Post game thoughts...

[bags27]

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Crystal wears glasses off the court? Does she wear contacts during the game?

 

[hoophuskee]

Hate to write off Saniya, but how to harness that speed? She seems to be pressing, her status up for grabs, so she shoots quickly, great if it goes in, but she needs patience, to draw the defender and hit the open teammate. The word will be out on Crystal, she'll see double teams or a chaser and we'll need everybody playing together on both ends of the court. Maybe not a surprise to the insiders, but I was worried we had nobody to break down defenses and score with swagger. Dangerfield played under control and took what they gave her, freshman in name only. Two games in but the surprises keep coming.

I don't know what you mean by a chaser. CD is a pg too so when she brings the ball up the floor - how can she be "chased?" A defender is already guarding her when she has the ball. And whether she is the pg or not -- as a long as a shooter is pretty good, the defender will always "chase" the offensive player so they don't have a wide open look. *******Unless you mean a box-and-one?

I don't think double-teaming would ever work unless on isolated plays they do some sort of half court zone trap. Guards that can pass the ball and have a handle are rarely double teamed because you open up the floor so much - and the guard is usually the best passer or 2nd best passer on the team. The guard will usually make a very good 1st pass while low post players struggle much more. The point is when UCONN goes with a lineup of Collier, Gabby, KLS and Nurse (or Saniya) along with CD, you have enough capable shooting/passing and offensive rebounding combination to destroy the initial double team. And if the double on CD isn't strong - often that 1st pass will lead to an assists or an easy 2nd pass easy shot. CD is a gifted passer. I tend to think you would do opposite with her and not try to close in on her/play her tight. See if over next few games she can show she can hit 3's consistently. She will almost always be a gifted passer so if you play her too tight and come at her with two players, her passing imo would destroy that strategy.

 

[Bliss]

Not sure what to make of Saniya - thoughts?

She played out of control several times, at least 3 that I can recall, which resulted in turnovers. I don't see her as having big minutes for this team. If she remains in the starting lineup she'll have to play better IMO.

 

[Ozimoto]

They were much better on defense this game. The swarming of the paint might not work so well against a team whose guards consistently shoot well from outside, though. Good switching for the most part. A couple of instances where people got beat and didn't stay in front of the person they were guarding, but if they can consistently hole opponents to scoring less than 70 they should be OK. Crystal Dangerfield was great, but taller guards with a good jump shot will be able to shoot over her. They have two wins because they have played great defense and someone has stepped up and made the shots they've had to, stopping runs by the other team before they get out of hand.

Offensively, this team has not reached its potential yet. Lou is still learning how to create her shot. She won't be able to set up for as much this year as teams are focusing on her. They couldn't do that last year. She will have to work for her shots this year. She will continue to improve on movement off the ball and using screens to get attempts at 3's. I think what you will see more of from her, and it will be very effective, are mid range jump shots from the elbow area where she can shoot over opposing guards pulling up off of the dribble and before she gets in among the trees underneath. If the bigs come out stop the jump shot, she has the ability to continue her drive around them. Gabby and Napheesa move well and there will be back door cutting opportunities for them if the team as a whole becomes more patient at running the offense (as Geno said before he left the floor at half time).

I think there is a real opportunity to incorporate Natalie into the offense more. She has a nice shot from around 15 feet. There were several occasions last evening where Baylor's big girls were packed under the boards and Natalie was open around the elbow area. A great position for a nice 12 to 15 foot jumper if she gets the ball. Like Lou, at that location on the court she can shoot over guards and if bigs move away from the basket to take away that shot, it should lead to cutting opportunities for the forwards. She is handling the ball better as long as she keeps it up around her shoulders. She is still a work in progress as far as moves in the low post goes.

At this point in the season, I see South Carolina as the worst match up for this team. Based on what I have been reading (haven't seen them play) they have the most complete team on paper. They seem to have multiple productive outside shooters to go with good post play so they could be hard to stop defensively. ND will be tough if they have a game where they shoot lights out like they did in the first half of last year's game. Since they are more of a guard oriented offense, I think we could match up quite well with them. That game will probably be decided by who plays better defensively. I see Texas as a team similar to Baylor in composition. UCONN has shown that they can hold their own against size. I have no clue about Maryland because they haven't played any games that have posed any kind of a challenge to them so they are a wild card for me at this point. The OSU would have to play their best game to beat UCONN. Again, a team with size but not good defensively.

It's still only the first week of the season, though so who knows how any of this will play out...

 

[Waquoit]

...but one game does not prove much.

Disagree. Did you see that drive for a score at the 4 minute mark? Was that a fluke? I don't think so. How about the way she fed the post perfectly while on the move? These are plays that can only be made by a highly skilled basketball player. She won't shoot lights out from 3 every game, but you can tell by her mechanics that she is a good shooter. I think she proved quite a bit in one game.

 

[Bliss]

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I grew weary of hearing about the loss of the big 3 during the game last night. They were/are great but now they're gone and the TV commentators need to move on with the team we have, an impressive group who will continue to improve and be winners.................Grumpy Old Fart.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Crystal wears glasses off the court? Does she wear contacts during the game?

I don't know for sure, but I'm pretty certain she does.

 

[hoophuskee]

They were much better on defense this game. The swarming of the paint might not work so well against a team whose guards consistently shoot well from outside, though. Crystal Dangerfield was great, but taller guards with a good jump shot will be able to shoot over her. They have two wins because they have played great defense and someone has stepped up and made the shots they've had to, stopping runs by the other team before they get out of hand.

Offensively, this team has not reached its potential yet. Lou is still learning how to create her shot. She won't be able to set up for as much this year as teams are focusing on her. They couldn't do that last year. She will have to work for her shots this year. She will continue to improve on movement off the ball and using screens to get attempts at 3's. I think what you will see more of from her, and it will be very effective, are mid range jump shots from the elbow area where she can shoot over opposing guards pulling up off of the dribble and before she gets in among the trees underneath. If the bigs come out stop the jump shot, she has the ability to continue her drive around them. Gabby and Napheesa move well and there will be back door cutting opportunities for them if the team as a whole becomes more patient at running the offense (as Geno said before he left the floor at half time).

I think there is a real opportunity to incorporate Natalie into the offense more. She has a nice shot from around 15 feet. There were several occasions last evening where Baylor's big girls were packed under the boards and Natalie was open around the elbow area. A great position for a nice 12 to 15 foot jumper if she gets the ball. Like Lou, at that location on the court she can shoot over guards and if bigs move away from the basket to take away that shot, it should lead to cutting opportunities for the forwards. She is handling the ball better as long as she keeps it up around her shoulders. She is still a work in progress as far as moves in the low post goes.

At this point in the season, I see South Carolina as the worst match up for this team. ...

I agree sometimes swarming the paint along with many other issues might not work. I don't expect the team to go undefeated and there are weaknesses etc. On the positive side - UCONN doesn't play pros. So I agree because of CD's height - that can be taken advantage of but it's not like she will be forced to guard "Maya Moore" on the perimeter. Many players she is going to guard are 5'10 and shorter. She won't be able to leap and affect the rhythm of a shot. But on the flip side, the taller you are, it will be much harder to defend CD. The beauty of CD is that she has a mid range game too, and she is a phenomenal passer. So while her defense won't be as strong, I'm not sure we've ever seen an offensive weapon like her - ever in our program though ofc Bird, and MJ and RM as point guards when they got it going were awesome.

As far as swarming the paint, I'm not sure you are going to see a team like Baylor that much in order to be forced to doing what was needed last night. Definitely I know we'll have to with USC.

As for KLS- I think she needs a lot of work on how to create her offense - I agree there - most important for her long term growth individually as a player. I understand a player she loves wishes to emulate is Larry Bird. Larry Bird could drive a bit with a crafty 1st step but he was also able to paly with his back to the basket 15 feet. KLS isn't going to be much a driver similar to Bird (she can do it to some extent) but overall her creation of shot if it develops a lot imo will be as a back to the basket staring from 10 feet away vs smaller players. OFC low post but low post position is not consistently a given. They would probably give her 10 feet back to the basket. I saw Maya do it a UCONN a bit - but Maya has a legit jumper jump shot so it's hard to just stop her.

As for the KLS 3ball- I think Baylor is one of the few teams that could limit her- but she could get off 3's with chance to go in as often as she wants. She had 9 vs a fine defensive team in FSU. Baylor had size a bit to disrupt her a bit. But overall with how our team in constructed, if your the other team and are going to "sell out" / focus significantly too much on her, with what we have as scorers at the other positions, that would be imo a poor move. This a situation - the beauty of this team and the beauty of when terrific players like a KLS come to UCONN - is that because UCONN has approximately 5 others players that can score really well (CD, Saniya, Nurse, Collier, Gabby) and that can handle the ball and pass - if you focus too much on KLS - her mere presence makes them much better. On the flip side because we have so much versatility with these 5 players, the defense has to significantly account for them because they are so capable at scoring which in turn makes KLS that much better.

As for incorporating NB more into the offense from 15 feet? Nah I don't see it. It is fine she takes an occasional jumper but if I'm to employ a defensive strategy against UCONN - I'd live with NB beating me with her 15 foot jump shots. That doesn't mean I don't want her to shoot from there. But not to incorporate the NB 15 footer as something we want to actively look for rather than it just be situational. I prefer her setting picks and rolling to the basket with our guards or setting picks for KLS or low posting smaller players.

 

[Blair]

Crystal wears glasses off the court? Does she wear contacts during the game?

If she doesn't... that means she was shooting blind...
I say...we challenge our next opponent to a 1 on 5 game…turn the lights out...see if they can stop her….. LOL…OK…I’m back to reality…


I think the ladies demonstrated that they can play against a big/talented team.

I coached for many years, not at this level…but I feel I have a pretty good eye, on the art.
I can say…they took a giant step against Baylor, from the Florida State game.

I thought, overall, the team effort was top notch…



Individual stats are great, but what interests me, is how they are achieved them….how they develop. I think most of you boneyards know what i’m talking about..

If any of you get a chance to watch it again….Watch what happens away from the ball.

How they rotated to confuse the defense.

How they work to get others open for an incoming pass.

How they work together to get open shots.

How they switched on defense without losing the edge on size or speed.

How they position their bodies against their big’s to allow another teammate to rebound.


Our small’s played big, and our big’s played small…if that makes any since. To me it does.

 

[Kibitzer]

Crystal wears glasses off the court? Does she wear contacts during the game?

No. She relies on her x-ray vision.

 

[noirwestern]

I don't know for sure, but I'm pretty certain she does.

Speaking of glasses off the court, was good to see Polly there with her big old glasses on. I don't think the cameraman recognized her since all he did was a quick pass but after watching that excited smile for years she's hard to miss.

 

[Florida Fan]

Meg Culmo said it best on the post-game show that you can see Crystal Dangerfield taking over this team and it just happens organically. I think that is what you saw tonight and the more she plays the more that will be true.

Yeah, she COULD take over the team, leave Nurse on the wing and tell Kia " lighten up, I'll do the heavy lifting." But it's a long season and I worry Dangerfield going hard for 40 minutes is a 4-month recipe for injury. I know she'll play a half or less during the AAC games, resting more than in practice. When Chong gets back out there, Geno should give Saniya some parameters. Maybe Chong thinks that she's the last option, the fifth pass that never happens, so she has to take matters into her own hands and split the defense with an all or nothing drive. But she's made some important shots from the wing. We don't beat FSU without that second-half burst. Two games, but before Crystal took over, the offense looked sloppy, chaotic, making it up as they went along. Crystal Dangerfield changed all that, kept people moving, penetrated and dropped it off, but was confident enough to hoist it up, like a real shooter. Nobody else is that sure of herself from the outside, although a less-pressured Kia should do better. Anyway we still need everybody on the same page, and that will come. So I've changed my loss number prediction to something more optimistic.

 

[Florida Fan]

I left out,

Yeah, she COULD take over the team, leave Nurse on the wing and tell Kia " lighten up, I'll do the heavy lifting." But it's a long season and I worry Dangerfield going hard for 40 minutes is a 4-month recipe for injury. I know she'll play a half or less during the AAC games, resting more than in practice. When Chong gets back out there, Geno should give Saniya some parameters. Maybe Chong thinks that she's the last option, the fifth pass that never happens, so she has to take matters into her own hands and split the defense with an all or nothing drive. But she's made some important shots from the wing. We don't beat FSU without that second-half burst. Two games, but before Crystal took over, the offense looked sloppy, chaotic, making it up as they went along. Crystal Dangerfield changed all that, kept people moving, penetrated and dropped it off, but was confident enough to hoist it up, like a real shooter. Nobody else is that sure of herself from the outside, although a less-pressured Kia should do better. Anyway we still need everybody on the same page, and that will come. So I've changed my loss number prediction to something more optimistic.

I omitted, "off the dribble", nobody seems that confident breaking down a defender. I get it that if everybody is moving, someone will get an open look, but if the shot clock is expiring----------

 

[RockyMTblue2]

CD is CD ... tall, classy dresser, known to rein in Geno - yeah, that one. Every time I see Dangerfield referred to as CD I have to double think it. We need a nick name for Ms. Dangerfield. Does anyone know if she has one from her team mates? I still think - actually more so - the Guns is who she is, but I defer to whatever, just not CD.

 

[BroadwayVa]

Couldn't be more proud of the team. Early in the year, losing the Holy Trinity after last season, BIG time new faces and contributions needed from everyone who could sit back at times last year and watch the seniors make magic... Did anyone expect an 11 point win? I predicted about a 6 point loss and am THRILLED to have been wrong.

The REAL Danger - Crystal Dangerfield - Just give her the keys to the Ferrari NOW? 21 points on 8-14 shooting to go along with 6 assists? And only in her 2nd game in a UCONN uniform. It's going to be VERY had not to expect spectacular things from this terrific young lady.

Forgettable first half for Gabby, but boy did she make up for it the 2nd half. Not sure if the light bulb suddenly came on, but committed no fouls in the 2nd half, and scored most of her 14 points during that frame.

We kind of got crushed on the glass (39-29), but how about Napheese grabbing 11 of them? Sort of an off scoring night at 6 points on 3-7 shooting, but hey, you can't score 25+ every game...

I thought Lou was really solid too. Not "superstar-esque),but she played within herself, and took good shots, making most of them. 16 points was a great effort.

Even thou Nurse didn't shoot well (3-12), most of her shots were good ones, and several rolled around and rimmed out. Oh, and 6 assists to match Crystal in that category.

Wanted to add a shout out to Nat - not a big scoring night but 6 boards, including 3 offensive - she showed toughness, and this might be one of the biggest and strongest teams in the nation. Nat showed she can be a big help, not just a body to throw in there. Not sure what to make of Saniya - thoughts?

Bottom line, a gutty, tough, hard fought win against a probable final 4 team. ANYONE who discounted this team should do so at their own risk. I wonder if the coaches are rethinking moving ND to the top spot after they only beat Green Bay by 4? Also, Lobo said "Baylor is going to be so much better in March". Um ok. How about a young and inexperienced UCONN team? I'd say we have some room to grow too.

Eric said---Did anyone expect an 11 point win?
Does a score of 67 to 78 count as 11??
Uconn players played up to their potentials (for the most part) I agree Natalie played up wards --but I think she has yet to tap her potential. She rushed some shots--Natalie is a very very good shooter when she does not rush.
I'm thrilled Crystal showed the Div 1 world what kind of a player she is---and error here or there--She is still a BRAND new Frosh second game. Chemistry when achieved will fix most of her errors.
Katie LOU and Kia played good games--this was Kia's best of the 2 exhibits and 2 real games--
I not much for looking at stats--they are nice--i watch to see how they blend with the flow and where they go or where they shouldn't go. Both went where they should when they should. KLS it has been said she stood around for too long. A few of those stand around times were directly in front of Geno--if he thought he wanted her moving--his voice still booms a distance.
As far as the 11 point prediction--that was not even a guess--numbers pulled from the air. My crystal ball is still out to the cleaners.

 

[CL82]

I think Nat is turning into a force for the team. She is mature and doesn't rattle much.

I was so happy for her. She looked terrific.

 

[BroadwayVa]

CD is CD ... tall, classy dresser, known to rein in Geno - yeah, that one. Every time I see Dangerfield referred to as CD I have to double think it. We need a nick name for Ms. Dangerfield. Does anyone know if she has one from her team mates? I still think - actually more so - the Guns is who she is, but I defer to whatever, just not CD.

I have an excellent nick name for Dangerfield--it shows class and sparkles with star dust---it's
CRYSTAL what do you think of that --it's shorter than Dangerfield--has a ring to it --don't you think??

 

[baggerbob]

Good point. The other thing that Geno pointed out is that Mo didn't have the same training/competition in high school (he didn't mention it but she was home schooled, right?), while Crystal had both high school and international competition. She was more "game ready" coming into UConn.

But for me, the big difference is the consistency of Crystal's outside shooting. I don't think Mo really attained that same consistency until mid-way through her junior year. When she started draining 3s reliably at that point, she was completely unstoppable.

The team Moriah joined had Kelly Faris, Caroline Doty, Bria Hartley, Brianna Banks as guards, with Stefanie Dolson, Kaleena-Mosqueda-Lewis, Kiah Stokes, and Heather Buck up front, so a few very good players ahead of her. The people ahead of Crystal on this team aren't yet as talented.

 

[CL82]

CD is CD ... tall, classy dresser, known to rein in Geno - yeah, that one. Every time I see Dangerfield referred to as CD I have to double think it. We need a nick name for Ms. Dangerfield. Does anyone know if she has one from her team mates? I still think - actually more so - the Guns is who she is, but I defer to whatever, just not CD.

Crystal Dangerfield

Dangerzone?

(By the way her performance last night screams for a highlight video to this song:

 

[RockyMTblue2]

I have an excellent nick name for Dangerfield--it shows class and sparkles with star dust---it's
CRYSTAL what do you think of that --it's shorter than Dangerfield--has a ring to it --don't you think??

Nice sentiment, but nah ... its her name. We need something like Stewie, or The Gabulous One or ??? Sides, crystal is fragile. Nothing fragile with this young lady.

 

[BroadwayVa]

Collier: The most indispensable player on the team. Dangerfield: There's a new sheriff in town.

Indispensable? I could anoint maybe 6 players for that title--Gabby, Collier, Katie Lou, Kia, Butler, add in Dangerfield, in time i believe Bent and Kyla. The job Collier and Gabby did on Bu's bigs for thier sizes--was nothing short of extraordinary. Butler bang head to head with those bigs and did herself proud.
long winded way of saying i agree. Collier rebounding and scoring in these last 2 games was remarkable.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Crystal Dangerfield

Dangerzone?

(By the way her performance last night screams for a highlight video to this song:

She does have jets.

 

[BroadwayVa]

Nice sentiment, but nah ... its her name. We need something like Stewie, or The Gabulous One or ??? Sides, crystal is fragile. Nothing fragile with this young lady.

\The FLASH.==- Scoring demon ---your worst nightmare--Tennesee Torch---Vapor vol--MONEY

ANYTHING OTHER THAN Crystal Dangerfield---

 

[SCGamecock]

My final thought on the game, because I am about to forget it ever happened: why did Mulkey not keep avoiding UCONN?

Look at it this way... at least you don't have to play them in February when they are supposed to be better.

 

[bags27]

I was so happy for her. She looked terrific.

Absolutely. Having had a chance to watch the game with less emotion and more attention, what strikes me about Natalie is that she actually has surprisingly quick hands. And she's very rarely out of position; a really intelligent ball player. We sort of think of her as slow of foot and of decision, but, actually, she is probably right now where she would have been last year had she not injured her thumb. She's established an excellent baseline for herself and has 2 full seasons to develop her game. This is what we hoped (prayed!) for all summer.