Samuelson Impression

[Bronx23]

How many of those 5 possessions did the Huskies get a good shot on and score? For instance, did they feed Pheesa down low, who I believe was 11-13 in the game. One of the things that Geno understands is that if your offense is built around 1 or 2 players, it’s much easier to defend. Think back to Kia’s stifling defense against USF’s Laksa when she held her to 0 pts. Watch what happens tonight against Durr & Hines-Allen. I would much rather have 5 scorers on the floor than 1 dominant player who puts up 30 ppg.

Agree completely!
But with one minor addition! In crunch time, sometimes someone needs to take over. Doesn't mean selfishly but things go through that person each and every possession. KLS can shoot or drive and then shoot or pass.
Bronx23

 

[oldude]

Agree completely!
But with one minor addition! In crunch time, sometimes someone needs to take over. Doesn't mean selfishly but things go through that person each and every possession. KLS can shoot or drive and then shoot or pass.
Bronx23

Agree. Lou has to be the #1 option when UConn absolutely needs a basket. The great thing about Lou is that if she gets the ball and the other team overplays her on defense, she is a tremendous passer who will pass up her shot and get the ball to an open teammate for an easy shot. Either way, I like the ball in Lou's hands during crunch time.

 

[Bama fan]

I like Katie Lou's parents who raised her and her sisters with the concept to continuously improve and pursue excellence.

It mat be hard to teach an old dog new tricks, but it is obvious to me that you know all the old tricks there are to know. An observation born of wisdom.

 

[HopJim]

Interesting take, but I go a slightly different direction. While watching games this year, I keep remembering a report about a practice a few years ago when they were running scrimmage and after a stretch of about 7 minutes Geno blew the whistle and stated that for those seven minutes Stewart had not touched the ball on offense and THAT WOULD NEVER HAPPEN AGAIN!!!
The relevance is that Uconn can go almost a whole quarter seemingly forgetting to once look for Lou in a good spot for an open shot. Last game she had I think 9 shots in the first half and 3 in the second half and it wasn't that the defense was significantly different or that Lou was passing up shots, but rather that no one was passing the ball to her when she was open. Same kind of thing happened today - and again not that she was just passing up shots or trying to get others shots - she had 6 of her 9 assists in the first half as well as 15 points. There were a number of times when Lou was wide open and waving for the ball and either the pass never came or the player with the ball waited a few seconds until the defense had plenty of time to recover and get out on her before the pass arrived.

One of the great things about Lou's passing at the moment is that it is incredibly fast- she is seeing the openings and getting the ball to the shooter before windows close - I think she leads the team in the touch pass and catch and pass in one motion. (She also leads in A/TO at 2.96 - one assist short of 3.0)

I do think she is perhaps the best on the team at the moment at choosing when to shoot vs. pass - she almost never takes a forced or bad shot, nor do I see her passing up many shots she should take. She does pass up some open looks early in the shot clock, but I like most of those decisions.

Agree with assessment and have to add KLS's cuts to basket also open up the offense for others as well as get her easy (or easier) baskets. UConn's offense is not designed for one person to "take over" but to pressure the opposition into making mistakes, wearing down the defense over time. Many times other's 20+ point games have been a direct result of getting open while others are focused on chasing KLS.

 

[HopJim]

Agree. Lou has to be the #1 option when UConn absolutely needs a basket. The great thing about Lou is that if she gets the ball and the other team overplays her on defense, she is a tremendous passer who will pass up her shot and get the ball to an open teammate for an easy shot. Either way, I like the ball in Lou's hands during crunch time.

If I had to pick one player, I too would pick Lou. That being said, no issue with a Kia 3 or layup by any other player.

 

[Buzzyboy]

There is something I think I've been noticing about Samuelson lately, but not I'm not quite sure and am tossing it out to my esteemed colleagues on the BY.

Samuelson, being tall with decent hops (no Stewart, but no Dolson either) and a quick release, can get a shot off on the perimeter with hardly any space needed. In the first halves of games she'll do precisely that, but in the second halves she'll pass the ball up more even when there is plenty of space. This is one expression of how I see a similarity with Taurasi. Both Samuelson and Taurasi deliberately pass up shots to get offense going in others. The difference between the two is that Taurasi often tried to get the offense of others going right from the start, if her teammates weren't responding she would then take over the game herself. Samuelson appears to start out wanting to be the offense to make sure things are in hand, then concentrates more on the offense of others.

Anyone else notice this?

Live well.

I saw tonight that Katie Lou was wonderfully efficient in the first half as you remarked and was content to pass later in the game, again as you mentioned. Your point about her was right on. I dispute any correlation with Diana Taurasi because I think that Diana was not nearly as willing to pass up shots and involve her teammates. I saw many games back then when I was still in Connecticut, even in her freshman year when she was playing with the likes of Sue Bird and Tamika Williams and other great players and she wasn't predisposed to pass the ball frequently. That's one of the reasons that though I have respect for her that she isn't close to being one of my favorite player to watch.

 

[Buzzyboy]

Her game increasingly is like Larry Birds....LB was the best touch passer ever

There is a great resemblance in her passes and her game and Larry's. Obviously she isn't nearly as physical as was Larry but their games do have some serious similarity.

 

[Los24]

There is a great resemblance in her passes and her game and Larry's. Obviously she isn't nearly as physical as was Larry but their games do have some serious similarity.

I agree with your post and will add that she has gotten more physical every year.

 

[rugbymate]

There is a great resemblance in her passes and her game and Larry's. Obviously she isn't nearly as physical as was Larry but their games do have some serious similarity.

She has grown her game...she is seeing the full court better....she has upped her assists ...she has used the threat of a three to soften up the defense....her defensive skills have improved....her transition game is outstanding...her rebounding still needs a bit of work before she is the official Larry clone

 

[Bronx23]

Did KLS truly shine in the first quarter / half? She herself almost outscored the whole Louisville team!
Clearly to me at least it confirmed who deserves NPOY!
As impressive as her scoring is the variety of ways she scores which are usually spaced between superb passing!
She played ok in the 2nd half but didn't have the same impact. It may be she's exhausted, she doesn't touch the ball as much, she passes many times without even looking to
Score. I think some of this is her basic unselfishness and wanting her teammates to be fully engaged.
She needs to more regularly take control of the game as she did in the first half.
Bronx23

 

[Bronx23]

Agree with assessment and have to add KLS's cuts to basket also open up the offense for others as well as get her easy (or easier) baskets. UConn's offense is not designed for one person to "take over" but to pressure the opposition into making mistakes, wearing down the defense over time. Many times other's 20+ point games have been a direct result of getting open while others are focused on chasing KLS.

All very good and true points but as good as their offense also is and can be, it occasionally bogs down. That's the time when the truly great players step up.
KLS is that player but in those moments the ball needs to be in her hands and letting her create her shot, her drive or another of her sharp passes.
Bronx23