UConn-FSU post game

[FanSince17]

Turned the volume off, except when the kids ran off the floor, I wanted to hear that.
I still appreciated a good deal aspects of the SNY production. The studio was great. Kara. There was an appropriate level of "juice" in the production. The sideline reporters were top-notch. Chelsea Sherrod is a talent. So, I usually put up with the play-by-play. Not so much last night.

 

[Jonathan14]

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.

Last season, I referred to KK and Ash as the Chaos Twins; others had their own nicknames for them. Yesterday, I declared Kayleigh a Chaos Triplet. She fits right in, wreaking havoc in her manic, joyful way—the kind of athlete you love to have on your team and hate to play against.

While I'm speaking of Ks, Kelis could very well become a Chaos Quadruplet with a little more time to develop. She's certainly got the energy and the fire.

 

[iri10]

Sibling-like spats... 🤣

 

[Longtime fan]

Azzi Fudd showed off all the facets of her talents, the passing, the mid-range game, the 3's, the defense and the steals. They got her touches in all the areas she needed them today.

Sarah Strong looks like she can score whenever she wants to in whatever ways she wants to. Her passing is top tier and the ball running through her is perfect because she's unselfish but also knows when to get her points.

KK had strong defense, Heckel too, I like Heckel's game and as she gets more comfortable. UConn will bode better. Serah Williams is waking up and was a terror on defense in the lane for FSU. Ziebell was nice off the bench. Shade is regressing and Ducharme looks like she's priming to be in the starting line-up. Her rebounding and vocal leadership are great and a line up of KK/Heckel, Azzi, Caroline, Sarah and Serah would be a nightmare for teams.

I think it is incorrect to say that ASH is regressing. She is working effectively to fit into her role with Azzi, Sarah, Williams and KK on the floor. Her shot has been a bit off, but she was always a streaky kind of shooter from distance. Her strength is more mid range and driving to the hoop. She is smart, rebounds well, passes well and no one works harder. Her basketball IQ is also top notch. She is just trying to do her role as well as possible and, with those other superstars on the floor, she is more supportive than out front. Don't think she is regressing. She isn't. I promise you that Geno doesn't think that way about her.

 

[mainerhuski]

2nd-3rd team played major minutes and played well. Azzi and SS only played 3 quarters. 😂😂😂 im high on this team (and other substances)

They really didn’t even play 3/4 of the game. Great stats when you consider 21 mins for Azzi & 23 for Sarah.

 

[mainerhuski]

I'm going to go one step further about Ash/Allie/ Caroline. I have always thought that Ash is a much greater weapon off the bench like last year and that is the best role for her for this team. Microwave offense when she is on, sneaky offensive rebounding, and solid hustle and D. Honestly, Allie played really well today but Caroline looked really good too. She had 5 points and should have had 8 but a 3 was taken away, 6 boards and two assists in 10 minutes. She is also a much better rebounder at 6' 2+"than either one. I think she should be part of the regular rotation. She is a strong and serious senior leader and sets up a play really well. I would like to see her play 20 minutes in a game just to find out. It may be coming.

Hmmm… How about a starting lineup of KK, Azzi, Carol, Sarah & 5 to be named later (I’m not convinced that Serah is significantly better than Jana, based on the few games I’ve seen so far.)

 

[BBallF]

Hmmm… How about a starting lineup of KK, Azzi, Carol, Sarah & 5 to be named later (I’m not convinced that Serah is significantly better than Jana, based on the few games I’ve seen so far.)

I've always liked the idea of Carol starting. Senior leader and very tough to defend.

 

[BBallF]

It took Dorka a month+ to learn a new offense. We need to be patient

Yes I agree. I remember thinking the same thing about Dorka that I am thinking about Serah right now which is "She was All- Big 10?. Must be a weak conference." But it really wasn't with USC, UCLA and Ohio State in it. First, she has to learn a new offense which is a lot more than "give Serah the ball in the paint". Second, she has to get used to our player's passes and they have to get used to her. The key to an entry pass is getting it to the post player in the slot where they can do the most with it. Takes time. Third, Serah has to adjust her game. She will not have time to set up a familiar shot on her own. She has to be quick, go u strong where she is, use the baby jumper, and not worry about mistakes. If she gets it, we become a different team, if she doesn't we still have a top tier defender in the lane.

 

[BBallF]

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!

Serah was used to making her own play and getting to her own spots after she got the ball. She was the main offense for Wisconsin. Not here. She has to just go up with it with the baby jumper and know where she is, not where she would rather be. Sarah, K9, KK and others are going to get her the ball in the paint and they will look for her but she has to earn the passes by finishing.

My favorite play by Carol was the drive with the dish to Ice. It was vintage fundamental basketball that Carol always was so good at.

 

[cancontent]

Yes I agree. I remember thinking the same thing about Dorka that I am thinking about Serah right now which is "She was All- Big 10?. Must be a weak conference." But it really wasn't with USC, UCLA and Ohio State in it. First, she has to learn a new offense which is a lot more than "give Serah the ball in the paint". Second, she has to get used to our player's passes and they have to get used to her. The key to an entry pass is getting it to the post player in the slot where they can do the most with it. Takes time. Third, Serah has to adjust her game. She will not have time to set up a familiar shot on her own. She has to be quick, go u strong where she is, use the baby jumper, and not worry about mistakes. If she gets it, we become a different team, if she doesn't we still have a top tier defender in the lane.

This was mentioned once or twice during the game. It's a combination of Serah getting used to this offence and her team mates finding the right spot to deliver the pass. It's going to come in time.

 

[BBallF]

This was mentioned once or twice during the game. It's a combination of Serah getting used to this offence and her team mates finding the right spot to deliver the pass. It's going to come in time.

There will be less opportunities with our offense in a game to get this down pat so practice is the key.

 

[Bone Dog]

Serah was used to making her own play and getting to her own spots after she got the ball.

This is what I was thinking too. She want to do a double or triple move, which makes sense if you’re double teamed maybe. But if not then just a quick move, maybe one fake and put it up. This is how great college posts like Monica Czinano or Aneesah Morrow or even Cameron Brink were so prolific. A speed move would suit the team more than a pivot right a pivot left and then a step through up and under move. She knows how to do this. But when you’re nervous you add more layers to your moves. When the nerves calm down we’ll see a difference.

 

[cancontent]

There will be less opportunities with our offense in a game to get this down pat so practice is the key.

That's the only way. The expectation of some fans this would happen quickly, isn't fair to her or the team. I know I have a bias because I've watched her play since her HS days and I enjoy watching BIG10 play, but I'm confident it's going to click.

She was at a disadvantage moving to Canada when borders closed due to COVID plus losing a full season because of our restrictions. Avoiding travelling to US tournaments, because of potential re-entry issues due to her immigration status was another one. For her to reach the level she has at this point, without the benefit of facing American competition like most Canadians who reach the NCAA, says something to me.

 

[ERWUC65]

I think it is incorrect to say that ASH is regressing. She is working effectively to fit into her role with Azzi, Sarah, Williams and KK on the floor. Her shot has been a bit off, but she was always a streaky kind of shooter from distance. Her strength is more mid range and driving to the hoop. She is smart, rebounds well, passes well and no one works harder. Her basketball IQ is also top notch. She is just trying to do her role as well as possible and, with those other superstars on the floor, she is more supportive than out front. Don't think she is regressing. She isn't. I promise you that Geno doesn't think that way about her.

Ash is not comfortable at the 3 (wing) in the new lineup and Geno needs to put her back as Azzi's backup at the 2 (sg). Allie (shooting), Carol (playmaking) and eventually Blanca (athletic) are a better fit there and that can be a rotation early on. KK is doing OK at the 1 (pg) and I like Ash and Heckel being the disrupters on defense and decent shooters that can give a great change of pace and rest the starters.

 

[Gael]

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.

Yes, it was great seeing that shot again. It's so deceptive and unique. Caroline not only releases her shot five or six feet from the basket, but does it with an underhand, extended finger roll rather than the usual arced, overhand floater shot.

It always reminds of two nostalgic images from my ancient past: Plastic Man hyper-extending his reach in 1950s comic books, and Wilt Chamberlain finger rolling dipper dunks in the 1960s NBA.

 

[Bald Husky]

No resentment, all respect for UConn. The fact is being elite doesn't last forever, so enjoy it. I know, because I grew up going to Doak Campbell stadium and watching Bowden dominate teams, year in and year out, just like Geno has done. I've learned a lot about women's basketball from you and others on this board over the years, so thank you!

I think being elite for the past 30 years of my lifetime is pretty good. Being that way for the next few years may be a lifetime for me.

 

[HuskyNan]

No resentment, all respect for UConn. The fact is being elite doesn't last forever, so enjoy it.

Forever, no, thirty years, yes.

With all due respect, as FSU isn’t a cupcake, UConn isn’t some kind of nine day wonder

 

[freshler40]

Forever, no, thirty years, yes.

With all due respect, as FSU isn’t a cupcake, UConn isn’t some kind of nine day wonder

True for both, but this being Veterans Day, it was the 90 day wonders that the grunts worried about who led them.