Tectonic Plates Shifting on UConn Depth Chart

[BroadwayVa]

I touched on your question in another post. Most of the top HS players are scorers 1st. If you ask them to do exactly what they did in HS, i.e. score, there is no real learning curve required. Hence you get performances like Slocum's against UConn or Danger's against Baylor where they are playing exactly the same way they did in HS.

In contrast, Geno takes the long view. He will break down a player's bad habits and teach them to play within a team oriented, motion offense & switching defense. That takes time, and playing time is earned much more slowly then at other programs.

The good news is that once that process is complete, UConn has developed a complete BBall player who may become an AA, Pro or Olympian.

Why is it when I read your post--I want to do the Uconn Cheer.!!!
The highlighted portion above --say more than just words. It is why Slocum, or Loyd, or many others on other teams --appear successful. But as successful as they appear--Geno finds a way to stop them. When a player of that talent plays for Geno--by the end of the Soph year--it's much harder to stop them.

The "Ready to Go" statement was to another poster's comment with that statement. I think after the AAC
games : Dangerfield shall be READY TO GO.

 

[wire chief]

Couldn't disagree more. I think it is obvious to even the casual observer, UConn is a much better team with Saniya on the floor. Crystal is getting minutes because she needs time with the core four. She is just starting a multiyear learning curve while Saniya is a senior at the top of that learning curve. Molly and Kyla are getting minutes now because Geno wants them to get some meaningful game time and he can do that during the conference schedule (and keep his core four from burning out).

P.S. I find it interesting that nobody has mentioned that meaningless layup Crystal took at the end of the ECU game.

That was a freshman desire to get at least one basket.

 

[augustaTC]

Couldn't disagree more. I think it is obvious to even the casual observer, UConn is a much better team with Saniya on the floor. Crystal is getting minutes because she needs time with the core four. She is just starting a multiyear learning curve while Saniya is a senior at the top of that learning curve. Molly and Kyla are getting minutes now because Geno wants them to get some meaningful game time and he can do that during the conference schedule (and keep his core four from burning out).

P.S. I find it interesting that nobody has mentioned that meaningless layup Crystal took at the end of the ECU game.

Dangerfield has a long way to go. She had one good game, but she makes poor passes, rushes shots, fouls too much and turns it over. She'll be fine if she listens to her coaches but it won't be overnight. Agree that shot she made at the end was kind of bush.

 

[RSHERMVIKES]

Crystal Dangerfield most definitely heard from the coaching staff about her last second basket vs ECar and obviously will never occur again.
Several "new" players have committed that faux pas through the years and after a sit-down has never been repeated.
Chalk it up to youthful exuberance and they'll move on.
A good story on this unwritten rule is TN at Illinois with Pat Summitt vs Teresa Grentz, CD's old Rutgers Coach, two old rivals.
Tn is winning by 40+ points with about 1 minute to go and TN is in a full court press, steal, 3 point basket, press, steal 3 point basket, press, steal 3 point basket and final buzzer. In the post game hand shake line Coach Grentz gave Coach Summitt an earful and at the press conference she thought it was bush league especially coming from someone like Pat Summitt!
Pat didn't mention the incidence and wouldn't answer questions on the subject!

 

[Bigboote]

I'm a little late, but regarding UConn being a better team with Chong on the floor -- I've been a little taken aback how few assists she has. (I think she averaged about ten assists a game in high school in addition to her 30 points.) BUT -- her low assists, very low turnovers, and Gabby's assists are all related. The last couple of games, I've noticed how many times Pheesa has been working in the low post, is just about open, Saniya makes a safe pass to Gabby at the high post, Gabby whips it right in to Pheesa for an easy two, all perfectly timed and impeccably executed.

 

[CajunHusky]

I'm a little late, but regarding UConn being a better team with Chong on the floor -- I've been a little taken aback how few assists she has. (I think she averaged about ten assists a game in high school in addition to her 30 points.) BUT -- her low assists, very low turnovers, and Gabby's assists are all related. The last couple of games, I've noticed how many times Pheesa has been working in the low post, is just about open, Saniya makes a safe pass to Gabby at the high post, Gabby whips it right in to Pheesa for an easy two, all perfectly timed and impeccably executed.

and Gabby gets the Assist. Remember awarding of assists is subjective. For instance pass the ball to a post, let her dribble the ball once and score - no assist.

 

[UcMiami]

I'm a little late, but regarding UConn being a better team with Chong on the floor -- I've been a little taken aback how few assists she has. (I think she averaged about ten assists a game in high school in addition to her 30 points.) BUT -- her low assists, very low turnovers, and Gabby's assists are all related. The last couple of games, I've noticed how many times Pheesa has been working in the low post, is just about open, Saniya makes a safe pass to Gabby at the high post, Gabby whips it right in to Pheesa for an easy two, all perfectly timed and impeccably executed.

A solid observation. Uconn players are often the second assist in a hockey sense - they made the pass that opened up or changed the angle for the assist on an easy basket.
With a team shooting 51% overall and 42% from three, making a risky pass or play, or taking a heavily contested shot early in the shot clock is not often a good play. Spectacular is often a poor choice when steady can be so successful. And a team needs a balance - DT was often spectacular (and risky) but Maria provided the balance by being steady for the team. Gabby is providing spectacular for this team, Nurse and Chong are providing steady. Very infrequently do you get both in the same package - Moriah was spectacular and steady.

 

[CajunHusky]

Season Stats for Assists

FGM: 426
Assists: 296
Assists per game 21.1
Assist to Turnover: 1.5

-------FGM-- As--- TO--- A/G---A/TO
KLS:-- 98 --- 37 --- 30 --- 2.6 --- 1.2
NC: - 111 ---- 29 --- 21 --- 2.1 --- 1.4
KN: -- 59 --- 58 --- 30 --- 4.1 --- 1.9
GW: - 69 ---- 65 --- 40 --- 4.6 --- 1.6
SC: --- 23 ---- 35 --- 9 ---- 2.9 --- 3.9
CD: -- 32 ---- 43 --- 28 --- 3.3 --- 1.5

The offense is running through Kia and Gabby thus the higher number of assists.
Lou and Phee are the leading scorers thus the lower number of assists. You can't get the bucket and the assist.

I'd call CD and Saniya almost even on assists .... on average CD gets one more assist every other game.

 

[Gus Mahler]

Crystal Dangerfield most definitely heard from the coaching staff about her last second basket vs ECar and obviously will never occur again.
Several "new" players have committed that faux pas through the years and after a sit-down has never been repeated.
Chalk it up to youthful exuberance and they'll move on.
A good story on this unwritten rule is TN at Illinois with Pat Summitt vs Teresa Grentz, CD's old Rutgers Coach, two old rivals.
Tn is winning by 40+ points with about 1 minute to go and TN is in a full court press, steal, 3 point basket, press, steal 3 point basket, press, steal 3 point basket and final buzzer. In the post game hand shake line Coach Grentz gave Coach Summitt an earful and at the press conference she thought it was bush league especially coming from someone like Pat Summitt!
Pat didn't mention the incidence and wouldn't answer questions on the subject!

Is that also the game UT tried to set up Michelle Snow for a dunk? Geno refers to that in his book.

 

[RSHERMVIKES]

Is that also the game UT tried to set up Michelle Snow for a dunk? Geno refers to that in his book.

Gus- - - I think it was, there were several questionable things that made this game exceptional!
There must have been "bad blood" between Summitt & Grentz going back to the Rutgers years.