Not sure how to process this exchange between Geno and Page {merged thread]

[Papa33]

I know that a couple Boneyarders thought Geno had mis-coached UConn's last possession against Baylor (the one that led to misses at the foul line by Christyn) by not selecting Paige to receive the inbound pass. However, in his postgame press conference, Geno said that the play was drawn up so that Christyn was the designated receiver to allow Paige to play off the ball and then use a screen to get a pass from her. However, said Geno, Paige made her cut too early, before the screen was set up, and that busted the play, forcing Christyn to try to make an ad hoc play for a shot.

Second, according to Geno, when he later told Paige that she had busted the play and placed the team's victory in jeopardy, she shrugged it off and said, "Well, we won," or words very close to those.

If Geno is accurately reporting that exchange, it is quite uncharacteristic of Paige and also of the kind of carmaraderie and shared responsibility that has been a sterling trademark of this year's team. As noted above, I'm not sure what to make of it.

 

[willie99]

They make an amazing team

 

[RedStickHusky]

Paige said in her on-court post game that she was in trouble for not waiting on a screen... Makes sense. Also takes heat off Christyn. It's a leader move. The other part, I think is Geno's "woe is me with all these freshmen" schtick.

 

[Glenn]

Well the play seemed horrible. Getting the ball into Christyn's hand first seemed asking for a quick foul on her and her inconsistent foul shooting. But that said, Paige should take more ownership of her mistakes.

 

[hoopsfan22]

Paige said in her on-court post game that she was in trouble for not waiting on a screen... Makes sense. Also takes heat off Christyn. It's a leader move. The other part, I think is Geno's "woe is me with all these freshmen" schtick.

Paige screwed up plain and simple, and she acknowledged her mistake which Geno confirmed. Not much more to read into it.

 

[Essexdave]

Much of the interactions between Geno and Paige is drenched in sarcasm, tongue in cheek, or needling. It’s not just Paige. Nikas even better at it. When asked about Geno calling her stubborn she cuts off the questioner and say No! He can’t say that. He’s the most stubborn man I’ve ever known! My guess is Paige took responsibility for the screw up and was also thrilled with the close win sending them to the final 4. Geno being Geno conflated the two.

 

[hoopsfan22]

I think the newcomers just have a different attitude towards Geno hence the new nickname "Big G." Maybe this is what adds to the fun that Geno is having this season?

 

[Gurleyman]

Pieced it together from Geno’s comments and watching the replay. They wanted to force a switch - having Ursin slide on to Paige and let CW get Carrington on her. And then I think the thought was to have Paige cut to the corner and take Ursin with her, and have CW dive to the basket after the screen and have ONO throw a lob toward the basket for a layup.

But Paige didn‘t give CW a chance to put a screen on Carrington and just ran by and cut to the corner clearly not looking for the ball (she ran all the way out of bounds). Carrington followed Paige - and CW still had Ursin on her and just cut to the ball, since Ursin was between her and the basket (and would be a better athletic d back on that sort of lob). You can tell the thought from the bench: Carrington was a step slow reacting to all of Paige’s cuts and probably would have been burned on that switch overplaying CW.

After CW gets fouled, Geno turns to Paige and screams “why don’t you wait on the screen”

All that said, I remember a sideline inbounds lob play like that against Notre Dame that cost us a BE title. And watching it on replay, Egbo was standing at the elbow waiting to crash down and help (AE didn’t draw her very far away), so she probably could have gotten there to contest.

 

[huskyd]

Yeah, I was bothered by the tone of Geno's story. Paige did come off as acting childish. But I was somewhat relieved when Coach ended the story by making a couple of "I'd like to strangle her" gestures and screwed up his face. He was cutting her some slack; she is pretty young after all. And pretty terrific all things considered.

 

[Lynx23]

I suggest we give Paige the benefit of the doubt. We weren't there. We didn't hear the exchange. We didn't witness the tone, and we didn't observe the body language. And I'm sure Geno isn't quoting Paige verbatim because he never quotes anyone verbatim. And I'm also certain Paige isn't shrugging off the criticism; I wouldn't believe that's her style. I do believe she and Geno have a special relationship. When she received the AP trophy and thanked her teammates, she broke down as she said the word "coach". I can't imagine her saying something disrespectful to someone she obviously has a deep respect for.

 

[Papa33]

Thanks for the several replies, all of which offered nuances that I didn't get from Geno's post-game version. Interesting how much more we are seeing and hearing "into" this squad's interactions and relationships— from both Coach Geno and the several young players, who wear their feelings on their sleeves and share them much more publicly. This has been— for obvious reasons— a trying season in which team dynamics could have unraveled, but they won't let it happen. Bravo for all of them.

 

[Cornell Lt]

Much to do about nothing

 

[JoePgh]

By that point in the game, Paige appeared to be exhausted and was not playing her best (and probably not thinking at her best either). As the announcers noted, she missed her last 5 shots. Her last score was with about 7.5 minutes left. The shots after that were good, high-percentage Paige shots. If she had made even 2 out of 5, the game would not have been within one possession at any point.

So I don't have trouble believing that she messed up that last play (that is, before she intercepted Bickle's pass to end the game). I am also far from certain that she would have sunk the free throws if she had been the shooter. It sounds like Geno wasn't sure about that either -- from the discussion above, it sounds as if he wasn't trying to get Paige fouled; he was trying to get Christyn a layup.

 

[Heytherego]

Everything is read into so deep. Come on people!

 

[Biff]

Much to do about nothing

Ya think?

 

[Childhood]

Geno has ever said she's a great teammate because she's a great human being. Paige has always been highly praised by Geno more than the other. I haven't watched the press but I dont think Geno was trying to blame her in the press. They have a very good relationship.

 

[CocoHusky]

 

[Alydar]

I know that a couple Boneyarders thought Geno had mis-coached UConn's last possession against Baylor (the one that led to misses at the foul line by Christyn) by not selecting Paige to receive the inbound pass. However, in his postgame press conference, Geno said that the play was drawn up so that Christyn was the designated receiver to allow Paige to play off the ball and then use a screen to get a pass from her. However, said Geno, Paige made her cut too early, before the screen was set up, and that busted the play, forcing Christyn to try to make an ad hoc play for a shot.

Second, according to Geno, when he later told Paige that she had busted the play and placed the team's victory in jeopardy, she shrugged it off and said, "Well, we won," or words very close to those.

If Geno is accurately reporting that exchange, it is quite uncharacteristic of Paige and also of the kind of carmaraderie and shared responsibility that has been a sterling trademark of this year's team. As noted above, I'm not sure what to make of it.

Bueckers also related the story instead she says it happened immediately after the game ended. In talking about the moment she said that even in the celebration of winning "coach was telling me I missed a screen". Maybe Geno could have saved it for the locker room?

 

[willtalk]

Put this story into context with Bueckers slap on Geno's rear as she went by him during the game. Perhaps she is not as scared of Geno as other frosh were.

 

[LarryLegend]

People have way too much time on their hands. As others said above, big deal about nothing

 

[Bald Husky]

Bueckers also related the story instead she says it happened immediately after the game ended. In talking about the moment she said that even in the celebration of winning "coach was telling me I missed a screen". Maybe Geno could have saved it for the locker room?

Just like with Christyn, do it while the iron is hot so to speak. Geno did say that Paige still has a lot to learn, and one of those is probably patience. They always say that she is just a freshman, but are we really comprehending that? She is so good that we fail at times to remember that, and having watched her all year, we expect her to play like an experienced player. Of course, it is mind-boggling that a freshman can make us feel that way. She is special.

 

[AgStatesman]

Agreed this is all nothing.

We all know people who always have to be right, so when you bring up something they maybe could have done better or differently, they get a bit defensive. After the fact they process what was said and the point hits home. I'm guessing at time that Paige, an alpha personality, just needs a bit of time to process her critiques.

 

[my2cents]

Geno actually yelled out as the play developed. Something to the effect "You ran away from the screen"
Paige and everyone heard that.
Any more comments about the mistake, in Paige' mind, would have been repetitive, and not worth listening too. Hence the walking away saying "we won"
Based on numerous comments from Geno about coaching Paige, he may need to consider a better way to communicate, if yelling is not working.

 

[RedStickHusky]

It's a long couple of days, waiting for this game with Husky brain working overtime. So, we're rambling about nothing. IMHO, Geno talking about Paige not listening is him having fun - if it was a problem we wouldn't be hearing about it. On the other hand, Paige owned up to her mistake immediately and we're talking about that instead of who missed. free throws. I like that.

 

[browns]

Geno also said that he hasn't said she's the best player in the nation and was gleefull saying she's going to regret ever getting the award..obviously going to throw it in her face over every little mistake she makes in practice..he mentioned she has so much to learn..gee if she's this good now what is she going to be when she learns all the things he teaches her

 

[BostonBay]

Geno was genuinely upset. You could hear him screaming on the telecast. Tough love - all good. Still, CW needs to make those shoots - 2 bad misses.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

“I said ‘Paige, you almost cost us [the game] because you didn’t wait for that screen,’” Auriemma recalled from the Baylor game. “And she just walked away and goes, ‘We won, we won.’”

UConn women’s basketball team boasts 21 Final Four appearances to Arizona’s one, but Friday night anything can happen

Geno Auriemma and UConn with 20 previous Final Four appearances and 11 rings. Adia Barnes and Arizona with none and none. Friday, they will face each other with a spot in the national title game on the line.

www.courant.com

This humble person is complex. I think she knows he is not about to bench her. Their relationship will be an entertaining side story throughout her tenure at UConn.

 

[Zorro]

Well, Evina nearly cost us the game with that carry. CW nearly cost us the game by missing those freebies. AE nearly cost us the gam by missing that bunny. ONO and AE nearly cost us the game by fouling(?) Carrington. Fortunataly, none of them did. We won.

 

[AgStatesman]

I find it stunning the people that keep talking about Geno having to adjust his style. This thinking is just dumb. He's the greatest at what he does, of all time, because he does it the way he does it. He's smarter than you and he is the reason UConn has won 11 titles. There is no one on this board who can relate to - HE IS THE BEST IN ALL HISTORY AT WHAT HE DOES! He is beyond lame second guessing, especially when it comes to the psychology of the game.

 

[Sanka541]

The way I took the situation is that yes Geno was annoyed with her, luckily it didn’t matter in the end because we won but he drew a play up and she didn’t do what she should have and wait for the screen. However, him choosing to bring it up means it was clearly all good natured and I’m sure Paige accepted her mistake but her saying “we won, we won” is just her making light of the situation as if to say “ok I made a mistake but we won so it’s ok” type thing. Everything we have seen of her she is the most selfless teammate and humble individual so I cannot see there being anything in this other then a bit of a joke after a big win!