UConn women

[mauconnfan]

He's amazing simply the best ever in the womens game, no brainer, not close. Pat S didn't make her players better as Geno does, that's why these girls come here, they get it. Other teams get as good and better recruits and none advance as the UConn girls he and his staff teach and work with. I believe Azura Stevens pretty much said that in her reason to transfer to UConn, and after the Olympics the ex-LSU stud said something along the same line, the expectation is perfection or as close as you can get. Katie Lou was the smartest of the Samuelson sisters and we are already seeing the transformation from shooter to all around player, she's excellent. Gabby, well she plays like a guy, tremendous athlete that word so hard to become a good shooter and now is excellent from 12-15 feet which makes her a really tough guard for the defense. Collier's improvement is unreal, the confidence in which she displays is crazy.

Now as far as men's coaching I have no doubt he would be successful somewhere, just not sure how high but he could certainly impact the game. The NBA maybe talk is ridiculous no shot of that ever, they don't listen they don't like teachers and they would look down for sure to a "women's" coach. So many questions in recruiting, 2 year players, different game by far but he's a great coach and it would be really interesting if he took the shot.

They won't lose this year!

 

[dogpause]

More fun to watch this year because the outcome hasn't seemed assured. But after beating both Baylor and ND, I am just so impressed with this team. I also think Geno and his staff have really done a great job getting them to believe in themselves.

 

[pnow15]

Didn't there used to be a board around here dedicated to the woman's team?

 

[storrsroars]

Didn't there used to be a board around here dedicated to the woman's team?

There's a board for professional sports too. Let us know when you protest against those threads so we'll know you're not just complaining because you're sexist

You better hope BY's mods aren't involved in hiring Trump's border security, cause anything might get by.

 

[8893]

Didn't there used to be a board around here dedicated to the woman's team?

And also an ignore thread feature?

 

[HuskyHawk]

Yeah, I used to assume (wrongly), oh, he always gets the best players. Hey, sometimes he does. But sometime he doesn't, but the girls he recruits turn out to be the best. When that happens over and over, there's a pattern. With one constant.

He's got some special sauce. I don't know what it is, but he's got it. He makes the good great, and the great legendary.

I'd be very interested in seeing him try his hand at something else. but I don't have a problem with him putting up more banners in Storrs. We need all we can get.

Selfless basketball. That's the secret sauce I see. The players truly buy in to that. It's a little like what Belichick does...nobody plays if they play for themselves. The result is that when other team's top players start doing a solo thing in frustration, UConn goes on a run and puts the game away. Four girls have lead the team in scoring so far.

 

[alexd]

In order to de-throne Uconn It'll probably take a group of two or three top girls getting together and saying " let's go to
South Carolina or Syracuse or another school so we can beat Uconn".

Took a quick look online....other schools ARE getting their share:

2015 McD's Game:
Lville 3
UConn 3
TX 2
UNC 2
MD 2
Baylor 2

2016 McD's game:
MD 3
Stanford 3
ND 2
Lville 2
UCONN 1

 

[CL82]

Williams is a great athlete.

She's got some hops...

Yes, you are correct she came to UConn planning to be guard.

 

[ctchamps]

Muffet McGraw is probably the second best coach currently in women's bb and on paper Notre Dame has a better overall team. They are more experienced, deeper, equally athletic (although Williams is in another universe), with equally great outside shooting. During the previous transition period for UConn ND managed to beat UConn several times.

I'm not sure UConn can beat them again this season especially if Turner progresses over the season. She missed games because of injuries and it showed with her early missed shots. UConn has an answer for her but that answer can't play this season.

Also Chong (the only player graduating btw) played a great game but she's not at the level of Allen and neither is Dangerfield at this stage. So winning another NC is still a big question mark imo.

With that stated, it makes this game all that more remarkable. Second half ND made adjustments to stop Collier and Williams, and Geno countered by positioning the team to isolate Samuelson. As others have stated his in game adjustments are terrific.

His post game comments and reaction told it all. There have been very few times in his long career that Geno has felt better after a victory than what the team and the coaches accomplished in this game.

 

[8893]

She's got some hops...

Yes, you are correct she came to UConn planning to be guard.

Never realized until seeing that close-up of the game ball that each school must have their own personalized balls?

 

[UConnNick]

They have been & still are ridiculously good. Wish there was a way to harness the level of dominance the women's hoops program has had and channel it towards our football & MBB teams. Especially football. Even a sprinkling.

First we'll have to hire a head football coach that isn't certifiably insane.

 

[EricLA]

Williams is a great athlete. Didn't Geno switch her to play forward from guard? I am impressed at how Katy Lou has become a pretty gritty, multi-faceted player. Great coach.

Williams played guard in high school. And as someone else pointed out, she was very close to making the Olympic team as a high jumper when she was 15. However, she had 2 knee injuries her JR and SR years of HS so she basically missed 2 years growth and development. When she came to UCONN Geno famously said something like "How was this kid a guard in high school? She can't dribble, she can't shoot, and she can't pass". It was basically true.

So they worked with her on easier things she could master and as a freshman, started playing her in the post. It's easier to make a layup, go for a rebound, and use her athleticism around the basket. Her first season, her FT % was 46%. Her 2nd year, it jumped to 75%. She'd be putting up better numbers this year, but early season foul trouble kept her out of games for long stretches...

 

[ctchamps]

Geno can easily coach the men's game and be successful. The guy is an encyclopedia of knowledge and that includes the NBA. I doubt there is an individual in this forum who knows more than he does regarding that topic.

He's understands gender differences but his treatment of women is unusual for most males and based on his achievements probably more than most women. He doesn't elevate them. He helps them understand they are more than what our culture believes to be true. He demands perfection from them but not because he's a perfectionist trying to fix the world from chaos to reduce chaos from his life. Rather he knows his players are capable of approaching perfection and he doesn't want them to settle for less.

Combine this with a masterful understanding of talent and character, a masterful understanding of the differences of individuals, a masterful understanding of how to individualize the methods to bring this out in each individual it isn't surprising he's one of the best, if not the best, in the business.

The only reason, imo, he doesn't coach men is because men are more stubborn and Geno doesn't want to work harder than he already does. It's a life choice and not a limitation.

 

[Paesano]

I also watched them last night for the first time this season. I watched with my youngest daughter, who, like her older sisters, has heard me preaching the gospel according to Geno and Jim in various respects over the years as it pertains to sports, especially Geno's approach to practice. I had reminded her of Geno's practice tactics just last week when we accidentally showed up late for her soccer clinic (Mrs. 8893 had the time wrong, but that's a whole 'nother story...). She had missed her clinic but the coach offered for her to stay for the next clinic. She is ten years old and the next clinic was for 12-14 year olds. She knew I wanted her to stay so she did, and it turned out to be just her and seven 12-14 year-old boys. It was really tough for her. She worked her ass off, got beat a bunch, but held her own and by the end of the session when they played 20 minutes of 4 vs. 4 she was right there with them, especially her defense, and I could not have been more proud. I emphasized that the most important thing was that she never got beat psychologically, and I reminded her of how Geno runs his practices.

Fast forward to last night, and she was rapt in attention as she watched with me. She was so excited with the way they pulled ahead in the second half that she ran over to give me a hug, and when they interviewed Geno and he stressed how important their mental toughness was and how it reinforced what he does in practice, she gave me the biggest knowing smile...and she admitted that she had felt like crying at the beginning of that advanced clinic last weekend and was so happy that she gutted it out.

Geno's ability to push himself and his players is truly unequaled. I don't know how he keeps his drive after all he has accomplished. The most impressive part to me last night was when we grew the lead to 7 points down the stretch, and he told them in the huddle to remember the good old days when they would take a 7-point lead and push it to 17 instead of trying to just hold on, and then he laid into them for not making enough hard cuts. These are young kids and they grew tremendously last night, showing both him and themselves more than they knew they had.

I don't care whether it's women's basketball or tiddlywinks, this guy is just flat out one of the best coaches ever, at any level, of anything. We are very lucky to have him.

I can't like this enough. You are dead on!

 

[superjohn]

Geno can easily coach the men's game and be successful. The guy is an encyclopedia of knowledge and that includes the NBA. I doubt there is an individual in this forum who knows more than he does regarding that topic.

He's understands gender differences but his treatment of women is unusual for most males and based on his achievements probably more than most women. He doesn't elevate them. He helps them understand they are more than what our culture believes to be true. He demands perfection from them but not because he's a perfectionist trying to fix the world from chaos to reduce chaos from his life. Rather he knows his players are capable of approaching perfection and he doesn't want them to settle for less.

Combine this with a masterful understanding of talent and character, a masterful understanding of the differences of individuals, a masterful understanding of how to individualize the methods to bring this out in each individual it isn't surprising he's one of the best, if not the best, in the business.

The only reason, imo, he doesn't coach men is because men are more stubborn and Geno doesn't want to work harder than he already does. It's a life choice and not a limitation.

He would be a fool to leave and coach men. He is by far the greatest women's coach ever, will have more titles than anyone and is beloved by an entire state. You simply don't leave the perfect job.

 

[ctchamps]

He would be a fool to leave and coach men. He is by far the greatest women's coach ever, will have more titles than anyone and is beloved by an entire state. You simply don't leave the perfect job.

The only reasons he'd leave would be if the nature of the players were to change in ways he disliked or if he became bored with the lack of competition. I don't know if this team can win a NC but he appears thrilled he's coaching a team that isn't vastly superior to other teams and still managing to win. He's made it clear in the past that he's aggravated with the women's game because coaches aren't producing better teams.

 

[Rayvin56]

goshdarn. She apparently put up 19 and 9 and at Duke and will have this year to get even better.

I hope one day Geno tries the men's game. The guy is truly a legendary coach. Casual fans assume he gets the top 5 players every year but there are a handful of teams that recruit on the same level. He is just that special sauce.

 

[ctchamps]

There's a board for professional sports too. Let us know when you protest against those threads so we'll know you're not just complaining because you're sexist

You better hope BY's mods aren't involved in hiring Trump's border security, cause anything might get by.

You TWERP! This year we are going to grab the bull by the balls and kick some punks off this forum. Right now more than one are on double secret probation!

 

[Sky ball]

Didn't there used to be a board around here dedicated to the woman's team?

The Mexicans paid for wall around that board...locked out.

 

[meyers7]

She's got some hops...

Yes, you are correct she came to UConn planning to be guard.

Williams played guard in high school. And as someone else pointed out, she was very close to making the Olympic team as a high jumper when she was 15.

Here is Williams jumping 6-2.25 as a Soph. (in HS)

 

[Pudge]

Geno can easily coach the men's game and be successful. The guy is an encyclopedia of knowledge and that includes the NBA. I doubt there is an individual in this forum who knows more than he does regarding that topic.

He's understands gender differences but his treatment of women is unusual for most males and based on his achievements probably more than most women. He doesn't elevate them. He helps them understand they are more than what our culture believes to be true. He demands perfection from them but not because he's a perfectionist trying to fix the world from chaos to reduce chaos from his life. Rather he knows his players are capable of approaching perfection and he doesn't want them to settle for less.

Combine this with a masterful understanding of talent and character, a masterful understanding of the differences of individuals, a masterful understanding of how to individualize the methods to bring this out in each individual it isn't surprising he's one of the best, if not the best, in the business.

The only reason, imo, he doesn't coach men is because men are more stubborn and Geno doesn't want to work harder than he already does. It's a life choice and not a limitation.

Who are you kidding?

Being a wise man on the BONEYARD is the most disqualifying thing I can think of in a basketball conversation. It is like starting off with minus 8 on the scoreboard.

 

[ivrytontusker]

The fact is that the talent is much more concentrated in the women's game. There are not as many upsets in the tournament or the regular season. The win % of the top seeds in the women's tournament are typically 15-20% higher than for the same seeds in the men's tournament.

I'm very interested to see what happens to the program when Geno retires. He is the program. I hope we can find a good replacement.

 

[Scoe]

The fact is that the talent is much more concentrated in the women's game. There are not as many upsets in the tournament or the regular season. The win % of the top seeds in the women's tournament are typically 15-20% higher than for the same seeds in the men's tournament.

I'm very interested to see what happens to the program when Geno retires. He is the program. I hope we can find a good replacement.

It wouldn't shock me if Geno had some coach in waiting before he retired I could see it being, Rizzotti, Ralph or Moseley. I think it would have to be someone who has been around the program either as a player or coach, and who is around Geno in his last years of coaching. I think he would have the say in the next coach, I could see CD being on the bench in the 1st year of the next coach. Maybe UConn will win it once every 5-10 years instead, just dont expect pure domination.

 

[ivrytontusker]

It wouldn't shock me if Geno had some coach in waiting before he retired I could see it being, Rizzotti, Ralph or Moseley. I think it would have to be someone who has been around the program either as a player or coach, and who is around Geno in his last years of coaching. I think he would have the say in the next coach, I could see CD being on the bench in the 1st year of the next coach. Maybe UConn will win it once every 5-10 years instead, just dont expect pure domination.

I expect the drop-off to be more like UCLA men's program. It has won 1 title since 1975, after winning 10 from 1964-75. Something similar might be happening with the Tennessee women's program (too early to say, but obviously they haven't won a title since Summitt retired). I don't see any natural advantages for us in terms of location, academics, etc., vis-a-vis Duke, Stanford, Tennessee, Texas, Baylor, ND, UNC, etc., other than having the best coach in the history of the game.

 

[Mr. French]

I never bought into he always gets the best players. But he always gets the 'right' best players.

One of his magic tricks, is that he has gotten to a place where he can pick and choose the kinds of kids he brings in. He's not desperate. So he gets kids with skills, but more importantly are very coachable, team first, smart, and hard working. They all have ready made intangibles coming in. Those particular traits are perfect for what they do here.

Very true. And i don't want to go on an anti-Cal jag, but I feel that's partially why he doesn't dominate the way Geno does, despite the recruiting rankings.

Obviously the two sports are different, but aside from that my comparison is based on Geno seeming to know WHICH top players to take and which have the potential to be transcendent.

Then of course, he has the coaching chops to help them become great.