Some Comments & Analysis From Geno

[RockyMTblue2]

On Lou:

“Right now she’s in a not-so-good place," Auriemma said. "Will she get out of it? I assume so. ... There’s a lot that goes on with seniors, and you never know really what’s going through their heads. Whether they’re anxious or whether they’re nervous or whether they’re preoccupied with something. I have no idea. I don’t see anything physically that’s different than two weeks ago.”

On Meg:

“I think it’s disappointing how many layups she’s missed," Auriemma said. "What more can you do except get the ball a foot from the basket? She has rebounded the ball way better. Her effort is way better. Now it’s just a matter of finishing. Doing the hard part is getting the ball a foot or two feet from the basket. Now the easy part is getting away from her. Again, we’ll go back and try to fix it.”

On the Offense issues:

“I think it’s a lot of things," Auriemma said. "I don’t think we play enough one-on-one. We stand and wait. We don’t take advantage of some opportunities, and it’s interesting that Crystal [Dangerfield] and Napheesa [Collier] have been able to function really well offensively because they’re able to get the ball and kind of go where they want to go. Some of our other guys, they need help getting open and getting a shot. Right now we’re a little bit disjointed so we’ve got to go back and address that, and we will. It’s part of it. Last week when we played at home I thought our shooting woes were all over. It was great. Sometimes they are, sometimes they’re not.”

Five takeaways from a shaky win over Cincinnati for the UConn women - Hartford Courant

 

[SLY63]

Interesting, Auriemma said. "I don’t think we play enough one-on-one."

 

[MD#12Fan]

Interesting, Auriemma said. "I don’t think we play enough one-on-one."

He means breaking the defense down off the dribble and finding the open man. Watch any NBA game and they do that every play, often off of pick and rolls. IMO it's still the best offense there is, assuming you have players that can penetrate. It's the best, because it is so hard to stop.
When we play one-on-one, we catch and face, in a triple threat posture and if the defense overplays one side or the other, you drive past them. When help slides over, you find the open man. If no help comes, you finish. If the D sags, you shoot the ball.
We seem to look more for cutters and if no one is cutting hard, it looks like we're just standing around. Our O also is predicated on lots of screening. If it doesn't happen, we start standing around.

 

[donalddoowop]

Interesting, Auriemma said. "I don’t think we play enough one-on-one."

There are posters who say CD is playing too much one on one, not knowing whether they have been instructed to by the coaching staff .

 

[MilfordHusky]

I like it when Crystal penetrates into the lane. She's excellent at the 10' jumper and also dishing to cutters.

 

[MD#12Fan]

There are posters who say CD is playing too much one on one, not knowing whether they have been instructed to by the coaching staff .

More not less!
Others can do it too, not just CD. Pheesa, CW, and MW can do it. You have to go hard. Tentative has no place here. This is for big kids. Get in there where the defense has to react, then find the open player, shoot, or go all the way. Protect the ball, pivot, be strong! CW goes in there like she's on egg shells. MW doesn't protect the ball.
Great game today- OKC at the Celtics. Kyrie made the key play down the stretch, taking it all the way from the top for a left-handed finish. He's clutch. Russell Westbrook is sometimes out-of-control, but he looks like he's shot out of a cannon. Watch 10 minutes of any NBA game, and you'll see dribble drive, dish non-stop.

 

[bbballfan23]

There are posters who say CD is playing too much one on one, not knowing whether they have been instructed to by the coaching staff .

No we’re saying she isn’t facilitating enough. 1 on 1 doesn’t necessarily shoot, it means make a play & we’re better when she is trying to get others involved.