The Huskies’ surging defense is different than years past

[BlueSkyGLW]

This article by Daniel Connolly is essentially right.

UConn WBB Weekly: The Huskies’ surging defense is different than years past

UConn’s defense is the best it has been in years.

www.theuconnblog.com

In Geno's eyes, when Gabby and Kia left, defense remained good but not the same level of commitment - that includes last year - until recently. He credits Nika and Aaliyah. And everyone fell in line. But the others are inherently good defenders, they just needed to make a commitment - I never thought Azzi and Caroline would catch on quickly to the less glamorous part of the game. Christyn finally showing what she can do on that side of the ball.

Never mind the statistics - they were compiled against non-elite teams after this team finally got it together. Those are the same two who, of course, got the defense going late last year. But the eye test does take you back to past UConn WBB teams who showed team-wide commitment to defense.

Hope they continue because they are finding out that everyone making a contribution on defense leads to everyone having opportunities on offense. And the sharing of responsibility and joy are inevitably best on both sides of the ball.

Can't wait for a good offense to challenge them.

 

[Woof 101]

Agree with your thread title and like what I see of the D side off the ball from this team. Offense wins games defense wins championships.
One of the best compliments in my sporting life, coming off the bench, was people hate to see you come in the game because you play defense.

 

[eebmg]

The money quote

“It’s funny how when you have a bunch of really good offensive players on your team, how all the other offensive players all of a sudden fall in love with defense,” Auriemma said. “That’s always been our philosophy here at UConn: Recruit guys that can score and then the ones that play defense play and the ones that don’t, don’t. Now these guys have finally figured out.”

 

[Conndog]

Imagine if we had Aubrey healthy and planning- she might be the best defender on the entire team

 

[AzzisBraids]

I think UConn is still missing a perennial shot blocker. Liv protects the rim, Dorka and Aaliyah have their moments but the Stef Dolson's, Kiah Stokes and Breanna Stewart's of lore never fouled as much as the posts do on this team. They have a bunch of good perimeter defenders. Hopefully someone emerges as a shot blocker who can stay out of foul trouble long enough to have an impact. If they do FF and NC are almost a given.

Even the Gabby/Kia teams didn't have this. They'd shut down the perimeter but couldn't adjust to a 6'4 Shepard/ 6'7 McCowan/6'3 Turner type of big.

 

[Skeets]

The way you play defense in the final 4 minutes of a tied game is the way UConn needs to play defense for 40 minutes. (Think Nika-esque, be a pain in the buttocks.) To a larger degree they get it now. Much easier to do with healthy bodies.

 

[BlueSkyGLW]

I think UConn is still missing a perennial shot blocker. Liv protects the rim, Dorka and Aaliyah have their moments but the Stef Dolson's, Kiah Stokes and Breanna Stewart's of lore never fouled as much as the posts do on this team. They have a bunch of good perimeter defenders. Hopefully someone emerges as a shot blocker who can stay out of foul trouble long enough to have an impact. If they do FF and NC are almost a given.

Even the Gabby/Kia teams didn't have this. They'd shut down the perimeter but couldn't adjust to a 6'4 Shepard/ 6'7 McCowan/6'3 Turner type of big.

Really on Gabby/Kia? Replay the videos and you will find Gabby more than held her own, in her own ways, including outjump them. Against Miss State, who was killing them as they fell behind? A wing and a guard. Who was keeping them afloat against the giant McCowan? Gabby! until they caught up and, well, that last two plays is part of the game's history. When Miss State did manage to stop Gabby in the low post on a few occasions, it was two tall bodies that did it.

Did Turner ever dominate Gabby? Nope, the other way round as they extended the streak to 111. How did South Carolina's twin towers do against Gabby? Even a wounded Gabby (she was nursing an injury off-and-on going into the FF her senior year, as was Katie Lou, who was never healthy going into any of her ) remained a big factor as they lost to Notre Dame with a last second shot by a guard.

Granted, Gabby was unique playing against those giants in college....

 

[BlueSkyGLW]

Quite right towards the end of last year and the tournaments and I should have been clear on that point. OTOH, Christyn didn't pick it up from there when this season started until she decided to just play and stop thinking....her senior year was winding down, so the urgency picked up....good for her. Hope the continues.....they need everyone to play their best now in the quest for #12!

 

[JellyBean]

I think UConn is still missing a perennial shot blocker. Liv protects the rim, Dorka and Aaliyah have their moments but the Stef Dolson's, Kiah Stokes and Breanna Stewart's of lore never fouled as much as the posts do on this team. They have a bunch of good perimeter defenders. Hopefully someone emerges as a shot blocker who can stay out of foul trouble long enough to have an impact. If they do FF and NC are almost a given.

Even the Gabby/Kia teams didn't have this. They'd shut down the perimeter but couldn't adjust to a 6'4 Shepard/ 6'7 McCowan/6'3 Turner type of big.

I think Liv does a decent job of being a rim protector. But I do agree if we had that solid rim protector. The kind that makes you think twice about driving to the rack. It does change the game a lot and can boost the chance of a FF and NC push.

 

[BlueSkyGLW]

I think UConn is still missing a perennial shot blocker. Liv protects the rim, Dorka and Aaliyah have their moments but the Stef Dolson's, Kiah Stokes and Breanna Stewart's of lore never fouled as much as the posts do on this team. They have a bunch of good perimeter defenders. Hopefully someone emerges as a shot blocker who can stay out of foul trouble long enough to have an impact. If they do FF and NC are almost a given.

Even the Gabby/Kia teams didn't have this. They'd shut down the perimeter but couldn't adjust to a 6'4 Shepard/ 6'7 McCowan/6'3 Turner type of big.

I took my advice and looked up the loss to ND in the SF. I forgot that UConn had Azura Stevens. Shepard did have a good game. I am not sure Geno ever figured out his defense with Azura and Gabby on court: who to put against whom.....because SC scored a lot in the paint too against them.

 

[AzzisBraids]

Really on Gabby/Kia? Replay the videos and you will find Gabby more than held her own, in her own ways, including outjump them. Against Miss State, who was killing them as they fell behind? A wing and a guard. Who was keeping them afloat against the giant McCowan? Gabby! until they caught up and, well, that last two plays is part of the game's history. When Miss State did manage to stop Gabby in the low post on a few occasions, it was two tall bodies that did it.

Did Turner ever dominate Gabby? Nope, the other way round as they extended the streak to 111. How did South Carolina's twin towers do against Gabby? Even a wounded Gabby (she was nursing an injury off-and-on going into the FF her senior year, as was Katie Lou, who was never healthy going into any of her ) remained a big factor as they lost to Notre Dame with a last second shot by a guard.

Granted, Gabby was unique playing against those giants in college....

I don't disagree with you. But Gabby isn't a twin. She could not guard the perimeter and the post. Morgan William was isolated on Napheesa in the final seconds and she learned from that Gabby block.

The Gabby/Kia team lost to a motivated Jackie Young because Kia shut down Mabrey and Arike. Jackie made them pay. This team has perimeter defenders. Post defenders will be the difference.

You pinpointed Gabby but Im referencing the Tina Charles/Lobo/Dolson/Stewart/Stokes kind of post players. N

 

[BlueSkyGLW]

I don't disagree with you. But Gabby isn't a twin. She could not guard the perimeter and the post. Morgan William was isolated on Napheesa in the final seconds and she learned from that Gabby block.

The Gabby/Kia team lost to a motivated Jackie Young because Kia shut down Mabrey and Arike. Jackie made them pay. This team has perimeter defenders. Post defenders will be the difference.

You pinpointed Gabby but Im referencing the Tina Charles/Lobo/Dolson/Stewart/Stokes kind of post players. N

I don't disagree with having those post players on the team but when you don't have them, you have to put players in the position where they can succeed as a team because that's all you have. In this case, his best option was to play a 5'11" guard at both center and playmaker. How many games did they lose during that time? A total of two. And, in both cases, they were on the brink of NCs but lost on last-second shots. How many teams can say that - even UConn teams with Dolson, Lobo and Tina during the time they didn't win it in their 4-year stay, some when they had deeper benches?

To restate the point: it is not always essential to have those kind of post players - a different set of players designed with a modified UConn way of playing can get you there.

I cited Gabby because she represented the most dramatic departure from your thesis of a big post player being essential (you implied).

 

[BlueSkyGLW]

I don't disagree with you. But Gabby isn't a twin. She could not guard the perimeter and the post. Morgan William was isolated on Napheesa in the final seconds and she learned from that Gabby block.

The Gabby/Kia team lost to a motivated Jackie Young because Kia shut down Mabrey and Arike. Jackie made them pay. This team has perimeter defenders. Post defenders will be the difference.

You pinpointed Gabby but Im referencing the Tina Charles/Lobo/Dolson/Stewart/Stokes kind of post players. N

Sorry, I meant within a last-second shot of playing for the NC

 

[Conndog]

I took my advice and looked up the loss to ND in the SF. I forgot that UConn had Azura Stevens. Shepard did have a good game. I am not sure Geno ever figured out his defense with Azura and Gabby on court: who to put against whom.....because SC scored a lot in the paint too against them.

If I recall, Azura had a great game or first half anyway and UConn had solid advantage. But in 2nd half, Geno didn't play Azura, dumb move on his part and still not sure why- they lose the game, and Azura says goodbye and good riddance following season. My memory isn't so good, but that is what I recall.

 

[BlueSkyGLW]

If I recall, Azura had a great game or first half anyway and UConn had solid advantage. But in 2nd half, Geno didn't play Azura, dumb move on his part and still not sure why- they lose the game, and Azura says goodbye and good riddance following season. My memory isn't so good, but that is what I recall.

I remember something like that. And, Gabby wasn't 100% after a series of niggling injuries during the season....I kept asking why? Why not Azura? I know it is difficult to shuffle a lineup but with Azura in the middle, Gabby could have reinforced the perimeter defense despite being slowed down by lingering effects of injuries. She just didn't seem to have the strength to sustain her usual effort against the ND posts.

 

[hoophuskee]

Teams win with "Balance." Not one or the other. For example, while Geno has said his team Defense is terrific he also indicated when you score, you put pressure on the opposing team's Offense because they feel they have to score on each possession in order to keep up.

As a result of the Offensive pressure from the scoring by UCONN at one end, and the pressure of the opposing team to have to score- he has said on more than 1 occasion that The Offense also helps your Defense.

"Balance" is key.

 

[itsasport]

I think it was the Villanova coach who said that UConn was pushing her players out from their normal shooting positions. One thing that I think is new in UConn defense is how many times the players jump out to block passing lanes and then drop back.

 

[BlueSkyGLW]

Teams win with "Balance." Not one or the other. For example, while Geno has said his team Defense is terrific he also indicated when you score, you put pressure on the opposing team's Offense because they feel they have to score on each possession in order to keep up.

As a result of the Offensive pressure from the scoring by UCONN at one end, and the pressure of the opposing team to have to score- he has said on more than 1 occasion that The Offense also helps your Defense.

"Balance" is key.

Ideally, yes. The team must be capable on both sides of the ball but abilities of the opponents tend to disrupt this. I think the reason you hear defense wins championships is because if collective effort into effective defense is mustered, it can be sustained for the whole game. Sometimes there is a ebb and flow in the offense....dry spells and scoring runs.....unless, of course, the team has the luxury of offensive weapons in which almost anybody can score in any given situation.

This team has abundant capable scorers, all have proved their mettle during their survival run and because it became a shared load of very good players going in and out of the lineup, they are relatively fresh. This augurs well for sustained effort on defense and substitution in waves ensures fatigue does not set in.