UConn stats... KK & Ashlynn, alike or different?

[DavidinNaples]

On the surface, KK and Ashlynn have a lot in common. Both are talented Freshman thrust into starting roles for basketball powerhouse UConn. For the season, one (Ash) plays 25 minutes a game for the Huskies, the other (KK) just over 26. One (Ash) shoots 54% from the field, the other (KK) 55%. Ash has scored 148 points this season. Her partner, KK, has tallied 145 points. But that is where the similarities end. Their styles at both ends of the court are dramatically different. Consider:
1. KK is a defensive disrupter, leading the team with 36 steals, often leading to breakaway lay-ups. Her "in-your-face" style has also resulted in 37 fouls, 2nd only to Aaliyah with 39.
2. Ashlynn plays "text book" defense, upright and close, but not too close. Her 17 fouls are lowest of the regular players. Her 6 steals are also lowest of the regular players.
3. KK slashes and drives to the basket. Her lay-ups are a thing of beauty. 43 of her 53 baskets have been inside the 3 pt arc. Her 42 free throws tries are testament to the old adage, "The only way to stop her is to foul her."
4. Ashlynn has a near perfect, squared up shooting style that is effective from outside the arc or closer in. 58 of her 108 shots have bee 3 pt attempts. Her 20 made threes are twice as many as KK, who has only tried 25 total threes.
5. Ashlynn, until the last three games, had only 1 free throw try all season. As defenses tighten coverage of her to stop the scoring, she has now made 11 more trips to the charity stripe. She is 12-12 (100%) for the year.
6. KK is also a legitimate threat from outside the arc at 10-25 or 40%. She seems more comfortable lately from long range, as defenses sag off her to prevent lightening quick drives to the hoop.
7. KK is also a talented passer with 46 assists. Her 29 to's give her an assist/turnover ratio of 1.59. Very respectable. Ash has fewer assists at 18 & only 12 turnovers. Her ratio is an even 1.5
8. The strangest stat is the rebounded edge for KK, 34 to 28. The shorter Kk is a demon on the boards despite often drawing the opponent's point guard as a defensive assignment.

I guess KK & Ashlynn being alike or similar doesn't really matter. Both score and defend in their own unique way. UConn fans are blessed to have both playing as well as could have been predicted. And both will only get better and expand their talents.
Thoughts?

Go Huskies..!!

 

[Zarathustra]

KK and Ash are very complementary players! I once heard another UCONN pairing
called: "Peanut Butter and Jelly".!!! Can the Boneyard come up with a moniker for
KK, Ash, Q, and ICE?? It could be something about one's favorite cake: maybe
"ICEing" on the Cake? I'll work on it!!

 

[Jackalope]

KK and Ash are very complementary players! I once heard another UCONN pairing
called: "Peanut Butter and Jelly".!!! Can the Boneyard come up with a moniker for
KK, Ash, Q, and ICE?? It could be something about one's favorite cake: maybe
"ICEing" on the Cake? I'll work on it!!

This is easy for the two starters:

KKASH!


Even Swin Approves!

 

[DavidinNaples]

Last night's victory over Providence was another showcase of KK and Ashlynn's talents..!
Their stat line was quite impressive:

1. Points - Total of 33 points on 14-25 shooting. (56%)
2. Steals - KK with 8 and Ash with 4. Providence has 2 steals.
3. Assists/turnovers - 6 assists with only 1 turnover.
4. Rebounds - 6 total boards, including 2 offensive.
5. Baskets - 14 baskets, same as all of Providence.
6. Minutes - 31 for KK and 33 for Ashlynn.
7. +/- = KK at 44, Ash at 37.

Doing what they do best and improving every game.
Go KK, Ashlynn and Huskies..!!

 

[EricLA]

Great stuff as always, David. And you nailed it with "UConn fans are blessed to have both playing as well as could have been predicted. And both will only get better and expand their talents." Couldn't have said it better myself, so I won't try!

I think sometimes the national "press" gives the most publicity to players who score the most. But keep in mind that some of those players are close to the only option on their teams ESPN put out a list late December that had freshmen at teams like USC, Arkansas, Iowa State, Oklahoma State, Duke, BYU, Kansas, and Nebraska. All of them were listed in order more or less based on the PPG scored.

Aside from USC, none of those other teams are ranked, and Nebraska is the only in the group of others "also receiving votes". All the freshmen on the ESPN list are really good (some great) but...

• Juju has taken over 30% of the shots for her entire team, just a bit less than the next 2 leading scorers for the team (247 - 254)
• Talia Scott averages over 36 MPG takes almost 27% of her team's total shots. Her PPG average is about the total for the next 2 leading scorers (22.3 - 23.7)
• Addy Brown and Audi Crooks both play for ISU and not only are the leading scorers, their total PPG is 40% of the entire team. Together they take 37% of the shots for the entire team.
• Stailee Heard's numbers have dropped since Gusters re-joined the team about 7 games ago. Oklahoma State has 5 players who average double figures in scoring and this seems fairly similar to UCONN. She averages about 10 shots per game.
• Okananwa from Duke comes off the bench, still averages over 10 PPG, and plays about 22 MPG. Great #'s for a 6th (wo)man.
• Woolston, BYU is another freshman who plays a ton of minutes (35) per game. But she's 2nd in scoring and it's pretty balanced among the top 5.
• S'Mya Nichols, Kansas, starts, averages 27 minutes per game, and just over 13 PPG. Leading scorer on her team.
• Nat Potts, Nebraska, has started all 15 games and has nice numbers at 11.5 PPG

Ash and KK have "only" started 10 games. And even tho they start, they aren't tasked with leading their teams like most of the names above. I wouldn't trade either of them for any of the other freshmen in the country. When all is said and done, I think Watkins, Williams, and Fulwiley may well end up as the "best" in the class, but I'd stack our guys up against anyone else on that list.

It will be interesting to see who makes the end of year all freshman team (is there one for the country? Maybe not...). Put KK on Seton Hall and Ash on DePaul and their stats would be thru the roof. Our duo is just tremendous.

 

[my2cents]

Both players have been fantastic for us.
The Season stats are close, but up until the Ball St game, Ash was avg. 10 minutes a game, and since then, more into the thirties. Her total numbers will go up proportionally.
KK is flat out speed and the only person who can stop her, is herself. Her defensive disruption is unreal.
Ash, as she drives more will get to the foul line. She is very adapt at pulling up and making shots vs. going to the rim and getting blocked.

 

[JellyBean]

They are both different in their approach to the game and their skillsets help the program greatly.

 

[Rowdy831]

Ashlyn is a great example of a player with great fundamental development. On rebounds she isn't blocking out to get the rebound, she is blocking out the defender so she won't get the rebound. I remember a drill we did where you had to block out your rebounder until the ball bounced on the floor, AS has that type of determination on her block outs.

 

[Zarathustra]

Both players have been fantastic for us.
The Season stats are close, but up until the Ball St game, Ash was avg. 10 minutes a game, and since then, more into the thirties. Her total numbers will go up proportionally.
KK is flat out speed and the only person who can stop her, is herself. Her defensive disruption is unreal.
Ash, as she drives more will get to the foul line. She is very adapt at pulling up and making shots vs. going to the rim and getting blocked.

Thanks for the insight on Ash going to the FT line so infrequently. But I would not trade a high percentage
short jumper, which she does so well, for a drive to the rim and the possibility of being trashed by some BIG. Yes, the possibility
for an old time 3-point play is there, but GENO can't afford to have this particular young lady being banged up! (IMO)

 

[my2cents]

Thanks for the insight on Ash going to the FT line so infrequently. But I would not trade a high percentage
short jumper, which she does so well, for a drive to the rim and the possibility of being trashed by some BIG. Yes, the possibility
for an old time 3-point play is there, but GENO can't afford to have this particular young lady being banged up! (IMO)

I think her on court decisions are more like a senior than a freshman. When she sees a lot of traffic in the lane she pulls up, and when its just her man on her she should just go the rim. It's D1 basketball, there will be contact, IMO you can't play not to get hurt.

 

[AmeriConn]

On the surface, KK and Ashlynn have a lot in common. Both are talented Freshman thrust into starting roles for basketball powerhouse UConn. For the season, one (Ash) plays 25 minutes a game for the Huskies, the other (KK) just over 26. One (Ash) shoots 54% from the field, the other (KK) 55%. Ash has scored 148 points this season. Her partner, KK, has tallied 145 points. But that is where the similarities end. Their styles at both ends of the court are dramatically different. Consider:
1. KK is a defensive disrupter, leading the team with 36 steals, often leading to breakaway lay-ups. Her "in-your-face" style has also resulted in 37 fouls, 2nd only to Aaliyah with 39.
2. Ashlynn plays "text book" defense, upright and close, but not too close. Her 17 fouls are lowest of the regular players. Her 6 steals are also lowest of the regular players.
3. KK slashes and drives to the basket. Her lay-ups are a thing of beauty. 43 of her 53 baskets have been inside the 3 pt arc. Her 42 free throws tries are testament to the old adage, "The only way to stop her is to foul her."
4. Ashlynn has a near perfect, squared up shooting style that is effective from outside the arc or closer in. 58 of her 108 shots have bee 3 pt attempts. Her 20 made threes are twice as many as KK, who has only tried 25 total threes.
5. Ashlynn, until the last three games, had only 1 free throw try all season. As defenses tighten coverage of her to stop the scoring, she has now made 11 more trips to the charity stripe. She is 12-12 (100%) for the year.
6. KK is also a legitimate threat from outside the arc at 10-25 or 40%. She seems more comfortable lately from long range, as defenses sag off her to prevent lightening quick drives to the hoop.
7. KK is also a talented passer with 46 assists. Her 29 to's give her an assist/turnover ratio of 1.59. Very respectable. Ash has fewer assists at 18 & only 12 turnovers. Her ratio is an even 1.5
8. The strangest stat is the rebounded edge for KK, 34 to 28. The shorter Kk is a demon on the boards despite often drawing the opponent's point guard as a defensive assignment.

I guess KK & Ashlynn being alike or similar doesn't really matter. Both score and defend in their own unique way. UConn fans are blessed to have both playing as well as could have been predicted. And both will only get better and expand their talents.
Thoughts?

Go Huskies..!!

We are so fortunate to have them both!

 

[Rb335]

KK reminds me a lot of Crystal Dangerfield. Incredibly strong, and incredibly quick. Great defenders, both with an ability to penetrate and drive the basket, both create assist opportunities off the bounce. When KK gets the same level of 3 point shot, she’ll probably be an even better player because she has a taller frame.

Ashlynn reminds me of Kelly Faris with a far more polished offensive game. She isn’t super flashy, but she’s incredibly consistent and productive. Plays hard for 40 minutes, knocks down open looks, and plays solid one on one and team defense.

 

[Skeets]

KK reminds me a lot of Crystal Dangerfield. Incredibly strong, and incredibly quick. Great defenders, both with an ability to penetrate and drive the basket, both create assist opportunities off the bounce. When KK gets the same level of 3 point shot, she’ll probably be an even better player because she has a taller frame.

Ashlynn reminds me of Kelly Faris with a far more polished offensive game. She isn’t super flashy, but she’s incredibly consistent and productive. Plays hard for 40 minutes, knocks down open looks, and plays solid one on one and team defense.

Hard to describe Ash. Yes, some Kelly Faris. Hard-nosed like Jennifer Rizzotti. Offense a little like Shea, but not as flashy. Maybe Ash is just Ash 1.0