Natalie Butler

[BobbyJ]

I realize she can't play in there full time. I meant that right now she has no idea how to use her lower body for positioning in the paint. She gets moved too easily and could use the tutoring to take advantage of size match ups on offense and on defense, not to get exposed when UConn is using a smaller lineup. It's obvious that she never had to learn any post play in HS and it just seems like it would be a good chance to learn from Tuck before she's gone.

 

[hoophuskee]

If my advice mattered, which it doesn't, I would suggest to the UConn staff that they have Samuelson spend every possible bit of time between now and season's end having Tuck tutor her in every phase of post play. Both defense and offense. With confidence and serious drill work in there, she could supply a decent amount of Stewart's production next year. Certainly not replace her but at least assume some of Stewart's role at her position. Obviously, the best scenario would be Tuck returning to play with her and continue the education. But get Samuelson as much help now as possible. Tuck has a wealth of experience to pass along.

Who taught Tuck? Why can't the same people that taught Tuck teach KLS (ie the coaches)?

Why can't Tuck teach Butler so right now - so Butler would be playing more minutes if Tuck was the caching answer? Why can't she teach Gabby? What's Gabby doing playing pf and grabbing ten rebounds in the paint vs a USC team if she can't guard bigger players? Draymond Green from Golden State is what- 6'6? Why can't we play a zone or a gimmick defense vs a MD or USC? Last year in the finals who was that much smaller player that was guarding Stewie? I can't recall- but she did pretty good. Though it could be she had two bigs to help.

I don't know the answer vs top tier teams with lots of size or certain type of player next year either. However the team needs to score too while playing very good defense. If KLS gets into foul trouble, now we only have two three point shooters in Nurse and Chong. We don't know that Dangerfield is a three point shooter. She looks like she can score from 2. Chong's health going forward is questionable. So as reassuring some might say "they aren't worried about that" - ignoring the issue doesn't make it go away. You still have to score enough to win. If KLS gets into foul trouble playing inside, you have Nurse's 3pt shot as questionable, and Chong not being a very good defender plus in this scenario we we're forced to have KLS in the paint and if in this scenario she does get into foul trouble vs a good top-tier team, and we only have Chong as a very good three point shooter - teams play zone, we're in a bit of trouble, right?

Right now KLS is a very soft rebounder. Do you think in one year she can change? If she doesn't change, the rebounds her opponent gets not only puts her in jeopardy of foul trouble but puts her teammates in jeopardy too.

 

[hoophuskee]

Coach----you were right on--like you just saw the game (which you didn't) . Natalie is a good ball player---she can't jump, is a wide body, can shoot well from the foul line, and closer in, not a good defender of size players. Her limitation are not small. Can she do better?? I hope.
A month ago after the MD game NAN took me to task for hoping Butler would get in the game --to which I replied with lots of "crazy facts" and to sum it up NAN was right.
You are RIGHT too Geno does not trust her in big games. Chong isn't up to speed for big fast games.
Collier nor Gabby cannot replace Tuck neither can defend truly bigs (Wilson and her cell mate), nor Jones from MD, and Uconn (at this time ) has no one coming in to fill that void. Wilson attacked and scored (rather) easily on Stewie--who will defend Wilson and Turner next year? Not Natalie, at least not the Nat we have seen so far.

Katie Lou in my (now more humbled opinion(NAN) has the greatest potential, talent, skills, athletism to fill Stewies void--and hopefully will break out of her cocoon prior to the NCAA's.

Only in terms of being a top scorer. Not defensively. And if Wilson scored as easily as you said - then they wouldn't have been down by 11 points when she left. It was hard for USC to run an offense and a bit of that has to do with Stewie denying the ball. SO it wasn't easy for Wilson to get the ball in positions to score. And I would have been interested to see if Wilson didn't get hurt if she could have sustained hitting jump shots. If she misses two in a row, is she still confident taking those shots vs Stewie?

 

[reno tony]

It seems to me that Natalie's soft hands are a rebounding problem. It appears that she gets the ball knocked out of her hands quite a bit in the paint. Probably a result from the thumb surgery and maybe another year in the gym will give her hands like most of the UCONN team. I also noticed that when she rebounds inside she doesn't go up with a shot that often, she seems to pass the ball out a lot. I guess when you play around guys like Stewie, Morgan, Kia and Gabby it stands out more. I would love to see the sophomore jump like Dolson had when she did her Zoomba classes during the summer.

 

[JordyG]

One issue next year is when Butler does sit, who replaces her in the post? KLS is not a full fledged post, but unless Irwin hits the weight room like a fiend this summer Katie is going to see some minutes there. She'll absolutely need to improve her strength and footwork to be effective both offensively and defensively. UCONN is real lucky Butler fell into their lap. Of course this point is moot if Morgan returns. But I think most of us feel that's unlikely.

 

[Bgillon]

Only in terms of being a top scorer. Not defensively. And if Wilson scored as easily as you said - then they wouldn't have been down by 11 points when she left. It was hard for USC to run an offense and a bit of that has to do with Stewie denying the ball. SO it wasn't easy for Wilson to get the ball in positions to score. And I would have been interested to see if Wilson didn't get hurt if she could have sustained hitting jump shots. If she misses two in a row, is she still confident taking those shots vs Stewie?

They were down by 15 when Wilson left.

 

[hoophuskee]

They were down by 15 when Wilson left.

Okay- 15. SO her offense wasn't much of an impact or she couldn't get the ball in very many positions to score.

 

[EricLA]

One issue next year is when Butler does sit, who replaces her in the post? KLS is not a full fledged post, but unless Irwin hits the weight room like a fiend this summer Katie is going to see some minutes there. She'll absolutely need to improve her strength and footwork to be effective both offensively and defensively. UCONN is real lucky Butler fell into their lap. Of course this point is moot if Morgan returns. But I think most of us feel that's unlikely.

Collier is undersized, but has a longer reach than most at her height. I think she sees time too. And of course, Tuck if she comes back.

 

[hoophuskee]

One issue next year is when Butler does sit, who replaces her in the post? KLS is not a full fledged post, but unless Irwin hits the weight room like a fiend this summer Katie is going to see some minutes there. She'll absolutely need to improve her strength and footwork to be effective both offensively and defensively. UCONN is real lucky Butler fell into their lap. Of course this point is moot if Morgan returns. But I think most of us feel that's unlikely.

Maybe she will - but vs what teams? Many of the teams we will annihilate in our weak conference and others don't have centers that can impact the game. So how many games are we talking about that this is such a huge concern? Maybe vs some of the teams we can play zone too? Or a gimmick defense like a box and one? And there is more to guard centers than just height. You need bulk. What does KLS have in terms of bulk? Plus she'll be our top scorer next year Do we want her pinned in the paint, having to guard much stronger players and picking up cheap fouls? This drives our top scorer tot he bench.

What she needs mostly is to knock down three's. That is 1st and foremost.

In one year as a finesse player she is suddenly going to turn into a serviceable post defender? What about the pressure she is going to cause her teammates if she gets outmuscled in the paint for offensive rebounds. She'll put them at more risk of fouling hen it comes to rebounding. Right now she is a bad defensive rebounder. That won't change in one year. Gabby got ten rebounds vs SC. Collier is rebounding magnet.

 

[JordyG]

Maybe she will - but vs what teams? Many of the teams we will annihilate in our weak conference and others don't have centers that can impact the game. So how many games are we talking about that this is such a huge concern? Maybe vs some of the teams we can play zone too? Or a gimmick defense like a box and one? And there is more to guard centers than just height. You need bulk. What does KLS have in terms of bulk? Plus she'll be our top scorer next year Do we want her pinned in the paint, having to guard much stronger players and picking up cheap fouls? This drives our top scorer tot he bench.

What she needs mostly is to knock down three's. That is 1st and foremost.

In one year as a finesse player she is suddenly going to turn into a serviceable post defender? What about the pressure she is going to cause her teammates if she gets outmuscled in the paint for offensive rebounds. She'll put them at more risk of fouling hen it comes to rebounding. Right now she is a bad defensive rebounder. That won't change in one year. Gabby got ten rebounds vs SC. Collier is rebounding magnet.

Not the issue. Odds are Butler won't play 40 mins. Therefore what? Collier clearly is a choice but the team will need a third option. KLS will either then see post minutes and/or move over to take Colliers place when Butler sits. Gabby is fine up front, but jumping ability (and good positional play) or not asking her to be a post is a bit much. KLS will see minutes down low and improvement in that area is necessary. Unless we forget the same things you've just said were said about Stewie when she hit these shores. We all know how that turned out.

 

[hoophuskee]

Not the issue. Odds are Butler won't play 40 mins. Therefore what? Collier clearly is a choice but the team will need a third option. KLS will either then see post minutes and/or move over to take Colliers place when Butler sits. Gabby is fine up front, but jumping ability (and good positional play) or not asking her to be a post is a bit much. KLS will see minutes down low and improvement in that area is necessary. Unless we forget the same things you've just said were said about Stewie when she hit these shores. We all know how that turned out.

Butler doesn't play 40 minutes but between Butler, Gabby and Collier (and Irwin when games are comfortable) what is the issue of them playing the 4/5 positions (ofc Butler is the center)? VS every AAC team for example, Butler plays at worst 25, -- and then Collier and Gabby play 25 and Irwin plays 5. Maybe Irwin plays more than 5 in AAC. She plays closer to ten in AAC. So I don't see the big deal for most of our games. Collier or Gabby can guard anything in the AAC in the paint, can't they? SO then the other is the pf.

And when we play ND next year - they don't have Reimer, what are they attacking at us with at the pf? Turner will be their center.

When MD takes out Jones, what do they have as a backup? Are they also huge and very talented at the pf spot too? I don't know.

I don't understand what you are saying about Stewie. What do you mean? Are you suggesting that I said 4 years ago Stewie can't play pf or center? Or are you suggesting that because Stewie can so easily play post now, that KLS should learn to do the same? If so I couldn't disagree more. Even the attached you tube - Geno is is saying he wants her to be more like Sveta than Stewie.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wci9Ok_w4u8



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DZ3Un7HSLqk
This one he said earlier in season:

“I don’t worry about the shots she is missing right now. I would worry if she didn’t get shots. That would worry me more.”

So what you are proposing is to take a shooter that had KML shooting potential and you want to pin her down in the paint where she can possibly get cheap fouls - and maybe pin her inside on offense too if the other three players are guards, or if you don't have enough shooting outside then they sag (thus it would be harder to get her shots. Just what Geno doesn't want.), and you don't want her to play to her strength? This isn't Stewart as a frosh. KLS is a very good passer and very good ball-handler. Stewart wasn't as a frosh. Plus Stewie has two more inches plus much longer arms. It might not seem like much but Stewie's arm's are freakish plus she is a better jumper. Notice how many high passes Stewie gets (even when she isn't really open) and able to finish in one motion. Stewie and KLS are not the same frosh vs frosh other than they are tall. We always can't agree with Geno but in this case I agree with him. KLS needs to be more like Sveta. Pinning her down inside is not a favorable answer. Maybe a few minutes but it's not like that needs to be her number 1 priority. Though she does need to get much tougher. Next year this team needs her to score. Best way for her to do it- easiest way- is for her to knock down her 3's. Then she'll be too tall for wings, and too crafty for nearly all bigs and it won't be as hard to get her the ball in favorable positions to score as a wing with her size.

 

[Bgillon]

Okay- 15. SO her offense wasn't much of an impact or she couldn't get the ball in very many positions to score.

I didn't mean to contract your point. I thought I was supporting you because we had doubled up SC when Wilson was in the lineup, 30 - 15.

 

[CocoHusky]

Who taught Tuck? Why can't the same people that taught Tuck teach KLS (ie the coaches)?

Morgan came to UCONN with a fairly advance set of post moves that was taught to her by her father. The UCONN coaches certainly improved on those post moves but the HS, teen age, AAU and USA basketball Morgan was the best I have ever seen at that age.

 

[Kibitzer]

Jeez, I almost forgot. UConn @ Temple, noon tomorrow, SNY.

 

[hoophuskee]

I didn't mean to contract your point. I thought I was supporting you because we had doubled up SC when Wilson was in the lineup, 30 - 15.

I didn't feel you were or weren't. Usually I just come out and say "I disagree."

 

[hoophuskee]

Morgan came to UCONN with a fairly advance set of post moves that was taught to her by her father. The UCONN coaches certainly improved on those post moves but the HS, teen age, AAU and USA basketball Morgan was the best I have ever seen at that age.

Okay. I don't think we are arguing or disagreeing - I was just trying to make a point to the other poster. .

Wouldn't you say the coaches have helped her a lot with her inside game? Who would you think would be a better coach that has helped Morgan Tuck on her post moves and going forward helping all other players not named Morgan Tuck? -

Tuck, her father, or UCONN's coaching staff?

 

[CocoHusky]

Okay. I don't think we are arguing or disagreeing - I was just trying to make a point to the other poster. .

Wouldn't you say the coaches have helped her a lot with her inside game? Who would you think would be a better coach that has helped Morgan Tuck on her post moves and going forward helping all other players not named Morgan Tuck? -

Tuck, her father, or UCONN's coaching staff?

Marisa Moseley.

 

[Fiftyish]

Jeez, I almost forgot. UConn @ Temple, noon tomorrow, SNY.

At least you finally remembered. I rushed home thinking the game was today......

 

[Monte]

I am a Nat fan too. But she plays so flat-footed. This is not unusual for a big just out of high school. But it seems a little odd that in her third year at the college level this bad habit hasn't been adjusted out by her coaches yet. As Stewie proves with every game, a big with long arms who can elevate will get rebounds that others won't. Natalie has major BB assets, but she needs to use them all, and more often. Jump, Nat... JUMP! You can be great.

I agree with you 100%. I just don't see why someone with a bad thumb cannot run, and sprint to get into better shape. Maybe she did, I just don't know.

 

[Dougie]

I am a Nat fan too. But she plays so flat-footed. This is not unusual for a big just out of high school. But it seems a little odd that in her third year at the college level this bad habit hasn't been adjusted out by her coaches yet. As Stewie proves with every game, a big with long arms who can elevate will get rebounds that others won't. Natalie has major BB assets, but she needs to use them all, and more often. Jump, Nat... JUMP! You can be great.

Good post. But as a former high school player who had very limited jumping ability in spite of playing and practicing all the time, I tend to believe that the ability to jump high is more of a God given talent. I can always remember the guys with the super skinny legs who could jump over me. LOL.

Yes you can improve your vertical jump but I'm not sure by how much. So what to do? One thing for a very big player is to streamline their body somewhat so that theyre moving less mass into the air. Also, I'm sure that the coaches are continually working with Natalie on technique. You can be a great rebounder without being a great leaper. Boxing out, using your ass(ets) to their fullest, and court awareness can often trump (God, I hate that word) jumping ability. And as we know, on the defensive end the coaches will often stress the idea of not jumping so as not to pick up fouls.

 

[ben friend]

Natalie reminds me of Liz Sherwood. Definitely needs some work handling the ball.

 

[Blueballer]

Natalie reminds me of Liz Sherwood. Definitely needs some work handling the ball.

She's light years ahead of Liz Sherwood. They let them play today, hard for everybody to hang onto the ball from what I could see.

 

[Mdoggie]

Speaking of transfers, I am sure many were surprised when Butler left the Hoyas for the huskies. I had not heard of her prior. Any word out there on other possible freshmen transfers headed to Storrs?

 

[Buzzyboy]

Who taught Tuck? Why can't the same people that taught Tuck teach KLS (ie the coaches)?

Why can't Tuck teach Butler so right now - so Butler would be playing more minutes if Tuck was the caching answer? Why can't she teach Gabby? What's Gabby doing playing pf and grabbing ten rebounds in the paint vs a USC team if she can't guard bigger players? Draymond Green from Golden State is what- 6'6? Why can't we play a zone or a gimmick defense vs a MD or USC? Last year in the finals who was that much smaller player that was guarding Stewie? I can't recall- but she did pretty good. Though it could be she had two bigs to help.

I don't know the answer vs top tier teams with lots of size or certain type of player next year either. However the team needs to score too while playing very good defense. If KLS gets into foul trouble, now we only have two three point shooters in Nurse and Chong. We don't know that Dangerfield is a three point shooter. She looks like she can score from 2. Chong's health going forward is questionable. So as reassuring some might say "they aren't worried about that" - ignoring the issue doesn't make it go away. You still have to score enough to win. If KLS gets into foul trouble playing inside, you have Nurse's 3pt shot as questionable, and Chong not being a very good defender plus in this scenario we we're forced to have KLS in the paint and if in this scenario she does get into foul trouble vs a good top-tier team, and we only have Chong as a very good three point shooter - teams play zone, we're in a bit of trouble, right?

Right now KLS is a very soft rebounder. Do you think in one year she can change? If she doesn't change, the rebounds her opponent gets not only puts her in jeopardy of foul trouble but puts her teammates in jeopardy too.

Chong is not a "very good three point shooter", she is a decent three point shooter at best! Were she a very good three point shooter she would be playing a lot more than she is because she would be able to compensate a bit for her less than stellar defense.