Some morning thoughts on the game

[Papa33]

Second time I've seen that overworked sports clichè applied to UConn. Really?! Our women are lazy? unmotivated? indifferent? don't try hard enough? There are some problems to work on, but I don't see lack of effort as one of them. That comes close to a cheap shot.

 

[MD#12Fan]

I agree overall but the chemistry issue you point out will always end up getting drowned out by individual player performance.

With that said there have been two games in which comebacks were needed of any significance. This one and Tenn. With Tenn Liv, Cwill, and Evina were on the floor in the 4th quarter. SO I don't agree that it's mostly the underclassmen. Though there are only 3 upperclassmen.

OK, you've got the Tenn game memorized. Assess what happened yesterday. We did play yesterday.
What would we have lost by without the freshmen? Leave Liv in and CW with 10 more shots.
How about defensive strategy? Do you think we have the firepower to at least slow that young lady down? Let me guess, if we had some sort of matchup zone, say, oh no, they might have gotten loose for some open shots.
Have you ever coached or managed something in which it got out of control. It's happened to anybody that's done it. I've coached, been a UPS supervisor, and a classroom teacher. Take your pick. It's happened.
It happened to UConn yesterday.

 

[Cuango]

At the beginning of the season, I thought the road to FF relied on Anna. We could not predict her performance would be affected by injury. UConn is all about ball movement—something very evident in empty arenas where we can hear Geno scream “move the ball.” There is brute force and there is the subtle approach. Against Arkansas there was plenty of brute force. One Boneyard critic said a healthy Anna would have gotten only two minutes on the floor. That critic apparently hasn’t been paying attention to how Geno won 11 NCs.

Well said!

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Three point shooting options I think the team needs to adopt if we are to have a chance at a Natty: #1 Paige, #2 Evina, #3 Anna (when/if she returns), #4 CWilliams.

Bet you a nickel that by tournament time Nika will be better option than CW. I just reviewed a hilite Tube that had Nika is heavy traffic fight through and put a heavy English lay up up and in. 100% hustle 100% of the time and no that wasn't a three, but she can and will make them and her long range attempts don't suffer from C's lag time. Here is the Tube if you want to view it.

 

[hoophuskee]

OK, you've got the Tenn game memorized. Assess what happened yesterday. We did play yesterday.
What would we have lost by without the freshmen? Leave Liv in and CW with 10 more shots.
How about defensive strategy? Do you think we have the firepower to at least slow that young lady down? Let me guess, if we had some sort of matchup zone, say, oh no, they might have gotten loose for some open shots.
Have you ever coached or managed something in which it got out of control. It's happened to anybody that's done it. I've coached, been a UPS supervisor, and a classroom teacher. Take your pick. It's happened.
It happened to UConn yesterday.

No- I don't have the game memorized. I went into the box score of the Tenn game then I clicked "Play-by-Play." No way could I come close to remembering anything even remotely near that.

The Freshmen were amazing. After I put a like on your prior post about the freshmen I was about to reply to that but stepped away for a moment then forgot to go back.

I am ecstatic over the freshmen. Can't say enough about Paige. And in the past I made so many posts regarding how much I love Edwards. You weren't thinking i was knocking the freshmen, were you?

 

[Rixxx]

I think you meant Azura did start that second half against ND. You are correct She was very effective on the block the problem was that she was not compatible with Napheesa because they both like the same spots on the floor.
BTW Gabby was injured (hip) during that game that was the only reason Azura got to start that half.

I am pretty sure at the time that there was discussion about this on the BY. Z did not start and if you remember Gabby took the final shot , even with the hip issue. Z ended up with 19 points and 8 rebounds in I think 28 minutes.
My main thinking is ONO needs coaching from Collier, Tuck, or even Kevin McHale. Uconn staff is not getting it done with her, respectfully.

 

[CocoHusky]

I am pretty sure at the time that there was discussion about this on the BY. Z did not start and if you remember Gabby took the final shot , even with the hip issue. Z ended up with 19 points and 8 rebounds in I think 28 minutes.
My main thinking is ONO needs coaching from Collier, Tuck, or even Kevin McHale. Uconn staff is not getting it done with her, respectfully.

My bad just realized we are talking about two different games. You are talking FF. I'm talking about the regular season game against ND. I agree that ONO is not getting it done. I don't blame the UCONN coaches one bit. Even with the best instruction the player must internalize and personalize it in order to make progress. ONO has clearly not.

 

[jazz]

Two things needs to happen, IMO.

1. Paige needs to look for her offense, first. In most games, she tries to facilitate from the outset and then lets scoring come to her. On a team with several great offensive threats, this works; on this team, it doesn't. If she looks to score first, becoming a facilitator will become easier for her because she sees the floor so well and is such a good passer.

2. Anna needs to heal quick and get back in the starting lineup. She would help IMMESNSELY in the area that hurt us against Tennessee and Arkansas, which is Aubrey being left wide open and her taking jump shots early in the shot clock. Anna, even though she doesn't and won't take them seemingly, can hit those.....but more importantly, she is a heady basketball player who can recognize that, not take the shot and move the offense, which Aubrey just can't. Aubrey is a great player, but IMO, the 5 best offensive players need to be on the floor to start games and Aubrey just doesn't have a grasp of it yet.

I'm a big AM and AG fan. When AM comes back, teams will not give her open looks. We will have to earn them with penetration and passing. Them AM needs to hit them. That is important, for her to hit them at a 40% minimum rate. Then we have a much better team.

I think it is good if AM can come off the bench to do this. The other team maybe is a bit tired or has substituted as well and then we have exceptional creators like PB and EW. I also see it more and more from NM. They can penetrate and kick.

 

[hoophuskee]

My main thinking is ONO needs coaching from Collier, Tuck, or even Kevin McHale. Uconn staff is not getting it done with her, respectfully.

What great coaching moves have Collier and Tuck done?

For McHale what team is he coaching now? How many playoff series did he win as a coach? For example, how did McHale do with Dwight Howard?

 

[jazz]

What great coaching moves have Collier and Tuck done?

For McHale what team is he coaching now? How many playoff series did he win as a coach? For example, how did McHale do with Dwight Howard?

Liv has all the moves and we have seen them this year. She just needs to get a rhythm to be effective and anything that throws off that rhythm is a problem for her. She is not strong enough to deal with change or something she has not had a lot of practice against. This past game she didn't handle well with all the quick little guys getting in her way. I thought she got a bit better at this in the 4th qtr.

Anyway, she does not need to be AA, she just needs to be consistent with 12 and 10 and stay in the game. We missed her for a stretch in the 4th when Neighbors called clear outs and had his players go to the hole. We didn't have somebody to protect the guards, so Ark guards had not fear going to the basket.

 

[Rixxx]

What great coaching moves have Collier and Tuck done?

For McHale what team is he coaching now? How many playoff series did he win as a coach? For example, how did McHale do with Dwight Howard?

I feel the above mentioned players had good footwork, which gave them many different moves to the basket. I may be wrong, but I see only one move from ONO. Footwork is the thought here, not coaching experience.
Someone mentioned here that AK beat ONO to her spot in the lane, negating anything she or her teammates wanted to do. Establishing position early makes her available to the guards and can avail herself to many shooting options (footwork).

 

[hoophuskee]

Liv has all the moves and we have seen them this year. She just needs to get a rhythm to be effective and anything that throws off that rhythm is a problem for her. She is not strong enough to deal with change or something she has not had a lot of practice against. This past game she didn't handle well with all the quick little guys getting in her way. I thought she got a bit better at this in the 4th qtr.

Anyway, she does not need to be AA, she just needs to be consistent with 12 and 10 and stay in the game. We missed her for a stretch in the 4th when Neighbors called clear outs and had his players go to the hole. We didn't have somebody to protect the guards, so Ark guards had not fear going to the basket.

I agree. I was just arguing with the point the other poster made of work with "Collier, Tuck or McHale because Geno/staff isn't getting it done."

I'm still shocked at the defense.

As for Liv-- the stats overall I thought she'd have great chance this year to be highly successful in Big East thus making her stats look good. Then I thought of the 5 OOC games she would just need to do well in some of them and if Paige and/or the others weren't going to be so elite then at least she'd have good overall stats. I always thought the defense would be good enough and ofc with her being the anchor - if the guards weren't amazing-- but just very good- she would get sufficient recognition.

The A/A awards aren't always given to the best individually talented players. Most of the awards - absolutely it goes to the individual's awesome offensive individual stats taking competition and team success into account. Some players however get them because of their team. IMO Liv's trademark should be her defense. I never expected UCONN to get so obliterated on defense other than if it were SC.

Liv's offense ofc she needs to score some -but I'm even shocked by the last two big games as a junior she seems to have a complete lack of awareness of offense. The many 3's vs Tenn. and especially the last one I thought horrid. To further that, she can't shoot ft's-- so why is she is hoisting 3's? It is extremely rare to be a bad ft shooter yet a good 3pt shooter. Maybe 1 out of every 500 shooters who take sufficient shots from 3? Then early vs Ark she must know through prior scouting Ark a quick, small team. SO, early in the game she is about 15 feet from the basket and she tries to bust her defender like she's a guard and then once stopped going to her right --- she figures she could spin left toward the center? That's where nearly all double-teams on bigs come from. After over 2 years and to start a game she doesn't account for this? That is the LAST MOVE she should EVER consider vs a small, quick team. Yet she did it right from the start.

 

[BobbyJ]

I agree. I was just arguing with the point the other poster made of work with "Collier, Tuck or McHale because Geno/staff isn't getting it done."

I'm still shocked at the defense.

As for Liv-- the stats overall I thought she'd have great chance this year to be highly successful in Big East thus making her stats look good. Then I thought of the 5 OOC games she would just need to do well in some of them and if Paige and/or the others weren't going to be so elite then at least she'd have good overall stats. I always thought the defense would be good enough and ofc with her being the anchor - if the guards weren't amazing-- but just very good- she would get sufficient recognition.

The A/A awards aren't always given to the best individually talented players. Most of the awards - absolutely it goes to the individual's awesome offensive individual stats taking competition and team success into account. Some players however get them because of their team. IMO Liv's trademark should be her defense. I never expected UCONN to get so obliterated on defense other than if it were SC.

Liv's offense ofc she needs to score some -but I'm even shocked by the last two big games as a junior she seems to have a complete lack of awareness of offense. The many 3's vs Tenn. and especially the last one I thought horrid. To further that, she can't shoot ft's-- so why is she is hoisting 3's? It is extremely rare to be a bad ft shooter yet a good 3pt shooter. Maybe 1 out of every 500 shooters who take sufficient shots from 3? Then early vs Ark she must know through prior scouting Ark a quick, small team. SO, early in the game she is about 15 feet from the basket and she tries to bust her defender like she's a guard and then once stopped going to her right --- she figures she could spin left toward the center? That's where nearly all double-teams on bigs come from. After over 2 years and to start a game she doesn't account for this? That is the LAST MOVE she should EVER consider vs a small, quick team. Yet she did it right from the start.

You're not wrong.

 

[Jingo]

I had the game on tape delay and saw the box score, missing minutes played, before I watched the game.

Looking at Liv’s line, I panicked. She must have been injured, right? Obviously, great relief to find out no injury.

But two points and two rebounds, one on her own missed layup?

We can analyze all we want, that can’t happen.

We had three, sometimes four, first years on the floor late with Evina against fifth year seniors playing at home. They hung in there.

Aubrey, Liv and CW are not helping in the half court offense right now. Playing time will be reallocated when Geno realizes playing Paige off ball at the two is his best bet.

If Liv draws a crowd of defenders, leaving other players open, this is a gr8 help to the offense .. i m surprised that serious hoops fans don't acknowledge that; they just look at the stat sheet, eh?

 

[Cuango]

What great coaching moves have Collier and Tuck done?

For McHale what team is he coaching now? How many playoff series did he win as a coach? For example, how did McHale do with Dwight Howard?

Kevin McHale is routinely named as having the best or near best low post moves ever! Who cares how he did with Dwight Howard? Dwight Howard couldn’t carry McHale’s jock strap when it comes to low post moves! I don’t know what you mean by that but I assume he either had a hard time with Dwight as a player or as a coach? Even if that’s the case, how does that mean he couldn’t help Liv?

 

[MD#12Fan]

Kevin McHale is routinely named as having the best or near best low post moves ever! Who cares how he did with Dwight Howard? Dwight Howard couldn’t carry McHale’s jock strap when it comes to low post moves! I don’t know what you mean by that but I assume he either had a hard time with Dwight as a player or as a coach? Even if that’s the case, how does that mean he couldn’t help Liv?

I'm with you Cuango. So, when we talk about a set of skills an athlete needs to have to be effective in any sport, we have to reference the players' coaches? We're supposed to blame Kevin McHale for Dwight Howard's lack of a post game? (great example BTW) Pete Newell, old time big men moves guru, NCAA champion coach at UCal-Berkeley, wrote the definitive books on post moves. Can go to any library and dust them off. (be careful, short shorts were in then) Liv has gotten this instruction from the age of whenever it looked like she would be taller than everyone else. 5th grade maybe? It's also one of those things in basketball that you can practice by yourself. It's up to Liv. Grade her by the number of basic moves that she masters and does in a game. 2 or 3, so far?
Oops- one more thing. She needs to learn how to pivot better.
Hint: Youtube- 1977 Portland-Philly NBA championship. I love Bill Walton! Fundamentally sound!

 

[hoophuskee]

Kevin McHale is routinely named as having the best or near best low post moves ever! Who cares how he did with Dwight Howard? Dwight Howard couldn’t carry McHale’s jock strap when it comes to low post moves! I don’t know what you mean by that but I assume he either had a hard time with Dwight as a player or as a coach? Even if that’s the case, how does that mean he couldn’t help Liv?

You should care because the poster said he wants McHale to coach Liv and not Geno.

You have been following hoop most of your life I assume. You mean that it's never occurred to you that there are some former old greats that cannot be good coaches? Or are you trying to say any great player is a great coach? Because McHale was a coach and didn't distinguish himself, did he? Unless you are suggesting all successful former NBA players are all great coaches at their respective positions?

The point of Howard was that if McHale was such a great coach-- then tell who he helped turn around? I cited Howard that McHale didn't do much to help him. McHale is out of coaching now - while Auriemma is regarded as probably the best wcbb coach ever - having put many players in the pros and won Olympic Gold.

Just give me one guy - please. Just give me one low post player you can point to that McHale coached up significantly. I gave you one which he failed to improve.

I hope it's okay for me to say that McHale failed, right? Because the poster I initially replied to on here clearly implied that UCONN Staff/Geno were failing with Liv. SO I hope this doesn't mean that it's okay to claim UCONN Staff/Geno has failed but Kevin McHale is untouchable to mention he has failed? I gave an example. Give me some back. Just one. I loved McHale's game and used to root for Celts over the Lakers and ofc the Pistons.