Nika Muhl is Fun to Watch

[Huskee11]

I love when she pushes it straight up the court like a bat out of hell. She is always looking for an open player and usually finds one. Sometimes going into the “no look” mode at that point.

And after the made basket, yelling and getting back to try it all over again.

Also when she pokes it away and heads up for a layup at the other end.She seemingly always does it without fouling and manages to have a three or four step lead on her opponent.

 

[fireford]

 

[BlueSkyGLW]

Only 78? I listened to Holy Cross games on the radio with my father when Cousy played there.

My first time to Boston Garden in late 1963, already the Joneses backcourt then for the Celtics. Season before was Cousy's last with the Celtics, was with them from 1950. So, 78? Time enough to see him play. But even if you didn't see him live, several films of him would turn you into a fan, beyond being an avid Celtics fan.

 

[JonathanXIV]

That no look pass to Aliyah Edwards looked like she’d been watching tape of Bob Cousy

May want to update your reference a few decades. At least to when the video is in color.

 

[Jingo]

Only 78? I listened to Holy Cross games on the radio with my father when Cousy played there.

Cousy, the McGuire Bros - Al & Dick - are all from south Queens [like me] and honed their game in the Rockaways .. today we're playing at the Al McGuire center in Milwaukee, eh?

 

[JBBallfan]

Nika is not only a pure joy to watch, she is the engine that drives the train. Her drive, her hustle, her intensity make it so.

Geno has said she is the leader of the team. Aaliya and Dorka confirmed that Nika is the leader in their post game DePaul interview.

Sorry She should not be playing as much as she is. Against good teams she is a defensive liability and she has no offense -

 

[npignatjr]

Sorry She should not be playing as much as she is. Against good teams she is a defensive liability and she has no offense -

She had 6 assists, should have been more many missed layups from her passes. Their best shooting guard. With Nika on her nothing in the 2nd half. Of course Geno has a different opinion than you.

 

[DefenseBB]

Sorry She should not be playing as much as she is. Against good teams she is a defensive liability and she has no offense -

 

[eggfit]

Nika clearly just wears out the other team. So fast and so feisty!! I can't say enough about her importance to this team.

 

[JBBallfan]

She had 6 assists, should have been more many missed layups from her passes. Their best shooting guard. With Nika on her nothing in the 2nd half. Of course Geno has a different opinion than you.

Yes he does and so do a lot of people - and that is fine. I see her role as off the bench for some energy.

 

[HuskyNan]

Sorry She should not be playing as much as she is. Against good teams she is a defensive liability and she has no offense -

What is your issue with Nika? 80% of your posts are negative ones about her

 

[Gus Mahler]

Dorka looking rather regal here.

 

[BlueSkyGLW]

She had 6 assists, should have been more many missed layups from her passes. Their best shooting guard. With Nika on her nothing in the 2nd half. Of course Geno has a different opinion than you.

It seems some people's telescopic view of past PGs at UConn which is colored heavily by junior/senior year (primarily senior or whichever is better) performances are used as the standard for judging young players, not yet halfway through sophomore season in Nika's case. Geno plays her as a starter during this crisis period because, to him, he sees the defense energized and it may have actually lessened the pressure on Evina to try to deliver on her 'Unfinished Business" declaration. Nika in this position is helping stabilize the teams overall performance. Whatever else anyone wants to say, Coach Geno is happy with this arrangement.

Of course, he will shuffle the deck again when Paige returns but for now, she is the best UConn has in that position and we are seeing better performances from Evina as a result.

 

[JBBallfan]

What is your issue with Nika? 80% of your posts are negative ones about her

To me she is an off the bench player to bring in some energy. She hustles and has passion and I like that. For every good play she makes she will then make a bad one. She has good pressure up top but routinely gets best off the dribble. Offensively she really doesn’t add anything - I was hoping she would work in her shot in the off season to be a threat but that hasn’t happened. Sorry I will try not to be so negative. I just don’t see her taking us to any championship

 

[BlueSkyGLW]

To me she is an off the bench player to bring in some energy. She hustles and has passion and I like that. For every good play she makes she will then make a bad one. She has good pressure up top but routinely gets best off the dribble. Offensively she really doesn’t add anything - I was hoping she would work in her shot in the off season to be a threat but that hasn’t happened. Sorry I will try not to be so negative. I just don’t see her taking us to any championship

I think you should try to count more carefully:

For every good play she makes she will then make a bad one.

I am quite certain that is not what the detailed play counts say and that is not what most of us see.

 

[Mdoggie]

What is your issue with Nika? 80% of your posts are negative ones about her

Doesn’t like foreigners. American exceptionalism at it best.

 

[MD#12Fan]

To me she is an off the bench player to bring in some energy. She hustles and has passion and I like that. For every good play she makes she will then make a bad one. She has good pressure up top but routinely gets best off the dribble. Offensively she really doesn’t add anything - I was hoping she would work in her shot in the off season to be a threat but that hasn’t happened. Sorry I will try not to be so negative. I just don’t see her taking us to any championship

You're at a cocktail party and there are some in-depth conversations about this or that and someone just says too much about something and everyone kind of gets up and gets a refill and goes somewhere else.

 

[EdSaid]

The most amazing stat about Nika, she has not committed one foul in North America.

 

[DefenseBB]

To me she is an off the bench player to bring in some energy. She hustles and has passion and I like that. For every good play she makes she will then make a bad one. She has good pressure up top but routinely gets best off the dribble. Offensively she really doesn’t add anything - I was hoping she would work in her shot in the off season to be a threat but that hasn’t happened. Sorry I will try not to be so negative. I just don’t see her taking us to any championship

I guess I am missing the perspective as last I looked, Paige who is our starting point guard is hurt, Caroline who inserted in the Starting 5 is hurt and Aubrey as one of our top defenders has been hurt all year. So Nika has been inserted and frankly has done a great job and is now finally shooting the open shot which she wasn’t last year, she’s will to drive the lane and most important is she pushes the ball up the court to raise the tempo which UConn has been known for but ceased to exist when Evina was playing the point while Paige was out. If you are stating the Nika will not lead us to to title fine, but she is a key contributor on a Championship team and has done well filling in. How many quality teams can survive losing their top player/point guard? Take Aaliyah Boston and Destiny Henderson off the Gamecocks and see who could fill in...maybe their subs do well, maybe they don’t. Perspective is always useful.

 

[maccca3232]

I am a fan of Nika and I am glad she is appreciated for what she brings to the team, not criticized for what she doesn't.

In today's game against Marquette she played almost the entire game (39.53) without scoring a point. Not surprisingly the most playing time without scoring (my records start 2000-01).

Quiz:
Nika becomes the ninth UConn WBB players since 2000-01 to go scoreless playing 30 or more minutes in a single game.

How many of those players can you name?

 

[BRS24]

To me she is an off the bench player to bring in some energy. She hustles and has passion and I like that. For every good play she makes she will then make a bad one. She has good pressure up top but routinely gets best off the dribble. Offensively she really doesn’t add anything - I was hoping she would work in her shot in the off season to be a threat but that hasn’t happened. Sorry I will try not to be so negative. I just don’t see her taking us to any championship

Show your work. We want receipts, and if none, TYFYIIUWBB,

 

[huskeynut]

Sorry She should not be playing as much as she is. Against good teams she is a defensive liability and she has no offense -

Interesting. Obviously you don't pay attention to Geno's pressers or the last team presser with Edwards and Fudd.

Geno - she is the leader of the team. Edwards and Fudd - she's our leader.

 

[Gus Mahler]

I am a fan of Nika and I am glad she is appreciated for what she brings to the team, not criticized for what she doesn't.

In today's game against Marquette she played almost the entire game (39.53) without scoring a point. Not surprisingly the most playing time without scoring (my records start 2000-01).

Quiz:
Nika becomes the ninth UConn WBB players since 2000-01 to go scoreless playing 30 or more minutes in a single game.

How many of those players can you name?

Kia Nurse
Kiah Stokes?
Kelly Faris?
L. Crockett?
Ashley Battle?
Evina Westbrook?

Yes, I'm guessing.

 

[MD#12Fan]

I guess I am missing the perspective as last I looked, Paige who is our starting point guard is hurt, Caroline who inserted in the Starting 5 is hurt and Aubrey as one of our top defenders has been hurt all year. So Nika has been inserted and frankly has done a great job and is now finally shooting the open shot which she wasn’t last year, she’s will to drive the lane and most important is she pushes the ball up the court to raise the tempo which UConn has been known for but ceased to exist when Evina was playing the point while Paige was out. If you are stating the Nika will not lead us to to title fine, but she is a key contributor on a Championship team and has done well filling in. How many quality teams can survive losing their top player/point guard? Take Aaliyah Boston and Destiny Henderson off the Gamecocks and see who could fill in...maybe their subs do well, maybe they don’t. Perspective is always useful.

"Last you looked", last year UConn played their best ball, unequivocally, you must not have looked, was when Nika stepped up and took over the 1. PB obviously slid over to the 2. Nika's biggest impact was defensively. Her pressure on the ball is the catalyst for what they can do on D. She is also more than capable of getting the offense started, which of course is to get the ball to PB and now . Then, when you weren't looking, Nika went down in the tournament, and UConn had to finish without her. Do you think Nika could have made a difference in that AZ game?