Tennessee: and, the numbers don't lie

[SVCBeercats]

It bothers me; Geno did not see what Griffin could do after months of practice??

I hope this is sarcasm. Short answer: he saw the potential but learning to fit into this offense takes time. Even now she is relegated to setting screens.

 

[Big Mick]

...Memphis/UCF games where very different from the Evil game....

You're not seriously suggesting that the outcome of the Memphis and UCF games were ever seriously in play.

In AAC games, UCONN (126 and 0) can blow these other teams out in the first quarter. Geno nurses the semblance of a contest along with who starts, combined with substitution patterns. And, that Baylor game should have been a win....down one point and about 5 minutes to go, Geno has Ododa and Griffin sitting next to him; meanwhile, we're playing 3 on 5 out on the floor. Seriously? come-on....

 

[CL82]

Speaking of Aubrey, Geno said, "What can she do? She can screen and rebound and they weren't guarding her. Which meant that when she set a screen there was no one to switch and we got open shots. So we told her, 'Set screens and go get rebounds.' And that is what she did."

Aubrey had a great game. She made play after play. But she is still limited in the ways you can use her. Last night was a perfect storm for Aubrey and she came through.

It would be unwise to think she is a prime time player right now. She will still have those 'deer in the headlights' moments. She isn't at the place where the coaches can trust her completely YET. From Geno's comment to CD, he thinks she can be ready for the tournaments in 5-6 weeks.

I think that the next few games we will see Geno stay with his current pattern; Kyla starts, Anna first off the bench. By March 1 a change will be complete; Anna starts, Aubrey is first of the bench, and Kyla will be used to give Liv and Meg a breather.

This is fair, but this was a big time game in which the team was down and Aubrey came in and made play after play after play on both ends of the court. It was a gut check moment and she passed the test with flying colors. Yeah, she a freshman and gonna freshman, but on this particular night she was awesome.

I'm never one to wish away the season, but I couldn't help but think about what she'll be like after a sophomore, jump. She's so physically gifted and is such a competitor. I have to think she's going to be (even more) special.

 

[DefenseBB]

You also have to remember about Faris and GWilliams that they helped, tremendously, the offense operate. Faris ended up with 545 assists which put her in the top 10 all time for UCONN. Williams had 190/191 assists her Jr/Sr years, leading the team. So while neither one were great shooters, the offense certainly didn't suffer with them on the floor.

One of the other items that Griffin is showing is the defensive disruption she brings to the floor that both Gabby and Kelly did as well. Aubrey was everywhere last night, deflecting passes, tying rebounds up initially garnered by TN and stealing passes. The energizer bunny aspect if you will. That alone more than offsets any offensive short-comings she currently has. Anna should be starting here at some point, with Aubrey the first option off the bench as @HuskeyinSC noted above (and is SPOT ON). Kyla can be serviceable on the defensive end to give ONO and Meg a spell as she has shown that in Baylor and last night when Liv had to sit out in the 1st half. Too bad Batouly is still limited...she could help this team.

 

[ctfjr]

It bothers me; Geno did not see what Griffin could do after months of practice??

Really, just really?

 

[CocoHusky]

Aubrey doesn’t deserve that 4 on 5 crap. Gabby couldn’t shoot from the outside either. NO ONE ever suggested that UConn was playing 4 on 5 when she was on the floor.

Almost not fair @Jordy. For her Junior and senior years the offense was run through Gabby in the high post because Gabby had PG like passing skills and her interior passing was elite. However, there were plenty of people suggesting that Gabby should have expanded her range to the Arc and beyond to keep defenses honest. That's not exactly the same as suggesting 4 on 5 but the bottom line is that it was a suggestion as is the concept that Aubrey needs to get a better grasp of the UCONN offense to keep the opposing defense honest.

 

[winlots]

View attachment 50184

Great comeback, while shooting very poorly. Griffin will get serious minutes off the bench from now on; what an athlete and what a lift she gave the team. I expect to still see Irwin for the first 3 or 4 minutes in games as it lets the team settle down.

BIG MICK: you might not be "all knowing" as you claim, but you do seem to know quite a little bit....including how to enjoy a good cigar?! Very interesting stats. A tip 'o the cap.

 

[JoePgh]

And here I thought that you know your basketball.

Griffin should have been getting 25+ minutes a game all along.
Mind boggling to only see 5 minutes vs Memphis and 4 minutes vs UCF, in recent games.

It's a miracle that she was still able to come in last night vs Tennessee, set an example by totally lifting the team and winning the game for us. Totally unafraid and a major, major player.

It seems as if you deliberately missed my point by not engaging with the Horston analogy.

Didn't Coach Harper do with Horston exactly what you think Geno should have done with Aubrey? And do you like the results (more than 80 turnovers in 18 games)? Do you agree that if Horston had come to UConn, she would have had a lot fewer minutes this year than she has had at TN? And that it might have been to her benefit, as well as the team's, if she could have learned more before she got all those minutes?

I don't think Aubrey could have done what she did last night if she hadn't been learning all year, and I think the team is definitely better off that she did most of that learning in practice rather than in games.

 

[stamfordhusky]

These so-called efficiency ratings have so many flaws and omissions that they have very little value. If you want to try to measure efficiency, I suggest you go to a simplified version of PER or one of the other available metrics.

 

[meyers7]

You're not seriously suggesting that the outcome of the Memphis and UCF games were ever seriously in play.

Umm no, didn't say that. They were played very differently. As described.

In AAC games, UCONN (126 and 0) can blow these other teams out in the first quarter. Geno nurses the semblance of a contest along with who starts, combined with substitution patterns. Seriously? come-on....

 

[meyers7]

One of the other items that Griffin is showing is the defensive disruption she brings to the floor that both Gabby and Kelly did as well. Aubrey was everywhere last night, deflecting passes, tying rebounds up initially garnered by TN and stealing passes. The energizer bunny aspect if you will. That alone more than offsets any offensive short-comings she currently has. Anna should be starting here at some point, with Aubrey the first option off the bench as @HuskeyinSC noted above (and is SPOT ON). Kyla can be serviceable on the defensive end to give ONO and Meg a spell as she has shown that in Baylor and last night when Liv had to sit out in the 1st half. Too bad Batouly is still limited...she could help this team.

THAT, depends on the game/opponent.

 

[boontonbomber]

Not mind boggling if you know basketball and Griffin. Memphis/UCF games where very different from the Evil game. Griffin's skill set (at this point), athleticism, chaos, disruption, were perfect for the Evil game. The Memphis/UCF games needed players who could run a half court offense. Not her skill set, yet. I think she'll get there though. Just give her some more time. Running and jumping are different then thinking and precision execution.

c'mon, if you know basketball and Griffin you know her skill set includes more than than just running and jumping. precise execution in her screens, anticipating opponent passes, seeing where rebounds are going to end up and getting to them quickly, and she's really a pretty good ball-handler. these skills translate very nicely no matter what kind of game is going on. re the half court offense: UConn's half court offense this season could use some chaos and disruption.

 

[Centerstream]

I watched the replay this morning and right off the top I want to state that Aubrey was the game changer!
However, I did notice that when we were running our offense, and she was not setting a screen, she seemed unsure of herself as to where she should be...until the ball was in the air, then she crashed the boards. I am guessing that may be why she sat for most of the 4th quarter, when we were up double digits and we were going to run longer offensive sets.

 

[meyers7]

I watched the replay this morning and right off the top I want to state that Aubrey was the game changer!
However, I did notice that when we were running our offense, and she was not setting a screen, she seemed unsure of herself as to where she should be...until the ball was in the air, then she crashed the boards. I am guessing that may be why she sat for most of the 4th quarter, when we were up double digits and we were going to run longer offensive sets.

Ah yep. You got it. Spot on.

 

[meyers7]

c'mon, if you know basketball and Griffin you know her skill set includes more than than just running and jumping.

Not yet it don't. Pretty much everything she is doing now, is based on athleticism. I think she'll get there though.

 

[RogueDave]

It seems as if you deliberately missed my point by not engaging with the Horston analogy.

Didn't Coach Harper do with Horston exactly what you think Geno should have done with Aubrey? And do you like the results (more than 80 turnovers in 18 games)? Do you agree that if Horston had come to UConn, she would have had a lot fewer minutes this year than she has had at TN? And that it might have been to her benefit, as well as the team's, if she could have learned more before she got all those minutes?

I don't think Aubrey could have done what she did last night if she hadn't been learning all year, and I think the team is definitely better off that she did most of that learning in practice rather than in games.

Old Genoism comes to mind,
“Horston is good enough to keep both teams in the game”

 

[Big Mick]

It seems as if you deliberately missed my point by not engaging with the Horston analogy.

AAAAGH! joePgh

No need to look at Horston, let's look at all the UCONN players:

1) IF we extrapolate TOs committed to per 40 minutes, it looks like Example #1, below.
2) Now, IF we add in PFs (Another form of turnover) it looks like Example #2, below.
3) Then, IF we subtract out STLs (as we get the ball back) it looks like Example #3, below.

Looks like Aubrey is doing just fine, EVEN the most careful with the ball.

What say you?

 

[Longtime fan]

Or it takes months of practice for a freshman to be ready to play. She was wonderful and Geno knew exactly how and when to use her. What is irresponsible is to throw a young player into a game too soon and destroy their confidence. And Aubrey is still learning. I think Geno knows exactly what he has in Aubrey. She came out for the last few minutes because the game was at a point where a different style of play was required. I mean the man has coached over a 1000 wins and developed dozens of great players. There’s a chance he knows what he’s doing.

Agree. The commentator said that UCONN needed, in the last 5 minutes, a more controlled, possession-type game. And he wanted the more experienced players on the court. Also, it gave Aubrey some time to
reflect, " on a job well done," as she watched the clock wind down and the victory sealed.

 

[phil sampieri]

I hope this is sarcasm. Short answer: he saw the potential but learning to fit into this offense takes time. Even now she is relegated to setting screens.

some of the comments about the poor coaching often come from fans who are kind of fickle. One game or even two do not make a star, that said Aubry is a star in waiting

 

[boontonbomber]

Not yet it don't. Pretty much everything she is doing now, is based on athleticism. I think she'll get there though.

you must be dozing off and missing stuff. glad that you think that she'll get there , though.

 

[meyers7]

you must be dozing off and missing stuff. glad that you think that she'll get there , though.

Only when I read stuff on here.

 

[boontonbomber]

Not yet it don't. Pretty much everything she is doing now, is based on athleticism. I think she'll get there though.

for an example of stuff missed: check Wbbfan1's posting of photos, and look at photo #27. that's how you set a pick!! you've got to pay better attention if you're going to make these comments.

 

[Dokey]

Agree. The commentator said that UCONN needed, in the last 5 minutes, a more controlled, possession-type game. And he wanted the more experienced players on the court. Also, it gave Aubrey some time to
reflect, " on a job well done," as she watched the clock wind down and the victory sealed.

I imagine her sitting on the bench, watching final minutes, saying to herself, “I am so happy.”

 

[Dokey]

AAAAGH! joePgh

No need to look at Horston, let's look at all the UCONN players:

1) IF we extrapolate TOs committed to per 40 minutes, it looks like Example #1, below.
2) Now, IF we add in PFs (Another form of turnover) it looks like Example #2, below.
3) Then, IF we subtract out STLs (as we get the ball back) it looks like Example #3, below.

View attachment 50222

Looks like Aubrey is doing just fine, EVEN the most careful with the ball.

What say you?

Aubrey is a wonder. I love her play dearly but a careful restriction of minutes designed to gradually improve her game might explain figures. Double those minutes and stats might change. They might not as well but it’s why they say “there are lies, damn lies, and statistics.”

 

[Martin]

If Aubrey were playing more minutes do you really think they wouldn’t be 17-1?