UConn-FSU post game | Page 4 | The Boneyard
.

UConn-FSU post game

I'm not sure that anyone would argue that a 100% Caroline would be the best option at the 3. If she keeps building consistently from this game, she could be the starting SF by the end of the season. This was the first time I've thought that. Before this game, I just thought she would be a happy warrior learning how to be a coach this year.
I would certainly argue, as would many others.
 
I have now rewatched the entire game on replay as well as watching a highlights reel. One thing that really stands out is how happy Kayleigh seems as she runs like a mad thing. Like KK and Ash, the amount of energy she puts out is tremendous. I can’t help but think that Storrs is a much better fit for her talents and personality than USC was. She is really another in the long line of high energy guards Geno has favored for decades beginning with Jen Rizzotti.

Kayleigh may not have fit absolutely every aspect of her game into Geno’s schemes yet. But she is definitely on her way. His post game remarks comparing her to a race car driver may have sounded like a criticism. But I think it showed just how very pleased he is with her play so far.
 
Last edited:
Serah is trying to find her place to shoot instead of shooting from the place she is in. I hope it stops. The one time she went up for a jump shot instead of a lay up it was perfect. You are 6'4" and strong. Just go straight up. Get fouled. This isn't rocket science.
Hoping Serah begins to make the right reads. She has a lot of putback possibilities being turned down for not so successful second guesses. Serah also needs to become a bigger passing target when she sets up. Strong is a master at this to accept passes from our guards on the wings. The potential for inside scoring is very high on this team. We have penetrating guards for finishes or lob passes to our bigs.
 
Hoping Serah begins to make the right reads. She has a lot of putback possibilities being turned down for not so successful second guesses. Serah also needs to become a bigger passing target when she sets up. Strong is a master at this to accept passes from our guards on the wings. The potential for inside scoring is very high on this team. We have penetrating guards for finishes or lob passes to our bigs.
That's right. K9 is a great passer to the low post. She had Kiki Iriafen last year to give it to and Siena Betts on the U19 team. I think since the offense isn't designed around her Serah is getting the ball in different places. If she adjusts we get a lot better as a team, if she doesn't she becomes a strong defender primarily.
 
This game was terrific for inserting our size against theirs and our speed against size. A true growth game for many of our players. FSU will win lots of games. Their coach is excellent teaching a nice choice of taller players in a WNBA post up style and taking (29) three pointers, mostly open, due to our press. With their lineup, we watched Azzie contend with a 6' 2"-point guard. This was a good challenge and we met it.
 
Hoping Serah begins to make the right reads. She has a lot of putback possibilities being turned down for not so successful second guesses. Serah also needs to become a bigger passing target when she sets up. Strong is a master at this to accept passes from our guards on the wings. The potential for inside scoring is very high on this team. We have penetrating guards for finishes or lob passes to our bigs.
It took Dorka a month+ to learn a new offense. We need to be patient
 
I have now rewatched the entire game on replay as well as watching a highlights reel. One thing that really stands out is how happy Kayleigh seems as she runs like a mad thing. Like KK and Ash, the amount of energy she puts out is tremendous. I can’t help but think that Storrs is a much better fit for her talents and personality than USC was. She is really another in the long line of high energy guards Geno has favored for decades beginning with Jen Rizzotti.

Kayleigh may not have fit absolutely every aspect of her game into Geno’s schemes yet. But she is definitely on her way. His post game remarks comparing her to a race car driver may have sounded like a criticism. But I think it showed just how very pleased he is with her play so far.
Kayleigh must leap with joy every time she thinks how much more freedom she has to do her thing both offensively and defensively at UConn. Last year, it seems like her role was to set up JuJu and that’s it. Her quickness allows her to roam in passing lanes at will and still recover to cover her opponent. I love her pull-up jumper too!
 
As Geno said, pressing creates turnovers but due to amount of court the team is trying to defend it also creates far more opportunities to hit 3s ( vs picking up the defense at half court of 3 quarters of the court). The team is obviously deep but Geno seems to rarely presses for the entire game (although his small lineup is brilliant at full court pressure).
He can't press for an entire game. Otherwise he'd complelety humiliate opponents. Thta's why there is no reason to coach "40 minutes of hell." Press enough to win the game comfortably.
 
Thoughts:

  • Azzi and SS playing like AA's
  • Serah finally looked like what we expected in H2. Give her time.
  • KK playing well. Nice Soph-Jr improvement
  • Shade always love her hustle but seems like struggling to finding her place in the O
  • Allie great minutes
  • K9 is becoming my fave. I said in another post, she'll be an AA candidate by her Sr year
  • Jana looked more confident and conformable
  • Ice looked a little shaky and not really in the offensive flow. I see her getting less time
  • CD and AP good minutes
  • Kelis Fisher looks physically mature but still raw as expected
 
Geno has said many times that the two goals of the season are to win the BE tournament and then the NCAA. Those tough games during the season are prep time and sometimes you lose some. However, the last 8 games of the season (if on track for the title) are the key. We all know that. That gives the team, but especially the newcomers (Serah most, then Blanca, a little K9) 4 months and 30 games to get it together. That's enough time to get the machine well oiled and driving hard. THAT'S GENO TIME!
 
Carol's arrow is pointing way up. It looks like she's back and able to play better than ever.
I hope that she can continue to make her mark.
Her senior presence would be very welcome on this team.
She showed that she not only knows how to play the game but also looks good while doing it - i.e. "in control"
 
Only worry, is Blanca may be falling behind in the rotation assessments. Where is she going to get her minutes? Injuries, even minor ones at the beginning of the season can really set some players back.
 
Hoping Serah begins to make the right reads. She has a lot of putback possibilities being turned down for not so successful second guesses.
Yes, I too thought Serah was a bit indecisive in the first half and also in the Louisville game. I think the reason is because her prior team didn't have the scorers around her that this team has and that she is so far struggling at knowing when to kick the ball out or take it in herself. I do think that it will sort itself out once she gets better acclimated to the team.
 
Yes, I too thought Serah was a bit indecisive in the first half and also in the Louisville game. I think the reason is because her prior team didn't have the scorers around her that this team has and that she is so far struggling at knowing when to kick the ball out or take it in herself. I do think that it will sort itself out once she gets better acclimated to the team.
In the postgame interview, Geno said Serah is adjusting to the speed of the game. She sometimes isn’t at the speed of her teammates in some plays while in others she gets too sped up but he likes the direction she’s going in
 
Scoring 99 points against an ACC team in the second game of the season is something to celebrate. Yes, there was some bumpy play in the first quarter and some head scratching blown layups, but nothing to cause heartburn for the fans (although I am sure Geno will have a few things to say).

Azzi and Sarah are going to have a dynamic and effective supporting cast this year. Great to see how the whole crew is playing right now. They all seem locked in and chemistry looks great. I think Ash is pressing a little bit, but I have no reason to think she won't figure things out.

I was pleased to see them get to the free throw line and hitting 14 out of 15 for the team bodes well as the season progresses.
 
A couple of observations:
  • About Serah, she seems to be finding her comfort level with UConn’s pace of play. Wisconsin simply did not play at this speed. You could see the problem really clearly in the first half. She wanted to receive an entry pass into the low post and then go to work in a crowd. But that’s too deliberate a process for this game. Jana suffered from this last season too. She expected to have to grapple with double and triple teams at Wisconsin and still plays that way. But with all the other scoring threats here she can put up a shot much more quickly or if the double comes she can kick it out to one of the many shooters she now has. These are skills she already has in abundance. It’s just a matter of getting comfortable thinking at the new pace of play. I have a very good feeling she’ll get there sooner rather than later.
  • Carol looks really good. Could there be setbacks? Sure, but why worry about stuff like that now. Let’s just enjoy the beauty of her game. And it is beautiful. One vintage moment: she gets the ball on the wing and drives left to the baseline with a defender on her hip. The defender has a quickness advantage and can keep Carol from getting all the way past her. But she doesn’t realize Carol isn’t trying to get all the way past her and can finish with a signature floater merely by reaching past her along the baseline. Result, a little one handed floater drops in. I hope we see a lot more plays like that in the coming months.
And don’t get me started about Allie, who played exactly like Geno wanted her to, on defense as well as offense. Go Allie!
 
Before you send your All-American ballots in, Florida State was picked to finish 1 in the weak ACC. Oooops that's a typo. Florida State was picked to finish 10th in the weak ACC. While their program has a good reputation, this year they are a cupcake. Please don't start sounding like other boards where the 'fans' are so surprised at winning big they assume they are national championship material. This is UConn Nation. We don't hype cupcake wins. View this game as what it was. A dress rehearsal for the regular season. Geno could have opened his locker room comments with something like, "OK, good practice, really good practice."
 

Online statistics

Members online
347
Guests online
6,103
Total visitors
6,450

Forum statistics

Threads
165,063
Messages
4,419,842
Members
10,251
Latest member
Connres1980


.
..
Top Bottom