UNC Postgame (merged)

[Stagnant]

Anyone surprised only 7 players got double digit minutes?

Surprised? No. But I thought Morgan should have stayed in to start the 4th quarter. That lineup had momentum.

 

[JellyBean]

I applaud the team and the coaching staff. UNC is a tough team with just the right blend of talent to really help both teams develop and measure themselves, especially in this early phase of the season. My thoughts on the game..... Great Win! I am proud of this team and our coaching staff. Congrats, Coach G and CD. 40 years and 1,216 wins!

 

[hoophuskee]

Chen is scrappy but she looks more like a 2 guard the more I see her play. Kk and Paige were so calming at the point. She made me nervous.

Yes Chen is more of a 2-guard but UCONN needs her to be more of a pg. For example, wouldn't it better if Chen could drive the lane and dish to Paige for a 3, rather than Paige drive the lane and dish to Chen for a 3?

This is why UCONN gives Chen minutes now as a partial pg. Th expectation is that she will improve as season goes along.

 

[oldhusky]

It is very early, but this far into the season the first 7 looks pretty obvious. It appears Morgan might be #8, followed by Allie and Q. Right now against average competition all of those might see some minutes, but if we look ahead to Azzi and Aubrey returning, #8 now might be #10 then and perhaps the last player in the regular rotation. If Caroline is fortunate to return those later rankings could be pushed down another spot.

Who knows what will happen on the health front. The last three years we have started with somebody out for the whole season before the first game is played, and then additional bad news followed. This year "could" be quite different. where we start with four injured players, all of which could return and if we can have some luck for once, and we might be healthier at the end than the beginning. If so, many of our players getting some playing time now are auditioning to earn a spot in the rotation later, when some will become third string that just see time in blowouts.

 

[Stagnant]

Slow start to the season for KK. Is she 100%? Returning from an ankle injury if I remember correctly.

Still contributes on defense.

 

[Boreifs]

It is very early, but this far into the season the first 7 looks pretty obvious. It appears Morgan might be #8, followed by Allie and Q. Right now against average competition all of those might see some minutes, but if we look ahead to Azzi and Aubrey returning, #8 now might be #10 then and perhaps the last player in the regular rotation. If Caroline is fortunate to return those later rankings could be pushed down another spot.

Who knows what will happen on the health front. The last three years we have started with somebody out for the whole season before the first game is played, and then additional bad news followed. This year "could" be quite different. where we start with four injured players, all of which could return and if we can have some luck for once, and we might be healthier at the end than the beginning. If so, many of our players getting some playing time now are auditioning to earn a spot in the rotation later, when some will become third string that just see time in blowouts.

Yanna is very important; the five spot needs 15 fouls.

 

[bballnut90]

Just watched the game, some thoughts:

1. Paige looked like her freshman self but better. She is likely head and shoulders better than anyone in the country this year. That said, if I'm going to nitpick, I thought she should've been even more aggressive in the 4th quarter leading up to the couple of late buckets she made late. She always makes the "correct pass" and would swing it to the open shooter in the corner, but those shots were usually missed, where if Paige just shot the ball herself or took a dribble inside the arc, it's a higher efficiency opportunity. Great game by her.

2. Sarah Strong was excellent. Passing, defense, rebounding and finishing inside all looked great. Perimeter shot was off but she'll hit those. She's going to be a nightmare for opponents the next 4 years and I think is pretty clearly UCONN's 2nd best player already.

3. Ice Brady looks improved. She looks like she's in better shape than a year ago and just more confident on the court. Good physical post player.

4. Aside from those 3, I didn't think anyone else stood out in particular. Shade's shot was off, El Alfy provides length and size fine but looked like a freshman out there, Chen was relatively quiet.

5. Based on playing time distribution, I'm guessing Geno sticks with his traditional smaller rotations in bigger games, though Fudd will definitely carve out playing time as well when she returns. She's going to get a lot of really good looks with how well UCONN is moving the ball early on.

6. UCONN's offense couldn't find rhythm against the 2/3 zone. I'm surprised NC didn't just stick with that going into the 2nd half. UCONN attacked it well but weren't putting up points against it.

7. Really solid win over a scrappy North Carolina team that played hard and refused to die.

 

[VA Huskie]

Did not feel like a hostile environment. The crowd was at least as loud for UConn as for UNC.

I was there and mostly agree. But when UNC was starting to comeback, their crowd was much louder than we ever were.

 

[AzzisBraids]

Yes Chen is more of a 2-guard but UCONN needs her to be more of a pg. For example, wouldn't it better if Chen could drive the lane and dish to Paige for a 3, rather than Paige drive the lane and dish to Chen for a 3?

This is why UCONN gives Chen minutes now as a partial pg. Th expectation is that she will improve as season goes along.

I agree that this is what UConn needs rn but I disagree that it would be better on that scenario. Paige dished to Chen multiple times, a few went in and a few were really good looks that rimmed out. The success rate of Jana, Brady and Strong passing then screening to Paige on hand offs have been extremely effective so far.

During the 3rd and 4th quarter Geno had Paige bring the ball up and she scored or had a good look everytime and when she didn't she gave wide open looks to Chen, Shade, Ziebell and others. Some made but most missed.

Chen was tasked to replace Muhl but in my small sample size it appears she could help Bueckers better from the scoring front on the perimeter.

 

[hoophuskee]

I agree with poster’s sentiments that Paige "could have" taken more shots against the zone. But we have to remember, UCONN does not play "Iowa basketball." Iowa basketball led to no championships and their day is done. UCPNN recruits h/s A/a's and POY caliber types year over year because team play is greater than one-player play. A motion offense is run for a reason. We all have heard we need more than Paige. So we have a 10 point lead (and ever greater) at that pointy in which many believe we have great depth so the 1st sign of trouble in the month of November we are going to scrap team play and play one-player hoop? We had opportunities to see here who would produce. We just can't brag we have all this depth and all these fine players in which most were h/s a/a's then even though comfortably ahead in November scarp all that to play "one player ball." We're trying to build by trying to rely on having more than just Paige (and Sarah). UCONN was still comfortably ahead getting good shots.

 

[hoophuskee]

I agree that this is what UConn needs rn but I disagree that it would be better on that scenario. Paige dished to Chen multiple times, a few went in and a few were really good looks that rimmed out. The success rate of Jana, Brady and Strong passing then screening to Paige on hand offs have been extremely effective so far.

During the 3rd and 4th quarter Geno had Paige bring the ball up and she scored or had a good look everytime and when she didn't she gave wide open looks to Chen, Shade, Ziebell and others. Some made but most missed.

Chen was tasked to replace Muhl but in my small sample size it appears she could help Bueckers better from the scoring front on the perimeter.

And in this game Chen brought the ball up sometimes and also made some good passes to players that didnt make shots too, didn't she? And in this game, why not have her learn to get to the ball to Piage more in better scoring positions? The threat UCONN was going to lose was extremely minimal. And I think I'm being kind.

SO if it comes down to getting good looks and UCONN seemed to have good looks for nealrly most of the game, then why not Chen passing to Paige as superior vs Piage passing to Chen? A "good look to Chen" is not near as good as a "good look to Paige." The team needs to work on this. And it didn't seem UNC's defense didn't do anything to stop UCONN from getting good looks regardless of the pg.

 

[Alydar]

Some thoughts on the UNC game:

• The Huskies passed a Big Test today against a very good team. The last time UConn WBB won a regular season game on the road, against a ranked, non-BE team, in that team’s home state, with actual fans in the stands was almost 6 years ago, in December 2018 at Cal. It’s about damned time that streak has ended.
• The Huskies were on a roll until UNC went to a zone. After putting up 16 in the 1st qtr, Paige only had 2 in the 2nd qtr. Other players needed to step up. In the 3rd qtr, UConn got some offensive production from Paige’s teammates and the Huskies were able to extend their lead. In the 4th qtr, UConn slowed it down and hung on.
• Sarah continues to impress with her all-around game, poise and ability to stuff a stat sheet. She had a nice game in front of her homies. I am amazed at how many times Sarah gets her hands on the ball, making steals, blocking shots and coming down with rebounds in traffic.
• Some really nice post defense from both Ice and Sarah. UNC's starting forwards, Gakdeng & Ustby were a combined 2/10 with 5 points in total.
• I hate the double 3-pt line. Twice during the game, Kaitlyn buried a shot from the corner that Rebecca called as a 3, but she was only behind the inner line which made it a 2. I have no idea why Greensboro still has the inner line. It serves no purpose.
• UConn missed a bunch of open 3's tonight. Azzi can't get back in the lineup soon enough.
• This is a game the Huskies learned some things about themselves that they can build off of.
• So let the celebration begin. Geno and CD have tied Tara for the most coaching wins in the history of college basketball with 1,215 wins. I’m going way out on a limb here. Next Wednesday at Gampel against FDU, with many former players in attendance, Geno & CD will become the winningest coaches in the history of college basketball!!!

I'll wait until I see that Dee Kantner isn't officiating before I feel safe.

 

[Alydar]

Did Kaitlyn actually foul out? I don't remember her being mentioned for being in foul trouble Or the announcers mention it when she left the court.
Edit: upon instant review, it was at the 54.3 mark of the 4th. The announcers missed it.

They had it on the radio call.

 

[triaddukefan]

I was hoping for a 40+ point blowout, so I'm a bit disappointed in the result But I'll let yall slide this time

 

[ERWUC65]

You do know that Ashlin and KK played in the elite eight in the final four game
To say they’re not ready to play against top teams makes no sense

Yes, they played out of necessity as the team was decimated by injuries, and all credit to their efforts, but they did not contribute much to the box scores in the NCAA tournament. As freshman, playing so much, they never got the opportunity to truly learn the system with all its complexities, as now needed in games like tonight.

 

[Dugway]

It is early season still and many of our players are still relatively inexperienced. We won by 11, I had predicted only eight so better than I initially guessed. On the road, against #14, at this point in the season, I am happy with it!

I think the biggest concern is the fouls by a few of our players. I have heard it stated many times over the summer “Chen is extremely aggressive”, well she is collecting way too many fouls in the process. Almost like she is trying to hard; just play at about 98% of that pace and let it roll.

Ice played great! Yet my concern is more so towards she and Jana collecting fouls. We have KK and a multitude of guards to backstop Chen if in foul trouble, but backing Jana and Ice, we are shallow. Nobody hardly mentions Patterson, but it would sure be a luxury if we had her playing, and playing well!

All in all, a good win especially considering that Shade’s offensive stats were not up to her typical standards.

 

[NEforceUConn]

Sorry, I post a live pic at tip off (yes posted late because of internet issues), as I was there, and get 3 likes? Wow I had a few more important pics to post live, but if that’s my respect I’ll keep them to my family. Go geno and Huskies!

Maybe posted great pic in wrong thread

 

[MilfordHusky]

I thought that the newbies looked nervous, especially when UNC got the momentum. For several players, it was their first away game.

Paige is clearly #1 or maybe #2 in the nation. She's a Mount Rushmore player.

Ice was good, other than costing Paige a made 3-pointer.

Other than Kaitlyn's boneheaded giveaway, I thought she was good.

It was a double-digit road win against a top-15 team. Could have been better, but I'll take it.

 

[MilfordHusky]

A reminder--when Azzi is on the floor, the spacing is even better, and the defense gives her a ton of attention.

 

[NEforceUConn]

Paige was all Paige (AA).
Sharan S was freshman AA
Ice was solid
Ash was a player
Chen has potential to be Caitlyn Paige if her 3 point shot can fall
KK is solid
Other freshman we’re servicible

 

[Zonepress]

Yes, they played out of necessity as the team was decimated by injuries, and all credit to their efforts, but they did not contribute much to the box scores in the NCAA tournament. As freshman, playing so much, they never got the opportunity to truly learn the system with all its complexities, as now needed in games like tonight

So playing a lot of minutes, negated their ability to truly learn the system with all its complexities
Wow, that makes a lot of sense

Kk play a phenomenal game in the final four against Iowa. It was her defense down the stretch that allowed us to get back in the game.

For the record in the Iowa game KK played 35 minutes shot takes 6-10 from the floor has five assists, and five steals

I Ashlynn played 37 minutes at five points, seven rebounds, one assist into steals, and only one turnover
If that’s not contributing much, does a box score than I guess I don’t know what is

 

[AJay11]

I thought that the newbies looked nervous, especially when UNC got the momentum. For several players, it was their first away game.

Paige is clearly #1 or maybe #2 in the nation. She's a Mount Rushmore player.

Ice was good, other than costing Paige a made 3-pointer.

Other than Kaitlyn's boneheaded giveaway, I thought she was good.

It was a double-digit road win against a top-15 team. Could have been better, but I'll take it.

I feel like the team is continuing to mesh together, so I am not honestly worried about the results. I am surprised by the Chen quotes. Feels like the offense flows better when she's in the game and I wish she had shot more. I love KK but I don't think her offensive game is as solid. Not sure what happened to Shade. But again I think this team just needs more playing time. I hope Azzi comes back sooner than later. I feel like most people are forgetting that that the team will have to adjust to having Azzi back in the line up too. I don't know if it matters, but Azzi has only played with Paige in games. I assuming that in itself will be an adjustment.