UConn's Grind-it-Out Season

[Longtime fan]

Nice analysis. I, too, will be astonished if UConn makes the Final Four. It will help that they will be over seeded thanks to playing in a weak conference. But I see five of six Pac 12 teams, two SEC teams, Baylor, Louisville, NC State, etc. that could send them home. And UConn fans should be glad that the Tenn game is in CT because the Huskies may need the home crowd. Let's be honest, their road performances at Memphis and UCF were dreadful.

There are three words that can usually be associated with Geno's teams. Quick, confident, and consistent. We're a little short on all three. Our three star players are quick, but it's not translating into team quickness. The consistency is obviously not there on the offensive end. And it seems that our three stars are not confident in the skills of the next three in the rotation -- and I don't think you can blame them. Often as the offens unfolds I find myself telling Crystal to forget passing and shoot the three because it will probably be the highest percentage shot we'll get before a turnover or the shot clock expires. Ono plays, hard but against the better teams she'll seldom get a matchup on the offensive end that she can capitalize on. Her shot blocking is great... her touch around the basket, layups, and freethrow shooting are not of the same caliber. UConn's inside-out game suffers because she often can't cleanly handle the pass in, is too slow with the pass out, or because the other team doesn't feel they need to double her when the ball goes in. Makurat sometimes looks like she's playing freeze tag when she takes two dribbles and stops. She needs a lot of time to ponder her shot if we want a reasonable certainty that it will go through the net. And Kyla looks like a quarterback making handoffs at the top of the key. But, God bless her, she understands her role and her limitations and is usually in the right place at the right time, even if often her ablities won't allow her to take the best advantage of it. Griffin has the most potential and athleticism of the "non-stars," but she is unable at this point to play as smart as the other two and with her limited minutes the team's offensive flow doesn't seem to get better when she' inserted.

Basically, UConn in 2019-2020 is going through the same challenges that most Top 25 teams face every year. We're just not used to it.

I just want to go on record to acclaim that I may have no idea what I am taking about. Last night, I recalled a moment, earlier in this season, when everything seemed to be clicking beyond my wildest imagination. Olivia was emerging as tougher, aggressive and athletic. Her upside seemed unlimited and she was scoring ( it seemed) at will. She was improving exponentially, game to game. The core three were all showing speed, brilliance and athleticism. Kyla was contributing beyond expectation, and the two freshmen showed great promise ( I fully expected Aubrey to be starting by Feb 1, and to never look back). I seemed to me we might have grossly underestimated this team, and that it might just "fly under the radar" and surprise everyone in March. After the last few games, I feel the opposite. Our best player is Crystal and she gets little support, but lots of attention from aggressive defenses ( she is getting beat upon, and we have no relief for her ). Megan is still a prolific scorer, but careless with the ball and not showing smart decision-making ability. Williams is great at driving to the hoop, but has lost that panache of " a former HS top player who is now showing the world why she was so highly rated." Her outside shooting and passing have, too often, taken a holiday. Olivia is stuck in the mud and no longer getting better each game. Kyla has been neutralized and, of the two freshmen, Ania is showing more ability to contribute than the incredibly athletic and promising Aubrey. But neither is "wowing" anyone. Ania can't stop turning the ball over, mostly self-induced. And Aubrey seems like a two dimensional freshman ( she can jump; and usually make a put back from under the basket ) who needs about two more years to understand the UCONN offense and to fit herself into it. If we knew nothing of her history, we would conclude that she does not have the ability to convert any shot but a lay-up. The entire team is among the worst in UCONN history making free throws ( totally an un-UCONN characteristic), which ability is often the difference-maker at the championship level. So I have gone from "no expectation" to; " we can win it all" to; "we have no chance"..... all in the space of 2-3 months. Consequently, I have lost all confidence that I understand what I am seeing. Or I am failing to see something that is not yet visible ( chew on that idea, for a moment ).