Paige vs Caitlin

[triaddukefan]

 

[MD#12Fan]

I think it also matters that UConn has the fifth best team defense in the country (51 ppg) and Iowa has the worst (81 ppg). They rank 336 out of 336. Those points and assists mean a little more if you aren’t turning around and giving them back on the other end.

I think from our end it’s a little weary. Bueckers has led her team to No. 1. That SC game outscoring the No. 1 team in the country 13-5 in the clutch by herself on 5-5 shooting in a 1 v 2 game was historic for anyone in those stakes, never mind a freshman. Overall, her freshman season is probably currently second behind Cheryl Miller for the most impactful in WCBB history pending the tourney (an egg there and she could slip behind Holdsclaw and others - so we will have to wait on that), based on both her personal numbers and where she‘s lifted her team (in fairness, she gets the benefit of an abbreviated schedule with less marquee games - we might be having a different discussion if they lost to Louisville and/or Baylor). But it feels like her accomplishments are being diminished by the constant comparisons to a kid in 7th place in her league, even if that kid is having a tremendous year in her own right.

That said, I’m convinced Bueckers doesn’t care one whit about any of this and just wants to help the team win in March any way she can. The proof of that is she only shoots 10 times a game against the weak teams in the BE, when she easily could be trying to light them up for her personal resume. She hears about Clark’s big scoring games, and her next time out, her coach jokes that he needs to talk to her union rep to get her to shoot. So i guess if she doesn’t care, we probably shouldn‘t either.

Nice Post! Very thorough coverage of the topic IMO.
I see Paige, like you alluded, concerned with important things, like the team. She is that rare player that has the ability to hugely affect the team with her floor generalship. I see her as being unaffected by any chatter. I'm a teacher and occasionally you meet kids that are unaffected by others. It doesn't mean they are aloof or distant but they just don't pay attention to chatter and they are not self-conscious at all. I see her as a natural. IMO she is "working" on important things right now, which is the confidence of her teammates, the team's transition game, and the motion offense. Getting 30 on Butler isn't that. If Holdsclaw needs to move up on somebody's senseless list that doesn't mean anything, who cares. This is advanced stuff! BTW nice Cheryl Miller reference!

 

[Plebe]

View attachment 65053

The dead horse beatings will continue until morale improves.