Nika Muhl and the return of the defensive guard

[AzzisBraids]

Nika Muhl brings something different to the UConn starting line-up. Geno has mentioned this NUMEROUS time in post-game pressers.

In a pool of very, very talented offensive players featuring Paige, Azzi, Christyn (and the rest the McDonald's Americans) everyone on this team is offensively focused. Nika Muhl reminds me of the Kia Nurse, Kelly Faris and Moriah Jefferson kind of players. Perimeter UConn stoppers who all learned key skills. Kia and Kelly learned how to shoot 3's and Mariah had to learn how to pass to superstars with Stewart, Mosqueda-Lewis and Tuck.

Everyone is in trouble next year. No tin the right spot? Don't have hands up? BE Def Player of the Year Nika will yell. She has to be in every starting line-up until she graduates and that's just that.

(braid flip)

 

[freshler40]

Nika and PB run this team at a much better pace, use our talents in the open court, especially when our defensive rebounding led by Dorka & our other bigs get us going downcourt. This type of game runs the other teams, with zero or few bench players, into the ground. We have the sprinting guards to play this game, just need to get them the ball quickly.

The half-court game favored by and supported by a packed-in zone requires 3 point shooting to break it. We have that game too but it is less reliable and gives up fewer inside offensive rebounds.
Run, Run, Run! We have the talent and bench depth to make this happen.

 

[Sonny44]

 

[oldude]

Nika Muhl brings something different to the UConn starting line-up. Geno has mentioned this NUMEROUS time in post-game pressers.

In a pool of very, very talented offensive players featuring Paige, Azzi, Christyn (and the rest the McDonald's Americans) everyone on this team is offensively focused. Nika Muhl reminds me of the Kia Nurse, Kelly Faris and Moriah Jefferson kind of players. Perimeter UConn stoppers who all learned key skills. Kia and Kelly learned how to shoot 3's and Mariah had to learn how to pass to superstars with Stewart, Mosqueda-Lewis and Tuck.

Everyone is in trouble next year. No tin the right spot? Don't have hands up? BE Def Player of the Year Nika will yell. She has to be in every starting line-up until she graduates and that's just that.

(braid flip)

The one difference between Nika and the other great UConn defensive guards you refer to, is that Kia, Mo and even Kelly could all go off offensively. Don’t get me wrong, I love what Nika brings to this team. But if she could knock down a few shots every game, establishing herself as a viable scorer, the Huskies would be a more complete and dangerous team.

 

[jcoton56]

Being guarded by Nika is like having a scorpion guard you. One lapse and you get stung!

 

[BRS24]

Well heck. Did I post this? I guess not, LOL.

I was thinking that having Nika set the defensive tone as starting PG puts pressure on the opponents at the start of the game. If it throws a wrench into opponents' plans, then Paige, CD, Evina, and Dorka come off the bench, add a layer of offensive output, and the team hits the gas and off they go onto one of those typical UConn runs.

 

[eebmg]

Well heck. Did I post this? I guess not, LOL.

I was thinking that having Nika set the defensive tone as starting PG puts pressure on the opponents at the start of the game. If it throws a wrench into opponents' plans, then Paige, CD, Evina, and Dorka come off the bench, add a layer of offensive output, and the team hits the gas and off they go onto one of those typical UConn runs.

The way Geno talked about how coming off the bench may be an issue? that will stop pretty quickly. I doubt Paige comes off the bench for Marquette. Maybe Azzi comes off the bench?

 

[oldude]

Point taken. Let’s hope Nika ups her scoring next season.

 

[JellyBean]

Nika Muhl brings something different to the UConn starting line-up. Geno has mentioned this NUMEROUS time in post-game pressers.

In a pool of very, very talented offensive players featuring Paige, Azzi, Christyn (and the rest the McDonald's Americans) everyone on this team is offensively focused. Nika Muhl reminds me of the Kia Nurse, Kelly Faris and Moriah Jefferson kind of players. Perimeter UConn stoppers who all learned key skills. Kia and Kelly learned how to shoot 3's and Mariah had to learn how to pass to superstars with Stewart, Mosqueda-Lewis and Tuck.

Everyone is in trouble next year. No tin the right spot? Don't have hands up? BE Def Player of the Year Nika will yell. She has to be in every starting line-up until she graduates and that's just that.

(braid flip)

Solid take! Love it! Nika just brings a different vibe to the starting line up and it helps, for now. It is going to be interesting once the Big Dance starts how the lineup changes to match up with certain teams. But yup, Nika brings a different vibe to the starting rotation.

 

[BRS24]

Well heck. Did I post this? I guess not, LOL.

I was thinking that having Nika set the defensive tone as starting PG puts pressure on the opponents at the start of the game. If it throws a wrench into opponents' plans, then Paige, CD, Evina, and Dorka come off the bench, add a layer of offensive output, and the team hits the gas and off they go onto one of those typical UConn runs.

The way Geno talked about how coming off the bench may be an issue? that will stop pretty quickly. I doubt Paige comes off the bench for Marquette. Maybe Azzi comes off the bench?

Yep, heard this ⬆️. So maybe Azzi turns into the Shea/Diana/Maya first off the bench? Although, imagine any opposing coach, not knowing the lineup in advance, and then the subsequent sub patterns?

 

[npignatjr]

The one difference between Nika and the other great UConn defensive guards you refer to, is that Kia, Mo and even Kelly could all go off offensively. Don’t get me wrong, I love what Nika brings to this team. But if she could knock down a few shots every game, establishing herself as a viable scorer, the Huskies would be a more complete and dangerous team.

She is a sophomore and if you figure in lost time because of injuries in games played still learning. Which of those were offensive threats as freshman? Which were voted, as sophomores, by opposing coaches as conference defensive player of the year?

 

[oldhusky]

Nika is a far more valuable player on the break. With the depth, if Uconn presses and breaks more that is a big advantage for her game. Geno always talks like we want to get out and run, but for the most part we have been close to an average pace team, despite creating more turnovers which increases the pace. One of Nika's unique traits can be seen after she gets a rebound. She usually immediately starts pushing it up the floor. The rest of the team doesn't try that hard to push the pace after a rebound. It just hasn't been a point of emphasis at least as long as we were short handed.

Also for Nika more than the other guards, who she plays with is more important because of her lack of individual point production. She needs very good shooters on the floor with her, more Azzi, Caroline and Paige, and less with Christyn and Evina. Nika teammed with two great shooters is more of an offensive plus. She is a great passer but if her potential recipients are more average 3pt threats her value as a passer is greatly diminished.

When teamed with Paige, Nika should mostly handle the point and Paige should play off the ball. Nika passing to Paige is way better than Paige passing to Nika. When Paige is running the point and Nika is spotting up in the corner, Nika is an offensive liability. When Nika is playing the point and she has two great shooters in with her, she can be an offensive plus. With one great shooter and one mediocre one with her, it is somewhat in-between IMO.

Geno likes versatility and among the guards Paige, Azzi and Evina are very versatile. I consider Christyn mostly a 2 that can play the 3, and Caroline a 3 that can play the 2, bu t they are better at their natural position. Nika is pretty much just a PG. Next year she could play in a 4 guard rotation if needed with Paige, Azzi and Caroline, but with others switching between the 2 and 3 and Nika always playing the point. If we add a good 2/3 transfer it might become a 5 guard rotation with the newcomer subbing at the 2/3 more, Nika getting all of Paige's backup minutes plus playing with her quite a bit.

 

[BBallF]

Nika has shown glimmers of offense other than her 3 ball this year. She shot a pull up in one game, a short push shot in another, and has driven to the basket. She needs a quicker release and set up for her 3, a catch and shoot and off the bounce short range jumper, and muscle memory drives both to the left and right. That is what the off season is for. She needs to work assiduously this summer on a lot of things and not just her offense but also her speed and strength.

I feel like she had a non-productive summer last year but that it was hard to pinpoint because of her injury/condition and that she has improved tremendously since she has been starting again. Her leadership and fire are qualities we are very lucky to have. I also love the fact that she never ever thinks she committed a foul and that she is usually guaranteed to be on the floor at least twice per game. Give her time. I just hope that she uses the off season effectively. It's not just about playing although that is important. It is about training too.

 

[Bald Husky]

Nika has done a great job of not fouling with all the intensity she brings during a game. What I do sometimes is, when a game is out of hand, just watch one player during a possession whether they have the ball or not. Watch Nika on her defender. With the closeness that she guards the other player, I think it is amazing that she doesn't foul more. For a player that supposedly has a fouling problem, well, the rest of the league doesn't think it is a problem. We are being oversensitive with this fouling business, and besides, the DPOY, to be effective, will foul a couple times a game.

 

[MooseJaw]

Nika is a far more valuable player on the break. With the depth, if Uconn presses and breaks more that is a big advantage for her game. Geno always talks like we want to get out and run, but for the most part we have been close to an average pace team, despite creating more turnovers which increases the pace. One of Nika's unique traits can be seen after she gets a rebound. She usually immediately starts pushing it up the floor. The rest of the team doesn't try that hard to push the pace after a rebound. It just hasn't been a point of emphasis at least as long as we were short handed.

Also for Nika more than the other guards, who she plays with is more important because of her lack of individual point production. She needs very good shooters on the floor with her, more Azzi, Caroline and Paige, and less with Christyn and Evina. Nika teammed with two great shooters is more of an offensive plus. She is a great passer but if her potential recipients are more average 3pt threats her value as a passer is greatly diminished.

When teamed with Paige, Nika should mostly handle the point and Paige should play off the ball. Nika passing to Paige is way better than Paige passing to Nika. When Paige is running the point and Nika is spotting up in the corner, Nika is an offensive liability. When Nika is playing the point and she has two great shooters in with her, she can be an offensive plus. With one great shooter and one mediocre one with her, it is somewhat in-between IMO.

Geno likes versatility and among the guards Paige, Azzi and Evina are very versatile. I consider Christyn mostly a 2 that can play the 3, and Caroline a 3 that can play the 2, bu t they are better at their natural position. Nika is pretty much just a PG. Next year she could play in a 4 guard rotation if needed with Paige, Azzi and Caroline, but with others switching between the 2 and 3 and Nika always playing the point. If we add a good 2/3 transfer it might become a 5 guard rotation with the newcomer subbing at the 2/3 more, Nika getting all of Paige's backup minutes plus playing with her quite a bit.

Oldhuskie, loved your first paragraph, a bit less on the rest. Every game has an ebb and flow, therefore what works for one game may be trouble in another game. All our players have pluses and negatives, that's why in close hard games if the players are playing to their potential often the burden falls to "coach" to play the chess match with his players. In this respect if Geno lets go of his seniors first approach we have an advantage. I trust Geno to make the right moves, then it's up to the players to preform, If they do there is no game that we can't win.

 

[FormerCTrez]

Being guarded by Nika is like having a scorpion guard you. One lapse and you get stung!

Yikes!!

 

[ClifSpliffy]

cain't be a championship team without one of these.

thanks, nika.

 

[drweo]

The one difference between Nika and the other great UConn defensive guards you refer to, is that Kia, Mo and even Kelly could all go off offensively. Don’t get me wrong, I love what Nika brings to this team. But if she could knock down a few shots every game, establishing herself as a viable scorer, the Huskies would be a more complete and dangerous team.

Yes, and in that I would include driving to the basket, which she too rarely does.

 

[BlueSkyGLW]

Neither did MoJeff her first year and was still a bit tentative sophomore year, then she became really deadly from deep. MoJeff was also a little faster than Nika but I am nitpicking.....

In fairness, there are games when Nika decides to shoot and shows good competence, even from 3-pt land.....she just has to keep doing it when open. But I am sure that she thinks about all those scorers and will keep getting them the ball.

 

[HopJim]

No other player on UConn will be more affected by the refs that are assigned than Nika. More "handsy" than any player I know and has been getting away with it.
I have criticized her in the past and have to say she seems to improve every game. Saw a close up of her 2 games ago and you can see what the benefits more practice time has created - never heavy but all muscle now. Believe we are now seeing what an injury free Nika can do and its impressive.

 

[MSGRET]

No other player on UConn will be more affected by the refs that are assigned than Nika. More "handsy" than any player I know and has been getting away with it.
I have criticized her in the past and have to say she seems to improve every game. Saw a close up of her 2 games ago and you can see what the benefits more practice time has created - never heavy but all muscle now. Believe we are now seeing what an injury free Nika can do and its impressive.

Geno said the other day that Nika still can't do a whole team practice. She usually practices with the team for about 45 minutes then does other activities. So she still isn't 100% yet, but she saves it for the game and not the practice.

 

[jaundicedeye]

MoJeff was also a little faster than Nika but I am nitpicking.....

True, but then again, MoJeff was faster than everybody!

 

[Beemer]

Great to see more love for #10. IMO she's really starting 'to show what she can do. I agree she needs to add more offense to her game, hopefully she works on it over the summer. Thankfully she's learned to play more under control but still intensely, her fouling was driving me crazy!!

 

[Florida Fan]

Nika Muhl brings something different to the UConn starting line-up. Geno has mentioned this NUMEROUS time in post-game pressers.

In a pool of very, very talented offensive players featuring Paige, Azzi, Christyn (and the rest the McDonald's Americans) everyone on this team is offensively focused. Nika Muhl reminds me of the Kia Nurse, Kelly Faris and Moriah Jefferson kind of players. Perimeter UConn stoppers who all learned key skills. Kia and Kelly learned how to shoot 3's and Mariah had to learn how to pass to superstars with Stewart, Mosqueda-Lewis and Tuck.

Everyone is in trouble next year. No tin the right spot? Don't have hands up? BE Def Player of the Year Nika will yell. She has to be in every starting line-up until she graduates and that's just that.

(braid flip)

Nika harasses the shooter, gets the offensive rebound; head up she beats most of the players up the floor, often arriving before the opponents can set up their defenses. Now that she's the defensive player of the year we can only hope Nika can maintain that level of intensity; her value is beyond price.