Mercer Postgame Thread

[The deacon]

Very impressive stats for sure--but when my eye test aligns with what Geno is saying, well that's pretty compelling data for me...

For me, too, tchalla1. That's why I'd not even written about it 'til now.

 

[TeamFirst!]

70% of the board evaluates Nika with their brain left in the back seat of their car.

 

[tchalla1]

70% of the board evaluates Nika with their brain left in the back seat of their car.

I guess Geno does too, TeamFirst...

 

[Carnac]

Show up with the football pads on.

.......and a mouthpiece. Don't forget the mouthpiece.

 

[Monte]

I like it when the final score is symmetrical (not sure this is even the correct word): 83 38.

Reversible

 

[TeamFirst!]

I guess Geno does too, TeamFirst...

As in she didn't start today right? Confirming your position. Why is it so hard to see that Geno is "MOTIVATING" all the players. Remember at the beginning of the year when Nika was 9th on the depth chart? That is where she will end up as well. Nika's a great person, a solid defender, would be a starter on almost any college team but should she get more PT than Azzi? No. Paige? No. Caroline? No. Evina? No. CW? No. She's our 6th best guard.

 

[HuskyNan]

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, Azzi Fudd, 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?"

Why so snarky? It wasn’t a rude question

 

[Stymie]

At the risk of being pummeled.
Dorka is our best big.
Hungry.
Fearless.
Stud on defense, out to the top of the key.
Played a great game today.

 

[quavik]

I like it when the final score is symmetrical (not sure this is even the correct word): 83 38.

When an alphanumeric (words, numbers...) string of characters reads the same beginning to end or end to beginning the string is said to be a palindrome. An impressive example is, "A man, a plan, a canal, Panama". So, maybe we can say the final score was "palindromic". LOL

 

[HuskyNan]

I like it when the final score is symmetrical (not sure this is even the correct word): 83 38.

Palindrome

 

[TeamFirst!]

I think AE starts over Dorka because Dorka is abetter replacement for Liv. Geno appears to be doing a great job of making sure every combination on the floor is well structured, for all 40 minutes.

 

[Boreifs]

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, Azzi Fudd, 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?"

Yes

 

[LoboDays]

You make some good points--I thought the offense was smoother when Nika was at the point. I was thinking that maybe it was just rust for Paige but the defense was much better as well.

The Paige we saw today is at 75% at best. But, I have no problem with her starting these games. She needs to play herself back to 85%. Nika gets better with every game. So, Geno has the luxury of giving her plenty of minutes. There was a stretch when they were both in the game allowing Paige to focus on getting open. I used to like Nika for her emotion and effort. Now, she is a valuable contributor on both ends of the court.

 

[Boreifs]

You make some good points--I thought the offense was smoother when Nika was at the point. I was thinking that maybe it was just rust for Paige but the defense was much better as well.

Last year, Nika was our best on ball defender and Paige was our best off the ball defender. The team looked the smoothest today when both of them were in the game.

 

[Centerstream]

When an alphanumeric (words, numbers...) string of characters reads the same beginning to end or end to beginning the string is said to be a palindrome. An impressive example is, "A man, a plan, a canal, Panama". So, maybe we can say the final score was "palindromic". LOL

Palindrome

Thanks. I knew there was an actual word for it.

 

[LoboDays]

I think AE starts over Dorka because Dorka is abetter replacement for Liv. Geno appears to be doing a great job of making sure every combination on the floor is well structured, for all 40 minutes.

In the last 4 games (maybe more) AE has had more minutes than either Liv or Dorka. Geno wants her out there. I wouldn’t be surprised if Dorka starts getting more minutes than Liv as the competition strengthens and points become critical.

 

[nastynatty]

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

I feel like the only solution if you wanna re-insert Nika into the starting lineup is going with 4 guards in a small lineup. I just don’t see Paige, Azzi, or Christyn coming in off the bench. I feel like it would likely mean Aaliyah comes off the bench & we start with Nika, Paige, Azzi, Christyn, and Liv.

 

[pvdoggy]

Not sure if this was posted. Really appreciate the Mercer coach.

I like her... a very positive person and sounds like a good coach.

 

[Bama fan]

I like it when the final score is symmetrical (not sure this is even the correct word): 83 38.

Palindromic???

 

[#12in21]

Geno is in "praise everyone mode". A player can score 3 points and she's a difference maker. He's doing a great job in getting every player on that team involved and optimized.

It's okay to say her name, Nika. His comment today in terms of how she changes the defensive intensity of the team is not the first time the words have passed his lips. He said it last year during the tournament and made a point of saying it again this season at least once in a presser. The Big East coaches 'said' it with their votes for DPOY. Hard to understand why some UCONN fans can't seem to acknowledge that she is a significant piece of a very talented team.

 

[HuskylnSC]

Caroline - same for her. 2-6 from 3 - just stop with the shooting. The team shot 45% from 3 and Christyn and Caroline were a combined 4-14

2 for 6 is fine. I want Caroline shooting a lot so she will regain that 4 for 6 stroke.

 

[hoophuskee]

About your kid.....if your kid wants to be perfect next time, you help him/her to achieve that goal. You don't nitpick.....you help.

What's wrong with a fan thinking along with these players and coaches on what they need to do next time? If you do, you understand the subtleties of the game better. A fan cheers wildly during the game regardless of the score or performance but on review, but that fan should be able think along with them on what they need to do as the games get harder.....it has nothing to do with being a coach.....it is enjoying the game at a different level.

The enjoyment of the game becomes way better than: they won, I am happy!

Your opinion of "enjoyment" is not close to mine. And I think in part it's why those that complain vs those that don’t probably go back and forth. I'll just say again that you’re not a UCONN coach but you are trying to act like one.

Secondly, I only help my valedictorian if they ask. I don't push it on them. So again I'll ask; would you nit-pick or would you say "Great Job?" As for Geno, he won't ask, right? We're not coaches. The point is, if the players and/or coaches aren't; expressing disappointment (Like they did in the Providence win as an example), then why are you interjecting yourself in the manner you are?

Third- what subtleties are you talking about? You mean for example when someone complains about the Free Throw shooting - that means they "understand the subtleties of the game" more than someone who doesn't complain? On the men's side years ago Donyell Marshall a terrific f/t shooter in the closing seconds vs BC in the NCAA Tourney missed not one but both free throws. He hits them, UCONN goes to the E8. So all the talk of saying "our FT shooting is fine with Donyell" what did it matter when it boiled down to that big game?

Let's get back to this thread this game- you have heard the phrase sometimes that when a player commits a foul that they say "That’s a good foul?" That’s a “subtelty,” right?

So when you speak of subtleties, how do you know for example several of the turnovers that Geno and the players think "That's a good turnover because we were aggressive" or other etc?

And how do you know that in terms of offensive efficiency in this particular game that they knew they were going to win anyway so it's okay that Dorka, Edwards and Liv take more shots than Fudd vs when they play a top team in order to try to gain additional confidence? The bigger the lead the less pressure to get the ball to Azzi for example, right? This is a subtlety too.

And how do you know that games going forward Paige won't be getting more and more shots so why criticize about the fg% in this game when the superstar is rounding more into form and will probably shoot more when the time is needed?

These are subtleties too. You and I don’t know them all though. We don’t know because we aren't "connected." So to pretend like you are a UCONN coach stretches things. The UCONN players didn't complain. The Staff didn't complain, yet because some posters want to see perfection, it should go unchallenged on here?

Personally, I am 100% okay with complaining to a degree. Or Nit-picking etc. As long as anyone complaining or nit-picking is okay with pushback too from those of us that don’t agree.

 

[hoophuskee]

I've read for so long about how the team's offense and defense is so much better with Nika on the court... why then, virtually every Huskies game, is Nika's +/- the lowest or nearly the lowest on the team?

I know some will say those numbers don't mean anything. Hmmm, today's +/- had Paige at +41 for nearly 25 minutes and Nika at +15 for nearly 21 minutes.

The next lowest were +18 for both Dorka and Caroline, who each played about 17 minutes. Everyone else except Piath and Amari were +24 or more.

I know this won't sit well with many here because Nika is beloved, but the numbers don't lie. The team just plays better, or at least mysteriously gets better results, when Nika is not on the court. I can't explain that either, because she does bring fire and brimstone to her efforts.

For those who might call today's numbers a fluke, check back to pretty much every game for the past month. I've been checking the +/- on the team website's stats PDF after each game and it regularly speaks to the point I'm making. For most games, it makes a jarringly stark case for why Nika should be the ninth player in the rotation, an inspirational teammate and valued backup to Paige, Evina or Azzi, et al. Nika's value is in firing up her teammates, yet that apparently is more so the case when she's cheering from the sideline.

Yes, I know what Geno says.

Shoot me down if you must, but please do so by making a logical case why those +/- numbers are so consistently off base. I expect a plethora of 'dislikes,' but I'd find it more instructive for those of you who disagree to explain the numbers. Thanks for listening.

You're comparing Nika to the former NPOY?

 

[#12in21]

70% of the board evaluates Nika with their brain left in the back seat of their car.

The other 30% either need glasses or have their eyes closed when she is on the court.