UConn stats...in defense of Anna & Carnac...

[DavidinNaples]

Many players improve from one season to the next. Some even make dramatic progress during the season. Anna Makurat came to UConn as a talented freshman having lived and played basketball in Poland. She adjusted not just to college life away from home, but also to living in a foreign country and communicating in a foreign language. She also went from playing "European style" basketball to the specific Geno/UConn way of playing. All in all, lots of adjustments and changes that impacted her play early in the season.

Consider Anna's first 8 game stats. (1/4 of the season)
1. Points = 30 or 3.75 per game.
2. Three point shooting = 7-28 or 25%. (Includes 0 for America start)
3. Inside the arc shooting = 4-13 or 31%.
4. Minutes per game = 20.75 per game.
5. Assists = 24 or 3 per game.
6. Anna started 3 of the 8 games and ended that stretch coming off the bench.

Now consider the last 8 games of Anna's season.
1. Points = 104 or 13 per game.
2. Three-points shooting = 22-45 or 49%.
3. Inside the arc shooting = 15-27 or 55%.
4. Minutes per game = 32.4 per game.
5. Assists = 38 or 4.75 per game.
6. Anna started all games except the Senior night.

UConn played 32 games last year. I divided the season in quarters, much like a game. Carnac hopes & predicts Anna comes back and pick up where she left off. That would be great. Maybe, she may actually surprise and be even better. That would be wonderful for this talented player..!

Go Huskies..!!

 

[DEpup]

Great post. I thank you for providing the math for those of us who feel Anna is poised to have a big year.

 

[CocoHusky]

The first 8 games of the season with the exception of Temple were all Non-conference games and 5 of the 8 teams were from P5 conferences. The last 8 games of the season were entirely AAC games. The statistical improvement might have been due to the difference in level of competition. To confirm this you can clearly see a similar statistical improvement during conference play for EVERY UCONN player last season.

Women's Basketball Cumulative Statistics

@description

uconnhuskies.com

 

[soxfan23]

The first 8 games of the season with the exception of Temple were all Non-conference games and 5 of the 8 teams were from P5 conferences. The last 8 games of the season were entirely AAC games. The statistical improvement might have been due to the difference in level of competition. To confirm this you can clearly see a similar statistical improvement during conference play for EVERY UCONN player last season.

Women's Basketball Cumulative Statistics

@description

uconnhuskies.com

Exactly, you have to look at the entire season as a whole and can not cherry pick stats from a specific part of the season. Players get hot for stretches, players get cold for stretches, players play weak parts of their schedule, entire season stats are the best metric we have. The old adage "You are what the back of your sports card says you are" exists for a reason.

 

[Watchdog]

The first 8 games of the season with the exception of Temple were all Non-conference games and 5 of the 8 teams were from P5 conferences. The last 8 games of the season were entirely AAC games. The statistical improvement might have been due to the difference in level of competition. To confirm this you can clearly see a similar statistical improvement during conference play for EVERY UCONN player last season.

Women's Basketball Cumulative Statistics

@description

uconnhuskies.com

Since you seem intent on denigrating Anna's freshman performance let's just look at the OOC games you feel are the real measuring stick of her ability.

You can say that (every UConn player) improved, but the fact remains she was missing wide 3's in the first few games and made them later, no matter who they were playing, so since 68.6% of her shots were 3's, let's look at 3's as a proxy for how comfortable she might have been as a freshman on her own in a new country playing a different style of basketball.

All non-conference: 13 games against Cal, Vandy, UVA, Ohio St, Dayton, Seton Hall, ND, DePaul, OK, Baylor, Tenn, Oregon and South Carolina: 15-44 on 3's (34.1%) Not too shabby seeing 11 of the 13 games were against P5, with the other two being Dayton and DePaul.

Last 8 games OOC: Seton Hall, ND, DePaul, OK, Baylor, Tenn, Oregon and South Carolina, with the only non-P5 being DePaul, the best team in the Big East: 10-28 on 3's (35.7%).

But, let's drop the first four OOC games in which she went 2-14 and look at the last nine OOC games where she went 13-30 (43.3 %) against Dayton, Seton Hall, ND, DePaul, OK, Baylor, Tenn, Oregon and South Carolina.

Overall, for the year, she was 5th in points scored, third in 3 Pt % at 41%, third in FT's at 81%, fifth in rebounds, and second to CD in assists with 118-105 while playing on 74.8% of the minutes CD played.

Give her some credit.

 

[Carnac]

Exactly, you have to look at the entire season as a whole and can not cherry pick stats from a specific part of the season. Players get hot for stretches, players get cold for stretches, players play weak parts of their schedule, entire season stats are the best metric we have. The old adage "You are what the back of your sports card says you are" exists for a reason.

Hey Sox, you're putting a different spin on Bill Parcels' saying of "you are what your record says you are", but I like it. Point taken.

 

[Huskyfan63]

Since you seem intent on denigrating Anna's freshman performance let's just look at the OOC games you feel are the real measuring stick of her ability.

You can say that (every UConn player) improved, but the fact remains she was missing wide 3's in the first few games and made them later, no matter who they were playing, so since 68.6% of her shots were 3's, let's look at 3's as a proxy for how comfortable she might have been as a freshman on her own in a new country playing a different style of basketball.

All non-conference: 13 games against Cal, Vandy, UVA, Ohio St, Dayton, Seton Hall, ND, DePaul, OK, Baylor, Tenn, Oregon and South Carolina: 15-44 on 3's (34.1%) Not too shabby seeing 11 of the 13 games were against P5, with the other two being Dayton and DePaul.

Last 8 games OOC: Seton Hall, ND, DePaul, OK, Baylor, Tenn, Oregon and South Carolina, with the only non-P5 being DePaul, the best team in the Big East: 10-28 on 3's (35.7%).

But, let's drop the first four OOC games in which she went 2-14 and look at the last nine OOC games where she went 13-30 (43.3 %) against Dayton, Seton Hall, ND, DePaul, OK, Baylor, Tenn, Oregon and South Carolina.

Overall, for the year, she was 5th in points scored, third in 3 Pt % at 41%, third in FT's at 81%, fifth in rebounds, and second to CD in assists with 118-105 while playing on 74.8% of the minutes CD played.

Give her some credit.

There are times I firmly believe stats don't reveal the whole story. I look at it this way: By the middle to end of this past season, Anna looked to me to be one of the more poised and assertive freshmen with the ball in her hands than I can remember in recent memory. She facilitated very well, and didn't turn the ball over every ten seconds. Total success. You guys can debate stats all you want, to me she absolutely looked like she belonged on the floor with the veteran players. Not sure why some folks are trying to limit her ceiling.

 

[SVCBeercats]

Thanks David! I always really like and look forward to your posts.

Many players improve from one season to the next. Some even make dramatic progress during the season. Anna Makurat came to UConn as a talented freshman having lived and played basketball in Poland. She adjusted not just to college life away from home, but also to living in a foreign country and communicating in a foreign language. She also went from playing "European style" basketball to the specific Geno/UConn way of playing. All in all, lots of adjustments and changes that impacted her play early in the season.

Consider Anna's first 8 game stats. (1/4 of the season)
1. Points = 30 or 3.75 per game.
2. Three point shooting = 7-28 or 25%. (Includes 0 for America start)
3. Inside the arc shooting = 4-13 or 31%.
4. Minutes per game = 20.75 per game.
5. Assists = 24 or 3 per game.
6. Anna started 3 of the 8 games and ended that stretch coming off the bench.

Now consider the last 8 games of Anna's season.
1. Points = 104 or 13 per game.
2. Three-points shooting = 22-45 or 49%.
3. Inside the arc shooting = 15-27 or 55%.
4. Minutes per game = 32.4 per game.
5. Assists = 38 or 4.75 per game.
6. Anna started all games except the Senior night.

UConn played 32 games last year. I divided the season in quarters, much like a game. Carnac hopes & predicts Anna comes back and pick up where she left off. That would be great. Maybe, she may actually surprise and be even better. That would be wonderful for this talented player..!

Go Huskies..!!

 

[MSGRET]

The first 8 games of the season with the exception of Temple were all Non-conference games and 5 of the 8 teams were from P5 conferences. The last 8 games of the season were entirely AAC games. The statistical improvement might have been due to the difference in level of competition. To confirm this you can clearly see a similar statistical improvement during conference play for EVERY UCONN player last season.

Women's Basketball Cumulative Statistics

@description

uconnhuskies.com

Okay, we get it. YOU DON'T LIKE Anna!

 

[CocoHusky]

Okay, we get it. YOU DON'T LIKE Anna!

That is probably correct I don't like Anna, I love her and her game.
What I don't like are these unrealistic expectations. Remember at this time last year there was a thread saying
CW was poised for an AA season because she had averaged 17 PPG in the tournament. There was also this foolish notion that Evelyn Adebayo was going to contribute "more than we think". Anna will be fine, I'm predicting that she will start and be a solid contributor for this team as she was last year.

 

[CocoHusky]

Since you seem intent on denigrating Anna's freshman performance let's just look at the OOC games you feel are the real measuring stick of her ability.

You can say that (every UConn player) improved, but the fact remains she was missing wide 3's in the first few games and made them later, no matter who they were playing, so since 68.6% of her shots were 3's, let's look at 3's as a proxy for how comfortable she might have been as a freshman on her own in a new country playing a different style of basketball.

All non-conference: 13 games against Cal, Vandy, UVA, Ohio St, Dayton, Seton Hall, ND, DePaul, OK, Baylor, Tenn, Oregon and South Carolina: 15-44 on 3's (34.1%) Not too shabby seeing 11 of the 13 games were against P5, with the other two being Dayton and DePaul.

Last 8 games OOC: Seton Hall, ND, DePaul, OK, Baylor, Tenn, Oregon and South Carolina, with the only non-P5 being DePaul, the best team in the Big East: 10-28 on 3's (35.7%).

But, let's drop the first four OOC games in which she went 2-14 and look at the last nine OOC games where she went 13-30 (43.3 %) against Dayton, Seton Hall, ND, DePaul, OK, Baylor, Tenn, Oregon and South Carolina.

Overall, for the year, she was 5th in points scored, third in 3 Pt % at 41%, third in FT's at 81%, fifth in rebounds, and second to CD in assists with 118-105 while playing on 74.8% of the minutes CD played.

Give her some credit.

I'm not denigrating anybody and I have already "factually" posted about Anna performance in selective games. I can cherry pick and drop games with the best of them-Annoying isn't it?

 

[and one]

Anna is a good college bball player. Her improvement last year as the season progressed was obvious to me. She could start for any team in the country and be an asset. Her game isn't flashy and if she is to stand out it will be as a three point shooter. Which isn't to minimize her passing skills, ability to see the floor and find open players, take mid-range jumpers and get some rebounds. She'll win us some games and won't lose us any. In tight games it is the calm Anna types that see you through.

 

[Cuango]

The first 8 games of the season with the exception of Temple were all Non-conference games and 5 of the 8 teams were from P5 conferences. The last 8 games of the season were entirely AAC games. The statistical improvement might have been due to the difference in level of competition. To confirm this you can clearly see a similar statistical improvement during conference play for EVERY UCONN player last season.

Women's Basketball Cumulative Statistics

@description

uconnhuskies.com

This is just silly! Clearly, Anna improved substantially over the season! Sure, maybe some of that improvement was due to the relative strength of the opposition but surely we can all admit that was much better at the end of the season than at the beginning!

 

[CocoHusky]

This is just silly! Clearly, Anna improved substantially over the season! Sure, maybe some of that improvement was due to the relative strength of the opposition but surely we can all admit that was much better at the end of the season than at the beginning!

That was kind of my my point except I didn't hedge with the use of the word "maybe". This is factually correct: Every UCONN player last year statistically improved relative to strength (weakness really) of the opposition not just Anna. BTW your use of the exclamation point after every sentence kind of defeats the purpose of the exclamation point.

 

[CocoHusky]

Anna is a good college bball player. Her improvement last year as the season progressed was obvious to me. She could start for any team in the country and be an asset. Her game isn't flashy and if she is to stand out it will be as a three point shooter. Which isn't to minimize her passing skills, ability to see the floor and find open players, take mid-range jumpers and get some rebounds. She'll win us some games and won't lose us any. In tight games it is the calm Anna types that see you through.

In full agreement with the exception of the bolded phrase- Anna's game is plenty flashy.

UConn's Makurat gets fancy with behind-the-back pass - ESPN Video

www.espn.in

 

[chrissaran]

Exactly, you have to look at the entire season as a whole and can not cherry pick stats from a specific part of the season. Players get hot for stretches, players get cold for stretches, players play weak parts of their schedule, entire season stats are the best metric we have. The old adage "You are what the back of your sports card says you are" exists for a reason.

What do you think it was like for Anna playing in a foreign country, far from home, knowing you wouldn't be seeing your family members for a long time? You could have handled it easily, right?

 

[soxfan23]

What do you think it was like for Anna playing in a foreign country, far from home, knowing you wouldn't be seeing your family members for a long time? You could have handled it easily, right?

Why do you think I am knocking her as a player? I have repeatedly said that she is a heck of player, just not an All American. Is this forum that homerish that merely stating that IMHO a really good player is not an AA?

 

[mbr33ct]

What do you think it was like for Anna playing in a foreign country, far from home, knowing you wouldn't be seeing your family members for a long time? You could have handled it easily, right?

Are we going to keep throwing this out for every thread about Anna? When 5 players step onto the court...only basketball is spoken.

 

[Mbjohnson]

Last 8 games OOC: Seton Hall, ND, DePaul, OK, Baylor, Tenn, Oregon and South Carolina, with the only non-P5 being DePaul, the best team in the Big East: 10-28 on 3's (35.7%).

But, let's drop the first four OOC games in which she went 2-14 and look at the last nine OOC games where she went 13-30 (43.3 %) against Dayton, Seton Hall, ND, DePaul, OK, Baylor, Tenn, Oregon and South Carolina.

I think your math is wrong. How could she have shot two more shots between the last 8 OOC and last 9 OOC games but made three more.

 

[Mbjohnson]

View attachment 62050

Because she shot a higher percentage (43.3%) at 13-30 than she did earlier (35.7%) at 10-28? Wasn't that the point?

No, because if she only took two more shots it isn’t possible for her have made three more.

 

[Tonyc]

Let me tell ya somethin. Anna is fundementally sound. From what I saw last season she knows her limitations and has gotten better from early in last season. She will get better this seaosn too. It is my belief that Anna is going to be a star...not a shooting star either. She will become a complete ball player this season and valuable to the team.

 

[JonathanXIV]

Why do you think I am knocking her as a player? I have repeatedly said that she is a heck of player, just not an All American. Is this forum that homerish that merely stating that IMHO a really good player is not an AA?

That's not exactly what you posted, is it? To quote you, you wrote "she is NOWHERE near an All American level player! Her playing time is going to be down significantly this year and she may not even start." (emphasis yours) I think that's a lot more than simply asserting that she is not going to be an AA this year. Don't be surprised that some UConn fans take issue with your post.

 

[Boreifs]

I sat courtside last season and was continually frustrated by teammates not giving Anna the ball when she was open. That is very unlikely to happen this year. The two main culprits are no longer on the team.

 

[CocoHusky]

I sat courtside last season and was continually frustrated by teammates not giving Anna the ball when she was open. That is very unlikely to happen this year. The two main culprits are no longer on the team.

Molly and Kyla weren’t giving up the ball to Anna? Shocking!

 

[JonathanXIV]

I sat courtside last season and was continually frustrated by teammates not giving Anna the ball when she was open. That is very unlikely to happen this year. The two main culprits are no longer on the team.

Yeah. Crystal has a history of not getting the ball to her teammates.

 

[mbr33ct]

I sat courtside last season and was continually frustrated by teammates not giving Anna the ball when she was open. That is very unlikely to happen this year. The two main culprits are no longer on the team.

By all indication IF those so called main culprits did pass to Anna, chances are/were Anna was just going to pass it off to someone else.

 

[soxfan23]

Okay, we get it. YOU DON'T LIKE Anna!

Okay, we get it, YOU DON'T LIKE Walker!

 

[Cuango]

That was kind of my my point except I didn't hedge with the use of the word "maybe". This is factually correct: Every UCONN player last year statistically improved relative to strength (weakness really) of the opposition not just Anna. BTW your use of the exclamation point after every sentence kind of defeats the purpose of the exclamation point.

Thanks!

 

[Watchdog]

I'm not denigrating anybody and I have already "factually" posted about Anna performance in selective games. I can cherry pick and drop games with the best of them-Annoying isn't it?

You've proven the cherry picking part, so the point I apparently failed to make was your incorrect assertion she had great stats due solely to the weakness of the teams we played later in the season. Big games against P5 opponents were spread throughout the season and that's why I listed them by name for the whole season

I think your math is wrong. How could she have shot two more shots between the last 8 OOC and last 9 OOC games but made three more.

Yes it is wrong and when I tried to correct it for some reason the "edit" option was not available so here's the answer:
Her percentage for the last 8 OOC games was actually 39.3% (11 for 28), not the 35.7% (10-28) I posted. Still not too shabby for a freshman against the likes of SHU, ND, DePaul, OK, Baylor, Tenn, Oregon and USC.

 

[hoophuskee]

Why do you think I am knocking her as a player? I have repeatedly said that she is a heck of player, just not an All American. Is this forum that homerish that merely stating that IMHO a really good player is not an AA?

I think part of the problem with your posts is that your definition of "a very good player" imo is odd considering if she was "very good" then a "very good UCONN player" is somehow in your thought process "NOWHERE NEAR" an All-American. Sure there are some that can be very good like a Stokes - but with Amak we're talking a "6'2 terrific 3 pt shooter" that potentially is going to have greater passing guards to feed her. It's at least "a possibility" that UCONN will want to feed a 6'2 tremendous shooter, isn't it? And if other players at her position are either struggling or have injury issues -- why wouldn't you want to feed the tremendous shooter and very good passer???? Isn't a 40% - 45% 3pt shooter tremendous? She was 41% last year so you know for certain she won't improve on 41%? You know that for sure considering this is a potential soph bump season?

The point is - you don't know for certain if her minutes will go down as the season progresses because you can't know with certainty the play of CWill or the health of Evina (Who knows if Geno is going to limit her minutes) and the contribution of Nika.

Let me ask you this-- if she gets "28- 29" minutes per game (for example CWill struggles and Geno is cautious with Evina in some variation of these) and AMak is a 40-45% from 3 point range- knowing what you know about her skills as of this moment-- do you think AMak can reach "Honorable Mention A/A" status?