Some thoughts on Depaul Game (merged)

[HopJim]

it doesn't matter who goes in for whom. Anna should be starting, and get Aubrey into the game for anyone, except Dangerfield. the way offenses are run these days , it really doesn't matter. bottom line, I just think Kyla's getting minutes that can be better used somewhere else. jmo

While I agree with others that CW should be playing with more intensity, believe that when Kyla is in it also affects who ever is in at the 2nd guard spot, particularly on offense. Kyla typically plays the high post, usually just as a screener and passer. Opponents strategy has become to drop off her and double the shooter, typically CW. CW rarely is open at the top of the key and gets most of her shots when she rotates away from Kyla or drives the baseline.

 

[eebmg]

While I agree with others that CW should be playing with more intensity, believe that when Kyla is in it also affects who ever is in at the 2nd guard spot, particularly on offense. Kyla typically plays the high post, usually just as a screener and passer. Opponents strategy has become to drop off her and double the shooter, typically CW. CW rarely is open at the top of the key and gets most of her shots when she rotates away from Kyla or drives the baseline.

While Kyla had some good rebounding moments in the DePaul game, she was way off on the offensive end. She had a chance with a wide open 3 to release pressure from her teammates and clanked it badly. Also, she tried several early backdoor feeds which were intercepted or deflected. I think the poor start got in her head a bit. On confidence alone, Anna will probably move into the starting position and Kyla will come off the bench.

 

[HuskylnSC]

No worries. Just the Boneyard showing its appreciation for a sophomore getting a double-double against a ranked opponent...

Now if that doesn't describe the BY in a nutshell. Post of the week nominee!

 

[eebmg]

Geno had paid Doug multiple complements, now Doug returns the favor

DePaul coach on UConn women’s prolonged success: ‘They work this thing as if they’ve never won a national championship’

Monday night, No. 16 DePaul nearly erased a 26-point UConn lead, closing within four early in the fourth quarter and giving the undefeated, No. 2 Huskies a run for their money before UConn ultimate…

www.courant.com

“What I’m so impressed with is they just do the normal, daily, grunt, grit things that you have to do to sustain a program,” Bruno said. "They work very hard at getting their players better. Their players get better at UConn, they get a lot better at UConn. That’s teaching, that’s coaching, and that’s a tribute to Geno and his staff. ... [And] people don’t understand how hard he works to recruit. They all work to recruit as if they’ve never won a national championship. They work very hard to evaluate and evaluate early, and they also have a very high standard of what they want from a character perspective, and then they go after it.

“They work this thing as if they’ve never won a national championship and that’s what you kind of don’t see when you’re just looking in from the outside and Geno gives a funny soundbite and you don’t understand that because you’re around it every day.”

 

[eebmg]

A little more perspective on Doug with a tribute video from some of his players after his 700th win. The devotion is very obvious

Towards the end of the video, he discusses how proud he is of the current state of the program but how he wants a championship and wants to reach a level where about 10 teams are that DePaul has not beaten. I am sure UConn was front on his mind

 

[boontonbomber]

Megan's problem in her freshman year was not tentativeness, it was laziness. Her sophomore year should have been her freshman year, and now we are finally seeing Megan playing at something close to her potential, and we are finding that it is in the same altitude as Maya and Napheesa. But the butterfly would never have emerged (at the present level of performance) without going through the caterpillar phase.

Right now, Aubrey is in the caterpillar phase with her basketball potential. I don't see (and Geno appears not to see either) any laziness in Aubrey's approach, so her freshman year can serve as her "caterpillar" year, hopefully. But even though she may make some highlight-reel individual plays, the team as a whole will not be efficient until she plays totally within the 5-person offense.

And if you think Geno will ever allow the UConn offense to grind down to the level of a neophyte by playing that neophyte for extended minutes, you have not been paying attention for the last decade or two. Even Stewie did not get that privilege. Certainly Tina Charles had a greatly reduced role until she caught on to what was expected in her junior year, and I understand that was also the case with Rebecca. Moriah had no more minutes than Aubrey, and no greater role, when she was a freshman. Likewise with Napheesa. Maya was the sole exception, and that is because she arrived with her butterfly wings already attached.

This is a different team than any of those you mentioned- they all had much more experienced , talented people, so the frosh were not needed. So Geno was able to play the metamorphosis game with the frosh. This team is really young, and short of D1 players, unlike most of the teams he's had. Maybe time to do things a little differently. When Aubrey has played, much of the time the offense does not grind to a neophyte level. They have the benefit of many games in one of the weakest conferences in the country, so good opportunities there to get her comfortable with the offense. What I believe strongly is that, given some time, Aubrey will bring lots more to the floor than Kyla. I wouldn't be surprised, actually, to see Geno push a bit harder with Aubrey as time goes on. Unless he's just looking to next year.

 

[Crossover]

This is a different team than any of those you mentioned- they all had much more experienced , talented people, so the frosh were not needed. So Geno was able to play the metamorphosis game with the frosh. This team is really young, and short of D1 players, unlike most of the teams he's had. Maybe time to do things a little differently. When Aubrey has played, much of the time the offense does not grind to a neophyte level. They have the benefit of many games in one of the weakest conferences in the country, so good opportunities there to get her comfortable with the offense. What I believe strongly is that, given some time, Aubrey will bring lots more to the floor than Kyla. I wouldn't be surprised, actually, to see Geno push a bit harder with Aubrey as time goes on. Unless he's just looking to next year.

Short of D1 players???

 

[Dokey]

it doesn't matter who goes in for whom. Anna should be starting, and get Aubrey into the game for anyone, except Dangerfield. the way offenses are run these days , it really doesn't matter. bottom line, I just think Kyla's getting minutes that can be better used somewhere else. jmo

Getting Dangerfield rest (and Liv) rest is the big problem. Apparently, given her minutes, Geno doesn’t see Evelyn coming in for Liv, except in real garbage time, so that means a change in tactics when she’s out. Molly gives Crystal some rest but in big games that could be a problem—she’s the one player Aubrey can’t come in for. It might be interesting to pick a real easy opponent, pull Liv after one quarter, and let Aubrey play in Liv’s position with MW, CW, CD, and AM, so team can adjust to not having 6’ 5” on floor. I am not subbing Molly for Crystal, except for brief breathers, in order to prepare this group for big games should, for any reason, Liv is out.

 

[Rocket009]

Certainly Tina Charles had a greatly reduced role until she caught on to what was expected in her junior year,

I don't think this is accurate. Tina was a starter her freshman year and was a major factor in the win over LSU where she outplayed Sylvia Fowles (who was a senior at the time ) She injured her shoulder later in the season which limited her playing time and forced her to have surgery at the end of the year.

 

[Jingo]

She is terrible off the dribble. Opponents have scouted her now and know how to defend against her. Just imagine if Geno ever used her as the back up point?! She also gives up defensively when someone beats her, putting too much pressure on her teammates. Right now, she is a liability, not an asset.

Driving to the hoop [with either hand] or pulling up for her smooth jumper, CW is the best on the team at scoring off the bounce. CD is also excellent, but is quite a bit shorter than CW and not as ambidextrous, eh?

 

[ABCDFE]

Getting Dangerfield rest (and Liv) rest is the big problem. Apparently, given her minutes, Geno doesn’t see Evelyn coming in for Liv, except in real garbage time, so that means a change in tactics when she’s out. Molly gives Crystal some rest but in big games that could be a problem—she’s the one player Aubrey can’t come in for. It might be interesting to pick a real easy opponent, pull Liv after one quarter, and let Aubrey play in Liv’s position with MW, CW, CD, and AM, so team can adjust to not having 6’ 5” on floor. I am not subbing Molly for Crystal, except for brief breathers, in order to prepare this group for big games should, for any reason, Liv is out.

What about using more timeouts or using all allotted time outs throughout the game?

 

[Dokey]

What about using more timeouts or using all allotted time outs throughout the game?

Helpful but wear and tear is cumulative.

 

[Dokey]

Short of D1 players???

Same ??? From me.

 

[boontonbomber]

Short of D1 players???

yes

 

[phil sampieri]

While I agree with others that CW should be playing with more intensity, believe that when Kyla is in it also affects who ever is in at the 2nd guard spot, particularly on offense. Kyla typically plays the high post, usually just as a screener and passer. Opponents strategy has become to drop off her and double the shooter, typically CW. CW rarely is open at the top of the key and gets most of her shots when she rotates away from Kyla or drives the baseline.

Spot on, I like Kyla but would prefer #44 ( sorry forgot her name) better rebounder and defender on quicker players, not as good a passer yet and goes to the hoop better.

 

[trisailin]

After reading this thread, I take great comfort in knowing Geno DOES NOT base his game day actions on BY feedback.

 

[Crossover]

yes

I'm not going to ask you who on the squad is not a D1 player because: (1) I don't want to open the door for you to trash one of our players; and (2) I don't believe in feeding trolls. It is time to utilize the ignore function.

 

[Dokey]

yes

If you are talking about Molly and Kyla, there are many D-1 schools who would love to have them start for them. Many.

 

[Zanzman]

Spot on, I like Kyla but would prefer #44 ( sorry forgot her name) better rebounder and defender on quicker players, not as good a passer yet and goes to the hoop better.

How csn we take anything you say seriously when you don’t even know the players names

 

[phil sampieri]

How csn we take anything you say seriously when you don’t even know the players names

Just one man's opinion and I really don't care if you don't take it seriously.

 

[boontonbomber]

I'm not going to ask you who on the squad is not a D1 player because: (1) I don't want to open the door for you to trash one of our players; and (2) I don't believe in feeding trolls. It is time to utilize the ignore function.

I don't know what you would consider trashing, but I expect that the bench players themselves are quite aware of their limitations. and it's because the bench is so limited that UConn is going to struggle against the best teams like they haven't in a long time. Aubrey is, of course, one of those bench players, and certainly has her limitations, typical of a frosh. I see her differently than the others, though, as most people here do. given minutes, some of that raw talent may begin to emerge ahead of schedule, and she may be able to compete against the better teams. oh, and no, I won't hit the ignore button.

 

[Triad]

I don’t know that Molly misplayed her assignment. She closed out on the shooter with a hand in her face. The shooter made a tough shot at the half. Sometimes players make shots despite good defense.

I agree! I watched that particular play again and she was a micro second late in getting to the shooter but had a hand in her face. Shooters make em when they make 3 on you SHAME but ONE???