USF Postgame Thread

[uconnever]

Jana will be fine, it’s just we haven’t played teams with big centers is part of why she hasn’t played more, just part of it. Geno does like that small lineup as well, but we don’t win without her last year and we won’t win without her this year. When we play a team with a big center like her, she will be in there. And the really good teams this year have big centers, so, her time will come and that’s why we will see her a little each game so she stays ready, I believe in her as well. She will play good defense and rebound for sure.

 

[donalddoowop]

If she had all these things she'd be playing a lot. But she doesn't have them.

She had them before she got to UConn. Go review her games before she came to UConn. You are one of those posters who post based on what you think.

 

[Doctor G]

Great review. I was lucky to be at the game last night having flown down from Jersey and had floor seats. It is a great venue to watch a game.

Our defense up close is almost terrifying. KK actually fakes her man on defense repeatedly as though she is going to try to deflect the ball and makes it impossible for the offense to get started. We do not lose very much at that position when Kayleigh comes in either, she is a very opportunistic player both on defense and offense.

In the pre-game warm ups, USF was deadly from the arc at one point making 12 in a row by various players. Once the game started, it was a different story and it had to do with the defense.

Azzi is an extraordinary defender and very underrated. She shuts down whoever she guards. She is smart, quick and strong. Sarah is just so impressive on defense. Her timing on deflections and steals is precise and merciless. Her diving onto the floor when we were up 35 is just so telling of who she is and how we play.

Jana tried out the floor also and our bench went crazy when she did. I thought she had a solid game last night. As many BYers have stopped mentioning her I will say this. She is much improved over last year. More athletic, better footwork, but still has to learn to set the pick and not move. When she does do it right and allows the dribbler or cutter to do the work, it is a dream pick because of its width and strength.

I was so impressed with how much we communicate with each other as a team. KK and Kayleigh direct traffic mostly on offense but so does Azzi and Sarah. On defense, I heard "switch" all the time an they execute it perfectly.

Blanca is something else. She is long, physically powerful, hugely talented and almost seems to be going at half speed. If you noticed, she reduced her speed on her patented spin move by about 50%, no doubt through coaching. It was under control and that move and the nifty drop pass by Sarah, were probably the best looking plays of the night.

Talk about the effects of coaching, Serah used her left hand and went to her left better than she has all year so far and looked really comfortable out there asking for the ball.

Very sad seeing both Morgan and Ice in warm ups and knowing how frustrating it must be. I was struck with how tall Morgan is. I just didn't think of her that way while seeing her from a distance or on TV. I also really feel for Caroline. She had a good "floor and glue" game and tries to get everyone involved, especially Ay last night, but her shot is just not dropping and she passed up an 8 foot pull up. As for the 0-4 from Azzi from the arc, it looked like she was just trying to aim her shot instead of just letting it fly. I have seen. that at times in the past with her so it is just a temporary thing.

Lots more thoughts and observations but it is was just an incredibly enjoyable experience. One last item. We had our UCONN tops on but for floor seats you can't wear opponents gear. Good idea as one of our most illustrious alums noted. When UCONN came out of the tunnel right before the game began, I thought I was at Gampel it was so loud! We are everywhere and in droves.

I didn't think that I could ever like any team better than last year's but I have to say after watching them up close, I honestly love this team. They are a sheer joy to watch. They are focused, workmanlike, fearless, and so supportive of each other that you just are in awe. We are up by 30 and we play like we are down by 5. Yup, that's UCONN.

Thank you for the wonderful report. You really bring the players and their playmaking abilities to life. I too thought Serah going to her left with confidence was a big step for her. The second time she went left she had a slight hitch to her get-along even though her path to the basket was open. You could tell that her first instinct after receiving the pass was to go right (as per usual) but then the coaching kicked in and she took the easy left-handed bucket that was right in front of her. Morgan was basically Magic Johnson on her high school team and is incredibly talented and competitive. I hope she gets back to full health this season.

 

[RedStickHusky]

You are one of those posters who post based on what you think.

Those are some of my favorite posters.

 

[BobbyJ]

She had them before she got to UConn. Go review her games before she came to UConn. You are one of those posters who post based on what you think.

I saw most of her FIBA tournament games for Egypt that were available and I know what I saw. It doesn’t matter what she did against undersized European/ Middle Eastern teenagers, this is D1 WCBB. It looks like Auriemma agrees with my assessment of her current abilities. People can make all the excuses they want for her but if she wants to play more she’s got a lot of work and improvement to do.

 

[Cornell Lt]

Pretty workman like performance against USF. Hopefully the rest of the non conference matchups will challenge the team and give a true indication of just how good this team can be.

 

[MilfordHusky]

That is actually how Azzi defended in high school. I think the health issues just didn't allow her to do it. Now we are finally seeing it at the college level.

I saw Azzi in person several times in high school. I don't recall a lot about her defense; I do recall her making a ton of shots from midrange. Like Paige, she is a really good defender.

 

[BRS24]

Watched a replay this morning and noticed something interesting. Evidently, Kelis has her own team cheer. When she made that remarkable play where she got hammered driving to the basket for a 3-pt play, the entire bench was up cheering for her by mimicking a “fish face” with both hands on either side of their heads flapping like fins and their lips puckered like a fish.

I can not recall another UConn Husky that ever inspired their own personal cheer. Wonder if the team was imitating a “BIG FISH” or a “little fish”….. 😎

We saw this and LOLed for the next few minutes. A bit surprised that it didn't get a replay with an explanation of why the players were doing it.

Kelis will be fine. Freshman PGs are usually a bundle of energy and can drive to the hoop, however Geno wants someone that can run the team and be responsible for everyone on the court (ala Sue Bird),k and play defense. It will take a bit behind KK and K9 for her to settle into the role, and that's why he always wants a bunch of guards on the roster.

 

[Bone Dog]

Watched a replay of the first half again this morning before work. It really struck me — like I hadn’t being paying attention before — just how quickly the ball moves even in the half court offense. It seems like a lot of it is Sarah, who is a passing genius. But KK and Kayleigh and Azzi can be really quick passers, and even Blanca sometimes.

The contrast to USF’s offense was really stunning. They looked like they were stuck in the mud most of the time next to UConn. It wasn’t just that we made great plays. It was mainly that even ordinary plays just happened at such a pace and USF couldn’t keep up.

I fully expect the passing game to get even quicker and crisper as the season progresses. The closest comparison I can think of is the Gabby-Phee-KLS teams, which seemed to set a high bar for passing.

 

[BRS24]

We saw this and LOLed for the next few minutes. A bit surprised that it didn't get a replay with an explanation of why the players were doing it.

Kelis will be fine. Freshman PGs are usually a bundle of energy and can drive to the hoop, however Geno wants someone that can run the team and be responsible for everyone on the court (ala Sue Bird),k and play defense. It will take a bit behind KK and K9 for her to settle into the role, and that's why he always wants a bunch of guards on the roster.

haha - found it

 

[Zinethar]

While I generally agree with most of the comments I get frustrated when I see someone looked down on because their stats seem poor. People are obsessed with scoring, not just here, but for seasonal rewards. I watched Jana be UConn's unmovable force under the basket during last season's championship run. No she doesn't score a lot of points. She doesn't have to. She frustrates the opposing posts. Does she make dumb fouls. Yep. She is also isn't a big name player yet. Betts is so she at times gets the benefit of the doubt in calls. Jana will as her time and exposure increase. She's only a sophomore in playing time. 6'5" big bodies are rare and we have one with excellent potential.

 

[fomalhaut]

While I generally agree with most of the comments I get frustrated when I see someone looked down on because their stats seem poor. People are obsessed with scoring, not just here, but for seasonal rewards. I watched Jana be UConn's unmovable force under the basket during last season's championship run. No she doesn't score a lot of points. She doesn't have to. She frustrates the opposing posts. Does she make dumb fouls. Yep. She is also isn't a big name player yet. Betts is so she at times gets the benefit of the doubt in calls. Jana will as her time and exposure increase. She's only a sophomore in playing time. 6'5" big bodies are rare and we have one with excellent potential.

People who are obsessed with stats should look at last night's stats for Williams and El Alfy. Other than still being a bad free-throw shooter, Jana had similar stats (in 12 minutes with the subs) to Williams (17 minutes with the starters). Also a beautiful pass to Sahde.

 

[HuskyNan]

You are one of those posters who post based on what you think.

? Everyone is one of those people who post based on what we think.

 

[BBallF]

Thank you for the wonderful report. You really bring the players and their playmaking abilities to life. I too thought Serah going to her left with confidence was a big step for her. The second time she went left she had a slight hitch to her get-along even though her path to the basket was open. You could tell that her first instinct after receiving the pass was to go right (as per usual) but then the coaching kicked in and she took the easy left-handed bucket that was right in front of her. Morgan was basically Magic Johnson on her high school team and is incredibly talented and competitive. I hope she gets back to full health this season.

Me too. Morgan is also another superb defender and floor player. You are exactly right about Serah. She was a different player last night.

 

[JellyBean]

First off, we could have easily put up 100 plus on USF but thankfully Coach is not that kind of coach. Secondly, I love that we have a team with multiple scoring options on the floor. Such a balanced attack is hard to stop. Thirdly, I love the ball movement by the team. The way the ball was swinging from corner, wing, top, wing, to opposite corner, it was a thing of beauty! Those passes were sharp and, on the money, for the most part.

Great win!! Go, Huskies!!

 

[BBallF]

Watched a replay of the first half again this morning before work. It really struck me — like I hadn’t being paying attention before — just how quickly the ball moves even in the half court offense. It seems like a lot of it is Sarah, who is a passing genius. But KK and Kayleigh and Azzi can be really quick passers, and even Blanca sometimes.

The contrast to USF’s offense was really stunning. They looked like they were stuck in the mud most of the time next to UConn. It wasn’t just that we made great plays. It was mainly that even ordinary plays just happened at such a pace and USF couldn’t keep up.

I fully expect the passing game to get even quicker and crisper as the season progresses. The closest comparison I can think of is the Gabby-Phee-KLS teams, which seemed to set a high bar for passing.

Last year's team passed great also. The ball just zipped around last night. With our defense, it is very hard to zip anything. They are so tenacious.

 

[Rowdy831]

Sarah and Azzi have been remarkable so far this season. KK though is the leader and when she is in the game UConn can score whenever she wants them to score. I would like to see better play when she is on the bench from the guards but they are so good it really isn't going to matter. In time I think Fisher and Blanca will pass up some players and be the keys to a long long run.

 

[Longtime fan]

Some postgame thoughts on the USF game.

• I suspect Jose was happy to watch the game from the stands tonight. ☺️
• There may not be a team in the country who can run their offense effectively against UConn. Tonight, the Husky defense was absolutely suffocating, forcing USF into 20 turnovers, while holding the Bulls to just 51 points on 37% shooting.
• When you lose two outstanding pg’s to the W, you might expect to stumble out of the gate next season. But the Huskies have barely missed a beat with their ball and player movement on offense, as KK, Sarah, Azzi & Ash orchestrate the offense with the newbies, youngsters and transfers all getting up to speed quickly. UConn is currently 2nd in the nation in assists per game, 3rd in A/TO ratio while averaging almost 90 ppg.
• For the 2nd game in a row, the Husky 3-pt marksmen lit it up from downtown as UConn went 9/23 with Azzi, amazingly, going 0-4 😮.
• It’s difficult to overstate just how important KK is to UConn’s strong 1st qtr starts this season, whether she is terrorizing the opposing pg on defense or pushing the ball up in transition and dropping dimes on offense. If she gets into foul trouble, the Huskies don’t lose much in Kayleigh.
• Everyone tends to focus on Azzi’s offense. Can you blame them? But Azzi has become a relentless on-ball defender, who’s strength, quickness and footwork are as good as any guard in WBB.
• Serah worked much harder tonight to establish low post position, before the ball arrived. As a result, when the ball arrived, she just had to turn and score. I sense Jamelle, the post whisperer, at work. 😎
• Blanca continues to impress whether she’s knocking down 3’s, driving to the basket like a freight train or locking down opponents on D.
• I really like the minutes that Allie is giving the Huskies off the bench.
• Sarah with 14 pts, 10 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals, 1 block, 0 turnovers.....ho hum.......
• Next up the Blue Demons at Gampel on a very special day when Sue's #10 will be retired.

I just want to make an observation about an as yet unheralded bench player. Miss Fisher (#7). She seems like an unpolished, yet bigger and faster ( is that even possible ?) version of KK. We have a lot to look forward top. And every time she gets on the court, she does some things to suggest she will be hard to keep on the bench. I think we got another good one.

 

[donalddoowop]

? Everyone is one of those people who post based on what we think.

Sometimes some are based on what we know.

 

[donalddoowop]

I saw most of her FIBA tournament games for Egypt that were available and I know what I saw. It doesn’t matter what she did against undersized European/ Middle Eastern teenagers, this is D1 WCBB. It looks like Auriemma agrees with my assessment of her current abilities. People can make all the excuses they want for her but if she wants to play more she’s got a lot of work and improvement to do.

Caliber of opponent has nothing to do with what moves a player has. She has the moves. Caliber of opponents comes into play in whether or not a player can execute those moves.

 

[JRRRJ]

I'm hoping CD finds the basket more consistently, but with the talent on this team, playing time is not easy to get. Strong is not our PG, but I think she is our field general, on the floor. K9 helps balance KK, by being ready to make the change without many problems.
I'm thinking, by March, Blanca will be even better...Azzi could have shot better, but sometimes all shooters get a cold streak, she always comes back.

Even if her shot doesn't return to days-of-yore levels, Caroline has performed well in her few minutes so far.
Second on the team a number of per-40 categories: Total RB, assists. Leads the team in fewest fouls per 40, A/TO (5.00!) She moves well and does the talking in the huddles.

 

[Cuango]

Jana started last season after the first few games and helped lead the team to a NC. Now, she comes back this season and has to prove herself again. If Geno concentrated on working with her as much as he is with Serah, I believe she will prosper. She has the footwork, moves, a mid-range jumper, a three-point shot and a jump hook shot. If her teammates knew ow to properly pass the ball into the post the way they do Sarah, she would be more efficient on offense. UConn is going to need her skills in order to win a NC.

Not sure why this was so poorly received? I too would like to see Jana get more minutes and I believe we will need her. I still believe in her and think she will be a big time player for us before her time here is done!

 

[BobbyJ]

Caliber of opponent has nothing to do with what moves a player has. She has the moves. Caliber of opponents comes into play in whether or not a player can execute those moves.

So you're saying she'd be great if Auriemma could schedule some HS level teams to play? I'm not going to pick the kid's game apart on a public forum, I'll just repeat that she's got a lot of work to do to become a consistent impact player.

 

[1974yankees]

I am OK with small players and no "big guy" in the middle. Give me 6-8 skilled basketball players and we will have another championship.

I count at least 8 of them on this team right now... I remember some of Dee's teams didn't really have a legitimate big man/women.

Last years team didn't.

Besides we have Sarah and Serah...

Do we need a 7 footer that can't move to win? I will take the 5 foot 6 inch kid that goes right through her...

 

[ccwarrior]

First off, we could have easily put up 100 plus on USF but thankfully Coach is not that kind of coach. Secondly, I love that we have a team with multiple scoring options on the floor. Such a balanced attack is hard to stop. Thirdly, I love the ball movement by the team. The way the ball was swinging from corner, wing, top, wing, to opposite corner, it was a thing of beauty! Those passes were sharp and, on the money, for the most part.

Great win!! Go, Huskies!!

We also could have dropped a 100+ on them if we made more bunnies😉 The effort to get to the basket is great, but these are lay-ins.