Even with Paige the team started the season disjointed, a far cry of what they had become towards the end of last season. With Paige’s injury along with those of Nika and Azzi, things got much worse even with three seniors who contributed mightily last year and a Canadian Olympian, also a key player then. Then, the unexpected happened: the freshman Caroline began showing how she could contribute: as one of the pieces that Coach had been anticipating with these year’s freshmen…..an important element of the positionless basketball team he thought might come to pass. She became the team’s top scorer in the absence of the two expected to be. This was then followed by the graduate newcomer, Dorka, as she began to adjust to how the team plays.
On her return Nika helped restore the balance of the team and its play began to stabilize. Still even as Nika, then Azzi returned, misfortunes continued: last-minute scratch of Christyn at Oregon, followed by Caroline’s injury and then an even a later scratch of Olivia against Villanova kept the rotation short. This continued their prolonged crucible for mental growth even as they worked on team play. But I submit they suffered a collective depression just before the tipoff in the Villanova game and it took them three quarters to pull themselves together mentally. The absence of Caroline and Olivia put Azzi in a pressure situation, but as expected she has delivered magnificently. Then Dorka, also suffering from minor injury since the season began, joined the deliverance. The growing mental strength is becoming evident as well, even in the 4Q of the Villanova game.
On half-court offense, this still has no fluidity and lacking in motion offense. This is to be expected from the revolving door of players but there are little signs that these are coming. But the defense has been improving a lot in the last two games. Coaching? Attacking DePaul in the post from the beginning when UConn went small was excellent strategy. With only six in the rotation and Marquette being a bigger team with constant motion offense, Coach did not want them to be in foul trouble, so he waited for the 4Q to turn them loose on defense. Nika stuck to the PG like a glue and everyone was active. Marquette had no answer.
Paige, Olivia and Caroline will be back soon. I am not certain that there is enough time to become a well-oiled, positionless team but each of the 9 players that would be part of the rotation have now shown what they can do and are getting better. Together, I see them equipped to face any team without fear IF they continue in this current growth trend. They have looked that determined lately….determined not to lose any game. And, I can’t wait to see Paige and Azzi together at crunch time….Azzi is really, really good!
And so, I double down on my prediction that the misfortunes will lead to NC 12!!!
