You’re basing that on points alone. She was soft at the post on offense settling for jumpers. Got pushed around on the boards. As a post she should should shoot double digit FT’s per game. Dropped and fumbled a couple of good passes by penetrating guards. And like all big games she got herself in foul trouble with stupid fouls. She is a senior she should not be playing like everyone else she should be dominating the game. She has gotten softer each year.
New starting lineup suggestion... (merged)
- Thread starter EricSD
- Start date
Poor Qadence is expected to be a 35 MPG All-American candidate now until the first game she goes 1-for-8 from 3, has 4 turnovers and misses a few assignments on defense and the board turns on her (which is going to happen).
Rewatching and I'm a bit less concerned. They actually started the game well , and outplayed them the first 12 minutes. Azzi did miss some open looks, and Ice had a tough stretch in the second quarter. But at least upon second watch they are not playing that bad. I do think they had some bad fouls. If Azzi is 3-7 instead of 1-7 from three I think her game looks a lot better. Frida Formann the sharp shooter from Colorado, had a very similar stat line as she was 1-8 from 3 yesterday and missed some great looks. Colorado was at home and won the game.
Also Caroline had a bad turnover and was slow to a rebound to start the 3rd but I don't think she was all that bad either. If this is a bad game for AE I'll take it. But as cliche as it sounds I do really think they struggled with the little things and it cost them the game. Bad fouling and poor rebounding is what sticks out.
Also Caroline had a bad turnover and was slow to a rebound to start the 3rd but I don't think she was all that bad either. If this is a bad game for AE I'll take it. But as cliche as it sounds I do really think they struggled with the little things and it cost them the game. Bad fouling and poor rebounding is what sticks out.
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Good to see Geno and I are on the same page! Sometime in the first half I thought... "Hmmm, I wonder how long it will take Geno to put what seems like the most talented group on the floor at the same time - Paige, Azzi, Aliyah, Cadence, and KK"
Not long at all, as it turns out. I think it was midway through the 3rd quarter.
The outcome was disappointing, but dang if that UConn on the jersey doesn't continue to inspire teams to ridiculous heights. Amazing how well NC State played.
There's a lot of improvement available to this team between the newcomers, including Ice, to getting both Paige and Azzi back to full speed after all the injuries. I definitely look forward to what that 5 can do together by the end of the year!!!
Not long at all, as it turns out. I think it was midway through the 3rd quarter.
The outcome was disappointing, but dang if that UConn on the jersey doesn't continue to inspire teams to ridiculous heights. Amazing how well NC State played.
There's a lot of improvement available to this team between the newcomers, including Ice, to getting both Paige and Azzi back to full speed after all the injuries. I definitely look forward to what that 5 can do together by the end of the year!!!
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Not certain Ducharme is ready to show up in big games. From my perspective, she seems to get lost.
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If there's one thing for certain, we NEED to make our open baskets. We had more than a couple wide open 3s in Q1 that we could not make. They would have put a dagger in the game when we were initially pulling away. I would say Azzi's greatest strength is making 3s more than anything else, so she needs to hit more of them. I get not everyone is KML, I'm just asking for better than 14%.
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I dont think anyone here is trashing Nika's performance. At this point, we know her strengths and limitations. The problem is figuring out the best 5 that complement each other for best team performance. This team is so guard-heavy and perimeter/jump-shooting reliant, that something has to change on offense to get some easy baskets inside. As for defense, that was a horrible effort yesterday, and I don't think anyone played particularly well. We got beat 1-on-1 on the perimeter. slow to switch or recover, etc. This might require a scheme change to a full-out zone.
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That's more than a bit exaggerated! I haven't read where anyone is suggesting that "Q" is expected to do anything but perform they way she has in the first two games ... shot the lights out from behind the arc!!! Something few, if any others, have been doing. But you are of course correct, the minute she goes 1 for 8, makes some turnovers, and blows a few defensive assignments, the heat will be on for a replacement. That's the way the cookie crumbles.
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I think you are probably correct with that statement. It would appear to me that Caroline is reluctant to get in there and mix it up. That's understandable based on all her previous problems with concussions and knocks on the head. She seems to be holding back and it's effecting everything she's doing or better stated isn't doing on the court including shooting 3s. She's not setting her feet, squaring her shoulders and shooting in rhythm. She's rushing the shot when there's no need to do so. She just needs to relax and let 'em fly. It also appears to me that she is giving way to both Paige and Azzi, instead of having the confidence that she is as good as anyone on the floor and just play her game.
That's more than a bit exaggerated! I haven't read where anyone is suggesting that "Q" is expected to do anything but perform they way she has in the first two games ... shot the lights out from behind the arc!!! Something few, if any others, have been doing. But you are of course correct, the minute she goes 1 for 8, makes some turnovers, and blows a few defensive assignments, the heat will be on for a replacement. That's the way the cookie crumbles.
Cookie doesn't need to crumble that way. And she absolutely will have a 1 for 8 (or something like that) stretch at some point. And CD and Azzi will have hot stretches. That's the way the cookie crumbles...
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I would probably change the starting 5 with Aubrey in place of Caroline, if Aubrey is healthy.
But I believe in coach Geno to do what's best for the team
But I believe in coach Geno to do what's best for the team
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I think the key to this season rests with Ice Brady. Paige will be terrific and put the team on her back if everyone else goes cold or loses their nerve. Azzi will be solid but not spectacular ( which we all expected her to be). Nika Muhl will be a force on defense and with her passing, but won't shoot enough to shape the offense. Caroline will be a good back-up, but not a force. Edwards is great, and will dominate, but does not have the body type to control the middle against top teams. And Aubrey is a fine replacement as well. But she went into her shell again once the competition got hot ( or is it the presence of Paige, to whom everyone but Edward seems to defer?). We must have Ice Brady with Edwards, to dominate the middle. Edwards is already double teamed, so Ice Brady must emerge as an "unguardable" star ( box her in underneath, and she steps outside and hits 15 footers). And all the freshman need significant court time. We are not winning anything big with Paige, Azzi, Edwards, Caroline and Muhl playing 30 minutes or more each. The fact is; Azzi and Caroline are not playing close to " as good as advertised," and likely never will ( I don't count big games against mid level competitors). Azzi and Caroline are fine players for the Big East, but not for the Big Dance. Both were underwhelming against NC State. We need a new star. Let it be Brady.
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Totally agree about Ice looking slow. I also would say the same thing about a few of the starters. For us to go far Ice is needed and she doesn't get better sitting the bench after a year plus layoff.
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These kinds of comments are as bad as the “we’re doomed” comments.
I thought Paige played really good in that game and AE was solid too. I don't think they played poorly because of attitude, I thought the game plan was not good. Way too many threes for my taste especially when the shooters really haven't ever had a great percentage from there in games.
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You might recall that Caroline was the Huskies' best player not named Paige vs. South Carolina in the '22 national title game (not to mention numerous others in which she showed her guts).
I've come to believe that potentially wonderful Paige/Azzi/Caroline triumvirate we all fantasized about isn't about to happen because Azzi is, as many of us are getting to realize, not the go-to shooter we'd expected, and, to the point here, Caroline is clearly taking a back seat to those two. How many times do we see her simply pass the ball along on the perimeter rather than seek out her shot? Heck, she took just two threes yesterday and, on her one foray into the lane, she scored on a pretty five-footer. Not lost, GG, just reticent, which seems to be contagious on the Huskies' rosters. Geno's not giving her time, either, just 14 minutes yesterday, compared with 35 for Azzi...
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That makes sense. Mix experience with energy of the kids, everyone learns and gets better.
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To make up a behind score quickly 3's are the only way. 2 are the conservative way--and safe way. So, 99 out of 110 teams when behind shoot 3's.
Experience, a great game plan--good scouting of the opponents---learn to shut down the RIVERS on or Reese on teams--one on one or team defense. That to me was the lack of the NC game.
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Wasn't Azzi the go-to-player last year when she was healthy during that six game stretch when they played teams like Texas, NC State, Duke and Iowa? So you are referencing the one game for CD and not including the 6 that Azzi was terrific before the ND injury?
Below Geno saying in pratice get the ball to Azzi (among a very few others).
Chris Dailey was on a video (which I can't find) that she was saying she is surprised when Azzi misses.
And we saw the 1st 6 games of last year what she did.
Why (1) dismiss the games when she was healthy along with (2) what the coaching staff contunues to say about her and (3) what they are working at evidently in practices?
It's the combo of 1,2 and 3. Why dismiss the sum?
So, imo rather than the point you make about "realization;" many us see this as a "misperception."
Other than her obvious talents, Paige's is so versatile she can help the team at all three positions you mentioned. This is particularly important because the other perimeter players are closer to one position players. Nika is a point guard, Azzi is a shooting guard, Caroline is a SF. All of them are far less effective away from their natural position, but Paige could be terrific at all three.
For some reason many here assume that if the perimeter is manned by Nika, Azzi and Paige, that Azzi would be the SF. I have no idea why.
She is the worst rebounder of the three by far, is clearly shorter and not as long as Paige, and Paige blocks more shots. Clearly Paige makes more sense at SF than Nika or Azzi. Is she also the best PG and SG on the roster? Yea, but her ability to be very good at all three allows say Caroline, Aubrey or Q to sub for any of the three.
If Caroline comes in for Nika, no problem Caroline plays SF and Paige moves to the point. Caroline for Azzi means Caroline at the 3 and Paige slides to the 2. Caroline can also sub in for Paige at the 3. Basically the same thing could apply for Aubrey or Q. When they come in for Nika or Azzi, they play the 3 and Paige slides to the vacated position. KK adds another dimension to this, but the main point is because of Paige's ability at all three positions, most of our perimter players can stay at the position they play best, with paige spending time at all three positions to make it work.
Her talents are known to everyone, but her ability to play three positions very well as you point out, and how that helps her teammates do what they do best is vastly underrated IMO.
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Wasn't Azzi the go-to-player last year when she was healthy during that six game stretch when they played teams like Texas, NC State, Duke and Iowa? So you are referencing the one game for CD and not including the 6 that Azzi was terrific before the ND injury?
Below Geno saying in pratice get the ball to Azzi (among a very few others).
Chris Dailey was on a video (which I can't find) that she was saying she is surprised when Azzi misses.
And we saw the 1st 6 games of last year what she did.
Why (1) dismiss the games when she was healthy along with (2) what the coaching staff contunues to say about her and (3) what they are working at evidently in practices?
It's the combo of 1,2 and 3. Why dismiss the sum?
So, imo rather than the point you make about "realization;" many us see this as a "misperception."
As I said, Hoophuskee, 'many of us.' It's certainly your privilege to disagree. I also didn't reference Caroline's similarly long stretch during her freshman season when she carried the Huskies. Both players have had their moments, just not so much lately due to injury or their apparently lingering after effects.
'Realization' or 'misperception?' Who knows at this point?
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The key to this team reaching their goals can be fixed but in my opinion it comes down to the development of Ice. That’s why Geno brought her up in the press conference saying that she didn’t play the way he expected. If she starts to be prom which I believe she will be, then I think we will be hard to beat. The other things like tougher defense will come regardless of some players slow foot speed. There are things they can do as a team to make up for that. I think they will figure it all out but Ice is the key for me. How she develops is how far we go.
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Yes and I hope you took my post in fun even though we disagree. I respect your posts a lot. We both are saying "many of us" to make our point for our side. Are we going to go into battle - "The Dead Rabbits vs The Natives?" (movie Gangs of New York.) If so, I can tell you that if I'm "Bill the Butcher," I won't cut my eye out and mail it you to make a point about Azzi. My line is drawn! I yield if it comes to that!
And as for CD, I didn’t’; believe she produced the quality that Azzi did. For example, the top 4 opponents Azzi faced, she averaged 25.5 ppg in which her EFG% was 63.64%. This is off-the-charts great for a college player. I'm guessing the top team Caroline played as the lead-player was vs Louisville. She got 24. But three of 4 of Azzi's games vs top competition was better than what Carolien produced in arguably her best vs top competition.
SO why should we either go away from what we've seen and/or go away from what the coaches seem to be telling us? Azzi basically matched the best player in WCBB, Clark. But you pointed out that "Azzi wasn't the shooter we expected." For sure these last two she hasn't. But when she was healthy, how much better of a shooter could she have shown with a 63.64% EFG and 25.5 ppg?
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And what's also pretty odd is that those that don't want her playing with Nika - it seems that Paige was bringing the ball up most of the time I believe? So, she was the pg anyway on Offense to a degree. And we know UCONN runs a motion offense so in halfcourt sets how often is it one pass then a shot for UConn?
So after the initial one pass, pass is in motion, isn't good to have another guard able to get her the ball? Some will say she’ll then be denied the ball. But that wouldn’t make sense. Paige had 18 shots in 30 minutes. And Edwards had 17 in 33. So, there is no "denial" there either.
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I agree with you. They might take their lumps for a while, but, ultimately, UConn will need Ice and Edwards playing in synch together, on both ends of the court, to maximize this team's potential.
The downside is, who subs in for them ? The best they can hope for is 20 minutes a game together, and try to piece together players (Edwards and Brady included) for the other 20 minutes. That would require Edwards playing 35 minutes a game ( I know, not ideal) and Brady 25 minutes a game (20 with Edwards and 5 without her)
With Jana out, Patterson injured and Amari not very effective at the moment, there aren't many options. Unless you want to continue with the 4 guard lineup. Which, imo, is what will probably happen.
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The UCONN official roster has Amari DeBerry at 6' 6". A number of players apparently
"grew" over the summer! e.g. Paige is now listed as 6' 0, but "Q" was measured at 6' 0" at
UCONN after being listed taller while in H.S. Question... how to measure those Pom Poms.... it's
like the question of "hair height" of C. Williams).
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