Nika added to Lieberman watch list!

[#12in21]

 

[visitingcock]

Well deserved.

 

[jcoton56]

If I could share a foxhole with anyone on this years team, my choice is Nika.

 

[Kat]

FYI:

2023 Nancy Lieberman Award Top 10

Caitlin Clark – Iowa

McKenna Hofschild – Colorado State

Olivia Miles – Notre Dame

Nika Muhl – UConn

Rori Harmon – Texas

Alexis Morris – LSU

Dyaisha Fair – Syracuse

Jenna Clark – Yale

Lauren Park-Lane – Seton Hall

Mura Hendrixson - Drexel

 

[Gus Mahler]

If I could share a foxhole with anyone on this years team, my choice is Nika.

Can't argue with that. But if the enemy were power forwards, I'd favor Ayanna.

 

[Charliebball]

Unfortunately, it's going to come down to Clark or Miles I would think but to even be nominated is still quite an honor.......

 

[HuskyNan]

That’s what the Hoop Hall Awards voting was for. Fan voting is a part of it. Nika made the first cut

Scroll down for the women’s awards

Hoophall Awards

 

[DefenseBB]

I find it hard to put Clark in the "PG" role vs. "Shooting Guard" role but given her high assists per game, I get it. This is Clark's award to lose but I think Nika deserves Top 3 recognition and given the success that UConn is having (better than both Iowa and ND) she is my #1 PG and I will vote accordingly.

FYI-In the game against Iowa back in November:
Nika had 13 assists, 2 points and an Efficiency score of 11.0
CC has 6 assists, 25 points and an Efficiency score of 23.0

 

[BBallF]

Yes I think Nika is top 3 after Clark and Miles both of whom are not pure point guards, more like shooting point guards.

 

[DEpup]

well deserved!!!

 

[Jackalope]

That’s what the Hoop Hall Awards voting was for. Fan voting is a part of it. Nika made the first cut

Scroll down for the women’s awards

Hoophall Awards

There is a UCONN player currently listed for every award:

Liberman: Point Guard Top 10: Nika Muhl
Drysdale Shooting Guard Pre-Season: Azzi Fudd
Cheryl Miller Small Forward Pre-Season: Caroline Ducharme
Katrina Mcclain Power Forward Pre-Season: Aaliyah Edwards
Lisa Leslie Center Pre-Season: Dorka Juhasz

As they announce the top 10 for the remaining four awards, a strong argument can be made that there should still be a UCONN player nominated for each award, just slightly different than from the pre-season:

Shooting Guard: Lou Lopez-Senechal
Small Forward: Aubrey Griffen
Power Forward: Aaliyah Edwards
Center: Dorka Juhasz

 

[The deacon]

Yes I think Nika is top 3 after Clark and Miles both of whom are not pure point guards, more like shooting point guards.

Caitlin and Olivia truly are pure point guards. They just are better scorers than Nika. It shouldn't be considered an asset for Nika that she isn't a big threat as a scorer.

I'd also have Rori Harmon as my third, and maybe second to Miles if she hadn't missed a bunch of games.

Coming up fast on the outside, not mentioned here, is Lucy Olsen of Villanova. Next year, without Maddy Siegrist, Lucy could be an All-American contender.

Congrats to Nika for making the list, and thank goodness for her dramatic improvement this season.

 

[Kat]

Caitlin and Olivia truly are pure point guards. They just are better scorers than Nika. It shouldn't be considered an asset for Nika that she isn't a big threat as a scorer.

I'd also have Rori Harmon as my third, and maybe second to Miles if she hadn't missed a bunch of games.

Coming up fast on the outside, not mentioned here, is Lucy Olsen of Villanova. Next year, without Maddy Siegrist, Lucy could be an All-American contender.

Congrats to Nika for making the list, and thank goodness for her dramatic improvement this season.

I'd pick Caitlin. She gets more rebounds and assists than Miles, more rebounds then Nika, and yes, there are all those points scored. The Lieberman is supposed to be about "floor leadership, play-making and ball-handling skills" but even leaving out Clark's scoring, she does those three things better than any of the others. I do think that she, Miles, and Nika make their teammates significantly better.

 

[Zarathustra]

FYI:

2023 Nancy Lieberman Award Top 10

Caitlin Clark – Iowa

McKenna Hofschild – Colorado State

Olivia Miles – Notre Dame

Nika Muhl – UConn

Rori Harmon – Texas

Alexis Morris – LSU

Dyaisha Fair – Syracuse

Jenna Clark – Yale

Lauren Park-Lane – Seton Hall

Mura Hendrixson - Drexel

I was anticipating this, but one never knows! So what team goes
further in the NCAAs?? Iowa, Colorado State, N.D, UCONN, LSU?
That's the competition for NIKA. Go Croatian Gnat!

 

[Skeets]

Caitlin and Olivia truly are pure point guards. They just are better scorers than Nika. It shouldn't be considered an asset for Nika that she isn't a big threat as a scorer.

I'd also have Rori Harmon as my third, and maybe second to Miles if she hadn't missed a bunch of games.

Coming up fast on the outside, not mentioned here, is Lucy Olsen of Villanova. Next year, without Maddy Siegrist, Lucy could be an All-American contender.

Congrats to Nika for making the list, and thank goodness for her dramatic improvement this season.

Damning with faint praise. Not a good look.

 

[The deacon]

I was anticipating this, but one never knows! So what team goes
further in the NCAAs?? Iowa, Colorado State, N.D, UCONN, LSU?
That's the competition for NIKA. Go Croatian Gnat!

Do you think Caitlin Clark, Olivia Miles and Rori Harmon don't care about the NCAA tournament? Of course that's their priority. That Nika happens to be surrounded by a better team shouldn't be the measuring stick.

 

[The deacon]

Damning with faint praise. Not a good look.

Praise it is, Skeets. I'm glad you appreciate it.

Nika's a fine point guard... just not in Clark's class.

 

[#12in21]

As several have pointed out, Nika may be the long shot to win this award. As noted, scoring, although not listed as a key attribute for the award, is highly valued in todays assessment of what makes a great point guard. I personally have always valued the beauty of great ball movement, court vision, leadership and passing over the point production contributions by point guards I have admired. I love defensive intensity as well. So Nika fits the bill to a tee for me.

This kid has taken herself from not even outside the room but across the ocean from being even in the conversation for this award during preseason to the point where she is in the top ten of players being considered for this recognition. That is pretty damn incredible if you ask me. Who ever dreamed she would lead the league from day one through the present in assists per game, be on pace to pass Sue Bird's Uconn single season record, hold the Uconn record for most assists per game and most double digit assist games in Uconn history? Don't be to quick to count Nika out, she's done a hell of a lot in the last three months and there is a lot of basketball still to be played this season!

I'm guessing Sue Bird is pretty proud to have this scrappy, team-first, throwback Point Guard, to likely be the last player repping her #10 jersey( I'm assuming when Nika takes it off its headed up to the rafters in recognition of Sue's great career). I couldn't be happier for Nika (and also the majority of her teammates to boot, that have been on the preseason lists and/or are anticipated to be on the finalist lists - just a remakable group of competitors). What a joy to be a Uconn wcbb fan!

 

[MSGRET]

As several have pointed out, Nika may be the long shot to win this award. As noted, scoring, although not listed as a key attribute for the award, is highly valued in todays assessment of what makes a great point guard. I personally have always valued the beauty of great ball movement, court vision, leadership and passing over the point production contributions by point guards I have admired. I love defensive intensity as well. So Nika fits the bill to a tee for me.

This kid has taken herself from not even outside the room but across the ocean from being even in the conversation for this award during preseason to the point where she is in the top ten of players being considered for this recognition. That is pretty damn incredible if you ask me. Who ever dreamed she would lead the league from day one through the present in assists per game, be on pace to pass Sue Bird's Uconn single season record, hold the Uconn record for most assists per game and most double digit assist games in Uconn history? Don't be to quick to count Nika out, she's done a hell of a lot in the last three months and there is a lot of basketball still to be played this season!

I'm guessing Sue Bird is pretty proud to have this scrappy, team-first, throwback Point Guard, to likely be the last player repping her #10 jersey( I'm assuming when Nika takes it off its headed up to the rafters in recognition of Sue's great career). I couldn't be happier for Nika (and also the majority of her teammates to boot, that have been on the preseason lists and/or are anticipated to be on the finalist lists - just a remakable group of competitors). What a joy to be a Uconn wcbb fan!

Sue Bird will not be eligible for the Hall of Fame until 2027, so there could be at least one more person wearing #10. The next person that is eligible should be Maya, because the way I read the rules you are eligible for the Hall 5 years after your last time playing the game, so she should be eligible for the class of 2023.

 

[Viet Vet]

If I could share a foxhole with anyone on this years team, my choice is Nika.

Roger that!

 

[Dillon77]

Praise it is, Skeets. I'm glad you appreciate it.

Nika's a fine point guard... just not in Clark's class.

Well, who is in Clark's class (that's currently on a basketball court getting PT*)?
And this is coming from an Irish fan, who thinks Miles is fantastic.
'Liv makes teammates better, dishes the ball, rebounds, plays pretty tough defense and sets the tone for ND. And she can score. However, Clark can just take over a game when she needs to score....it's a difference maker.

Nika's been superb all season. She's exceeded my expectations during the back and forth on whether she should start. Her season makes that debate look pretty silly in retrospect now. (BTW, I was a solid "yes" for her in the lineup.).
However, the sheer overall involvement in all things Husky -- save directly scoring -- is a surprise. Well done.


* yes, that is a reference to a certain PG sidelined all year.

 

[SCNCHuskie]

Intensity personified. Her court leadership is evident.

 

[Bigboote]

That’s what the Hoop Hall Awards voting was for. Fan voting is a part of it. Nika made the first cut

Scroll down for the women’s awards

Hoophall Awards

Nika wasn't on the original list, and I was concerned that if she couldn't get any vote from the public, she wouldn't be considered. (There was no way to do a write-in.) Glad that wasn't the case. I have no idea how the public voting will be taken into account when one wasn't on the original ballot.

 

[DEpup]

Don't get me wrong, Clark is going to be the winner and I think it is really great that Nika got on the list. I doubt we'd be thinking about this if Paige was healthy so good for her to seize an opportunity. Largely Nika isn't in contention due to her lack of scoring but Clark can't guard a chair. It is unfortunate that defense doesn't get equal representation.....

 

[Beemer]

Don't get me wrong, Clark is going to be the winner and I think it is really great that Nika got on the list. I doubt we'd be thinking about this if Paige was healthy so good for her to seize an opportunity. Largely Nika isn't in contention due to her lack of scoring but Clark can't guard a chair. It is unfortunate that defense doesn't get equal representation.....

I was going to say, Nika completely shut Clark down when UConn played Iowa to the point where Clark said something like "get that girl away from me" lol

This award reminds me of the NHL's Norris Trophy which goes to the league's best defenseman. Like the Lieberman award, the voters for the Norris have completely forgotten about defense in favor of point production which is only one facet of the game.