Nika watch

[HuskyNan]

Heads up - this is a thread celebrating Nika. Take the Debbie Downer posts to one of the 1,000 others that have a beef with her play.

 

[HuskyNan]

 

[huskeynut]

The award is given to a player who exemplifies "the floor leadership, play-making and ball-handling skills that personified Lieberman's career."

Go Nika!!!

 

[DEpup]

Well deserved but surprised there wasn't also a Paige on that list..

 

[Geew1992]

Well deserved but surprised there wasn't also a Paige on that list..

I think the coaching staff can only nominate 1 player per position. Although this does make it seem like Nika will be starting

 

[RockyMTblue2]

The award is given to a player who exemplifies "the floor leadership, play-making and ball-handling skills that personified Lieberman's career."

Go Nika!!!

It is what the Debbie Downers don't get. There is no more complete player on the floor than your point guard. Nika is all that and so much more.

 

[EricLA]

Congrats to Nika. I suspect the award will go to Clark. She's the reigning NPOY (and 2 time recipient of the N-L award), so I can't imagine anyone else winning it. Still, kudos to Nika - national recognition and well deserved.

Side note - only 2 players won the award 3 times - Bird and Ionescu. If Clark wins, it will be 3 for her as well. And BTW, UCONN players have won the award an astonishing 9 times. Oregon is 2nd with 3 (Sabrina), and will probably be tied with Iowa after this season.

Bird - 3
Diana - 2
Renee - 1
Moriah - 2
Paige - 1

 

[sun]

It's unknown how much Olivia Miles will be playing this year if at all.

 

[PacoSwede]

last season was nika in the final 5 contenders for the lieberman? if so, i think she easily should make a list of 20.

also, without knowing all the names on the list, some are clearly PGs, but others are very iffy. especially IF (see post #3) the award criteria matter.

 

[MilfordHusky]

I think Caitlyn and Pao Pao, at least, are shooting guards.

 

[oldhusky]

I think the coaching staff can only nominate 1 player per position. Although this does make it seem like Nika will be starting

In that case Nika is the obvious choice, but if the team can only nominate one per position what do they do with Azzi and Paige? They might nominate Azzi at SG and Paige at SF but in order to nominate both who are worthy of a top 20 list, one of them will have to be considered a SF.

Anyway congrats to Nika, but not unexpected since she made the final 5 last year. we should have four on those lists this year with Aaliyah at the PF.

 

[Ozimoto]

Good company. Nika and Georgia Amoore seem to be buddies, by the way.

 

[Majic Hands]

I think the coaching staff can only nominate 1 player per position. Although this does make it seem like Nika will be starting

Ya Think?

 

[sun]

The watch list is chosen by a national committee of experts but boilerplate articles don't specify the names of who the experts are or say that schools do any nominating for players to get on the list.

A national committee determined the list of 20 candidates...Players have the ability to play themselves on and off the list until the five finalists are selected....Fans are encouraged to participate in Fan Voting...starting Friday, Oct. 20.

Sherrod Named to Preseason Lieberman Watchlist - University of Colorado Athletics

One of 20 players on the initial watchlist

cubuffs.com

 

[Next 12]

NIKA is the heart and soul of Uconn. She is what every player on any team is required to do in order to win the award. Lead the team in attitude, stamina, heart, unselfishness and desire to win. NIKA fills all of those categories. NIKA also is the poster child of who a Uconn player is. GO NIKA!!! GO HUSKIES!!!!

 

[The deacon]

I think Caitlyn and Pao Pao, at least, are shooting guards.

Congrats to Nika for making the list again!

With respect, Milford, have you ever seen Caitlin (not Caitlyn) play? She handles the ball a higher percentage of the time than Nika does, and averages eight-plus assists per game. Because she's a high scorer, too, simply magnifies, not detracts from her qualifications for the award.

Pao Pao, too, is a point guard, although not at the same level of ability as Clark.

 

[Boreifs]

I think Caitlyn and Pao Pao, at least, are shooting guards.

Clark led the nation in assists.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Of course, I have seen Clark play, though I often misspell her name. She led the nation in assists and was second in scoring. To me, she isn't even a shoot-first PG; she's a shoot-first and shoot-second PG. She won the NPOY awards based on her scoring more so than her passing, in my opinion.

 

[Cuango]

Of course, I have seen Clark play, though I often misspell her name. She led the nation in assists and was second in scoring. To me, she isn't even a shoot-first PG; she's a shoot-first and shoot-second PG. She won the NPOY awards based on her scoring more so than her passing, in my opinion.

She averages 8 assists per game! Just because she happens to be the top scorer as well does not take away the fact that she is distributing the ball better than everyone else too! She’s also a very strong rebounder! I agree she’s a shoot first pg but she also takes care of business on the passing side. Unless she is injured or her teammates miss a lot of shots, this award is likely hers until she graduates!

 

[Scud49]

NIKA is the heart and soul of Uconn. She is what every player on any team is required to do in order to win the award. Lead the team in attitude, stamina, heart, unselfishness and desire to win. NIKA fills all of those categories. NIKA also is the poster child of who a Uconn player is. GO NIKA!!! GO HUSKIES!!!!

Well said, Nika is all that. She inspires others to greater heights - a perfect team player.

 

[JellyBean]

Congrats, Nika!! This is very impressive & a huge honor to be nominated. Way to go, Nika!!

 

[diggerfoot]

While I fully expect Clark to receive and deserve the award, it will be interesting to see how both Muhl and Clark will do with their cohort of teammates this year.

Last year Iowa had three 60% shooters, plus Warnock’s 3 point % was better than Clark’s. I expect Clark’s assist rate and A/T rate to be similar this year, reflecting further improvement on her end balanced by poorer shooting from her teammates.

I expect Muhl to improve further, as she has every year, and the shooting % of her teammates to also improve this year. That will not manifest in more assists, because Bueckers will be getting many. However, I predict both Muhl’s and Buecker’s A/T rate will be close to 3.0 this year if our injuries are kept to a reasonable level. If that happens we will be treated to watching a truly beautiful offense.

 

[JBK]

While I fully expect Clark to receive and deserve the award, it will be interesting to see how both Muhl and Clark will do with their cohort of teammates this year.

Last year Iowa had three 60% shooters, plus Warnock’s 3 point % was better than Clark’s. I expect Clark’s assist rate and A/T rate to be similar this year, reflecting further improvement on her end balanced by poorer shooting from her teammates.

I expect Muhl to improve further, as she has every year, and the shooting % of her teammates to also improve this year. That will not manifest in more assists, because Bueckers will be getting many. However, I predict both Muhl’s and Buecker’s A/T rate will be close to 3.0 this year if our injuries are kept to a reasonable level. If that happens we will be treated to watching a truly beautiful offense.

With Paige back our turnovers should go down significantly

 

[JBK]

While I fully expect Clark to receive and deserve the award, it will be interesting to see how both Muhl and Clark will do with their cohort of teammates this year.

Last year Iowa had three 60% shooters, plus Warnock’s 3 point % was better than Clark’s. I expect Clark’s assist rate and A/T rate to be similar this year, reflecting further improvement on her end balanced by poorer shooting from her teammates.

I expect Muhl to improve further, as she has every year, and the shooting % of her teammates to also improve this year. That will not manifest in more assists, because Bueckers will be getting many. However, I predict both Muhl’s and Buecker’s A/T rate will be close to 3.0 this year if our injuries are kept to a reasonable level. If that happens we will be treated to watching a truly beautiful offense.

She averages 8 assists per game! Just because she happens to be the top scorer as well does not take away the fact that she is distributing the ball better than everyone else too! She’s also a very strong rebounder! I agree she’s a shoot first pg but she also takes care of business on the passing side. Unless she is injured or her teammates miss a lot of shots, this award is likely hers until she graduates!

Agreed.
Happy for Nika, but anyone who try’s to pick apart Clark’s game is not seeing what she has done to the game of basketball and elevating a very average Iowa team. She is not surrounded by Espn top 20 recruits and is doubled and tripled every night. I love UConn BB but really respect amazing talent and dedication.
The only player that I see with talent in the same neighborhood is Paige ( when healthy )

 

[Huskee11]

In her first two seasons, while Nika was an invaluable contributor, she had some holes in her game - in particular difficulty finishing at the rim and her midrange game was absent. Shooting a pull up from 15 feet seemed foreign to her, no pun intended. As a result she would often pass up open opportunities.

Last season, I thought she made great strides in finishing at the rim.

The brief glimpse of her from First Night showed a vastly improved pull up jumper. Geno confirmed she has been putting in a lot of work in that area.

Opponents will be focusing their attention on the defensive end elsewhere, and the open shots should be there for her. I have a feeling she will be taking and making them.

I think that we will see a lot of players who have improved their games during the off-season. Nika and Caroline will be at or near the top of that list.