Starting lineup

[martyn]

When and if our recovering players return, they should come off the bench, not start. Caroline probably wouldn't start anyway, but not even Fudd. Our current starting lineup has jelled wonderfully. Don't mess with it.

 

[DefenseBB]

Wait, what? So when Fudd is healthy and able to play 30 mins a game, you want her to come off the bench? NO, just NO. Sorry but Aubrey goes to the bench and will be the first sub in.

 

[Mdoggie]

Good grief. Here we go again.

 

[hoopsfan22]

Wait, what? So when Fudd is healthy and able to play 30 mins a game, you want her to come off the bench? NO, just NO. Sorry but Aubrey goes to the bench and will be the first sub in.

Have a feeling if Fudd comes back they are gonna keep her in a plastic bubble and not run her into the ground by playing her a ton of minutes. Replacing Aubrey with Fudd means you lose the transition game and defense and rebounding that Aubrey brings just to have another shooter on the floor.

 

[Happydad745]

Wait, what? So when Fudd is healthy and able to play 30 mins a game, you want her to come off the bench? NO, just NO. Sorry but Aubrey goes to the bench and will be the first sub in.

Probably not this year....probably going to play it safe with her because of her injuries.

 

[Topdawg]

Even if Azzi and Caroline are able to play limited minutes and sub for Nika and Lou, that would be a tremendous benefit to the team.

 

[LwrcasefaN]

I'm not sure I would start a player returning from an "extended" injury. The bodies are limited so playing time will be had.

 

[DefenseBB]

Probably not this year....probably going to play it safe with her because of her injuries.

Again, NO. If Azzi is cleared to play by the medical staff and shows well in practive, Geno is going to start her. See Paige last year after her injury. Once Paige could prove she was physically and mentally ready, Geno started her. Same will happen with Azzi.

 

[Charliebball]

Have a feeling if Fudd comes back they are gonna keep her in a plastic bubble and not run her into the ground by playing her a ton of minutes. Replacing Aubrey with Fudd means you lose the transition game and defense and rebounding that Aubrey brings just to have another shooter on the floor.

Is Azzi just another shooter? How about a great shooter, great foul shooter, great pick and roll partner, fine passer, and better than average defender............

 

[hoopsfan22]

Even if Azzi and Caroline are able to play limited minutes and sub for Nika and Lou, that would be a tremendous benefit to the team.

I was thinking this morning, first what if we had Lou for four years, and also what kind of damage a line up of Nika, Paige, Azzi, Lou, and Aaliyah with Dorka, Aubrey, Caroline, Ayanna, Ice, and Amari coming off the bench would do.

 

[BRS24]

Wait, what? So when Fudd is healthy and able to play 30 mins a game, you want her to come off the bench? NO, just NO. Sorry but Aubrey goes to the bench and will be the first sub in.

It's not like Geno & staff have never done this before. In 2013, Bria Hartley volunteered to come off the bench.

The New Haven Register Blogs: Elm City to Eagleville: Looking back at Bria Hartley's move to the bench

Connecticut daily newspaper covering local, regional, and national news including local sports, video and multimedia coverage, and classified advertising.

elmcitytoeaglevillenhr.blogspot.com

(this is an old link, so if you put it in reader view, it shows cleanly)

Hartley thrives in new role off UConn bench

The move, which was made prior to UConn facing Vanderbilt in the second round of the NCAA...

www.ctpost.com

 

[LwrcasefaN]

Wait, what? So when Fudd is healthy and able to play 30 mins a game, you want her to come off the bench? NO, just NO. Sorry but Aubrey goes to the bench and will be the first sub in.

She's been injured twice this year...so why rush her back into 30-minute games right away? Ease her back in. The remaining schedule just doesn't warrant the risk.

 

[PAHuskeyFan]

OMG... Azzi was one of only a few players in conversation for NPOY before Aaliyah was pushed back into her and injured her knee vs ND. She was pretty much "on fire" and one of the best 3pt shooters in all of NCAA WBB. For the last many games, BYers have been hoping and praying for her return to add another 3pt shooter on the floor to open things up in the lane and take some pressure off Lou. If I recall correctly, Paige recovered from a patella plateau fracture in time for the Big East...Geno brought her back slowly, and before long she was our biggest asset just like she was before the injury.

Azzi has GOT to play if she is healthy enough to do it. In the early games maybe it's off the bench, but by tournament time, she is going to be one of our most dangerous weapons! Shooters have to shoot...and can only do so when in the game.

GO HUSKIES

 

[hoopsfan22]

Is Azzi just another shooter? How about a great shooter, great foul shooter, great pick and roll partner, fine passer, and better than average defender............

Fudd's FG% is 53%, Aubrey's is 59%. Both are excellent at the free throw line. Fudd takes more long range shots and has the better 3FG% 43 to 34% and is also the better passer as you say that turns the ball over at a lower rate. Aubrey is the better defender with more steals, and is just a few rebounds away from overtaking Dorka as the second best rebounder on the team. Aubrey is also the fastest player and best at running in transition.

 

[The deacon]

I was thinking this morning, first what if we had Lou for four years, and also what kind of damage a line up of Nika, Paige, Azzi, Lou, and Aaliyah with Dorka, Aubrey, Caroline, Ayanna, Ice, and Amari coming off the bench would do.

With that group, everyone healthy, Nika comes off the bench. All those assists that Nika's piling up could as well have been accomplished by Paige and/or Azzi, Lou, Dorka and Aaliyah.

 

[hoopsfan22]

With that group, everyone healthy, Nika comes off the bench.

Maybe, and most here seem to say that all the time because there's a general undervalue of Nika among the fans, but if you believe in what Geno says time and time again about her, there's no chance that would happen. Geno likes her out there which is why she averages way more minutes than everyone else (35.4). When Geno said Lou would have replaced someone in the starting lineup, my first thought was Dorka, not Nika.

 

[Littlemin]

With that group, everyone healthy, Nika comes off the bench. All those assists that Nika's piling up could as well have been accomplished by Paige and/or Azzi, Lou, Dorka and Aaliyah.

Yeah, I guess more aptly you could say they could have been but they weren’t!!

 

[Charliebball]

Fudd's FG% is 53%, Aubrey's is 59%. Both are excellent at the free throw line. Fudd takes more long range shots and has the better 3FG% 43 to 34% and is also the better passer as you say that turns the ball over at a lower rate. Aubrey is the better defender with more steals, and is just a few rebounds away from overtaking Dorka as the second best rebounder on the team. Aubrey is also the fastest player and best at running in transition.

I really appreciate Aubrey's abilities........she was sorely missed last season and is a difference maker but her skills are perfect for coming off the bench to bring instant energy to the team at both ends of the court........she would still play 20-25 minutes a game as a sixth person and I'm pretty certain that's how Geno will use her in most cases if Azzi is 100%....

 

[hoopsfan22]

I really appreciate Aubrey's abilities........she was sorely missed last season and is a difference maker but her skills are perfect for coming off the bench to bring instant energy to the team at both ends of the court........she would still play 20-25 minutes a game as a sixth person and I'm pretty certain that's how Geno will use her in most cases if Azzi is 100%....

I'm not arguing for or against. I generally do agree in a world where you have a 100% healthy team Aubrey would be first or second off the bench depending on what any particular game needs. This year I am arguing a bit for the chemistry aspect this starting five has developed. That's worth something skill differential be damned.

 

[The deacon]

Maybe, and most here seem to say that all the time because there's a general undervalue of Nika among the fans, but if you believe in what Geno says time and time again about her, there's no chance that would happen. Geno likes her out there which is why she averages way more minutes than everyone else (35.4). When Geno said Lou would have replaced someone in the starting lineup, my first thought was Dorka, not Nika.

Yes, Geno said that, but when it came time in the tournament, it was Paige and Azzi, and not Nika, who were getting the minutes. That four-guard lineup without Dorka surely would be fun to watch, but would be mighty small, with Lou the second tallest player at 6'1". Fun to fantasize about, for sure.

 

[Charliebball]

I'm not arguing for or against. I generally do agree in a world where you have a 100% healthy team Aubrey would be first or second off the bench depending on what any particular game needs. This year I am arguing a bit for the chemistry aspect this starting five has developed. That's worth something skill differential be damned.

that's a fair point but the team's chemistry when Azzi was starting and healthy was pretty good too.......Geno will decide and it's a really nice decision to make

 

[martyn]

Is Azzi just another shooter? How about a great shooter, great foul shooter, great pick and roll partner, fine passer, and better than average defender............

Great shooter she is, but the larger point is the fluidity and effectiveness of the team. The current five is in a zone. Stanford in a home game for them beat Tenn by seven. Our starters almost entirely by themselves doubled it at their place.

 

[Brewski]

I have come full circle with our current starting five, and I now think they are final 4 ready because they are a well-oiled unit with great chemistry. However, Azzi's overwhelming basketball skills will MORE than compensate for any minor perceived drop in the current five's chemistry caused by replacing one current player with an all-american. Just bring her back slowly. Please!

 

[DefenseBB]

Yes, Geno said that, but when it came time in the tournament, it was Paige and Azzi, and not Nika, who were getting the minutes. That four-guard lineup without Dorka surely would be fun to watch, but would be mighty small, with Lou the second tallest player at 6'1". Fun to fantasize about, for sure.

Deacon, private chat me as I want to bet BIG MONEY that Nika will NOT come off the bench. Geno likes her energy, intensity and what she brings to this team. As noted when Geno first inserted her into the line-up, she just brings too many intangibles to this team. Plus you are going to sit the one ball player who controls the game pace AND is the leading NCAA assist leader? I don't think so.

 

[Charliebball]

Great shooter she is, but the larger point is the fluidity and effectiveness of the team. The current five is in a zone. Stanford in a home game for them beat Tenn by seven. Our starters almost entirely by themselves doubled it at their place.

I understand your point.............doesn't matter what we think.........Geno decides......