Nika Starting Against Butler (For Evina)

[Brewski]

SL, I respect all the work you put in on the recruiting thread. But I question your position on the Nika point guard controversy. In all the games Nika started and/or play significant minutes last year, what position did she play? Maybe she was playing power forward because Paige was playing the point? I think not... I firmly believe Geno inserted Nika at point guard to let Paige play off ball and shoot the damn thing more. Then again, I could be wrong.

you could very well be wrong, but you're not.

 

[Postie]

Muhl still was not the point guard even if you put it in caps. Certainly not the majority of the time. She also wasn't healthy in the Arizona game and was a hindrance defensively because of it.

Nobody said Muhl was lucky to get on the court, but there is some re-writing of history going on here. Nika got her starting job last year as a result of injuries to both CW and Aubrey. And she was very good in those games, but that also was during the weakest portion of UConn's schedule. I stand by my comment that we will see what she can bring against the best opponents. The Butler game worked out well for her and Westbrook but Butler's net ranking is in the 300's.

Nika shined in Big East competition.She was not on the court crunch time last year against South Carolina or Tennessee.I am looking forward to how she competes Monday against Oregon point guard Pao-Pao .

 

[Bald Husky]

SL, I respect all the work you put in on the recruiting thread. But I question your position on the Nika point guard controversy. In all the games Nika started and/or play significant minutes last year, what position did she play? Maybe she was playing power forward because Paige was playing the point? I think not... I firmly believe Geno inserted Nika at point guard to let Paige play off ball and shoot the damn thing more. Then again, I could be wrong.

Not!

 

[Alydar]

When the juniors last year couldn't convert Bueckers' passes Geno moved her to a shooting guard. The backup pg was Mühl. She had already gone through her "come to jesus" moment with Geno and she sparked a lot of the defense. And she was the starting pg until she got hurt. She wasn't the best pg on the team but the best was needed for other things.

 

[Sluconn Husky]

I think some people need to re-watch those games last year. NIka was not controlling or running the team the vast majority of the time.

 

[The deacon]

I think some people need to re-watch those games last year. NIka was not controlling or running the team the vast majority of the time.

I have hesitated to enter the fray about Nika because of what a following she has here, but I'm with Sluconn. In a different context, the faith in and lofty praise for her that many of you offer might be said to be based on urban legend, or some such expression. I believe I like her as much as any of you, but Nika right now just doesn't bring much to the court other than her enthusiasm and tendency to overreact every which way.

Unquestionably she fires up her teammates, and I'll cheer her occasional three-pointer, and the steal and breakaway layup. Yet generally her role is to dribble the ball up the court, 95 percent of the time without defensive pressure, hand it off to someone and then let her four teammates figure out an offense. For the Huskies to win much of anything, they'll need either Nika to significantly upgrade her contributions, or a different point guard.

I know, I know, Geno loves her. Yes, she might be the starting point guard at the moment, but I truly believe she will be about eighth in the rotation if and when Azzi and Paige come back.

I would agree with Littlemin that Nika played one of her better games vs. SC last winter, but to term it an excellent 35 minutes is overstating. And Postie, yes, she wasn't on the court at crunch time in OT in that game, but she was out there to throw away a pass with about 20 seconds left in regulation.

As many of us often say, IMO.

 

[Huskee11]

Nika shined in Big East competition.She was not on the court crunch time last year against South Carolina or Tennessee.I am looking forward to how she competes Monday against Oregon point guard Pao-Pao .

Technically you are correct, she did not play the last 1:48 of overtime against SC. Geno called timeout at that point when we were down 59-56. He took both Nika and Aubrey out, and put in Christyn and Olivia, presumably for offense. This is all from the play by play on the UConn website.

But, she played the entire fourth quarter (which certainly qualifies as "crunch time") and the first 3:12 of overtime of the SC game. She played 35 minutes in that game, which was tied for second on the team. She hit the team`s only three in the fourth quarter and tied with Aaliyah for second in scoring for UConn for the game. She also tied for second in total minutes played, more than both Christyn and Evina. So, I think those things should be noted to put your observation in context.

She had a rough start to the year due to injury and stubbornness, and was on the bench for the Tennessee game due to the latter, I believe, on January 21, 2021. But one week later was the Arkansas game and she played a major role in that game. Based on the play by play on the UConn website, she came into the game at the 7:03 mark of the third quarter when we were down 9. She was part of an exciting comeback and was in there all the way until the end of the game, and played 25 minutes total.

After a rocky start she had established herself by late January and early February as an important member of the team. At that point, after SC, the only games to be played, hence the only opportunity to shine, were Big East games.

Her role will probably diminish once Paige and Azzi are back. But she does provide a toughness that is contagious, and from what I have observed the offense flows much better when she is in the game.

 

[npignatjr]

Technically you are correct, she did not play the last 1:48 of overtime against SC. Geno called timeout at that point when we were down 59-56. He took both Nika and Aubrey out, and put in Christyn and Olivia, presumably for offense. This is all from the play by play on the UConn website.

But, she played the entire fourth quarter (which certainly qualifies as "crunch time") and the first 3:12 of overtime of the SC game. She played 35 minutes in that game, which was tied for second on the team. She hit the team`s only three in the fourth quarter and tied with Aaliyah for second in scoring for UConn for the game. She also tied for second in total minutes played, more than both Christyn and Evina. So, I think those things should be noted to put your observation in context.

She had a rough start to the year due to injury and stubbornness, and was on the bench for the Tennessee game due to the latter, I believe, on January 21, 2021. But one week later was the Arkansas game and she played a major role in that game. Based on the play by play on the UConn website, she came into the game at the 7:03 mark of the third quarter when we were down 9. She was part of an exciting comeback and was in there all the way until the end of the game, and played 25 minutes total.

After a rocky start she had established herself by late January and early February as an important member of the team. At that point, after SC, the only games to be played, hence the only opportunity to shine, were Big East games.

Her role will probably diminish once Paige and Azzi are back. But she does provide a toughness that is contagious, and from what I have observed the offense flows much better when she is in the game.

The only issue is with the unknown that is Azzi, she hasn't played a full season in 2 years. We hope she is fully recovered from her major injuries, patience please.

 

[oldude]

The good news for Nika is that it really doesn’t matter what anyone on the BY think’s about her. The only thing that matters is what Geno thinks about Nika. Does anyone really believe Geno would start Nika if he didn’t honestly believe this team is better with her in the starting lineup?

Flash back to 2012-13. Geno started 5th year senior Caroline Doty. She averaged 3.2 ppg, and played maybe 15 mpg. Geno brought Mo off the bench. Caroline wasn’t better than Mo, even in Mo’s freshman year. But the team was better with Caroline starting. Oh by the way. UConn won its first of 4 straight national championships that year.

 

[PAHuskeyFan]

The good news for Nika is that it really doesn’t matter what anyone on the BY think’s about her. The only thing that matters is what Geno thinks about Nika. Does anyone really believe Geno would start Nika if he didn’t honestly believe this team is better with her in the starting lineup?

Flash back to 2012-13. Geno started 5th year senior Caroline Doty. She averaged 3.2 ppg, and played maybe 15 mpg. Geno brought Mo off the bench. Caroline wasn’t better than Mo, even in Mo’s freshman year. But the team was better with Caroline starting. Oh by the way. UConn won its first of 4 straight national championships that year.

Most excellent comments @oldude . You beat me to it. None of us on BY are the person(s) who makes the decisions on starters, playing time, who plays in critical moments and so on. We don't have all the needed information to make these decisions...nor should we expect to have it... such as how someone has been in practice, who is nursing an injury, who has "the eye of the tiger" during shoot around and so on. Not our call...

Go Huskies!!!

 

[HopJim]

The good news for Nika is that it really doesn’t matter what anyone on the BY think’s about her. The only thing that matters is what Geno thinks about Nika. Does anyone really believe Geno would start Nika if he didn’t honestly believe this team is better with her in the starting lineup?

Flash back to 2012-13. Geno started 5th year senior Caroline Doty. She averaged 3.2 ppg, and played maybe 15 mpg. Geno brought Mo off the bench. Caroline wasn’t better than Mo, even in Mo’s freshman year. But the team was better with Caroline starting. Oh by the way. UConn won its first of 4 straight national championships that year.

Dude, another view on the point you posted. I believe some of the contention regarding Nika comes from who she is playing against. While Nika's energy and true point guard skills are invaluable particularly now that Paige is injured, her best moments have been against low level competition. Looking at the top 10 teams we need to beat for a championship, Nika has a perfect skill set to come in and add energy and defense. Playing major minutes against their point guards would be a challenge.

 

[oldude]

Dude, another view on the point you posted. I believe some of the contention regarding Nika comes from who she is playing against. While Nika's energy and true point guard skills are invaluable particularly now that Paige is injured, her best moments have been against low level competition. Looking at the top 10 teams we need to beat for a championship, Nika has a perfect skill set to come in and add energy and defense. Playing major minutes against their point guards would be a challenge.

Not suggesting that Nika needs to play major minutes. She didn’t against Butler. Nika just got the game off to a good start with her agressive play, then turned it over to Evina who played more minutes and appeared far more relaxed coming off the bench.

I mentioned Caroline Doty in my post. It’s a great analogy to Nika’s situation. After a season-ending injury during her jr year, Doty was never the same basketball player. But she continued to play with poise and control as a 5th year senior and was instrumental in helping UConn effectively start off games in 2012-13. Both Bria & Mo, two future AA’s, came off the bench, but almost always played more minutes than Caroline, usually with greater stats.

It’s not always about putting your best 5 players on the court. It’s about what works best for the team. Geno is a master at figuring it out and putting players into positions where they have a high probability of success.