I'm saying THIS offence is running great now. Don't tamper with it. Let Fudd work her way in from the bench. I suspect Geno is considering exactly that.
Starting lineup
- Thread starter martyn
- Start date
I think that Nika is a fixture now at PG, because she sets a high pace on O and slows the pace of the opposing PG on D. This should hold true even with a fully healthy Uconn going into next year, i.e. Bueckers and Fudd will be the wings, and Carolyn and Aubry will be swing (at the 3 or 4) as core rotation players, or starters even on go-small lineups. KK may be ready to back-up Muhl at PG, when/if ready but, if not, Paige slides over to PG to when Muhl out. Edwards is a fixture at the 4/5, and Jana, Brady, Patterson, Debarri can figure out who else fills at the 5/4. Shade may be ready sooner than later to grab a few minutes and the other freshman will be more of a development projectSorry, but if zero injuries had occurred, our starting lineup would most likely be Paige, Azzi, Lou, Caroline/Aubrey, and Aaliyah. Nika, Caroline/Aubrey, Dorka/Ice would be first off the bench. The Caroline/Aubrey choice would be based on the opponent and whether we need offense or defense most. Occasional changes would occur based on potential matchups.
Makes my heart hurt to think about the offensive firepower we would have had with two elite defenders ready to come in and shut down any opposing player obstreperous enough to give us any problems! They’d probably score 70 in the first half and then let the bench play most of the second half!
Terrible idea. Nika's not only an elite point guard she's the only real point guard. The team would languish without her.
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Has anybody in Uconn wcbb history averaged what Nika is averaging this season in assists/game? Rhetorical question, no need to respond. Yeah, I'm sure Nika just gets all her assists because she happens to be the 'extra guy out there', nothing to do with her skills
When Azzi comes back this season at some point she will take Aubrey's spot in the starting lineup. Next Season Nika will start with Paige and Azzi. I thought you were coming around The deacon to accept what Nika brings to this team - must have been mistaken.
Agreed. Azzi has player of the year potential and one of the most talented in all aspects of the game.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............
She will not sit if healthy
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I'll be amazed if either Azzi or Caroline play this season at all.
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MSGRET
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Maybe that is one of the reasons why we got blown out, no pressure by a defensive PG.
Charliebball
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have faith........I expect to see them both back by the Big East tournament
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I don't bet on games, DefenseBB, and I'm not about to bet on the starting lineup, especially since the odds are extremely high against Geno having all these options available. I thought this was just about having a friendly discussion. But thanks for the offer the chat.
As for Nika being the NCAA assist leader, that's very impressive. Conjecturing, Paige might not have as many assists if she were the Huskies point guard this season, but she'd be darned close to it, and she'd also be scoring 12-15 points per game more than Nika. Paige averaged nearly 6 assists per game as a freshman when she had lesser offensive weapons to feed than Nika has this season.
It isn't a matter of 'coming around, #12in21. I have always admired the positives Nika brings to the Huskies and am so thankful she's on the team. However, believing the team could be even better with some other combination of players starting is not a knock on Nika. It's more a recognition of the superb skills of those players who'd start before her.
If some of you insist on calling that 'hating on Nika,' that's your cross to bear. I am most appreciative Nika's on the team and understand that, with all the injuries, the Huskies are darned lucky to have her.
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I think there is another point to consider when comparing Azzi and Aubrey - who will demand more attention from the defense. Clearly that player is Azzi which will open up more good opportunities for Lou and others. When Azzi returns we’ll hear a big sigh of relief from Lou.
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I guess you feel that Aubrey brings nothing to the table and should be placed way down on the bench? (This team would be in an "Heap of Trouble" if they didn't have Aubrey Griffin playing on this team).
Only my opinion but I don't think azzi comes back hundred percent till next year. Hope I'm wrong. But it's nice seeing this group of kids playing there buts off. I'm more concerned about Caroline head injury. When its tournament time. We will only go 7 players. This group has the discipline to win it all. If we have Azzi and Caroline in some capacity its a great bonus.
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Agree with this. I don't think next year's starting lineup is much of a question at all. Nika, Azzi, Paige and Aaliyah are locks to me although many will disagree. That is a tremendous foursome with a good mix of skills. The C or 5 position is the big question mark. I prefer Aaliyah at her natural position, so I don't want to see Ayanna or Aubrey at the 4 and Aaliyah the 5. Those players should be in the mix for Aaliyah's backup minutes.
Hopefully two from Ice, Janna and Amari, can handle the 5 position minutes, probably Ice and Janna. We have talented candidates for there, but of course they are all inexperienced and unproven, so they may not be really good right away.
Aubrey and Caroline should get significant minutes potentially being backup candidates for four positions. They are big enough that in a pinch they could play the 4, although they won't need to if Ayanna settles in as a very good backup 4. They could easily move into the 2 or 3, but of course there will not be many backup minutes there behind Azzi and Paige, and they could also both be candidates to come in for Nika, but they would not play the point, as you mention Paige would just slide over to the point.
I don't see Ashlynn getting rotation minutes unless there are injuries, and as for KK if she is very very good right away, she could get the Nika backup minutes and Paige stays as a wing, but for that scenario to happen you would have to prefer KK being in the game to either Caroline or Aubrey. That is a pretty high bar to achieve playing time for her.
In theory we could have players at the 1-3 positions featuring outstanding traits. Imagine the passing if you combined Nika, Paige and KK. The shooting if it was Paige, Azzi and Caroline. Or the defense if we moved Ayanna to the 3 and paired her with Aubrey and Nika. That would also be an incredible rebounding unit. KK, Paige and Azzi would have three players that could easily create their own shot.
If everybody is healthy there are so many interesting combinations. With Aaliyah looking like an All American at the 4, and presumably Ayanna ready to be a star backup, the 4 spot is more than covered. Even if Ayanna isn't quite where we hope she will be Caroline and Aubrey are small ball options and the bigs we are counting on at the 5 like Ice and Janna could help there if we need more size.
Everything looks loaded, just the uncertainty at the 5, but even there the potential looks good, it is just young and unproven. If someone can be good there, the other positions should be exceptional.
More like no toughness on the court, Senechal said it last night‘s press conference, Tennessee punched them in the mouth in the 2nd qtr and the team vowed the 2nd half would be different, and it was. I would put money on which player was leading that discussion.
Uconn had no one willing to punch back against SC, ergo, they were really never in the game. Pretty much was the same the year before against Arizona. I know many disagree with that notion but there is much, much more to the game of basketball than what you can read in a box score.
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Don’t count me among those that you suggest insist on calling your posts as “ hating on Nika”. I simply believe you devalue Nika’s importance to this team. As Geno said Nika is ‘Unique’ and I believe his take on her value is closer to the views I’ve expressed than those you have. Your final sentence above…’with all the injuries, the Huskies are darned lucky to have her’ kind of is the crux of our difference of opinions. I would skip your first four words…the Huskies are darned lucky to have her.
I would be shocked if when Azzi is back full time this season, Geno plays her at point quard and significantly reduces Nika’s playing time. And equally shocked if next season, with both Paige and Azzi healthy that Nika is reduced to a back up role. I think we’ll see Nika as the starting point guard in both scenarios, feeding both those generational talents and as the head of the snake on our defense.
We’ll just have to disagree and wait to see how it all plays out.
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Last time I checked we had/have a Lieberman award winning in point guard on our team. Your statement is, with all due respect, ludicrous! You may think, erroneously, in my view, that Nika is better than Paige, but she’s obviously not the “only real point guard.” What is Ines? You are certainly free to think Nika is simply indispensable at that position, but there’s no need to change Paige’s position in order to justify it.
Last time I checked Paige was out for the season which, with all due respect, makes your criticism ludicrous.
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HuskyNan
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Last year, yes. This year, Nika is a different player.
No way Paige would average 10 assists a game AND score the way she did. Last year Geno needed Paige’s scoring and that’s simply not the case this year Now with Nika, Lou, and Azzi on the court, Nika can average 15 assists a game and both Paige and Azzi can average 20 ppg
Well, maybe if Azzi put her hair in a bun instead of braids and sub'ed in for Aubrey the other team wouldn't notice.
It certainly looks like he has regressed to his summertime form. I will say one thing, if there were no injuries we might never have seen just how valuable Nika is. But now we know and Nika is a lock to be a starter for the rest of her career.
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I went through a range of emotions when I read your comments. "Loved" it, Got the "Wow" moment, and then I went with "Liked". Caroline will definitely come off the bench, when she is healthy, if she even comes back for the season. But I can see her coming off the bench and nothing is wrong with that. Being a member of the 2nd unit myself. I always loved coming off the bench. You could change the energy of the game. Make a huge impact, good or bad. With Fudd, if she comes back as well, I would have her coming off the bench for a few games. Limit her minutes and see where she is at mentally, physically, and emotionally as the weeks progressed.
Continuing off some of your points, I think we need to look at the effectiveness of the offense right now, with a limited roster. We get tired, but the offense with Nika, Lou and Aubrey is working quite well without the three shooter/scorers that were the likely starters heading into this season.
We looked forward to having a small lineup of Paige, Azzi and Caroline, with all three being both shooters, and players that could create their own shot. Now at the three small positions we have just one shooter and scorer in Lou, and two players that are not in Nika and Aubrey. Yet the offense is working quite well. Aubrey if finding ways to score even if she isn't a shooter.
That is largely due to good team ball movement and a much faster pace which Nika is very much the principal reason for. Nika's volume of scoring is low, which could be a problem if we didn't have other good options, but we do, and Nika makes those other scoring weapons even more effective. In addition to Aubrey feasting on run-outs as Nika pushes the pace, look at how much better we are getting easy baskets inside with Aaliyah and Dorka being far more effective than last year. Lou knows if she gets open, she will get the ball in the right place at the right time, something that would also enhances the game for Azzi, Paige and Caroline if they were in the game with Nika.
Next year if healthy we will have three tremendous scoring options, both volume and efficiency in Paige, Azzi and Aaliyah, and probably another good inside option in Ice or Janna. Only one can shoot at a time, so having a player who concentrates on defense and making all of those players better on offense seems like an obvious choice to me.
Defensively it is obvious, but I think the team will be better offensively with Nika teaming with Paige and Azzi, than if the third small was a shooter like say Caroline. She is making the rest of the team better offensively without even having the best players available. We are finding bigs inside, getting the ball to our one current shooter on the perimeter in Lou, and getting easy baskets on run-outs and fast breaks. The system run by Nika is working without it's biggest potential scorers and can only be greater when they return. Why would we want to mess with a good thing?
I'm not saying keep Azzi on the bench, I think she should start when healthy, but I am saying that Nika at the point is working big time this year, everyone eats, and everyone else on the floor benefits from her leading the offense. We have now a number of other scoring options, and will have more when healthy and next year with Paige, Ice and Janna in particular. We can afford a specialist that makes everyone else better and plays defense. That is not a weakness, but rather a great piece to add to the scorers we have and make them and the overall offense better IMO. Next year Nika should start with Paige and Azzi.
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And they'd be in a heap of trouble if they didn't have Nika or Lou or AE or Dorka..I'm saying she should be 7th player if Azzi and Caroline were healthy..actually thinking about it probably 1st player off the bench because I'm starting to wonder if Caroline will ever be healthy or get back to the player we saw last year before her injury
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Wow such problems we have at Huskyville!! Who should start and who should come off the bench now and next year. It all depends on the health of our players now and in the future. Geno seems to like a player who can change the game coming off the bench. Now we really have no one who can due that and Geno only subs out of necessity, unless we are in a non competitive game. If Caroline and Azzi are healthy enough to play Geno will have decisions to make. I am a believer Geno will start Azzi after she proves she can play without affecting her future career.
Aubrey is a game changer with her defense and speed. Against Tenn she had in the 3rd quarter 3 possessions in a row where she either stole or deflected the ball and UConn got possession back. Steals and layup. Layups off of transition. Game Changer for sure.
If Caroline is healthy she can sub for Dorka, Aaliyah or Lou if they are tired or get into foul trouble. She also adds more outside shooting and scoring off of mismatches down low. She is also a good rebounder and long on defense on the perimeter.
Next year is a little to early for me to comment on. I will leave my opinion until next summer when we argue about the starting lineup.
Aubrey is a game changer with her defense and speed. Against Tenn she had in the 3rd quarter 3 possessions in a row where she either stole or deflected the ball and UConn got possession back. Steals and layup. Layups off of transition. Game Changer for sure.
If Caroline is healthy she can sub for Dorka, Aaliyah or Lou if they are tired or get into foul trouble. She also adds more outside shooting and scoring off of mismatches down low. She is also a good rebounder and long on defense on the perimeter.
Next year is a little to early for me to comment on. I will leave my opinion until next summer when we argue about the starting lineup.
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Will AZZI wear a brace for the remainder of the season? I'll guess "YES"!
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My comment was about what would happen when “recovering players” returned! As far as I know, Paige & Ice are recovering players. Sure, take Paige out of the equation and of course, Nika will always start.
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I doubt a player with limited minutes would start...
PacoSwede
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right .... but that does NOT mean she must start
what's with this fetish about starting. it's a team game. just win.
i'm sure azzi would agree. her ego doesn't demand that she start. ...
i think she'd be fine with 30 minutes and a win.
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