Nika out vs GA Tech

[Mirmir]

My impression is that Georgia Tech does not play 'fast'. That type of game may be of some help to us.
Playing a half-court game is a better choice right now than our [occasionally] run amuk fast breaks.

Nika ready to go for UCLA on Saturday?

Geno said that Nika might be out for 3 weeks (maybe less). Thus, I would not count on Nika, Aubrey or Azzi until sometime after the New Year- This team is now a "Walking MASH Unit"

 

[topogigio]

UConn has been fortunate the last few years regarding the # of injuries sustained. Looks like the averages is catching up to them. I don't for a second think it has to do with training and/or practices, rather a big part of the women's game (please don't take that as a sexist comment - it just appears college women are more prone to certain injuries than college men). I think the Huskies will be ok without Nika - she really hasn't demonstrated much add on value this year to date.

 

[ME Husky Fan]

Management of time outs will be key. For those who lamented the lack of playing time for some of those 'down the bench' are now likely to get an early Christmas gift.

 

[Stymie]

At what point do they start looking at how they are practicing? Or what they are doing? Is it just bad luck? Are they being pushed too hard leading to injuries? Is it the shoes they are wearing? Azzi had a lingering foot injury before she got to UCONN, but now we have 3 others out.

I have no idea, but yikes. Maybe I'm just venting and being frustrated, but it sure seems like we have more injuries than almost all other teams out there. Poor kids - dropping like flies... I know no one is more frustrated than the players themselves (and the coaches too).

I hope this doesn't mean 35 minutes for Evina, Christyn, Olivia, ONO, Dorka and Caroline (I realize those #'s don't work out but am just making a point - that could spell even more injuries as kids tire out).

Regardless of who is "UCONN ready", I think he needs to start using the bench more. Maybe focus on just a few things for each player to work on and do well instead of not playing them because they aren't ready to do EVERYTHING he wants.

I previously stated elsewhere on this board that maybe Coach should “dumb it down a bit”.
Take the offense down to basic plays and just run them over and over and over...
I also blown away regarding the landslide of injuries.
Is Nika’s injury a reoccurrence of last years problem or is it something else?
Handful of games under their belts, and over a third of the roster is unavailable?
UCONN still has the talent in the remaining “ healthy?” players to win this week, but now I fully expect to see Piath and Amari get playing time.-NOW.
OR, Geno can grind up the remaining 7-8 players and we can watch the number of healthy bodies continue to shrink.
Play ‘em now, or be forced to play ‘em in a week.
Uneasy feeling about what’s going on here.
And it had nothing to do with wins and losses.

 

[FridaFriend]

Does anyone else think that stress related to covid is a contributing factor to all the injuries we are seeing in women's basketball?

 

[Urshurak]

This is unbelievable.

Wishing them all the best.

 

[CocoHusky]

It seems the stars are aligned for Caroline to get plenty of PT. It is exactly what she needs but having essentially no subs at guard is not good. We have no choice really but to go with a 2 guard lineup. Against Georgia Tech that is not necessarily a bad thing. There is such a thing as a walk on player right? Maybe that is under consideration for a while.

So glad the stars aligned for Caroline to get more playing time (SMH). The NCAA has this things called rules regarding a walk on player or additions to the roster. Earliest a players can be added to the roster is the start of spring semester which is January 18th. This is UCONN WBB we are talking about so the chances of there being a players able to help the team even in practice being available is very slim.

 

[eebmg]

Geez, we can't catch a break. Can we call a few players up from jr. varsity or the G league?

As I half joked on another thread, need to send a tweet blast fo some walk ons ala Stewie. If Autumn was more patient??

 

[iri10]

As topogigio said, while I don't have any numbers to back me up, I've felt like this team has actually been more fortunate than average over the last 5 years at least. We've had our injuries, but nothing on the scale that can derail or at least disrupt entire seasons. Every run of luck expires eventually. Let's hope the remaining players can learn things during this period. I don't even care about wins and losses so much, if they get better.

If this is the year when the "two losses in a row" streak ends...so be it.

 

[Stymie]

Yesterday I watched my Colorado team crush Southern Utah, grabbing 20 steals, putting NINE different players on the floor in first 2 1/2 minutes, having 10 score. That wasn’t unusual, that is how they have played every game, how they press hard on defense on every play, how you use the bench. The leading scorer for past two games comes off the bench, the team leader in steals on a team that is among the nation’s best in steals and total defense, is a freshman coming off the bench. Colorado is 9-0 and ranked 25th because it has nine, not five, starters. UConn has great depth, huh? Prove it. If they earn minutes in practice, what is wrong with the practices that sees so few players on the floor? Why are we playing our super star to exhaustion, inviting injury? Why? Why? Why? Time to pull our heads out of the sand.

Thank you.

 

[BRS24]

Does anyone else think that stress related to covid is a contributing factor to all the injuries we are seeing in women's basketball?

An interesting thought that I also had during tennis tournaments earlier this year. There were a few perennial favorites (Federer, Williams, etc) that withdrew during the tourneys, and i wondered if the lack of normalcy, ability to train at facilities, with trainers, contributed to a decline in fitness? You can jump around, do weight training, and run by yourself, however was it the same as an organized training session? We'll probably never know.

 

[donalddoowop]

The things that have happened to UConn these past weeks are some of the reasons bold preseason predictions should be tempered. Also, it is said Geno does not like to play more than 7 or 8 players during the season. Well, it is getting to point where he may have no choice. This may be the season when UConn loses back-to-back games and also lose a conference game for the first time in years. However, there is enough talent for UConn to win the BE and make the NCAA Tournament. Edit - Sorry iri10, did not see your post until after I posted mine.

 

[hoopsfan22]

UConn's training staff used to do such a good job with keeping our players on the court. What happened? Did all those good people just get better jobs?

 

[uconnfan68]

The things that have happened to UConn these past weeks are some of the reasons bold preseason predictions should be tempered. Also, it is said Geno does not like to play more than 7 or 8 players during the season. Well, it is getting to point where he may have no choice. This may be the season when UConn loses back-to-back games and also lose a conference game for the first time in years. However, there is enough talent for UConn to win the BE and make the NCAA Tournament. Edit - Sorry iri10, did not see your post until after I posted mine.

Let's not go overboard.

 

[Beemer]

Holy crap. The hits just keep on coming.

Is it the shoes??? All these foot/knee problems....

 

[donalddoowop]

Let's not go overboard.

What is overboard about my post? Huh?

 

[choclate45]

Does anyone else find it strange we have a new head trainer and now we have all these injuries? I know she was with UCONN before and is well respected, but very strange.

 

[KhoolKidd89]

At this point, I would start Caroline and bring Dorka off the bench just due to foul prone issues are bigs have. I think we’ll see action from Mir these next few games as well pending how long Nika is out. Hopefully Azzi and Aubrey are back before Louisville.

 

[STLCardinal]

It was good when Evina decided to come back. Now it's really, really good.

 

[Littlemin]

Nika was interviewed in August and described how they were all working out together including the freshmen.
I don't see how she could be practicing and playing in games up until now with a nagging injury without the staff being aware of it.
It seems like there's something missing....perhaps Nika wasn't giving open and honest communication about playing with pain.

So I guess your candidate for point guard, Fudd, was also less than “open and honest” since she also aggravated an existing condition, causing her to miss time?
Actually, while I have no way of knowing, I think they tried to play hurt and it just didn’t work out for either. I prefer to commend and respect both rather than invent and present negative suppositions.

 

[Postie]

well Caroline will definitely be logging more minutes. Mir will get to play more. Amari may get her first minutes as well.
May need to get Stewie to make another post for walk-ons

 

[Bball244]

Things just got WAY more interesting.

 

[Postie]

Is Anna Makarat available?

 

[LarryLegend]

seems like way too many injuries that apparently have been ongoing for weeks, is it time to consider what’s different this year

 

[Zanzman]

Yesterday I watched my Colorado team crush Southern Utah, grabbing 20 steals, putting NINE different players on the floor in first 2 1/2 minutes, having 10 score. That wasn’t unusual, that is how they have played every game, how they press hard on defense on every play, how you use the bench. The leading scorer for past two games comes off the bench, the team leader in steals on a team that is among the nation’s best in steals and total defense, is a freshman coming off the bench. Colorado is 9-0 and ranked 25th because it has nine, not five, starters. UConn has great depth, huh? Prove it. If they earn minutes in practice, what is wrong with the practices that sees so few players on the floor? Why are we playing our super star to exhaustion, inviting injury? Why? Why? Why? Time to pull our heads out of the sand