Rich with more on Dolson

[pap49cba]

“You need a four-man that can score to take some of the pressure off there,’’ Auriemma said. “Not having somebody like Maya makes it so much easier for them to trap her. And when you get a big kid who’s not quick enough to get out of the double teams, it’s just a problem. Big guys don’t mind playing against other big guys because you can handle that. But when big guys are playing against smaller guys that are quicker than they are and can get there – it’s like what we did to (Baylor 6-8 All-American) Brittney Griner last year at our place. You surround her with a bunch of little guys – they can’t handle that. And Stefanie’s not handling that real well right now. But Kiah’s getting better, and we’re going to have to make some changes in how we attack defenses from here on in.’’

LINK

 

[meyers7]

“You need a four-man that can score to take some of the pressure off there,’’ Auriemma said. “Not having somebody like Maya makes it so much easier for them to trap her. And when you get a big kid who’s not quick enough to get out of the double teams, it’s just a problem. Big guys don’t mind playing against other big guys because you can handle that. But when big guys are playing against smaller guys that are quicker than they are and can get there – it’s like what we did to (Baylor 6-8 All-American) Brittney Griner last year at our place. You surround her with a bunch of little guys – they can’t handle that. And Stefanie’s not handling that real well right now. But Kiah’s getting better, and we’re going to have to make some changes in how we attack defenses from here on in.’’

LINK

Sounds like more "twin towers" approach. When your "4" is Ferris, who teams are leaving alone, it really makes it hard on a post all by herself. (though Dolson still needs to do better)

 

[John Fryer]

Sounds like more "twin towers" approach. When your "4" is Ferris, who teams are leaving alone, it really makes it hard on a post all by herself. (though Dolson still needs to do better)

I would like to suggest that we might also see KML as a starter.

We haven't done very well playing catch-up.

Peace,

John Fryer

 

[NCorBust]

Sounds like more "twin towers" approach. When your "4" is Ferris, who teams are leaving alone, it really makes it hard on a post all by herself. (though Dolson still needs to do better)

I think Stokes and Buck would be a better tandem. Between the two them they would sweep the boards clean and shutdown the paint. Buck is a bit better with her offense than last year. Cetainly they are more mobile. Problem: Kelly has been a lousy shooter but really good at defense and assists. Either way two bigs means one less Kelly.

 

[NCorBust]

I would like to suggest that we might also see KML as a starter.

So she can miss even more shots? Earlier in this season I thought we were set with guard depth but not now. Seems everyone's shooting is slumping! Geno has a tough job ahead. He needs Bria and Kaleena to get their shooting touch back. In a perfect world I would agree get the fire power on the floor. However, UCONN started the St. Johns game well and faded like the Okie game. Perhaps the are just physically spent.

The more I think about your suggestion, the more I succumb to it. Some players will have to play huge minutes but so be it. Most of the time Caroline is an offensive detractor. Kelly is a lousy shooter but does generate offense with assists and transition. But still she is not a scoring threat. UCONN really only has two guards, Bria and Kaleena, who can score and both are slumping. Geno almost has to go with Bria, Kaleena, Stef, Kiah, and Kelly/Caroline/Brianna. Seems hopeless, then I remember they have only lost three games. But the way they are playing there will be no deep run to the NC. Something must change. Next year's frosh have an excellent chance at lots of playing time.

 

[UConnCat]

Thanks for posting pap. Many of us have been saying all year that one of the biggest differences between Stef last year and this year is not playing next to Maya. I'm not saying that Stef is not capable of playing better this year, but she is being defended much differently.

The point Geno makes is one he made earlier in this season (to Rebecca at the Stanford game): that the team's overall success will depend a lot on the growth and development of Kiah. Geno knew the day was coming when the games would be slowed down and executing half-court offense would be critically important. Scoring in the half-court is difficult without a post player who can escape double teams that occur because there's a player on the team who is not a threat to score. Last year the double teams were on Maya who was quick and talented enough to escape and score or pass to an open Stef for a bucket. The same was true for Tina. Stef is not that type of player.

Sherri Coale made the point earlier in the week that UConn is more mortal when forced to score in the half-court rather than in transition. That's not a secret, it's just been disguised because the team has been able to score in transition in so many games and teams were figuring out how best to defend this team. Teams have figured it out. It's time for Geno and the staff to respond with a different attack. But Geno knew this day was coming as evidenced by his comments to Rebecca early in the season.

 

[HuskyNan]

Thanks for posting pap. Many of us have been saying all year that one of the biggest differences between Stef last year and this year is not playing next to Maya. I'm not saying that Stef is not capable of playing better this year, but she is being defended much differently.

The point Geno makes is one he made earlier in this season: that the team's success will depend a lot on the growth and development of Kiah. Geno knew the day was coming when the games would be slowed down and executing half-court offense would be critically important. Scoring in the half-court is difficult without a post player who can escape double teams that occur because there's a player on the team who is not a threat to score.

We should probably stop quoting Geno because he can't coach post players any more.

 

[meyers7]

I think Stokes and Buck would be a better tandem.

ummm, no. Buck is decent at rebounding and defending. We need people out there who can run the offense. Not Buck's forte.

 

[meyers7]

We should probably stop quoting Geno because he can't coach post players any more.

And he keeps making them wear those crappy shoes.

 

[NCorBust]

ummm, no. Buck is decent at rebounding and defending. We need people out there who can run the offense. Not Buck's forte.

We were discussing twin tower as in Stef and Kiah. I was speculating Kiah and Heather might be a be tandem since both Kiah and Heather are much better rebounders and defensive players than Stef. Re: Heather's offense I was saying it she may score as many points or more than Stef considering her most recent production or lack thereof.

Re: running the offense this will ahve to wait until next year for Moriah if she can. This year there are few play run in a given game. It is pass the ball around the perimeter and fling up a 3pter. No one ever cuts anymore after passing they just hang on the perimeter. Past UCONN teams actually ran the plays and everyone kept moving and cutting. Not this team. It is transition baskets and threes or nothing. Shut down UCONN's transition and let them miss 65-70% of their shoots sans ac few easy transition buckets.

 

[HuskyNan]

Re: running the offense this will ahve to wait until next year for Moriah if she can.

The offense will depend on a freshman? Oy. Bria and Caroline - kicked to the curb for someone that's never played a second of college ball...

 

[Wonkster]

.
I think the cure-all next year is Stewart. What's the opposition going to do - double team Dolson and Stewart?

Stewart plays the magnet role that Maya played during Stef's freshman year, and Stef will function ably in that circumstance.
.

 

[rington]

I would like to suggest that we might also see KML as a starter.

We haven't done very well playing catch-up.

Peace,

John Fryer

I have to agree with KML as a starter. As much as I like Doty, because of injuries, you never know when or when not she can play. She lacks speed against a quick team. This presents the problem: Who is the point guard?
If the goal is to win a national championship, then you need continuity; the same team, on the floor, starting every night. If that is not your goal, then go with the players who "may be ready" on specific night.
In past years, this was the time of the year where the Uconn teams started to peak. The opposite is now true. I am not saying this just because of the loss to Samson Johnson.
The closer we get to the ND game on Feb. 27th, the more I see that one game deciding if Uconn gets a #1 seed.

 

[UConnCat]

The closer we get to the ND game on Feb. 27th, the more I see that one game deciding if Uconn gets a #1 seed.

If UConn loses to ND on the 27th, which team do you think will get the #1 seed that won't go to UConn?

 

[snowkot]

ummm, no. Buck is decent at rebounding and defending. We need people out there who can run the offense. Not Buck's forte.

As opposed to Stokes / Dolson and Faris? For all the negative pub Buck gets, you may want to compare her offensive stats with Faris'.

OK, so starting Buck may be a bit much, but I believe her ability to run the offense - setting screens, moving low post to high, and offensive rebounding is way underrated. And I think she's laterally the quickest post defender on the team. As such, barring injury, I'm mystified as to why she's not able to crack any of Coach's rotations.

Given recent performances, I'd prefer starting Doty & Hartley at guards, Mosqueda-Lewis & Hayes at forwards, and a 3 person rotation at the 5, with a healthy dose of high-low using Dolson high and Buck/Stokes low.

 

[NCorBust]

The offense will depend on a freshman? Oy. Bria and Caroline - kicked to the curb for someone that's never played a second of college ball...

Not Bria! Only Caroline. "Producción, Kimo, producción!" (Stand and Deliver) If Moriah has the skill and potential, then give her the minutes. She cannot be any worse than Kaleena who is a frosh and has done inconsistently good but will probably be much better next with this year's copious minutes. Bria and Kaleena are the only two guards who can score. Bria is much more productive at the shooting guard position and the kid really produces at the point. So she should be great. Heck, with Kiah and Bree's promise I'd try Morgan at guard for a really big lineup. This teams needs scorers. Kelly and Caroline can't deliver the points consistently. Although Kelly, I still think, might make a better point guard since she is the best passer into the post and anywhere. I'd give Moriah, Morgan, and Bree a goodly number of minutes as long as they are earning them in practice. They, as of this moment, have significant upside, Unfortunately Caroline no longer does. Kelly's shooting problems limit her future worth, which is why I would play to her strengths as a distributer and guard defender.

 

[Georgestarr7]

One of the things that irked me last night was the short jumpers from the top of the key that St.J was popping with seeming regularity, some right over Stef. With Heather (strongest upper-body and with a great vertical reach) and Kiah together out there I don't think they could have done that.

 

[meyers7]

We were discussing twin tower as in Stef and Kiah. I was speculating Kiah and Heather might be a be tandem since both Kiah and Heather are much better rebounders and defensive players than Stef. Re: Heather's offense I was saying it she may score as many points or more than Stef considering her most recent production or lack thereof.

Yes I know what you were speculating, and it was a poor speculation. We are having trouble running offense and you want to put someone in there who isn't very good at it????

If it is twin towers, it's gonna be Steph and Kiah.

 

[Kibitzer]

We were the highly respected and often feared #2 team in the country until that girl knocked down that winning trey last night. Seems like an awful lot of overhaul suggested here for a team that had been so successful for so many weeks against many ranked teams. We were generally considered the best team in the country on defense and among the best on offense and now we have amateur (contrast with expert) testimony that we change the starting lineup, revamp our offensive strategy, and renovate the rotation -- and meanwhile count on Moriah, Morgan and Breanna to lead us down the yellow brick road to the promised land.

I think the team and the coaches need to do the obvious: Get back to work to correct flaws to the degree that time permits. Play hard, play smart, have fun.

And win.

 

[meyers7]

As opposed to Stokes / Dolson and Faris? For all the negative pub Buck gets, you may want to compare her offensive stats with Faris'.

We are having trouble running offense and you want to further limit us by using Buck? Seriously?

OK, so starting Buck may be a bit much,

Ya think?

but I believe her ability to run the offense - setting screens, moving low post to high, and offensive rebounding is way underrated. And I think she's laterally the quickest post defender on the team. As such, barring injury, I'm mystified as to why she's not able to crack any of Coach's rotations.

Seriously? Nah, you just gotta be messin'.

 

[NCorBust]

Yes I know what you were speculating, and it was a poor speculation. We are having trouble running offense and you want to put someone in there who isn't very good at it????

If it is twin towers, it's gonna be Steph and Kiah.

Actually, it is called baiting!

 

[NCorBust]

Yes I know what you were speculating, and it was a poor speculation. We are having trouble running offense and you want to put someone in there who isn't very good at it????

If it is twin towers, it's gonna be Steph and Kiah.

And Stef is an offensive threat?

 

[MilfordHusky]

If UConn loses to ND on the 27th, which team do you think will get the #1 seed that won't go to UConn?

If we were to lose to ND and lose in the BE semis, the door might have been open. With Duke's loss today, the 1 seeds look pretty firm. I would love to go into the NCAAs with 3 losses, not 4 or 5.

 

[RadyLady]

thanks, Kib. Folks need to remember that.....

 

[DaddyChoc]

We were the highly respected and often feared #2 team in the country until that girl knocked down that winning trey last night. Seems like an awful lot of overhaul suggested here for a team that had been so successful for so many weeks against many ranked teams. We were generally considered the best team in the country on defense and among the best on offense and now we have amateur (contrast with expert) testimony that we change the starting lineup, revamp our offensive strategy, and renovate the rotation -- and meanwhile count on Moriah, Morgan and Breanna to lead us down the yellow brick road to the promised land.

I think the team and the coaches need to do the obvious: Get back to work to correct flaws to the degree that time permits. Play hard, play smart, have fun.

And win.

Kib strikes again...