Reeling Geno Auriemma not sure issues with UConn women’s basketball team can be ‘fixed’ after 57-44 loss at Georgia Tech

[Mirmir]

I suggest your assessment was correct and true for the past 2 years. Which player, excluding Paige, was your idea of a Uconn quality Point guard. Once who could and would control the tempo.
Excuse my ignorance, but if a team has one, two, or 3 effective big players, in my opinion they will control the board and the tempo. Then too if you have 2 or 3 guards that can hit 4o percent of their 3's, that too helps the tempo. Uconn, has player that can hit the 3, but few have proven they can do it on a consistent basis or 40 percent regularly. Tempo is usually determined by the opponent and your ability to beat them at their game, i.e. with a zone, shoot 3's, man for man, fast break/ boards. Everything I've mentioned is a factor of Coaching and personnel. Just my lack of BB knowledge speaking..
If a team is lacking a true point guard or has only one. It is bad practice to wait until your Pg is injured to have a known true point guard on call. The coach has options, teach, train, those with the qualifications/abilities, OR recruit PROVEN PG's. If Nika, Fudd isn't one or Evina isn't one, or Griffin---make them one. (I know all injured) Geno loves guards that's his forte'. I'm still one that believes in blow outs that is an excellent time to see how your PG's (trainees) are doing. Teach based on game errors of trainees, in Practice. I.E. Teach in practice, hone skills in games.

COACHING = TEACHING (and teaching includes providing practical in game expereince. Especially when you are up more that 15 points with plenty of time left in the 4th quarter to get some of these bench players some valuable experience, rather than allowing your All American Point Guard to give you any type of impression, because she is "A Pain In The Ass" and complains if she is pulled out of games. Whose the teacher? Whose the coach? Paige or Geno? (if it is Paige, then why not give her all of Geno's salary and let her Coach the team the way she wants it run, since she 'Allegedly' WHINES if the coach pulls her out of game. This way, since she apparently dictates how the team is run, and the Head Coach won't put is foot down and say "Enough is Enough" you are coming out the game and I don't want to hear a peep, she can do whatever she wants to do (since apparently she already does). - (then let's see how many of her teammates will put up with that stuff)

 

[LarryLegend]

COACHING = TEACHING (and teaching includes providing practical in game expereince. Especially when you are up more that 15 points with plenty of time left in the 4th quarter to get some of these bench players some valuable experience, rather than allowing your All American Point Guard to give you any type of impression, because she is "A Pain In The Ass" and complains if she is pulled out of games. Whose the teacher? Whose the coach? Paige or Geno? (if it is Paige, then why not give her all of Geno's salary and let her Coach the team the way she wants it run, since she 'Allegedly' WHINES if the coach pulls her out of game. This way, since she apparently dictates how the team is run, and the Head Coach won't put is foot down and say "Enough is Enough" you are coming out the game and I don't want to hear a peep, she can do whatever she wants to do (since apparently she already does). - (then let's see how many of her teammates will put up with that stuff)

most likely Geno is embellishing but agree that just by saying it he is opening the player up for criticism

 

[Jc718]

I don't think the whole presser was doom and gloom from Geno. He was obviously disappointed and frustrated but he did also say that he hopes he can go in tomorrow and tell them that this thing can still be turned around.

 

[Littlemin]

How about rallying the troops.
Did Churchill tell his people to prove him wrong?

I was answering a specific question on Auriemna’s comments at the press conference, not offering what I thought Auriemma should have said.

 

[FairView]

Actually, Nika is very good at forcing uptempo games on opponents. She was missed as well

Nika plays and UConn wins this game.

Hoping for a good game Sunday.

I felt for Geno after the game. He didn't want it to go this way.

What I can't believe is how quickly so many people turn on Coach and his players.
True, they are not executing like we are accustomed to seeing. Even before injuries, the team was still figuring it out.
Rather that acting so much like the men's board, perhaps we can be a bit more supportive and positive.
I think we can rest assured that coaches, players and everyone associated with the program is thinking about how they can help improve the situation.
Rather than be so down, let's deal with the sting of losing a winnable game and look forward to watching the team and the players grow and gel.
Wishing I hadn't decided against heading to NY for the double header tomorrow. Looking for both teams to move forward. It's a long time until March.

 

[FairView]

COACHING = TEACHING (and teaching includes providing practical in game expereince. Especially when you are up more that 15 points with plenty of time left in the 4th quarter to get some of these bench players some valuable experience, rather than allowing your All American Point Guard to give you any type of impression, because she is "A Pain In The Ass" and complains if she is pulled out of games. Whose the teacher? Whose the coach? Paige or Geno? (if it is Paige, then why not give her all of Geno's salary and let her Coach the team the way she wants it run, since she 'Allegedly' WHINES if the coach pulls her out of game. This way, since she apparently dictates how the team is run, and the Head Coach won't put is foot down and say "Enough is Enough" you are coming out the game and I don't want to hear a peep, she can do whatever she wants to do (since apparently she already does). - (then let's see how many of her teammates will put up with that stuff)

Hmmm, new to UConn Women's Basketball and interpreting Geno, are ya?
I suggest you spend the next few years studying the program.

 

[CocoHusky]

I suggest your assessment was correct and true for the past 2 years. Which player, excluding Paige, was your idea of a Uconn quality Point guard. Once who could and would control the tempo.
Excuse my ignorance, but if a team has one, two, or 3 effective big players, in my opinion they will control the board and the tempo. Then too if you have 2 or 3 guards that can hit 4o percent of their 3's, that too helps the tempo. Uconn, has player that can hit the 3, but few have proven they can do it on a consistent basis or 40 percent regularly. Tempo is usually determined by the opponent and your ability to beat them at their game, i.e. with a zone, shoot 3's, man for man, fast break/ boards. Everything I've mentioned is a factor of Coaching and personnel. Just my lack of BB knowledge speaking..
If a team is lacking a true point guard or has only one. It is bad practice to wait until your Pg is injured to have a known true point guard on call. The coach has options, teach, train, those with the qualifications/abilities, OR recruit PROVEN PG's. If Nika, Fudd isn't one or Evina isn't one, or Griffin---make them one. (I know all injured) Geno loves guards that's his forte'. I'm still one that believes in blow outs that is an excellent time to see how your PG's (trainees) are doing. Teach based on game errors of trainees, in Practice. I.E. Teach in practice, hone skills in games.

My assessment that UCONN does not have the ability to determine pace it applicable to this season as well.
Paige is a world class PG. PGs "help" to determine pace of play but as I have said there are other more significant factors.
UCONN is at it best when it is creating turnovers and getting out and running. What's preventing UCONN from running are these two other factors;

1) Our wing players CW, Evina, and Paige are all averaging over 30 minutes per game. Paige is over 36MPG. When the starters have to play that many minutes you have to conserve energy and that is usually on the defense end of the floor. For example you can't use these players to press for even a few possessions. The toll on a players legs to get out and run the floor even a few times a game is astounding and we are already seeing the effects on this many minutes on this team in the 4th quarter of games.

2) Paige is second on the team in rebounding and that is not conducive to UCONN going up tempo. When any guard or perimeter player gets that many rebounds they are usually crashing down from the perimeter which means they have to change direction to start the transition. This is not an indictment of page for getting too many rebounds it is an indictment of our front court players for not getting enough. More dominat front court rebounding from UCONN would allow Paige, CW and Evina to get that first step up the court to start the transition and that first step up court could be everything.

3) Our defense is severely lacking in a couple key defensive metrics. For the season our opponents have more FTA (90 to 86). UCONN has committed more turnovers (108 to 91) than the opponent. UCONN is tied 282nd in steal among D1 teams. UCONN is ranked 42nd among Di teams in committing fouls. Historically the best UCONN defensive teams are never below the top 10.
Collectively what these defensive stats are telling you is that UCONN is not dictating the pace of play. How could UCONN be dictating pace when they are committing more turnovers , committing more fouls and and the opponent is getting to the FT line more often?

 

[hoophuskee]

This is troubling in so many ways. Either Geno and the staff have lost their ability to coach or he's recruiting the wrong players. If he's speaking in hyperbole, it send the wrong message to future recruits, etc. Is this the beginning of the end for UCONN basketball? Or is he just being a drama queen? Can you imagine what opposing coaches will say to recruits???

"In Geno's own words, he no longer can coach players to get to where they need to be. Why on earth would you ever want to go to that mess of a coaching system? Come here and we will help you get to where you want to be."... or some variation of that.

I frankly can't believe those words came out of Geno's mouth. Somehow other coaches are able to "affect their players to make sure they are in a better place mentally and physically to play the kind of basketball they need to play". Have the players of this generation passed him by? Is it time for him to go?

You may think my comments are overly dramatic, but those words actually came out of Geno's mouth. Is he really that out of touch? Good grief what a mess.

IMO your comments are overly dramatic.

For example your comment about recruiting. So kids aren't going to come even if once Paige comes back and UCONN is still back in the FF?

Take a breath.

 

[Mirmir]

Nika plays and UConn wins this game.

Hoping for a good game Sunday.

I felt for Geno after the game. He didn't want it to go this way.

What I can't believe is how quickly so many people turn on Coach and his players.
True, they are not executing like we are accustomed to seeing. Even before injuries, the team was still figuring it out.
Rather that acting so much like the men's board, perhaps we can be a bit more supportive and positive.
I think we can rest assured that coaches, players and everyone associated with the program is thinking about how they can help improve the situation.
Rather than be so down, let's deal with the sting of losing a winnable game and look forward to watching the team and the players grow and gel.
Wishing I hadn't decided against heading to NY for the double header tomorrow. Looking for both teams to move forward. It's a long time until March.

Aubrey Griffin plays and UCONN wins that game

 

[Mirmir]

Hmmm, new to UConn Women's Basketball and interpreting Geno, are ya?
I suggest you spend the next few years studying the program.

You Don't Say ??

 

[Florida Fan]

Behind paywall. Use Outline.com if you need.

Reeling Geno Auriemma not sure issues with UConn women’s basketball team can be ‘fixed’ after 57-44 loss at Georgia Tech

The first game of the (temporary) Paige Bueckers-less era as she recovers from a tibial plateau fracture that’ll keep her out six to eight weeks spelled — by UConn standards — cat…

www.courant.com

Thinking back to 1995, the joy this team has brought to this school, this state, these players and fans now spread around the country. And the sharp shooters, DT, Mya, Lou, KML, the list goes on and on. Going to college games in Florida, the uconn fans out-numbering the locals. I'm grateful to the coaches and the players for what they delivered to my mental health. We've watched players perform beyond their dreams, and we've seen them go down with horrendous injuries, some career ending. Now is not the time to kick them to the curb. Let's remember the good times and hope for the future.

 

[Huskiegirlz]

A few quotes. It's many, but it's a long article.

“I don’t think it’s gonna get fixed. I really don’t,” he said.

“And what I see is a team that’s somewhat disheveled. And that’s all me. Somehow, someway, I do not have the ability at this point in time to affect my players to make sure that we’re in a better place mentally and physically and play the kind of basketball we need to play.”

“We’re disorganized, that’s the biggest thing I can tell you,” Auriemma said. “We’re disorganized as a group right now, from the coaching on down, everybody. There’s just no sense of we have a plan of how we’re going to execute, how we’re going to get a bucket, who’s going to get it for us.”

“That fourth quarter, we didn’t respond, which has happened before with this team,” Auriemma said. “So you can blame Paige not being here. Yeah, that’s part of it. But that’s not the real story.”

Does anyone know if there were media with any players postgame, I could not find. Curious as to their thoughts.

 

[ConwayGmck]

 

[BobbyJ]

This is troubling in so many ways. Either Geno and the staff have lost their ability to coach or he's recruiting the wrong players. If he's speaking in hyperbole, it send the wrong message to future recruits, etc. Is this the beginning of the end for UCONN basketball? Or is he just being a drama queen? Can you imagine what opposing coaches will say to recruits???

"In Geno's own words, he no longer can coach players to get to where they need to be. Why on earth would you ever want to go to that mess of a coaching system? Come here and we will help you get to where you want to be."... or some variation of that.

I frankly can't believe those words came out of Geno's mouth. Somehow other coaches are able to "affect their players to make sure they are in a better place mentally and physically to play the kind of basketball they need to play". Have the players of this generation passed him by? Is it time for him to go?

You may think my comments are overly dramatic, but those words actually came out of Geno's mouth. Is he really that out of touch? Good grief what a mess.

I can't either. A simple statement in that situation like "we're going through a rough patch right now but we're going to continue to work with the kids to get them to understand what needs to be done to get out of it" would suffice. But no, he just can't go near a microphone without needing to entertain and throw tidbits out to the adoring media who then happily plaster them everywhere for the guaranteed clicks. Just stop talking about everybody's faults in public, including your own, and coach your team. It needs it.

 

[ABCDFE]

I didn't see any UCONN players losing composure last night. I saw frustration and lack of ability. They are also not young there were 4 Seniors in the UCONN starting lineup last night.

Yes I agree. I don’t think they are as bad as they showed in the fourth. But these players certainly are who they are by now. They are very good complimentary pieces, but not the top dawgs that UConn is used to having. HS rankings aside they are good options 3,4,5. Paige/Azzi to me have that ability to be options 1/2. When you lose your best scorer and leader and ask someone who’s really a Complimentary piece to now be the go to scorer, it just rarely happens

 

[GoUconn7961]

This Press conference was disturbing from my favorite coach. There is parity in women's basketball and it's a good thing for the sport. No time for sulking. I once heard Geno, say, "It's supposed to be hard." Yet he takes a loss, then act as if it's the end of the world. That attitude is no better than a missed layup or disheveled offense he complained about. His job is to coach thru ups and downs. Twenty schedule games left and the coach has a defeated outlook on the rest of the season. Not good! Glaring problem is Coach hasn't made adjustments in a very long time and it's concerning to me when looking at our future in comparison to other programs. In the two losses, this season, we had epic melt downs in the 4th quarter, with no plans on how to stop the bleeding. Yes it's on the players but what are the adjustments to help these 18 to 22 year old players grow and be successful. I believe in Geno but maybe a loss like this will make us realize what the women's collegiate game has become. Parity!!

It wasn’t the loss. It was how they lost. There’s a HUGE difference

 

[D J B]

Does anyone know if there were media with any players postgame, I could not find. Curious as to their thoughts.

There were not.

 

[baggerbob]

If I’m a top player and my coach says it’s basically hopeless… I do what I need to do to prove him wrong! Watch out UCLA

Maybe after last night they will start to listen to Geno. He had been hinting that the team has been too reliant on Paige, rather then doing things themselives.
If any of the upperclassmen want to play at the next level they need to start showing up every game.

 

[Stinger92860]

She was often out of position on defense and needed to be directed where to go on the court. She’ll learn but leaving her in a game like last night’s would have been discouraging and counter-productive to her growth.

this why he has to give minutes to these players when we are up 20.

 

[donalddoowop]

I wonder how Geno's comments will be taken by future recruits. If I was one and I hear a coach say he does not know how to fix a team problem I may not want to play for him or her. It is also fodder for other coaches to use against him.

 

[CONN78SEJ]

She was often out of position on defense and needed to be directed where to go on the court. She’ll learn but leaving her in a game like last night’s would have been discouraging and counter-productive to her growth.

She came in and immediately put points on the board, went right to the hoop and scored with confidence, which no one else was doing. Nothing but net on her free throws, too. Defense will come with time, but for a freshman kid that’s been sitting on the bench all season, you can’t ask much more than that.

 

[RegisteredUconn]

If you are the team and you hear your coach says that things can't be fixed, how are you supposed to react?

Not by going out and proving him right, that's for sure. This is a group that's known nothing but basketball success their entire lives. I expect them to act like champions.

 

[RegisteredUconn]

If Geno thinks he doesn't know if he can fix the problem, then I'd rather we have a coach who thinks he/she can fix the problem. And part of the problem is him and not being able to coach/teach offensive sets/plays well.

There's what you'd "rather" and what you'd "get." The list of those that think they can is infinitely longer than the list who can. I can think of few things more monumentally stupid than arguing for a coaching change.

 

[RegisteredUconn]

It wasn’t the loss. It was how they lost. There’s a HUGE difference

It wasn't a loss, it was a failure.