Moving forward

[Tonyc]

We've been waiting a long time to get healthy and we need to stay healthy. We still need our injured to get up to speed which I believe will happen before March. Having Azzi and Griff back brings us the experience we lacked last season and we went to the FF. Griff back is huge. Azzi getting back to the Azzi we knew is huge. With Griff back our rebounding and defense will be at another level. The combo of KK and Griff keying on opponents top scorers will make their life difficult. Azzi is the final piece of the puzzle in our Big 3. Now we need more scorers.

Our Big 3 put on a show against Seton Hall. We saw what they are capable of. Against top teams we need to get them their shots. The Big 3 will be keyed on making it difficult for them to get their shot. It will be difficult for defenses to stop all 3 in every possession. So I expect Geno will run plays to get them open. Lets face it our Big 3 are more than a handful.

In the past few seasons defenses were able to slow UConn's offense down. This time it won't only be one great shooter that defenses need to stop it will be 3 and that means no double teaming her or cheating on defense to stop her. We now have 3 elite scorers but I think we need more. This is why I believe we need 5 scorers. Having more scorers who can step up in big games without hesitation, and with poise and take their shot will take a lot of pressure off our Big 3 and in big games that will put more pressure on opponents to defend them too. I believe our defense will make it difficult for opponents to score.

Jana and Ice are gonna be key in big games. We've seen their development over the past couple of games. We are gonna need them to continue to improve and play with confidence and not be intimidated. CD has been working hard with them and its beginning to show. We saw in the 4th qtr of the Seton Hall game with our Big 3 on the bench our team looking to pass and execute and I would like to see them look to create their own shot much like Allie did knocking down shots in the tune of 9 pts. Allie is instant offense. We need others to look for their shot and score.

Coming up we have @ Tenn and @ SC. Two big games on the road. A win @ SC will put UConn back on top of WCBB.

 

[MSGRET]

We've been waiting a long time to get healthy and we need to stay healthy. We still need our injured to get up to speed which I believe will happen before March. Having Azzi and Griff back brings us the experience we lacked last season and we went to the FF. Griff back is huge. Azzi getting back to the Azzi we knew is huge. With Griff back our rebounding and defense will be at another level. The combo of KK and Griff keying on opponents top scorers will make their life difficult. Azzi is the final piece of the puzzle in our Big 3. Now we need more scorers.

Our Big 3 put on a show against Seton Hall. We saw what they are capable of. Against top teams we need to get them their shots. The Big 3 will be keyed on making it difficult for them to get their shot. It will be difficult for defenses to stop all 3 in every possession. So I expect Geno will run plays to get them open. Lets face it our Big 3 are more than a handful.

In the past few seasons defenses were able to slow UConn's offense down. This time it won't only be one great shooter that defenses need to stop it will be 3 and that means no double teaming her or cheating on defense to stop her. We now have 3 elite scorers but I think we need more. This is why I believe we need 5 scorers. Having more scorers who can step up in big games without hesitation, and with poise and take their shot will take a lot of pressure off our Big 3 and in big games that will put more pressure on opponents to defend them too. I believe our defense will make it difficult for opponents to score.

Jana and Ice are gonna be key in big games. We've seen their development over the past couple of games. We are gonna need them to continue to improve and play with confidence and not be intimidated. CD has been working hard with them and its beginning to show. We saw in the 4th qtr of the Seton Hall game with our Big 3 on the bench our team looking to pass and execute and I would like to see them look to create their own shot much like Allie did knocking down shots in the tune of 9 pts. Allie is instant offense. We need others to look for their shot and score.

Coming up we have @ Tenn and @ SC. Two big games on the road. A win @ SC will put UConn back on top of WCBB.

I agree with most of what you say Tonyc, but a win against @SC will not put UConn back on top of WCBB even if they also beat TN. They only get back on top if UCLA, USC and ND go down as well.

 

[sun]

UCLA didn't look that great on national TV yesterday. against Baylor.
Betts looked good but the rest of the team seemed off.

And in the Texas game Maryland looked terrible.
They won't be ranked in the top 10 much longer.

UConn's fate depends on its poise & consistency.
Making good decisions & reducing mistakes could take them far.

 

[Bone Dog]

The formula is the same as it ever was, going back even to those summer days playing pickup games on the asphalt courts down at the park. If you can hit from distance they have to guard you close out there, and this allows you to blow past the defender for a drive. If you can’t hit from distance then you can’t create your own shot. You need help from a pass or a pic.

If all you can do is drive to the rim, the taller players can wait for you there and force you to make an awkward contested shot. But if you can pop up for a midrange jumper, then even the tall kids have to come away from the hoop to defend you and open layups become possible.

If you can do all of this and also pass off the dribble, then you become every defenders nightmare. The team becomes your offensive weapon. A top team has to have a few players who can do these things.

Currently UConn has 3 maybe 4 or 5 players who can do all these things — Paige Azzi Ash of course, but also Sarah (though she doesn’t need the pop up jumper to get an open layup and is probably the second best passer on the team), and Kaitlyn used to be able to do all these things and may remember them soon. KK and Morgan have the skills for most of these — KK lacks the consistent perimeter shot and her pop up jumper is rusty, Morgan has the perimeter shot but her pop up jumper and layup is still a bit shaky, but her passing is good. Aubrey doesn’t like to shoot 3s, though she can hit them, and her pop up jumper is not her best shot. She’s a straight slasher to the rim, as is Q. And Allie can hit the 3 (yikes, can she ever!) and she can drive to the rim and make contested layups, and she can pass off the dribble. But her midrange game seems less developed for this level.

This season, offense won’t be the problem. Geno has worked assiduously to get minutes for all our shooters and to develop the half court offense. Defense is going to be the question that will determine how far we go. It looks like the top 5+3 of the roster are clicking on defense. I have a feeling even the next 4 will have developed enough defensive intensity to get some minutes in an NC game. Now lets see if they can fight hard enough to get the team that far.

My dream isn’t just to win an NC. I also want to see Allie sink a few key 3 pointers in the effort, and Morgan get a couple of key steals and lead the fast break, and Q grapple for a few key rebounds and maybe hit a 3 or two in the final quarter. And I want to see Aubrey put on her cape and take over the game a couple of times. And Ash playing the toughest D ever and hitting 3s as needed. And KK and Kaitlyn being total menaces on defense and impossible to trap in a press. And of course Paige Azzi and Sarah playing as smooth as silk, passing and scoring like the other team isn’t even there.

OK. I got that out of my system. Now let’s just watch and see as Paige & Co fight their way to a title, out working, out hustling, out shooting every team they meet.

 

[ERWUC65]

We've been waiting a long time to get healthy and we need to stay healthy. We still need our injured to get up to speed which I believe will happen before March. Having Azzi and Griff back brings us the experience we lacked last season and we went to the FF. Griff back is huge. Azzi getting back to the Azzi we knew is huge. With Griff back our rebounding and defense will be at another level. The combo of KK and Griff keying on opponents top scorers will make their life difficult. Azzi is the final piece of the puzzle in our Big 3. Now we need more scorers.

Our Big 3 put on a show against Seton Hall. We saw what they are capable of. Against top teams we need to get them their shots. The Big 3 will be keyed on making it difficult for them to get their shot. It will be difficult for defenses to stop all 3 in every possession. So I expect Geno will run plays to get them open. Lets face it our Big 3 are more than a handful.

In the past few seasons defenses were able to slow UConn's offense down. This time it won't only be one great shooter that defenses need to stop it will be 3 and that means no double teaming her or cheating on defense to stop her. We now have 3 elite scorers but I think we need more. This is why I believe we need 5 scorers. Having more scorers who can step up in big games without hesitation, and with poise and take their shot will take a lot of pressure off our Big 3 and in big games that will put more pressure on opponents to defend them too. I believe our defense will make it difficult for opponents to score.

Jana and Ice are gonna be key in big games. We've seen their development over the past couple of games. We are gonna need them to continue to improve and play with confidence and not be intimidated. CD has been working hard with them and its beginning to show. We saw in the 4th qtr of the Seton Hall game with our Big 3 on the bench our team looking to pass and execute and I would like to see them look to create their own shot much like Allie did knocking down shots in the tune of 9 pts. Allie is instant offense. We need others to look for their shot and score.

Coming up we have @ Tenn and @ SC. Two big games on the road. A win @ SC will put UConn back on top of WCBB.

In my opinion, we have a 4th scorer in Ash and need to make some game adjustments to make her more productive on the offense. First I have noticed that while great on defense, she exerts a lot of energy and the switch back to offense often leaves her out of position on the wing. Most of the games where she has scored a lot were where the team was not pressing. All that plus helping her with her confidence and practicing those short jumpers and drive to the basket will prove a great return on investment come tournament time.

 

[Alydar]

I agree with most of what you say Tonyc, but a win against @SC will not put UConn back on top of WCBB even if they also beat TN. They only get back on top if UCLA, USC and ND go down as well.

Good point but it depends on the rankings you use. UConn is already ranked higher than all three of those teams in the NET and ahead of two of them on Massey. So do we trust the analytics or the media?
Knocking off SCar in their house would move UConn to No 1 in the media poll, not because they would be without doubt No 1 but because that game will likely draw one of the biggest audiences of the year and an upset would be almost as big as Clark/Iowa beating the Gamecocks in the FF. Before the win vs SCar. Clark had been doing her thing with some media coverage for 2.5 years. She became a star from that game. The media would ride the excitement of a UConn win right through to the FF.
The only important game to win is the last one UConn plays in any season.

 

[hookshot]

The formula is the same as it ever was, going back even to those summer days playing pickup games on the asphalt courts down at the park. If you can hit from distance they have to guard you close out there, and this allows you to blow past the defender for a drive. If you can’t hit from distance then you can’t create your own shot. You need help from a pass or a pic.

If all you can do is drive to the rim, the taller players can wait for you there and force you to make an awkward contested shot. But if you can pop up for a midrange jumper, then even the tall kids have to come away from the hoop to defend you and open layups become possible.

If you can do all of this and also pass off the dribble, then you become every defenders nightmare. The team becomes your offensive weapon. A top team has to have a few players who can do these things.

Currently UConn has 3 maybe 4 or 5 players who can do all these things — Paige Azzi Ash of course, but also Sarah (though she doesn’t need the pop up jumper to get an open layup and is probably the second best passer on the team), and Kaitlyn used to be able to do all these things and may remember them soon. KK and Morgan have the skills for most of these — KK lacks the consistent perimeter shot and her pop up jumper is rusty, Morgan has the perimeter shot but her pop up jumper and layup is still a bit shaky, but her passing is good. Aubrey doesn’t like to shoot 3s, though she can hit them, and her pop up jumper is not her best shot. She’s a straight slasher to the rim, as is Q. And Allie can hit the 3 (yikes, can she ever!) and she can drive to the rim and make contested layups, and she can pass off the dribble. But her midrange game seems less developed for this level.

This season, offense won’t be the problem. Geno has worked assiduously to get minutes for all our shooters and to develop the half court offense. Defense is going to be the question that will determine how far we go. It looks like the top 5+3 of the roster are clicking on defense. I have a feeling even the next 4 will have developed enough defensive intensity to get some minutes in an NC game. Now lets see if they can fight hard enough to get the team that far.

My dream isn’t just to win an NC. I also want to see Allie sink a few key 3 pointers in the effort, and Morgan get a couple of key steals and lead the fast break, and Q grapple for a few key rebounds and maybe hit a 3 or two in the final quarter. And I want to see Aubrey put on her cape and take over the game a couple of times. And Ash playing the toughest D ever and hitting 3s as needed. And KK and Kaitlyn being total menaces on defense and impossible to trap in a press. And of course Paige Azzi and Sarah playing as smooth as silk, passing and scoring like the other team isn’t even there.

OK. I got that out of my system. Now let’s just watch and see as Paige & Co fight their way to a title, out working, out hustling, out shooting every team they meet.

So you think Geno is going to play 12 in an NC game; good that you got that out of your system

 

[Bone Dog]

So you think Geno is going to play 12 in an NC game; good that you got that out of your system

I know, right. … But if he did, it would mean we were winning by a large margin.

 

[topogigio]

UCLA didn't look that great on national TV yesterday. against Baylor.
Betts looked good but the rest of the team seemed off.

And in the Texas game Maryland looked terrible.
They won't be ranked in the top 10 much longer.

UConn's fate depends on its poise & consistency.
Making good decisions & reducing mistakes could take them far.

Gotta' agree. UCLA looked meh at best. Other than the big girl, they didn't come close to impressing. Texas just out and out spanked the Terrapins silly, who looked lost the entire night!