UCONN should be concerned...

[DEpup]

I think everyone is a little right. Does Z still have some work to do to become the quintessential UConn point center like Dolson, Tuck, and Gabby who can run the offense from the elbow with great passes? Yes and I bet that will be her biggest growth next year. Did Pheesa have to get used to Z sharing her space? yes. Have they shown that they are getting it going together late in the season and being able to set each other up for good shots? Yes. Is Z an amazing scorer and will most likely be at the end of good passing with a shot close to tje basket? Yes Is that still UConn basketball? Yes Kara Wolters comes to mind.

 

[Rema64]

oldschool
I'm impressed that on day one of joining this board you could illicit such a stimulating conversation.

 

[JoePgh]

Since Z got to be comfortable in the paint, my sense is that Geno has wanted the offense to center around her while she is on the floor. The first option is always to throw it in to her (as was the case when Tina was a junior/senior). That means that the defense has to focus first on either stopping the post feed or stopping Z when she gets the ball. That concentration of the defense in the paint allows the perimeter shooters to get open more easily.

Can Z pass the ball out of a double team as well as Stef Dolson could in the latter part of her UConn career? No. (It wasn't Tina's strength either.) Azura will probably perfect that skill next year, but this year it is not a strong point for her. But I can't imagine that any defensive strategy against UConn would be to allow passes into her and then trap her so that she can neither score nor pass to teammates. That would be a very risky approach for any opponent. So that means that they will focus on stopping the post feed (which means clogging the paint and leaving Crystal / Kia / KLS at least somewhat open), or stopping Z from scoring once she gets the ball. Given her likely mobility advantage over her defenders, that is not a promising defensive strategy either.

Also worth noting: Z is only on the floor about half the time. When she is on the bench (at the beginning of each half), UConn is a completely different team with a completely different offense. So the opponent really needs two defensive plans, one against UConn-with-Z and one against the "small ball" that UConn plays when she is not on the floor. That's a lot to prepare in a short amount of prep time.

 

[maccca3232]

The quickest way to compare overall shooting stats is TS%.

Attached are stats for returners for last 2 years.

 

[DEpup]

Since Z got to be comfortable in the paint, my sense is that Geno has wanted the offense to center around her while she is on the floor. The first option is always to throw it in to her (as was the case when Tina was a junior/senior). That means that the defense has to focus first on either stopping the post feed or stopping Z when she gets the ball. That concentration of the defense in the paint allows the perimeter shooters to get open more easily.

Can Z pass the ball out of a double team as well as Stef Dolson could in the latter part of her UConn career? No. (It wasn't Tina's strength either.) Azura will probably perfect that skill next year, but this year it is not a strong point for her. But I can't imagine that any defensive strategy against UConn would be to allow passes into her and then trap her so that she can neither score nor pass to teammates. That would be a very risky approach for any opponent. So that means that they will focus on stopping the post feed (which means clogging the paint and leaving Crystal / Kia / KLS at least somewhat open), or stopping Z from scoring once she gets the ball. Given her likely mobility advantage over her defenders, that is not a promising defensive strategy either.

Also worth noting: Z is only on the floor about half the time. When she is on the bench (at the beginning of each half), UConn is a completely different team with a completely different offense. So the opponent really needs two defensive plans, one against UConn-with-Z and one against the "small ball" that UConn plays when she is not on the floor. That's a lot to prepare in a short amount of prep time.

Great point. Geno has always said that the "6th man" should be able to come in and change the game which as you point out Z does.

 

[MJL243]

Z shoots the ball almost EVERY time she gets it

Pheesa and Z will disappear for the most part

Stats mean nothing when you play 20 stiff teams a year...

To challenge these opinions, I ran the numbers of UConn's top six players vs ranked teams (to eliminate the "20 stiff teams").
UConn played twelve games against ranked opponents, and here are their assists per forty minutes:

Gabby - 7.35
Crystal - 5.24
Azuré - 3.85
Napheesa - 3.79
Kia - 2.97
Katie Lou - 2.61

How is it possible for two ball-hogs to have such great numbers?

 

[bags27]

Awesome work, MJL243! Give yourself a big assist!

 

[Woof 101]

I was way ahead of the curve as far as men watching womens college basketball..started when Louisiana Tech was top dog(no pun intended). I have followed UCONN for 20 plus years as I appreciated the way they played the game.
My concern watching them now is they are having a grand time tossing the ball into Z and Pheesa against these over matched teams and their best player just stands around. And when she tries to get position or cuts the lane Z just stares at her. Z shoots the ball almost EVERY time she gets it..which is great against these caliber of teams, but you know what is coming against some teams with bigs.. Pheesa and Z will disappear for the most part. Hopwfully by then they remember how to kick the ball back out. When Z is in the game they do not play UCONN bball in my opinion. This is NOT an attack on Z. Just my observation.

Go Huskies!

Welcome oldschool... My calculations have you coming on board around 1995, not surprised. This with your pinpoint women's basketball acumen. While surprised you have not shared your deep knowledge of the game sooner, all are welcome on this forum.
While you may find many insightful comments to your topic you will also get some sarcasm, tongue in cheek or simply silly responses....None of that from myself, I am one to worry about your fears and take it seriously.
Here's what I got for you on this geno.auriemma@uconn.edu Get the message where it belongs!

 

[oldschool]

oldschool
I'm impressed that on day one of joining this board you could illicit such a stimulating conversation.

Honestly, wasnt looking to troll. I watch their games and have a problem watching KLS stand around and they just dump it into Z and Pheesa....They obviously should take advantage of the mismatches but KLS needs to be more involved against the better teams...Z getting too comfortable just shooting.

 

[oldschool]

To challenge these opinions, I ran the numbers of UConn's top six players vs ranked teams (to eliminate the "20 stiff teams").
UConn played twelve games against ranked opponents, and here are their assists per forty minutes:

Gabby - 7.35
Crystal - 5.24
Azuré - 3.85
Napheesa - 3.79
Kia - 2.97
Katie Lou - 2.61

How is it possible for two ball-hogs to have such great numbers?

there are lies damn lies and statistics... Please be more creative.
Stats mean nothing to people with understandings of the games.
I will take the eye test any day of the week.
Let me stress that i am a huge Huskies fan, My friends constantly knock me for watching wcbb. I just appreciate the way they play(most of the time)

 

[HuskyNan]

Honestly, wasnt looking to troll. I watch their games and have a problem watching KLS stand around and they just dump it into Z and Pheesa....They obviously should take advantage of the mismatches but KLS needs to be more involved against the better teams...Z getting too comfortable just shooting.

If the Huskies' first, second, and third best scorers are so terrible, is there anyone who might pass your eye test?

Sometimes it amazes me that UConn has managed to struggle to a measly 34-0 record with all these sub-par players.

 

[mbr33ct]

I disagree. You will see how this shakes out. Pheesa and Z will play like they are playing against Q again....will keep shooting, especially Z...she cant help herself.
And it will cost them. I hope i am wrong. But i doubt it.

Was it Z that was tripled teamed and passed to Kia for a 3?

 

[trisailin]

there are lies damn lies and statistics... Please be more creative.
Stats mean nothing to people with understandings of the games.

And this is precisely why Geno knows exactly how many shots Lou took, where she took them from, how many went in, how many bounced out long, how many resulted in fast break points for the other team. All because STATS mean nothing.
It's very encouraging to know your eye test is so refined that you don't need stats but the coach widely acknowledged to be the best in the game still needs them.

 

[oldschool]

And this is precisely why Geno knows exactly how many shots Lou took, where she took them from, how many went in, how many bounced out long, how many resulted in fast break points for the other team. All because STATS mean nothing.
It's very encouraging to know your eye test is so refined that you don't need stats but the coach widely acknowledged to be the best in the game still needs them.

Stats have there place...for the uninformed. All I am saying is I watch Z shoot ALMOST everytime she gets it. Collier is in a feeding frenzy against these second class teams...lets see what happens when they play they play the iron. Again, I fully want and expect them to win the title.

 

[oldude]

Was it Z that was tripled teamed and passed to Kia for a 3?

Actually that was Pheesa, but your point is appropriate.

 

[mbr33ct]

I'm always amazed when these topics come up. It seems UConn is "always" the team that has to worry about playing this team and/or that team. For the most part UConn has played most of these teams early in OOC play and I think they came out ok from them. Some will say, yeah but those teams are not the same now...and UConn stayed the same? I'm pretty sure the team(s) that will play UConn will also have to put a game plan together. Let's take this one game at a time and not get ahead of ourselves.

 

[HoopsFan21]

It's like people really believe UConn has won over 98% of their games the last half decade by simply dodging teams with a pulse.

 

[meyers7]

there are lies damn lies and statistics... Please be more creative.
Stats mean nothing to people with understandings of the games.
I will take the eye test any day of the week.
Let me stress that i am a huge Huskies fan, My friends constantly knock me for watching wcbb. I just appreciate the way they play(most of the time)

 

[JoePgh]

Honestly, wasnt looking to troll. I watch their games and have a problem watching KLS stand around and they just dump it into Z and Pheesa....They obviously should take advantage of the mismatches but KLS needs to be more involved against the better teams...Z getting too comfortable just shooting.

Did you watch the South Carolina and Louisville games? Was KLS sufficiently involved in the offense in those games to satisfy your exacting criteria?

Quinnipiac / Tricia Fabbri apparently assessed the UConn offense in exactly the same way you did, and concluded that the best way to slow down UConn's scoring (other than holding the ball for 20 seconds on every one of their own possessions) was to focus their defensive attention on KLS. That meant that Pheesa and Azura (and even Kia Nurse) were largely left to roam free. Against that kind of defense, it makes sense for UConn to take what the defense is (more or less) giving them.

Better teams will certainly game plan for KLS, but they won't ignore the inside threat. That will lead to a more balanced defensive strategy, which will lead to a more balanced offensive strategy by UConn, as illustrated against the Gamecocks and Cardinals (among many other teams).

 

[MainefanSC]

Stats have there place...for the uninformed. All I am saying is I watch Z shoot ALMOST everytime she gets it. Collier is in a feeding frenzy against these second class teams...lets see what happens when they play they play the iron. Again, I fully want and expect them to win the title.

I'm beginning to think that you must have begun the "rumor" that LV got their tails kicked, by us, but they still won 3 of the 4 quarters. Stats say different but oh yeah, you don't look at stats.

 

[Yorkeez4]

My observation is that both Pheesa and Z takes those shots because the ball has been delivered to them in pretty much optimal positions. Sure on occasion I think Z should pass the ball out once she attemps a move and does not get to her spot but overall I think both are reacting appropriately based on where the ball was delivered. I have rarely seen a play where I thought Pheesa should have passed the ball out. Pheesa is generally moving to the basket when the ball is delivered.

A side note: how many more assists would Gabby have if Z stopped passing to herself off the backboard?

 

[rugbymate]

Stats have there place...for the uninformed. All I am saying is I watch Z shoot ALMOST everytime she gets it. Collier is in a feeding frenzy against these second class teams...lets see what happens when they play they play the iron. Again, I fully want and expect them to win the title.

Totally disagree on your stats position...they are incredibly important for successful coaches to understand.....while the eye test can be telling, facts provide the coaches information they need to develop strategy.
As to Z...when you say she can't help herself which to me implies selfishness....the facts say that when Z takes a two point shot it produces 1.38 pouts. The only other type shot from a UCONN player that beats that is from one of the best three point shooters on the planet ,KLS,who averages 1.4 points per three point attempt.
You may have 20 years experience watching web, so I can't understand why you wouldn't want Z getting as many shots as possible. I suspect Geno and Z's teammates want her to feed her the ball when the match up dictates.

 

[Zorro]

For the record, I am not concerned.

 

[HuskyBandDad]

Ahh the boneyard. Trying to find a problem that does not exist.

 

[wallman]

The problem is not passing but who and when and where. Apart from KLS and Williams who have the ability to seemingly make passes from full court to seeing openings before the rest of us, certain players have certain types of passes they can and cannot make. All passes are not made equal.