Pressing and trapping

[Cuango]

Even better, it was Ash at 38, KK and Nika at 30, Paige at 28, and Aaliyah only 26. Keeping Aaliyah rested is vital and Ice and Q, and even Ines, have been able to give minutes without hurting the team.

Ash’s minutes speak to what a find she has turned out to be for this team. She and KK have to be among the most impactful “normal” freshmen ever for us. (By normal I mean excluding Maya, Dee, Breanna) What a luxury it must be for Geno to be able to rely on a relatively unheralded freshman to lead the team in minutes without dire consequences! I realize there are a few others who are successfully playing big minutes for their teams but I believe most of them are sort of expected superstars like JuJu, Williams, and Hidalgo. Shade is an unexpected (but greatly appreciated) surprise. I think this freshman class, including Ice, will leave a big mark at UConn!

 

[Skeets]

Pressing and trapping is exhausting when it doesn't work. Much less so, maybe even invigorating, when it does work.

 

[Pharos]

Interesting first few minutes, when Georgetown did a great job of getting the ball inside for layups by their bigs. With 3-4" height advantage, they were taking it to UConn inside. When the Husky guards turned up the heat, the Hoya guards couldn't get their passes off. Don't remember this tactic working at all after Q2.

Georgetown's tallest is 6'4". Bennett is 6'3". In the early going the advantage they found might have been more physicality than height. Every game is officated a little differently, and players need to "sense" how physical they can be. Georgetown came out to test that. UConn responded.

 

[uconnfan68]

We ran out of gas at the end of the season because there's only so long these kids can play extra minutes before they become physically exhausted. As you point out building up early leads allows us to play kids deeper on the bench giving two benefits: 1) resting the starters and 2) developing the end of the bench.

Even the starters were playing hurt (Lou), and that one dimensional look hurt them.

 

[CL82]

Even the starters were playing hurt (Lou), and that one dimensional look hurt them.

Agreed. In many ways, last year shouldn't be considered our flaming out before the end of the season, instead, it should be considered a fairly epic run by the players who were able to take the court and a very good job by the coaching staff to put them in a position to compete in the postseason.

 

[Twelve]

Even better, it was Ash at 38, KK and Nika at 30, Paige at 28, and Aaliyah only 26. Keeping Aaliyah rested is vital and Ice and Q, and even Ines, have been able to give minutes without hurting the team.

Geno getting Ash ready for 2 games in 3 days during March Madness when she will play 30+ minutes.

Geno protecting Paige's twice surgically repaired knee.

 

[hoopsnloops32]

Another interesting option when it comes to press is when Ice comes in, move Aaliyah to the middle or the top of the press. Not as fast as Aubrey but longer. Definitely don't want her picking up fouls in the backcourt but could be interesting to try out at times.

 

[JellyBean]

If you have a lot less height than the opposition, it helps to press; it shakes them up, and they don't have the time to set up their big players.

Straight from the Hubie Brown coaching book! I remember he presented at a coaching clinic back in the early part of 2000 and he mentioned that very part about having less height & talent. By pressing and trapping, you create advantages for your smaller team. Advantages like speeding up the game, turnovers, and helping your team play aggressive. Not many Bigs can handle or pass the ball well, so that indecision helps the smaller team. I am glad that we are pressing and trapping more. It just makes us more aggressive on offense and defense.

 

[CL82]

Another interesting option when it comes to press is when Ice comes in, move Aaliyah to the middle or the top of the press. Not as fast as Aubrey but longer. Definitely don't want her picking up fouls in the backcourt but could be interesting to try out at times.

This is an interesting idea, but I suspect the idea is to give Aaliyah some rest when Brady comes in.

 

[hoopsnloops32]

This is an interesting idea, but I suspect the idea is to give Aaliyah some rest when Brady comes in.

Sometimes sure, but you can't avoid playing Aaliyah and Ice together anymore with Aubrey out. I'd imagine they'll be playing a solid 10-15 minutes a game together moving forward with both playing ~10-15 minutes alone

 

[CL82]

Sometimes sure, but you can't avoid playing Aaliyah and Ice together anymore with Aubrey out. I'd imagine they'll be playing a solid 10-15 minutes a game together moving forward with both playing ~10-15 minutes alone

Yeah, I am not convinced of that. I'll be surprised if there's even five minutes a game of overlap. I think you are projecting more minutes from ice than she currently capable of, and perhaps forgetting that Qadence is also going to be taking up some of Aubrey's minutes.

 

[hoopsnloops32]

Yeah, I am not convinced of that. I'll be surprised if there's even five minutes a game of overlap. I think you are projecting more minutes from ice than she currently capable of, and perhaps forgetting that Qadence is also going to be taking up some of Aubrey's minutes.

There are two people to relieve 5 players. They will most certainly be playing together unless Geno wants the backcourt running on fumes in March.