Should Azzi Start over Caroline?

[TCC Kid]

@GoUconn7961 - The players!

Only if they don't believe the coach. Starting for some is an ego trip. Players like Caroline, Muhl, --heck, nearly all Uconn kids, are basketball players and all players want is playing time. Have you played??

 

[TCC Kid]

There are aspects to Caroline's game that others don't have, including Azzi. That said, it would be great to have them both on the floor before next year.

Nice to see you again. Long island vacation?? Or snowed in in Montana??

 

[Huskie02]

YES! YES! A million times yes! Azzi shoots a MUCH higher percentage, specifically .211 points higher from 3 and is able to involve other teammates into the game. Caroline doesn't. We fell in love with Caroline because she filled a void no one else could. Azzi is flat out a better player with much higher upside. Next season it will be a moot point, but if the goal this year is to win a national championship, Azzi gives a chance to do that that Caroline simply does not.

Absolutely!!!!! She has a much better shot and plays under control. Caroline commits to many turnovers and sometimes takes wild shots.

 

[LwrcasefaN]

I think that we are seeing an evolution of coaching in teams like UCONN, SC, Stanford, etc. with so many talented players. I saw it in the game yesterday where who was on the floor was tailored to where are we having issues. You don't need to pull out all your tools to fix every job. And everyone was happy. I was certain Nika would have her footprint all over the TN game, not for her scoring, but for her defense. She cut the head (PG) off the TN offense. And even after 2 fouls...UCONN left her on the floor to finish what she started. Make no mistake...this game was over at halftime. To quote Evina..."They were done."

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Nice to see you again. Long island vacation?? Or snowed in in Montana??

Very mopey Husky fan. Geno refused to train me back up. Been slow to dig myself out of my self dug ditch.

 

[Mrhoops33]

i belive you go with the hot hand.

 

[Dogstar]

Trun, you get a

Had to know this was coming. Oy

I'm still mind boggled. Who cares who starts but Azzi, Caroline, CW, and Paige all should dominate the guard minutes. What is most exciting to me is that the strength at guard if Paige comes back strong enables Caroline as the 4 with Paige, CW and Azzi at 1,2 and 3. That stretches the floor big time. If the other team has strong rebounding go with ONO and Dorka in the lineup. Now we have lots of scoring coming off the bench for once. Lot's of it. No loss in talent even with the main subs in.

Geez you get a shiny new toy and you wanna throw last weeks favorite, tht works perfectly fine in the toy box?

 

[Dogstar]

LOL! Funniest post of the year.

Maybe not the funniest. But in the top 10

 

[NU2BY]

Only if they don't believe the coach. Starting for some is an ego trip. Players like Caroline, Muhl, --heck, nearly all Uconn kids, are basketball players and all players want is playing time. Have you played??

I've played at a very high level, and I have never known one player who had talent that didn't want to start. Have you played?

 

[rt bb fan]

Azzi should start in place of Chrystin. Let's get the Azzi and Caroline opening act going for when the headliner Paige comes back.

I don't think Geno will pull CW from starting line up. Her psych is already bad, he wouldn't want to damage it more. CW might play less minutes depending on her play for that game.

 

[itsasport]

Caroline who?

Of course, she starts.

The mad bomber off the bench to crush the enemy.

 

[AmeriConn]

Carolina?

North or South

 

[NU2BY]

@AmeriConn - Good question, but you'd have to ask the original poster for the answer.

 

[HuskyNan]

Geno will go with the same starting lineup but play the players that ”have it going” that night, as Geno would say. Some teams have players that are just a bad matchup for some Huskies. If that Husky is having a off night, Geno now has enough options that he can find someone who’s on.

 

[Longtime fan]

Wondering if Azzi should start over Caroline Its obvious that Azzi is the teams best three point shooter and the more minutes she plays the more opportunities she'll get shooting 3's. It seems when she comes off the bench it takes her awhile to get into the flow of the game, especially on defense. Azzi did miss a lot of shots today, but made up for it by making 7 of 9 three point shots. Today besides scoring 25 points, was Azzi's best game on defense. It seems if Geno wanted to start both Caroline and Azzi then Christyn Williams probably goes to the bench. IMO Nika is needed in the starting lineup as she does a good job running the offense and gets UConn into their transition game. Geno likes starting two post players and I would not sit one of them.

Would you start Azzi over Carolina or do you have a lineup where both would start?

Let's discuss. You are all now the head coach. I work backwards; Olivia starts and so does Williams. I think Nika Mühl starts ( best ball handler ( although AZZI may change that...and we know about Paige ); incredible energy on defense, and starting to find her shot ); I think Caroline starts because she earned it and delivered as starter. We are also investing in the future here. And you just have to start AZZi. Really, she is that good. Next issue, however, can cause an adjustment; Who are we playing and how do they match-up? It could require that Edwards or Dorka starts along with Olivia. I think Westbrook definitely comes off the bench. And Caroline can as well. Anyone can ( maybe not Williams or Olivia ) I think AZZI showed how complete a ballplayer she is and, if her body is up to it, she just must remain as a starting guard. Every moment of court time is going to see her get better...Geno can play around for a while and see how players respond. But AZZI is a stater now. For me. It is an amazing challenge. Particularly when you know who shows up ( which I don't expect until March ).

 

[HuskylnSC]

How about we start Caroline and Azzi and Christyn and Nika and Evina and then we can have Liv be first off the bench.

 

[Longtime fan]

Geno will go with the same starting lineup but play the players that ”have it going” that night, as Geno would say. Some teams have players that are just a bad matchup for some Huskies. If that Husky is having a off night, Geno now has enough options that he can find someone who’s on.

You are usually right. And Geno is pretty consistent with what he likes to do in first and third quarters. I think, however, that very soon AZZI has to be a starter. That Tennessee game was no fluke. And she is so much more than a shooter.

 

[Littlemin]

Pretty easy question, what do you want to dictate from the start of the game? Defensive intensity.
Conversely, what is one of the greatest of weapons to have off the bench? A shooter who can change the complexion and momentum of a game in a heartbeat.
I have no idea what will happen but IMO, Muhl continues to start and a shooter comes off the bench. It has nothing to do with who is “better”, it is what is best for the team. We shall see……….

 

[hoopsfan22]

You are usually right. And Geno is pretty consistent with what he likes to do in first and third quarters. I think, however, that very soon AZZI has to be a starter. That Tennessee game was no fluke. And she is so much more than a shooter.

She can be a starter next season. Regular season ends in 20 days. Probably not the time to start making changes to the line up and rotation unless a health situation requires it. If she's getting 25-30 minutes a game I don't think it matters.

 

[NU2BY]

I seriously doubt Geno is going to change his starting line-up (barring further injuries) until Paige returns at a high degree of her abilities. If Azzi continues to display her full potential, then he could move her into his starting 5 at tourney time. Although it's nice to have a big-time scorer coming off the bench, it's also great to repeatedly smack teams in the mouth immediately starting a game. Geno salutes loyalty, so I don't see him sitting a senior who has given her best for four years. I recall Caroline Doty (one of my favorites). He started her as a senior when she simply no longer had the abilities due to injuries. He rewarded her for all that she had given him throughout her career here.

Someone questioned if I had ever played the game, because I responded to a question as to who cares who starts. My response was, "the players". All athletes have ego. Starting in a team sport has been ingrained into our minds from the time we first began to play the game. Players (with equal or better talent) can accept a lesser role for the good of the team depending upon the situation. One of those might be, a four-year starter being left in the line-up. They can reasonably accept it as long as they are getting a fair amount of playing time. But ALL players worth their salt want to start!

 

[HuskyNan]

Barring injury, Geno is not going to change the lineup just for the post-season.

 

[NU2BY]

@HuskyNan - So what does that mean? Do you seriously think he's not going to start Paige if & when she's healthy?

 

[sun]

Azzi lost a lot of playing time due to injury which Carol filled in for.
If not for the injury, Azzi may have very well become a starter.
Azzi was given priority PT before Carol early in the season, which may continue in the future.
Geno will have his reasons and his favorites depending on the team needs & circumstances.
I don't think that Geno wants to create any conflicts, and will strive to make everyone happy.

 

[BRS24]

Barring injury, Geno is not going to change the lineup just for the post-season.

Agree. This is what my daughter's HS soccer coach did EVERY post season. He pretty much stuck with the same starting 11, and then used subs sparingly. Then, all of a sudden, he'd go all head gamey and change things up, and the team which usually had a 12-2 record or something like that, couldn't adapt and would get washed out in 1st round of state tourney. It was frustrating as hell, as we had coached a vast majority of these players in travel league, and couldn't figure it out, other than he wanted the season to be over so he could move on and coach his winter sport. SMH.

 

[JRRRJ]

YES! YES! A million times yes! Azzi shoots a MUCH higher percentage, specifically .211 points higher from 3 and is able to involve other teammates into the game. Caroline doesn't. We fell in love with Caroline because she filled a void no one else could. Azzi is flat out a better player with much higher upside. Next season it will be a moot point, but if the goal this year is to win a national championship, Azzi gives a chance to do that that Caroline simply does not.

Since you're throwing percentages around, you must be aware that Caroline's 2pt shot is 14% more accurate than Azzi's? That their overall field goal success rate is only 3.5% different? That Caroline has a 25% higher assist rate than Azzi(involve other players)? A 2.1% better FT completion than Azzi's ridiculous 80%? A 30% higher rebound rate?

It's not measurable, but I think, at this point in their college careers, Caroline is a slightly better defender man-to-man.

Points ain't nearly everything and it's not a slam dunk which of these two very talented players contribution would be more valuable against a specific opponent.

But if points are everything to you, Azzi's points per minute rate is 88% of Caroline's. (.436 vs .495)