Short bench/Walk-ons

[Striper69]

While it's not as extreme as Baylor and Sims, Schimmel has taken 150 more shots than anyone else on the team, 140 more 3's and also leads the team assists.

Shutting down Schimmel is the way to go.

She's also a great passer. I saw her make some awesome passes against Rutgers that caught everyone by surprise. If she can recognize that UCONN is concentrating on her and decoys them then watch out! I don't think Louisville will be in awe of UCONN. It's probably better for them that they play at Storrs the first game.

 

[Icebear]

She's also a great passer. I saw her make some awesome passes against Rutgers that caught everyone by surprise. If she can recognize that UCONN is concentrating on her and decoys them then watch out! I don't think Louisville will be in awe of UCONN. It's probably better for them that they play at Storrs the first game.

To do that L-ville has to get the ball into her hands to start with. That is what will be denied her, any opportunity to participate in the offense at all.

 

[Striper69]

To do that L-ville has to get the ball into her hands to start with. That is what will be denied her, any opportunity to participate in the offense at all.

I don't see that happening.

 

[Icebear]

I don't see that happening.

It is exactly what we did to her last year.

 

[I'maUConnFan]

Exactly, they don't. If we "need" the walk-ons to win a big game.....we have been totally screwed. We have 8 scholarship players. If we get down to "needing" a walk-on in a close big game (Louisville, FF or NC game and even then, not likely) we will have to have had 4 players either injured, or fouled out to get to Lawlor or Pulido. 4. Even sick, they'll still be playing. When was the last time we had a player foul out, let alone 2-3-4??

Yea the odds of UCONN being in that much trouble is pretty small. Like in the .000something %. I doubt the staff is spending a lot of time on that contingency.

This ain't a Disney movie folks, walk-ons don't come in with the game on the line and sink a 3 to win a NC.

I think you misunderstood me. I hardly expect Lawlor or Pulido to come in and sink a three for a win. I also didn't say "in the event that four of our players foul out." The question popped into my head when Banks had to sit out the last game with her ankle. Megan and (Eric?) were commenting about the short bench and said that only Kiah was available to play. (Later on she acknowledged that she'd overlooked Saniya, who was available.) The other day Saniya couldn't play because she was ill, which left them with two bench players. It's certainly possible that a similar situation could occur during the championship games, and at THAT point, they may be playing teams that could get them into foul trouble. There HAVE been times this year when two or three of our starters have had two or three fouls by half-time. THAT is the situation I am wondering about. It doesn't seem totally out of the realm of possibility to me. All I'm wondering is if the short bench situation might mean that there are times when they practice/play with the idea that there may a time when one of the walk-ons might be needed for more than a couple of minutes of mop-up time. It's not as though we haven't had a situation before where two key players went down with injuries within a month of each other that clearly changed the trajectory of the season. (I shudder just typing that, praying that I am not tempting fate!)

 

[I'maUConnFan]

All I can say is we have a schizoid board - one thread where people advocate getting more minutes for the walk-ons...

I'm not advocating for this at all. I repeat, I am simply wondering if it's advisable to prepare for the eventuality that they may be needed, or is Geno just that confident that his starters are savvy enough by now not to get into foul trouble (even if that's the opposing team's strategy) and that they will be able to surmount any illness/injuries, minor or major, that may occur over the next two and a half months? At what point does if become when, if ever? And when I say I'm wondering, I'm saying *I don't know*, not (as I already said) second-guessing him.

And how did this become a thread about the Louisville game?

 

[hoophuskee]

I think you misunderstood me. I hardly expect Lawlor or Pulido to come in and sink a three for a win. I also didn't say "in the event that four of our players foul out." The question popped into my head when Banks had to sit out the last game with her ankle. Megan and (Eric?) were commenting about the short bench and said that only Kiah was available to play. (Later on she acknowledged that she'd overlooked Saniya, who was available.) The other day Saniya couldn't play because she was ill, which left them with two bench players. It's certainly possible that a similar situation could occur during the championship games, and at THAT point, they may be playing teams that could get them into foul trouble. There HAVE been times this year when two or three of our starters have had two or three fouls by half-time. THAT is the situation I am wondering about. It doesn't seem totally out of the realm of possibility to me. All I'm wondering is if the short bench situation might mean that there are times when they practice/play with the idea that there may a time when one of the walk-ons might be needed for more than a couple of minutes of mop-up time. It's not as though we haven't had a situation before where two key players went down with injuries within a month of each other that clearly changed the trajectory of the season. (I shudder just typing that, praying that I am not tempting fate!)

No you don't delierately take away minutes from such amazing players for walk-ons because you fear someday some could get sick or might re-injure themselves. It's paranoia. The games players have gotten into foul trouble we still won. And usually won extremely comfortably and most games they don't get into foul trouble and you teach them not to foul. So as Chris Daily once said to parpahrase "we don't alter our game for them, they alter it for us." What you are suggesting by putting in walk-ons to the greatest team ever, it alters our game. I would og as far to say it could be used as a negative recruiting tool to illusatre to a kid of a paranoid coach.

The walkons only can play gaurd. The chance our injuries and sickness continues at guard is slim. And we can survive by putting KML at the pf to boot vs many, many teams.

 

[Icebear]

I am not sure that injuries at the guard spot are fewer than among the post players. In fact I would challenge that assertion on the basis of the last few seasons.

 

[meyers7]

I think you misunderstood me.

Nope I completely understood you.

I also didn't say "in the event that four of our players foul out."

That is the only time they are going to get in a tight game. That's what you don't understand.

It's certainly possible that a similar situation could occur during the championship games, and at THAT point, they may be playing teams that could get them into foul trouble. There HAVE been times this year when two or three of our starters have had two or three fouls by half-time. THAT is the situation I am wondering about.

Yea, I got that. But they won't be sitting until they foul out. Geno will play them with 3-4 fouls before he plays the walk-ons in a tight FF, NC game. That's the part you're not getting.

THAT is the situation I am wondering about. It doesn't seem totally out of the realm of possibility to me.

It is.

 

[hoophuskee]

I am not sure that injuries at the guard spot are fewer than among the post players. In fact I would challenge that assertion on the basis of the last few seasons.

60% of the season is done. How many get the dreaded "out for season" injury at our guard spots this late? Mel Thomas comes to mind in recent memory (5+ years) for a guard that got hurt this late. That's it that I can remember this late. Beyond 5 plus years I think it's a stretch to look an draw conclusions though you can say Shea of 13+ years etc. The later we go into the season- imo the less likely the injury. How many players get hurt in their 39th game, 38th game, 37th game etc? We're coming to the finish line. IMO good chance no "out for season" injury as of today.

 

[DobbsRover2]

60% of the season is done. How many get the dreaded "ou for season" injury at our gaurd spots this late? Mel Thomas comes to mind in recent memory (5+ years) for a guard that got hurt this late. That's it that I can remmeber this late. Beyond 5 plus years I think ti's a stretch to look an draw conclusions though you can say Shea of 13+ years etc. The later we go into the season- imo the less likely the injury. How many players get hurt in their 39th game, 38th game, 37th game etc? We're coming to the finish line. IMO good chance no "out for season" injury as of today.

Pretty much, with the one exception that if a player has a nagging injury this late in the season, that can impact matters, even if it's just that she will be kind of available in a limited way, which may not be good enough for a later round tourney game. I'm comfortable enough with 3 sure guard options (if Brianna isn't 90-100%) with also KLM sliding in at points in a game into a quasi guard role, but the questions about Banks' availability may remain for the next two months with an ankle that has made Geno grimace in press conferences.

 

[sawxfan23]

60% of the season is done. How many get the dreaded "out for season" injury at our guard spots this late? Mel Thomas comes to mind in recent memory (5+ years) for a guard that got hurt this late. That's it that I can remember this late. Beyond 5 plus years I think it's a stretch to look an draw conclusions though you can say Shea of 13+ years etc. The later we go into the season- imo the less likely the injury. How many players get hurt in their 39th game, 38th game, 37th game etc? We're coming to the finish line. IMO good chance no "out for season" injury as of today.

Lets not tempt fate!! The basketball gods have a way of knocking you down just when you think you got things under control.

 

[I'maUConnFan]

Lets not tempt fate!! The basketball gods have a way of knocking you down just when you think you got things under control.

Fate tempted. Let's keep our fingers crossed for KML.

 

[Icebear]

Bria's ankle, Brianna's ankle plus other ankle injuries.

 

[sawxfan23]

Fate tempted. Let's keep our fingers crossed for KML.

I knew it as soon as I read that post that something was going to happen. I tried to appease the Basketball Gods but obviously it didn't work or maybe it did work by limiting KML to a minor injury instead of a serious one. We shall soon see.