Poll - Will offense or defense be more important in 2023?

[SEbluebood]

I believe I followed your chain but I believe your points are wrong but respect it. My last point squashed your point about a 2nd big player. When you are looking to pound teams inside - it's not just one pass and all of sudden you get an easy inside shot. vs other top teams And as you pointed out that the 2nd player is more inside oriented too-- well then it would most likely mean that the big team isn't as fast break proficient if they are that big to pound UCONN inside. As we both agree teams have flaws. Even the big teams that feature inside play. So, the big inside team has to have a flaw or 2 on the perimeter, right? So, when the big team falls behind, they are in huge trouble as game goes on, because they are eating up the clock to get 2 point shots, right?

However what is evident obviously and I say this with respect that as a non-UCONN fan that you are- it's very evident not only about your comments of UCONN fans but how you're so willing to cite Fudd and 34%. Because you aren't a UCONN fan there is no way you are going to give someone like Fudd an inch because you just don't want to. I mean everyone makes some type of predictions. But a non-UCONN fan such as yourself won't look at anything but stats, and the heck with anything else because it's UCONN, right?

I say this because as a non-UCONN fan you are going to hold onto 34% and don't care one bit about the accumulation of information that 1.) she was regarded as a supreme superstar (especially as a shooter) in h/s in which she was poy as a soph before her injury over Paige and Jones. 2.) Geno usually critical of young players said right from start he wants Azzi to shoot and surprised when she misses. 3.) Chris D usually critical of young players said right from start she wants Azzi to shoot and surprised when she misses. 4.) UCONN played 4 games vs good teams early- one was Iowa -- and Fudd averaged 8-9 3's and shot near 50% from three vs those 4 teams. 5.) At the start of the year, UConn/Geno Auriemma featured Azzi Fudd and her 34% 3pt shooting in which she averaged 8.5 three's per game over Edwards, Dorka, and Lou. 6.) By citing 34% as you have, you aren’t going to look one inch beyond your toes that injuries may have affected her, right? I mean it's okay - you are a respectful poster but you just don't want to look outside the box with Azzi, right?

So, as a non-0UCONN fan you will highlight 34% but you don't care about injuries or what the UCONN coaches say or especially what they show they will do. Yet to me and many other UConn fans the 6 points (and I'm sure others have others) above highlight why Geno scoffs at the stats some of you non-UCONN fans might cite. Otherwise, please explain why with a tough schedule playing Texas, Nc State, Duke, and Iowa along with the talent UCONN had with Edwards, Lou and Dorka, why would Geno and staff feature/encourage a 34% 3pt shooter to take between 8 to 9 three's per game vs good teams to an elite team like Iowa if that stat had an iota of relevance? Yet you as the non-UCONN fan want to hold onto it without looking an inch beyond your toes.

 

[SEbluebood]

Few quick points.
1.Believe it or not, I am a UConn grad and huge fan of all UConn sports, but I don’t drink the National Flag Blue Kool-aid and see everything through rose-tinted glasses.
2. My pet peeve is probably obvious from my posts. It is simply this. Some fans,as is their privilege, simply want to confer greatness on teams and players when it simply isn’t yet proven. Doesn’t mean it won’t be. Doesn’t mean I don’t want them to be right. IMO, some of the things posted are just flat out silly or worse stupid. It’s a sports chat board so I shouldn’t be surprised. I try to ignore most of those that I disagree with, other times I respond and try to use facts to provide a different viewpoint. The fact is,for whatever reasons, today Azzi is a career 34% 3 point shooter. So is Caroline. And the freshmen are unproven at the college level.
3. Finally, do I believe and hope that Azzi can be a consistently great player and shoot better than 34% from 3 ? Absolutely! I never said I thought she couldn’t. She just needs to stay healthy and prove it. And do I think this team can be national champions? Yes, of course I do. But I am not of the mindset that they are unbeatable , overwhelming favorites to do so or that they are some type of flawless super team. I hope they prove me wrong go unbeaten and win the championship, and that you all can tell me you told me so next spring!!

 

[HuskylnSC]

It's an unimportant question and we're all bored until the season starts. But for fun-speak I agree "offense is more skilled" -- but for great offensive players they need a certain level of athleticism on the perimeter. IMO for Azzi and Paige in order to be great and have super stats they need to be healthy enough to be as athletic as they were. And if they do - if that offense from those two along with if Caroline if healthy along with Edwards - their defense doesn't need to be great.

So imo the main question is if Paige, Azzi, Caroline (and Ice to a degree) can play to near to their past high levels for them- the Offense will be too much for everyone. OFC an off-game is possible on any given day but as you say – 1 game doesn’t make a pattern.

Think of it this way though - UCONN would have two Caitlyn Clark's, plus much better offensive players than Caitlyn played with; - one Caitlyn took down South Carolina. With the 3 that are coming back Paige/Azzi/Caroline imo their ceiling as players is much more important if they hit their near-top level as scorers on offense vs their near top-level if they get to on defense.

All your comments are true and are an expansion of my comments and reinforce my point. If this year's team sets all-time records for offense, it will because they played sterling defense.

 

[Waquoit]

It's offense. Look at the OSU box score. OSU was out-rebounded and only shot 38% from the floor. UConn had 11 steals. That sounds like winning defense. UConn needs to hold on to the ball and make shots in the big games.

 

[hoophuskee]

Few quick points.
1.Believe it or not, I am a UConn grad and huge fan of all UConn sports, but I don’t drink the National Flag Blue Kool-aid and see everything through rose-tinted glasses.
2. My pet peeve is probably obvious from my posts. It is simply this. Some fans,as is their privilege, simply want to confer greatness on teams and players when it simply isn’t yet proven. Doesn’t mean it won’t be. Doesn’t mean I don’t want them to be right. IMO, some of the things posted are just flat out silly or worse stupid. It’s a sports chat board so I shouldn’t be surprised. I try to ignore most of those that I disagree with, other times I respond and try to use facts to provide a different viewpoint. The fact is,for whatever reasons, today Azzi is a career 34% 3 point shooter. So is Caroline. And the freshmen are unproven at the college level.
3. Finally, do I believe and hope that Azzi can be a consistently great player and shoot better than 34% from 3 ? Absolutely! I never said I thought she couldn’t. She just needs to stay healthy and prove it. And do I think this team can be national champions? Yes, of course I do. But I am not of the mindset that they are unbeatable , overwhelming favorites to do so or that they are some type of flawless super team. I hope they prove me wrong go unbeaten and win the championship, and that you all can tell me you told me so next spring!!

I don't believe you are a UCONN fan or you are one of those negative posters that only wants to look at the bleak side of things. I recently had a disagreement with a poster who for example thinks the likelihood of Paige or Azzi coming back to near their top from by late year is the hopeful equivalent of Cardoso becoming a decent 3 pt shooter.

SO, my pet peeve is with posters such as yourself - nice posters probably great great person but for some reason must be ashamed of UCONN's greatness or only wants to look at things negative because you're scared or want to show off as if a badge of honor. The Azzi example was a case in point.

If you are a UCONN fan as you say (which I doubt) then your comment about Azzi was incredibly deceptive. And it continues to be extremely deceptive. Because Azzi is not a 34% 3pt shooter as you say but she is an over 39% 3pt shooter. She shot over 43% her freshman year. In addition, in her frosh year she played more games and had more minutes. A UCONN fan would know this. A UCONN fan wouldn't deceptively use the year she was most injured and played the less minutes and completely disregard the injury.

You've basically buried your head in the sand regarding injuries, the discrepancy Azzi had between hurt and not hurt, and everything that Chris and Geno have mentioned with Azzi as a shooter, you disregard all of this without even an iota of pretense to look beyond your toes the way a lawyer would do. Then to make matters worse you throw exclamation points at the suggestion that Azzi could be a force --despite in which you must have seen in the 1st games when she was healthy, right? You mean you couldn't tell the difference between early Azzi and late Azzi? Or are we being “lawyerly” and there is no real definition of “injury?”

Again - it's okay to make predictions on here yet you seem to want to go off on UCONN fans too (Because I think you also sent me a post about a month ago going off on UCONN fans as well) as if you think it's some badge of honor. The fact is - it's okay to make predictions - and if Fudd's stats show 39%+ then it shouldn't be leap to suggest IF HEALTHY she can do much more damage. This is why your 34% is deceptive. I'll ask again-- we are not in law school - if 34% is indicative of the player she is then please explain why with a tough schedule playing Texas, Nc State, Duke, and Iowa along with the talent UCONN had with Edwards, Lou and Dorka, why would Geno and staff feature/encourage a 34% 3pt shooter to take between 8 to 9 three's per game vs good teams to an elite team like Iowa if that stat had an iota of relevance?

Bottomline is UCONN’s offense if Fudd is healthy as she has shown with her 3pt shot in the games and through her frosh year and through what the coaches have said and what they have done and with her past reputation in which we’ve seen her on fire when healthy—then UCONN’s Offense will be a juggernaut. Azzi’s offense if healthy would help UCONN become super juggernaut if Paige and Caroline are near their peaks too.

 

[hoophuskee]

All your comments are true and are an expansion of my comments and reinforce my point. If this year's team sets all-time records for offense, it will because they played sterling defense.

Nope.
The Offense will make the defense that much greater beucase of superior efficency.

 

[Cuango]

It's offense. Look at the OSU box score. OSU was out-rebounded and only shot 38% from the floor. UConn had 11 steals. That sounds like winning defense. UConn needs to hold on to the ball and make shots in the big games.

I would agree that for the OSU game we clearly needed offense but in general, I think defense is the foundation to a winning team. There will always be exceptions though. However, what we really needed was a healthy roster. If we had had that, we probably would not be discussing a loss to OSU in the first place.

 

[SEbluebood]

I don't believe you are a UCONN fan or you are one of those negative posters that only wants to look at the bleak side of things. I recently had a disagreement with a poster who for example thinks the likelihood of Paige or Azzi coming back to near their top from by late year is the hopeful equivalent of Cardoso becoming a decent 3 pt shooter.

SO, my pet peeve is with posters such as yourself - nice posters probably great great person but for some reason must be ashamed of UCONN's greatness or only wants to look at things negative because you're scared or want to show off as if a badge of honor. The Azzi example was a case in point.

If you are a UCONN fan as you say (which I doubt) then your comment about Azzi was incredibly deceptive. And it continues to be extremely deceptive. Because Azzi is not a 34% 3pt shooter as you say but she is an over 39% 3pt shooter. She shot over 43% her freshman year. In addition, in her frosh year she played more games and had more minutes. A UCONN fan would know this. A UCONN fan wouldn't deceptively use the year she was most injured and played the less minutes and completely disregard the injury.

You've basically buried your head in the sand regarding injuries, the discrepancy Azzi had between hurt and not hurt, and everything that Chris and Geno have mentioned with Azzi as a shooter, you disregard all of this without even an iota of pretense to look beyond your toes the way a lawyer would do. Then to make matters worse you throw exclamation points at the suggestion that Azzi could be a force --despite in which you must have seen in the 1st games when she was healthy, right? You mean you couldn't tell the difference between early Azzi and late Azzi? Or are we being “lawyerly” and there is no real definition of “injury?”

Again - it's okay to make predictions on here yet you seem to want to go off on UCONN fans too (Because I think you also sent me a post about a month ago going off on UCONN fans as well) as if you think it's some badge of honor. The fact is - it's okay to make predictions - and if Fudd's stats show 39%+ then it shouldn't be leap to suggest IF HEALTHY she can do much more damage. This is why your 34% is deceptive. I'll ask again-- we are not in law school - if 34% is indicative of the player she is then please explain why with a tough schedule playing Texas, Nc State, Duke, and Iowa along with the talent UCONN had with Edwards, Lou and Dorka, why would Geno and staff feature/encourage a 34% 3pt shooter to take between 8 to 9 three's per game vs good teams to an elite team like Iowa if that stat had an iota of relevance?

Bottomline is UCONN’s offense if Fudd is healthy as she has shown with her 3pt shot in the games and through her frosh year and through what the coaches have said and what they have done and with her past reputation in which we’ve seen her on fire when healthy—then UCONN’s Offense will be a juggernaut. Azzi’s offense if healthy would help UCONN become super juggernaut if Paige and Caroline are near their peaks too.

You can believe what you like. I have no reason to lie about being a fan. Time will answer all the questions. As I stated , I will be thrilled if Huskies win it all, but won’t credit them for any greatness until they do. If you think that makes me less of a fan, so be it. I will still be cheering for the Huskies like I always do. And posting my opinions! Feel to block me if it makes you feel better! Time for me to other posts! Have a great weekend!

 

[hoophuskee]

You can believe what you like. I have no reason to lie about being a fan. Time will answer all the questions. As I stated , I will be thrilled if Huskies win it all, but won’t credit them for any greatness until they do. If you think that makes me less of a fan, so be it. I will still be cheering for the Huskies like I always do. And posting my opinions! Feel to block me if it makes you feel better! Time for me to other posts! Have a great weekend!

Again your misreprsenting - in this case what is said the same way you misrepresented Fudd';s stats by completely ignoring her freshman year. No one is "giving credit" but rather "predicting" greatness. There is a difference. I don't know what to tell you if you don't understand the difference. There is no need ot be so lawyerly. Relax and don't get so bent out of shape with your fellow husky fans if you are that. And don't try so hard to be so negative. We've had great runs here. Look up.

 

[HuskylnSC]

Nope.
The Offense will make the defense that much greater beucase of superior efficency.

that's cute

 

[hoophuskee]

that's cute

I don't believe opposing teams will find UCONN's offensive firepower (if healthy) very cute.

The potential from Paige, Azzi and Caroline on Offense (if healthy) is off-the-charts.

I will say though on Defense if they can show themselves to be a pressing team in which Patterson, Brady (and the swing of Griffin from PF to SF) can help out Edwards (I know Griffin can play some PF but when she swings to SF - UCONN needs another player to help Edwards)) and not be very bad on Offense (which Patterson was last year) then the Defense can be off-the charts too. This is not a super-super stretch. Patterson and Brady were top level H/S A/a's. Just not sure if they can do it though vs the Offense if healthy they should be super super.

But again, imo with Patterson - the question is her offense. And everything from what I've read about Brady on here from many of the posters that followed her that she could have played good amount of minutes last year. If that's the case then what was mostly spoken was her Offense and who she will help spread the floor.

It's about the Offense for this year. The more efficient UCONN's Offense is this year the more they can set their Defense. And even when the Defense is playing well and sets up potential fastbreaks, it's the Offense that should be much, much more tremendous than anything we've seen in a long time (if healthy). Not all fastbreaks and secondary fastbreaks get converted. And only a certain % from 3. Potentially if healthy, these numbers across the board would dramatically improve because of the potential extreme offensive talent running fastbreaks and secondary fastbreaks etc too.

 

[Waquoit]

I would agree that for the OSU game we clearly needed offense but in general, I think defense is the foundation to a winning team.

We need offense to beat the top teams. I go back to the sewer theory. You can't win without good defense. But just because you have good defense, doesn't mean you will win. The UConn men had a wonderful offense this year (great D too) and they played a couple of top defensive teams in the tournament. Blew them both out of the building. Good O trumps good D. Go back to those epic UConn-Tenn battles. PHS was all about "Defense and rebounding, defense and rebounding". And she had the upper hand to start the rivalry. But once UConn pierced that D and embarrassed them in the backdoor festival of 2002, the game hasn't looked back.

 

[Matty722]

I have always been a defense first person. If you bring defense, you have a great chance to win. However, watching the NCAA tournament this year made me rethink that a tad. Defense is still important (see Ohio State’s press destroying us), but if a team’s offense is running top notch, it is hard to stop. Iowa doesn’t play defense and that is why LSU had so many open shots; however, it was clearly LSU’s day and it makes me wonder how much even a great defensive team (SC) would have fared against their shooting.

I also think about how UConn has lacked fully healthy offensive players the last few years (especially this past season). You had so many great shooters/scorers in Paige, Azzi, Caroline, Dorka, and Ice out that it really showed on offense. Obviously talent doesn’t equal automatic points or wins, but if everyone had been healthy? That would have been scary. It will be scary this season to see what kind of level the team can hit offensively if fully healthy.

I still value defense, but I also realize that there isn’t a great replacement for great shooters/scorers. Honestly, I just want UConn to be healthy!!