Support for CW

[Bald Husky]

A very telling article in the courant this morning about CW and her latest funk. Her struggles with her play is recognized by all of us, and ONO said that its "hard to play here". She's right, although we don't know first hand obviously, it is hard to play here. Still I don't know if its only the expectations of this program, teammates, or fans, many of whom span across the country. The key ingredient here is the fans. The fans pick you up, the fans support you, the fans give you confidence. This year that is missing, not just here, but around the country. How they get up for games, especially low caliber teams, must be difficult. CW is struggling, and she needs our support. She is a big part of our family, and I wish we could tell her that, and show her that we support her, and have every confidence in her as a player and as a teammate. I hope somebody close to her reads this and lets her know that we are behind her, and we know that she will come back from this even stronger.

 

[Sonny44]

A new gal came in and is stealing the show.

 

[Bald Husky]

A new gal came in and is stealing the show.

I didn't want to say that, but it crossed my mind. Too much too soon.

 

[hoopsdiva]

A new gal came in and is stealing the show.

I think that if Christyn was not a team player, Geno would never have recruited her. I reject your theory and all of its implications.

 

[MainefanSC]

CW's smile lights up the house. Unfortunately that smile is not as prevalent lately. I believe she has to go back and play "comfortably". IMHO she is pressing to try and make plays. She's a natural, when she lets herself be. You can tell she loves the game. While the scoring has been difficult she has been taking care of helping the team in other areas.

On offense she needs to look for her opportunities. They will come. When they do come just be yourself and the ball will drop. Missed layups and bricking jump shots are an indication of loss of confidence. Be confident and just play the game as it presents itself. We know you've got it. Try to have fun and light up the place with that smile.

It's easy for me to say anything. I'm in my easy chair and she's trying to work it out. Working it out is very difficult at times and CW is living that time now. Heads up young lady and know we're rooting for you.

 

[oldude]

The idea that Christyn’s struggles have anything to do with Paige is absurd. Christyn’s freshman year was arguably her best from a scoring standpoint, and she was the 5th option on a team with 3 AA’s and 2 future WNBA ROY’s. As such, she played free and easy, and had fun doing it.

This year, Christyn looks like she has the weight of the world on her shoulders as a team leader and one of the primary offensive threats. If anything, Paige has relieved some of the pressure on Christyn.

I am hoping that with the support of the coaching staff and her teammates, Christyn can clear her mind and once again have fun on the court. If UConn has a chance of winning a 12th National Championship, it’s difficult to envision without Christyn playing at her best.

 

[CL82]

I support Christyn. She’s a good player. I’m sure she will find her way out of this slump. I hope it is sooner rather than later.

 

[AmeriConn]

A new gal came in and is stealing the show.

I find that statement unfair to both Christyn and Paige.

 

[blackbird]

Yup..in fact, I think CW has the opposite problem. I think she’s too nice.

two moments stick out for me..first, when the ball landed in her hands after the player from South Carolina fell..CW’s first impulse was to check on the player instead of using the basketball advantage that she was gifted.

Second...when she ran under the bleachers to go get the ball for the refs.

Thats CW.

it’s likely that her ankle hurts making it hard for her to shoot and drive. It’s also likely that she’s heard loud and clear that Coach wants Paige to shoot, giving CW a reason to not be aggressive - which is what CW wants to hear.

I actually think it’s would be helpful to put her in an “off the bench” role. Tell her that her job is to come in and be aggressive and go to the basket..and that’s what she needs to do for this team.

 

[RedStickHusky]

Play through it CW, better days lie ahead. FWIW, I don't know if CW's stuck in her own head, but if so, it must be crowded with all of us in there too.

 

[Martin]

She did show concern for the player first. I thought she was going to actually help her up. At the beginning Geno said the upperclassmen must lead because freshmen at Uconn can’t. Now these freshman are pushing these upperclassmen really hard for minutes. A new gal is stealing the show isn’t entirely inaccurate either.

 

[oldude]

She did show concern for the player first. I thought she was going to actually help her up. At the beginning Geno said the upperclassmen must lead because freshmen at Uconn can’t. Now these freshman are pushing these upperclassmen really hard for minutes. A new gal is stealing the show isn’t entirely inaccurate either.

Geno has never said that freshmen can’t lead. In fact he’s said exactly the opposite. Let’s get off this absurd argument about, “a new gal is stealing the show,” and somehow that is contributing to Christyn’s problems. This is a fantasy cooked up in the minds of some BY’ers that has no basis in fact.

 

[UConnCat]

From Carl Adamec’s story:

“But on Monday she didn’t have a point until the third quarter and all three of her hoops were layups. With the Huskies down two and 3:03 left in regulation, she missed two free throws. When overtime started, she was on the bench. It would have been a story had Bueckers not taken over the headlines.

Wednesday was worse, and her teammates knew it best.

“In the huddles I definitely could tell she wasn’t really being herself,” UConn guard Evina Westbrook said. “I talked to her directly and told her, ‘Just get out of it. Wake up. You have to.’ In a game like this, you have to come ready to play. You’re going to have tough stretches like this. We all have a bad game here and there. She’s going to figure it out on her own as soon as she just gets in a rhythm and gets in a flow.”

 

[UConnCat]

 

[Kmoney]

Has anybody heard if this a pattern for games and practices? She shows confidence when she is ball handling and penetrating. She shows zero confidence in any shooting outside of layups. Every shooter has slumps, but when you see that they are consistently wide right or left, plus long or short, I’m not sure what’s the solution.
Its important to know how she shoots in practice and warmups. If I had to guess, I would say that she shoots well in practice and ok in warmups, but when the game starts she is starting to feel the pressure of being a former #1 player who is feeling passed by. Uconn is a much better team when she is playing well and they will need her to make the FF.
I worry about putting too much on Paige. I remember the tale of Mark Macon (Temple 1988) freshman all American. He led to Temple to #1 in the polls and was having a great season. They met Duke in the elite 8 and got smoked. Macon shot @3-20 and by the end of the game was in tears. He was never the same player. He spent a couple of years in the NBA and I believe he is now coaching at Temple.

 

[blkkirk]

Her bread and butter is driving to the basket. Teams are packing it in on us. This limits the part of the game where she is most confident. Her being picked pre-season player of the Big E didn't help in my opinion. Outside pressure along with the pressure she puts on herself is steep. She will be fine as we collectively start hitting open shots and she takes some of the pressure off of herself.

 

[MSSportsGuy]

Heavy is the head that wears the crown of top ranked overall recruit. CW seems to have a wonderful personality and has shown she is a good player but she isn't a "great player" so far in her career. As good as PB is I believe the Huskies will need at least one or two of the upperclassmen to step up and produce to have a shot at the NC.

Mercedes Russell took some heat from fans of UT and others because she never really showed she was a supremely dominant player that is expected from being the top ranked recruit. Honestly Russell had a good career on an underachieving team. CW hasn't lived up to expectations on a supremely good team but there is still time. She's in a slump and may not ever be a world beater but hopefully she pulls out of this and steps up to the plate.

 

[Urshurak]

Besides her team mates support and the coaches support, the only one that can help CW get out of this is herself. It's a tough place to be in I'm sure. She will never get anything but support from me going forward.

 

[Dokey]

For whatever reason, CW runs either hot or cold. She is not the kind of player like Paige who can take over a game and dictate the outcome. She is the kind of player who benefits from the other players on the floor. Previous UConn teams had more balanced attacks. The current team’s philosophy is “shoot, Paige, shoot.” CW gets lost.

 

[JoePgh]

For whatever reason, CW runs either hot or cold. She is not the kind of player like Paige who can take over a game and dictate the outcome. She is the kind of player who benefits from the other players on the floor. Previous UConn teams had more balanced attacks. The current team’s philosophy is “shoot, Paige, shoot.” CW gets lost.

I think you have cause-and-effect reversed here. What you describe as the current team's philosophy became that only after Christyn, Anna, Evina, and Nika all demonstrated that they were inconsistent 3-point shooters, and also because Liv, Aaliyah, Aubrey, and Mir have all failed to scare anybody with their 15-foot jump shots, so defenses feel free to pack the paint.

If those situations did not exist, neither Paige nor Geno would want her to be taking as many shots as she is currently taking (although Geno might prefer that she take more than she did earlier in the season).

 

[topogigio]

A new gal came in and is stealing the show.

A Tale As Old As Time

 

[SVCBeercats]

The key ingredient here is the fans. The fans pick you up, the fans support you, the fans give you confidence.

I presume you mean the fans in the stands. If CW read the BoneYard and other boards do you think CW would feel the love and suppot?

 

[ClifSpliffy]

Has anybody heard if this a pattern for games and practices? She shows confidence when she is ball handling and penetrating. She shows zero confidence in any shooting outside of layups. Every shooter has slumps, but when you see that they are consistently wide right or left, plus long or short, I’m not sure what’s the solution.
Its important to know how she shoots in practice and warmups. If I had to guess, I would say that she shoots well in practice and ok in warmups, but when the game starts she is starting to feel the pressure of being a former #1 player who is feeling passed by. Uconn is a much better team when she is playing well and they will need her to make the FF.
I worry about putting too much on Paige. I remember the tale of Mark Macon (Temple 1988) freshman all American. He led to Temple to #1 in the polls and was having a great season. They met Duke in the elite 8 and got smoked. Macon shot @3-20 and by the end of the game was in tears. He was never the same player. He spent a couple of years in the NBA and I believe he is now coaching at Temple.

mark macon? mark macon? shirley, you jest. way back, i identified paige as a disrupter, and specifically mentioned that she will disrupt everthing, including her team mates, her coach -everything. i've always liked cw, particularly her strength and energy, but no one is paige, and the only answer to disruption in life is to adapt to the new realities, or just get steamrolled and continue to live in the forgotten past. remember, all you get by looking backward is a stiff neck.
the better course now is to think 'UConn is playing tonite, i wonder what geno and the kid have cooked up for us?' must see tv.
did ya hear her after sc? something like 'i expected it to go in.' yup.
how long till paige's mug shows up on a cereal box? anyday now, anyday. enjoy the ride.

 

[ABCDFE]

The idea that Christyn’s struggles have anything to do with Paige is absurd. Christyn’s freshman year was arguably her best from a scoring standpoint, and she was the 5th option on a team with 3 AA’s and 2 future WNBA ROY’s. As such, she played free and easy, and had fun doing it.

This year, Christyn looks like she has the weight of the world on her shoulders as a team leader and one of the primary offensive threats. If anything, Paige has relieved some of the pressure on Christyn.

I am hoping that with the support of the coaching staff and her teammates, Christyn can clear her mind and once again have fun on the court. If UConn has a chance of winning a 12th National Championship, it’s difficult to envision without Christyn playing at her best.

I’m not saying Paige has anything to do with it, but I wouldn’t call it absurd to say someone else’s success coupled with your own failures doesn’t have any effect. We will never know since we don’t know what CWill is thinking. But I will say that her demeanor and her energy and passion is not there last few games. My own observation is I don’t see her as excited for her teammates successes as others on the team.l recently. That may not be that she’s jealous or not happy for them, rather her own mental state of the pressures she is putting on herself and possibly feeling she is letting the team down is proving too much. The best possible thing is for her is to go all out effort wise and let the chips fall where they may. I think no one will blame her if she drives hard plays tenacious defense and runs hard down the floor, and hit some easy mid range shots. Even if she fails at all of those things everyone will see the effort and she will have said she gave it her all. But she is too down on herself right now and it not only hurts her team but her own game. I want her to do well and wish her all the successes as much as anyone because she’s such a bright and sweet person. You can see that from her interviews.

 

[schmendrick]

Happy for Geno to keep running Christyn out in the starting lineup. She'll come out of it. Too much natural talent--and joy for the game--there. Not to mention a spirit of good feeling, unselfish support, and camaraderie on this team. And though this is not of immediate concern, fully expect her to have a long and solid WNBA career.