UConn-Dayton postgame thread

[jcoton56]

Just wanted to chip in with this. The Huskies just put everyone on notice that you better plan on guarding the entire floor for the entire game at every position. Enjoyed the game very much and aren’t we really just scratching the surface?

 

[Huskygamble19]

I really liked the D when KK and Aubrey were out there together. they were hounding the ball carrier unmercifully in their minutes together.

 

[Bone Dog]

We are tremendously short in the front court: in size and in available bodies.

I don't agree. We are a little thin. But we have 2 substantial very strong bigs -- Aaliyah and Ice -- and several long-armed slashers in the 6'0"-6'2" range -- Aubrey, Qadence, Paige -- who are good at stealing rebounds, and Caroline at 6'2" who is an adept at scoring and defending in the lane. The number of teams with a bigger, deeper or comparably talented front court could probably be counted on one hand. It's so easy to forget that last season's NC game was between teams no bigger than we are now.

 

[boscolino]

We are tremendously short in the front court: in size and in available bodies, as it seems that Amari does not develop her game.

 

[Hawk]

We are tremendously short in the front court: in size and in available bodies, as it seems that Amari does not develop her game.

I honestly think that we will be okay. We have three 6”3 forwards in Aliyah, Ice and Ayanna that are very strong. We have so much offense that all amari has to do is put her hands up on defense as she showed last night. Also give her some grace, Geno talked about at lengths last year about how hard it is to come back from back surgery, Aubrey is still going through it as Geno said her minutes will be in 3-4 min spurts. Iowa beat the 6”5 Boston and 6”7 Cardoso last year with a 6”3 post. LSU lost 2 games last year and won it all with a 6”3 post in Reese. We have so much fire power that it kinda doesn’t matter.

 

[Bone Dog]

We are tremendously short in the front court: in size and in available bodies, as it seems that Amari does not develop her game.

There's really 2 questions about opposing bigs: can you defend them and can you score against them. Aaliyah already showed she can score against the biggest of the bigs when we played SC last season. Being a great post player isn't simply about height. It's also (and mainly) about strength, foot speed and positioning. I think Aaliyah has proved herself in all three areas. It remains to be seen how good Ice is in those areas, but the signs are good. That's two very strong 6'3" players.

We are thin however, and in this I agree with you. There's not much backing the two of them up, and there will be a few games where Geno will want to play them side by side. Having a third big who can play at that level would make me breathe easier this season. Ayanna could be that person -- we already know she's a capable defender at 6'2" and is as strong as any other big in D1. Where her game needs development is on offense. However, given the shooters we will have on the perimeter, I'm less worried about that. If Ayanna can spell Aaliyah and Ice without giving up any defensive intensity, that could be enough.

 

[DEpup]

When Patterson comes back and is fully in game shape, we'll be good in the front court.

If we have 10+ players who can sprint and shoot for 40 minutes, I can't think of a present 6'5"+ post player in the country who could keep up and that includes Cardoso.

 

[DEpup]

I think that is why Geno was not happy when KK first entered the game and wasn't pushing. She quickly got the message and started rockin' it.

 

[DEpup]

And BTW-- KK plays and entertains like when I think of the Renee Montgomery days. I know folks compare her to MoJeff and Crystal but she is more extroverted than them IMO and gives more flash like Renee.

 

[Notyetready]

I think Ice was really tight and feeling the feelings of her first official game. I'm not making any conclusions about the next 4 years from that game. She took good shots for her skill set and they didn't go in. They will.

I thought that turn around fade away was pretty sweet. Not the kind of shot you expect from a freshman. Yes it was her only f.g. but a highly skilled play.

 

[MilfordHusky]

I'm glad the thread is still open. Some thoughts from being there in person:

The crowd was pretty good, about 9,100, though I was hoping for more for Paige's return. She did get a huge ovation. People need to see her before she is gone. I still have trouble accepting that I'll never see Maya Moore play again.

Tamika Williams-Jeter also got an extended ovation and waved to the crowd for several seconds. After the game, Tamika gave everyone from UConn a hug. The players receiving the biggest hugs were Paige (coming back from the injury) and Ayanna (who worked with Tamika's husband).

The announcement during the game and celebration after the game for Nykesha's grandmother's 100th birthday were special. UConn is a big family!

Regarding the game, I was surprised at how balanced the scoring was. If a fan knew nothing and walked in in the middle of Q1, that fan might not have known who the stars were and who came off the bench. Paige's shot was a little off, but she looked solid. Same for Azzi. Liya looked like the big star, based on how much she scored and how she did it. Aubrey makes plays that maybe no one else in the nation makes. She's is under-appreciated. I'll say it--Aubrey Griffin is worth the price of admission.

I thought the offense was pretty good, though both Paige and Azzi missed shots that they normally make. Both are exceptional shooters. Nika has really improved her offensive game; she is still the heart of the team.

The defense was so-so. Dayton got--and made--too many jump shots. Their kids can shoot, especially the transfer from Miami of Ohio, who led her league in scoring last year. Tamika's kids played hard and didn't make many bad mistakes. I think her team is on an upward trajectory.

Other highlights--I got to chat with RoadWarrior, DefenseBB, Philster, and Bryson Hartley and his mom.

I'm looking forward to the next couple of games, against better competition.

 

[Notyetready]

There's really 2 questions about opposing bigs: can you defend them and can you score against them. Aaliyah already showed she can score against the biggest of the bigs when we played SC last season. Being a great post player isn't simply about height. It's also (and mainly) about strength, foot speed and positioning. I think Aaliyah has proved herself in all three areas. It remains to be seen how good Ice is in those areas, but the signs are good. That's two very strong 6'3" players.

We are thin however, and in this I agree with you. There's not much backing the two of them up, and there will be a few games where Geno will want to play them side by side. Having a third big who can play at that level would make me breathe easier this season. Ayanna could be that person -- we already know she's a capable defender at 6'2" and is as strong as any other big in D1. Where her game needs development is on offense. However, given the shooters we will have on the perimeter, I'm less worried about that. If Ayanna can spell Aaliyah and Ice without giving up any defensive intensity, that could be enough.

She was in sweats for Dayton and Geno says she is not yet in full practice mode. Let's hope she is ready before December.

 

[npignatjr]

A disappointment to whom, you? Someone else? Were you expecting a double-double in her first game?

I'd like to offer another way to look at Ice's first regular season game as a Husky, as she's pretty much at the same level as the freshmen. Perhaps it was nerves. She laughed at herself for missing a layup. It's not easy playing for Geno, playing for this team. Sometimes the players make it look easy. From a post presence, Aaliyah will be the primary focus, as she's a senior, and the expectations are that she plays this well (or better) every night.

Right now, Geno & the staff are trying to figure out all the best combos of lineups, sub patterns, etc, so I didn't read much into who did what, who didn't do what, etc, etc. After last season, I've learned not to have unrealistic expectations as there is too much not in anyone's control, so last night I cheered, had a few "ughs", laughed, and enjoyed watching the team play some pretty good hoop for the first game.

Notice I wrote first game. The other 3 playing in their first UConn games were better. As Egan noted when she missed the layup and was laughing at herself she didn't hustle back on defense.

 

[JellyBean]

You all covered everything. It was great seeing Paige back out there. Great seeing Caroline knocking down shots and just out on the court. Huge plus. The Freshmen are going to be spectacular! What really impressed me, beside the low turnover numbers (8), was how nobody was forcing anything. Each player let the action determine their response. That speaks volumes.

 

[jazz]

As far as the freshies, I thought KK and Q were both terrific.

KK gives us instant pentration ability on offense which breaks down the defense where she can dish to open teammates for layups or open threes. They key for me is the instant penetration with her great quickness. There is little a defense can do against a player with superior quickness. Essentialy KK can get what she wants assuming that quickness holds up against better teams. KK could take playing time away from NM as the season goes on. I love NM and no knock against her, she is an AA in her own right, but KK can be special. She can be a matchup nightmare for opposing teams.

Q has a terrific looking stroke. She is also long and has some quickness as well which will help her chase rebounds against taller players and be disruptive defensely. If she can build on this first game against better competition, I think she will be able to take playing time away from CD since Q has the athleticism to defend against most matchups but CD struggles with this and GA has to 'hide' or help her. CD is a bit too streaky with her shooting as well. Q can take playing time away from AG also since Q is a better offensive threat.

It's only one game against a much lower level of competition, but at minimum the above players give us competition, depth and potentially an offensive punch coming off the bench. They could also take time away from the aforementioned players as well.

 

[Forego]

Random memory that I have. I believe Uconn once received the same administrative technical for not having Meghan Gardner listed in the book.

I also remember UConn being called for this technical foul. I could not remember exactly which game it happened in, or the player involved. A tip of the hat for remembering it was Meghan. What I do recall is CD taking responsibility for error and saying that she would make sure it never happens again.

 

[HopJim]

KK Arnold reminds me of Odyssey Sims during her freshman year at Baylor: size, stocky, muscular physique, talent and aggression. Looks like an All American to me.

If I was KK, I would watch videos of Jefferson's NCAA Championships. KK reminds me of a stronger, just as quick version of Moriah, possibly with more confidence when you compare them as Freshman.

 

[Zarathustra]

I thought that turn around fade away was pretty sweet. Not the kind of shot you expect from a freshman. Yes it was her only f.g. but a highly skilled play.

Also... keep watching for ICE's moves with her "dominant" left hand. Of course, she'll be getting points going to
the right and to the left. Rebecca L . has made this point a number of times = i.e. most "post" players are
right-handed and tend not to do as well going to their non-dominant left side.

 

[FormerCTrez]

A disappointment to whom, you? Someone else? Were you expecting a double-double in her first game?

I'd like to offer another way to look at Ice's first regular season game as a Husky, as she's pretty much at the same level as the freshmen. Perhaps it was nerves. She laughed at herself for missing a layup. It's not easy playing for Geno, playing for this team. Sometimes the players make it look easy. From a post presence, Aaliyah will be the primary focus, as she's a senior, and the expectations are that she plays this well (or better) every night.

Right now, Geno & the staff are trying to figure out all the best combos of lineups, sub patterns, etc, so I didn't read much into who did what, who didn't do what, etc, etc. After last season, I've learned not to have unrealistic expectations as there is too much not in anyone's control, so last night I cheered, had a few "ughs", laughed, and enjoyed watching the team play some pretty good hoop for the first game.

Nicely stated.

 

[Longtime fan]

the way i see it is that the deacon was saying azzi has the potential to be an all-american, but she hasn't been ... and yet lots of BYers are in the camp that azzi is an AA. 'taint so.

personally, i don't like giving azzi a pass while others on the team are not given full credit for their importance to the team. it minimizes their contributions: nika finally gets plaudits, as does liya, but to me aubrey deserves similar notice ... and if she's beaten the injury bug, so does caroline. azzi should get such recognition too, but many here are delusional -- not about her potential, but her actual performance. it's very good at times, but she's yet to be at aa level.

getting piping hot at times doesn't make it. hell, at times Aubrey and nika could qualify ... liya already has, like paige.

and like the deacon, i think azzi is great and i love that she's a Husky, but she's got a way to go before i'm willing to say she's AA.

I agree. Azzi is a fine, diligent player. She defends well and is solid. Her shooting, however, is grossly over-rated. One would think, based upon the commentators and talking heads, that she is 90% from three point range. Truthfully, there are probably 25 -50 guards in the country who, in the heat of games, shoot as well as she does. She gets on hot streaks, but so do others. She also goes cold. So do others. I love having her as a Husky but she is not what we were led to believe ( ie unstoppable ). Maybe in practice, But games are what matter. She isn't close to AA status.

 

[MilfordHusky]

I agree. Azzi is a fine, diligent player. She defends well and is solid. Her shooting, however, is grossly over-rated. One would think, based upon the commentators and talking heads, that she is 90% from three point range. Truthfully, there are probably 25 -50 guards in the country who, in the heat of games, shoot as well as she does. She gets on hot streaks, but so do others. She also goes cold. So do others. I love having her as a Husky but she is not what we were led to believe ( ie unstoppable ). Maybe in practice, But games are what matter. She isn't close to AA status.

I've been watching Azzi since she was in 9th grade. She was the first player to win a major NPOY award in 10th grade. At UConn, she has played and shot well when she was healthy, which was mostly early last season, when she was identified as a NPOY candidate. She is very capable of being a 50/40/90 shooter. Let's give her a little more time.

 

[RoadMaster]

Freshmen Firsts..

 

[Zarathustra]

Freshmen Firsts..

Make sure that you click on the arrows on the pictures to see ALL the Freshman Buckets.
It was a great film clip of a " historical" series of events.... I really enjoyed it! Thanks!!

 

[hoophuskee]

I agree. Azzi is a fine, diligent player. She defends well and is solid. Her shooting, however, is grossly over-rated. One would think, based upon the commentators and talking heads, that she is 90% from three point range. Truthfully, there are probably 25 -50 guards in the country who, in the heat of games, shoot as well as she does. She gets on hot streaks, but so do others. She also goes cold. So do others. I love having her as a Husky but she is not what we were led to believe ( ie unstoppable ). Maybe in practice, But games are what matter. She isn't close to AA status.

Truth be told, her shooting, when healthy is underrated. And the phrase "in the heat of games" is a very subjective term. So when UCONN beat Iowa last year for example, because the game was sort of decided with a few minutes left, that doesn't count?


In the NCAA Tourney her frosh year she led the team in scoring. Without her UCONN is out of the Turney and there is no heroic game from Paige 2 games later. Because UCONN was up by 12 in the 4th quarter, a lot to do with her, her performance doesn't count?

The only reason she isn't what we were led to believe is that she has been hurt.

I'm sure many aw the 1st six games of last year before she was hurt. Not sure why some of you want to ignore those games and think the other games when she came back has any value of analysis. She averaged 25.5 ppg with an Effective FG% of 63.64% vs quality opponents in which one game she matched if not outplayed Clark.

And we've heard Chris D say how when Azzi misses she is surprised. And we saw the recent preseason video (it can also be watched on YouTube "Geno Auriemma & Paige Bueckers on UConn's season goals, desire to win a National Championship | SNY" that he is telling everyone when Azzi is free in the corner, everyone is to pass to her in the corner; no one else takes a shot. So why "the fight" for some of us that are predicting that Azzi be great this year?

1- She has shown to play well in NCAA Tourney in which she saved UCONN from defeat as a frosh. 2- She has shown when healthy she can be extremely efficient and a scoring machine and even match the #1 College Player and do extremely well vs good competition. 3- The Hall of Fame Assistant coach stating how she is surprised when Azzi misses. 4-- The best coach in WCBB History telling his entire team, #1 ranked team, they aren’t; to shoot the ball and pass it to Azzi when she is open in the corner.

Yet we’re supposed to keep blinders as to what we saw when healthy, combinin g that with what the super coaches are saying?