Seton Hall post-game thread [merged thread]]

[RegisteredUconn]

I'm also still mystified why Piath and DeBarry see no time! Not even garbage minutes.

Practice. The answer lies there. If you're asking why they aren't performing in practice, that I don't know.

 

[Stymie]

There is a reason besides easy W’s why most teams schedule some cupcakes. Most freshman can’t get experience just in practice. Then at UConn every non con game is against ranked teams. Schedule a couple cupcakes early for the benefit of team development.

The cupcakes are the regular season BE opponents.
Scheduling ‘cupcakes’ out of conference would reduce UCONN’s strength of schedule rating to just above zero.
For the benefit of team development, put rookies in against top out of conference teams, see what they’ve got and see what they need.
I’d rather go into the tourney with a 20-7 team ready to ball and brawl than a 26-1 team that rarely felt the heat.

 

[AmeriConn]

The best I can say is we are consistently inconsistent. At the beginning of every game I keep hoping for aggressiveness from every player, but it doesn’t happen.

I would like to see one clear leader on the team. Perhaps have a players only meeting to sort through some things. Go Huskies!

 

[SJF]

The cupcakes are the regular season BE opponents.
Scheduling ‘cupcakes’ out of conference would reduce UCONN’s strength of schedule rating to just above zero.
For the benefit of team development, put rookies in against top out of conference teams, see what they’ve got and see what they need.
I’d rather go into the tourney with a 20-7 team ready to ball and brawl than a 26-1 team that rarely felt the heat.

I did not say play 7-8 cupcakes like some but 2 would be highly beneficial for this team. The womens game is more like the mens now more even across the country. I agree get these kids out there and give them a chance. JMO we are recruiting great fundamental BBall players which is great but the ever changing game seems to be more real athletic and big bruiser bodies down low. I truly believe we have the most fit team in the country but we need one or 2 with a extra biscuit for breakfast body. Also the thought process of practices will be harder than games may need to change seems our teams stay banged up all the time. JMO.

 

[oldude]

I would like to see one clear leader on the team.

I would respectfully suggest that we have 1 clear leader on the team, but it would be much better if Paige wasn’t the “Lone Ranger,” and got more help from her teammates. Where the hell is Tonto?

 

[LCConnFan]

Practice. The answer lies there. If you're asking why they aren't performing in practice, that I don't know.

Was there an article I missed stating this? Curious.

 

[Skeets]

Nika is not a "go to" scorer, never was, never will be. However, when Nika got into the game I thought she played very good defense. Park Lane did next to nothing when Nika was in there. Did Nika shut her down single handedly? No course not, but the fact is, for those minutes Park Lane was ineffective. Nika does need to fix the fouling problem, but she had that problem early last year too and she was able to at least minimize it.

Speaking of Park Lane, there have been discussions about height on this board, i.e. some recruit is too short, another recruit is better because she's an inch taller. Consider Park Lane, maybe height isn't everything.

 

[AmeriConn]

I would respectfully suggest that we have 1 clear leader on the team, but it would be much better if Paige wasn’t the “Lone Ranger,” and got more help from her teammates. Where the hell is Tonto?

I would agree that Paige is the natural team leader, but she is trying to lead the team by example, but they don’t appear to be following. A senior needs to step up and be the bad guy. (Or Tonto)

 

[LCConnFan]

Nika is not a "go to" scorer, never was, never will be. However, when Nika got into the game I thought she played very good defense. Park Lane did next to nothing when Nika was in there. Did Nika shut her down single handedly? No course not, but the fact is, for those minutes Park Lane was ineffective. Nika does need to fix the fouling problem, but she had that problem early last year too and she was able to at least minimize it.

Speaking of Park Lane, there have been discussions about height on this board, i.e. some recruit is too short, another recruit is better because she's an inch taller. Consider Park Lane, maybe height isn't everyt

IMO, Height ISN'T everything. Park Lane is exceptionally quick, just as MoJeff and Crystal D were! Both of those past UCONN players would embarrass defenders trying to guard them.

 

[shiverz45]

Well South Carolina beat Kansas State 65 - 44, so we are really not to bad.
If Azzi and Aubrey are healthy we will be OK.

SC was up about 30 and Dawn emptied the bench. Henderson did not play and Amihere was the starting point guard. However, Amihere did well.

 

[SJF]

I would agree that Paige is the natural team leader, but she is trying to lead the team by example, but they don’t appear to be following. A senior needs to step up and be the bad guy. (Or Tonto)

Bam! We need some bag guys.

 

[LCConnFan]

I would agree that Paige is the natural team leader, but she is trying to lead the team by example, but they don’t appear to be following leading. A senior needs to step up and be the bad guy. (Or Tonto)

There, I fixed it for you. Christyn and Liv have never been leaders, and so far, have not shown even an inkling that they will be, in their final year. But that's ok. Not everyone can be a leader. What we need is for Geno to find a way to stop their 'dependency' on Paige. Like Geno said in his interview, the shooter should always think that their shot is going in and the rest should always think its not going in! Too many on the team are just standing around, like deer in the headlights, instead of positioning themselves for the rebound.

 

[LwrcasefaN]

SC was up about 30 and Dawn emptied the bench. Henderson did not play and Amihere was the starting point guard. However, Amihere did well.

Amihere won't be point guard for long. No way she can guard speedy SEC guards.

 

[Mdoggie]

I coached girls HS bb for 17 yrs. I’m not saying that it compares to college or UConn level however, as a coach you have to coach your players up!! Some of my best years coaching my players believed that I believed in them and they would go to the ends of the earth for me and team. When a player isn’t afraid to make a mistake for fear of being benched they played more freely. This teams offense isn’t flowing right now and players look hesitant.
Coach em up Geno!

 

[LCConnFan]

SC was up about 30 and Dawn emptied the bench. Henderson did not play and Amihere was the starting point guard. However, Amihere did well.

I've never been a fan of going by the final score..........unless it's close. Because, like you said, many from the bench see those final minutes (on both teams), so it makes it too hard to assess.

 

[Stymie]

I did not say play 7-8 cupcakes like some but 2 would be highly beneficial for this team. The womens game is more like the mens now more even across the country. I agree get these kids out there and give them a chance. JMO we are recruiting great fundamental BBall players which is great but the ever changing game seems to be more real athletic and big bruiser bodies down low. I truly believe we have the most fit team in the country but we need one or 2 with a extra biscuit for breakfast body. Also the thought process of practices will be harder than games may need to change seems our teams stay banged up all the time. JMO.

Understood.
Interesting numbers from last nights action:

SOUTH CAROLINA- won by 21 points
12 players saw action.
Non starters got 79 minutes

UCONN-won by 25 points
9 players saw action.
Non starters got 41 minutes

So SC won by a smaller margin but non starters saw nearly TWICE as much playing time as UConn’s.

I realize that one game is merely a snapshot, but this is a trend at UConn,and has been for quite some time.
You know how they used to teach young Spartans to swim in Ancient Greece?
They’d throw them in the deep end.
You survive, you’re closer to becoming a Spartan Warrior.
( little extreme, but you get my point?)

 

[peace & love]

This entire thread is a joke. The moment CW scores another 30 ball, the comments will shift. We are the only team that has played 5 games besides Iowa. Imagine playing a 3 games back to back, having 3 hard practices and not playing for 10 days. You’d be a little off too. One thing these “fans” don’t ever mention is that CW steps up in post conference play 2/2 times that she’s been able to play in it. She has plenty of opportunity to prove to herself (proving to these negative “fans” don’t really matter) that she is capable of scoring. I’ll take 50% from the field after a long stretch of no games and she created for herself. This blog is sad.

 

[peace & love]

And another thing. We could put this very same team with the same effort against ND and beat them.

 

[oldude]

I would agree that Paige is the natural team leader, but she is trying to lead the team by example, but they don’t appear to be following. A senior needs to step up and be the bad guy. (Or Tonto)

Agreed. I worry some that Paige is starting to feel the pressure to carry this team in the same way that DT carried the team her jr & sr years, ultimately leading to something of an emotional meltdown by DT.

Over the past 2 games there has been one thing missing from Paige’s game imo…Joy. Paige is one of the most exuberant players I’ve ever seen. Over the past few games she’s been all business. That would be fine if we were talking about Maya Moore, but it seems unnatural for Paige.

 

[AmeriConn]

This entire thread is a joke. The moment CW scores another 30 ball, the comments will shift. We are the only team that has played 5 games besides Iowa. Imagine playing a 3 games back to back, having 3 hard practices and not playing for 10 days. You’d be a little off too. One thing these “fans” don’t ever mention is that CW steps up in post conference play 2/2 times that she’s been able to play in it. She has plenty of opportunity to prove to herself (proving to these negative “fans” don’t really matter) that she is capable of scoring. I’ll take 50% from the field after a long stretch of no games and she created for herself. This blog is sad.

SC played the same 3 games back to back and kept playing 2 more games after that. I love this team, but we constantly make excuses for the bad play. Go Huskies!

 

[LCConnFan]

This entire thread is a joke. The moment CW scores another 30 ball, the comments will shift. We are the only team that has played 5 games besides Iowa. Imagine playing a 3 games back to back, having 3 hard practices and not playing for 10 days. You’d be a little off too. One thing these “fans” don’t ever mention is that CW steps up in post conference play 2/2 times that she’s been able to play in it. She has plenty of opportunity to prove to herself (proving to these negative “fans” don’t really matter) that she is capable of scoring. I’ll take 50% from the field after a long stretch of no games and she created for herself. This blog is sad.

No offense, but, how can you say that this thread is a joke? It’s why we are all here! We talk / banter about things we see in games, practice, etc…. Isn’t that why you are here as well? Secondly, why do you think Geno benched Christyn? Was it because she was mentally playing her best? Of course she is “capable” of scoring. All of our starters are. But, sans Paige, no one takes charge or goes into a game like they actually want to win it. It seems to me that most of our games, including last year, we start out slow, waiting for Paige to take over. Christyn and the others need to change their mental attitude, or else we will be hoping for a NC NEXT year and not this one.

 

[pvdoggy]

Speaking of Park Lane, there have been discussions about height on this board, i.e. some recruit is too short, another recruit is better because she's an inch taller. Consider Park Lane, maybe height isn't everything.

Park Lane scored 20 pts on 5-17 shooting (2-8 from 3) so it's not like she was great. If CW had that stat, people here would complain how bad she played.

 

[SLY63]

Just watched the game and have to say, Paige is great, but overall no one else looks to have improved at all from last year, and the newcomers have not added very much (so far).

 

[bantamlaker]

Impossible to know if it would have made a difference but I sure wish Anna Makurat had decided to stay.

 

[oldude]

Park Lane scored 20 pts on 5-17 shooting (2-8 from 3) so it's not like she was great. If CW had that stat, people here would complain how bad she played.

You make a good point. While we UConn fans are all wringing our hands over a sloppy and inconsistent offensive effort, it’s easy to lose sight of the fact that the Huskies held a relatively talented SH team to only 49 pts on 28% shooting with a 20+ edge in rebounds.

 

[jdote33]

I hope I am wrong and premature in my call, but with the exception of Azzi, the incoming UConn class appears overhyped. The infusion of talent from last year in the women’s game may have been an anomaly. Beuckers, Clark, Reese, Brink, Diamond Johnson and a few others are exceptional talents. They don’t come around often.

I hope the expectation that this team will be ten deep is put to bed. At best, it will be an 8-man rotation. Ideally, when the team has its full complement, and receiving steady contribution from everyone, UConn will be able to survive an off night from Paige. Thankfully, that seldom happens.

This is very interesting and accurate thus far. I guess we are still less than a month into the season, but I'm not sure there has been an impact freshman like Paige or Clark this year. I'm all in on Citron and she dropped 29 in their last outing, but I think prior to that her high was like 13 (I know she does a lot of other things on the court). There is a backup point guard at Duke out of Canada, Wilson, who has been fearless and really good in a couple games. Olivia Miles and Talia Von Oelhoffen have both been good, not great. They both had a head start last year though. A lot of the top 15 rated players, including Azzi and Caroline are on stacked teams and have had limited opportunities. Nevertheless that 2020 class may be a 1 of 1.

 

[Mdoggie]

Impossible to know if it would have made a difference but I sure wish Anna Makurat had decided to stay.

I wish EDD had decided to stay. There I feel better now.

 

[LCConnFan]

You make a good point. While we UConn fans are all wringing our hands over a sloppy and inconsistent offensive effort, it’s easy to lose sight of the fact that the Huskies held a relatively talented SH team to only 49 pts on 28% shooting with a 20+ edge in rebounds.

It's rare that I do, but in this case I'll have to disagree with you. Our starters are the same as last year and SH was missing AEH! Does that mean we would have lost if she played? We have no 'focus'....no 'gelling' still.

 

[LCConnFan]

Agreed. I worry some that Paige is starting to feel the pressure to carry this team in the same way that DT carried the team her jr & sr years, ultimately leading to something of an emotional meltdown by DT.

Over the past 2 games there has been one thing missing from Paige’s game imo…Joy. Paige is one of the most exuberant players I’ve ever seen. Over the past few games she’s been all business. That would be fine if we were talking about Maya Moore, but it seems unnatural for Paige.

That's a good possibility, but I also worry that because of Paige having to be the one taking the lead, no outside shooting and being the main focus for guarding, that she is also susceptable for getting injured!

 

[CocoHusky]

I agree with the deacon on Caroline. The problems are nuissance errors and they could happen to anyone, especially when starting out ijn college basketball but she clearly has potential.. I noticed she boxed out well and I don't think her defense was bad. Give her MORE time, not less. She will be fine and frankly, she better be fine because I see Dorka and Caroline as the only good options off the bench right now. Nika is not the solution. If we have a real hope of winning it all we need Caroline and Azzi to get fully integrated into college basketball. Dorka is the rebound solution if she gets PT. I think she should get equal time with both Edwards and Ododa.

Give Caroline more time? Really? That was Seton Hall UCONN was playing!