UConn's Remarkable Three Point Guard Lineup

[oldude]

Through the years, UConn has fielded some terrific backcourt combinations: Shea & Sveta, Sue & DT, Mo & Kia and many others. But in all my years watching UConn WBB, I have never seen a UConn team that started 3 outstanding pg’s, Paige, Nika & KK, all of whom could start at pg for over 90% of the D1 teams in the country.

Starting 3 talented pg’s as part of a 4-guard lineup, presents several challenges. Obviously rebounding and defending the paint against bigger teams is one of those challenges. But as Geno has said, “While we may be challenged on defense, you’re going to have to guard us on offense.” The other issue that Geno notes is that his 3 pg’s are all used to having the ball in their hands all the time, so 70% of UConn’s practice time is currently devoted to integrating his 3 pg’s into an effective offense.

With that said, when Geno decided on a small, 4-guard lineup 10 games ago, thereby creating a 3-pg lineup it resulted in a radical transformation of this year’s team:

• Ball movement & floor spacing – UConn’s 4 guards can all break down defenders off the dribble, and they can all shoot it, thanks in large part to Nika “working her ass off” to become a much better 3-pt shooter. Last year and earlier this year there were times when the ball “got stuck” and UConn’s offense bogged down. But over the last 10 games, UConn’s offense has become a symphony of outstanding ball and player movement, characterized by cutting, screening, great passing and lots of open shots. There was one play at Creighton that was shown from an overhead camera angle where Paige ran through a series of 4 screens set by 3 different teammates until she got an open look at the top of the arc, hitting nothing but net. It was a thing of beauty.
• Lockdown defense – By their nature, pg’s are smart, quick and athletic. They understand ball movement and passing lanes. In Paige, Nika & KK, UConn has a trio of lockdown defenders who play suffocating defense and jump passing lanes like a pack of thieves. Over the past 10 games the Huskies have forced their opponents into 194 turnovers (121 steals). As Geno points out turning over your opponent gives you an extra possession as well as denying your opponent a possession, creating the potential for a 4-6 point turnaround.
• Transition scoring – UConn is running at every opportunity. Last season, the ball had to find Nika first to lead the break or set up the offense. Not so this year. Following turnovers, rebounds or made baskets, the ball goes to whichever pg is closest while the other 2 pg’s, along with the other Husky players, take off down the court. You can see Geno exhorting his team on like a cavalry charge. UConn is getting a bunch of layups or wide-open jumpers before opponents set up their defense.
• More player rest – With all the injuries last year, UConn’s starters played an exorbitant number of minutes. 5 players averaged over 30 mpg with Nika playing a ridiculous 36.6 mpg. While UConn doesn’t have a lot of depth this season, Geno is doing a nice job of running players in and out. Only Nika currently averages over 30 mpg at 30.5 mpg, and her average has been steadily dropping. With UConn blowing out opponents, as well as Ines solid play of late, I expect that no UConn player will average 30+ minutes per game by the end of the regular season, hopefully leading to a well-rested and healthy team for the Big Dance.
• Ashlynn, the happiest player in WBB – As many BY’ers know, Ashlynn was also a pg in HS. But moving Ashlynn to shooting guard where she has thrived as Azzi’s replacement has been a godsend for the Huskies. Ashlynn is the Energizer Bunny, constantly moving to get open, confident in the knowledge that if she gets open one of the 3 pg’s will drop a perfect dime on her where she can then use her remarkable ability to quickly square up to the basket and knock down a shot. Considering who’s on the court with her, every game is like Christmas for Ashlynn, who appears to suffer from uncontrollable happiness.
• Aaliyah, the 2nd happiest player in WBB – Aaliyah was an AA power forward last season. She’s now playing out of position at center. Last year opponents would frequently double down on Aaliyah in the post, by rotating off Nika, Aubrey or Dorka. This year, opposing defenses are far less likely to double Aaliyah in the post. In addition, Aaliyah has gotten a lot quicker with her post moves and she has developed a strong left hand. There was one play vs Marquette that really stands out. Aaliyah received an entry pass in the low blocks and spun to her left, putting the ball on the floor. There was a Marquette guard a few feet away that could have dived down to double Aaliyah, but she was so concerned with Aaliyah kicking the ball out to a teammate at the arc that she jumped outside giving Aaliyah an easy layup.
• Incredible A/TO Ratio – Last season, Nika set the UConn single season record for assists, but as a team the Huskies generated a pedestrian 1.14 A/TO Ratio. This season UConn is currently 6th in the nation with a 1.54 A/TO Ratio. But when you look at the last 10 games, after Geno rolled out the 4-guard lineup, UConn is leading the nation with an incredible 1.87 A/TO Ratio that, along with their suffocating defense, equates to an average MOV of 37 ppg!!!

There is a lot of basketball left to play this season and we don’t know exactly how far UConn’s small, 4-guard, 3 pg lineup will take this Husky team. But two things are clear. UConn is playing spectacular basketball right now and the Huskies are an absolute pleasure to watch!!!

 

[Next 12]

Well said,oldude! Your breakdown was perfect. Uconn is NOW a team to be feared with the exceptional players we now have.And even MORE feared with the players coming in next year, ALONG with who's staying for another year. Great days are ahead, GO FRESHMEN!!!!! GO HUSKIES!!!!

 

[BRS24]

Great thread @oldude ! I've been mulling over the impact of this lineup (#8), and have something fun to share. For now, I'll keep it to this season, however when we're in a lull between games, maybe between end of regular season and BET (3/3-9) or BET and NCAAT (3/12-22), I'll put up some historical context. But for now ...

Here's a look at the running average of points scored, surrendered, and differential. The red lines indicate by game when there was a lineup change. At the onset of lineup #8, the average points scored has gone from 77.6 to 84.2, points surrendered from 65.8 to 59.2, and the differential from 11.9 to 24.9. Although the team may be sacrificing rebounds, the increase in scoring has balanced that out thus far.

 

[oldhusky]

Very good post. Your point about the drastically improving A/TO ratio in the last 10 games is very significant. that is one area I was initially concerned with. Even before considering KK's impact with Nika and Paige both starting, I assumed Nika'a assists would decrease but also at least as much the turnovers. So I presumed our A/TO ratio would be very good from the start and even more so adding KK to the starters.

But with challenges up front and injuries a four guard lineup by itself is a major adjustment, even more so with three point guards, two freshmen, and very different roles. Some of figuring this out, and clicking now may be because of three point guards. No position needs to understand the needs and strategies better than the point guard, which i think is one reason they tend to make good coaches later in their careers.

I also think Geno has kept it a little simpler for the freshmen, and asked his senior guards to make the big changes. Nika and Paige as PG's are from a standpoint of rebounding and defending, the 3 and 4 in this lineup. They have found a style that works pretty well with what they have, remarkably well perhaps, but they are still vulnerable in several ways.

The obvious concern is there is no margin of error with further injuries. With Aubrey out we don't really have another shot blocker/rebounder type, other than Aaliyah. Even with this combo working against most teams, there will be some teams where we will wish we could have gone big, but we don't have a big counter for that.

With a short bench it is hard to press as much as we do because of fouls and fatigue although this group is overachieving there to a remarkable degree. And finally because he has to be a little careful managing minutes Geno has a little more limited ability to make strategic lineup substitutions.

All of those things are factors limiting our potential upside, but having said that, this lineup may be reaching their potential as well as any unit we have had for a number of years, given what they have had to overcome.

 

[Bone Dog]

As Geno points out turning over your opponent gives you an extra possession as well as denying your opponent a possession, creating the potential for a 4-6 point turnaround.

Excellent post! I’m just musing on the point you credit Geno with. Does forcing a turnover really deny an opponent a possession, or more precisely a shot opportunity? I suppose it depends on when in the shot clock it occurs.

What has me thinking about this is that the transition break created by the turnover typically results in a shot (and a bucket) within a few seconds. This is especially true if the steal occurs at the top of the circle or near midcourt. Does this mean the total amount of time in the game the two teams share is not reduced by much? The number of possessions might end up more or less the same for the opposing team, though a turnover may well increase the number for the team that forces a turnover.

I haven’t looked at any data for this. I’m just guessing. If the goal is to reduce shot opportunities, forcing a shot clock violation may be more effective than forcing a turnover early in the shot clock.

But maybe elapsed time is not the most useful way to approach this. In boxing, counterpunching might be more like a steal. The opponent doesn’t lose much time that could be devoted to punching just by getting hit when he tries to hit. But if it happens a lot, it might sap his will to fight. Transition offense seems to have this sort of effect on opponents too.

 

[diggerfoot]

Before the season started I thought that Bueckers and Muhl could reach a 3.0 A/T ratio, while Arnold achieved 2.0. Muhl started the first five games with a 3.5 A/T while Bueckers lagged behind under 2.0 as she was getting adjusted. Over the next five games Bueckers improved slightly while Muhl nosedived to 1.6 with the instability of the roster. Our three PGs were clustered from 1.6 - 1.7 at that time, not bad for averaging any three players on a roster, but certainly with the seniors falling short of their potential.

With the stability of the small line-up Bueckers and Muhl have shot up within a relatively small amount of time. Bueckers now leads at 2.65 and trending upwards, Muhl is at 2.35 and trending upwards, Arnold remains steady at 1.65. My adjusted expectations is that Bueckers may still reach 3.0 or barely fall short, Muhl could reach 2.75, while Arnold might fall a little short of 2.0, which is still admirable for a freshman.

For a little perspective, Muhl’s worst game during this stretch was 7 assists and 4 turnovers. Clark’s average before yesterday’s game was 7.7 assists and 4.2 turnovers per game.

 

[Boreifs]

Before the season started I thought that Bueckers and Muhl could reach a 3.0 A/T ratio, while Arnold achieved 2.0. Muhl started the first five games with a 3.5 A/T while Bueckers lagged behind under 2.0 as she was getting adjusted. Over the next five games Bueckers improved slightly while Muhl nosedived to 1.6 with the instability of the roster. Our three PGs were clustered from 1.6 - 1.7 at that time, not bad for averaging any three players on a roster, but certainly with the seniors falling short of their potential.

With the stability of the small line-up Bueckers and Muhl have shot up within a relatively small amount of time. Bueckers now leads at 2.65 and trending upwards, Muhl is at 2.35 and trending upwards, Arnold remains steady at 1.65. My adjusted expectations is that Bueckers may still reach 3.0 or barely fall short, Muhl could reach 2.75, while Arnold might fall a little short of 2.0, which is still admirable for a freshman.

For a little perspective, Muhl’s worst game during this stretch was 7 assists and 4 turnovers. Clark’s average before yesterday’s game was 7.7 assists and 4.2 turnovers per game.

For Nika’s “worst” game, she played despite having the flu.

 

[FanFromMaine]

Very good post. Your point about the drastically improving A/TO ratio in the last 10 games is very significant. that is one area I was initially concerned with. Even before considering KK's impact with Nika and Paige both starting, I assumed Nika'a assists would decrease but also at least as much the turnovers. So I presumed our A/TO ratio would be very good from the start and even more so adding KK to the starters.

But with challenges up front and injuries a four guard lineup by itself is a major adjustment, even more so with three point guards, two freshmen, and very different roles. Some of figuring this out, and clicking now may be because of three point guards. No position needs to understand the needs and strategies better than the point guard, which i think is one reason they tend to make good coaches later in their careers.

I also think Geno has kept it a little simpler for the freshmen, and asked his senior guards to make the big changes. Nika and Paige as PG's are from a standpoint of rebounding and defending, the 3 and 4 in this lineup. They have found a style that works pretty well with what they have, remarkably well perhaps, but they are still vulnerable in several ways.

The obvious concern is there is no margin of error with further injuries. With Aubrey out we don't really have another shot blocker/rebounder type, other than Aaliyah. Even with this combo working against most teams, there will be some teams where we will wish we could have gone big, but we don't have a big counter for that.

With a short bench it is hard to press as much as we do because of fouls and fatigue although this group is overachieving there to a remarkable degree. And finally because he has to be a little careful managing minutes Geno has a little more limited ability to make strategic lineup substitutions.

All of those things are factors limiting our potential upside, but having said that, this lineup may be reaching their potential as well as any unit we have had for a number of years, given what they have had to

Very good post. Your point about the drastically improving A/TO ratio in the last 10 games is very significant. that is one area I was initially concerned with. Even before considering KK's impact with Nika and Paige both starting, I assumed Nika'a assists would decrease but also at least as much the turnovers. So I presumed our A/TO ratio would be very good from the start and even more so adding KK to the starters.

But with challenges up front and injuries a four guard lineup by itself is a major adjustment, even more so with three point guards, two freshmen, and very different roles. Some of figuring this out, and clicking now may be because of three point guards. No position needs to understand the needs and strategies better than the point guard, which i think is one reason they tend to make good coaches later in their careers.

I also think Geno has kept it a little simpler for the freshmen, and asked his senior guards to make the big changes. Nika and Paige as PG's are from a standpoint of rebounding and defending, the 3 and 4 in this lineup. They have found a style that works pretty well with what they have, remarkably well perhaps, but they are still vulnerable in several ways.

The obvious concern is there is no margin of error with further injuries. With Aubrey out we don't really have another shot blocker/rebounder type, other than Aaliyah. Even with this combo working against most teams, there will be some teams where we will wish we could have gone big, but we don't have a big counter for that.

With a short bench it is hard to press as much as we do because of fouls and fatigue although this group is overachieving there to a remarkable degree. And finally because he has to be a little careful managing minutes Geno has a little more limited ability to make strategic lineup substitutions.

All of those things are factors limiting our potential upside, but having said that, this lineup may be reaching their potential as well as any unit we have had for a number of years, given what they have had to overcome.

Very good post. Your point about the drastically improving A/TO ratio in the last 10 games is very significant. that is one area I was initially concerned with. Even before considering KK's impact with Nika and Paige both starting, I assumed Nika'a assists would decrease but also at least as much the turnovers. So I presumed our A/TO ratio would be very good from the start and even more so adding KK to the starters.

But with challenges up front and injuries a four guard lineup by itself is a major adjustment, even more so with three point guards, two freshmen, and very different roles. Some of figuring this out, and clicking now may be because of three point guards. No position needs to understand the needs and strategies better than the point guard, which i think is one reason they tend to make good coaches later in their careers.

I also think Geno has kept it a little simpler for the freshmen, and asked his senior guards to make the big changes. Nika and Paige as PG's are from a standpoint of rebounding and defending, the 3 and 4 in this lineup. They have found a style that works pretty well with what they have, remarkably well perhaps, but they are still vulnerable in several ways.

The obvious concern is there is no margin of error with further injuries. With Aubrey out we don't really have another shot blocker/rebounder type, other than Aaliyah. Even with this combo working against most teams, there will be some teams where we will wish we could have gone big, but we don't have a big counter for that.

With a short bench it is hard to press as much as we do because of fouls and fatigue although this group is overachieving there to a remarkable degree. And finally because he has to be a little careful managing minutes Geno has a little more limited ability to make strategic lineup substitutions.

All of those things are factors limiting our potential upside, but having said that, this lineup may be reaching their potential as well as any unit we have had for a number of years, given what they have had to overcome.

Every team has factors that limit their potential upside.

 

[Bigboote]

I love the option to have two point guards on the floor at all times.

Folks have mentioned the potential negative impact of having Paige cover the opponent's 4. But if Paige is taking the point for a few possessions, imagine being the 4 that's covering her.

 

[my2cents]

Whether we call it , our small lineup or 4 guard lineup, its pretty obvious it's our best line up. First and foremost, we have players that can score in the halfcourt. Each player has to be covered or you will get burned.
Second, with Paige and KK taking the ball more in the halfcourt, we have dramatically cut down on turnovers. Nika's passing on fast breaks is great, but not as good in the half court. She telegraphs too many passes. However, as she spots up and is left alone on the three line, she has been deadly.
KK and Ash, as their playing time has increased, have gotten better. Our loses this year were early and Geno really didn't realize what he had in those two.
Paige is Paige and IMO is the best player in the country. A generational talent destined for the HOF.
I wouldn't want to play this "New Look" UCONN team now.

 

[MooseJaw]

Again, hats off.

 

[oldude]

Most folks here on the BY would likely agree that Geno is the best coach in the history of WBB. But at times we may shortchange Geno when it comes to things like mental toughness and adaptability. Consider that several years ago, after a 2nd straight season when her ND team was devastated by injury, an emotionally drained MM made the difficult decision to retire from coaching.

In basically the same situation, Geno licks his wounds, takes a look at which players on his roster are still healthy and figures out how he can still make a run at another national championship. Not only does he come up with a radical lineup that includes a power forward and 4 guards, but he and his staff then coach up a 3 senior, 4 freshmen rotation to play some of the best basketball we’ve seen from UConn in years.

Geno is the G.O.A.T.

 

[huskeynut]

What has been amazing is how starting KK and Ash with Nika, Paige and Aaliyah clicked so quickly. The entire dynamic of the team changed in a couple of games. .

We now have 5 legitimate scores on the floor. Each is capable of leading the team in scoring on any given day/ night. Including Paige as the 4th guard, they all can hit the 3 and all can hit that mid-range jumper. It makes them very difficult to defend. And they no problem driving the lane. Defensively they are vultures on the floor. That defensive is fueling the fast break.

Geno and company have done an incredible job of restructuring this team in such a short period of time. He is the BEST.

This team is such fun to watch. And you can see they are really enjoying what they are doing on the court - winning.

 

[Huskee11]

The biggest beneficiary of the three point guard offense is Ashlynn.

Over the first seven games of the season, KK averaged 22 minutes per game and Ashlynn only 12.5 minutes per game, including a DNP(!) against NC State.

Over the ten games after Texas, KK is averaging 29.3 minutes a game and Ashlynn is averaging 32.7 minutes per game.

So KK`s minutes have increased significantly but Ashlynn`s minutes increased dramatically, by over 20 minutes a game.

Ashlynn is good off of the dribble but is also adept at moving without the ball and finding open space. She is decisive and has a quick release so she doesn`t need to be wide open to be open. For someone like that to be playing with three unselfish point guards is a dream scenario for her. She is making the most of it!

What stands out to me about this group is their ability to push pace on offense and for all five on the floor to play intense, in your face defense, no weak links. In both areas, Nika`s influence cannot be overstated. The Freshman have obviously stepped up and exceeded expectations, but we are also seeing the best versions of Paige and Nika ever.

It is fascinating to focus on Nika`s career at UConn. She has missed some time but has generally been healthy, at least relatively. But look at all the amazing guards and wings that she has played with over the last four seasons. CW, Evina, Caroline, Azzi, Paige, Aubrey, Lou, and now KK and Ashlynn, and add Q as well. Hopefully I`m not forgetting anyone. All of those combinations have been special.

During the first part of the season many noticed a lack of energy, an uncharacteristic grimness, and that was obviously worrisome. Not a problem any more!

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Gotta ask: If this is so wonderful why didn't we start the season off this way. We are fortunate to have this small team jell remarkably, but let us not pretend it doesn't come with weaknesses.

 

[oldude]

Gotta ask: If this is so wonderful why didn't we start the season off this way. We are fortunate to have this small team jell remarkably, but let us not pretend it doesn't come with weaknesses.

Obviously, I would rather see a UConn team take the court with a healthy Azzi, Caroline, Aubrey, Ayanna & Jana. But this year it’s all about “next woman up.” So far the results, as you indicate, are pretty remarkable.

 

[visitingcock]

I love the option to have two point guards on the floor at all times.

Folks have mentioned the potential negative impact of having Paige cover the opponent's 4. But if Paige is taking the point for a few possessions, imagine being the 4 that's covering her.

Well, the opponent’s four that she covers doesn’t have to be the opponent’s player designated to cover her.

 

[fomalhaut]

If you assume the average possession is worth one point or a bit more, my guess would be that a steal is probably worth around a three point swing (far more steals end in layups than the typical possession), and a dead-ball turnover (e.g. travelling or a pass out of bounds) is
worth about two.

 

[oldude]

Well, the opponent’s four that she covers doesn’t have to be the opponent’s player designated to cover her.

True, but the opposing 4 has to cover someone, and that’s going to be a guard that can both shoot from the perimeter or drive by a slower Big out on the floor.

 

[my2cents]

Obviously, I would rather see a UConn team take the court with a healthy Azzi, Caroline, Aubrey, Ayanna & Jana. But this year it’s all about “next woman up.” So far the results, as you indicate, are pretty remarkable.

Wally Pip had a headache and some guy named Lou Gehrig finally got in the game. One person's injury is another's opportunity.

 

[PJCLaw]

Gotta ask: If this is so wonderful why didn't we start the season off this way. We are fortunate to have this small team jell remarkably, but let us not pretend it doesn't come with weaknesses.

Of course it comes with weaknesses, after all, we have 3 starters under 6 ft, and only one above 6'2". We didn't start the season this way because Geno is loyal to upperclassmen, so Azzi and Caroline were the starters and the freshmen would get into the game based on when they were needed. Rather than pointing out the obvious vertical challenges, why not appreciate that we have unselfish players who have been asked to reinvent themselves on the fly and are thriving in their new roles. Half full versus half empty!

 

[Bone Dog]

If you assume the average possession is worth one point or a bit more, my guess would be that a steal is probably worth around a three point swing (far more steals end in layups than the typical possession), and a dead-ball turnover (e.g. travelling or a pass out of bounds) is
worth about two.

This looks like a fun speculation.

If we take UConn as an example, we attempt roughly 63 FG/g and make ~32 of them. We average 10 O-boards a game, which we could use to guesstimate possessions from FG attempts, ending up with 53 possessions/game. Add in 7.5 3s/g and 12 made FTs and you end up with ~84 pts/g on 53 possessions. Which means your first estimate looks pretty good: ~1.6 pts/possession.

That 1.6 number means we're converting possessions at a rate higher than our FGM% of 51%. We force about 18 turnovers/g and about 10 of those are credited as steals. If we assume the dead ball turnover conversion rate is similar to the FGM%, I wonder what the conversion rate is on steals -- maybe >75%?

 

[WLT1717]

Through the years, UConn has fielded some terrific backcourt combinations: Shea & Sveta, Sue & DT, Mo & Kia and many others. But in all my years watching UConn WBB, I have never seen a UConn team that started 3 outstanding pg’s, Paige, Nika & KK, all of whom could start at pg for over 90% of the D1 teams in the country.

Starting 3 talented pg’s as part of a 4-guard lineup, presents several challenges. Obviously rebounding and defending the paint against bigger teams is one of those challenges. But as Geno has said, “While we may be challenged on defense, you’re going to have to guard us on offense.” The other issue that Geno notes is that his 3 pg’s are all used to having the ball in their hands all the time, so 70% of UConn’s practice time is currently devoted to integrating his 3 pg’s into an effective offense.

With that said, when Geno decided on a small, 4-guard lineup 10 games ago, thereby creating a 3-pg lineup it resulted in a radical transformation of this year’s team:

• Ball movement & floor spacing – UConn’s 4 guards can all break down defenders off the dribble, and they can all shoot it, thanks in large part to Nika “working her ass off” to become a much better 3-pt shooter. Last year and earlier this year there were times when the ball “got stuck” and UConn’s offense bogged down. But over the last 10 games, UConn’s offense has become a symphony of outstanding ball and player movement, characterized by cutting, screening, great passing and lots of open shots. There was one play at Creighton that was shown from an overhead camera angle where Paige ran through a series of 4 screens set by 3 different teammates until she got an open look at the top of the arc, hitting nothing but net. It was a thing of beauty.
• Lockdown defense – By their nature, pg’s are smart, quick and athletic. They understand ball movement and passing lanes. In Paige, Nika & KK, UConn has a trio of lockdown defenders who play suffocating defense and jump passing lanes like a pack of thieves. Over the past 10 games the Huskies have forced their opponents into 194 turnovers (121 steals). As Geno points out turning over your opponent gives you an extra possession as well as denying your opponent a possession, creating the potential for a 4-6 point turnaround.
• Transition scoring – UConn is running at every opportunity. Last season, the ball had to find Nika first to lead the break or set up the offense. Not so this year. Following turnovers, rebounds or made baskets, the ball goes to whichever pg is closest while the other 2 pg’s, along with the other Husky players, take off down the court. You can see Geno exhorting his team on like a cavalry charge. UConn is getting a bunch of layups or wide-open jumpers before opponents set up their defense.
• More player rest – With all the injuries last year, UConn’s starters played an exorbitant number of minutes. 5 players averaged over 30 mpg with Nika playing a ridiculous 36.6 mpg. While UConn doesn’t have a lot of depth this season, Geno is doing a nice job of running players in and out. Only Nika currently averages over 30 mpg at 30.5 mpg, and her average has been steadily dropping. With UConn blowing out opponents, as well as Ines solid play of late, I expect that no UConn player will average 30+ minutes per game by the end of the regular season, hopefully leading to a well-rested and healthy team for the Big Dance.
• Ashlynn, the happiest player in WBB – As many BY’ers know, Ashlynn was also a pg in HS. But moving Ashlynn to shooting guard where she has thrived as Azzi’s replacement has been a godsend for the Huskies. Ashlynn is the Energizer Bunny, constantly moving to get open, confident in the knowledge that if she gets open one of the 3 pg’s will drop a perfect dime on her where she can then use her remarkable ability to quickly square up to the basket and knock down a shot. Considering who’s on the court with her, every game is like Christmas for Ashlynn, who appears to suffer from uncontrollable happiness.
• Aaliyah, the 2nd happiest player in WBB – Aaliyah was an AA power forward last season. She’s now playing out of position at center. Last year opponents would frequently double down on Aaliyah in the post, by rotating off Nika, Aubrey or Dorka. This year, opposing defenses are far less likely to double Aaliyah in the post. In addition, Aaliyah has gotten a lot quicker with her post moves and she has developed a strong left hand. There was one play vs Marquette that really stands out. Aaliyah received an entry pass in the low blocks and spun to her left, putting the ball on the floor. There was a Marquette guard a few feet away that could have dived down to double Aaliyah, but she was so concerned with Aaliyah kicking the ball out to a teammate at the arc that she jumped outside giving Aaliyah an easy layup.
• Incredible A/TO Ratio – Last season, Nika set the UConn single season record for assists, but as a team the Huskies generated a pedestrian 1.14 A/TO Ratio. This season UConn is currently 6th in the nation with a 1.54 A/TO Ratio. But when you look at the last 10 games, after Geno rolled out the 4-guard lineup, UConn is leading the nation with an incredible 1.87 A/TO Ratio that, along with their suffocating defense, equates to an average MOV of 37 ppg!!!

There is a lot of basketball left to play this season and we don’t know exactly how far UConn’s small, 4-guard, 3 pg lineup will take this Husky team. But two things are clear. UConn is playing spectacular basketball right now and the Huskies are an absolute pleasure to watch!!!

Excellent, informative points. They also have PG court vision, which facilitates ball movement and higher percentage shots. Which you need when you are usually facing a rebounding deficit.

 

[uconnfan68]

Gotta ask: If this is so wonderful why didn't we start the season off this way. We are fortunate to have this small team jell remarkably, but let us not pretend it doesn't come with weaknesses.

Why would you start freshmen ahead of Fudd and Ducharme? They're proven players in your system.

 

[oldhusky]

Every team has factors that limit their potential upside.

Quite true, but many of the things reducing our upside potential happened as the result of each new injury. every one reduced our upside compared to what it could have been if healthy. What this team has accomplished despite those is pretty remarkable, but the ceiling before the season began was considerably higher.