Nika Mühl Full Season Highlights | The Boneyard

Nika Mühl Full Season Highlights

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You have to admire what Nike accomplished this past season. Coming into a program with the history of Uconn, the culture built up over the years, and the players who have worn the uniform before her. She grabbed the opportunity when it presented itself and showed a willingness to do the hard work that led to her success.
 
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Well done, NIKA M.!!! I love the Nika quote ( to Geno ): "With
an assist you make two people happy" : the person who makes
the shot and the person who gives the assist!
I enjoyed watching the numerous " kick outs" and those
last "extra passes" for " bunnies"! Great stuff! Z
 
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She needs to beat out Azzi to keep her starting spot. That will be a tall order. I like her as the 6th-man anyway - she brings instant energy from the bench.
 

RockyMTblue2

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The highlights do show a bit of a flaw. Nika will over pass, particularly inside. Any number of occasions she should put it up. Many passes work for a bucket but she ought to take her share and not be too predictable.
 
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She needs to beat out Azzi to keep her starting spot. That will be a tall order. I like her as the 6th-man anyway - she brings instant energy from the bench.
Azzi has played zero minutes of college ball, is out of shape, has been injured for most of the last two years, and has never played at UConn. Nika has already established herself as the starting point guard, is the best defender, has a full season under her belt, and has created good chemistry among her classmates which is one of those intangibles you cannot just plug and play with other players while freeing up Paige to go do her thing. People are quick to point out that Muhl doesn't score as much as the other starters, but she averaged 5 PPG in a season slowed by injuries, just like Sue did in her injury shortened freshman season. I think Azzi is the one with the uphill climb.
 

Huskee11

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Azzi is competing directly with Christyn for minutes.

The competition between Azzi and Nika for minutes is a bit more indirect. Geno liked playing Paige off the ball and had that opportunity once Nika blossomed after a slow start - injury-related, stubbornness-related.

If Azzi and Christyn show that they both deserve huge minutes, which could very well happen, Geno may decide to play Paige more at the point. I think it will be rare that Azzi, Christyn, Paige and Nika are all on the floor together, but when that happens I am definitely not leaving to go to the kitchen. That will be crazy fun.

But there will be a major role for Nika as long as Geno is coaching. He recognizes what she gives in terms of energy, defense, passing, spacing, and ball movement. She gets it, big time.

And she will be in Storrs for the summer. Look for her to work on the weaker parts of her game and come back playing at an even higher level. She does need to work on the midrange game, finishing at the hoop, and shooting without hesitation, no question. She is not an elite three point shooter but she is better than many think and she is used to playing with the new women`s three point line.
 
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I think both Nika and Aliyah evolved to meet the needs of the team and earned their playing time this season and along with Paige joined the three juniors as the core of the team. I also think that had Nika not gone down in the tournament that core of players could have raised the trophy this past season. They were in a very good place going into the tournament. Many on the board seem to discount Nika's contributions to the energy and flow of the team on both offense and defense. I get and accept that Azzi is obviously a more gifted offensive player than Nika but I don't get that that translates to Nika becoming only a backup to Paige at point next season. We will have the greatest depth of talented players at every position on the floor next season than I can remember. I can see approaching how to use that not by and either, or but rather an also, and.

Specifically in terms of the guards, Azzi and Caroline add what was missing this season, reliable multiple options from the outside. I don't see sacrificing an excellent passer/ball handler, high energy player like Nika or an explosive driver like Christyn as the trade off to add the shooting accuracy of an Azzi or a Caroline. If you have all those skills on your rooster you incorporate them all, not chose one over the other. Dividing up the minutes in a way to exploit all the talent we will have will be a challenge that I believe the coaching staff will relish. All these players came to UCONN to win titles and be part of what is 'bad for women's basketball' - to do that they have to do what they need to do to be the best team, so they may not get the minutes they would get if they went somewhere they were the star. I think they all want to be an impactful part of the best team in the country, which next year may mean less minutes. This team should develop into a thing of beauty to watch - with a fast moving, sharp passing, high assist, high shooting accuracy offense and a stifling, seamless switching, relentless defense, and I expect to see Nika right in there as part of it all.
 
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