Mikayla Coombs -- A hint

[husky32]

Pulled hamstring or calf is what Geno said...

UconnCat mentioned that Lexi was not dressed for the game.

 

[CocoHusky]

But what happened to Lexi Gordon? Didn't even get on the court in a blowout?
Ouch!!!

UconnCat mentioned that Lexi was not dressed for the game.

This is a picture of the team right before tip off. Lexi and Touly are in sweats and were not going to play.

 

[Fairfield Fan]

UconnCat mentioned that Lexi was not dressed for the game.

Sorry, I missed that. Injured? What did I miss?

 

[BobbyJ]

It absolutely is the time. Test her against a tough opponent. Win or lose, this game will tell both teams what they need to improve on for March. Development of players for March should be MUCH more important to everyone here than an early season win. UConn best Notre Dame last year during the regular season and then lost to them in the tournament. I’d rather take that regular season loss than play my starters for 40 minutes and hope they don’t get injured.

While I don't disagree with your points, I have to say that IMO it's not going to happen. Auriemma will not sacrifice a game for a few minutes of development. Especially against ND. He just doesn't do it.

 

[meyers7]

It absolutely is the time. Test her against a tough opponent. Win or lose, this game will tell both teams what they need to improve on for March. Development of players for March should be MUCH more important to everyone here than an early season win. UConn best Notre Dame last year during the regular season and then lost to them in the tournament. I’d rather take that regular season loss than play my starters for 40 minutes and hope they don’t get injured.

Gotta be careful with throwing players in the deep end. Sink or swim. Sometimes they sink. And then it can very difficult to get them back into the pool. Could ruin any confidence that has been built up. That's what the coach has to figure out, how they will respond. Are they ready for the challenge? Are they ready/ok with failing?

 

[southofnorth]

A couple of false straw men here: 1) "Test her against a tougher opponent" yet she failed the test against a lesser opponent. Not a very good way to inspire confidence.
2) "Development more important than early season win" If win not than important let's find a test/game we know she can pass. How did she play against St. Johns?

Not straw men, simply statements.
1) This thread is about her play. Okay, why not test her play against a better opponent to see if she can be a reliable bench player? If not, then we’ll stick with the starters forever.
2) Wins are important to get you into the tournament, but UConn should win the majority of its games and win the AAC championship so enough about regular season OOC wins-losses. I would’ve played her even in the St. John’s game and if we lost because she sucked and it was all her fault, great. Then never play her again.

Practice does not imitate real game situations. Practice alone cannot allow someone to gain experience. If she’s making mistakes in practice then I get not trusting her, but obviously he saw something in her when he recruited her and relegating her to the bench hasn’t helped her improve, so why not try something different?

 

[southofnorth]

While I don't disagree with your points, I have to say that IMO it's not going to happen. Auriemma will not sacrifice a game for a few minutes of development. Especially against ND. He just doesn't do it.

I agree with you. My post is more about wishful thinking than what will happen. But of the bench isn’t getting better by being on the bench, something needs to change.

 

[southofnorth]

Gotta be careful with throwing players in the deep end. Sink or swim. Sometimes they sink. And then it can very difficult to get them back into the pool. Could ruin any confidence that has been built up. That's what the coach has to figure out, how they will respond. Are they ready for the challenge? Are they ready/ok with failing?

I agree with you, but if her confidence would be ruined that quickly then it was false to begin with. One of the things Geno said before the 2016-17 season, “I want to go into March feeling like we put ourselves through a lot of tests. We're going to pass some and we're going to fail some. How do you get tough? Sometimes you have to fail.”

 

[CocoHusky]

Q1: Okay, why not test her play against a better opponent to see if she can be a reliable bench player?
Q2: Practice does not imitate real game situations. Practice alone cannot allow someone to gain experience. If she’s making mistakes in practice then I get not trusting her, but obviously he saw something in her when he recruited her and relegating her to the bench hasn’t helped her improve, so why not try something different?

A1: I'll use Geno's words paraphrased: " When someone keeps failing their drivers test you don't suddenly give them the keys and say, here go down to Hartford and get me a Grinder. Then hope everything turns out OK."

Mikayla keeps failing in that she has not show the ability to positively impact the game or not adversely effect the other starters. This doesn't mean you give up on her means you learn to swim in the shallow end of the pool first. ND game is about as deep as the pool gets.
A2: Several different things have already been tried by the staff. She has been the first off the bench in a game playing with 4 starters. She has played on the ball as the backup PG. She has played off the ball at the wing and SG. She has been given three different defensive assignments, top of the zone in a 1 2 2 , top of the diamond press, & primary on ball defender in man to man. The offense stalls when she's in the game because she is reluctant to take the wing or corner three. It may come as a surprise to you that Molly Bent has actually played better defensively and offensively this year that Mikayla has.

 

[DefenseBB]

As we all know, Geno and the staff are the ultimate arbiters of playing time. The betting odds are that MC will not see significant playing time despite many of our observations (very limited I might add) that she is looking better. Batouly played in critical moments against St.John's and we all thought, great, she's earned playing time and yet did not appear in the Purdue game until late. The same can now be applied to MC vs. DePaul last night (though not in critical minutes). ND is also thin in the depth department and I will take MC over the Abby Prohaska and Katlyn Gilbert who are the 6th/7th players off the bench.

Hopefully Mikayla will earn time by working hard in the practices and Geno and staff can feel confident enough to put her in for brief periods of time. If not, I hope he uses his timeouts more frequently to keep the top 6 players legs fresh.

 

[Longtime fan]

But what happened to Lexi Gordon? Didn't even get on the court in a blowout?

Ouch!!!

I just read that Lexi is battling a hamstring, and did not practice or dress for the game. I know, we all saw her on the bench in what looked like " warm-ups." But she was not able to play. Otherwise, I think coach would have given her a few moments at the end. I would still love to see her " blossom." She seems a lovely young woman, as do all the huskies. And she has to have an upside. I think we are all a bit shocked that we haven't seen any of that.

 

[Longtime fan]

I agree. I also think Mikayla is one of UConn’s best defensive players. On the HS highlight videos I’ve seen she knocks down a number of 3-pt shots with that funky release of hers, but we’ve yet to see it at UConn.

I don't think the " funky " release is correctable, and she won't get the time or space to convert it at this level. Maybe she can bury a 8-10 foot jump shot. We know she can drive to the hoop. But she can be left unguarded beyond the arc, and that is a limitation. She can still help a lot. But her three point shot is unmakeable in division I basketball. Sadly, my original prediction ( after seeing her launch a " three" last season) still holds; she will never make a three at UCONN.

 

[Bama fan]

But what happened to Lexi Gordon? Didn't even get on the court in a blowout?

Ouch!!!

She is dealing with some type of leg injury. hamstring or calf strain. I really hope she can become a useful player, but she seems never to be ready. It is a shame.

 

[oldude]

I don't think the " funky " release is correctable, and she won't get the time or space to convert it at this level. Maybe she can bury a 8-10 foot jump shot. We know she can drive to the hoop. But she can be left unguarded beyond the arc, and that is a limitation. She can still help a lot. But her three point shot is unmakeable in division I basketball. Sadly, my original prediction ( after seeing her launch a " three" last season) still holds; she will never make a three at UCONN.

I hate to break it to you, but your original prediction is incorrect. Mikayla did make a 3 last season. Unfortunately, it was the only 3 she made out of 11 attempts.

 

[OneTrickPony]

Underclassmen need time, space, and loving care...

 

[southofnorth]

A1: I'll use Geno's words paraphrased: " When someone keeps failing their drivers test you don't suddenly give them the keys and say, here go down to Hartford and get me a Grinder. Then hope everything turns out OK."

Mikayla keeps failing in that she has not show the ability to positively impact the game or not adversely effect the other starters. This doesn't mean you give up on her means you learn to swim in the shallow end of the pool first. ND game is about as deep as the pool gets.
A2: Several different things have already been tried by the staff. She has been the first off the bench in a game playing with 4 starters. She has played on the ball as the backup PG. She has played off the ball at the wing and SG. She has been given three different defensive assignments, top of the zone in a 1 2 2 , top of the diamond press, & primary on ball defender in man to man. The offense stalls when she's in the game because she is reluctant to take the wing or corner three. It may come as a surprise to you that Molly Bent has actually played better defensively and offensively this year that Mikayla has.

1) I’ll also also use Geno’s words verbatim: “I want to go into March feeling like we put ourselves through a lot of tests. We're going to pass some and we're going to fail some. How do you get tough? Sometimes you have to fail.” My issue is that if she’s unwilling to do things like take a corner three or make certain passes, is it because she’s incapable or worried about getting yanked anytime she makes a mistake even though the starters could throw the ball into the stands every possession and stay in? She doesn’t need to be CD or Lou or anyone else. She just needs to be able to give those players a break so they don’t get run down. If she can play decent defense and handle the ball decently, she should get minutes.

2) It stalls when anyone other than the starts are in the game. Kyla might be the only one where the offense still runs a bit. Does that mean that the starters should play all 40 minutes?

 

[UConn82]

We are really thin. Period. Very likely, we will be really think all year. That's the world we live in, to quote Geno from another context.

We can't make ONO something she is not, yet. It is what it is.

Geno will use the subs a lot in the conference games against all these weak teams.

But, when it counts, late in March, the starting five know they will play long minutes. I hope we play one more game than we did last year.

All I want this year is to win the last game. That is all.

 

[HopJim]

She has a very quick first step and seems more comfortable driving to the basket. If she can develop a pull up jumper, or a jump shot from the free throw line, she could be solid.

Never seen a college player develop a jump shot this late in their career.

 

[HopJim]

Gotta be careful with throwing players in the deep end. Sink or swim. Sometimes they sink. And then it can very difficult to get them back into the pool. Could ruin any confidence that has been built up. That's what the coach has to figure out, how they will respond. Are they ready for the challenge? Are they ready/ok with failing?

Playing against the UConn first team and men's practice players means Geno gets to see how players perform against top competition. As Geno has mentioned many times before, if they can't show skills in multiple practices, unlikely they will in games.

 

[Longtime fan]

I hate to break it to you, but your original prediction is incorrect. Mikayla did make a 3 last season. Unfortunately, it was the only 3 she made out of 11 attempts.

Had to be an administrative error. Okay, she will only make one in her career. Is there a difference? The point is; she has a shot which makes it impossible for her eyes to line up with the ball, her hand release and the basket. If anyone throws enough balls at the basket from the three point line, one will eventually go in. I would love to be completely wrong about her. But whenever I see her launch a three ( which is rare ) my brain is automatically saying; " that shot has no prayer of going in." I am not alone.

 

[Shorty Dee]

I think Mikayla is a special player. She is very Athletic and speedy. Mikayla lacks confidence, but with more playing time she will gain it. I have seen her shoot and make 3's, but she is more explosive going to the basket.

 

[eebmg]

Underclassmen need time, space, and loving care...

I am guessing this only applies to 'Post' players.

 

[OneTrickPony]

I am guessing this only applies to 'Post' players.

Especially...

 

[Longtime fan]

1) I’ll also also use Geno’s words verbatim: “I want to go into March feeling like we put ourselves through a lot of tests. We're going to pass some and we're going to fail some. How do you get tough? Sometimes you have to fail.” My issue is that if she’s unwilling to do things like take a corner three or make certain passes, is it because she’s incapable or worried about getting yanked anytime she makes a mistake even though the starters could throw the ball into the stands every possession and stay in? She doesn’t need to be CD or Lou or anyone else. She just needs to be able to give those players a break so they don’t get run down. If she can play decent defense and handle the ball decently, she should get minutes.

2) It stalls when anyone other than the starts are in the game. Kyla might be the only one where the offense still runs a bit. Does that mean that the starters should play all 40 minutes?

In the NCAA tournament, Coach will do what he always does. The starters will play until the game is won. In the early rounds, there will be some bench use. At the moment, it looks as if Kyla, ONO and Mikayla will get the bulk of those minutes. But once the team reaches the elite eight, back-up players minutes get more scarce. Nothing will change. The only question is: " how fast and how high" can ONO and Mikayla develop?
The true wild card is ONO. Mikayla will have a role of providing a breather to various players. ONO could have a role of changing the course of the game. We shall see.

 

[ABCDFE]

In the NCAA tournament, Coach will do what he always does. The starters will play until the game is won. In the early rounds, there will be some bench use. At the moment, it looks as if Kyla, ONO and Mikayla will get the bulk of those minutes. But once the team reaches the elite eight, back-up players minutes get more scarce. Nothing will change. The only question is: " how fast and how high" can ONO and Mikayla develop?
The true wild card is ONO. Mikayla will have a role of providing a breather to various players. ONO could have a role of changing the course of the game. We shall see.

I agree. I do hope Touly can come back healthy as I think she can be a body inside and provide 4-6 points.