DefenseBB]

I don't know how we shot 44.8%. It seems like on several possessions we missed not just a bunny, but3 to 5 bunnies in a row, and the only reason it stopped was the refs mercifully called a foul. I guess they could not stand to watch it continue. I assume on all those, every miss counts as a miss, unless they happen so fast the official scorer can't keep up. Maybe he tells the refs to call a foul and stop it.

I do, Christyn was 5-14, Liv 2-6 and Dorka 2-7 so that is 9-27…

 

[Boreifs]

I was at the game. It was a nice crowd, about average in size for a game at Gampel. I have a disconnect between what I was seeing available online on the UConn ticket website - not much - and the large number of empty seats in the upper level behind both baskets.

Mercer brought a zillion people to the game. In addition to the players there must have been 8-10 coaches/managers. Plus the cheerleaders, dance team, mascot, and band. Not many fans though, but some. Their cheerleaders were very good at doing back flips the length of the court, especially the guy.

It seemed like Mercer was playing a junk defense at least to start, man to man against Paige and Azzi and a three person zone, and Christyn was getting the open shots out of that. Made some, missed some. Azzi and Paige got a lot of Mercer`s attention right off the bat.

UConn took advantage of its size on the boards especially. Mercer did not get any meaningful offense inside.

We had some great spurts, especially in the third, and also some lulls. The "thread the needle" passes don`t work very well, but not from lack of trying. The lulls seem to happen when everyone is looking to pass.

The refs were calling it very tight, especially on the perimeter. Nika would agree. It was annoying today but it might be welcome Monday assuming we end up playing UCF.

The second quarter felt like it would never end. Fouls, timeouts, an unfortunate injury, etc.

Nika is like a shot of red bull to the team when she gets out there. Defensive intensity, but also pushing the ball upcourt even when there is not a fast break. That leads to a lot of open shots. We don`t push as hard when she is not in.

Sorry that the Mercer player was injured. We seem to have got through it ok. It looked like Caroline got whacked in the head once (uh oh) but she stayed in so that`s good. Nika took a hit to the face on a drive, looked to be her left jaw area, she was down for a moment or two and was rubbing it on the bench, but came back in and appears to be ok. Aaliyah and another player collided rather loudly, and Aaliyah was called for a foul, that was potentially scary but everyone seems ok.

Mercer was overmatched, especially with their star going down, but they did not play scared and they can hold their heads high.

The empty seats you are talking about are almost all reserved for students. They should be full on Monday.

 

[Boreifs]

Regarding Caroline's 3-point shot, I like it better off the pass than off the dribble. I also think I like it from the corner more than elsewhere.

My major complaint about today's game was that we gave the ball to some of our poorer shooters to take too many shots. When Azzi and Paige are on the floor, they should be the primary options unless it's a layup.

Wouldn’t who the defense is keying on have something to do with that?

 

[eebmg]

You never want to see a team celebrate before the game is decided. But the smiles on the faces of the Princeton players is so inspiring.

Especially their Sophomore guard Chen. Like Azzi's smile. Maybe one day, some one will collect the most smiley players.

 

[BlueSkyGLW]

I don't agree where the disagreement lies for most (not all) pertaining to the underlined.

IMO there is a misguided expectation of perfection from college kids.

1-- The team is going to miss bunnies. Because they can't dunk and don't have real power other than Edwards, they are going to miss bunnies.
2-- The team is going to miss free throws. They aren't a pro team and unless Paige or Azzi is consistently at the line, which they aren't, they will miss free throws. Pro teams miss free throws.
3-- Because they are playing against an overmatched opponent, they are going to push pace. You get better by trying to do things. And in some games some non-pro teams trying to play at a fast pace will commit turnovers.
4-- The other teams have scholarship players too.
5-- Many teams have capable coaches too.

Personally, I am well aware of this fact: no team is perfect - not even the pros, especially a team that is just getting whole again with limited time to play together. Unlike the implication of your statement, these bunch of college kids aspire for perfection instead of settle, even if they are aware it may not be achievable. After all, the only amateur team that comes to mind who played perfectly to their capabilities in facing a heavily favored opponent was Team USA in Lake Placid against the Soviets.

But this particular team of amateurs do not let that obstacle to perfection discourage or stop them. They strive to do it everyday even when they often fail, hence the unmatched record of Six Perfect seasons.

The question to you is: when they fall short of their goals in any game, do we say "that's fine, you won, never mind the rest" or do we think along with them in voicing their mantra in this program: "we strive to play perfectly" and articulate what they themselves are thinking post-game: the things they could improve upon.

I say that if there is a Force that connects us with them, we should reinforce their wishes and in articulating what might be done to inch towards perfection, help strengthen their resolve instead of happily settling for less.

Mind you, I personally wouldn't be taking this viewpoint IF this team does not have this mantra: the desire to be perfect without being burdened by little failures along the way.

 

[Carnac]

OK, now we’ve got UCF, what do we do with them?

 

[MD#12Fan]

Who would she replace? It’s fine to opine she should start, but please complete the picture.

Thanks for critiquing the manner in which I posed this idea. This is a blog, that hopefully encourages thoughtful banter. Do I need to spell it out. One big- they all give UConn something different. Going small means PB, , CW, and NM. BTW they're all good rebounders.
Anyway, BE tournament, the team got off to good starts, especially defensively. Nika leads the way defensively, she rebounds, she pushes the ball effectively, and she runs the team. I can't believe I'm saying this, but I'd vote for bringing PB in as the 6th man. I just like that grittiness at the start of the game. Like Jeff Daniels in episode 1 of Newsroom, "Is that enough for you?"

 

[jaydee602]

Especially their Sophomore guard Chen. Like Azzi's smile. Maybe one day, some one will collect the most smiley players.

Yeah, she was going to the foul line to shoot the biggest free throws of her career. But she is smiling from ear to ear like she was going to the prom. LOL...she even smiled at the ref. Oh, she sunk both free throws, nothing but net.

 

[Cornell Lt]

OK, now we’ve got UCF, what do we do with them?

Stomp on them early and never let up

 

[eebmg]

OK, now we’ve got UCF, what do we do with them?

We better get some easy baskets in transition and focus on keeping Battle in check

 

[Carnac]

Stomp on them early and never let up

I can roll with that.

 

[eebmg]

Yeah, she was going to the foul line to shoot the biggest free throws of her career. But she is smiling from ear to ear like she was going to the prom. LOL...she even smiled at the ref. Oh, she sunk both free throws, nothing but net.

As a sophomore who's Freshman season was cancelled, it has to be so thrilling