Please explain why

[PacoSwede]

....
I said it before one minute was played in the tournament last year, Auriemma’s decision to bench her from starting in favor of Bueckers was a big mistake because Uconn lost that toughness, that take the game to the opponent attitude from the start. ...
Auriemma decided to change team chemistry that was working tremendously for the tournament by benching his acknowledged (by him) team leader. In doing so Uconn lost that toughness.

i can't read his mind, but i'd wager geno in fact agrees with this. ... he does make mistakes occasionally

 

[RedStickHusky]

I've got nothing but love for Nika and what she brings to the team. Not so much for the Nika-cultists on this board who want to treat any suggestion that she is not basketball or may even (gasp!) have a flaw in her game, as hate speech. I can't believe there is a post in this thread suggesting the board ban opinions that poster doesn't like... Bringing up a dead argument about Nika starting is just a baiting tactic to identify the so called haters. You are, of course, free to post such nonsense... that doesn't mean it's not nonsense.

 

[Nolefan]

Very negative about Nika.

Don’t worry he/she is typing up a 9 paragraph rebuttal right now on how Nika just just average and has little talent and that anyone can throw up 15 assist per game with ease .. and will compliment her a little than throw shade at her a sentence later .. oh she is terrible against elite teams well UConn just played 2 top teams and she played well against both ..

 

[mbr33ct]

Don’t worry he/she is typing up a 9 paragraph rebuttal right now on how Nika just just average and has little talent and that anyone can throw up 15 assist per game with ease .. and will compliment her a little than throw shade at her a sentence later .. oh she is terrible against elite teams well UConn just played 2 top teams and she played well against both ..

...and that's why for the most part I don't read his/her posts in it's entirely... I get the flavor of his/her posts just reading the first sentence or two.

 

[Wilderness]

It's mighty clear to those who listen that Geno thinks Nika his floor leader. Her teammates agree at every opportunity. If/when Caroline comes back to form we may have 6 other players he'd be happy to start. As I read it, there's no replacing Azzi or Aaliyah (duh...) If so two spots across Dorka, Aubrey, Lou, Caroline. Heck of a team, even for UConn.

 

[Bald Husky]

I've got nothing but love for Nika and what she brings to the team. Not so much for the Nika-cultists on this board who want to treat any suggestion that she is not basketball or may even (gasp!) have a flaw in her game, as hate speech. I can't believe there is a post in this thread suggesting the board ban opinions that poster doesn't like... Bringing up a dead argument about Nika starting is just a baiting tactic to identify the so called haters. You are, of course, free to post such nonsense... that doesn't mean it's not nonsense.

My post was a half joke. Of course you can't ban comments about Nika. I just wanted to voice my opinion about someone who just can't see how valuable she is. Nika does what a true point guard does, they are not expected to score, but to run the team and set up her teammates. The team is running like a clock right now, so I don't understand the reason of some people replacing her in the starting line-up. You can't compare her to Paige because she is a scorer as well as a PG. Nika is a PG in the true sense of the word, and besides, if Lou and Caroline and Aubrey can set up their teammates like Nika, well, how is that working out?
Oh, and by the way, she is not perfect by any definition, but she is perfect for what she is giving to this team.

 

[cancontent]

It has some benefit for her starting and setting the tone of the game with a strong defense. Azzi is really the only other real point guard on this team, or capable of being a good one. Therein lies the problem. The coach doesn't want to put PG burdens on Azzi's plate on top of everything else ( such as carrying the offense ). Nika is not a good shooting guard. She rarely penetrates. She struggles to finish at the rim or even get to the rim. So many of you only see the positive because we are winning. Remember the Oregon game last year? How did you like her performance that game? She has limitations. Other teams do slack off of her on defense. She only shoots when no one is within 10 feet of her. And often not even then. There is a reason for that. She rarely gets more than 2 steals against top teams but 2 steals is pretty good. She steals the ball all over the place against bad point guards or slow point guards. Is that skill as good as shooting .692 and scoring 14.3 points a game like Aubrey has done recently mainly against top competition? How hard is it to throw a pass to someone who is open for a catch and shoot 3? Do you not think Lou or Aubrey could make that pass, or Caroline? On the open floor, if the ball is in your hands constantly, do you think a Lou or Caroline would make 3-4 long passes for a score also? I think so. Nika has done a solid job. We all love her effort and passion. We hope she has a great year. We also want to win the championship. If that means others get more PT over the course of the year then do it. Geno may not want to rock the boat and he wants to build team cohesion. We are going to have injuries and we are definitely going to need Nika. Psychologically, maybe there are reasons for Nika playing so much that none of us are aware of. I'm a serial entrepreneur. I'm fully aware of the need for someone to be in charge and for someone to drive the org forward so to speak. It appears that is Nika on this team. I just hope others get a chance also as I think we have another level we can reach with the right combination of players. It's our best shot to win it all.

Both Stanford and South Carolina are going to out rebound this team and score at will in the paint. We can't stop them in the paint unless maybe Ayanna evolves more. South Carolina shut Azzi down last year almost completely. Great defensive teams can shut down a great offense. Stanford was scoring 91 points a game until they played South Carolina and today scored 71. And they had to out rebound South Carolina by 6 rebounds to do that. What are the chances we out rebound South Carolina? We are going to need players like Caroline, Ayanna and Aubrey who can make plays against top competition. It will be a fight for our lives.

There are 6 guards on the roster. With Paige out for the year, there now is 5. They're all getting opportunities to show what they can do.

Then take a look at the guard depth. A freshman who is getting acclimated with D1 level ball after being overseas her entire playing career. A transfer making a jump from a mid-major conference to UConn and is making contributions since start of the season. And as much as I like Ducharme, how does it make sense to have her play more minutes when she's still working her way through this neck issue?

The team is doing what they can with the roster they have and it looks like they're responding to the challenge.

 

[asuwish]

Nika would start for every single team in America.

No she would not! There are some great pg's out there. She is absolutely solid but is not starting at Stanford ND VT or Texas, when Rori returns just to name a few. I love her D, and she runs the point well but many pg's would collect many assist with the way our players simply beat there players down the court and with Azzi on the court. Caitlin Clark is going to start ahead of her at Iowa. If you think one of these pg's could move to the 2 slot than maybe. Next year if Paige is healthy do you not want the ball in her hands more often? Minutes will be a awkward situation for Geno next year and that's not factoring in KK who I think is a special player.

 

[RedStickHusky]

I just wanted to voice my opinion about someone who just can't see how valuable she is.

Unless the "someone" is Gino, why do you care?

 

[Jim]

Nika is not a good shooting guard. She rarely penetrates. She struggles to finish at the rim or even get to the rim. So many of you only see the positive because we are winning.

Nika lead the country in assists per game at 10.3. Perhaps it is you who are not giving correct weight to the value she brings to this team.

 

[ballerfan]

Muhl is a very unique player because besides her defensive and passing abilities, she could care less about the personal glories that come almost exclusively by scoring. She just wants to win.
Now it is impossible to measure but her effect on the team goes way beyond stats; she just brings an energy to the floor that is tangible and obvious; that is infectious to whoever is on the court with her.
I said it before one minute was played in the tournament last year, Auriemma’s decision to bench her from starting in favor of Bueckers was a big mistake because Uconn lost that toughness, that take the game to the opponent attitude from the start. Now, for those satisfied with making the finals and making excuses for the loss, you are certainly entitled to your opinion. Me, SC punched them in the mouth at the start of the game and Uconn lacked the toughness to hit back, game over.
Bueskers should have gotten her minutes, no question, she did off the bench up to the NCAA, but Auriemma decided to change team chemistry that was working tremendously for the tournament by benching his acknowledged (by him) team leader. In doing so Uconn lost that toughness.
Anyway, that is certainly ancient history and it is now more comical to me that some keep insisting on ignoring or belittling Muhl‘s obvious skills and impact.

I, too, am defending Nika, but I haven’t forgotten your personal attack on Paige last season. You said, « So weaken your team at the start of games to satisfy an ego, I don’t remotely agree but obviously Bueckers proved last year it is all about her doing it her way. »