Westbrook to Uconn [merged thread]

[Soxx]

Wouldn’t it be nice, for a change, to have some riches of substitutes? Maybe going more than 5 deep?

It's hard to argue with the old phrase that you can never have too much talent, but how many guards of this quality can you really use? Is she a pure 1/2 or can she play the 3. Next year, not much of a problem with CD, CW and EW, but the following year there is a logjam with CW, EW, NM and PB unless one of them can play some minutes at the 3.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Wouldn’t it be nice, for a change, to have some riches of substitutes? Maybe going more than 5 deep?

I think 8 deep next year, if Evina is eligible.

 

[uconnfan68]

I’ve said this many times before. If you watch any basketball game closely, everyone gets beaten off the dribble from time to time. I specifically remember a UConn game vs USF during Mo’s senior season, when she was named NDPOY, when Courtney Williams was abusing her on the defensive end, so much so that Geno pulled Mo off Williams and put Gabby on her.

From the games I’ve watched, Evina has the length, athleticism and footwork to be a solid defender.

Everyone got abused by Courtney Williams. Tough, tough kid.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Everyone got abused by Courtney Williams. Tough, tough kid.

Courtney was seemingly the only player Moriah couldn't guard. Even the WNBA defenders have trouble--she is very fast, stops on a dime, elevates, and shoots with accuracy. She's outstanding when she gets to her spots.

 

[Rocket009]

I think someone once said "great offense beats great defense" may have been someone up in Storrs

 

[DEpup]

I’m going to second this.

Evina was highly praised for and took great pride in her defensive abilities coming out of high school, but defense didn’t seem to be a point of emphasis (I’m not sure what their emphasis was, but whatever) at Tennessee. I think we’ll definitely see that aspect of her game blossom under Geno & Co.’s tutelage.

I have decided to give EW a clean slate. I feel like between the bad coaching, appearance of team chemistry issues because of bad coaching, EW playing PG when she really is a SG, and overall lack of help from her teammates I just don't think we've seen her at her best which will happen at UConn.

 

[Alydar]

Cornelius is a former hack sportswriter for the local newspaper in Knoxville. It's pretty obvious her intent is to trot out this false accusation against Geno when he surpasses Pat's 1,098 win total. She has probably already written her piece and has it safely tucked away waiting to publish it as soon as Geno has one more win than Pat. She needs to get a life.

She is also the long-time mod for what is the "back ward" of fan boards.

 

[mbr33ct]

I have a more nuanced question regarding waivers. Assuming that a transfer’s prior school can block a waiver, can they just say “no” or do they have to give a detailed response in support of their denial?

Say for instance that a player felt intimidated or threatened by fans. Not entirely out of the question for some of the more zealous LV fans as we’ve seen from Margo’s rant. Does TN have to counter a transfer’s waiver request with documentation?

Maybe Geno should attach Margo's video to his request form...along with a 32 page document of posts taken from VN and the Summitt.

 

[Papa33]

Great offensive players beat by great defensive players one on one all the time - what Geno teaches and what Uconn runs defensively is how to get 'beat' in the right way - forcing your opponent in the direction of your help defense and on angles away from the basket.

Being able to learn and apply those principles is why UConn-level defensive skills are, despite what some people here say, more than just a matter of will power and effort. There are seeing, thinking, and reacting skills also to learn.

 

[CajunHusky]

Great offensive players beat by great defensive players one on one all the time - what Geno teaches and what Uconn runs defensively is how to get 'beat' in the right way - forcing your opponent in the direction of your help defense and on angles away from the basket.

yes!!! it may be man to man defense but it really "team" defense. the coaches recognize that players get beat on occasion. the knack is the help that comes, and the help that covers the help going to the ball.

More times than not it is the player that doesn't get that defensive scheme that doesn't get on the court. Courtney was frequently lost in the offensive and defensive schemes. But CD kept teaching, Courtney spent most games sitting next to CD getting tutored.

Of course, ball denial (face guarding) is putting your best player out on a limb.

 

[MSSportsGuy]

I wouldn't say that Westbrook is a poor defensive player but she has room to improve for sure. Westbrook wanted to play point guard. She was better last season overall yet I'm not sure it's her natural fit. Time will tell.

 

[meyers7]

Why would you give a troll traffic to his post? It’s exactly what he wants

Eh, I'm not sure he's bright enough to be a troll.

 

[willtalk]

I believe that EW chose Uconn instead of the many other programs she had to choose from should at least tell you something. She is not just looking for playing time but really wants to get better. She still has quite a bit of upside left to reach her college ceiling. It's not like Geno is particularly looking to add guards. What he really needs is post players, so the fact that he added a guard should tell us that he also feels that EW will be an asset. I think if he believed the negatives that are being thrown around about her that she would not be coming to Uconn. It's not like he is desperate for guards and has to take a gamble.

 

[VA Huskie]

I’m not really sure what EV’s “true” position is. As a PG she seemed to me to be a little out of control. But maybe that’s in part due to Tennessee’s “offense”. If she’s a SG, she’s not a particularly good one. If I recall, her outside shoot wasn’t that good. I’m reminded of the story of Geno asking Gabby what position she played in HS. I think she said she was a PG. His response - no your not. Clearly EV has tons of talent. It’ll be really interesting to see how Geno molds it, develops it and uses it.

 

[JSB60]

Failed to follow team rules.

My favorite expression, since team rules seem to cover everything from "Don't murder anyone" to "Don't be late to practice."

 

[oldude]

I’m not really sure what EV’s “true” position is. As a PG she seemed to me to be a little out of control. But maybe that’s in part due to Tennessee’s “offense”. If she’s a SG, she’s not a particularly good one. If I recall, her outside shoot wasn’t that good. I’m reminded of the story of Geno asking Gabby what position she played in HS. I think she said she was a PG. His response - no your not. Clearly EV has tons of talent. It’ll be really interesting to see how Geno molds it, develops it and uses it.

PG means different things for different programs. At TN, Evina initiated the offense almost all the time, and HW's offense was not very good to start with, so she was often forced to make chicken salad out of chicken ____. At UConn, multiple players initiate the offense. This past year, that included Crystal, Christyn and Lou. UConn's 4-1 motion offense is incredibly difficult to defend. At UConn, Evina will get the opportunity to both initiate the offense and play off the ball looking for her shot.

As for her shooting, it is a work in progress. But the good news is that after working all summer with TN MBB HC Rick Barnes, her shooting improved dramatically from her freshman to sophomore year. I expect it will take another jump at UConn, as a result of both practice and the fact that Evina will get a lot more open looks in UConn's offense than she ever experienced as a LV.

 

[JordyG]

Great offensive players beat by great defensive players one on one all the time - what Geno teaches and what Uconn runs defensively is how to get 'beat' in the right way - forcing your opponent in the direction of your help defense and on angles away from the basket.

Geno also teaches that yes, you will occasionally get beaten off the dribble. But you must use your footwork to stay in position to contest every shot. Very important that. Also in some years Geno plays a switching defense where keeping your mark in front of you is less critical than the timing of the switch, and varies from moment to moment.

 

[CocoHusky]

I have to say that focusing on the lack of playing time leading to transfer out of UConn is just the visible symptom not the underlying condition that is the true cause of the transfer. When it comes to UConn there is always something not happening that is leading to the lack of minutes and it usually can be traced to practice. A player either follows instruction and performs or they don't and those that don't transfer. I'm a firm believer that it is usually what's not happening between the ears than anything physical.
AEH clearly wanted to do her own thing rather than work within the team which in a motion offense will lead to bad turnovers, breakdowns on defense, and forced shots that miss and she did all of them. It appears she was too stubborn to get with the program so she had to leave. She still has all those liabilities but Vic's offense is more forgiving that way. It will be really interesting to see what happens when there is no big T to clean things up.

I disagree that this was "clear" and reject your categorization that AEH was "too stubborn to get with the program."
1) AEH played a total of 49 minutes in 7 games before departing UCONN. Her struggles with turnovers and the other things you mention were no different than the three other players in her UCONN recruiting class. In fact Mikayla and Lexi struggled more than AEH and Megan had her struggles later in the season well after AEH had departed.
2) Geno since deleted full quote included the statement: "It (AEH's transfer) had nothing to do with playing time or being unhappy or not wanting to be here".

IMO her departure had nothing to do with on court or in practice basketball performance. I think @MilfordHusky got this one exactly right-AEH failed to live up to a program commitment. Just don't think it is fair to characterize her the way you have- as stubborn. Too suborn for Geno? Please!

 

[huskeynut]

As far as Evina fitting into the offense, I agree that at Tennessee she was the offense, such as it was. At UConn, I see her playing the 1, 2 or 3. She can handle the ball, she has a decent shot, not great, but decent. And she has the speed and quickness to take her defender off the dribble. CD and CW also can take their defender off the dribble. This is a major asset.

Given Geno's motion offense, I would not want to have to defend 3 guards who can take it to the hoop at any given moment. The dribble drive will also given Megan and Olivia a lot of easy looks close in.

 

[Go/huskies]

I’m not really sure what EV’s “true” position is. As a PG she seemed to me to be a little out of control. But maybe that’s in part due to Tennessee’s “offense”. If she’s a SG, she’s not a particularly good one. If I recall, her outside shoot wasn’t that good. I’m reminded of the story of Geno asking Gabby what position she played in HS. I think she said she was a PG. His response - no your not. Clearly EV has tons of talent. It’ll be really interesting to see how Geno molds it, develops it and uses it.

Westbrook shot 35 percent for her 2 seasons at Tennessee, 65 out of 181, not great but not dreadful. I see her playing the 2 at UConn because she was a point guard at Tennessee and a good passer, but not as strong of a rebounder as Williams who I think will play more of a wing this year.

 

[hoopsfan22]

Westbrook shot 35.9% from three last year. KLS shot 37.6%.

 

[Vowelguy]

Westbrook shot 35 percent for her 2 seasons at Tennessee, 65 out of 181, not great but not dreadful.

Although, when your offense is "dribble around and hoist up a shot," you're probably not going to have the highest shooting percentage.

 

[meyers7]

Westbrook shot 35.9% from three last year. KLS shot 37.6%.

Actually she shot 38%. 38/100. Better than KLS. And Dangerfield. And Williams. Only Walker shot better than Westbrook at 39.7%.

Well, ok, Bent (55%) and Irwin (39%) too, but they didn't really shoot all that much.

 

[oldude]

While I have no clue what the significance is of following or retweeting someone on your Twitter account, for those who consider it significant, both Sidney Cooks and Hannah Gusters retweeted Evina’s post indicating her intention to attend UConn. Gusters also retweeted a post from Paige. In the interest of full disclosure, Cooks retweeted a post from ND’s Patterson announcing her transfer to IN.

 

[Carnac]

I have decided to give EW a clean slate. I feel like between the bad coaching, appearance of team chemistry issues because of bad coaching, EW playing PG when she really is a SG, and overall lack of help from her teammates I just don't think we've seen her at her best which will happen at UConn.

And I’m going to second this!!

 

[Go/huskies]

While I have no clue what the significance is of following or retweeting someone on your Twitter account, for those who consider it significant, both Sidney Cooks and Hannah Gusters retweeted Evina’s post indicating her intention to attend UConn. Gusters also retweeted a post from Paige. In the interest of full disclosure, Cooks retweeted a post from ND’s Patterson announcing her transfer to IN.

It probably just be showing support to a friend.

 

[Plebe]

Good lord. One transfer and look at what has been unleashed. Here we go.

BTW, Pat Summitt invented cheating in women's basketball. Do we have to drag out those Sports Illustrated articles again? It's called tampering and she was the master.

I think we should drag them out again. It seems that some people need reminding.

Or, at the least, I'd be interested in having those SI articles... asking for a friend.

 

[oldude]

It probably just be showing support to a friend.

That may be true for Cooks who is in Evina's class and has played with her at the McD AA game and perhaps USA basketball as well. But Gusters is 3 years younger than Evina so it's unlikely they even know each other.

 

[donalddoowop]

I think we should drag them out again. It seems that some people need reminding.

Or, at the least, I'd be interested in having those SI articles... asking for a friend.

I agree. I would love to read the articles. I'm asking for me.

 

[dogged1]

Cornelius is a former hack sportswriter for the local newspaper in Knoxville. It's pretty obvious her intent is to trot out this false accusation against Geno when he surpasses Pat's 1,098 win total. She has probably already written her piece and has it safely tucked away waiting to publish it as soon as Geno has one more win than Pat. She needs to get a life.

Beg to differ on one small point. She has a life. It is dedicated to canonizing Pat Summit, demonizing Geno Auriemma and destroying all things (but most especially our women's basketball program) UConn.
If UConn has an arch enemy, she is it. If she had the power of Mark Emmert we would be in real trouble.
Pure speculation on my part based on perusing the Summitt before it went pay, but I believe as Pat declined she inluenced Pat's decision making towards UConn. Turning irritation to anger and anger to hate. Just my opinion, not asking anyone to believe.