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Nika appreciation thread

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I have a question, during a basketball camp, pre any UConn connection Nika and Aaliyah were roommates, Nika signs to go to UConn then later Aaliyah was there any chance Nika messaged her?
 
Strength rises up at the Gample
The way that she plays an example
Croatian explosion
Amazing what gumption
Nika gives all -- more than ample!
 
npignatjr said:
I have a question, during a basketball camp, pre any UConn connection Nika and Aaliyah were roommates, Nika signs to go to UConn then later Aaliyah was there any chance Nika messaged her?
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I posted an article somewhere that refered to that. She said that once she found out UConn was pursuing Aalyah she stepped up her communications with her - no doubt encouraging her to come.

It has also been posted before, but, Dorka recruited Nika for OSU and in turn Nika did so with Dorka when she looked to transfer.

I guess Nika wanted to make sure she had some great posts inside to feed. Has worked out great in both cases. Maybe Nika can reunite in Minnesota with Dorks and Aaliyah!
 
npignatjr said:
Oops. Here goes until well into her freshman year, then when inserted the team was at it's best until she got hurt in the tournament. In my opinion they do not lose to Arizona if she was healthy.
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Nika started 15 games her freshman year. I don’t believe she was a fixture in the starting lineup until Feb 8, at home against SC, a game that will always be remembered for “the bounce!” After which Nika confidently pronounced, “We all knew it was going in.”
 
Nika is in the perfect position this year to have an outstanding year. She has had issues with quick and fast guards in the past - kk is taking care of this. Nika has a solid outside set shot but rarely got open due to how other teams rotated. With all 4 other players, especially Shade, Paige, and KK, having a solid 3-point stroke, she is wide open more often. While Nika has rarely driven the middle in the past, with the 4 other players being solid shooters, the middle is opening up and Nika is displaying a surprisingly good midrange game. With her defense and rebounding, her strengths as they translate to the pro game are becoming more obvious.
 
oldude said:
Nika started 15 games her freshman year. I don’t believe she was a fixture in the starting lineup until Feb 8, at home against SC, a game that will always be remembered for “the bounce!” After which Nika confidently pronounced, “We all knew it was going in.”
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Exactly February is well into the season. Played in only 23 games
 
I enjoyed watching Nika’s Euro videos. She played with zeal. On one fast break, she celebrated by raising her arms, as if to shout, “I’m going to Disneyland!”

But what sealed the deal for me was when the Horde questioned her about committing after Paige had verbaled. She said she wasn’t afraid of competing for playing time with the great Paige Buckets. Who does that?! Paige, to her credit, said that she could play multiple positions. Little did we know then that she would excel at power forward.
 
PacoSwede said:
i reserved judgment early on. she was unknown to us, except for the fact that geno recruited her (so she must have had husky promise) as did some respected programs.

gotta admit, i was a bit skeptical. maybe she had been recruited as an adequate backup for her coveted, 'generational' co-freshman, paige. if we were lucky, perhaps nika could be a modern day molly bent.

but there previously had been a mystery recruit who didn't speak english and was totally new to america and she -- sveta --turned out to be pretty good, so let's give the croatian a chance. at the least, she would give the team exposure to another culture, as anna makurat did. and anna, an unknown, had also proved to be a welcome contributor on the court too. why not nika?

then, after a few months at uconn, it was clear -- at least to me (and to geno too) -- that the team played better when nika was on the floor. the stats weren't there: she was not a scorer and she didn't seem to be much as a defender. she was a solid ballhandler and could be a spectacular passer. in general, nika wasn't notable as a player. she clearly had shortcomings. but for whatever unknown reason, the team was better when nika was out there.

geno, perhaps, could explain this. maybe not. but he admitted he saw it. and yet there were some in the BY who didn't. that's OK. there were not any obvious reasons to believe this kid who didn't score or make a lot of steals or contribute statistically would make the team better.

but, oddly, some responded by tearing nika down rather than simply accepting this good fortune: the team did better, why look a gift horse in the mouth. i don't get it. i wish someone could explain it to me.

at least, since nika has been putting up some impressive stats (which, to some, justify her value, i guess) the nika critics have been largely silenced.
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I noticed that whenever Nika was on the floor everything flowed better for the team as well.

It was like everyone took a deep breath and when Nika was on the floor. Maybe they just know that Nika would get them the ball if they got to a place to use it.

Personally, I would have thought highly of any kid that only played point guard. Going to a university in a foreign country that had Paige as a fellow freshman. What was her mindset? What were her expectations?

Rest easy. The Nika haters are still around. I think that's who's throwing darts at Amari. Not sure because I have the hater on ignore.

I just don't understand people who need to belittle young kids.
 
BBallF said:
Hi Nan. I know you have posted this before but do you have handy the All-Time assists list? I'm sure she will break it when she returns next year!
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Just type UConn women’s career assists leaders on your search engine and it will come right up. There are benefits to independent research, but I’m a retired college prof with little patience for anything else.
 
JRRRJ said:
You just may not have waited long enough...they put so many full-page color pictures into the guide that it's 264 megabytes, as opposed to the 2019-20 guide, which is 37 megabytes. That much data takes a while to download, even with a fast cable.
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I used to be able to view the media guide; now I can’t

E99F3402-3AFA-48E5-8603-47D568ED2873.jpeg
 
Nika=one of the most unique women to play for UConn. Doesn't have the speed or quickness as some guards such as KK, but won Defensive Player of the Year. Primary shot is a long set shot but has a high shooting average. Not overly tall but a fierce rebounder. I live near Parris Island, SC, the Marine Training Base, and she reminds me of the new recruits who often excel based on their tenacity as much as pure skills.
 
Majic Hands said:
I noticed that whenever Nika was on the floor everything flowed better for the team as well.

It was like everyone took a deep breath and when Nika was on the floor. Maybe they just know that Nika would get them the ball if they got to a place to use it.

Personally, I would have thought highly of any kid that only played point guard. Going to a university in a foreign country that had Paige as a fellow freshman. What was her mindset? What were her expectations?

Rest easy. The Nika haters are still around. I think that's who's throwing darts at Amari. Not sure because I have the hater on ignore.

I just don't understand people who need to belittle young kids.
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Every year every game the team flowed better.
 
HopJim said:
Nika=one of the most unique women to play for UConn. Doesn't have the speed or quickness as some guards such as KK, but won Defensive Player of the Year. Primary shot is a long set shot but has a high shooting average. Not overly tall but a fierce rebounder. I live near Parris Island, SC, the Marine Training Base, and she reminds me of the new recruits who often excel based on their tenacity as much as pure skills.
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DPY twice
 
I'm so happy to find this thread!!!:)

I've loved her since her freshman year- her toughness, grit, moxie whatever you want to call it just stood out to me from the start.

She was Nika the Gnat, the Croatian Sensation making life hell for the opposition with her suffocating defense without once committing a foul (;) ) & sometimes driving Geno nuts in the process. She was prone to turnovers and committing stupid fouls at the wrong time.

When Paige went down Nika had to step up her game and boy did she ever. Showing maturity & leadership, cutting down on turnovers & dumb fouls she had her best season last year. She continues to grow her game this season, becoming much more of an offensive threat while still playing incredible defense.

If she decides to come back for a fifth year I will be a very happy lady.

That's my girl! <3
 
With these 7 today, I think she moved to 8th all time already for a career, and she still has a year of eligibility
 
I loved Nika from the minute her career at UConn started and she very easily became one of my all time favorites. Every game she shows up and plays old school gritty UConn basketball. Her hard wonk doesn’t always show up on the stat sheet, but I’m crossing my fingers she can get the all time assists record.
 
Any thoughts on Hana taking a graduate student year with the Huskies? ;)
 
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