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Message: [QUOTE="NycUcWbbFan, post: 5172478, member: 13453"] When [URL='https://the-boneyard.com/threads/its-all-about-the-terrible-threes-or-is-it.204576/#post-5157218']being-a-basketball-player-in-Geno’s-system[/URL] (in [URL='https://the-boneyard.com/threads/marquette-postgame-thread.204634/post-5158600']some order of emphasis[/URL]) becomes second nature for this [URL='https://the-boneyard.com/threads/halfway-point-of-the-regular-season.204869/post-5166668']rapidly developing team[/URL] team, then a player’s (3-point) shooting efficiency will reflect prior shooting expectations based on prior demonstrated ability. [LIST] [*]Free throw percentages often reflect the latent potential (see [URL='https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/schools/connecticut/women/2025.html']per game FT%[/URL] — season and conference); [*]This [B]second nature hurdle[/B] is lowest in some players such as Paige, Azzi, Sarah and Morgan who seem to be a priori perfect fits for Geno’s schemes; [*]The hurdle is low for Kaitlyn and Ash even though the nature of the hurdle is different for both; [U]for Kaitlyn[/U], it was acclimation; [U]for Ash[/U], her steakiness is perhaps due to some mental thing about being one of “[U][B][I]the[/I][/B] starters[/U]” rather than the 4th/5th starter playing with the graduated Nika and Aaliyah; [*]KK’s hurdles are perhaps due to her initial [U]indecisiveness[/U] on shooting or driving when the offense has labored to give her those options; such indecisiveness maybe due to the transition from Nika’s and Paige’s mini-copilot last year to this year’s [URL='https://the-boneyard.com/threads/kk-the-spark-plug.204906/post-5168834']equal-time-strategic primary point guard[/URL] with Kaitlyn; [*]As for Paige: [U]Geno exhorted Paige[/U] to be [U]less picky[/U] with the trigger on her shots; that depresses her 3-pt %; [*]Though Paige has instant rapport (2-man game) with Azzi, Sarah, Morgan and Kaitlyn, she had been playing longer with Nika and Aaliyah; but [U]at some point soon[/U], the ratio of serviceable to great shots may be greater this year than last year; this point is after [U]Geno finishes teaching himself and the team[/U] the best seasoned rotations; [*]And last year, Paige’s performance was probably enhanced by performance adrenaline that petered-out in the Iowa F4 game last year; [*][U]On Azzi[/U]: More fit Azzi has [URL='https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/players/azzi-fudd-1/gamelog/2025']twice-demonstrated [/URL], after just playing 12 of 18 games, with an injury interregnum, a quick ramp up in shooting %’s that robustly reminds of the talent Azzi is; [*]Of the [URL='https://the-boneyard.com/threads/halfway-point-of-the-regular-season.204869/post-5166668']designated hitter[/URL] shooters with the narrowest remit, i.e. Allie and Q, %’s will improve with each positive reprisal of their narrow remit; Geno has said Allie makes her shots “all the time” in practice, so it seems Allie is currently ahead of Q, but [URL='https://the-boneyard.com/threads/can-paige-and-azzi-both-average-20ppg.204936/post-5169433']Q is catching up[/URL]; [*]Geno’s [URL='https://the-boneyard.com/threads/halfway-point-of-the-regular-season.204869/post-5166668'][I]TASSK-year-patterned[/I][/URL] [URL='https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/schools/connecticut/women/2025.html']minutes distribution[/URL] minimizes freshman walls and postseason fatigue so the team can optimally grow and peak at the right time. [/LIST] Most players are not like Athena —battle- ready and fully sprang from the head of Zeus: [LIST] [*]it is often remarked that college play is much harder than high school play; [*]similarly remarked is that playing for Geno is much harder than playing in other college programs; [*]there is a remarkable progression from freshman to senior years (see Nika and Aaliyah) backed by acclaim in the WNBA that UConn players — most in the WNBA — are turnkey players — basketball players who are disciplined life-long learners and are capable immediate contributors. [/LIST] So, the clockwork annual smelling-salt rants — possibly out of WNBA fantasy basketball habits — and without regard to Geno’s [URL='https://the-boneyard.com/threads/marquette-postgame-thread.204634/post-5158600']recently feted 40-year excellent history[/URL] of producing postseason teams developing players to be the best basketball player version of themselves over the regular season — are not only predictable but a little amusing. January is a pivotal turning point month: [LIST] [*]Nika had her Nika-in-tears game in January of her freshman year; her epiphany caused Geno’s team to be a #1 ranked team that reached the F4 with Geno lamenting Nika’s postseason injury that made the team a much different team; [*]Aubrey was injured last year on January 3rd, and it was the nadir of that season, but nevertheless the team was shepherded by Geno to almost the finals; [*]Aubrey’s return is imminent this January; [*]Imo, this year’s team is better positioned at this time than the two teams mentioned above; [*]And there are still 13 games left in the regular season. [/LIST] [/QUOTE]

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