UConn Women basketball Early 2023-2024 Starting Five Prediction

[meyers7]

…….and what happened to Nika’s tenacity in the clear loss to Ohio State? OSU aggressively defended four players knowing that Nika would be distributing the ball to them, their fifth player lightly defended Nika but was also sagging off her waiting for a pass that tipped or outright intercepted. Having a point guard that is not a threat to score is a big weakness no matter how good her defensive skills are. OSU exploited that and that’s why they won. I love Nika and she has her place on UConn, even sometimes as a starter, but not all the time. Nika even got major minutes when Paige was a freshman but not as a starter with Willams and Westbrook running the show. If substitute Ducharme and Fudd for those two seniors, Nika still gets major minutes but doesn’t start.

Actually Muhl did start 15 of her 23 games as a FR with The Kid.

 

[CONN78SEJ]

Actually Muhl did start 15 of her 23 games as a FR with The Kid.

Yes, she did. You are correct.

 

[meyers7]

You were right, and I was wrong. I just don’t remember things well like I used to. Sorry about that. Sucks getting old. That being said, as things stand now, I still think the best team Geno can put on the floor next Fall, providing everyone is healthy, is Paige, Azzi, Caroline, Ayliah Edwards, and Griffin. Nika and Brady are first off the bench. Plus don’t count out KK Arnold as a starter if she’s as good a PG and scorer as advertised. Also, if Nika all of sudden starts stroking it in practice, then all bets are off.

It isn't a memory thing. When you are stating facts/stats, just go look them up. I can't remember who started which game or how many starts each player had. I have to go look them up. They put out the Media Guide every year for a reason.

 

[BBallF]

What Tony is saying is if Nika is not a major threat to score from the perimeter, the defense can concentrate on Azzi, Paige and Edwards. So, oh yes the defense can double down, and minus Paige, that’s exactly what Ohio State did to us in the NCAA tournament, when your point guard makes 7 turnovers things get ugly, and they did. Nika needs an offensive mindset, something she didn’t have in that game.

We didn't lose that game because Nika doesn't have an offensive mind set. We lost it because we were pressed and had 25 turnovers. We lost it as a team. At the end of the game Geno said we lost because he never solved the turnover issue. Yes, Nika needs work in the department because she tried to force too much but we didn't get the ball past half court in the press so I fail to see how not being a scorer was an issue. She had a pretty good year. Geno himself has said that the team works better with her out there. She is starting.

 

[CONN78SEJ]

We didn't lose that game because Nika doesn't have an offensive mind set. We lost it because we were pressed and had 25 turnovers. We lost it as a team. At the end of the game Geno said we lost because he never solved the turnover issue. Yes, Nika needs work in the department because she tried to force too much but we didn't get the ball past half court in the press so I fail to see how not being a scorer was an issue. She had a pretty good year. Geno himself has said that the team works better with her out there. She is starting.

No way, we lost because she didn’t head for the half court line as fast as she could. She picked up her dribble in the backcourt and tried to pass it in the backcourt and that’s when they bottled her up or tipped the pass. When it was five on five in the backcourt, UConn should made it a track meet to the hoop, but for that to happen the point guard needs an offensive mind set.

 

[MSGRET]

No way, we lost because she didn’t head for the half court line as fast as she could. She picked up her dribble in the backcourt and tried to pass it in the backcourt and that’s when they bottled her up or tipped the pass. When it was five on five in the backcourt, UConn should made it a track meet to the hoop, but for that to happen the point guard needs an offensive mind set.

Nika is not the only one that messed up in the Sweet Sixteen game, but if you feel better dishing her that's your right. The whole team was tired especially the starting five, stuff happens and it did in this game.

I would like to address all of the Not Nika fans on what she did this season, something that no other UConn PG has done. She has the single season assists record with 284 assists. She is on the single game assists Top 10 list in every placement from #1 to #9, tied with 7 other players in the 9th position.

1. 15 assists - Nika
2. 14 assists - Paige (20-21) and Nika
4. 13 assists - Susie Sturman (79-80), Laura Lishman (90-91), Renee Montgomery (08-09) and Nika twice
9. 12 assists - Nika twice, Paige, and 6 other players

Since the 2020-21 season there have been 18 double digit assist games by a UConn player and Nika has 13 of them, with Paige and Evina each having two and Olivia having one. She also only needs another 227 assists to become the top assists leader in UConn history.

 

[Skeets]

No way, we lost because she didn’t head for the half court line as fast as she could. She picked up her dribble in the backcourt and tried to pass it in the backcourt and that’s when they bottled her up or tipped the pass. When it was five on five in the backcourt, UConn should made it a track meet to the hoop, but for that to happen the point guard needs an offensive mind set.

One person cannot single handily break a determined press. You are over looking the fact that all year Edwards was instrumental in helping break the press. People were calling her a point-forward. But with Edwards sitting on the bench in foul trouble the press was that much more effective. The other 4 people on the court? Mostly standing around...

 

[ballerfan]

Nika is not the only one that messed up in the Sweet Sixteen game, but if you feel better dishing her that's your right. The whole team was tired especially the starting five, stuff happens and it did in this game.

I would like to address all of the Not Nika fans on what she did this season, something that no other UConn PG has done. She has the single season assists record with 284 assists. She is on the single game assists Top 10 list in every placement from #1 to #9, tied with 7 other players in the 9th position.

1. 15 assists - Nika
2. 14 assists - Paige (20-21) and Nika
4. 13 assists - Susie Sturman (79-80), Laura Lishman (90-91), Renee Montgomery (08-09) and Nika twice
9. 12 assists - Nika twice, Paige, and 6 other players

Since the 2020-21 season there have been 18 double digit assist games by a UConn player and Nika has 13 of them, with Paige and Evina each having two and Olivia having one. She also only needs another 227 assists to become the top assists leader in UConn history.

I’m in the pro Nika camp. I hope she is the starting PG with Paige as the 2. But stats sometimes lie. One reason Nika has so many assists is that she doesn’t shoot a lot compared with, for example, Paige.