We wont get any better.....until we get better

[ucbart]

I agree with you on DeBerry. The men practice players say she is killing it in practice.
I love the energy, grit and fire Muhl brings to the team, but she is a below average offensive player and average defender and passer.
She started last year with Paige and started again this year - we never had a championship team with an average/below average starting guard.
Do you think she would start on most of the big East teams.

The thing with Nika is that she has to be out there-because there is just no other option. The team struggled mightily with E running the point, because frankly, she is no parts a PG(that turnover to Azzi in the second half is proof of that). So, Nika, a natural PG-has to play, because it looks far worse when she's not in there. I love Nika, but she is every bit an off-the-bench spark plug, not a lead guard who plays 35mpg. And I'm starting to agree with oldude, I just don't think Paige is close to being back and I'm 85% sure the next time we see her on the court, will be November.

 

[Aluminny69]

We do know we have Depaul next. We can assume that without Caroline and Liv we will most likely struggle. I hope their back and playing well. The only thing we can do now is hope we are at full strength for the NCAAs because right now we wont get any better...until we get better

For clarity, your topic should be

We won't get any better... until we get healthy!

 

[fireford]

So we're saying WCBB is 90 percent physical and the other half is mental.

 

[LoboDays]

For clarity, your topic should be

We won't get any better... until we get healthy!

We have to get better before we get healthy. Poor play is poor play no matter who may be injured. A team playing like we saw last night won’t get to the FF no matter how healthy they are.

No one goes to that restaurant anymore. It’s too crowded.

 

[hoopsfan22]

I think too many took the 6-8 weeks recovery estimate for Paige verbatim. It's like being put on the 60-day IL in baseball. You'll definitely be out 60 days, but it could also mean 160 days. We're 5 weeks from the first round of the NCAA tournament, so time is running out on a return this season. Wouldn't be shocked if in two weeks she still hasn't progressed to being able to participate in practice they just shut her down until next season and take the longer recovery route her dad thinks is best. Then we hold our breath to see if Paige decides to turn pro after next season.

 

[Conndog]

No, don't go pro! Not until we win national championship. Don't players have to be 22 years old to be drafted in WNBA? Or, would she go overseas if itching to play pro so much?

 

[hoophuskee]

Too many injuries destroying any semblance of continuity. Geno addressed it in his postgame in a way. Until the teams gets settled inconsistency will happen. They are not pros. For example, you blow defensive assignments or makes what looks like awful passes or mix-up as team boxing out because you haven't played together enough.

If injuries remain I could even see s scenario where either Piath or DeBerry come in and play well. Then the next game you put them in, they will be awful. Then the criticism will be of their effort and not boxing out etc.

Continuity/familiarity is key in developing consistency.

 

[hoophuskee]

Geno has the luxury of recruiting from among the best players both nationally and internationally. How we ended up with a team that is so inconsistent and lacking in will to win so frequently is beyond me. Last night exactly two players showed up.

We got Final Four last year. And had the number 2 class this year.

The recruitment has UCONN with no juniors. He did a bad job getting junior recruits (Aubrey hurt and she wasn't top 10). Last night he lost his best post player. He's lost the best player in WCBB. A stud in Ducharme, and Azzi is just coming back. And Azzi hasn't played a lot relatively speaking in the last 3 years.

Not sure why you wouldn't expect some struggling. If the team hadn't been decimated by injuries then not sure about your 1st sentence. The top players he has recruited that he was going to rely on have been hurt.

 

[Woof 101]

I agree the defense was less than stellar. Some of you have missed the point that it was not possible to play tight defense when you have no fouls to give. Many wanted to see Amari or Piath. Geno obviously doesn't think they are ready for prime time yet. That left 2 bigs with no backup. They could not afford to foul. How about the guards - the team has 6 - 2 were not able to play. Leaves 4. Needed 3 on the court. Leaves one to provide extra breaks and fouls. Why did the defense get so much better in the last 5 minutes? Because the fear of fouling out no longer mattered and they could finially play good tight D. Before you go crazy with criticism look to see why Geno did what he did and why the D looked subpar.

Agree and many do not realize how many teams are emulating what has been taught and of film from Geno coached teams.
Pass, pass, pass, pass, pass, pass, pass, defense out of position = open shot and they kept hitting them.

On the other hand our team has been doing too much dribbling giving the opponents D time to react.
My last on this one is what happened to Geno's mantra of if your open shoot? These are high level D1 players, not giving names everyone on the forum have watched the games. We have a big and a guard with wide open foul line range and holding the ball looking for someone to pass to often unguarded. That until they wait a few seconds too late and give up an open shot, now to be defended.

 

[Skeets]

I don't mean to be overly critical but let's soften up posts like this. Suffice to say AE did not step up and provide the game that was needed.

 

[Fairfield Fan]

It is what it is. Very rough year for the Coach and Associate Coach. Very demoralizing for the players on and off of he court. Fans.....well fans should continue to root for their team.

I'm really shocked. We lost eight games the year after Diana Taurasi left. But that team played as hard as they could, and made the most of the talent they had. They played like a Coach Geno team. This team, however, is not. I've never before heard Coach Geno say that his team didn't deserve to win, because they didn't play as hard as the other team.

Never seen this before...

 

[eyeroll]

There are alot of "what if's" posted and theyre not gonna change anything. There are many reasons we lost. We are what we are guys. Missing 3 starters and Griff. Its painful for all of us and its got to hurt bad for each team member and the coaches. Its been a crazy season. Ive read just about every single post and some hurt. We call them "our girls". This is not the way some of you not all of you talk about our girls??? I know it comes from frustration and part of the frustration is not knowing whats going on. We are not in the locker room or with the team so we dont know why Geno does what he does. Another thing we dont know who's healthy and who's not. Paige we know about but we dont know when shes coming back. Caroline and Ono we dont know whats going on there either. Dorka and Evina we dont know if there is anything wrong. Geno knows what he's doing, so lets leave it alone. Its been a very difficult and tuff season for everybody associated with UConn and thats the way it is. I thought Caroline wouldve been back for this game and instead Liv was out too. Liv was at the last second. Hey we dont know what to expect next. Its gotta be tuff for Geno too dealing with everything thats going on.

We do know we have Depaul next. We can assume that without Caroline and Liv we will most likely struggle. I hope their back and playing well. The only thing we can do now is hope we are at full strength for the NCAAs because right now we wont get any better...until we get better

Wow, you made this really nice post about being patient and KIND to our players/coaches and all anyone does is pile on with their bitching and disappointment. Hang in there Tony - there's many of us with you!

 

[ConnMotors]

Please remember that the 1996-97 Tennessee basketball team won a National Championship with a 29-10 record. With that being said are all of the UConn setbacks that have taken place this season finally over with? I really hope so. There are plenty of games left to be played. But it has been a hell of a coaster ride. From what I have read the only players that have played in every game this season are Evina Westbrook and Aaliyah Edwards. We have lost Saylor and Mir to transfer. We have lost Aubrey for the season to injury. We have had games cancelled due to Covid. I have lost track of when all the other players were hurt or when they returned. We lost the coach to sickness. Yes, we are all waiting on Paige’s return. Will she or can she be our savior for this season? I believe that she can and will be. However, everyone else has to play above their norm. I also think that the lineup changes for the 20th time this season after Paige is cleared to play. You cannot deny that Azzi has benefited from Caroline’s absence. But CD is still needed in the starting lineup. I would love to see Geno go with a four guard offense; PB, , CW and CD plus Ono. Sorry Nika!

 

[hoopsfan22]

If Paige is cleared to play again at some point, Nika will be replaced by her. When Caroline comes back I'm not sure what you do with her. Does anyone really want to sit Azzi? I'm thinking if Paige comes back, her and Azzi will get 70 minutes per game. That's just the way it has to be for this team to be great and make a deep run. The lineup is a no-brainer next season as Geno will be able to build the team around a reliable core of Paige, Azzi, and Caroline.

 

[jchusky]

No, don't go pro! Not until we win national championship. Don't players have to be 22 years old to be drafted in WNBA? Or, would she go overseas if itching to play pro so much?

because of her age she is 22 by dec 31 of 2023 so she is eligible after jr year to go to the Wnba.

 

[oldhusky]

6 or 7 players, some healthy-er than others, is all Geno had to play. You are GENO, what would YOU do to make sure you had 5 on the floor in the 2nd half?
I'd do what GENO did---I'd say, Don't Foul, we need you you nth floor. With the Wildcats shooting their brains out--it seeps into the brain, we can't play tough defense (until late the 4th quarter when Geno had fouls to give---and Uconn played Uconn defense. Bitch, moan, scream (as I did) You and I aren't Geno nor did we have to develop a game plan to stay out of foul trouble and try to win.
Geno went from 15 to 12 with 3 transfers thinking they'd not play. Then injuries, sickness set in and Uconn is down to 6 or 7. Crazy, but that is what Geno had to work with.

Geno might only be comfortable with 6 or 7 players some games, but it is not he was down to that number. Amari and Piath were available the last game. Geno didn't have to go with a 4 guard lineup, he chose to, by deciding not to play Amari or Piath. Maybe that was a good decision, maybe it wasn't, but he had a choice.

Previously he had what 3 games were we literally only had three guards available, and our players were gassed at the end of the game, and it showed. In that scenario we had options as well, not good ones but options. To rest the guards we needed to play Aaliyah almost all of her minutes at SF, in essence providing some rest for all three of Evina, Christyn and Caroline. That could have been done more, but since Aaliyah was needed at SF, that meant Amari and or Piath would have needed to play some in the big rotation. Another tough decision, but in that scenario I think Geno should have used his untested bigs some vs. having his regulars predictably very tired down the stretch.

 

[PAHuskeyFan]

Wow, you made this really nice post about being patient and KIND to our players/coaches and all anyone does is pile on with their bitching and disappointment. Hang in there Tony - there's many of us with you!

Concur with you @eyeroll and I enjoyed @Tonyc post as well. I am amazed by many of the posts lately. Yes, the Team is struggling with it's consistency, but they are busting their collective butts to win...each and every night. Geno says it's hard to PLAY consistently when the PLAYERS available are not consistent... just like it's hard to bake a cake that tastes the same every time when you don't have the same ingredients. Sometimes it just doesn't work out in their favor. AND often the opponent is able to take advantage of the situation. Villanova shot very well last game...including a number of 3s that were thrown toward the rim as the shot clock was expiring after a very good defensive stand by the Huskies...and the shot went in more times than not. Lucky?? or Skill?? It has to take a toll on the Huskies to have bottled them up for nearly the whole shot clock only to have a prayer go through the hoop at the last second.

I will not abandon ship!!

 

[BRS24]

Concur with you @eyeroll and I enjoyed @Tonyc post as well. I am amazed by many of the posts lately. Yes, the Team is struggling with it's consistency, but they are busting their collective butts to win...each and every night. Geno says it's hard to PLAY consistently when the PLAYERS available are not consistent... just like it's hard to bake a cake that tastes the same every time when you don't have the same ingredients. Sometimes it just doesn't work out in their favor. AND often the opponent is able to take advantage of the situation. Villanova shot very well last game...including a number of 3s that were thrown toward the rim as the shot clock was expiring after a very good defensive stand by the Huskies...and the shot went in more times than not. Lucky?? or Skill?? It has to take a toll on the Huskies to have bottled them up for nearly the whole shot clock only to have a prayer go through the hoop at the last second.

 

[PAHuskeyFan]

A lot of it is the "anonymous" nature of comments made in the electronic world. Sad.